How I Pinch A Penny

I found this offer over at Momsbyheart and she found it over at shakethesalt.  I am all about FREE.  I even have a UPC from a few pairs of CROCS. I had to go digging in the trash for them but I found them! See THIS post as to how I got them for $2.99

THIS is an awesome article from one of my favorite blogs, Wise Bread.  Go read it….It has some wonderful tips and hints.  I would love to tell you I think one idea is better than another but they are all just wonderful!  Check them out.

A few days ago I posted asking to see how many were pinching pennies with me, what the consensus was about the blog and what people wanted to see more on the blog.  I was overwhelmed with the compliments, the encouragement and the support!  Thank you so much.  It just warms my heart that people visit the blog and makes me feel all puffed up inside with pride that people left such wonderful compliments and suggestions.  

As promised I have uploaded and created my own handwriting using  yourfont.com.  I can’t tell you how easy it was to use the program!  I would say it was easy as 1-2-3 but it was easier than that!  I thought for sure I would get frustrated at some point and time, as I often do with free programs, but it didn’t happen.  The website says that you can have your own font in 15 minutes and they aren’t kidding!  My biggest hold up was getting my template scanned.  I had to send my completed template with my husband to his office because we don’t have a scanner at home.  If I didn’t have to go through that step I definitely could have completed this project in 15 minutes.  My next project would to be to get other family members to fill out the template so I can have their handwriting to use as journaling for the scrapbooks for the girls.  Thank you to yourfont.com.  What a wonderful service you have provided.

Each month Shabby Princess is generous enough to make up a free downloadable desktop. The awesome thing is that it is customizable with your own pictures. This is what I  did with the download.  Check out the shop, download the freebie and leave some love. LINK

My husband was the inspiration for this paper craft. He suggested that I do a baby sitters note pad and then post it as a freebie on the blog. I just took it one step further and used a freebie from Lauren Meader and Papertry Ink. Lauren is so generous to let us try her template for the recipe wrap-up . She and her designing friends give you great idea on how to use this versatile template. Go download it and leave her some love because I am sure you will be finding all sorts of projects for this template. Just for your information I used the Happiness freebie kit from Summer Driggs. If you download it tell her much you love it!

On to the project!

Step 1. Download the recipe wrap-up template, leave love.
Step 2. Download the happiness freebie, leave love.
Step 3. Print out 2 8 1/2 x 11 of paper of your choice from the Happiness collection. Be sure to print one side and then run them back through on the opposite side to make them reversible.

Step 4. Print out the babysitter pockets and babysitter pocket 2 file.

Step 5. Cut out all your pieces.

Step 6. Cut 3/4″ off of each of the 11″ sides of the background. Note the trim section of the template from Lauren.

Step 7. Follow Lauren’s score lines and score the background and the pockets.

Step 8. Use double stick tape to join the 2 backgrounds together.

Step 9. Apply double stick tape to the flaps of the pockets and then fold. I found tape then folding worked better for me. If it works the other way around for you go for it!

Step 10. Affix the pockets to the folded background.

Step 11. Print out and trim the child note pages and the emergency note page papers for the pockets. I trim them to 3″x6″.

Step 12. I affixed a ribbon on the outside with double stick tape. OR you can follow the template, pierce your paper and thread string through.

You did it. Here are your freebie links from me but be sure to go to the links at the top to complete your project.! Pocket 1
Pocket 2
Emergency Papers
Child Papers

I have been on the hunt for a penny pinching way to print my digital scrapbook pages. Ideally they would be in an 8×8 bound book but I was getting to the point of finding a way of printing the pages individually and them putting them in a book…. old school style. Searching and searching the internet. Finding sites that are awesome but didn’t fit my entire bill of sale.

Here were my parameters:
-Easy upload and/or easy software usage.
-8×8 hard bound book. (high quality and customer reviews are a given)
-MUST have an allotment for more than 100 pages. (I have more than 100 pages… how can I cut any memories!?)
-The price HAD to be under $100.

I was finding two out of the four or three out of the four but it wasn’t until I came upon My Pic Tales did I hit 4 out of 4!! After some initial struggles with the software (my own learning curve) and working through some of my own server issues I am sure I will have what I am looking for.

A quote from their web site regarding the features of the photo book:
Made of Silk coated or Glossy paper – 100 lb text or 80 lb cover (for wire-o)
Laminated custom covers or Black leatherette standard hard covers
Laser Printing
Glue bound or Wire-O Bound
Sizes: available in Landscape, Portrait and Square

And here is a quote from the same page about the hard bound photo books reguarding prices:

Minimum Price:

4.25 X 4.75 (The Brag Books) – $10.99 additional page – $0.50
5X7 (The Handy Dandy) – $19.99 additional page-$0.50
8X8 (The Scrap Book) – $19.99 Additional page – $0.50

Custom Hard Cover $5.99 extra

8.5X11 (The Classic) – $29.99 additional page-$0.50
10X10 (Square) – $29.99 additional page-$0.50
12X12 (The Legend) – $39.99 additional page-$1.00
11X17 (The Panorama) – $49.99 additional page-$1.00

Custom Hard Cover $10 Extra

I ended up getting a hard case, 8×8 (the Scrapbook), no custom cover, 108 pages and the cheapest shipping they had available. I did note that they are having a special on their hard cover books. 50% off!! (valid only until January 31, 2009) Check the front page for the code. So I got my entire book for $36.57. Shipping included. I was happy with that. If I had ordered my book through shutterfly it would have been over $100 and I wasn’t able to get all 108 paged included!

Oh and another feature of My Pic Tales….they don’t put their logo on you book! In fact if you have a logo they will put it on for FREE! I will let you know when my book arrives if it was worth my hunting all over the web to find this deal.

Just in case you are wondering… I do NOT work for My Pic Tales. I just came upon them and wanted to pass this information onto my other penny pinching friends!

Here is a box wrapper for you to use to wrap up your conversation heart boxes. I found 1 oz boxes of Necco Sweethearts at BJ’s and that is what this template is designed for. HERE is the download.

Step 1. Print out the page on card stock.
Step 2. Cut them apart.
Step 3. Score them 2 1/2″ from the left and the right side.
Step 4. Cut 2, 14″ lengths of 1/8″ OR 1/4″ribbon. I used white but red would be nice as well.
Step 5. Apply double stick tape width wise on the back of the wrap. I used 1/8″ width.
Step 6. Center your ribbon on the tape and press to adhere.
Step 7. Wrap the Candy Conversations Heart Wrapper around a 1 oz box of Necco Sweethearts. Press the tape onto the box. This will help when you tie the ribbon.
Step 8. Tie ribbon.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I would like to give credit to Yari at Jady Day Studio for the Dipped in Chocolate Freebie that I used for this wrapper. The only element that is not hers is the white zig zag. I had that in my stash. Check out her blog. She does beautiful work.

My cousin had one of these in her craft repertoire this Christmas. She is a traditional stamper/scrapper. She used a stamp for the snowman and layers of paper for the wrapper. Me being a digi-scrapper (and penny pincher) thought I would be able to recreate them in photoshop. I did use the smaller tic-tac boxes. I understand there are larger tic-tac boxes but I had a smaller one on hand so that is what you get! If there is a need for the larger one I can create one for you… just ask. The papers are from Shabby Princess Moody Blues free download. The Snowman is from badabina.

HERE is your download.

Step 1. Print out the page on card stock.
Step 2. Cut them apart.
Step 3. Score them 1 1/2″ from the left and the right side.
Step 4. Cut 12″ of 1/8″ ribbon. I used white but red or black would be nice as well.
Step 5. Apply double stick tape width wise on the back of the wrap. I used 1/2″ width of this brand.
Step 6. Center your ribbon on the tape and press to adhere.
Step 7. Wrap the Snowman Poo(p) wrapper around a small box of tic-tacs. Press the tape onto the box. This will help when you tie the ribbon.
Step 8. Tie ribbon.

If you are feeling super creative you can use a round punch to punch out the bottom of the snowman. OR you can use an exacto knife to carefully cut out the bottom of the snowman.