Dear Thrifty Scrapper, HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I hope this newsletter finds everyone in good health and spirits. And if not (like a lot of people), think of it as the best time to take pictures for your scrapbook and forget about the rest! And welcome to all the new subscribers!
There's been a wonderful reaction to the freebie sticker offer at the Thrifty Scrapper Web Site. The offer is still good - 5 free stickers with a LSASE (one per person/household). The Thrifty Scrapper Special (15 stickers and 5 die-cuts for $2) is only going to be around until January 15 and the Christmas Special (10 Christmas stickers and 5 die-cuts for $2) will only be around until January 30. They'll be replaced by other specials. Hopefully, I can get a little imaginative! I'm also working on a special web page that will be especially for subscribers of the Thrifty Scrapper. (Actually, reader Lisa is doing it! She's been wonderful!) When you go to the web-site, don't forget to vote for it on the "Warriors Top 50." Thanks to you wonderful scrappers, it's listed in 2nd place and I think we have a shot at the top! That's showing them!
I know it's unbelievable, but I goofed (AGAIN!). I reported in the last newsletter that there wasn't an oval and circle cutter combined. It seems that there is one made by Lighthouse Memories that also makes rounded squares, triangles and diamonds. Their phone number is:1-909-429-9288 But BEWARE it's not exactly "thrifty"!! The best thing would be to get together with a scrapping group and share the expense. The price for the base with oval cam, circle cam, cutting base, extra blades, and cutting guides for both is $59 until the end of the year, then $69 after that. Additional shapes are $12 and $15 with new shapes coming out in January.
~~~~~~~~~~COSTS REVISITED~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a previous newsletter, I talked about the reasons why to be a Thrifty Scrapper. An email was sent to me by Rockester going a little further into detail that was very eye-opening.
Rockester writes: Dear Leslie, I agree that we need to calculate the cost of supplies! It is so easy to get carried away!! I also think we need to add in the cost of the film and the developing! One gal I chat with shoots 6 rolls per event and another shot 18 rolls for one event! They both admit this happens at least once a month! I was staggered as these are the numbers for that kind of shooting!
Let's just take the 6 rolls per event as our sample...6 rolls of 36 exposures--film cost $3 per roll for the film....=$18.00 just for the film for one month developing those 6 rolls is $5 each roll so add another $30 on for each month...now the fun part starts!!
Every month you buy and develop 6 rolls of 36 exp. So $48x12=$576 just on film and developing. Those 72 rolls a year make into 2592 photos. If you scrap 6 pictures onto each page of your album you will need to do 432 pages this year just to keep current! That means you need to scrap a page and a half every day. ( Let's say you do have time to do this as we are focusing on costs in this example.) If you use albums that hold aproximately 40 to 50 pages each --as many mannufacturers recommend to keep the integrity of the spines intact, then you need to buy about 10 albums a year. This can range in price depending on manufacturer but the lowest prices I have seen for most are about $20 each. $20 x 10 albums = $200. This is before the templates, stickers, die cuts, etc. are even figured in as you did in your example. If we use your $3 per page estimate x that 432 pages a year it equals a cost of $1296.00 for the lady who shoots 6 rolls a month.
$1296 album and decoration costs + 576 film and developing costs equals $1872 a year expenses just to keep current!
Don't set yourself up for failure before you start. The only alternative is to cut the expense and the time commitment before it starts....take only one roll per event. Take maybe two or three rolls a month. DO NOT scrap up every photo into your books. Don't even have that as a wishful goal!! You do want to get to your heritage pictures sometime in your own lifetime right?? Maybe make a decision to do the heritage album FIRST not last due to these amazing statistics.
We need to take charge of the hobby and our own impulsive photo shooting. We must realize that if we take a picture, it should count! It is a representative sample of the event...not a documentary! Do not feel guilty if you choose NOT to use every photo (even if they are good shots) in your albums. Make each page count because you are spending your time and money on it. Thrifty scrapping means smart scrapping and a smart use of resources..both time and money and materials! The best album 50 years from now will ultimately be the ones that get done!!
Food for our thrifty thoughts! ~Rockester
Thanks Rockester!
****************FREEBIES!!!!***************
I've found a few freebies that could be useful in scrapbooking!
The first one is from "Your Daily Freebies." This is a great freebie site that I mentioned before, but somehow messed up on the address. The main page address is seen below. The FREEBIE is stencils with a SASE. I sent for this and received back some really cute individual stencils. I figure for 64 cents (postage each way) and envelopes, it's a good deal. The address for this deal is shown as "Stencil Freebies" below.
The second one is from a company that specializes in "Fairy Messages." For a SASE I received 2 little fairy tokens and a very colorful and pretty fairy postcard that would be perfect on little girls dance recital page. There is another postcard that has sayings on it like "You are the spark that becomes a dancing flame" and others that could be used if you're at a loss for words. The address is below and it comes with a product sheet with some VERY reasonably priced items and best of all, no shipping charge. I wish I had had this before because I could have gotten some Christmas presents!
The third one is from Hammermill, the company that makes paper. It's seems it's basically for business owners, but I'm a small business of one, lots of people have little businesses - so you might want to try this one. I received 10 sheets of white paper and 20 sheets of colored paper. The address is below and click on "Feedback."
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From Queen Scrapper Wendy! "Make your own decorative paper if you can't find the theme you want. I have color copied baby blankets, magazine ads, t-shirts, and zip-lock bags full of cereal to get custom background pages!" I have to add that this isn't exactly "thrifty." Color copies in my area run around 96 cents on sale, but it is a great idea.
Gift tags - When you're super busy and can't take time to buy a card; or forgot to buy one; or need a "card" at the last minute, just pull a die cut, punch a hole, ad pull the ribbon though it--sometimes it beats paying $3.00 for a card. You could also use templates and colored paper for this. (For new scrappers: a template is a plastic sheet with shapes cut into it - they can be used to "crop" photos or make your own die-cuts.)
Journaling can go a long way in place of stickers and die-cuts (meaning money saved!) Pages and your scrapbook become very personal and reflect your personality. And don't say you don't have a personal style! Everyone does - sometimes it just takes a while to find it! Journaling is very important because is tells the story of the picture. "A picture can say a thousand words" but there is always an explanation or story that goes with it, even if it's just "Who, What, and Where."
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Beth has declared the "Punch Swap" a success so we will have more. I've thought of die-cuts and stickers to trade. Any ideas will be appreciated. Also, keep sending in the thrifty ideas!
WOW! A lot of info in this newsletter! I suggest you put it away until AFTER the holidays when there is more time to take advantage of some of the offers and try the tips. I'll be sending the next one after the new year, and in one of the upcoming newsletters is going to be a contest, so look for that!
Again, HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Make it safe and remember the important parts of your life (the ones BESIDES scrapbooking!) Take care and happy scrappin'! Until next time, Leslie
Sites Listed
Your Daily Freebies
Your Daily Freebies Stencil Offer
Fairy Messages Freebie
Hammermill Paper Freebie
