The Art of Frugal Crafting

Recently, I have been on a financial fast. I am tracking my spending and saving money. 

I enjoy traveling during the summer months and therefore I want my money to go into savings for travel. 

Being intentionally frugal with my craft supplies is something that has helped me with my financial fast journey.  

I used to have this bad habit of going to the craft store, buying supplies, and then forgetting all about them. 

Those new supplies, that I was so excited to buy, ended up in a drawer or storage bin and were never used on any projects. They are still there gathering dust today. My heart is breaking just typing that, bluh! 

Thank God those days are over. 

There was no value in spending that money on those supplies that were never used. It made no sense. I had no balance. 

The Art of being frugal is all about balance.

It’s about not buying things I really don’t need. For me personally, it’s about decluttering my stash and using the supplies that I have accumulated over the past 10 + years. I am creating the balance and embracing the art of being frugal.

I work with what I have on hand. 

What I have on hand is a sizable stash of supplies, a cart of Good Scrap, a printer and plenty of paper. Some of the paper pads in my stash are so old, I don’t think you can buy them anymore.

I take care and maintain the supplies I have.

I make sure I put the cap on my bottles of glue, I wash my paint brushes, and properly care for all my supplies and equipment. 

I recycle or repurpose whenever I can.

I try use up every scrap of paper before adding to my good scrap bin and repurpose packaging, cardboard and junk mail.

I create with purpose. 

The craft needs to serve a purpose in our home (journals, albums, craft and organization storage, etc.), as a meaningful handmade gift or card, or one-of-a-kind item that I can sell at craft fairs.

I stick to a budget and only buy quality supplies that bring value to my crafting.

Really, the one supply I purchase often is glue, because well, GLUE!! I always need it and I am not making my own glue, YET. Before I head to the craft store, I shop my own craft space and I always find what I need. 

Here are a few pieces that I recently created using my craft stash.

The goal is to have a self-sustaining craft ecosystem. Sustainability is defined as, the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level. I want to start making my own paper at some point and I am not against making my own glue, if I can find a recipe that works for me. Right now, however, I have everything I need.  I don’t know when I will ever need to buy craft supplies other than glue, again.

Being frugal is freedom.

Who knows what my finances will look like when I hit retirement age. The frugal habits I am building now will allow me to continue being creative no matter what my financial situation is down the road. I should have enough money in my savings to allow for what I value, travel and crafting.

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