Pixie Powder

 

Heat Embossing Powder Reference Set

 I've recently been enjoying using heat embossing powders a whole bunch more and so have purchased a few fun mixed up ones... I made these reference cards to get an idea of which would work for finer details and how they look in general.

I am also pleased to annouce that for the first time ever in the history of my crafting I actually finished a whole container of embossing powder... I had only owned it for about 20 years!

Intro to scrapbooking Part 3: The last words on supplies

It's only appropriate that this scrapbookers 101 series has three posts on supplies. Because three of the best things about scrapbooking are:

1. Buying supplies.
2. Hoarding supplies
3. And actually using supplies (which always seems to happen less that the first two).

Stuff that you can use over and over:

Colourific stuff: This includes paint, ink, dyes, misters, powders and other potions, glitter glue, pens, and cotton.

It's easy to go overboard on this stuff and want 'the whole set' and that's totally dangerous because manufacturers know that- and just about the time you get the whole set they add more to the set!

In reality you only 'need' some of these things and really just in a basic range.

Paints: Acrylic is the type of paint used in scrapbooking and you can get specific scrapbooking branded paints- but the reality is that they are the same make up as any other acrylic paint you can find around. Of all of the supplies I listed above I think paint is the most useful. You can apply it in so many different ways, with different tools and use it for a variety of things from mats, to frames to lettering. Start with a set of primary colours (red, blue and yellow) plus white, black, brown and possibly green. And then look at expanding your collection IF you use the paints. And only then look at the colours you predominately use and stick with them.

Ink: Either liquid or in ink pads. Like I said in my first post a basic set of dye ink pads is all you need- black and brown being pretty versatile. There are heaps more colours out there and if you find yourself getting into stamping then you can start to expand your collection. Dye ink dries relatively fast and helps stamp clear, crisp lines. The other type is pigment ink. I find that it takes a long time to dry and can some times seem a little fuzzy when stamping. Pigment inks tend to be a little more opaque and therefore have a different look to dye inks. I recommend Tim Holtz Distress Inks as a good basic dye ink. Staz on is also good but a lot harder to clean up. I find baby wipes are all I need to clean up Distress Inks and often just place one flat on my table and clean each stamp with a quick rub as I go along.
The only other exception to the ink pad buying advice could be an Embossing ink pad. Embossing ink goes on clear and is sticky and takes a while to dry because you use it with embossing powder. But once again I wouldn't go there unless you develop a passion for stamping.

Dyes: Dyes were big in scrapbooking a few years back but not so much any more.They are good because you can use them to recolour some things that can't be done in any other way- and also because they can provide a vivid colour pop on your page.  They are not something I use a whole heap on my pages. I think a lot of the time we want to just keep going on a page and so the idea of dying something and waiting for it to dry just doesn't suit. If I had my time over I wouldn't invest any funds in dye.

Misters: Misters are a more recent trend and a lot of fun. Essentially it's colourant in a spray bottle. You can use them as is to create interesting back grounds on your page. You can lay down shapes/letter stickers etc like a mask and spray over them then remove to see the colour of your pages foundation. Or you can spray over a stencil. Lots of different options and looks. If you prefer clean lines then misters and sprays may not be for you as they are hard to control. Some are opaque (solid colour) and some are more like dye and some have sparkly stuff in them- yum. They are all on the expensive side- so once again it's a case of looking at what you are most likely to use colourwise. Look for Mister Huey's from Studio Calico, Spinklers from October Afternoon or Tattered Angels Glimmer mists and others.

Powders, sparkly stuff and other potions: There are a whole range of other products sold in little pots, bottles and containers for crafting: Embossing powder which gets melted with a heat gun, Twinkling H2O's get painted on with a wet brush, Sugarcoating is just yummy looking glitter, KindyGlitz and Stickles are glitter glues, Smooch is ink in a nail polish bottle, Pearl-ex gets dry brushed onto wet ink, Flower soft is little bits of god knows what that can look like well... tiny soft flowers, and chalk is well... it's chalk! Here's the thing, these things are pretty, ohmyffrickengoodness are they pretty! They are packaged pretty and they are all sparkly and twinkly and you see amazing scrapbookers and especially card makers use them with great effect on a range of projects. And you just go "oooohhh I want to buy it!" (Or at least I did and I know a few other people who have as well) and you play with it and it's got pretty colours and it's all sparkly... but it doesn't look as cool as the picture in your head, and it's not quite as easy as others make it look, and actually it can be fiddly and time consuming, and well sometimes it's just a bitch to clean up, and it can be a bit on the expensive side, and sometimes you can only get it in kits of 3 or 6 colours which ups the costs, and even then you never seem to have the colour that you want/need..... and then it sits in your stash taking up room, causing you guilt (because of the money you spent, and your forsaken grand plans) and really you just should move it on to some other sucker one who will use and appreciate it.
So the lesson is: Before you buy anything pretty that you have no idea how to use and aren't confident that you'll use well, don't. If you have a friend or acquaintance who uses this stuff and you like the look of it then get them to give you lessons or loan you some stuff that you can have a play with (give them a few dollars or a small gift in appreciation of the fact you are using their consumables) have a good play and figure out if the 'stuff' is really you before you put any real money into it.

Pens I have a love of all things stationery, pretty note books and writing paper, funky paper clips and all sorts but especially pens. I love pens in the last week I brought 4 packs of pens in the wake of the back to school stuff there's lots of cheap pens about. :-) If you don't like your handwriting, or you think you can't draw or doodle then you won't have too much use for pens. But it is nice to write on your pages from time to time (rather than computer journalling) even just as a record of the way you write for your kids at a later date. So I suggest that you have a small collection of basic pigment ink pens- I'd suggest around 3mm nibs. And as I said in an earlier post the smiggle ones are great and come in a good basic range of colours. If you think you will draw on your layouts then you'll find that there are heaps of other options; Sakura Glaze pens are a nice opaque pen to draw with and good old gel pens are nice to use as well.

Cotton: If you've ever done cross stitch or sewing then you'll have a stash of cottons and threads- just in case it never occurs to you- those can be used on your scrapbook pages too.

Stencils and Stamps:

While generally being on the more expensive end of basic supplies both stencils, stamps and masks (essentially the opposite if a stencil- you lay them down, paint or spray over or trace around) are a good investment that you can use over and over if you get the right thing.
The right thing includes, alphabets, basic shapes (circle, square, hearts, stars, arrows) and patterns, swirls and curls and in the case of stamps a set of greetings (happy birthday, congratulations, thank-you etc). And in lesser numbers some flowers and leaves and birthday and Christmas themed stamps can be fairly multi purpose. And maybe some basic lined journalling stamps.

The thing is once again that there are so many stamps out there that appeal to our hearts. I have a beautiful Sleeping Owl stamp- I love him, he's sweet and wise. I guess I could use him on a page about how Will loved birds when he was little, I could use him on a page about how Kieran is quite wise, I could even use him on a page about Tama and his sleeping habits. That's three pages, and to be honest that Kieran one is a stretch- he probably cost about $15- so even with three pages that's $5 added to the cost of each page. The lesson here is RESIST the SLEEPY OWLS (and the pretty ballerinas, butterflies, dandelions, cutesy animals and so forth) unless they are dirt cheap and you can think of decent amount of ways you could use them over a number of pages or projects.

Well , I think he's cute.

There's two types of stamps generally:

Wood Mounted

These are mounted on wooden blocks generally cost more and definitely take up more space to store.

Clings/acrylic

Acrylic stamps tend to come in packs. And you need a perspex mount or mounts to place them on while stamping- a glass plate works well. They have the advantage of being both cheaper and easier to store. Also great for alphabets because unlike wood mounted alphas which you stamp a letter at a time you can string a bunch together on the mount and stamp (the exception being where the same letter is used twice). They are also great because you can see through the stamp and the mount so you know you are getting the placement correct. I read a tip once that if you lightly sand you acrylic stamps before use you will get a clearer image and I have found that to be true.

A thick foam pad or a mouse mat placed under your paper when you are stamping helps to get a clearer image as well- you just need to be careful with that you don't ink the edges of your mount accidentally.

In terms of printing quality I find there is no advantage to wood over Acrylic- so to my mind you'd buy wood if you can't get the same/similar stamp in Acrylic.

I store my favourite wood mounted stamps where I can see them as that way they are likely to get more use.

I store my acrylics in a basket close to my desk for the same reason- along with my baby wipes for clean up. You can buy a stamp cleaning pad and they are great but once again not necessary.

Tools:

Investing in the Big Ticket Tools: Tools are expensive! So my very best advice is to think long and hard about what you invest in. Also think around and up and down. For example I used to have a rather expensive electronic cutter that hooked up to my computer and could cut out most anything including all of the fonts on my computer in almost any size from tiny up to A4. On the outside this seems like a much better investment that a die cut machine for which you also need to buy dies and those dies only cut one size. BUT I never used the expensive Electronic cutter because it and the computer lived in the lounge and me and my scrapbooking were at the other end of the house- and it just wasn't part of my work flow to stop what I was doing and go use the cutter. But having a die cutter on the table next to me with a couple of good all-round alphas that I actually use has been a good investment because I use them.

In general keep away from tools that have a very specific purpose or do a job you can do with another tool you already own- there is a new tool out at the moment it cuts ribbon and sears the end so the ribbon won't fray. Yep it cuts ribbon, like scissors. And while my scissors don't sear the end of my ribbon I can't say fraying has ever been an issue on my pages and if I was using the ribbon for a mini album or such I can melt the ends with my lighter- I don't need a ribbon cutter and searer  costing money and taking up space when I can already do both those tasks with cheaper, smaller tools that I already own and have multiple purposes!

Also avoid the tools that do things that you don't do. A big bite is a tool that punches holes- it can punch through super thick and hard stuff and it is really pretty damn handy- the biggest one can punch a hole anywhere on your page. But if you don't punch a lot of holes then you really don't need one.

If it suits the way you scrap punches can be a good investment- shapes and borders are the most multi-purpose. Just basic circles, squares and ovals in a few different sizes can go a long way. Or alternatively if you have a die cutter that takes them Spellbinders dies they end up being better value for money than punches. (Cuttlebug does take them)

My friend Paula's sage advice on tools:
* If you can, find a teacher who will let you try out tools before you buy them. I hated my first few tools including the cutter I bought. They just didn't suit the way I like to work.
* When you do invest in tools, invest in tools that are versatile and that you will use often and the best quality you can afford.

Personally I like that joke that goes something along the lines of: I brought a popcorn maker, a deep fryer, an egg cooker, a rice cooker and a steamer. It's called a pot.

Loving your supplies too much:

Something we all seem to do is fall in love with particular papers and embellishments and 'save' them like the 'good china' for a special occasion or a certain page that may one day come.  It's just so yummy or special or sweet we don't want to use it or in the case of patterned paper cover-up the good bits with photos and stories (the heart of scrapbooking).

Here's my advice USE IT. They may not make the same thing again- you may find the project that would have been just perfect for that particular supply some time down the track- but it's ok because there will always be more, and most likely better stuff to fall in love with and buy and covet and USE. It's a multi million dollar industry that works by tugging at womens heart strings while loosening their purse strings.... there will always be another piece of paper to love.... many other pieces of paper to love, many, many, many.

Fads and Favourites:

The scrapbooking industry is notorious for going through fads and every scrapbooker and their dog seems to jump on the bandwagon. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that provided you are doing it for the right reasons- the right reason being that it appeals to your senses and suits the way you scrap. Even then try not to go overboard because there will be another fad- it will probably come with new tools and supplies- and you might like it more and end up leaving the old fad behind- leaving you with a bunch of stuff that was 'you' but isn't anymore. But if there's a phase where everyone is heaping flowers on their pages on you aren't the flowery type- then don't feel like you need to go there!

Likewise if you develop favourite things to use or favourite techniques and they become scrapping 'old school' don't feel like you need to stop doing it because it's not the 'cool thing' anymore.

This is the one area where I say- buy more if there is a certain brand that you love and use all the time or a certain embellishment type that really suits the way you scrap then go for it- I have a heap of Sassafras brand product in my stash and I never get tired of using it! I'm so glad that I have it because the company isn't operating any more- so there ain't anymore where that's coming from!

Kits, packs and pads:

Kits, packs and pads have the advantage that everything is co-ordinated and  it all works togther and make the colour co-ordination side of scrapbooking easy. If you scrapbook a lot and like the look of a 'set' of stuff they can be great. They generally tend to be cheaper than buying the items individually as well. That said you need to be sure that you will use enough of them to make the savings happen- really check out a pad or kit to see if you really think you are going to use most/all of it- because if you end up donating a whole bunch of stuff to Kindy- then you haven't saved at all.

Organisation and Storage:

There are two schools of scrappers- the see it use it girls, and the neat and tidy I know where it is hidden away ladies. I'm very definitely in the first camp- I don't remember what I have and often end up finding something down the track that would have been great on a page I've already completed- once you know what you are you can work on how you organise and store your stash.

The other contributing factor is how you scrap there are as many different ways as there are scrappers. But generally they can be divided into four categories.
1. Photos first. Everything else follows.
2. Story first, then photos to suit- everything else follows.
3. Supplies first, then photos and story.
4. Layout first. This often happens when people like to follow sketches or page maps, or scraplift (creative copying others LO's)

How you scrap depends on how you will want to sort your supplies. I do all four of the above- but generally I'm a number one. I find the pictures that move me for the moment. Then I match paper and card- I keep my paper and card right beside me for that very reason. Then once I have everything laid out on the paper and have my journalling in mind I go looking for embellishments. I keep my embellishments sorted by colour plus wood and metal that way I know exactly where to go to find stuff that will compliment what I already have happening with my papers and photos. Plus I have a box for general stickers and one for alphabets (for titles).

The alternative ways to store are like with like- eg all the flowers together, all the ribbon together etc.
Or by brand- so you know you have co-ordinating gear in the same place.

None of the above are better than each other just better for certain people and the way they think.

If you are lucky enough to have a dedicated space I strongly recommend having all your most used items within arms reach as it just makes your work flow so much easier.

Finally- leave room for expansion in your storage. If you have a choice between something with 3 drawers or four - go with the four even if you only need three right now- you will need five later. :-)

Albums:

Most scrapbookers tend to scrap in one of two sizes 12x12 or 8.5x11inches. The majority scrap in 12x12.

That said there are heaps of other sizes out there and you don't have to be limited to just one size- even in the same album. Commonly found you can also buy 8x8 and 6x6 albums. Plus you can get page protectors in all sorts of different sizes and configurations- weird and different stuff like 6x12inch and so on.

Standard size albums are generally post bound or ring bound.

Post bound: Have metal posts that go through the album and the page protectors are placed on these and then a screw in the end keeps them in the album. These albums are relatively easy to find, easy to fill and are often preferred because there is not a large gap between the two adjacent pages- good if you do a double page LO. Their disadvantage is that they can be harder to add pages into later (because you have to pull a bunch of pages out). I also think they hold less than a ring bound album (max 40 pages- and that's pushing it because the open end is fat!) and the pages don't lay flat.I used these for everything till recently and am now in the process of moving to ring bound for my general albums. I'd still choose post bound for albums that scrap one event like a 21st, wedding, holiday, or deployment- because these types of themed album have a finite number of pages.... but our daily life goes on forever. 

Ring bound albums are just like the ring binders the kids have for school. They are also pretty easy to find these days. Can sometimes be a little more expensive (although I think that relates more to the brands that we get in NZ and Aus). They hold more, are easier to fill and add pages too and lay flat.

It's up to you how you arrange your pages- some people like to put the pages in order of the dates of that the photos were taken. Some people like to put them in the order that they were made. Yet others have albums for specific things- like an album for each of their kids and one for shared events and so on.


It really doesn't matter how you do it- so long as it makes you happy- and you can always change your mind down the track- it's a scrappers prerogative!

 ♥

Intro to scrapbooking Part 2: More on supplies

Basic Consumables

Cardstock: Cardstock will most likely form the foundation of a lot of the pages you do and the mats for your photos when/if you do that. There are a few different options around, they range in price and quality. I like Bazzill Cardstock and so do a bunch of other scrapbookers- it's good quality, textured, quite thick, and comes in a large range of colours the downside is it's more expensive and it's really just a matter of taste. I keep on hand large quantities of White, French Vanilla (Creamy colour), Black and Kraft, and smaller quantities of Navy and Scarlet- because that's what I use most. I used to have on hand a whole range of colours- in fact I still do have on hand a whole range of colours- that's because I very seldom use colours! Lesson here is get a little and see what you end up using- then get more of that.

Patterned Paper: I'm having a torrid affair with Patterned Paper. I LOVE it sooooo much. I have way, way more than I can ever use and they just keep coming out with more, and it's all SO good and I just want to BUY IT! Sometimes you will use Patterned Paper as the foundation for your pages- but more often you will use smaller pieces on your pages. Once again start small and see what you use and what doesn't work. My advice is that people are more likely to use:

• paper that is more low-key 
• paper that has patterns all over rather than pictures all over
• patterns that are not so bold
• patterns that are not too contrasting
• brighter colours that have subtle patterns
• bolder patterns in lighter colours

Therefore that's what I'd look for when building up a stash.

I also recommend

• buying a few papers from the same range so you can easily co-ordinate.
• looking at what brands you use most over time and sticking to them. Especially as a lot of designers work with particular aesthetic- so you'll find that they will co-ordinate better over the ranges. Giving you more options.

Don't be afraid to cut.
There will be papers that you just love and you'll want to use the whole thing, or you'll want a particular part to show on your layout- don't sacrifice your design for the sake of your supplies- scrapbooking is usually about the photos and the words- everything else is secondary. (Unless you are Irene Tan- then it seems to be more about supplies and techniques). Don't hoard your stash- use it! There will be more papers to love- I promise.
Left-overs- you'll have scraps of Patterned Paper big and small. Personally I don't keep anything smaller than a business card- yes you could use it on a card, but will you, probably not. Bin it or keep a bag of the small scraps and regularly donate it to kindy. For the medium size pieces- something like a clearfile sorted by colour is a good starting point for storage- you may want to move up to one of those expanding concertina files eventually- anything more than that and you're keeping too much stuff- sort and pass on. For the really big pieces keep it with your full sheets. Don't be afraid to purge your supplies and pass on stuff that you've had forever- use it or lose it.
Patterned paper is light you don't need to go overboard when sticking it to your page- mostly I just used a photo split in each corner and maybe the centre if it is very large.

All the other bits that you stick on:

Alphabet stickers and rub-ons: Generally used for titles, these are often considered a must have supply- but they can end up being not terribly cost effective. Look out for sets that have multiple vowels and commonly used letters (m, n,s,t etc). If you have three kids with L's in their names or someone uses a bunch of A's then a set of letter stickers might not go so far. :-) There are lots of alternatives to alphabets- I'll get to that later.

Stickers: Oh so many pretty stickers, there's the temptation to just spew them onto your page! When starting out- don't go overboard and then see what you use and more importantly what you don't. More often you can do the same job, much cheaper, with patterned paper, scissors, and a punch or two.

Ribbon: Ribbon is a good investment. Go with solid colours and simple patterns eg stripes and spots. Not too wide. Look at the colours you tend to use on your LO's and buy those colours or ones that co-ordinate with those colours. Ribbon also includes: Ric rac, Pompom and other trims, lace, and the most recent trend twine. You can adhere ribbon to your pages with : Glue dots, Xyron, staples, brads.

Tape: All sorts of tape out there- Washi (Japanese paper tape is also trending right now). This is another good investment if you get solids and basic patterns. Tape can be used as a frame, feature, arrow, dividing line, adhesive and so much more- the more generic it is the more use you will get from it.

Flowers: Also a fairly good investment- layered, grouped and so on. If you have colouring options then you can buy white and recolour to suit. Flowers in the right colours and places can look fine on boy LO's too. Attach with glue, glue dots, photo splits or brads.

Rub-ons: Rub-ons are designs and words that you literally place on your page and rub-on. They can look really good and effective in the right place. In my experience you should avoid the cheaper ones as they are more prone to failure... leaving you, at best, having to rub them off or at worst with a mess on your page. Word of advice: Cut out the design you want to use from the sheet- don't just try and rub from the whole sheet- because you'll likely end up getting bits of the surrounding designs on your page.

Bling, buttons, brads, and eyelets: ('Bling' refers to gems and pearls) Once again these items are generic making them a fairly decent investment.  The first three go great in the centre of flowers and things. Brads and eyelets and another way to attach flat items like paper etc to your LO and add interest without pulling attention from your photos and story. Don't go overboard- and stick to black, white, silver and the colours you most use. Buttons are best attached with Glue dots or a good liquid adhesive like Tombo Green.

Embellishments: This covers a huge range of stuff! Essentially this is any decorative element you add to your page including a bunch of the stuff that I just singled out above. Look for multi purpose stuff- not so much theme specific and you will get more value for your money. If you are scrapping a page about Aeroplanes you don't necessarily need aeroplane embellishments because your photos will tell that story. Sometimes we get drawn in by the cute/beauty factor on stuff- but really have limited use for it- or find it just doesn't work with our style of scrapbooking no matter how cute/beautiful it is. Look for basic motifs things like: circles, hearts, arrows, butterflies, flowers and stars- these things are multi purpose and can be used over and over across a range of LO's.

Journalling Spots: It's nice to have a supply of 'stuff' you can write on- this comes in many forms, pads, cards, stickers, die cut paper, and so on. As always look for generic/multi-purpose and not too much themed stuff. But remember a piece of plain cardstock is just fine.

Non-scrapbooking scrapbooking materials: There's a bunch of stuff out in the world that you can use for scrapping that was intended to be that way- I have seen some cool ribbon buckles made will pull tabs from cans of drink and some letters cut from milk bottles. The haberdashery section is a good place to find cool stuff. Keep you eyes open and think outside the square- but don't hoard too much stuff!

NB: Lumpy and Bumpy- some people like their pages to be really lumpy and bumpy and full of texture and dimension- some prefer clean flat lines and not much texture at all- neither is right or wrong- it's personal choice. The only thing to note is that if you go the lumpy way you will want to store your albums standing up and not squished onto a shelf or the pressure may cause dents from the lumps and bumps on the opposing pages.

All that glitters is not gold... I doubt there is a scrapbooker alive who at one time did not buy something because it was a great deal- too good to pass up! Consider the cheap stuff and specials carefully- it might be good value, but if you won't use it- then it wasn't all that special and all it did was cost you money, not save you money.

Here's a list of the stuff in my stash that seemed like a good idea at the time but I haven't used or haven't used enough to justify the purchase: Beads, tags, paperclips, fat cheap ugly plastic butterflies and lady birds, raw chipboard: shapes, frames and alphabets, buckles, photo turns, photo corners, safety pins, heat embossing powder, sequins, glitter, pins, picture stickers, metal frames, twist ties, dominoes, charms, hair accessories and bottle tops.

A note about Creative Memories: A lot of scrapbookers start out with CM. Some move on and combine CM with non-CM supplies, some stay loyal, and some move one completely. CM has some great good quality tools. That stuff is worth checking out.
I have heard some funny stuff come from the mouths of CM scrappers talking about being 'rebellious' or admiring the non CM supplies but not being 'allowed' to use them. It reminds me a bit of Tupperware, a bit more expensive, a bit more prescribed, modular and doesn't fit with the other stuff.
I'm not dissing it- each to their own- it's been a great starting point for many scrappers. But I do think it's not the be all and end all of scrapbooking and the staunch dogma of "Only CM products" goes against the basic tenets of creativity...if using October Afternoon papers makes me rebellious I'll go with that.... I'll leave you to make up your own mind.

Acid and Lignin Free: There are a vast amount of differing opinions on this. You will find the 'religious right' with virginal scrapbook pages, unsullied by acid and lignin, they have their acid detecting pens and deacidifying sprays and never take any risks. And then there's the loose lefties who don't give a toss and anything goes! And a the rest who lie right across the spectrum. It comes down to two things:

• What you want to happen to your scrapbooks down the track.
• How important the 'non-safe' stuff is.

These are my thoughts.
I have some personally meaningful and possibly 'unsafe' stuff  that I want in my scrapbooks. Letters and pictures from my kids, tickets, programmes, maps, postcards and brochures from special events/places, greeting cards, and letters from family and other ephemera. I also have clothing tags and dockets and school stuff that tell the story of our days better than I can. I'm not willing to leave them off my pages they are part of our story.
The vast majority of my photos are backed-up digitally in two locations (one off-site). So I'm not worried about keeping the photos safe on my pages and generally I'm not willing to compromise the design of my page to keep those possibly unsafe items separate.
I am making these things to be enjoyed now by the people who are in them.
I have a lot of scrapbooks, albums and albums, mini albums, photobooks and handmade books. I'd like to think my kids will want to be handed down some of them- but there is a huge volume of stuff and I don't want to burden them with it. So if some of that stuff doesn't last the distance I'm really not worried.
That said if there is something I know will fail fast and wreck a page, or doesn't bring any meaning to the page I won't use them- regular sellotape, dried flowers, and faxes are some that come to mind.
You need to make up your own mind where you are on the scale, and what your limits will be.

Starting out with storage: Don't invest too much money in storage to begin with- you WILL grow out of it. I'd suggest you put all your stuff in zip lock bags in one of those 60 litre lidded bins from the Warehouse. By the time you fill 2-3 of those bins you have a better idea of what you need to store/organise and how you may want to store it. More on this later.

Where to buy: (NZ version)


Non-specialist stores: $2 Dollar type stores, The Warehouse, Stationery Warehouse and Spotlight.
Upsides: Easy to find, can be cheap, sometimes have cheaper versions of more expensive supplies.
Downsides: Limited selection, often poorer quality, sometimes expensive (Spotlight), no staff to give specific advice).

LSS (Local Scrapbook Store): Not too many of these around and can be a dying breed- look in your phone book and use word of mouth.
Upsides: Often have a wide range of up-to-date, professional advice, good quality, look for home based businesses with a bit of a store front for good deals. Often run classes and crops.
Downsides: can be more expensive it's hard in this business for retailers! Not too many around.

Online Stores: A few of these around and some LSS have online as well.

Upsides: Can be chearper, often have a good selection of good quality product, shop anytime- in your PJ's even! Often have blogs and forums for online support and inspiration.
Downsides: You can't see and touch the stuff in person. I find it takes longer to shop online. Postage costs, though some have free postage if you buy over a certain amount. Some are definitely not cheaper. You have to wait for it to arrive.

Auctions: Trade Me and Ebay- (Not so much Ebay in NZ- but when the exchange rate is good some bargains can be found.) Trade me can be a great place to pick up bargains- especially if you buy from the same seller and combine postage. The advantages/disadvantages are pretty much the same as for online and you'll find a lot of the Online shops are selling on trade me as well.

Overseas: There are some good deals to be had from overseas if you have some or all of the following:

• On sale
• Good exchange rate
• Seller who charges actual postage.
• Your items are flat, light and small (Eg stickers, flat-ish embellishments, individual and smaller dies etc Not Punches and 12x12 papers) and therefore cheaper to post
• Big ticket (expensive to buy in NZ items) eg Stamps, Dies etc
• Seller who offers a personal service and will remove extraneous packaging to reduce size and bulk. 
• Someone who can bring the package to you.

Part 3 coming soon.

  ♥

Intro to scrapbooking Part 1

In New Zealand very dear friend of mine is getting started in scrapbooking. I kind of wish I could be there with her to help her out- but I actually think she'll get more info from these posts. So here goes.

Don't do it!
I LOVE scrapbooking but I'm actually a little serious. Here are the reasons not to take up scrapbooking:

• It gets expensive. It doesn't seem like it when it's a bit of paper here and some sparkly stuff there a few stickers and perhaps some ribbon. But then there's more delicious paper and stamps, and if you have stamps you'll want ink. And then you'll see someone use paint in a cool way, and then misters and other glittery stuff. And what colours... just one or two, maybe five or twelve- why not complete the set? I know.
• It takes up room... seriously. If you get that whole set of misters you'll need somewhere to put them. And the other stuff. And the albums you'll start filling up. And before long you'll need new bookshelves, and a pantry cupboard for your stash and a dedicated table to work on, so you don't have to pack up your stuff each day.... and a room to put it all in. I know.
• Did I mention it's gets expensive.
• It takes time. Lets face it if you have a few years under your belt and a a few kids just imagine how many photos you've taken in that time... and imagine how you can scrap them.... and imagine the stories yet to come..... that's a lot of scrapping.
• It takes more time.... if you get really hardcore you'll discover crop nights, and scrapcamps and lets face it you deserve some me time!... before you know it you'll be waving your kids and partners good bye and heading off to hang out with other hardcore scrappers.  I know.
• Oh and by the way it gets expensive.
• It takes more time. You'll discover Pinterest, and scrapping blogs and forums and online stores. When you aren't scrapping you be thinking about scrapping and shopping for scrapping. I know.
• That can be quite expensive.
• It's addictive. Seriously it's addictive like drugs. And soon you'll just want to do more. And if you don't get much time to feed your habit you'll go through withdrawal and get all cranky. I know.
• You'll become a scrapbook snob... The Warehouse and spotlight papers won't be good enough for you eventually.You'll go on pilgrimages to scrapbook shops in Wellington and Christchurch and if you can get free Airforce flights, Auckland as well! You'll trawl Trade-me for good deals and spend time looking at stuff in US dollars on Two Peas and wonder who you know that can bring some stuff home for you from the States. I know.
• You realise you can spend quite a bit of money right? It can get quite expensive.
• It makes you a bad parent. Seriously, you'll hoard previously available art supplies and won't let your kids play with your gear. You'll leave them behind for the previously mentioned retreats and camps. You'll make them undergo torturous photo shoots. You'll be the daggy mum at their parties, sports games and school events taking 100's of photos. And  eventually you'll start buying them clothes that co-ordinate, not just with each other- but with that piece of patterned paper you've been hanging out to use. And you'll record all of their most embarrassing moments in scrapbook pages you'll share with friends and families. I know. 
• Oh and if you're not careful you'll end up spending quite a bit of money. I know. (I'm not sure if Les knows though so Shhhhhhh!)

You didn't listen to me did you?

Ok then, don't say I didn't warn you though. And make sure your significant other knows I told you about the dark side of scrapbooking. Because I don't want to be held responsible when he finds you in what used to be your master bedroom at 6am hunched over some glue and paper, with a bunch of photos trying to decide if you should use the baby blue ribbon or the sky blue ribbon. After you told him at 11pm as he went to bed you'd be there soon and led him to believe he might get lucky. Because believe me once you've got the bug there won't be any action in the bedroom- unless that's where your scrapbook table is. I know.

So here's what you need to know.

Before you start

My very best suggestion is to go buy some magazines either in a shop or score a bundle on trade me or try the library. Get yourself a few different mags: Creating Keepsakes, Scrapbooking Memories, and Scrapbook Creations are a good starting point. As you read through look out for the pages that really resonate with you. Mark them with post-its or fold down the corners of the pages. Then go back and ask yourself what you like about them. Look at the style of the pages and the products being used. Look at the colours and find any common themes across the pages. If you didn't like the flowery flouncy pages with doilies and pretty diamanté spirals- then please don't go out and buy lots of pretty flowers and doilies and diamanté spirals. No matter how pretty or how cheap. If you liked the pages with muted tones and greens and browns then don't go out and buy a pack of bright party coloured paper. Make a list of ideas and stuff.

Think about what sorts of pictures you'll be scrapping. If you are a world traveller and all your pages will be travel pics- then don't buy those cute little baby hand print brads- no matter how cute or how cheap. If you have a bunch of boys who like to play in dirt and run around on the rugby field- then think about getting stuff that's going to suit those stories.

Ok, time to shop.
Please don't go nuts. Please. Just get a few things, scrap a few pages, and get a feel for what you like and don't like.

Tools: The Bare necessities:

Don't tell my husband but add card, and photos to that lot and that's all I really need to make a page.
Basic Tool Kit:
Craft Mat- (bigger the better).
Paper Trimmer- I've tried a few and quite happily swear by my Fiskars and know a lot of people that agree. But if you know some scrappers and have the option to try before you buy don't be shy about asking to do so. This is the one absolutely MUST have tool.
Ruler- I prefer metal- they are always straight and the weight can come in handy as well.
Scissors- These were $2- I've been sucked into the wonders of some more expensive ones- they sit forlorn in my scissor basket- other people swear by them- use what works for you.
Rubber and a Pencil.
A couple of pens for journalling and such I like the Smiggle Pigment pens but there are HEAPS of options out there.
Adhesive-

1.  Photos and paper (I use Henzo Photo splits- but there are a whole heap of options out there see what others use and figure what will best suit your work flow).
2. Tiny heavy things (and when you are in a hurry)  for things like buttons, metal embellishments etc I use glue dots they are instant and easy- but not as cheap as using a liquid glue. 
3. Everything else: Chipboard, ribbon, flowers, die cuts etc. A good all round liquid glue. I like Tombo Green it can handle quite a lot of weight dries clear and doesn't pucker your paper.

(More on adhesives later).

Seriously that's all I need to make a LO. Want me to prove it?

(and I didn't even use the scissors or two of the adhesives!)

A little bit more:

So you've got a little bit of cash and you want a few more options....

More Pens- more colours, more options.

White Journalling Pen For writing on dark backgrounds and also doodling.

Stapler- alternative way to attach stuff like ribbon, tags and twine

Corner rounder- Some times it's nice to round the corners of your photos, card or patterned paper.

Knife/Blade/Scalpel- lots of different options try and find out what's best for you.

Tweezers- Mine seem to come in handy for all sorts of fiddly things.

Eyelet setting tools (inclu Hammer)- Eyelets are a cheap and easy embellishment that can be used in all sorts of ways to use them you need a punch, setter, and  hammer. Note you can buy various tools that set eyelets some cost $20 (silent setter) some cost $85 (Big Bite) unless you need to set a lot of eyelets and punch a lot of holes- save your money.

A basic set of inks- Black and brown, 95% of the time these are the only colours I use.

Sand Paper- Great for distressing things- roughing them up- a nice feature on lots of pages- especially the more masculine ones. (Steal it from your husband if possible).

Sewing Needles- for stitching on your pages. And poking holes for brads.

Date stamp- I like to add the date to each project I do... this is just a sweet easy way to do it on some of my work.

Xyron 150- this is one of the most handy tools/adhesives I have- small flat things go in, pull the strip, and they come out ready to stick down. This one does up to 1.5 inches wide- you can get bigger- but then anything bigger is easy to use another adhesive on. A must if you are die-cutting letters and other little things. Use permanent adhesive.

Circle Punch- I use mine quite a bit, you may not be that way inclined. The one inch is my most used- but I have a collection of bigger ones too- but then I scrap a lot so the investment is worth it for me.

Centering Ruler- You don't need one of these but I love mine and I use it all the time- the numbers go from the centre out- that makes it easy to find the middle on photos, photo matts, cardstock and so forth- and get your photos and paper even and straight on your page- yay!

Paint brush and Pallette - If you are going to invest in some paints- if you like the look of them on pages, then obviously you'll need something to mix it up on and apply it with. 

Your computer and Printer: For journalling on among other things.

Books: A small selection for ideas, inspiration, and techniques: You'll need to find these second hand but look for Cathy Zielske's- Clean and Simple Scrapbooking and/or Clean and Simple The Sequel even if simple pages are not your style there is a lot of information in these two books about layout and design, type, journalling and content. And for tips and techniques Creating Keepsakes Encyclopedia of Scrapbooking. Note: There are a lot of books out there- the scrapbooking industry is huge and a lot of people jumped on the gravy train... and produced crap! Before you buy a book have a really good look through it! If you can't look throught it then ask me because I'll probably know- I've seen a lot of them. And don't forget your library!

Ok that's enough for now right? More later, soon I promise.

Gypsy

♥