SwissgirlDesigns Feature/Think Smart About Your Stash

Hello fellow addicts :D

As you all know, I am crazy about the stamp sets from SwissgirlDesigns.  Rahel has kindly put up a feature  of my work in which I have mostly used her stamps. Thanks Rahel, it is an honor!!!

I am totally inspired by Rahel's layouts.  She really goes back to the core of scrapbooking, by using bits and pieces of "free" treasure in her layouts, or making her own embellishments using her amazing creative talent!!

She recently did a layout called "Cookie TV" and she made the cutest little monsters using dollar store wiggly eyes and creatively cutting out paper into little shapes.  Check it out here.

Over the last few months I have done a serious sort out of my scrap stash, and have found that I have embellishments that I bought on a whim, and years later, are still sitting unused in my stash.  Our TT (Tuesday Therapy) girls have recently decided to thin out our personal supplies.  We have marked the complete and partially used goodies we are no  longer using with a small dirham price (between Dhs2 and Dhs5).  The goodies are then taken along to all of our copping sessions and our fellow scrappers can rummage through, see if there is anything we like, and then buy the item.  We work on an "honesty box" system, where each of us has a little jar with our names on, and it is up to the "purchaser" to ensure they pay for the items taken.

As far as I am concerned, this is such an awesome idea, as we have all found something in the other persons stash box that we love, have managed to get it for a steal, and then the recipient ends up with a little bit extra cash to spend on more scrapping supplies...

In today's economy, there are VERY few people who can afford to spend piles and piles of cash on unnecessary items, and why should our scrapping suffer the consequences.  This brings me back to Rahel, her layouts are totally stunning, always different, and if you watch her video about her scrap space here, Rahel uses a small amount of choice items and creates her own embellishments, by thinking creatively and using what she has (punches, stamps, paint, paper) along with some main stream store treasures to create awesome, inspiring layouts!!!

I have found myself recently buying scrapping stash that has multi use, for example, if I cannot resist a book of tags, I make sure that they are either conducive to being altered, or are neutral enough to be used over and over.  And don't forget to look at the packaging your goodies come in, most of the stuff now comes with beautiful packaging, that can be cut, punched or torn to be used in your layouts.

Even from up on my soap box, I must admit that I am addicted to acrylic stamps, and very rarely can resist a purchase....but I now do it with slightly less guilt, as I know that they can be used over and over, in so many ways and I am not taking home things I do not necessarily need.

At the end of the day, I am not saying that you must stop buying your special goodies, just think smart and make sure you are adding creatively to your stash, rather than just adding "white elephants" to your stash :D

Please share your ideas on saving money while still creating stunning layouts by posting on this comment.  All ideas are welcome!!!

Happy Scrapping!!!
Jo