The ScrapBlog

Dear Scrapbookers,

The New Year is upon us and it is time to catch up on what we didn’t get done last year!  And if you are trying to save money (who isn’t?), but still want the latest looks, I have the solution for you.  I have compiled a list of coupon codes for January (and beyond) from the best scrapbooking stores out there.  Have fun shopping!

Your Scrapbooking Expert,

Robin
robin@scrapbookfinds.com
ScrapbookFinds.com

P.S. If you have questions about products or scrapbooking ideas, email me or check us out at www.scrapbookfinds.com.

Dear Scrapbookers,

The summer is over and now it is time to get back into scrapbooking (for those that took the summer off).  If you are like me and have been collecting new products all summer - even if you didn’t get a chance to scrapbook them - this is the newsletter for you.  We see it everywhere and everyone seems to be using it - it is all about CHIPBOARD.  So I want to give you some ideas for what you need to get started, cute ways to use it, and how to organize it!

First of all, let’s talk about getting some.  I have talked in the past about naked chipboard (i.e. the craft paper colored stuff that you find in sheets), but I want to concentrate on all that other stuff today.  You know, the cute, colored letters and shapes that we see all the time, but are not sure where to start.  So where do you start?  I would say the best place to start is to get some of the letter packs. Heidi Swapp is a great place to start.  She has anything from naked letters to every color under the rainbow.  I love her letters because they simple and very reasonable in price (you can get a whole alphabet set from under $3-4). 

After you have tried doing a word or two on your pages, you might want to branch out and get some chipboard brackets or punctuation to highlight a word or photo on your page.  Next you have to try using shapes or sayings that are made of chipboard.  I would suggest getting at least one “goodie box” of shapes, sayings, etc.  I love that they are all different and I can use one or two on a page and they last forever!  My new favorite good box is from “We R Memory Keepers” - the Urban Window Boho Chic is to die for!  

So now that you have collected all of these cute embellishments and used them on your pages, you need to find ways to store the rest of them.  There are really two main ways to do this.  Organize your letters and shapes by style/brand OR put all the same letters or shapes together.  I like keeping all my A’s together and B’s together and so forth.  That way if I just want to use a letter I can go to that place and see many different styles and colors of that letter and chose the one that goes best with my page. 

Here are some great ways to store yours:

1.  Use a hardware organizer from your local hardware store.  Then separate each of the drawers for your chipboard letters, shapes, quotes etc.

(From scrappingramma)

2.) Use wicker baskets and keep brands together in ziplock bags (you will want to pop the letters out if they come in sheets).

3.) Use filing folders in a file box.  Label each folder with either a letter, color, or brand and then keep those folders in a cute filing box, drawer, or expandable file folder (great for if you are a traveling scrapbooker).

4.) Use your photo storage boxes and separate your chipboard according to your use. Or try the Cropper Hopper divided storage system.  

5.) If you have drawers in your scrapbooking space, why not use separators within those drawers.  You could use utensil organizers or office supply organizers.  I also like some of the scrapbook drawer organizers like this one:

I hope some of these ideas have helped spark your interest in chipboard and how to keep it all organized!  Let me know of your great chipboard finds or storage solutions too.

Your Scrapbooking Expert,

Robin

www.ScrapbookFinds.com

Dear Scrapbookers,

June is finally here!  Where did the past months go?  Now that it is beginning to get hot outside (for most of us), I have spent a lot of time outdoors.  Not only that, but I have spent a lot of time out shopping.  And you know what I have discovered, no matter where I go in town, I can usually get a better deal online - not to mention, saving money on gas!  I just recently ordered a new custom sofa online and saved hundreds of dollars (even with shipping costs). And I have finally gotten my stuff moved into my new scrapbooking office and wanted to get some new vertical storage.  And guess where I found the cheapest ones - online! (I chose the Cropper Hopper Vertical Paper Holders).

So I guess what I am getting at is that you can save a lot of time and money shopping online.  Especially if you already know the quality or brand of the thing you are ordering (then there are no surprises when you get your order).  If you want to be a great online shopper for scrapbooking supplies, here are a few tips to keeping you happy:

1.) Check out ScrapbookFinds.com first (of course I had to put that plug in) because our store searches dozens of top scrapbooking stores and you can see where you will save the most.

2.) If we don’t have what you are looking for, make sure to check at least 3 scrapbooking supply sites before you place your order.

3.) Always, always, always check out shipping costs (and policies).  Maybe one site carries what you want cheaper, but you end up paying more in the end with shipping.  There are many websites out there that give free or discounted shipping if you spend a certain amount of money.  Check out our monthly coupons to see if the store you are buying from has one of those deals.

4.) Use coupons!  Just as I said above, you can save money when you shop online with a simple code. 

5.) If you can afford to, buy in bulk.  Do you use a ton of white 12×12 paper or a lot of adhesive?  Look for deals on buying more than one at a time.  You can save yourself over time.

6.) Always read the item’s description.  This is important to make sure you are getting what you think you are getting (sometimes the picture shows more than what you will receive).  One thing I always make sure to check is the size of everything I order.  There is a big difference between 8×8″ paper and 12×12″ paper.

7.) Be patient!  Unless you are in a hurry for a product, use the slower shipping methods - they are cheaper!!

8.) Only enter your credit card/debit card information on a secured page (it should say it is secured). 

9.) Always print off or save the receipt on your computer.  Just because they say they will send you an email confirmation doesn’t mean it will always happen. 

10.)  Have fun!  It can be fun to browse new products from the comfort of your own home (even in your PJ’s if you like).

Hot Deals of the Month: Coupons for June

Enjoy your summer shopping and make sure to send me any deals that you find while finding your scrapbooking supplies!

Your Scrapbooking Expert,

Robin
robin@scrapbookfinds.com
ScrapbookFinds.com

P.S. If you have questions about products or scrapbooking ideas, email me or check us out at www.scrapbookfinds.com.

Hey Gals,

I hope you all enjoyed your Mother’s Day!  As the summer approaches, don’t forget to make time to scrapbook.  Set aside a little time every day, or if you are like me and can’t seem to get anything done with kids around, try a weekend “scrapaway”.  Scrap alone or with friends.  And if you need more supplies, I have included the coupon codes for May:

Your Scrapbooking Expert,

Robin
robin@scrapbookfinds.com
ScrapbookFinds.com

P.S. If you have questions about products or scrapbooking ideas, email me or check us out at www.scrapbookfinds.com.

Hey Scrapbooking Designer,

Yep, I called you all ‘designers’.  That is because each time you create something, you ARE the designer.  Maybe you don’t think you have an ounce of scrapbooking designer in you and you have to borrow (scraplift) ideas from others.  Or maybe you are so fabulous that you probably could be published in next month’s issue of Creating Keepsakes or Simple Scrapbooks.  Either way, we all want our pages to look great. 

Recently I have been using ’sketches’ to create my pages.  What is a scrapbooking sketch?  It is an outline of how to layout your scrapbooking pages.  Sometimes a sketch just tells you where to put a title or pictures.  Other times, it gives you everything you need (including scrapbooking supplies), except the photos.  Now that I have begun using sketches, I am loving how my pages and projects turn out!  Oh, and another thing I love, you can get these sketches for free all over the internet.

Here are some example sketches:

http://littlebookofsketches.blogspot.com/ (see below for page done using this sketch)    

http://scrappinstuff.com/sketches/ 

Below I have listed some of my favorite sites for sketches.  My “Layout of the Week” was  also created using a sketch.

1. Little Book of Sketches - This site is great because there are sketches for  12×12 and 8.5×11.  There are also sketches for 6×6 and 8×8 page layouts (single and double).  You can also use their cards and tags sketches.
2. Creating Keepsakes (Becky Higgins Sketches) - Becky’s fun, simple, and creative style works for the seasoned as well as beginning scrapbooker.
3. Scrap Maps - A site devoted only to sketches with several hundreds to choose from.
4. Scrapjazz Sketches - They have a new sketch each month and scrapbookers send in their take on the sketch.  Not only do you get to see the sketch, but you get lots of ideas for creating it yourself.
5. Queen Geek Sketches - Great sketches by a fellow scrapbooker!
6. The Scrap Witch Sketch Challenges - Join their scrap challenge each month using their sketches and win a prize.  Or just check out what others have done.
7. Scrap Dreamer - Their sketches for tags are amazing!
8. Digital Scrapbook Place - Lots of different entries - makes for several different styles.
9. Pencil Lines - The international sketch challenge blog.  Not just great sketches here.  I love the finished pages to give you even more ideas for scrapping. ,
10. Scrappin’ Stuff - View sketches and the layouts scrappers have created using those sketches.
11. 3 Scrapateers - I love the updated style of many of these sketches and the wide variety of photo sizes.

Want to see some more great sketches, but hate searching the web?  Check out these great books of sketches: Creative Sketches for Scrapbooking by Becky Higgins ($14.95),  Quick & Easy Sketches for Scrapbookers ($19.99), and Creative Sketches Volume 2 by Becky Higgins (14.50).

Layout of the Week

•  Title: Ouch
• Designer: Michelle Jamieson
• Sketch: Little Book of Sketches
• Scrapbooking Supplies: Black Grosgrain Dots Ribbon, White Chipboard Letters, Circle Cutter, White Pen, Bubblegum Pink Button, White Buttons, White Polka Dot Buttons (or polka dot brads), Pink Silk Flowers, Black Cardstock, White Cardstock, Pink Paper

I hope you all can save yourself time and come up with fabulous pages using sketches (or maybe you can create some sketches yourself - please share them with me if you do!).

Your Scrappin’ Gal,

Robin
robin@scrapbookfinds.com
ScrapbookFinds.com

P.S. Don’t forget - if you have questions about products or scrapbooking ideas, email me or check us out at www.scrapbookfinds.com.

Dear Scrapping Divas,

I love to share about my scrapbooking endeavors, especially when they turn out so great.  I had the awesome opportunity to join with a bunch of other gals in a “card exchange” last week.  I spent a lot of time on my cards and I was super excited about receiving 25 different cards from other scrapbooking divas.  For our exchange, everyone was asked to make 25 of the same card and bring them that night.  We had to show our card and then give one to everyone in the group.  That way we would go home with 25 fabulous cards made by friends. It was awesome.  Every card was different - styles, occasions, tools used, etc.  I wanted to share with you this week some of the many styles that I received - mostly because I want to brag - and so that you can scraplift them in your cardmaking and scrapbooking. 

See the cards in detail and find out where to get the products here.

Latest & Greatest: Coupon Finds of the Month - April

Let me know if you find any other coupons/codes!

Your Scrappin’ Queen,

Robin
robin@scrapbookfinds.com
ScrapbookFinds.com

P.S. Don’t forget - if you have questions about products or scrapbooking ideas, email me or check us out at www.scrapbookfinds.com.

Dear Scrapbooking Gals,

I know that everyone out there wants better and more scrapbooking supplies.  How can you make that fabulous page without the supplies that make those dreams happen?  But if you are like me, you don’t want to use all of your grocery money to feed your scrapbooking habit.  ScrapbookFinds.com has tried to put it all together for you.  We search multiple stores and allow you to find the cheapest supplies you can find all from one location, our website.  But sometimes that may not be enough, especially with the multitude of things you want out there. 

So I have a solution!  We want you to use our site even more to find the best deals and I am going to help you SAVE MONEY on scrapbooking supplies by finding any coupons or great shipping deals on all websites (like FREE, for example) and include them in our newsletter regularly, so that you can get the best deals possible.  That means that you can search for your best deal from our website and then at checkout time you can get even more savings from the retailer.  Not only that, but I will be personally searching through those same websites and finding the hottest deals on scrapbooking supplies and posting them to our website.  It will be part of the NEW “Top 5 Finds” at Scrapbook Finds.  Each week I will spend the time and you can save the money! 

Latest & Greatest: Coupon Finds of the Month

I hope one of these deals will help you get the supplies you need this month.  Happy scrapping!

Your Scrapbooking Guru,

Robin
robin@scrapbookfinds.com
ScrapbookFinds.com

P.S. Don’t forget - if you have questions about products or scrapbooking ideas, email me or check us out at www.scrapbookfinds.com.

Dear Scrapbooking Queens,

So admit it.  If you are reading this, there has to be some part of you that LOVES scrapbooking.  Whether you love creating, being crafty, organizing your photos, or recording your memories, there has to be some reason that scrapboooking is a part of your live.  For me it has been a combination of everything that makes this one of my passions.  But what happens when you work full-time or take care of your family full-time and don’t have the time to shop, plan, and carry out this scrapbooking dream?  One of the great ways that I have found to follow your scrapbooking heart is to let someone else do most of the work for you.  Hence, the scrapbooking kits and clubs are born. 

Now most of you are probably thinking that this sounds like an expensive venture or maybe you love being creative on your own.  Well, once you find out a little more about these kits and clubs, you might start changing your tune.  I have decided to summarize some of my favorites giving you the lowdown on costs and what they all include (Keep in mind that there are hundreds of kit clubs out there).  Many of these are like an actual club where you pay monthly and are sent a kit to complete several layout and pages, instructions included.  Others, you can order a kit whenever you wish, but usually end up paying a little more.  Just remember the best part about this whole idea is that someone else is doing most of the planning and shopping for you and it can come right to your door.  All you do is use all the supplies sent to you, your own little creativity, and you become the scrapbooking goddess you aspire to be!

.  

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Latest and Greatest - Deal of the Week: Kits

(These kits are not from kit clubs.  They are one-time purchase kits available at any time.)

Jo-Ann Scrap Essentials 12×12 Kit - $29.99 $14.99
(Kit Contains:
* 1 12″x12″ Post-bound scrapbook with 10 sheet protectors
* 30 double sided printed card stock sheets
* 10 tags
* 10 printed frames with sentiment centers
* 5 title blocks
* 2 alphabet stickers
* 2 phrase sticker sheets
* 20 12″ printed borders
* 20 silver brads
* 15 solid photo mats
* 15 1 1/2″ squares
* 6 fibers, 1 yard each)

Making Memories Simply Fab Mini Book Kit 5×7″ - Brooke - $9.99 $6.99
So much more than supplies, so much less than a hassle. Pick up a Mini Book KitTM and you’ll receive a 5″ x 7″  book with a variety of stickers and charmed plaques ideal for highlighting 4″ x 6″ photos.