Find the bargains!

Scrapbooking is FUN, inspiring, stress relieving, creative but most of all important. One downfall to scrapbooking is that it can get SOOOOO expensive. When you start adding up a page it can sometimes reach to over $5.00 for just one layout. Although very rewarding I am constantly getting emails from people who want to continue their scrapbooking but haven't got all those big dollars to create those beautiful, well embellished layouts. I agree, if something has to give for the budget it certainly would be the extra curricular activity that I love to do. With times the way they are many of us are cutting back on just about everything we can.
So how can we keep doing out scrapbooking when out budget doesn't allow us to?
Cindy from Michigan wrote and told me that she had plenty of paper and other things but many of her supplies were those that she really couldn't use. So she planned a scrapbooking day with a group of her friends and instructed them to all bring 5 extra sheets of paper and 5 different embellishments along with 5 different yards of floss or ribbon. Cindy said she had them set them all out on a table and they all exchanged them around to meet their needs. It worked out great. They also spent the day using up their new supplies and getting a few layouts done.

That is just one great way to get around the economy and the BUDGET. Like Cindy most of us have plenty of supplies, but we are either tired of them or we just don't have anything to make with them. If you have a scrapbooking group, or friends why not see if you can swap things around and get some "New" products for each of you. That way they aren't just sitting there waiting to be used, but they actually can be traded for something that you will use!

Happy Scrapping.

Article by
Debbie Ruggles

More Trash to Treasures!

How about the ribbon pulls! You got to love them, but to buy them they will cost you some unnecessary bucks!

Why not make your own. You surely have some cans laying around that have them on. Here is what you do.
Oh my they are so easy!!!!! Yes you can make them all yourself! I am going to give you all the instructions and once you have done them you will think it was nothing to create them. So here we go just follow these few instructions.
1. Collect soda tabs from various soft drink cans…some are weirder shaped then others but it is a personal preference as to what you use. You do need to remove the little piece of metal that sometimes sticks to it when you remove it from the can.
2. Wash the tabs with some warm water and dish soap…I usually do it in a colander so it drains as I wash…lay out on a dish towel to dry.
3. Line a box lid with paper towels. Once the tabs are dry lay them on the paper towels with the back facing up first.
4. Once they are all laid out, spray the backs of the tabs with the spray paint color of your choice. I just use regular spray paint that is for metal items. Make sure to cover but you do not have to be so fussy because they are the backs…let dry.
5. Once dry, flip over to front of tabs. Once all tabs are flipped, spray the fronts of the tabs. I try to spray slowly so they do not get bumpy…sometimes they need two coats.
6. Let dry and once they are dry they are ready to slide on your ribbon.

Here is what these cute little things add to your ribbons, not to mention your Scrapbook pages, cards and other projects

What to use these for!

Here is a tag that I made! I used one of my ribbon slides.
The ideas are endless for these cute little pulls. Give this one a try.
Remember they are great for all those swaps you enter!

Article by:

Carol Paskovitch

Trash to Treasure

Have you ever noticed when its for scrapbooking all of a sudden a product that we may have thought about throwing away becomes big dollars to buy. For instance, bottle caps and tabs. This one always gets me. We take them off our bottles and cans and we throw these things in the trash.

One day a thrifty scrapper creates this onderful layout using one of these items and all of sudden they are in high demand. The scrapbooking manufactures take it on and Yippee we can find them everywhere. We can get a package of 12 for about 5 bucks!

OMG! It started out free and I am here to tell you they can still be free! No need to take this one on a pay 5 or 6 dollars for a package.

It just takes a little time and I am here to tell you if you scrapbook you know how to create and you know how to take your time. The biggest thing is to save the caps.

You will need a box. I use a box so that the spray won't get out! Lay your bottle caps on in the box keeping them from touching. Then simply give them a spray with a can of spray paint. Let them dry. After they are dry, check them out and if you think they need another coat so be it spray them down again. Remember light coats will keep it from running. You can do the underside if you wish.

There you go use as required. No problem with this one its not even a tough solution and the best thing is it didn't cost me any money! Except of course for whateve came in the bottle!

Falling Leaves!

Ok So its going to be fall we love all our fall leaves.

Here is a leaf that I have used many ways.

I have printed it off and cut it out.

Downsized it or made it bigger

I have used it as just a template to cut out my own leaves.

I have also taken it in a program and changed its colors

At any rate its great to use over and over again. So I am passing it on to you to save and use at will!

Its a great picture to have to get out to add not only to your layouts but also to your cards and other projects!

Remember you don't always have to buy things. A simple thing like this can add a trememdous amount of interest to you pages!

Product Swap

Most of us scrapbook with a lot of products. Many of us join swaps and other things to get our products.

Mary from Utah has a group of scrapbooking ladies that get together once a month for a day of scrapbooking. When they do they bring in their items that they can't use or maybe have more than one of (We know how that happens) and they swap them out between their group.

Here is how it works: They bring in 3 items and they put them all on one table and then each of them is allowed to pick out one item at a certain time during their class. Then they do it again with their time and then when they leave the pick up their last one.

They save money, and trade something they wouldn't use for some thing they can use!

Most of us have a group or go to crops, so how about trying to incorporate a idea like this to make your group a little more frugel plus add a little fun to the day!


Article by:
Accents 2 Scrapbooking editor

Creating your own words on Ribbon and more!

Love all those ribbons with the words just printed on them perfectly aligned in the center. How about the material with the little sentiments on them? Well this is a very simple task and you can do this all by yourself. No need to purchase and the great thing is you get exactly the wording you want!

Here is a great tip from our reader:

Here is what you do. Go into your program you have for word processing. Print up the words, phrases etc that you would like. Then print it off on a piece of cardstock. Remember for a piece of ribbon you will need to repeat the word all the way down the page. After you print your wording take your ribbon and tape it right over the wording. Carefully tape only the edges down. Then place it into your printer the same way and print. It will print it in the same place and you will have your ribbon centered.

Now for those that are going to want to use a 12" piece of ribbon you will have to change your printer settings. These can be done so read your manual to find out how to do it. For instance for mine I must go into change printer settings, advanced setting and then I choose a 6" x 12" and save. Of course you will have to cut down a 12x12 sheet of cardstock to get that dimension but hey you can use it over and over.

Remember this technique for printing on fabric as well as cork and cross stich fabrick. The possibilities are endless!

Tip sent in from

Corey for Maryland

Scrapbooking with Supplies from home!

Once again there are so many things out there. I personally love the new stuff, but hey lets face it we can't always get what we want, when we want to. So its time to look around take stock and figure out what we need and what we have just laying around our house! Nothing you say, well lets see is there are some thing and ideas on our list that will offer you a few ideas to all the handy things we have just laying around our homes!

Paper Clips, paint them up and use them for a great accent on your pages
Pop can tops: I love these! once again paint them up, throw some ribbon in them and use them as ribbon slides! We will have to show you this idea, you will love it!
Old Puzzle Pieces: Have those puzzles that the kids have lost some pieces to! Never fear recycle them for your scrapbooking. Paint them up or recover them with paper or some cardstock. These are super accents on your pages! Give it a try, I bet you will love them.
Acrylic Paint: If you have ever done any projects for scouts or other organization, or crafts around home, chances are you have a box of acrylic paints! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to use these up!
Yes you can use them in your scrapbooking. Remember the puzzle pieces, paint away, add some glitter and you got yourself one sharp embellishment. The possibilities are endless for this one!
Wrapping Paper: I know they preached the idea that things must be acid free, get one of those pens and you will find out that a lot of things are acid free and safe for your pages. Try some of the wrapping papers. They are gorgeous and will work wonderfully on your pages. Remember if your not sure, just keep your photos away from them.
Old Clothes: Don't throw those old clothes out without looking for buttons, and even eyelets! Look at the material. Blue jeans work wonders on some of the layouts, so don't just throw everything away without giving it a second look. There are many things you throw awy that you can actually use in your scrapbooking.

Got a tip you want to add to our list, send it in and we will use it in our newsletter!
Send them to debbie@accents2scrapbooking.com