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Thanks so much for this thread. I am like most of you and when I look through my stash, I can't believe the stamp sets that have never seen "ink", yet it was something I just HAD to have, and that was two or three years ago. Then whe I look through my checkbook and see all the checks written for my card hobby, it is so-o-o depressing. Everytime I think I won't buy anymore things, I see a beautful card made with a stamp I don't have. I go through dry spells when I don't have the time or desire to make cards, and then feel guiltier than ever for spending money I should be saving. I will try very hard to stay on a budget for 2011 and use what I have already!(And enjoy it!)
Without even specifically intending to, I have cut way back on my craft spending. In the past couple of months the only thing I have purchased was adhesive and cutting blades - ok, and 1 punch. And even going back a few months before that I just restocked my cardstock supply. I've had occasion recently to go to "the big city" for doctors appointments and such. That's where the big box craft stores are so my hubby will ask if I want to stop in at any of them. Nope. Didn't have the desire at all. I've seen the new releases for the stamp companies I like and none of them appeal to me. I look at something and think, "I have something like that already", which is true because I have SO much stuff. I even donated a humongous box of paper and supplies to the local library for their craft projects and it didn't even make a dent in what I have. I think until I get myself more organized and purge a lot more stuff, I won't be buying much of anything new except adhesive and cardstock.
__________________ Susan
Last edited by peebsmama; 12-29-2010 at 07:29 AM..
Since my card making stuff has spilled out of Craftyland and into my dressing room (tiny bedroom used as closet because 145 year old house has only one real closet that DH uses), kitchen, living room, and bedrooom and I'm feeling like the "Buried Alive: Hoaders" TV show when I walk into my dressing room, I, too, will try not to buy anything for a loooong time except necessary adhesive, white or cream cardstock for card backers, clear jackets/bags for cards for our troops, envelopes, the $25 min. order for a 6 month card club, and registration/gas/food money for card making gatherings. My stamping friends call me The Enabler so I'm trying not to be...I even removed that from my signature. I, too, am now unsubscribing from emails and deleting from "My Favorites". I just canceled out of an online monthly stamp set purchasing club.
A month ago I had all my paper spread out in our bedroom so I could organize it into ROYGBIV and was shocked at how much I have! I can't even get it all back into my many JetMax cubes. I have two cartons of unmounted stamps that I need to either put EZ mount or Tack It Over n Over on and put in CD or DVD cases and they have been in those boxes waiting for more than 6 months (guessing I really don't need those stamps, huh??). Even if I organize all my stuff carefully I don't think it will all fit into Craftyland. As I go through my stuff I'm putting things aside to donate to From Our Hearts (for cards for our troops) or give for gift swaps or as door prizes at gatherings or to donate to a teacher.
After paying estimated taxes, sales taxes, and end of year closing for our printing business this month and the poor economy finally catching up with us, I have further incentive for not buying anything because there's not much $$ to buy with!
So, yes, I will NOT buy anything for a long time! I will be creative with what I have.
Add to the amount of money spent on this stuff, none of it is cheap, If you continue buying at the same rate you have in the past few years where will you store it all???
Some people have complete rooms full of stuff. What will they do, build an addition onto their homes or start sleeping on the livingroom floor ??
I LOVE Martha Stewart punches, however I have to store them an under my bed . When the box was full I had to say enough! I have no more space for more punches.
I stamp and scrapbook more as an act of therapy than as a "hobby". I need the creative outlet and focus to help stabalize my mental being. Soooo.... I "excuse" my craft shopping therapy ;)
That said, I really have way more WAY more than I need. Sooo... I am pledging to only get what I need! I am going to do my best to use what I have and not go shopping just because it's "easy" or cheap.
One of my biggest challenges to sticking to my non-shopping is that there is a dollar store close by that sells a LOT of stamping/scrapping stuff for $1-3 or so. It's hard to pass up that kind of "bargain" so I end up going in and buying $60 worth of stuff in one go! I will still be getting stuff that I use up, like tape and such (they have great "redline" tape for $1 a roll! Way cheaper than tombo! and it's GOOD adhesive ) but I will no longer buy stuff just for the sake of having it.
I also have a whole room (it's the upstairs of a cape cod house) that I craft in. It's huge but it's so packed with STUFF and completely disorganzied that I have difficulty finding ANYTHING.
My one Christmas gift to myself I got was an $80 guillotiene cutter that I got for $17.50 I HAVE to get some semblance of order to my room because I have to have someplace to put it and dedicate to it... so that's my winter project along with cleaning the rest of my house up! ;) I have some health challenges and my house has reached critical levels due to my not being up to cleaning it.
What a great idea! I am in for the "diet". I belong to three different clubs, so I will limit myself to buying only to honor my committment to them. Shopping in my room first though is my vow. I soooo needed this...thank you...and I would love to see a gallery or challenge of "craft space shopping" only projects. I did this once for a challenge and was amazed with the card that I came up with. Heres to less and wiser spending in 2011!
I love that idea... a gallery of "shop your space" stuff would be great
I've been stamping for about 12 years. My sister inlaw got me into it , we were both avid sewers. She said that it took up less space than fabric....right!
I remember coming home from work early last year and looking at my craft area, which is small, but definately overcrowded by stuff. I felt stressed already, and more so just looking at my stuff! I thought to myself how much more creative I was when I had very little, when I first started out. When I was off work for the summer I totally reorganized, spending my crafting money on organization rather than more supplies. I sat back and took a good look at what I had, gave away some of the tools and papers that no longer interested me. It felt like freedom! I unsubscribed to most , but not all of the websites which tempted me, keeping my favorites. (not just stamping, but clothing too!) I figured out that alot of my spending was emotional and changed my habits.
This Christmas I made the vow to not buy any new stamps for cards- I got just one ($6) that was a sentiment to go with what I had - so I felt that was really good! Its kind of empowering to just go and look, gather ideas, and walk out empty handed because I didn't feel committed to buying. Also this Christmas, my office/work gifts had to be made using what I had. I stuck to it and I didn't feel that guilt of over spending at the end. It was great!
Its not so much about going cold turkey or avoiding this or that place or website, but just taking a good look at what you have, deciding what is needed and keeping perspective on things. This is supposed to be a hobby, fun, it should bring joy! Get rid of the things that weigh you down. It's something we can use in every aspect of our lives .Thanks so much for this post and for the reminder/support! Good for you for recognizing where you need to make your own personal changes, they are different for all of us. I wish you a very Happy New Year!
Add to the amount of money spent on this stuff, none of it is cheap, If you continue buying at the same rate you have in the past few years where will you store it all???
Some people have complete rooms full of stuff. What will they do, build an addition onto their homes or start sleeping on the livingroom floor ??
I LOVE Martha Stewart punches, however I have to store them an under my bed . When the box was full I had to say enough! I have no more space for more punches.
I have taken to buying the punched out shapes, butterflies, etc on ebay, and ask the seller if I can have them in certain colors, which they generally will do for the sale. So now I only have a small zip lock baggie to store instead of an entire bulky punch. This doesn't help with borders though.
__________________ Ginny , A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. -Douglas Pagels
Oddly, I never have a problem with "sales pitches" or blogs, etc. I rarely ever buy stuff in a regular store even. I guess I just don't have the "impulse" or "advertisement" personality that a lot of people have. I have the "can't pass up a great bargain" problem! The guilloteine cutter is different as I have been wanting that for a couple years but mostly it's the $1 stuff that sucks me in!
I'm in! I am a hoarder, I think I have every DSP, ribbon and punch that Stampin' Up has sold for the last several years. I have so much that I have never used, even those items "I just had to have". I too never wanted a coupon to go to waste and sometimes I had three different stores that offered coupons every week. I belong to two monthly clubs which I enjoy and will maintain my commitment but otherwise will "shop from my stash" and use what I already have. In addition I plan on organizing my craft room so I can get to my stuff. Thanks so much for starting this thread. It is somewhat easier when you know you are not alone.
One of my lady friends and host of many card making get togethers, has had us come over once in a while with any stamps or "stuff" we no longer want. Some of use just give them to others, while sometimes I put a $1 or $2 price on a punch or stamp.
Also when I make punched shapes with someone elses punch -borrowed- I usually do it in white, so I can sponge it whatever color I need in the future, or put it into a bowl with water dyed with a re-inker, then let it dry. Have a baggie full, if I need to do one, why not a few.
__________________ Ginny , A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. -Douglas Pagels
Oddly, I never have a problem with "sales pitches" or blogs, etc. I rarely ever buy stuff in a regular store even. I guess I just don't have the "impulse" or "advertisement" personality that a lot of people have. I have the "can't pass up a great bargain" problem! The guilloteine cutter is different as I have been wanting that for a couple years but mostly it's the $1 stuff that sucks me in!
Yeah, me too. the $1 stuff is sooo easy to justify. was just putting the clear ones into cd cases, and thought that I would probably never use half of them. I love my "guillotine" cutter from Harbor Freight, knowing that I will never have to replace a blade. I have a small (travel size) one too by Tonic which I love. I have ended up with several large rotary cutters (finding at a yard sale- who can pass up $4 for a $20 item?) which I was just thinking of selling on Craigslist.
__________________ Ginny , A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. -Douglas Pagels
Also when I make punched shapes with someone elses punch -borrowed- I usually do it in white, so I can sponge it whatever color I need in the future, or put it into a bowl with water dyed with a re-inker, then let it dry.
I love my "guillotine" cutter from Harbor Freight, knowing that I will never have to replace a blade. I have a small (travel size) one too by Tonic which I love. I have ended up with several large rotary cutters (finding at a yard sale- who can pass up $4 for a $20 item?) which I was just thinking of selling on Craigslist.
I have a small guillotine from CM that I LOVE! I use it to trim cards a LOT when they just aren't quite "squared up" or the edges are raggy as well as cutting down photos. I have a CM 12" cutter with the blade SOMEWHERE! I haven't seen it since I moved to Detroit and back like 5 years ago and then I got a Fiskars replacement since I couldn't find my CM one. It has to be in a box in my basement SOMEWHERE.
Part of my problem is I moved in the past 7 years from Chicago to Flint, Flint to Detroit, to a different appartment in Detroit and back to my house which in the meantime my brother moved into and threw his stuff EVERYWHERE and then when we shipped him off his stuff was left exploded all over the place. :P
A spending freeze and "shopping at home" sound like great ideas! I did get several craft store gift cards for Christmas, so I guess as long as I only use those for buying "necessities", my spending will be down in 2011. Hooray!
I totally agree. I tried to do this last year and didn't have much luck. But this year my resolve is strong. My freinds and I gave each other some of our unused over stock for Christmas and it worked out well.
I've got a great room but i've never gotten it totally organized. As I was looking through my stuff for them I found that I had tons of stuff from when I first started scrapbooking 11 years ago and my taste and style has changed alot.
I want to start this year out right and over the next couple of weeks i'm going to do some serious purging and not buy anything unless adhesive or a specific need or borrow a stamp or punch if needed instead of buying it.
Is there a support group for scrapbook junkies or buyers anonomous?
I'm in! I am a hoarder, I think I have every DSP, ribbon and punch that Stampin' Up has sold for the last several years. I have so much that I have never used, even those items "I just had to have". I too never wanted a coupon to go to waste and sometimes I had three different stores that offered coupons every week. I belong to two monthly clubs which I enjoy and will maintain my commitment but otherwise will "shop from my stash" and use what I already have. In addition I plan on organizing my craft room so I can get to my stuff. Thanks so much for starting this thread. It is somewhat easier when you know you are not alone.
That can be our motto for the support group. I love it. Until I get fully organized I can shop from my stash and then purge as I come across stuff.
Thanks
craft diet, I like.
I will for sure try, need to reduce my spending this year, and really use what I have. But not sure if I can go cold turkey haha. one month at a time ;)
I realized quite some time ago that I have more than enough in supplies but not the time to use what I do have. I have scaled back considerably but not completely stopped buying. My downfall seems to be the new themed Stax pads of papers.
Y'all might want to set up a 12-step support group ... lol!
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
Bonnie, I've already made that pledge for the new year. I would be happy to join forces with you. Adhesive is the only craft item I actually need. My goal is to use up what I have first... which is more than enough! I know it means getting a bit creative with my scrapping.. but I know I can do it!
My LSS has a section in the back of their store where you can sell the craft stuff you no longer want and in return get store credit. I've sold a bunch of my old SU sets and in return was able to get some holiday paper, embellishments and the smaller score-pal. It helps because I am getting rid of stuff I don't use and I am not shelling out cash.
In the past two years or so, I've learned that if I stay out of the craft stores, I won't buy silly stuff that I don't really want or need. I avoid Mike's, Jo's, and Archiver's because they have pretty things that tempt me. No need for a coupon if you don't even go to the store.
I really do prefer the items I find from online companies, so I save and try to make purchases that I've really thought out and planned to get...Pure Luxury card stock from Gina K, charms from Mark's Finest Papers, paper packs from Ellen Hutson, etc.
Another principle I try to follow is getting rid of something old if I buy something new. It helps to keep a balance in the craft studio that way. I plan on having another big purging garage sale this spring.
I will continue dieting, but not ready to go cold turkey, either!
You got my support. But I will not be joining you either .
When I first started I spent hundreds a month, last year a little less and this year I have learned to buy only what I will use. As some of the other members stated, I have learned my style and pick only the things that I will use. Unlike many I do not have a room over flowing, I do have my cuttle bug and nestibilities and invested in copics, which I love. So if I see something I really want and will use I am buying.
__________________ Daughter of a King My Blog
Rebekka
Yes! I'll join you. Right after I get the Tim Holtz die cuts on my wish list, oh, and I live near Ellison in Southern California, and they might have a warehouse sale this spring, and there's that coupon for M's that's burning a hole in my wallet, and SU has a new catalog with some cute Valentine's sets that I've been eyeing. Hmmm, maybe I won't be able to go "cold turkey" until July or August...
__________________ : : Frances : : Housework is for people without hobbies.
I don't think I can go "cold turkey" but I am definitely going on a crafty diet this year, mainly because I just have SO much stuff and very little room to store it all in that I have to move half of my stuff out of the way just to get to my cardstock drawers!
My main intention is to NOT buy any more patterned papers, either loose sheets or packs unless I have a REAL reason to. I don't scrapbook so I'm pretty certain I'll have something to use in the mountains of paper I already have. At the minute I have 5 boxes about 1 1/2" deep full of SU papers with some of the new color family packs seperately as they won't fit in the boxes anymore. I also have 4 13" square pizza boxes (the ones we get 12" papers delivered in over here) full of various papers (some of this is stored by pattern or colour) and then 2 concertina holders with at least 200 sheets in each. And then I have umpteen stacks of 6" Basic Gray packs, lots of retired SU 6" packs, 3 unopened Cosmo Cricket ones, about 10 packs of PTI paper packs and some DCWV 8" packs! Way more than I will ever need in a lifetime I think. And this doesn't even include all my Hallowe'en or Christmas papers which are stored separately in their own stash boxes!
Another thing I'm trying to do is to wait on ordering from PTI. I belong to a UK forum and a group of us have become PTI addicts and it's almost a competition each month to see who gets their order delivered first (not necessarily how much we spend, thank goodness). I find I've been ordering first thing in the morning on the 15th each month, just to get my order in first and as the shipping is so expensive already to here I make myself buy either $100 or $200 worth as we get a refund on the shipping for those amounts! Now I'm going to wait until I have a list of things I REALLY REALLY want, sets I keep coming back to time and time again before I order. This way I KNOW I will use these sets, rather than just ordering them to bump my order up to the next $100! I'm also going to make a list of sets I already have that are similar to the ones I like from PTI to see if there are alternatives I can use so I don't have to buy them.
I do like the idea of shopping in my own stuff first before I order as well, so that's going to be another thing I do. It might make me use those dusty, untouched sets that haven't seen ink for a LONG time as well.
I'm going to try this diet, can't promise cold turkey. I've been buying a lot thinking I was building up my stash of paper, just like I built up my fabric stash a few years ago. . . and still have tons. It hit me yesterday when I realized that I now had enough of just my white card stock to make over 600 cards! Never mind all my drawers full of patterned paper and colored and neutral card stock. I was trying to justify it because of the long distance to a craft shop (closest Michaels is a 12 hour drive in the summer when the road is open). We live a 6 hour drive from the closest city (not a very big one,25000 people) and tend to stock up on things when we go, buying them here is so much more expensive, if you can even get what you want/need. So this way of thinking has of course followed me as far as crafts supplies go as well, but here goes. . .
I have also cut way back on my spending. My craft room is like a small store and with some items I even have 2 - cricuts, BIA, big shot/cuttlebug - I also have tons of things to alter and containers and things I have bought with the intention of altering. My daughter likes to "shop" in my closet because I have so much stuff.
Since I am a SU demo I don't think it's realistic to stop spending all together - my customers need to see new things - but I'm trying really hard not to hoard, not to buy a ton of stuff at one time (because then some things don't get used) and to just cut way back on my spending. I've done a lot better the second half of last year and I hope to do even better this year. My husband did tell me to order $200 worth of SU stuff for one of my Christmas presents, so that took care of the Occasions Mini. I really shouldn't need much else until the summer mini and I don't usually buy much from that because the new catalog is always just around the corner.
I do wish the original poster well in going cold turkey.
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"Shopping" my own stamp shelf
While I don't think I'll go "cold turkey", I decided to "shop" on my own stamp shelves, and do you know what? I found some beautiful, fabulous "gotta-have" stamps and stamp sets that I haven't even thought of in at least 2 years!!! Wow, was I surprised at the haul I made...and CHEAP, too! LOL
Along with many of you, I have a virtual store that is called my stamping center. Two years ago I decided that I wanted to have fun stamping WITHOUT having to purchase anything (minimum spend stamp clubs), so I organized a small club that meets once a month where there is no buying, but rather fun stamping. We each sign up for a month as "hostess" at our home. The hostess prepares three projects for everyone to stamp, provides the materials, an easy snack and WINE! Last year we added a new element, the "challenge." At the end of the night everyone gets 3 or 4 of the same elements (paper, embellishments, etc.) to take home. At the next month's meeting everyone shows their Challenge. We have really enjoyed seeing how each individual's artistic expression comes out. I've recorded our Challenges by taking pictures each month and keeping them in a three ring binder. This club is a fun and easy way to make use of all those stamping purchases without having to purchase more!
Way to go Bonnie! I am subscribing to this link as a constant motivator to keep on track with my spending!
Over the past two years I roughly estimated that I spent about $25,000 (yes you read correctly there are no errors or added zeros) in scrapbooking and stamping "stuff". I am mean really how much patterened paper, flowers, ribbon or stamps does one need??? Out of all those supplies I have done NOTHING with them. Instead I keep taking classes and then don't even finish those projects! I have so many projects building up that need to be completed! I tried this past year to slow my spending and did really well for the most part but then towards the end of the year I went crazy again.
I completely agree with Susan and not going into the craft stores or clicking those online store links you get in your e-mail helps tremendously! Unfortunately, I lost all self control, clicked on those e-mail store links and got sucked into all those holiday/year end sales and deals!
For 2011 I am plan on focusing on any new tools that I need or want but I have plenty of stamps, ink, patterened paper, flowers, ribbon, etc!! NO MORE!! I must use what I have and get caught up on the pile of unfinished projects first! To help on my journey I am going to be signing up for the FREE open labs at my local scrapbook store - this way I can scrap away without the mess at home and I get to use all their punches and dies for FREE too! Congratulations Bonnie and thank you for taking that first step on the road to controlling our craft spending addiction!
Oh and my local scrapbook store also does two yard sales a year. You take in all the stuff you don't want, they price it and sell it for you and 85% of the amount you sold goes towards store credit! I love it and this way you are recycling stuff you don't want and earning credit to buy stuff you do want. So if you have a favorite local scrapbooking store and they don't offer anything like this you might want to suggest it to them! It's a wonderful program for us over spenders and hoarders of supplies!
My husband came into my craft room one day and, looking around, said, "How much have we spent on all this?" He wasn't mad, just making a comment. He is really pretty good about it. HOWEVER, now that we are "retired" and income is almost half of what it was, I really NEED to cut back (in 3 years, I still haven't found the trick to doing that!). I am going to make a real effort, although it is hard, with friends buying everything in site, and all the "new and improved" products forever on the market. I have decided to try and use up some on the thousands of sheets of paper I have before buying more. I am turning some of it into envelopes. Whenever you buy pads of paper, there are always some that you aren't going to use, so why not make envelopes out of it. You can put the white side out, and have a pretty inside when the card is opened. I would like to figure out how to use other things (like tools) in new ways too. I need to cut back on my Martha Stewart punch buying, as I don't REALLY need every border they come out with! Same for the Nestabilities (big ticket item).
If anyone figures out how to organize and keep a neat craft room (without spending money to do it) let me know. Mine always looks like there was an explosion!!!
Whow! I would read through this forum 12 hrs. after I just placed an order with Flourishes. Well, I just had to since I've never ordered from them before...
I re-signed with SU when they had they're "come back demos" campaign. I was annoyed at the new contract rules for blogers. Then, I realized that since I'm a hobby demo, and don't have an SU website, that it didn't really matter anyway. Add to that that I was spending well over $300 a quarter in big box craft stores as well as on-line. So, now if I can just not give in to the competition, I will be OK. We really do need someone to write up a 12 step plan. I've been tossing all coupons and just made up my mind to only buy when I can totally envision at least 5 cards with a stamp. I think I've also found my 'style' which fortunately, is C&S. So that will mean I only need good quality white cs and glue. One area I'm proud of myself is that I've got only a Cuttlebug, having resisted buying any other diecut machines. And it works for me with all the various companies' dies. I just spend a bit of time getting the 'sandwich' right.
One thing I haven't come across here is the amount that has been spent to date. I realize this may be a challenge. I moved this year into smaller space and was forced to downsize. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be and it made me step back and kinda figure out how much damage I'd done in 6 yrs...the last 3 in very intense...as in 6 hrs. a day on average time spent in my craft room. The figure I've come up with is $6,000. Anyone want to join me in admitting how much their passion has cost?
I'm subscribing.
Happy New Year!
Whenever you buy pads of paper, there are always some that you aren't going to use, so why not make envelopes out of it. You can put the white side out, and have a pretty inside when the card is opened.
This is a fantastic idea! I'm so going to do this, especially after receiving a freebie pack of papers today with my cardmaking magazine subscription (that I'm going to cancel as the magazine is so uninspiring!). I know I won't use these papers as they are so not my style, but this is an excellent way of using them up! Thanks for the idea!!!
I'm overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I've accumulated since I embraced this hobby 4 years ago.
I like your plan! And I love the idea that it forces you to be creative. That's something I've been yearning for (along with inspiration) as I stare down the piles of supplies that have been sapping my will to create. It takes a lot of energy to keep that much stuff organized.
This Christmas, I had the hardest time finishing my cards because every time I sat down, I remembered, "oh, I have a candy stamp that would be perfect for this." After spending hours digging for that "perfect" stamp, carting stuff around and clearing space to work, I was too tired to make anything!
So, I'm joining you! I'm going cold-turkey. I shouldn't need anything for a good year. But I'm inserting a disclaimer - the Scrapbook Convention hits my town in June and I'm likely to fall off the wagon.
cold turkey - coupons etc
cold turkey
@ Jeanniebeanie
I'm in!
