Monday, July 28, 2008

Stamping on a Budget - Day 4

As stampers, we have a lot of fun "toys", but there is always something new that would be great to add to our collection.  Copic markers are all the rage on the blogs, along with Cuttlebugged backgrounds and Nestabilities.  There is patterned paper galore and there are wonderful ribbons.  There are Bind-It-Alls and Twinkling H20's.  Not to mention that TAC just released a new catalog, Stampin' Up's new catty comes out in a few weeks, and there are at least 50 other companies with cute stamps constantly bombarding us.  How do we stamp on a budget??

Here is a quote that I have been trying to internalize...  "Happiness is in wanting what you have, not in having what you want."

Look at the supplies that you have gathered.  Do they make you smile??  Are there things in your drawers, totes, rooms, etc., that you just had to have but have never used??  Here are two words that will help those of us who need to stay on a budget.  Eliminate and Concentrate.  (Yes, I did borrow those from Messies Anonymous!!)

Eliminate - What kind of a stamper are you?  Do you need 17 birthday greetings if you only use two of them?  What is the worst thing that would happen if you got rid of them?  Do you have twelve flower sets, but always reach for a certain one?  Has your taste changed over time?  Do you have 25 background stamps sitting in order on your shelf, but always use patterned paper instead?  Are you always looking for a certain size saying, but don't have any that size?

Sit down and take inventory of your stamping style.  Look at your cards.  Which ones do you just love?  What have you seen on the blogs that you like and that would be doable for you?  Now look through your supplies.  Are there things you could sell to get some of the product for the looks that you admire?  Or are there things you could *use* - GASP - before buying something else??

Concentrate - Think about it.  If your entire stamping room was burned up in a fire, what would you replace or buy new?  What things would you have to have??  Concentrate on setting aside money for those things, then USE them when you have them!!

                                               --ooOoo--

Come back tomorrow for ideas on Budgeting our Money... :) & I hope to even have a card for you then as well! :)

2 comments:

Stacy said...

OUCH!!! Man do I have "stuff" I have been hanging on to for YEARS! Just in case. I started as a scrapbooker and turned card maker. *GASP* I ran to look real quick and haven't done a scrapbook page for 3 years....maybe some of that stuff should go?? Do you know of any place that takes donations for a good cause?

Tammy H. said...

Stacy...hook a sister up before giving away to an unknown...I'll be seeing you at Y~'s house soon (maybe).

Tammy H.