HELLO!

Hello crafting world!  Welcome to my new blog and first post.  What I hope to accomplish here is sharing of my money-saving tips for creating.   I crochet, sew, paint, and now am a paper-crafter.

I watch many You Tube videos on papercrafting.  They are wonderful.  I want all the tools and trims and paper and googaws used in these videos.  I cannot have them all, of course.  So I go to the local thrift stores on a pretty regular basis and check for things others have donated.  This not only saves me money, but helps whatever charity runs the shop. 

One of the first things I found was an artist kit with pastels, markers, chalks and pencils.  This was an adult kit and complete except for maybe a little ruler.  I did not know if the markers were alcohol or not but tried them to color a pearl bead.  It worked.  This kit cost maybe $1.50 or less.  (It was Senior discount day LOL).  These shops are also good places to find trims, buttons, yarn, and fabric.

I am currently working on toilet paper roll mini albums.  I have not thrown away a toilet paper roll or paper towel roll in months!  You can cut the empty paper towel rolls in 4 inch lengths to use with the toilet paper rolls or any length you want.  When you cut in 4 inch lengths, you have a little length left over (maybe 2.5 inch).  You can use these to make a mini mini (lol) or make a mini of varied lengths.  Mary at Cardz TV (love you and your videos, Mary) made a lovely FALL mini that spelled out the word FALL on staggered length TP rolls.  I am working on one now.

I am constantly finding new tricks and tips for card and mini album making on the You Tube videos.  I have never made a video but plan to try that in the future.  I am not sure if my camera is able to do that, but "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained."