Did I seriously buy all this stuff?

[brenda_in_tx]

I'm sitting here in my scraproom surround by enough stuff to stock a scrap store - trying to organize it for a sale after the holidays. I can't believe I bought all of this stuff - it's really kind of sickening. Someone please tell me they went through this process before they went digital so I won't feel so alone.

Oh - and last night, I told my 31-year old daughter, who has scrapped exactly one page - that I was getting rid of everything and going digital. Her response - "But all of this stuff is what makes scrapbooks so cool." I said well too bad - the future for me is to purge and go to printed scrapbooks - if you want "cool" scrapbooks, you can make your own.

Darn armchair scrappers ......

Ok - back to this mess.

[dugarner]

You are going to have a LOT of support here. I was a paper scrapper for 10 years before converting, but I had a very limited budget and only ever bought what I needed for each layout. (My Creative Memories consultant lived two blocks away. I'd pop in whenever and buy the three pieces of paper and sticker pack that I needed.) So I didn't accumulate much, but I know a lot of people who did. I crop every six months or so with a group of paper scrappers, the average stash is worth several thousand dollars.

From what I've read here, though, lots of ladies have made a lot of $$ selling their paper supplies. Good luck!

[DonnaNJ]

Oh you are not alone.. when I sold all my supplies I ended up with enough money to buy a new Mac !!! and I know there are others out there too

[Steph]

I was a paper scrapper (still do some hybrid projects) for 3 years and worked for several companies in the industry, as well as several magazines. When I first decided to sell my paper stuff, I was horrified at how much I had. I made over $700 at my first garage sale, over $500 at my second one and will have my last one this spring.

[tylertooo]

I have been doing digital for about 6 years now, and I still haven't gotten rid of my stuff. I could stock a store as well, but I haven't taken the time to get rid of it. I can't wait to start seeing your pages. When your daughter sees what you can create digitally, and without all that mess, she will know why.

[lizj]

Okay, I am going to weigh in with a slightly different take on this. I still have all of my paper supplies, and I have no plan to sell them. Once in a while, I like to get glue on my hands. Or make a card. Or make a lo from IRL stuff. Or do hybrid projects. I went through the same revelation as all other digi scrappers at the outset, thinking I'd never use my paper supplies again. But after about a year digi, I started gravitating back a bit. And I am SO glad I kept it. There's no reason you can't do both. KWIM?

[Steph]

Originally Posted by lizj

There's no reason you can't do both. KWIM?

I do agree with this! The money I spent is what was horrifying to me.

I've decided to take on a paper project next year but it will be very, very low-key. My heart is all DD and digi.

[esther_a]

Imagine how wonderful it will be to have all of that space back!! I still have all of my stash. Most of it fits in a fiskar's wheely cart so it doesn't take up too much space, but I still love every piece of paper!! I occasionally make cards, and I'm doing a Ali Edwards/Becky Higgins Project Life style album of my older photos, and I'll use up pieces of stash in that.

[brenda_in_tx]

Well I have put a lot of thought into whether or not I should get rid of it, but it's been two years since I've done any scrapping. I work full time and by the time I get home from work, the thought of coming in and pulling all this stuff out keeps me from doing anything. As far as making cards, I love them, but it takes me as long to make a card as it does a 12 x 12 layout.

But yes, "horrified" is a great word for what I've spent - I'm looking forward to making some of it back. I need to buy a new camera lens and the extra $$$ will come in handy.

[earlofoxford]

I was a paper scrapper for 11 years before I went digital. I had become more of a collector than a scrapper. I gave my stash to my nephew's wife who's a paper scrapper (until I can convert her, that is).

[vfleslie]

i know, me too. I hauled a bunch of paper stuff to the bedroom I coverted into an office. so. much. stuff. I sold all my Stampin' Up! stamps to buy a laptop a couple years ago but have so much paper and other products left. Leslie

[blhdvm]

Originally Posted by lizj

Okay, I am going to weigh in with a slightly different take on this. I still have all of my paper supplies, and I have no plan to sell them. Once in a while, I like to get glue on my hands. Or make a card. Or make a lo from IRL stuff. Or do hybrid projects. I went through the same revelation as all other digi scrappers at the outset, thinking I'd never use my paper supplies again. But after about a year digi, I started gravitating back a bit. And I am SO glad I kept it. There's no reason you can't do both. KWIM?

I am pretty much with you lizj! I also have an incredible amount of paper supplies. My closest scrap store is 90 miles away (yep - the sticks of Montana!!) so I always felt like if I saw something I liked/wanted/thought I might need .....
I have gotten rid of a few things, but don't really plan to get completely out. I also still like to get my hands dirty once in a while.

[Shannamay]

I too, like to get my hands dirty once in a while (once in a very long while) - BUT NO PAPER STASH - I go and buy just what I need. Each to their own, of course, but I don't regret getting rid of my stuff at all - it was soooo liberating

[MINIDEB]

I too was a paper scrapbooker and with out exaggeration I got rid of about 10 trunkloads and backseats full in 2011 (4 garage sales)- I kept the tools(scissors ... punches ... cricket abcs) and about 10% of the elements (bling flowers ribbon) I feel tons better and do not miss a thing the most rewarding was the 2 trunkfuls I gave to a cousin who scraps... I did mine at a garage sale and there you just got a credit for new stuff.... not cash .... I redid albums changing them from 7 x 7 .... my old paper world for collections to 8 x 8 the paper world - I am still doing a little paper scrapbooking that I am merging with my new digital albums only getting exactly what I need and no new stock pile.... the dollars that I spent and seeing it all go in a garage sale was a real kick in the pants eye opener....I am proud to say the last time I used my garage sale credit (black Friday weekend) I redid 3 albums for about $100 ... I played all weekend with paper and the only thing I added to the stockpile was all the ribbon I could fit in a 4 x 6 clear plastic bag for $2.50..... I probably got 40 yards of ribbon in that bag .... I took a photo before I put it away... which I'm going to scrap after the Days of December project is over. I suffered 0 buyers remorse. I used a method tht worked for me... I went through a drawer/box or tote... I asked myself how long have I had this... if the answer was more than 5 years.... it was gone... then I looked at a pile if there were 10 items I kept 5 and got rid of 5.

I repeated the process for the 4 garage sales I probably have less than $20 left to get rid of .... but thats because I forgot to put the box full that was priced in the car.... I found it when I was looking for Christmas decorations. Good luck with the project....


and yes we all seriously bought all that stuff.... the digital world fits on an external hard drive and takes up the space of a 4 x 6 plastic photo box thats about an inch deep .... I see it sitting on my desk!

[Elena]

Sell it and use the $ to re-invest in camera equip or digi supplies or give it to charity and feel virtuous. Either way, most of us have been there! No use feeling horrified over what you spent now... make way for the creation of beautiful art/keepsakes for our families.

[brenda_in_tx]

Sounds like I'm not in this boat alone. I called a girlfriend last night who is going to haul her stuff over the weekend of our sale, though I'm now wondering where we're going to put all this stuff - anyway, I called her last night and told her I was just sick at the amount of $$$ I've wasted, but I guess it's one of those lessons learned. I brought home 3 boxes from the office to start sorting and need at least 10 more. I probably should have waited until after Christmas to tackle this, but now that I've started, I've got to forge on.

Happy Saturday everyone!

[Jen D]

I would have to argue that digital is far cooler than paper in my opinion. I was a paper scrapper for 10 years. I turned digital four years ago. I really tried to do both... I even tried to use my paper supplies. But I continuely got frustrated because I could make the paper do what I wanted it to do outside of the computer.

I packed up my entire scrapbook room.... with the exception of a few tools and supplies my kids could use down the road for school and I had a giant garage sale. I made a ton and bought some camera equipment.

No regrets! To me digital is seamless, stress free, mess free and I actually get loads more done on the computer. I made over 350 pages last year. The final product is all that matters

[brenda_in_tx]

Originally Posted by Jen D

No regrets! To me digital is seamless, stress free, mess free and I actually get loads more done on the computer. I made over 350 pages last year. The final product is all that matters

I'm all for no stress. I used one of Katie's free templates two weeks ago and made my first digital layout. I don't really know how long it took because I'd work a little, we'd leave to go shopping, come back, I'd do a little more - but by the end of the day, I had a layout using masks and overlays and all sorts of stuff and I was happy with it (it's nothing compared to what you girls do, but I'm learning). And I can honestly say that there's no way I could have done a paper layout in that amount of time .... and I didn't have a big ol' mess when I was finished.

[MIDA78466]

I was a paper scrapper for about 6 months and was horrified at how much stuff I had. Sold it all and never looked back.

[Standifg]

I'm with Linda ... collected all those pretty things and will probably never use a third of it. I did make some paper books for family members and I have completed pages for 4 of 22 years in the Air Force. Just haven't made the decision to either continue with paper for all the photos prints I have or start scanning and go digitial. Luckily I do have a 2nd floor bonus room that contains all my paper stuff that I don't have to look at or clean up unless I want to. Heck, there is a layout on the desk that has been there for probably 6 months or more just waiting for me to finish it. It is just much easier and more creative digitally that I have a very hard time even thinking about paper scrapping.

[brenda_in_tx]

Originally Posted by MIDA78466

I was a paper scrapper for about 6 months and was horrified at how much stuff I had. Sold it all and never looked back.

It's amazing how fast this stuff multiplies. I'm uncovering stuff I'd long forgotten I had.

[SheilaF]

I haven't jumped into digi completely....mostly only for cards. I love ALL the work I have seen here; the talent is amazing, inspiring, and intimidating.

For me, having grown up and still work in a "paper industry" world, there is still something special to me in the look, touch, smell, 3-D world of paper scrapping. The open this flap, open that flap, lift this, pull that world of paper, glue, etc. will prevent me from selling my stuff.

I have however curbed the purchasing.

[anke]

I still have all my paper stuff too and I can't get myself to sell it either... I can't even believe how much money I spent on all those kits and other supplies, it's scary! Right now it's all collecting dust, but who knows....

[anxela]

I didn't really paper scrap for that long, but yes, I do have a nice amount of paper lying around. Mostly cardstock, though, and that I'll be able to use. Or my kids.

[sarahdg]

I was a paper scrapper for several years too. All of the stuff I bought fits into one cart, so it doesn't take up a ton of room, but I'm still thinking of getting rid of it. I've been digital for about four yeas now and I haven't made a single paper page since then. However, I do reach into my paper stash every once in a while for a classroom project, so I've hesitated to sell my old supplies.

Don't feel bad about all your paper supplies. When you bought them you had no way of knowing that you would eventually go digital. Don't beat yourself up about it.

I've had an idea while reading this thread on how to use my old punches on my digital layouts. I can punch a design, scan it in, extract it, and then make a brush out of it. Neat! That might be a project for over Christmas break.