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ok, i admit... i have many, many things i have bought to craft with, but used and they were awful!.
there's the ink pads from Ink It Up that never, ever worked right. they make blotchy images. i use them for tinting the edges of paper.
and the old ink pads from Colorbox, where the top layer went all spongy and then fell off. LOL. i mean the ink pad was more than 10 years old... but it was juicy and i took good care of it
and the ink pad from colorbox/ prismacolor disaster- i heat set the ink pad, but didn't emboss it. the next day i tried to color it with prismacolor pencils, and the ink ran into the pencil lines.
any suggustions to make these things work correctly would be appreciated LOL
-laura s
Location: prolly in my 'rubber room'... in the mid-west
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i like for things to match/coordinate...
so i have wasted a lot of money on about 5 DCWV stacks. VERY little will match my SU! stuff.
i will say that i don't feel bad letting my daughter use all she wants of it. and she has been able to use some for school projects and not had to get into my more expensive stash.
more/cheaper is NOT always better. i have learned to stay neutral (for the most part) when buying non SU! ie. brads & CS in black, white, craft, grey, metallics...
Location: Virginia, where we have the beach and mountains all in one state!!
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momis mama....I know alot of people who use those "Stacks of Paper" for making envelopes. They just put the decorative side inward keeping the white on the outside
I have bought way too may eyelets and brads thinking I have to have some in every color. CRAZY.
With ink pads you really want to start off with Quality and not Quantity. As you already know this makes a difference.
My biggest suggestion is to start off small and gradually collect your stuff. My biggest expense had been tools and it's always best to see all reviews before buying. This can help you save some money.
I have wasted way too much money on trying to find a paper cutter that I can consistently cut straight lines with! I finally gave in and bought my Carl cutter - I should have just started there in the first place as I know I spent at least as much as it cost on other cutters first.
Gel pens. I've given up on them. Even the Sakura, which many recommended, are not working. I have a whole drawer filled with them, and I bet only 20% work.
Gel pens. I've given up on them. Even the Sakura, which many recommended, are not working. I have a whole drawer filled with them, and I bet only 20% work.
OT here, but have you tried heating the ends briefly? Sometimes it gets them flowing... I have used the sakura pens (only the stardust and metallic, though, so you may be having problems with the other, I suppose) for years and never have problems with them. I run out of ink before they dry up...
Back on topic, though, I'll second the Paper Tagger as a waste of money, and the embossing powder trays, too. A piece of folded paper is so much easier/neater!
I went to the clear clamshell stamp cases and I leave the powder in them and label the side. They are big enough to lay a whole A2 paper in it to sprinkle powder, close and shuffle to get it even without going up your nose! I have about 20 for different powders and one for the dazzling diamonds.
The trays were horrible...you practically have to WASH them entirely before you can use another color!
__________________ Cher No longer stamping...on to bigger things.
Oh I have one - colored embossing powders. I now just coat my stamp in versamark, then the color ink I want, and use clear embossing powder. This makes it a lot less noticeable if you get a few specks of embossing powder off the images too.
I agree with the paper stacks. I rarely use anything from them. But yet, I keep buying them. It's like they are coated with crack or something LOL. However, I will say that I buy far fewer of them now.
I only went through one cheap trimmer before I went for quality, so I think I'm good there. I have one white gel pen from SU and the rest I gave to my DD to play with.
Oh, oh, I know! Decorative scissors. WHAT was I thinking????
And charms. I have tons and I don't think I've ever used a single one.
Too many eyelets. On the rare occasions that I do use eyelets, I generally use a neutral like silver, gold, brass, black etc.
Stickers. I have drawers full of them and they are for the most part, NMS.
Glitter. It never looks right for for me. Everything looks like a kindergarten project when I use it. :rolleyes:
I think I could go on for days. I made all the rookie mistakes and then some. ;)
Location: not too far from the big mountain in n.h.
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Mine is the Score-it that I just had to have when it was on sale. I so wish I had waited for a Score-pal instead! I don't like it so it just sits in it's box and I can't justify buying the one I want when I already have one I don't use.
The biggest waste of money for me was that awful Blade Runner that EK Success made. I know I still see them around from time to time, but I'm not sure they make it anymore. What a horrible little thing that was!
I kind of like my tray. But I bought a cheap 1/2" wide brush in the kids craft section of Micheals to brush away the bits after I empty it. Clean as a whistle. I like the idea of the case to keep it in. I don't have enough storage right now for a lot of separte containers.
My recent dissappointment was the circle scissors. It's big and clumsy and I can''t seem to keep the paper from moving. My circles start to look like corkscrews. AAAck! Did I say I don't have the storage...
I agree with the paper stacks. I rarely use anything from them. But yet, I keep buying them. It's like they are coated with crack or something LOL. However, I will say that I buy far fewer of them now.
OMG, I'm totally laughing out loud here!! That's so true! It's the only way to explain the burning neeeeeed to buy paper stacks.
Mind was the PhraseMaker by around the block. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Make cool phrases on patterned paper that look like graffiti. Well, mine just looked like crap <g>.
This thread is like my entire crafting life flashing before my eyes. I have shelves of things I don't use but every now and then I pull out a "reject" and have fun with it. One thing that has never been out of the box after about 5 years is a punch gadget called Corner Copia, to line up any punch as a corner punch. hmmm
Mary Beth
The Embossing thingie from Fiskars - where you put the paper in between the two stencils and use the stylus. It takes me *forever* to get the embossing done and so I rarely used it. Then I just gave in and bought my Sizzix Press and got hooked on embossing folders - and now my Big Kick. I honestly think it has some kind of magnetic pull to it or something. Even on the days that I DON'T craft, I want to play with my Big Kick, and I've had it for a long time!
Anyway the embossing thinige, whatever it was called (I'm having a blonde moment, sorry) was just a big waste of money for me.
I bought this little tiny lunch pail of hinges from a scrappin' party. I've not used one of them yet. They are cute but what on Earth am I supposed to do with them?!? :confused: And it cost me $10! I could've bought another embossing folder for that price and had some left over.:rolleyes:
Glitter glue pens. What a mess and it just never looked right - when other people use them, it looks right. When I use them, it looks like my little niece did it. So I gave them to her ;)
Can I just say ditto to half of the replies? I'm on my 3rd paper cutter, 3rd eyelet/snap tool, and I won't even start on the embellishment front.
Dollar bins are the worst. I always think its a good price, then I regret the purchase as soon as I get home. Sometimes I take the stuff to work (I hold crafting classes at the library I work at) But sometimes the stuff just sits there and taunts me from the shelf.
Have you ladies been sneaking a peek at my crafting room??
1. Sew mini.....Oh brother
2. DCWV pad # 700, need I say more!
3. Buttons..I love'em, but 2 million of them????
4. Gel pens and Marvy Markers... I know the MM sound crazy, but I love colored pencils the best (just pick one, I have a million of them!!)
5. Eyelets?? I am so with you ladies!
I am fighting buying the Cricut Expressions because I have so many stamps (discovered acrylic about two years ago and went crazy). I need to be in therapy!
Carls makes the best corner punch. Consistently clean. The best one I ever used. I got mine at Staples for less than six bucks.
Oh man.... Paper stacks! WTH was I thinking??? Good lord do I have some butt-ugly paper that I'm never going to use myself... Good thing I teach elementary! LOL! Pawn it off on the unsuspecting children. I suspect my decorative scissors will soon be following suit... and then that Fiskars dry embossing thingy Nikki was talking about. I'd throw the Fiskars shape cutter thing in there too if it weren't for the sharp blade. Sooooooooo much stuff!!! ... And eyelets!!! I think I'm eyelet challenged. They always end up smooshed or crooked or they just fall off all together!
Man, I could go on all night! It's kind of like wishing I could go back in time and collect all the money I spent in the bar during my late teens/early 20's! Just think of the stamps that could have been!
__________________ Just twist my rubber arm... ;o)
Angela a.k.a. PuppyDogGrins
Last edited by puppydoggrins; 03-06-2009 at 05:22 PM..
I'd like to share my disappointments and frustrations too - with regards to panic buying (if you call it that)... LOL
1. Decorative Scissors - I stopped counting at 50 :(
2. Paper Gator - waste of space and it takes forever to align the blade. I wish I stuck with the Round-It-All :(
3. Fiskars Scrap Boss - I've had it since I was starting this hobby, and I can't think of a single time that I ever used it
4. Alpha Foam Stamps I bought from QVC
5. Rainbow Inkpads - the ones that are rectangular, and has 5 or more colors.
6. A complete set of alphabet punches - who needs that if you own a Cricut (make that 2 Cricut machines!)
7. A big lot of Scrapbooking/PaperCrafting/Stamping Books - I've read them only once, and that's it. It's not like I remember everything I read. Most of the techniques I use I just search and get from the internet. I hate to admit that these books are just for decoration :(
9. Yep, I vote for a whole lot of Gel Pens. Most of mine have dried out and it breaks my heart everytime I throw one away. It's like throwing money.
However, I do like my embossing trays, and I just use a blush-on brush to clean it up after each use. I also use my DCWV stacks, more often for scrapbooking.
Isn't this a fun thread?!?! Makes you feel better that you're not the only one?!!? LOL ;)
Oh man.... Paper stacks! WTH was I thinking??? Good lord do I have some butt-ugly paper that I'm never going to use myself... Good thing I teach elementary! LOL! Pawn it off on the unsuspecting children. I suspect my decorative scissors will soon be following suit... and then that Fiskars dry embossing thingy Nikki was talking about. I'd throw the Fiskars shape cutter thing in there too if it weren't for the sharp blade. Sooooooooo much stuff!!! ... And eyelets!!! I think I'm eyelet challenged. They always end up smooshed or crooked or they just fall off all together!
Man, I could go on all night! It's kind of like wishing I could go back in time and collect all the money I spent in the bar during my late teens/early 20's! Just think of the stamps that could have been!
I have to say I feel better knowing I'm not the only one that fell for the Fiskars embossing thingie (it really does have a name, but how would I know what it is? LOL). It was such a waste of money!
Oh and I had totally blocked from my memory the mini sewing machine disaster. I almost needed therapy after trying to figure that thing out. It went back to the store.
Another thing for me was foam stamps. WTH was I thinking? I don't stamp much as it is and yet I went and bought foam stamps. And I keep buying other stamps. I see beautiful things made with them and I KNOW I don't stamp well and I KNOW it makes me frustrated, yet I keep buying stamps. WHY?!?!:confused:
Someday, I will figure out the stampin thing. Someday. Ok, nevermind the fact that I've been trying for over 10 years. Honestly, one day I will get there and then I will use all these stamps I bought over the years - not including the sentiments. THOSE I use. It's all the others that give me grief. You know, ones that actually require you to do something with them, like color them (oh ugh. Just thinking about it makes me light-headed).
Ack. I so empathize with this thread.....try being a quilter too, and put the two vices together! I have been quilting for longer than I have beens stamping, so I probably have more "waste of money" quilting things than stamping things.
Luckily I have resisted the Crack Paper Urge and stuck with Stampin Up for the most part.
Buttons? I have a gazillion. More than I could possibly use in 357 years.
Regrets...hmmm....acrylic rulers up the yazoo....I tend to go wacky with embellishments--I have way too many shaped brads and eyelets and always end up using just my round ones....and ribbon, good lord, I could open my own store....I guess when I think about it, I don't have a lot of "regret" purchases, just "way too much" purchases!
You gals are all hilarious. First time I posted on this thread but let me see if I can add my 2 cents in.
Hmmmmm....
shape edge scissors, stickers (I never buy them anymore), paper stacks who said paper stacks, I don't have any paper stacks:rolleyes:, foam alpha stamps, I did the little sewing machine too, but sent it back, clearance goodies that never get used but hey they are cheap so why not right?. I suppose if I was standing in my scrap room I could go on and on. You know out of sight out of mind.
Oh I quilt too. and I collect fabric and quilt patterns and books. Hello my name is Jill and I am an addict. bwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
ohh yes.... me again... I just stumbled over the light box I had to have to do dry embossing (pre cuttlebug!), and never even used once! Of course now I have both the cb and the big shot, but I don't consider either of those a waste of my money!
EP tray-- Got mine for free with an order. Guy probably laughed his head off
as he threw it in.:mrgreen: I use coffee filters.
Fastenator--Yeh fascinating all right! I can never place those staples where I
want them. Probably the garbage can would be the right place.
Fortunately that's it for me, but I have way too much stuff that I use only occasionally. Have to be honest here and say the part I enjoy the most is buying all this wonderful stuff!!! Aren't the bargains incredible even if you never use the stuff? With the present economy though, this has to stop yesterday!!!!!! Will it??? Noooooo...........
Location: The weeds are popping up, and I'm having asthma issues
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RubberLady603
Mine is the Score-it that I just had to have when it was on sale. I so wish I had waited for a Score-pal instead! I don't like it so it just sits in it's box and I can't justify buying the one I want when I already have one I don't use.
Buy/Sell/Trade is your friend - sell it and get what you want!
Oh thank God - I'm normal! Or at least not too much unlike my fellow crafters! :lol:
I did that Sew-Mini sewing machine. What a joke! Took mine back too.
Yep, have the fastenator...The only good thing about that is that I bought it used but still - I think I paid $20 for it - that was back when it was fairly new. Used it once - maybe twice. I can't even find the damn staples for it and I am not going to buy more!
Paper pads...Well, paper in general because I scrap book too. I have 6 cropper hopper holders full of paper, 4 paper stacks plus about 25 or 30 scrapbook kits that I haven't broken down yet. :rolleyes:
And the buttons...the buttons wouldn't be so bad if there was more color - but noooo - the majority of my buttons are vintage, which would be cool if they weren't all black, brown, or white!
I'm Jen and I'm not out of control - I'm just a normal stamper & scrapbooker. ;)
This is a fun thread! I'd like to add fibers to the list. I have a LOT of fibers (and eyelets, but that's already been listed) and I don't know why. Also, those tag templates and 12 x 12 layout templates (by Design with a View maybe?). Not sure why I bought those. These items have all been donated to good homes so that THEY can throw them away so that I don't have to.
My circle scissors has never been out of it's box, I want to just throw it in the bin but it cost about $55. I may as well though as it is just taking up space.
I also agree about the fastenator, useless.
I was lucky enough to road test the tagger for my friend's LSS and I voted that it was the most stupid waste of $ and space, so didn't buy one. She took them to an interstate paper show and everyone wanted one, I thought they must be desperate for new ideas up there.
LOL you guys have given me such a good laugh reading this thread
I'm relieved to know I'm in such good company.
Now then, glitter oh yes that was such a great idea...........yup! if you're 5 years old :rolleyes:
shaped scissors, so excited when I bought these - pack of 12 no less uhu! Tried them as soon as I got home and they now adorn the bottom of a box somewhere :rolleyes:
Paper stacks each one bought whilst obviously suffering from amnesia which explains why I have piles of them at home!
Who uses all those horrible, ugly no I mean really ugly designs??? You know the ones that are always left in the stack that you will NEVER ever use.
Purple Cows Creative Cutter was a 14 second wonder for me too.
Will no doubt think of more......
Last edited by CandyStripe; 03-07-2009 at 05:58 AM..
Got to laugh at all the people regretting the Fiskars ShapeBoss.
A UK mail order company used to carry it even before they had a separate craft catalogue, and every time he saw it DH wanted it. I kept saying he wouldn't use it. But when it was on half-price clearance I reckoned I might use it - and sure enough, he hasn't used it yet but I still use it at least once a month.
I don't know if I have any big regrets. I don't think I'd have asked DH to get me the Pebbles chalks if I'd realised that I found an old broken set of chalk pastels far more useful.
I cannot think of anything I've bought that I regret!
Many of the things mentioned here are things I still use and like- paper stacks, shaped scissors, my embossing powder tray etc.
Anything that I have that I really don't think I'll use (and this is in addition to MANY of my things that I do still want but have to share) goes to school for the kids in my craft club. I spend a lot of money buying supplies and stuff for them already, so if I decide I won't use it for personal stuff, off to school it goes to join the rest of the stuff I bought specifically for them. Kids are not so fussy about their papers and such and find a way to use everything.
For those of you with lots of stuff you won't use any longer, why not find someplace local that would appreciate it? Maybe the recreation director at a nursing home, or the teachers at a pre-school or something like that? I am very lucky that my papercraft friend nearby always packs up whatever she doesn't need or want any longer and sends it to my girls- and they really appreciate everything and use it.
A good way to get rid of your regrets! Donate whatever you don't use anymore to places that would be more than happy to take them! Books and Magazines can go to the library. Ours will take them no matter what and then put them on the shelf, on the sale table, or on the free table. Someone else can get use out of them! As far as tools, stamps, inks, markers...Art teachers would eat this up, especially at the elementary level. I donated a box of things I didn't use anymore to a lady on here for her friend's classroom. The kids were making cards for troops. If you want to make some money, you can try craigslist, ebay, yard sale, flea market. Just some ideas! I find that if I don't use it in a year, I won't use it, so I will clear it out, and make some room for other things.
I have a shelf full of pre-SU paper that I RARELY get into (it's flimsy stuff!). I also had bought some foam stamps because they were cheaper, but didn't like the result after using them. I bought the Marvy markers too, trying to save money, and did use them a LOT until I got my SU ones, bics, and prismacolor markers. I do LOVE my fiskars shape cutter, and use that a lot. I have a lot of eyelets I don't use much anymore. But for the most part, I've re-organized and cleaned enough now to be down to things that I will use.
If you play Bunco with "gag" gifts, it's always fun to pack a box or bag FULL of old craft stuff, and see the expression of the person opening it. I did this when cleaning out my "junk drawer" in the kitchen, and my friend who got the box five minutes unpacking everything, and everyone else was rolling with laughter.
Product Review- What Was A Waste Of Money?
