Scrapbooking: How to Save on Supplies

Look to Your Garden

Many scrapbookers enjoy bringing the outdoors into the pages of their masterpieces. You may accomplish this by simply plucking wildflowers or other blossoms from your own garden. To prepare the flowers, try pressing them between two encyclopedias, or two other heavy books, to flatten and prep them for display on your scrapbook pages. Using waxpaper between the flora and the pages of the book is wise, as it will prevent the plants from sticking to (and possibly ruining) your books.

Mine Your Previous Scrapbooking Projects

When you complete a scrapbook project, you may end up with bits of paper, leftover stickers and ribbon. Consider saving these items for use on future pages or scrapbooks by tucking them into an envelope or folder to keep them from becoming wrinkled or torn. Labeling the envelope or folder when you place them may also help you find these items down the road.

Use Your Computer

There are many scrapbook background layouts available online for free download. A simple search may yield numerous Web sites offering scrapbook templates, shapes, designs and backgrounds for free or for a minimal cost. Similarly, consider using the Clip Art included with most computer software packages. Clip Art typically provides dozens of color images for occasions such as weddings, birthdays, baby showers, graduations and the like. Scrapbooking may become all the more enjoyable when it costs you nothing and puts the items lying idle in your home to creative use.