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Amen...about the Dave Ramsey class being offered in High School. At least someone would be teaching kids about budgeting and stuff. Most parents, perhaps I should say many parents dont know themselves how to budget so the kids arent taught.
blessings.
WOW Betty!!! Thanks for all your input...I also make my own stamp cleaner...I actually use two different kinds. I use a very diluted Simple Green Cleaner as one and my other is similar to your recipe except I use glycerin instead of Rose Water...Which I happen to have on hand b/c I make my own organic/natural body products and I use the RoseWater and Glycerin for a facial toner. Actually I think it might be the same recipe as your stamp cleaner. LOL Can you please elaborate on why use use the Rose Water for stamp cleaner solution. I am SSSOOOO intrigued.
Blessings,
Valerie
P.S. I am SSSOOO loving this thread!
I used Rose water since the SU stuff smells like and it is a natural astringent, easy on the stamps but yet a good cleaner. I have never added any glycerin, I think I'd be a little scared letting that sit around since I had some homemade blender pen refill solution go bad. I'm sure you could add a couple drops when you mix it up. Also if you don't use distilled water, you can get junk in your cleaner if it sits around a long time. I use the Simple Green solution 33 parts water to 1 part SG. I called them and asked if it was safe. They said they'd check and got back to me and sent me a coupon for a FREE bottle! Can't beat that. I was surprised it was such a high dilution rate. About a teaspoon for 2 cups so it will a long time!
I'm so new to this and a broke college kid, so what I do is scour Michaels and Hobby Lobby ads for sales. Paper was my biggest expense until I noticed a pattern -- I used more card stock than patterned paper. So currently my biggest expense is stamps. Up until this past week my stamp collection consisted of the dollar Studio G stamps from Michaels. But I bought some TGF stamps and some Inkadinkadoo stamps which I have to say that I'm pleased with. The best thing are those coupons! But I do have a question!
What would you say would be the best stamp sets to buy, theme wise? I've been looking at the SU! stamps and Unity but for the most part things seem to be out of my price range. I didn't know if any of you guys had ideas for cheaper stamp sets of various themes, I'd love to try and help pay for college selling cards. It'd really help my parents out!
Thanks!
Take a look at RAISINBOAT.COM - you can RENT 2 stamp sets a month for $5.99 and they are are awesome sets!!!
You can also buy them for a discount if you are a member. Its awesome.
We just found out yesterday that DH is probably going to be losing his job in the next 2 months. They are gettting rid of 2nd & 3rd shift and permantely laying off about 60% of the workers. There is no union there and since DH is at the top of his paygrade and benefits he will be one to go as it smuch cheaper to keep a new guy than one that has been there for 15 years.
It will be very tight but we should be OK with really no extras. My only worry is that he carries the insurance for the boys and our DS1 has Graves disease and high blood pressure so his meds and 2 specialists are going to be very difficult to pay for.
But We aleady plan what luxuries liek cable TV with the DVR we can get rid of.
well, i TRY, (key word here is "try" ha ha) to buy ONLY IF:
it is on sale
i have a coupon or discount code
can get free shipping
and i try to buy things that will do double duty such as:
i use my dies not only for paper but with fabric and felt as well, to make embellies for the items i sew.
i plan to do a little craft booth this yr, so making my own embellies save me $ and means more profit.
i also have used my fabric scraps to sew drawstring bags for the troops. each bag only needs a 17x30 inch strip and a piece of cording. its a great way to use my stash and brings a smile to our men and women in uniform ;)
forgot to say that my friends and i will sometimes buy bulk packages of paper and then split it among us. that way we each get a little variety without the big cost. lots of paper packs ahve 3 of each sheet, so works out perfect!
Before my office was closed (a half an hour away) and I started working from home (doing the same job), I made sure I stocked up on cardstock at Hobby Lobby. Like someone else said, I probably have enough stuff to last for years. My big need right now is for ink refills, and coluzzle blades (while they are still to be had). The ink refills especially will help stretch the use of the stamp pads I have. I am talking Pear-Ex inks, etc. And we too have been through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. It helped trememdously with my husband being out of a job for almost a year. He just got a part time job which suits him to a 'T'. Our finances are still tight, but it's getting better. So don't forget to create a budget people...and use it!!!
I have not had Cable at least 8 years ago. The price was going up again to nearly $50 a month. I wondered if I was getting $50 a month of pleasure from it or if I would actually miss it.
I disconnected the cable and attached a TV top antenna After a day or two I realized I was using the TV as background noise . I waited for about 3 weeks to call to disconnect it to be sure I would not regret it . If I regretted it they would charge me $100 to reinstall it.
I turned on the radio to NPR and I had my voices in the background, plus some very interesting topics. .
I have not missed cable. The local stations and Public TV have a lot of great programs . If I really want to see a movie I borrow one FREE from the Library. The library has a great selection of videos/DVD's and they are not only free they let you keep it for an entire week.
Location: in my own little corner; in my own little world
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Very interesting. We're doing the debt snowball now and have started looking into different things. I have volunteered to give up my craft budget so that more could go to debt (it wasn't much), but I do agree with Mr. Ramsey in that you do need to pay yourself first, even if a little. It helps with dealing with everything else (knowing that you have a little bit of play money) and that is where my craft money come from if I feel like I need some retail therapy. It's hard, and next week I plan on really cleaning out the playroom and making a pile of craft items to sell. I will be doing the same thing with the rest of the house as well.
I like the idea of stocking up on basics like tape, paper, and envelopes because this my destresser. Family comes first, but if I'm too stressed then I'm not helping my family much, kwim. Learning how to make things myself is helping too (both for embellies and gifts).
I also am a Dave Ramsey Fan...I went thru the Financial Peace University over a year ago and we are getting so close to being debt free...except the house. WE purchased a brand new home 4 years ago and should have it paid in full in 6 years...Wow..what a day that will be...
blessings.
Keep the ideas coming girls. I make my own stamp cleaner too! I shop the clearance isles first and go by Big Lots about once a month to see what they have in the scrapping isle. Sometimes I sit around and make my own embellishments too.
I'm with you on the kids taking a finance course! My husband and I are Crown Financial instructors. We set up a class for teens and not one of them (80) signed up for it. That means another generation will stay in debt up to their eyeballs and not think twice about it.
Keep the ideas coming girls. I make my own stamp cleaner too! I shop the clearance isles first and go by Big Lots about once a month to see what they have in the scrapping isle. Sometimes I sit around and make my own embellishments too.
I'm with you on the kids taking a finance course! My husband and I are Crown Financial instructors. We set up a class for teens and not one of them (80) signed up for it. That means another generation will stay in debt up to their eyeballs and not think twice about it.
It is even more scary because the schools are dropping the ball too.... There are 3 skills that teens should be proficient in before finishing formal/public education......Nutrition(knowing what to eat and when,even simple menu/weekly shopping), Finance(credit,insurance,savings,) and Family(parenting,marriage,elders). Yet there are no state tests that include any items pertaining to real life---LOL..... I have had school administrators tell me that the bright kids don't need those courses because they are smart and will be able to do it----that the rest of the kids need to be proficient in math and reading first..... But what are the three areas that almost every high school graduate does: eat,buy,have a love life. I'm telling you----if smart moms ran the world there would be a lot fewer problems! and much fewer on welfare.
__________________ c-mouse-If you can't say nuttin nice--don't say nuttin at all. Thumper. Pansy
Card Sketch Challenge 1-227 done only 396+ to go to be caught up!!!!!
Teach your child in the way they should go, and when they are older, they will not depart from it!
In other words, teach your children young about how to handle money, earn money and manage money and they will learn those lessons and they will become second nature. By the time they are young adults, when their friends and peers are getting themselves into debt, they will be far from it.
I have learned that you cannot rely on the schools to teach your children the lessons they should know and you also cannot rely on them to teach them all sides of topics they should know. Even the schools are heavily slanted. I make sure I expose my kids to views he isn't taught in school.
In addition to teaching my children how to manage their money I also tried to teach them when they see opinions on TV ( or now the Internet) or read them in magazines, etc, to " Follow the money". Does the person promoting their opinion have a financial interest in you believing them? Either a financial gain from your actions such as a commission or they are paid to write or host a TV program.
Look at all the so called expert opinions on buying Real Estate and how they turned out!
Research things and form your own decisions.
Even in our hobby, is someone telling you a product is fantastic and "a must have", in fact actually selling it?
People on Design teams get products "free" in exchange for showcasing great layouts and ideas for those products. "I love" seeing what DT member do!! And yes, occasionally I buy product they are featuring. But I don't deceive myself into believing they would have all of those products if they had to buy them with their own money.
Even stores can't afford to buy every stamp , cartridge, CB folder or Spellbinders die that is out there.
I feel "blessed" with what I have and don't feel the least bit deprived if someone else has something I don't have. I also don't let myself get crazy by keeping a lengthy "wish list" By the time I can afford the things on the list they will be out of style. LOL My current wish list has 5 things on it.
One of the reasons I love SCS is real people share real opinions of products and they have no financial interest attached to their opinion.
Just my 2� worth!
Last edited by Barbara Jay; 03-15-2010 at 12:00 PM..
Location: keeping my 7 yr old still, while I'm in stampin' bliss!
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You know...I think using what you have is the best idea out there. I had a memorial reception at my house this weekend, and all the cousins were here. They were all up in my craft room making studded belts out of ribbon (putting brads every inch or so), making hand puppets with large button eyes, etc, etc.
I was almost going to start yelling at them to stop wasting my craft supplies and be aware of what they were using.
Then my mother from above gave me an AHA moment. They were ACTUALLY USING my supplies and having FUN! They would come downstairs and show us their creations, they were so proud!
I'm not exactly sure how they found some of the supplies they used, but the fact that it was getting used and not hoarded made me smile. The kids had fun, they weren't mourning, they were laughing and creating. What else can I ask for?
SO, use what you have.......it will make you smile!
People on Design teams get products "free" in exchange for showcasing great layouts and ideas for those products. "I love" seeing what DT member do!! And yes, occasionally I buy product they are featuring. But I don't deceive myself into believing they would have all of those products if they had to buy them with their own money.
One of the reasons I love SCS is real people share real opinions of products and they have no financial interest attached to their opinion.
Just my 2� worth!
I would say it depends on the people designing! :-D - while I could see how some might just "push" products/stamps because they're getting them for free, I think overall, (considering the amount of "behind the scenes" time, expense, and work involved) most actually believe in the company they're designing for. I personally tend to go off on tangents about how I just got this and that, and you HAVE to have it, but it's truly because I feel that way - by the same token, I would NOT do it if I did not feel it might be helpful to others, I guess it's more of a personal ethics thing. I happen to be very blessed because I am on the design team of a company for whom I have always been a customer. (I know ALL of the girls on our DT feel the same!!)
Trust me, you can only do so much with stuff that you don't really like - free or not. I'd rather put my name on something that I truly like and pay for it, than have to work with something hideous that I got for free (sorry if it sounds ugly, (it's the New Yorker in me) but it's true :mrgreen
Sorry, not to get sidetracked, but I have been trying to implement the cutting back on buying - I am such an impulse buyer and I have ended up with tons of stuff (especially patterned paper,) that is now SO out of control, so dated and not "my style" at all, so I am going to just end up donating it to my son's school for their art projects or whatever.. I have also made it a point to start USING my stuff and even (gasp!!) letting my son use some of the stuff for his projects - it makes him happy that I'm not being such a dragon about him using my brads or cool stuff like that! lol..
If stocking up, I would also suggest the basics - trimmer blades, some adhesives, although some of these lose their sticking "power", I found out the hard way with boxes of glue dots I had for a couple of years - dimensionals also) also, you can't go wrong with neutral cardstocks.. stuff like that!
Thanks for the ideas ladies! I might have to try making my own stamp cleaner (though I have to admit I'm horrible about cleaning my stamps! :oops but I'm working on it!! lol..
Alex I agree that the DT members put a lot of work and other supplies into the cards they show and it is all at their expense.
I don't feel any of the bogs I visit are pushy about buying the products they feature.
I think I may have miss-worded my comment.
I should have said
I have read many posts where people feel "discouraged" because they don't have even a small percentage of the dies, embossing folders , copics etc. that they see on cards on blogs. My thoughts were that the DT members get a lot of it free and could not buy all of that either if they were only spending their own money.
I think a person needs to be more creative when they have limited supplies and tools.
I have been hounding some of the Goodwill, Salvation Army, St. Vincent De Paul type donation stores.
You would not believe some of the things I've gotten then for mere pennies. They have a donation sale every 3 months for the homeless shelter and I make it a point to stop in. I got a whole shoebox full of brand new stamps for $3.00. There had to have been at least $100 retail in that box.
I use the Dollar Tree to buy silk flower sprays and take them apart for embellishments. Old jewelry is often a gold mine for stuff. You really don't need all the fancy die machines, embossers etc. I think you just need to learn to "think outside the box" when you look at something. Yard sale time is coming too, lots of people buy stuff and never use it.
For card making, I use any kind of a piece of paper I see I like. It doesn't have to be acid free for cards. Although they are nice, Copic markers and stuff are a luxury, you can use colored pencils, Sharpies, water based markers.
And, take stock of what you have. Do you really need more? In reality, I have enough paper to open a store all my own. If I don't put myself in a position to shop, I don't buy what I really don't need. Luckily for me, it's not about not having the money.
I am honestly thinking about trying to sell some cards. How many cards does one person need? I can make all kinds of cards and maybe get enough to keep me in supplies to make a few more. Kinda like a never ending circle lol
Well, my way of reducing spending on things I didn't use was to become an SU demo almost 6 years ago! Before that, I was making sure I went to M's and J's with my coupon in hand and I STILL HAVE some of those things I bought that I never used! I felt like I had to go to those stores to "save money"! Now that I'm an SU demo, I rarely go into those stores at all anymore (well, I need replacement blades for my paper trimmers!).
I do spend a lot on SU, but at least I get a discount and I love that everything coordinates! I *know* I'll use it because the DSP matches the cardstock which matches the ink, etc.
One thing that I'd recommend on stocking up on is the punches!! There are gals who do amazing things with SU punches, and you can create great cards with punches and cardstock - and they're original cards, too, and a break from simple stamping. Also, if you can stamp first, then punch out your image, it saves cardstock when you're trying to stamp on a small circle, for example, and get it centered. Also, SU punches layer so nicely on each other that your card has a nice finished look, even if you're a newbie! Another thing I recommend is the SU dimensionals (pop-dots) - and even the edges are GREAT - there is no waste with the dimensionals!
I also keep all my scraps of each color and organize them in quart-size one-zip bags - one color in each bag. When it comes time to make layers with my punches, for example, I never have to dig into my sheets of cardstock! I also keep half-sheets of each color cut, and a photo box full of quarter sheets of all the colors too (arranged by color families). This really helps a lot and you're not always cutting into a nice new piece of cardstock.
Also, reinkers are for more than reinking your inkpads! There are SO many techniques you can use them for. And they're very inexpensive.
Just my two cents <g> on saving money in this wonderful craft of ours! :-)
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
Hello ladies...these are all good ideas and I am sure I will use some of them..I live on ss so I don't have much to spend on stamping.....I know some of you use the clear plastic shoe bags that hang over the door to store your punches in..and you say you have gotten them at the dollar store...I have tried every dollar store I go in to find them but to no avail...are they obsolete or is it just my dollar stores...If you all can help me I sure would appreciate it a lot...I have a lot of people looking for them for me....but they have found none either...so any help would be appreciated...thanks...Jewell
Found mine at Target for 6.99 works great My target had more expensive ones but I am a cheap O
I was thinking of trying to make my own. I haven't crocheted in years though. Does anyone know if there is a pattern or directions. I can read and under stand crochet directions and I could try to make my own if I knew how.
There is a thread I subscribe to on SCS that is great called "Crochetting your own fleurettes": Forums at Splitcoaststampers.
There are a ton of links to patterns and tutorials. It has really grown, but is full of useful info. I make all my own flowers now.
Here are two links that I got from this thread that I actually bookmarked:
BTW, I am only at the end of page 2 of 3, but I would have to say adhesive and cardstock. You can make so many embellishments from paper as others have mentioned like faux brads and paper buttons, layered flowers, etc.
I live in a remote northern community, so I don't have a lot of access to scrapbook stores. I did buy some stuff at Michaels and found that nothing matched. I had a bunch of stuff that wasn't very usable, so one thing I learned was to stick to one company or line so that everything co-ordinates. I chose CTMH since it had the look and feel that I like and a local demo to show me the ropes. It's not as cheap as Micheals stuff on sale, but it doesn't matter how cheap it was if you don't use it. I started small and worked up and there's always something else I would like to get ie another marker or ink pad, but I like when I can find ink to match my paper or DP to match my cardstock. I actually don't use a lot of DP on my cards as I end up making my own using stamps and cardstock. A lot of my embellishments are stamped images raised on popdots or brads made from cardstock. What do I do with all that mismatched cardstock and DP from other companies? I use them to make my envelopes since it doesn't have to match exactly and the DP print goes on the inside anyway. It 's hard to be frugal when you are starting out and don't have a stash to use up, so it is important to choose wisely and seek advice when needed (keeping in mind that we all have different tastes and opinions).
Since we're also commenting on debt, most of my life I have only used a credit card for things like hotel bookings or trip spending and always paid it off completely every month. I had a two year stretch where life got out of control and so did my debt, so I was happy when it was all paid off with my divorce settlement. I had nothing to show from the whole experience and had to move in with my parents just after my 39th b.day, but I finally broke free. The car I bought new over 16 years ago was desperately needing replacing and couldn't wait for me to save up and pay cash, but I shopped wisely and bought a vehicle that will last me even longer than the last one with low maintenance and managed to get only 2% financing. This is my one debt and it will take me 7 years to pay off, but I have my budget and it allows for limited spending on extras, so it won't be a miserable 7 years. Hooray to all of you taking control of your life back and for opening your mind to more cost effective crafting.
But I bought a Cricut E last yr and I have yet to justify that expense. Maybe as I get some more free time and now that I have MTC...well....anyway, I digress. My local SS charges $15 a year to use all of the stores equipment. They have all machines and most dies. So, I go there to emboss my card stock. I will probably be looking on ebay/craigslist for a used machine once I figure out which one I like best. I think the $15 is a great deal. I think Archives allows you to use their equipment for free too but there selection isnt that great and you probably have to be in a crop to use the machines. ($15 a crop....)
Wow if I had a LSS anywhere near me I would take advantage of the $15 charge to use their embossing equipment and dies . I don't think I would have purchased a die cutting/ embossing machine either.
I live in a rural area and the only LSS I have is 30 +miles away. They have mostly paper and don't have a lot of other supplies . They also don't allow people to use their equipment so I had to buy a die cutting/ embossing machine. I have a Big Shot.
There is a thread I subscribe to on SCS that is great called "Crochetting your own fleurettes": Forums at Splitcoaststampers.
There are a ton of links to patterns and tutorials. It has really grown, but is full of useful info. I make all my own flowers now.
Here are two links that I got from this thread that I actually bookmarked:
Thank you so much for sharing this. I can't look right now, but as soon as i have time I'm going to check out the links you posted. I was hoping someone would answer my question- you just made my day!
am in a rural area. The store I speak of is about 22 miles away so I plan trips like grocery shopping, etc. My SU lady lives a block from the store so when I go to pick up my monthly club order I stop at the store too.
That's crappy that your store doesn't allow you to use the equipment.
I have read many posts where people feel "discouraged" because they don't have even a small percentage of the dies, embossing folders , copics etc. that they see on cards on blogs.
I think a person needs to be more creative when they have limited supplies and tools.
Absolutely Barbara!! I still feel that way sometimes!! there is SO much stuff out there! I think having too many choices hinders creativity - you are always thinking "if you use this instead of that maybe it'll be better...", I am finding it much more rewarding now that I am trying to "downsize" and just using up whatever I happen to have right next to me.
I also think that the constant trips to Michaels to use up the coupons is just a recipe for disaster (for me anyway!! lol..) there is always "something extra I need", so I am trying to just buy my consumables online, and skip the random trips.
I plan on tackling my scraps this afternoon...would you guys believe I have ONE 12x12 plastic drawer for EACH of the SU! color families in addition to one for the neutrals, one for specialty papers, and one for the white/vanilla SCRAPS?? and that's JUST cardstock!! nuts I know, it's definitely time to go to the little Quart ziplock bag method.
I will have to upload some pictures of cards I made this last week using up all the scrap strips from papers I have cut. So far I have only used the Earth Elements but I am going to make a lot more of these cards. Will try to post this evening.
blessings.
Love all of the ideas posted. I have done many of them for years, just because we were so poor. Now I do many of them without thinking. We haven'y had cable since 1995, and don't miss it. Our poor, deprived children don't have ANY gaming system either, but will play creatively in the yard for hours with sticks and blankets.
In regards to stamping, one thing that hasn't been mentioned much is swaps. For years, I would buy whatever paper was on sale (for .09$ a sheet or so) and make multiple idenitical layouts and swap. For a long time, there was a swap group in my neighborhood, but when that closed I surfed the swaps here at SCS. I didn't feel that paying a lot of postage helped me to save money, so I would sign up for swaps where the hoster was having 3 different swaps, or sign up for multiple swaps in one group to save on postage. I still probably have 100 premade layouts ready for pictures that makes it easy to get pages done. It ends up saving a lot of time for me, since it takes me awhile to come up with one layout, either for scrapbooks or a card, but making multiples is easy for me.
I also save on embellishments, for instance I can buy 1/8 yard of beautiful felt for less than $1, and the cuttlebug, sizzix, and nesties I have all cut through felt really easy. I have about 40 colors of felt now, jsut because it was fun. and 1/8 yard is the perfect size of a sizzix die, so there is very little waste, and it literally makes hundreds of felt flowers. We made an entire series of barettes for my daughter to share with her friends last weekend.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I can't look right now, but as soon as i have time I'm going to check out the links you posted. I was hoping someone would answer my question- you just made my day!
Glad I could help. Somewhere in the thread are directions on how to make flowers just like the SU ones. For those that don't know how to crochet, the My Picot site has tutorials on how to do different stitches. Also, the thread has a link somewhere to a tutorial on how to do the magic ring method which is an easy way of starting your center.
My favourite flowers are just under 1". I find that is the size I use the most because I use them sort of like buttons or other embellishments rather than as a focal point. They also fit nice on a 1" piece of cardstock. Here is the pattern I use and sorry to the author as I don't remember who's pattern it was, but it was part of the "little flowers with leaves" pattern:
-ch 2, 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Join 1st sl st to 1st sc.
-[(ch 2, 3 dc, ch, sl st) in same sc, sl st to next sc] x 5. Tie off.
I crochet it quite tight with a 1.75 mm (4?) small steel hook and South Maid #10 crochet cotton from Wal-Mart. I use white and tea stain it if I need off white for a vintage look, but I imagine re-inkers would work. HTH.
Last edited by dogzruleca; 03-18-2010 at 04:24 PM..
Reason: addition
Thought of one more thing regarding coupons. A friend and I ask each other if we are willing to pay full price for something. If you are willing to pay full price, but happen to have a coupon, then it is a good deal. If you wouldn't pay full price, then it might not be something you really need. Which might still be fine to buy, but is it something you would actually use?
I have spent a lot of time really going through this thread and relating the great advice to my life! Thanks to everyone for the wonderful input!
In Oct 2008, I lost my (part time but very loved) job. In August 2009, my DH lost his lucrative - yet stressful and draining job. Way back in 2002, we found ourselves in some serious financial trouble and were forced to file for bankruptcy. We were a typical "living beyond our means" family back then. Since then, we live a cash life. We do not hold a single credit card and don't owe anyone in the world a single red cent. If we don't have the cash for it, we don't get it. We do lease a car because DH has a theory on owning cars (one that I'm sure many of you Dave followers would disgree with - lol) but have cut down to only one car in our family since no one has a "real" commuting job and don't need two. We live in South Florida where the housing bubble really got big and burst even bigger. Back in the "bubble", everyone we knew was pressuring us to buy a house and we refused because it was simply foolish. We were on the receiving end of a lot of snide comments about being renters and living in a small place, etc. Most of the folks who were putting those comments out there are now in foreclosure. We go to bed every night knowing that we don't owe anyone anything at all and it's a great way to get to sleep.
After my DH lost his job, we were terrified that we'd end up in a cardboard box - even being debt free. With a few small, un-noticed changes to our lifestyle, we have been able to survive. I've started my own bookkeeping business from home and my DH has focused on his music career (which was mildly successful when he was working) and is happier and more at peace than I've ever seen him in our 12 years together. We're not briging in the amount of money we were two years ago but with a lot more dinners at home and borrowed movies from the libarary, we've come a long way and are just as happy.
With respect to my crafting budget - I've been fortunate in the fact that I'm a cheapo anyway. I find that cheap stuff, often times is just as good as the high end stuff. I only shop clearance or with coupons and I mean ONLY EVER!
__________________ Sophia I got a reality check but it bounced.
I wanted to add a tip that I find very useful for conserving craft money.
I look thru the gallery a couple of times a week and save and print my favorites. Every sunday, I sit down with a giant cup of coffee, my stack of printed favorites and my index box full of indexed stamps and start studying. I highlight and mark up the papers. I study the main image and compare it to what I've got and get my creative juices flowing. Instead of wanting and buying the image, I think of a way I can make a similar card with what I've got. It's great fun and I've been able to save a lot that way.
__________________ Sophia I got a reality check but it bounced.
WOW Sophia!!!
Thanks for sharing your testimony!!! I know that there is weight in gold to go to bed each night knowing that you don't owe anyone anything. I think most of America goes to bed each night with so much stress and anxiety over how they are going to pay EVERYONE I don't think they sleep much.
I am so glad that you did not "cave in" to the scoffers and held your guns on buying a house. So many do dive in and become house poor and when major repairs are needed it is literally a tragedy. We recently (2 months ago) had our concrete plumbing line collapse and 12k later we have new plumbing lines. This almost did us in...If we were renters we would have just need to make a phone call.
Dave Ramsey always says, "LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE, so that later, you can LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE!!!
You guys lived like no one else (renting) and now you live like no one else (debt free!!!)
Thanks for the inspiration Sophia
Thanks, Valerie! The amount of criticism we got for not buying a house was shocking but I like what you said about "Living like no one else so that later we can live like no one else!"
It's great!
__________________ Sophia I got a reality check but it bounced.
Location: I live since 2004 in Bali, living in Paradise
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This morning, I started with re-organising all my stuff.I will spend 2 hours daily on this subject. I have downloaded my pretty papers from the net, the only thing I HAVE to buy is cardstock.
What I do not want anymore I have given to my balinese staff,they are so poor and cannot buy markers etc. They make use of it with their children.
I like this thread!!
Have a nice day,
Jogry/bali
Cool thread!
I have been a stamper for close to 20 years and have many many awesome stamps. I only buy new stamps every once in a while. Face it, our style & needs do change over the years.
Last summer, I was diagnosed with cancer and needed one surgery with a 3 week recovery time. I had the surgery & three weeks turned into 8 months fo multiple surgeries. I was out of work for so much longer than expected, but I am cancer free. My family was cared for, but I had a tiny stamping budget. I stamped when I couldn't sleep and found that there were certain things I needed. I was so glad I had stock piled over the years. After one of my surgeries, I came home from the hospital to find a pipe had burst in my wall & the moisture destroyed most of my cardstock. I was very lucky because I had made a big paper order with Stampin Up right before I got sick & left it all sitting in it's box in my dining room. So, through it all, I learned that there were a few things I needed as the months went by. Mostly adhesives, ATG tape, Book binding adhesive, mini pop dots & Red liner tape. I was glad I had a large stockpile of extra cutting blades, clear diamond stickles & reinkers for my favorite inkpads. JIL
One thing I forgot about is how you can either make your brads or color your own. This has been around a while but those of you new or like me, forgot, you can use a punch the size of brad you want in the color of cardstock, punch about 3, glue together and take a stylus while it is on a mouse pad or something and round it. Then glue to your project. I know some people put a crystal effects type product on theirs too. Advantage of this way is in case your card or project is done and you wish you would have put some brads on, you still can without trying rip it apart. You can buy the little stick on brads but they are very expensive.
Another thing, in case you don't like that idea is to only buy silver brads and color your own. You can heat, dip in colored embossing powder and repeat if needed (don't hold with fingers) or color with pigment ink and heat with clear EP. You will always have a color you need without spending a fortune.
And look in other places besides craft stores for thing like a small hammer, it might not be pink but less than 1/2 the price, get a needle nose pliers to hold thing, a wire side cutters works pretty good as a button shank remover, you might need to file a little off. I used my DH's grinder before I got a dremel. If you don't have those, buy a metal small file when you get your tools. Just don't think you have to buy everything at a craft store. The cutters works great for cutting off the ends of brads that stick over when I put them in corners. If your in a hardware or home improvement store, look around with crafting on your mind. How do you thing things like Magic Mesh got started? Basically it's just mesh drywall tape that's colored. I'm sure some smart crafter saw that and a light went off! You can buy YARD and YARDS of that for under $5. I was sticking that on paper and spray painting my own when it was in style. (don't get me started on what's in style and not that we all have and don't use so don't hoard your stuff, use it)
While I was spray painting some patio furniture a neat color of hammered bronze, I stuck a bunch of brads in some Styrofoam and let the overspray color them!
I use a piece of styrofoam and a push pin to do my paper piercing and most of the time just eyeball it. I've yet to have anyone tell me it's not perfectly even and it's not!
