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I am a paper addict. I spend more time buying pretty paper than using it. I can't pass up a sale, coupons beckon me. It's like if I don't get it now I will be doomed. If any of you ladies have any ideas to help me break this cycle, I would greatly appreciate it.
well... I have a ton of paper, ( but i use mine) something i read recently is that people who buy their paper in 12" sheets have a hard time cutting into it... so they forced themselves to cut it into 6" squares and now they happily use that paper..
maybe decide what do you need an card for next, pull out some papers ribbons stamps embellishments like lets say your next things was halloween, pull out some things that could work for that. ( make a pile ) and then "shop" your own stash to make a card or 3...
I have a lot of paper too...just ask my sweet hubby...but I have no trouble cutting into it and using it. I use a LOT of paper on all the cards I make. It just seems like the piles dont get smaller...lol
blessings.
I too am a hoarder. I have at least 30,000 sheets of 12x12..and just went to Michaels today cause it was 40% off and a coupon from 12-6 for additional 15% off....sooooo you know i HAD to get more paper...I know I have to stop as do you, but its all just sooo pretty. I have a hard time using it, cause then it will be gone, and what if I need it for something else?
I think though that if we had less we would use it more..strange, but I spend more time looking through ALL my stacks to find what I am thinking about, cant find it, either give up or go buy more paper.
My only suggestion besides sending it to me, is either make gift bags out of some, donate some that is out of style, wallpaper the bathroom...any those would work.
good luck
Oh you are too funny. I love the idea of making bags out of it. I think I will use some to make envelops too. Keep the ideas coming. I am determined to use it and stop buying. I made a promise to myself today not to use my coupons for paper but for all the beautiful punches that Martha Stewart and EK SUCCESS are making.
I have found that if I cut my paper into 6x6 squares I will be more likely to use it. I guess if I did more scrapbooking it would bother me more to cut up my paper.
I know when I first started stamping I'd buy 4 sheets of each. That really builds up the paper stacks but the I started buy 2 cuz I had so much and my daughter would really give me a hard time about all the paper I have. I have never had to hide it from hubby, he doesn't care and my son doesn't notice but my daughter is the one I hide it from. She says things like "really mom more paper." ugh...isn't she suppose to be on my side? Anyway I have found I'm happy with 1 sometimes 2 sheets of pretty paper. It makes me very happy now to use it and if I buy more the 2 I get board with it and think oh I already used that one.
I'm a paper hoarder too and I hate cutting into my a full sheet of paper. I have been forcing myself to use up my paper lately. I decided this year to do some craft fairs, so I've been using it for projects and NOT buying anymore to replace it. I have used up tons of my scraps to make cards for the sale and still haven't really even touched the full sheets. In one way this makes me happy cause I don't want to cut my full sheets, but I know I'm going to have to use it eventually.
I put myself on a spending hiatus because I need to use up some of my stashes, including paper. I've found that I no longer care for some of the styles that I bought, so I've been making envelopes out of them. It's a fun "no brainer" thing to do and it helps use up some of the older paper I have.
Another vote for envelopes. I also just take out one of my die cut machines and cut flowers, tags, circles, etc. out of the papers I don't care for anymore. Then I ink, stamp, spray, and otherwise embellish them. You can use the backs if they're white to try out stamping, misting, and blending techniques too.
I shop my stash a lot. I periodically pull out a pile or container of forgotten goods and set it on my table to use. I tend to grab what is in reaching distance so this definitely helps me to use some of the things I've hoarded away.
__________________ Teri
Retired Paper Craft & Scrapbooking magazine Go-to Gal & Contributing Editor
Retired Moxie Fab World Hostess All-around lucky girl
I hear ya. I am guilty of this myself. To control this insane condition, I just stay away from the paper section every time I go to a craft store. Also, I try (hard!) to use my paper as much as I can. But this can be really challenging, don't you think?
I shop my stash a lot. I periodically pull out a pile or container of forgotten goods and set it on my table to use. I tend to grab what is in reaching distance so this definitely helps me to use some of the things I've hoarded away.
Do you ever have any qualms, Teri, when said forgotten paper is like, um . . . 2 . . . possibly 3 . . . years old? :shock:
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
This is a fun hobby, but it could easily over run my space and cost too much money if I didn't set boundaries for myself.
I set the same boundaries for myself I set for my kids when on rare occasions I took them to the store. They could have ONE toy for x amount of money. Not the entire toy department. They took a long time to decide but enjoyed the toys more.
I don't go to Michael's or HL unless there is a specific thing I want . I don't go to just look around to see if there is something I don't have to buy with a coupon. Unless I owned a Michael's or HL of course I will see things I don't have
I shop with a purpose. I wait for a coupon to buy what I need. I know what I will buy with a coupon before I leave the house. I go in, buy what I came to buy and leave. If they don't have what I came to buy I hand the coupon to another customer on the way out the door. The surprised looks I get when I give them a coupon are priceless.
If you get pleasure from looking at pretty paper then instead of going to a sale to buy more , go to your scrap area and look though the pretty paper you already have. You will get the same invigorating feeling without buying more
Last edited by Barbara Jay; 09-17-2010 at 02:23 PM..
Do you ever have any qualms, Teri, when said forgotten paper is like, um . . . 2 . . . possibly 3 . . . years old? :shock:
LOL I find when I forget about paper and then find it a LONG time later.. its out of date or just doesnt speak to me anymore.. Guess my taste change a lot.. ;)
All the suggestions are great and I can only think of one other thing to add ...
Rotate how your paper is stored - if you always see the same papers in the same spot they will "feel" old to you even if they were bought last week/month. Plus it can be fun and inspiring to see all your pretty patterns and colors in a new way.
I love making Mini books, and the double sided works well for this. Also becuase it is thicker.
~What one person I saw on a site did was to get the 12 by 12 wooden boxes and frame some paper, after it had been up for a couple of weeks she was so tired of it she would use it..~
I buy lots but also use it, I think if I use it and sell the cards I can buy the new stuff with the profits..
Wish I could come raid your 30,000 sheets, as I bet you have some fantastic stuff.
All the suggestions are great and I can only think of one other thing to add ...
Rotate how your paper is stored - if you always see the same papers in the same spot they will "feel" old to you even if they were bought last week/month. Plus it can be fun and inspiring to see all your pretty patterns and colors in a new way.
Thanks ... it was inspired by how "uninspired" I felt shopping at some stores. They always looked the same and I started going less frequently (if at all).
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I don't use dp on my cards very often and I never had many packs of paper. I now have maybe six. When I do use it I often start to feel like I can't replace it because it's retired SU paper. I have to block those thoughts out and cut away. So, I know it happens and I feel your pain!
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
I just started to use my papers that i hoarded so preciously (we don't have it here, so i ordered from Malaysia) after saying to myself enough is enough...so, i came to this site, went to resources n started doing different stuff these amazing ladies did already...challenges are awesome!
If u like to gift pple (like i do) then its a great outlet, just create beautiful stuff and gift it instead of buying stuff...
I tend to hoard paper, but I've started changing my ways. I see it as something that has a shelf life. Yes it's beautiful and I feel ashamed to cut it up or only use one side of it although the other side is equally beautiful. Whenever I'm tempted to rescue a piece of paper from the trimmer, I remind myself that there will be new designs that I'll love just as much when I run out of this one.
I volunteer at the teen center in town. I have a stack of free paper they can take home and I have stuff they can use for their projects. It has helped a lot!
__________________ Pia 2024 Scrapbook goals MAY 6/10 layouts YTD 113/120 Check out my gallery
I've recently been looking at all the older pp paper I have and decided envelopes is the way to go! I'm definately going to start making envelopes with mine! I have to make room for the new don't I? LOL
__________________ [COLOR="Teal"]"Stand up for what is right, even if you are standing alone."
Kim-scrapper/cardmaker/lia sophia advisor
I changed my storage system and now I can see my paper all the time. But, I did have to go through and get rid of all the pages from packs that I knew I would not use. Like stripes...Not a big fan of stripes.
I donated 6 12x12x8 boxes of a paper to some people here and to a government assisted day care. I thought they were going to cry when they saw it...it was something they could not afford to get for crafts for the kids. And, the people here that I donated to their causes, well, we are friends now! I do get cards from them occasionally and that is a great feeling.
Now I have that wire paper storage thing from Hobby Lobby and I love it. I am no longer hoarding paper and I love using it all! I buy much less too!
i jusy started buying dp am totally having to learn by mistakes what to watch when buying.i have bought layering paper instead of cardstock twice but i can use it still.i just need more experience to know what to buy.so i must become a paper hoarder?
hehehe
br3n
My name is Karen, and I am a paperholic. I have more paper than I will ever use in 100 years. I just see a paper pack I like, buy it, put it in with all the others, use one sheet and there it all sits. So I have set myself a challenge never to buy paper again. If I can't find paper I need for a project, I have stamp ink, paint, brayers, brushes and loads of other papers and glue, I can make what I need. It will be a real challenge every time I walk into at LSS or department store. But I am determined... lol.
I think I was always afraid to use it, in case, I made a bad card and wrecked it.
So now, I go to the gallery, here; or do a "google search" for that designer paper.
When I see some cards made up, I like; I don't mind using it then, and making a
similar card.
__________________ Carolyn
my avatar: (such desparation), Dear God, if you can't make me thin; make my
friends fat"
I tell you how bad I am...every year I buy two packages of the Basic Grey christmas paper so I can keep one unopened!! I am not doing that anymore. In fact I bought the small pad of their Christmas paper today and I am not buying the big package. I have really gotten into the small size because the design is in proportion to cards. But I did buy other brands of Christmas papers. I am going to scrap on all of them now.
I am the same way with loving how pretty certain patterns are that I would save them for "a more special use" time after time. I cured myself. I took an 8X10 photo frame, removed the glass and placed a heavy tan card stock against the back of the frame. Now, when I make something using a prized paper, I cut a tiny square and glue it to the card stock in the frame. Now, I am not really 100 % done with any paper I love! I have it hanging in my desk area. I think it is pretty cool because in 20 years, I will have many more layers on this, and will have an archive of sorts of what papers I liked during what years. Just think...the paper goes out of style and it is a small, simple way to record what I liked. I love the look of mosaic, so I actually think it looks pretty cute the more it is filled up.
I am the same way with loving how pretty certain patterns are that I would save them for "a more special use" time after time. I cured myself. I took an 8X10 photo frame, removed the glass and placed a heavy tan card stock against the back of the frame. Now, when I make something using a prized paper, I cut a tiny square and glue it to the card stock in the frame. Now, I am not really 100 % done with any paper I love! I have it hanging in my desk area. I think it is pretty cool because in 20 years, I will have many more layers on this, and will have an archive of sorts of what papers I liked during what years. Just think...the paper goes out of style and it is a small, simple way to record what I liked. I love the look of mosaic, so I actually think it looks pretty cute the more it is filled up.
Another suggestion is to go to Splitcoast Challenges and find Stamp To Spend challenge 2010. The idea of the challenge is to "pay" yourself for using up your supplies and you can only buy new stuff when you have enough in your "bank". Hopefully this link makes it more clear.
Hi
I to am a paper hoarder, but have stopped myself from buying pads of paper now as you really only use a few sheets from each pad. What I do now when I make cards at a class at local scrapbook shop is to buy 1 sheet of paper to make more cards or use some of what I have at home.
I use plain paper for making envelopes, but I was thinking that perhaps if papers we don't like or will never use are only printed on one side we could stamp, brayer our own designs on back of papers, thus not having to buy more paper to make our own custom design paper.
I like the idea of cutting down to 6 x6 but probable won't as I scrap also.
I have just discovered the one sheet wonders on this site and plan to use some sheets up this way, might be at it for awhile.
Cheers Vicki
Slightly off topic: When you start using your stash and you find there are some papers that you have outgrown, consider donating them to a local elementary school. I'm a primary teacher, and I always appreciate donations of old/outgrown items.
I quit buying patterned paper at all for about 3 years. I did still buy cardstock, but I've never had a problem using it. During those two years, I either used my stash, or I used stamps and white cs to create a patterned paper that I liked for the project. Then I donated the rest of the patterned paper to my classroom! I have bought some patterned paper since, but I must admit, I've been much more choosy and the stuff is actually being used!
PAPER HOARDER
