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Most everyone likes to save a buck or two when they can. Especially stampers, so we can save the wads of cash for all those stamp sets we're dying to have :p
I have a money saving tip I'd like to share..............
Instead of using a bone folder (6.50 in the new SU! catty) try using a soup spoon. I can make nice, crisp folds on my CS easily using a spoon, it works just as well as the bone folder!Try it and see! Every time I use it, I feel so frugal........that's my way of rationalizing all the $$ I spend on supplies, etc......I joke with my DH that I now have my cost per card down to appx $75!!
Do you have a frugal tip you'd like to share?
Coletta
If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane. Jimmy Buffet
Only use your cutter in one direction -- either pulling the blade toward you or pushing it away (I prefer pulling). Since it's two-sided, you can flip the blade around when one side starts to become dull and get twice as much use out of it!
__________________ Rachel Proud SU! demo and Sci-Fi Geek!
My Stampin' Up! blog "I'm a time traveler -- I point and laugh at archaeologists." 10th Doctor, "Silence in the Library"
Many purchased items come with covers-inserts printed on white glossy paper, printed on only ONE side. I cut up and use the back of that paper for glossy card stock.
Only use your cutter in one direction -- either pulling the blade toward you or pushing it away (I prefer pulling). Since it's two-sided, you can flip the blade around when one side starts to become dull and get twice as much use out of it!
I like this one--seems so obvious, but I hadn't thought of it.
* I buy white invitation envelopes from Wal-mart. Good price and white goes with anything.
* I save every paper scrap to get as much out of my cardstock as possible. Sometimes I'll challenge myself and have a "scrap bin night," where I use primarly scraps to make up cards. (I've come up with cute ones!)
* Thanks to the folks here I now make my own stamp cleaner for way less $$$!
There are several variations out there, but I use:
distilled water
liquid baby wash/soap
rosewater with glycerin (have also used liquid glycerin with good results too)
one gallon of water would use roughly two squirts of baby wash and about 2 oz. of rosewater. The amounts are flexible. I've been using this for a while and it works well. Costs me about $7-8 for a gallon!
Instead of using a bone folder (6.50 in the new SU! catty) try using a soup spoon. I can make nice, crisp folds on my CS easily using a spoon, it works just as well as the bone folder!
Cool tip--I'll have to try it. I keep debating whether or not I *need* a bone folder. You may have just decided for me
I bought this little white plastic thing at my lss. I guess you're supposed to use it to adhere rub-ons, but it works perfectly as a "bone folder" I saw them at Michael's too.
I think I paid .99 for mine
If you don't want to buy every color of the Twinking H2O's, but like the look, buy the oyster color. It is very pale and when watered down will give the shimmer to any of your SU colors.
What great ideas; thanks for sharing; here's mine: some of our vendors at work give us the large,(maybe 30"x24") desk calendars toward the end of the year; we always have extra pages since some come with more than 12 pages; I keep the leftovers to use as a mat on my work table; even if you buy the ones Staples has, it's much cheaper than the Grid paper SU offers (as long as you're not using that for measurements!). Keeps my table nice & clean! Just tear off the page when it gets too inked up! Kathy
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Best ways to save money:
Don't open the SU catalog and don't look in the gallery at SCS!
I use my pampered chef scrapers (the brown ones---3 for $1.75 or they come with a baking stone when you get it) for a bone folder.
IF the item is the same quality as something at Michael's (ie a non-SU exclusive), I use my 40% off coupon. Not everything that looks alike works alike. I also have watched for ink sales at Hobby Lobby & get things like Versamark, Staz-on & the chalk inks (they have limited colors, though). I will get Hermafix refill when it's on sale, too.
I get cheap roll-on tape (the type that rolls like mono-adhesive) at Wal-mart. It doesn't work as well, but it's okay & is cheaper.
sometimes I take stamping stuff to McD's & let my kids play (it gives me free time to stamp!). If the paper on the tray (the one they put on the brown tray that has McD info on it) is clean enough< I'll flip it to the white side & stamp on it while I'm there. Guess I could even ask if I could have an extra!
Definitely get envelopes other places---Wal-Mart or the Office Store.
I bring home tons of used copy paper from work--stuff just headed for the trash can. It's usually printed on just one side. I use it for a work surface, to test stamps, to glue on, etc. I've actually retired now, but I have plenty to last me for years.
For large groups -- parties, stamp camps and such -- get a "leftover" roll of newsprint paper. You can cover the entire table quickly. Saves time. Saves your table(s). It's cheap. And, the entire table becomes one big "scratch pad." The newspaper where I live sells their leftover rolls for only 75 cents a pound.
I use the plain white paper sheets that come when you buy scrapbook page protectors as a work surface to protect my table. Usually the paper is too wrinkled to actually use for anything, but it works well for that.
I save ribbon from EVERYTHING. I've even used a cord off of an old mini blind on cards before.
I like SU's envelopes, even though they are cheaper elsewhere. I feel like if I spend an hour or more making a card, I can dish out the few extra cents for an Ultrasmooth envelope and stamp on it too. Makes a nicer presentation in my opinion.
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You don't have to take on the world, just get on its good side.
Cool tip--I'll have to try it. I keep debating whether or not I *need* a bone folder. You may have just decided for me
I use a pampered chef stone scraper. It was I think 1.75 for a packet of 3. So, you know they never wear out, I've got three, so I can still use one in the kitchen and have two for stamping.
Becky
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There is a paper supply company that I buy my envelopes from. A friend and I go in together and split a box of white and a box of cream and we pay $18 each for 250 envelopes. Plus the boxes the envelopes comes in is the perfect size to store cards in!
__________________ Tammy
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bone folder
Quote:
Originally Posted by txblueyes
I use a pampered chef stone scraper. It was I think 1.75 for a packet of 3. So, you know they never wear out, I've got three, so I can still use one in the kitchen and have two for stamping.
Becky
I have used the yellow cover part of the cutterbee scissors for that too.
Oh, I also take off all handles from paper shopping bags to use when I make my own bags. Sometimes the shopping bags use ribbons as handles, which is great.
What great ideas; thanks for sharing; here's mine: some of our vendors at work give us the large,(maybe 30"x24") desk calendars toward the end of the year; we always have extra pages since some come with more than 12 pages; I keep the leftovers to use as a mat on my work table; even if you buy the ones Staples has, it's much cheaper than the Grid paper SU offers (as long as you're not using that for measurements!). Keeps my table nice & clean! Just tear off the page when it gets too inked up! Kathy
Someone I know bought huge shiny gift bags at the dollar store - gold, silver, various colors - $1 each (smaller ones about 2 for $1, including wine bags). great for cutting up to use as trim on cards. The same person had found folders at WalMart (school supply section) that were in a kind of 3-dimentional shiny paper. Great buys. (Maybe these things were mentioned in a previous thread that gave a long list of things to buy at the dollar store. Sorry if I duplicated ideas.)
You can also use the "decorated" insides of business envelopes (from banks, phone companies, etc.) The same person taught me iris folding using those papers.
I save odd size envelopes and tear them apart to use as templates. Office Depot has some awesome envelopes that are ultra smooth at a good price. The very best way for me to save $$$ is to drop hints to my daughters what stamp sets I like & to remind them of all the long agonizing labor pains I went through to have them :rolleyes: !
Magic Mesh- This stuff is expensive. I buy the drywall mesh and it is exactly the same. You can get it at any hardware type store for cheap cheap cheap.
__________________ Michelle Thomas Craft Well, Wrap Often, Stamp Much!! I FiNallY DiD iT - TAC AnGeL #2645
I also have an idea for the magic mesh. My husband replaced our screen covering on the patio door last year. It was a large section of mesh screening that was flexable like fabric, only better. I folded it and soaked it in a sink of sudsy water and let it dry in the sun. I have used that mesh for lots of cards. My favorite is to emboss it with silver or gold and use a small part to decorate the fronts of my cards. It looks just like metal when you emboss it.
Also one more...I save the clear tiny boxes that the "Brads" come in from Michaels. I trim around the boxes to remove extra plastic and save just the small box for shaker cards. They are absolutely perfect and you would have pitched them out anyway. Try it...you'll like it! LOL!
I like this one--seems so obvious, but I hadn't thought of it.
* I buy white invitation envelopes from Wal-mart. Good price and white goes with anything.
* I save every paper scrap to get as much out of my cardstock as possible. Sometimes I'll challenge myself and have a "scrap bin night," where I use primarly scraps to make up cards. (I've come up with cute ones!)
* Thanks to the folks here I now make my own stamp cleaner for way less $$$!
Keep 'em coming!
Do you have a recipe for the stamp cleaner??? I would love to have it.
Do you have a recipe for the stamp cleaner??? I would love to have it.
I wouldn't exactly call this a "recipe", but I used 1 teaspoon (yes, a teaspoon!) of Simple Green concentrate and water to fill the 60 ml spray bottle my Stampin Mist came in and you're good to go!
Most of you probably do this, but here goes..
If I stamp an image and am not happy with it I turn the cs over and stamp on the back - if it is layered you can't see the mistake and the cs has been saved!
I picked up a trick on wheel storage from a fellow SCS-er Advogirl. I use a washed out Pringles Potato Chip container to storing wheels. Wheel the designs on a piece of paper and put it around the outside of the container to see what designs are inside.
And then I made a wheel guide ruler out of a clear quilter's ruler (I used to quilt) . I mounted left over foam with the rubber attached to the bottom of the ruler (sticky side to the ruler). Works just as well as the wheel guide and cost me $2 for the ruler. The rubber keeps it in place and with the lines on the ruler, I can line it up with the paper.
My DH is an engineer and he brings home used blueprint (plotter) paper that would usually get tossed. I can use this to cover my stamping table. It is wide and long to fit large areas. I can stamp off on it, draw, practice stamping techniques,etc while keeping my area nice and clean. If I get EP or glitter everywhere I can just lift it up and shake it out in the trash or outside.
Fave Frugal Stamping Tip??
