Paper Woods

This week’s frugal tip:  Force yourself to use something you already own in a new way.

There are times when I look at all my crafting tools and supplies and think “ugh - I want something new!”  When this happens I have two choices: give in and go shopping, or resist and get creative!

For instance, some time ago I really wanted to buy a swirly line style stamp.  I didn’t have a particular one in mind, just something swirly to use as backgrounds.  Well, instead of going out to buy one I forced myself to dig through all my stamps and supplies to see if I could get the same look using something else.  Know what I discovered?  I had this sun stamp from Stampendous that had these really fun swirly rays, and I thought “hey - this would make a great background!”

All I did was stamp the entire image, and then cover up the face of the sun with another stamped piece and, voila - a swirly background!  It was so simple I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it sooner!  All I needed to do was look through my stash with a different mindset.

So that’s my challenge to you this week: discover new ways to use your old supplies!  Instead of going shopping, challenge yourself to think of one new way to use something you already own.  This can also be a great way to get inspiration if you’re stuck doing the same designs and techniques over and over again: pull out something you have lying around and force yourself to come up with a different way to use it to before you go buy anything new.  The most creative pieces I make usually come out of a time when I am low on supplies but have no money to spend on any new tools or products!

Happy Crafting!