I learned A LOT over the years - and I want to share some of it here. I hope you will read, AND add your own tips. We all need to find ways to DOCUMENT MORE and SPEND LESS, dont you agree? So here goes:

* * * Buy neutral cardstock in larger packs (black, cream, grey, white, kraft and some sort of red).
Best printed papers that give you the most milleage for the buck are those that have strips/stripes/designs that can be individual cut & used on multiple pages.

* * * Make your own albums. One option is to use 8.5 x 11 cardstock & page protectors from Wallmart. Another option: use Staple's binding service for your layout pages (any size). They can reasonably bind any size album using various binding methods, and if you dont need page protectors, vellum inserts between the pages are also an option. Purchase vellum in bundles from various internet sources. I still like 9x9 or 5x7 when using 4x6 photos.

* * * Doodle, draw, use acrylic paints and tube watercolors on your pages. Julie Fei-Fan Balzer is one artist you can learn a lot from if you like this approach. Google her blog - lots of info & inspiration there.

* * * Instead of commercial ribbons (maybe if you're tying them on the rings) buy cotton print by quarter yard and make your own. FreyCheck or iron-on interfacing will keep it from unravelinlg (but there's nothing wrong with the home-made, shabby-chic look). Or you can use commercial lace. You can also iron-on fabric to chipboard by using Fusible interface (of the type quilters use).

* * * Make your own embellishments: use fabric, ribbon, paper, clay, aluminum from soda cans, clear plastic, etc. Do you embroider? Do you crochet? Think of ways to use those skills to create flowers/trims, borders, etc., that you can use for your albums. Embroider or crochet with beads. Dies work well if you have them, or perhaps a die cutting machine. Color your dies with acrylic paints to match your colors. And please use those punches! We All have them - stars and hearts can be used with any theme. Layer them, sew them together like a garland (or bunting) ... add bling to them. Use your Stickles because they add glitter/shine while staying put (and I personally dislike glitter that goes everywhere, so this works wonderfully).

* * * Use a lot of white muslin - it's your friend! Color it using tube watercolors, acrylics, ink sprays, or whatever you already have - it goes a long way to avoig having "one of each" rainbow collors. Same for spool of white ribbon.

* * * Use rubber stamps - Use them A LOT! Stamp on photos, use background stamps on your cardstock, stamp on printed papers & do some paper piecing, use journaling stamps for your captions. If you dont dabble in digital, journalin stamps are priceless.

* * * Consider incorporating the digital into the conventional. This need not be elaborate. For visual dimension cOnsider adding frames/borders around photos like a mat), combining more than one photo on a 4x6 print or even adding journaling directly to the photo (digitally, or by hand when there is empty space on photos). The IMPRESSION of layers adds visual dimension. Ali Edwards' blog is a good place to look for inspiration on this approach, but there is much inspiration in the various internet galleries. Search, look, find your own style!

* * * Use free dingbat fonts off the internet - you can color the images by hand, if you wish, then cut them with an exacto knife & use on your photos or layouts. If you prefer, buy stickers - there are tons of manufacturere's out there. Ditto for rub-ons (which I LOVE as last add-on, once everything is already assembled but feels like it needs that last 'one-more-tough'. They help tie elements of your layout together.

Please add to this post by sharing low-cost, reasonably easy techniques that can be incorporated into scrapbooking. I'd be delighted to learn new approaches ...
Thank you and the best of creativity to you all!
Vianna

Your post brought one tip to mind. Save your money buying technique books. There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of how-to videos, layout samples and instruction sheets on the internet. Several of our members are great at sharing techniques they learn online. Example: Look at Ohio Donna's post about making buttons.

Also, I saw a gal on the old Sandy Genovese show demonstrate how to make a beautiful string-art-effect paper by putting white cardstock into a container lid, dipping marbles into different paint colors and rolling them back and forth across the paper, one marble at a time. It takes a little while to dry, but the effect is dramatic.

Yes, I agree Marsha. A lot of the books run months behind the new trendy techniques, so they arn't all that helpful for being as expensive as they are. But search-out your favorite product manufacturer websites, blogs and design team members for cuurent, timely ways to use products, also ideas for using what you already have on hand. It's what I do most evenings before I go to bed (I'm also addicted to Pinterest these days).

Also, check out Sandy Genovese's NEW web-shows on the internet (link below) if you havent already. She presents a new project every Thursday, and you can always view the last three shows for free, but if you want, you can have access to all of her previous projects by paying a small membership fee. If you like her style, it's worth it.
http://scrapbookshowgram.com/

There are so many talented creative people who share their knowledge via videos and tutorials on the blogs and on YouTube - resources abound, all you have to do is spend some time searching and viewing.

Vianna

Great thread... Vi... its been a while since I've been reminded of these things...maybe I have some to add!

clarinda

One thing I have done recently is that I bought a paper Easter bag that is a huge picture of jelly beans,,the whole bag is covered wih a jelly bean picture. I bought it to use on a Easter layout I want to do when I get ink in my printer. I cut the bag open so its a flat paper,,like about 8x10. I will use that for embellishments and borders on the layout,since it was on a after Easter sale,I was able to get it for 19 cents!

Way to go Donna! Remember when, a decade ago, the industry was pushing "acid free" everything? Not everything needs to be. Sure, some heirloom albums you may want to keep acid free, so two hundred years from now someone can still be amazed by how we lived), but we can do better by our hobby and our memories by incorporating the items that ARE part of our everyday life into our scrapbooking. In fact, Project Life is based on this very idea, and I've been doing it all my life.

Vianna

I use blurred photos to cut fonts with my circut.not your norm solid color and they are glossy. Martha

I overhauled the whole way I shop...now I shop with my pictures in hand for each layout so I only buy what I really need. It's saved me a ton - didn't realize how often I was buying paper or embellishments just because they looked cool without a specific project in mind.

There were some other ideas I liked: http://www.scrapbooksbydesign....pbooking_supply.html

Hi Kristin... welcome!

I so agree with that way now...I have way too much stuff! and I'm more apt to make my embellishments rather than use the bought ones!

Clarinda

I don't have anything to add here. But I am glad you started this Vianna. I have printed these out so I will have quick ideas when I get "brain dead" on a lo. Thanks to all of you ladies for sharing this.