Crafty me: December 2011

With the New Year almost here there is a lot of talk of New Year resolutions. One of the things that kept coming up was using up our craft supplies. This is not something new; people have been doing this for years, setting budgets or not shopping for 30 days etc. There have been many blog posts on the topic as well. I am neither the 1st, nor going to be the last person to talk about using stuff and saving money. I know personally in these tough times my household has to watch our pennies but I still want to enjoy my passion of art and crafts. So all this talk has got me thinking and what I came up with is a pledge to Use It Up (UIU)!!

What UIU is all about is using up those craft supplies that you have been stashing away, hoarding or treasuring what ever you want to call it. We all have drawers and bins full of craft stuff but yet we keep saying “oh I don’t have anything to do that project” or it’s the “Look at that shiny new product” I must have it syndrome. Then we go buy more stuff, but what happens is you get it and forget it. when we just keep going in this manner we end up with another problem, NO SPACE!!! Well that’s going to stop for me this year and I invite you to join me!

There are no hard core rules other then USE IT UP, but here are some guidelines, hints and tips:

* Take some time and go “shopping” in your stash. I know what you are going to say, “Time! I don’t have time I am to busy!!” My answer to that is, YES you do! How much time do you spend shopping in the craft stores or surfing the net for craft stuff weekly? Well replace the store or the net with your own house.

*Trading / swapping: Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help. Before you go buy that one flower you need ask someone if they have an extra one. You can arrange a swap for goods and sometimes the postage will be cheaper than going to buy it. You just need to be patient.

*Rethink it: If you realllllllly want to create a project but don’t have the products to make it, take a step back and see what you do have and work it with what you have. You may have to resize it or change the style. You will be surprised on what you can do. (example)

*Recycling is your best friend! Don’t throw out those cereal boxes they make great chipboard or canvases. Even the smallest paper scraps can be glued down to plain copy paper and make cool backgrounds. That trick works well with fabric too.

* Resale vs. Retail: Try going to a resale shop (Salvation Army/ goodwill) instead of your craft store. You will be surprised on what you will find and not spend a lot

*Set a budget. I know we are talking about NOT spending but there are times that we will run out of basics (glue, paint, mediums) and that’s ok to replace them. AND yes it’s ok to treat yourself here and there. BUT if you do get something you MUST use it, you can’t buy it and let it sit. Just remember your goal of not spending and start using don’t make it a daily/weekly treat.

Remember this will be a pledge to yourself and only you can hold yourself accountable for it and with love and support from other UIU pledges we will be making awesome art, making room and saving money. I know that I would rather spend my money on an art retreat then on a products that will collect dust on the shelf

SO ARE YOU READY? GRAB A BUTTON in the side bar AND UIU !!

All I ask is to make a blog post at least once a month and tell and/or show us how you have been UIU.

List of peeps who took the pledge:

Fran ( me :) )

Jean themusicalscrapper.blogspot.com

Sandi - pandics