More Thrift Store Goodies

I decided to hit up the Goodwill Store in Pearl City the other day, taking advantage of my $5 that was soon to expire.  Here are my awesome crafty finds!

Lace, over 10 yds., $2.99
Wooden Box, with hinge, $1.99
Frame $1.99
2 Buckets, $0.99 each
2 Chipboard books (Colorbok unopened and Karen Foster unopened), $0.99 and $2.99
Glass Pebbles $0.99
2 Books (dictionary and Buddhist teachings book with Asian characters), $2.99 each
Orange Ribbon, new, $0.99

So, my total of crafty finds comes to $20.89, before my $5 off.  The books and lace will provide so much for their cost. 

Let me know what you find out there at the thrifts stores! 

Happy Scrappy Savings!

Jess

Holy Cow!! I have won so much!!

So, in the past 24 hours, I have won 4 different challenges and/or giveaways!!  I cannot believe it! I never win anything, so this came as quite a shock!  Check out what I won!

Over at Tallyscrapper, I got 2nd place in a recent challenge, Stimulate Your Mojo, where you had to use a sketch to create a page.  Here is the page that I submited:

It has been a while since I have done a layout, so this was a good start.  To make it simple I used a paper and embellies kit from Colorbok, called Everything Nice.  I do this when I need a jumpstart to my creativity, as well as when my room is a mess and I can't find anything.  Using up those kits I bought years ago helps me to rediscover what I have in my stash. There was a prize for 2nd place too, a piece of paper that I can put into my cart the next time I make an order.  I want to order soon, when I earn enough Scrap Savings bucks, because I loved the May kit and I want one before they are out of stock!

Over at Gecko Galz, my Father's Day card was randomly selected as the winner!  Here is the original post from when I uploaded it. I won 5 collage sets, a Digi Stamp Pack, and a Digi Paper Pack of my choice! What a better way to scrap on a budget than to win free supplies!  True, I have to use my printer and ink, but I already have those.

Then, a really awesome thing from this weekend...I won 2 prizes in the Alpha Stamps Meet the Design Team Blog Hop!!  You had to visit 9 different blogs, where each designer was giving away a piece of their art!  Here is the list of the Design Team blogs, because they are awesome and you just have to go look!

junk&stuff - Kristin Batsel
Pixie Hill - Nichola Battilana
Artfully Musing - Laura Carson
starrgazer creates - Rhea Freitag
Theresa Martin
Amy's Blam - Amy Mayfield
Glitter Tart Designs - Caroline Ouzts-Hay
Rhonda Mum - Rhonda Secrist Thomas
Alaskan SapphireRose - Shannon Tuttle

I won artwork from Laura Carson, over at Artfully Musing.  I just love the Notorious Magpie Brothers piece that she made!  I can't wait to see it up close!

 Click here to see side 1.
 Click here to see side 2.

I also won Marie, a piece from Theresa Martin.  I just love it!

Thanks Ladies so much!  I cannot wait to display them!  I am thinking of sharing my new artwork with a friend that didn't win during the blog hop.  But I have to decide which one!!

So, as you can see, Sunday was a very lucky day for me.  Let's just hope that the rest of the week brings just as much.

Happy Scrappy Savings!

Jess

Little Blessing

A friend of mine just had her baby today, a little girl, so I whipped up a baby card for her.

Supplies include Foofala Papers, My Mind's Eye stork, misc. pink lace, Pink Pearls from Ben Franklin's, Hero Arts stamp, Nick Bantok ink, doily clipart from Art and Images by Kim.

Tallyscrappers meet Gecko Galz

There is an awesome challenge over at Tallyscrapper, where you have to "Try Something New." In this case it is for Tallyscrappers to go over to the Gecko Galz site, get some collage images from the freebies section, and make a card with them.  The Gecko Galz are also heading over to Tally to show us their cards.  Thanks to my friend Barbara for organizing this!  I made my card tonight and I am very excited to share it!

  

I used some Echo Park Sunshine digi papers that I won from a Gecko Galz challenge, some collage images from Gecko Galz Surf's Up set, Making Memories clip, We R Memory Keepers eyelet, burlap, Craft Corner letters, Jenni Bowlin journal block, Nick Bantok Van Dyke Brown ink, and bubble wrap stamped with Making Memories paint. Again, no new items with this project!  Happy to be using my multitude of supplies!

Now to get it in the mail in time for Father's Day!! Enjoy!

Thrift Store Finds

I went to my local Goodwill the other day in search of fun things to alter, use in collages, etc.  Here is what I found:

Book, which I don't know if I will use for reading or for crafting - $0.99

Glass vases for some fabric flowers I plan on making - $0.99 each

Red and Black string - $0.99 each

Glass Jar, which can be altered or used for storage - $1.99

Doilies, which can be used to wrap swap goodies, or dyed and used as wall art - $1.50 each

Embroidery hoop, which I have been using to frame cute fabrics or vintage embroidery done by family - $0.99

Lazy Suzy, for storage - $1.99

Fabric, for some primitive Christmas projects I have planned next month - $0.99, $1.99, $1.99

Metal necklace, which I plan on taking apart and using for parts (there are pearls, tarnished color chain, fleur de lis, old looking keys, metal circles) - $3.99

If you are military, be sure to ask for a discount because places like Goodwill will give one.  Some may have a punch card system as well, which the Goodwill in Hawaii just discontinued.  But they will still honor my filled card so $5 off next time!!

Happy hunting and saving!

Abby's Travel Journal

For a challenge over at The Paper Variety called "Anything But," meaning you make anything but a scrapbook layout or a card, I made my niece, Abby, a travel journal for her upcoming trip to Mount Rushmore with my parents.  She is my budding scrapbooker, so I love giving her supplies and ways for her to be creative.  So this journal is for her trip, which I hope she uses like a smash journal.  Gluing anything in it, drawing, writing, whatever she wants, with my mom's guidance of course!

Everything I used is from my stash, so nothing new was purchased, as is the Scrap Savings way!

Composition book
Pattern Paper from DCWV and Reminisce
Ribbon from American Crafts
Misc. silk flowers
Cut hearts from felt
Jenni Bowlin journal block
American Crafts Thickers, colored with a Stampin' Up pen

I think it turned out great!  I plan on making a Hawaiian one soon for myself, to record our last bit of time in the islands, or to use as a travel journal if we take that inter-island cruise next spring.  We'll see!

Enjoy!

Help Tallyscrapper!!

Tallyscrapper was one of my first online homes for scrapbooking. I lived on that site, shared my work, made great friends, bought awesome supplies, and had fun. I know with summer vacation starting, people are busy, but it is like a ghost town over there! Please, visit the site, check out the galleries, post a message saying hi, upload your work, try out a challenge, suggest things to help us keep Tally strong!
What do you want from an online scrapbooking community? Swaps, games, challenges, new kits, prizes, crops? Just let us know!

Fun Swaps

Swaps are a fun way to get new supplies in exchange for parting with yours. It can help you save money, get new things, and doesn't usually take up any new space.
Gecko Galz recently did a Paris Flea Market themed swap, which I missed out on, where you sent themed supplies to a specific person. What I really liked about what I have seen in this swap was the creative packaging. Flowers wrapped in tissue paper tied with string, a jewelry box dresser which was altered, and an accordion file decorated in the theme. It gave me all kinds of ideas for future swaps, like wrapping the items in a doily, tied with ribbon.
My scrap friends and I are planning on doing a Vintage Christmas swap next month, so we will post details soon.
Many sites also do an art swap, where you can create a piece of art to swap for something made by another person. This includes mini books, ATC cards, coasters, etc. it is a fun and creative way for you to create and share your art. My family likes getting homemade gifts but only so much!
So here is a list of some swaps that are accepting people now. Happy Swapping!
Gecko Galz - Mini Book Swap, sign up by June 30th.
Gecko Galz - Secret Friend Swap! Sign up by June 20th.
Alpha Stamps - Birds in Hats Coaster Swap, sign up by June 24th.
If you know of any swaps going on, feel free to leave a link in the comments! Thanks!

Gecko Galz

I have recently discovered Gecko Galz, a scrapbooking and ephemera site that specializes in vintage clipart and fun, off the beaten path projects.  My friend, Barbara, is on their creative team, and they make some incredible things with their kits every month!

I wanted to spotlight them because if you are trying to scrap on a budget, Gecko Galz is a great place to help because you can print your own images, and if you enter the contests, you win some great digital things too!  Check out the card I made tonight using the Echo Park Sunshine kit I won at Gecko Galz, along with a vintage surfer chick image I bought from them on a sheet called "Surf's Up."

Mahalo for looking!
Jess