If you have a die cut machine capable of cutting chipboard, such as the Cricut Expression, don't buy chipboard at the craft store. Instead, use cereal boxes. Once you adhere colorful paper to the cereal box die cuts, no one will ever guess it came from your pantry! You can also use inexpensive cookie cutters as patterns for your cereal box chipboard shapes.
2. Wallpaper Remnants
Many wallpaper remnants are as beautiful as the pricey papers in the scrapbooking stores. Paint and wallcovering stores generally have a library of wallpaper sample books. When the wallpaper is discontinued, these books are discarded. Ask the staff if they would give the books to you instead of throwing them out. Keep in mind, however, that the adhesive on these samples is probably not acid-free. Although they may not be suitable for your scrapbook pages, they are the perfect touch for handmade cards and other paper crafting projects.
3. Gift Wrap
Think of all the beautiful gift wrap that ends up in the landfill. Instead of throwing it away, recycle it. At birthday parties and other special occasions, check with the guest of honor to find out if he or she has any plans to use the gift wrap after unwrapping presents. If they plan to throw it away, you should be able to collect a good assortment of gift wrap paper that can be used for your frugal paper crafting projects.
4. Fabric and Ribbon Scraps
If sewing is another one of your hobbies, you already know that fabric and ribbon scraps are the perfect complement to your paper crafting projects. Many of these fabric and ribbon scraps are too small for sewing, yet are the perfect size for accenting handmade cards and more. Ask your friends and family members that sew to keep a ziploc handy to collect their scraps. Instead of throwing them out, they can give them to you!
5. Office Supplies
Many of the products in the scrapbooking aisle are simply embellished office supplies. Office supplies, however, are much cheaper, and can be jazzed up with very little effort. For example, paper fasteners are basically the same thing as the colorful brads that are used for scrapbooking. Paint them with inexpensive acrylic paints to coordinate with the your layouts.
With a little imagination and creative thinking, you will surely find even more common household goods that you can use for frugal scrapbooking ideas. Keep an inexpensive container handy, and as you come across odds and ends that could find a second life in one of your projects, place it in the container until you find a use for it.
