When it comes to memory albums, you can’t help but judge a book by its cover. Crafting an eye-popping scrapbook cover is a challenge for some, but the process can be quite rewarding once you learn how to harness your creative energy. Making your own cover is not as hard as you may think. One way to craft a stunning cover without breaking the bank is to decorate a standard three-ring binder or a plain hardcover journal with a collection of your favorite scrapbook embellishments. Use stickers, rub-ons, or patterned paper to design an attractive cover. Another frugal idea is … Continue reading →

Post Easter clearance sales allow you to stock up on mountains of scrapbook paper, and I’m not just referring to pastel-colored cardstock. Today, I found patterned, glitter and pearlescent sheen scrapbook paper on sale at Hobby Lobby. I bought a minimal amount of the specialty paper compared to some ladies who left with a haul that required a forklift. After holiday sales are great for frugal scrappers looking to load up their craft spaces with inexpensive supplies, but what do you do with 80 pounds of paper? My suggestion: get punchy. Dust off your paper punches and flex your hand … Continue reading →

Nothing says Happy Valentine’s Day quite like a Cricut machine. Hint. Hint. My neighbor’s living room windows are freshly decorated with large hearts made from exquisite patterned scrapbook paper. Eye candy indeed. When my 7-year-old queried her on where we could buy “some of those pretty hearts” to embellish our windows, my neighbor sweetly replied: “Honey, I used my Cricut to make them.” She then promptly invited my kid over to craft some for her bedroom window. “Rub it in, why don’t you?” I’m pretty sure that was my exact retort. So, yes, a Cricut is truly an investment that … Continue reading →

Scrapbook stickers are not cheap. I know this for a fact. You could easily drain your wallet shopping for 3D stickers at your local scrapbooking store. I also know this for a fact. My magnetic attraction to themed stickers (and my dwindling bank account) is what prompted me to finally experiment with homemade embellishments. Digital stickers have been a huge money saver for me. A few years ago I would think nothing of dropping $3 to $5 on a sheet of pretty adhesives. Then, I sat down to calculate how much I spent on scrapbooking in a year’s time and … Continue reading →

According to a new study, traditional Christmas cards may soon go the way of VCRS and record players. Unity Marketing reports the percentage of people buying greeting cards for Christmas fell from 77 percent in 2005 to 73 percent in 2007 and to 62 percent in 2009, and with the growth of social media networking, that number is predicted to dip even lower in 2011. Experts in the greeting card industry blame social media platforms, such as Facebook, which allows people to stay up-to-date on an immediate basis. These days there is no longer the need to tuck an annual … Continue reading →

To bind or not to bind, that is the question. Actually, the question you should be asking yourself before purchasing a scrapbook binding machine is: Am I buying the right one? Before investing in the handy crafting machines that allow you to create mini albums all the way up to mega-sized memory books, you should do research on the models that will best suit your scrapping needs. As I mentioned in a previous blog, there is an array of binding machines on the market today. They range in price from $60 to more than $800 for professional versions. Most scrappers … Continue reading →

Tis the season to stock up on memory books. Right now Kohl’s is having a huge sale on its scrapbooks. What’s more, you can combine the $10 in-store or online savings card with the reduced price in order to score a ton of albums without draining your wallet. Purchasing empty scrapbooks is one of the costliest parts of the hobby, which is why I try to buy in bulk whenever they are on sale. Still, there are even cheaper ways to get the albums you need to scrap. A growing trend among avid scrappers is to invest in personal binding … Continue reading →

Collecting adorable die cuts is a huge reason I got into scrapbooking. Sure, I love showcasing my photos in creative layouts, but if it were not for my undeniable desire to utilize all the super cute die cuts available to scrappers, I’m not sure I would be as passionate about the hobby as I am. For you non-scrappers, die cuts are pieces of paper that have been sliced, diced and trimmed into unique designs using a special tool. These days you can find die cuts in every shape imaginable, from letters to flowers, snowflakes to pumpkins, Christmas trees to sand … Continue reading →

Sunday is Grandparents Day. Do you have a gift picked out? If you are short on cash and creativity, then consider these tips to create a one-of-a-kind scrapbook for your child’s grandparents: Photos: Forget about cramming 200 photos into a single book. The task will take forever, cost a ton and lead to unwanted frustration. Instead, select a few of your favorite photos of your children and their grandparents and if you really want to include others, then place them in divided plastic pages at the end of the finished book. Memorabilia: A huge part of scrapbooks is the nifty … Continue reading →

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars tracing your family genealogy. Thanks to the handy dandy internet, and of course libraries, you can find out most of what you need for free. Free genealogy sites abound. All you need is a lot of time and some information about your past and you can find out all you need to know about your family history. Here are a few fascinating and free genealogy websites where you can trace your ancestors: Ellis Island Ellis Island has gone digital. I remember a few years ago, visiting Ellis Island and looking for my … Continue reading →