~ Being a Thrifty Cardmaker ~ a "tutorial"

Hi there! So glad you dropped by. Sorry that I didn't post for the last few days; I've been super busy working on submissions for PaperCrafts ... their upcoming issue Cards and Gifts ...

But here I am today with a card to share and a "tutorial" of sorts.

I do my best to keep my crafting expenditure in hand. Sometimes it's kind of hard. And we all face this "difficulty", don't we? Show of hands please!

So I wanted to show you today how I pinch a penny, or pinch several pennies for each project I work on. Let's start here.

Do you see this 6" x 6"sheet of Webster's Pages patterned paper? from the Lullaby Lane collection ...

 

I started with a cardstock base card (13x13 cm) and this single sheet of 6" x 6" patterned paper. And came up with ... this ...

 

... good way to save those dollars AND stretch your creative juice! :)

First I trimmed out the layered sections (the clock and flower area), then I trimmed out the square section. The scraps were flipped over and fitted, then trimmed to match. It really was a squeeze; these scraps are what I was left with at the end ...

 

tiny, tiny scraps!! Looking at the card, it's pretty hard to tell that it is composed of only one sheet (I think).

 

and that's not the only way to save $$...

 

I get my silk flowers and ribbons from totally-non-craft stores - the flower was like, $2.00 for over twenty pieces, and the ribbon, less than a dollar for one meter.

and your stamps too, don't go shopping for one stamp just to fit the space on a card. The sentiment was in one line, but by carefully inking two words at a time, I fitted it onto my die-cut tag. Dies are expensive, but they are investments - no need to buy ready cut tags, right? The beautiful flourish stamp is one that I love to use over and over again, in so many different ways.

And then...

 

... make your own trinkets. I "borrowed" a sewing pin from my mom and slipped two pearl beads below it. A little liquid adhesive secures the whole thing together. So much better to do everything handmade!

Of course I am not discouraging you from shopping at your local craft store/online; I love to shop at my LSS's too, but when your budget is getting tight, or your creative juice needs to go farther ... try a thrifty card! You'll be surprised at the places you go! :)

 

patterned paper: Webster's Pages
stamps: PaperTrey Ink and BasicGrey
tag die: KCK
others: twine, kraft cardstock, silk flower, ribbon, pearls, sewing pin

Let me know your thoughts on saving on your scrap-budget! I'd love to hear how you do it.

Thank you so much for dropping by!

~ Viola