Card Making Money Saving Tips

I have been making cards for the past 25 years - and have learned a lot along the way!  Not only when it comes to creating beautiful cards, but also in saving money when it comes to purchasing supplies too!  I don't spend a lot of money on my crafting supplies now - because when I did have a lot of money - I spent A LOT OF IT, and didn't use my money as wisely as I could have!  A lot of supplies have been wasted - and the money spent along with it.  It is that in which I have learned along the way I wanted to talk about here!

• Trust me - you truly DON'T need each and every supply out there know to papercrafter's!  Have a use for it, and what makes a great buy - is one you can use with other theme's as well (such as a balloon stamp - can be used for a birthday, baby shower, anniversary).  
• Paper - 8.5 x 11 sheets of cardstock cut in half, adding a simple envelope, makes awesome card bases for just about any theme you need to send out!  Plus you can customize them to just about any user!  
• Ink pads - another one of those you REALLY don't need each and every color out there known to man kind!  Look at colors such as brown, white, black - or colors that will match cardstock you like to use!   
• Look at older supplies you might have laying around before you spend a ton of money!
• Go to crops at craft stores (if available) or look up Stampin' Up or Close to My Heart consultants for their crop schedule - in order to play with supplies before you purchase!  
• As you are making a scrapbook layout or two, make a few cards with the supplies you have leftover!  This way, you have cards already done when you need them, versus having to make them when you don't have time!  
• Once in a while - take out your leftover papers you might have from other projects - put together papers you can use with your card bases for your cards!  (Another post talking about this a bit more, coming up this week!) 
• Embossing powder - when using your ink pads - get embossing powder that will go with the ink pads you have - white, black and clear are perfect to start with!

Making cards is a lot of fun - no more having to run out and find that one card when you don't have the time TO do it!  Get things made up ahead of time, and you will be just fine!  I am working on a few posts - a bit more about choosing stamps, and picking out papers, so make sure you stop back by the rest of the month for more posts!

Thanks for stopping by,

Lynda Jeffs

Memories in Tyme