Confessions of a Scrap-a-holic

Hi, my name is Lisa, and I'm addicted to buying scrapbooking supplies.  I have found over the years that I have developed quite the stash of scrapbooking supplies and I have been more of a collector of patterned paper and sticker than I could ever get the chance to use up in a lifetime.  I guess my rock bottom hasn't really been hit yet, but I am starting to feel really guilty about spending more money on products when I haven't even opened the brand new paper pack that I bought from my last haul.  I'm starting to feel like I've spent a small fortune on these supplies and not a lot to show for it.

So while I was watching one of my favorite YouTube girls, who is NicoleJones911, she had mentioned that she joined a Facebook group.  It's called 50 Projects.  As she explained in her video, she was having the same issues as I was.  She was a buyer and not a maker.  She joined the group so she could challenge herself to use up her supplies instead of keep on buying new stuff all the time. 

I debated on this for a while.  I'm not going to lie.  I probably thought about it for 2 - 3 weeks.  It just seemed like a huge commitment to make 50 layouts before buying anything.  All I could think about was all of these new collections that are coming out this season and how pretty they are.  But then again, they always seem to come out with these new collections that are too hard to pass up.  I guess the last straw for me was when I ordered $50 of stuff just to justify buying one bottle of MR. Huey's Opaque white mist.  (Which in an afterthought, I could have made my own with white paint that I already have on hand.)  Is this what it's like for alcoholics and drug users?  Not that I'm comparing myself to a substance abuser, because one is a very serious disease and scrapbooking is a much more fun and happy problem to have.  But I could see how the addictive nature of buying scrapbooking products has taken over.  For example, I have become a Tim Holtz collector.  I have collected his products for years and every time he comes out with new products I want to jump out and buy them all.  I won't count his distress inks too much into this category though, because I do use them all the time.  OK, most of the time.  But that's the only product of his that I use on a regular basis.  I have his distress stains (almost the whole collection), his alteration dies (too many and not used enough), his ideology line (I have packages that I haven't even opened), and I've started buying his distress paint.  This madness had to end.  I needed to admit I have a problem.  So what's the next step.  I guess as anyone with an addiction they find help.  That's when I remembered the Facebook page NicoleJones911 talked about.  50 Projects.  I needed to join.  So today was that day.  I clicked on the join group and waited for the reply.  They let me join and today is the day I start to make a difference in my scrapbook supplies and save some money on my pocket book.   Here is the link to the Facebook page if you would like to take the challenge as well.  50 Projects

I do have a bit of a guilty confession though.  I do subscribe to the Studio Calico scrapbook and project life "Kit-of-the-Month."  I am going to keep those coming in, however, I was typically buying extra kits or supplies when I would buy these kits.  I decided I'm only going to get the main kits and the project life kit and nothing else.  I hate to give these up yet.   Maybe perhaps if I'm not finding I'm putting a big enough dint into my supplies then I think I'm going to put them on hold for a few months and see how that goes.  But for now I'm going to keep them coming.   

So what are your thoughts?  Do you fall into the same category as me?  Are you a buyer and not a maker?  How do you make sure you use of your supplies?  I would love to hear what you have to say.

Scrapbook Process: 2 Girls

Here is another layout I made using the Studio Calico kit for March, called Neverland.  I also had the Hook, and Tink add-ons.  I really love all the layering that went with this page.  I used misting and masks and lots of droplets of ink to spice up the layout. 

Here are the supplies I used:

Crate Paper - DIY shop - ledger paper
                   - Party Day - Brown Dot
                   - Party Day - Chevron
                   - Maggie Holmes - Resin Hair clips
American Crafts - XOXO - cloud paper
                           - Thickers - Bingo Chip
                           - Thickers - Wish
Basic Grey - Enamel Dots
                  - Hey Boy - Stickers
October Afternoon - Sherbert Mini Market Stickers
Studio Calico - Circle Mask
                       - Mr. Huey's - Dewey
                       - Neverland printable
Tim and Beck - SC10018 exclusive paper
Amy Tan - Yes Please - Perfect
                - Yes Please - Priority
                - Yes Please - rub-ons
Glitz - Color Me Happy - washi tape
Heidi Swapp - Color Shine - Gold Lamay
                     - Color Shine - Georgia Peach
Close to My Heart - Pink baker's twine
Pink Paisley - die cut numbers