When Sally asked about the average cost of a LO in a recent post I got to thinking about this again. I know when I look at some of the LO's in the magazines, especially with all of the embellishments added it makes me wonder about the cost of that page. I saw one recently I really liked, but when I looked at the LSS for the charms used on the LO it would have cost me $5.95 just to buy them for the page - not to mention the rest of the page.
My questions are:
What do you think is your average cost per page?
Have you ever spent the extra money (ex. $5.95 for embellishments) to make a LO exactly like the one in a magazine?
Some of the magazine LOs pay more homage to the embellishments than the photos.
I've never really calculated. It would depend on whether I use fancy paper like the metallics or mulberry. I've paid about $2 per sheet for some of the fancy paper. Custom printed paper is about 5 cents per sheet. The photo paper I'm using now is about 25 cents per sheet. Punchies and some die cuts cost almost nothing because I use scraps. Brads and eyelets are really cheap but other embellishments can add up. I did a page yesterday *Father & Son Golf Day*. The embellishments cost $3.99. I only know this because they were still in the original package. I wouldn't begin to be able to figure out the cost of gel pens, chalks, adhesive, stamp ink, etc on a per page basis.
I gave up on scrapbooking magazines. I quickly discovered that I have my own style. I have 5 from when I first started scrapping that I refer to for ideas once in awhile. When I get a creative block I walk away from the LO until an idea pops into my mind for it. Sometimes I surf the net looking for ideas. I tend to spend money on tools and gadgets so I can make my own embellishments.
I'm not sure about my average cost per page. That's a toughy. I'm also reluctant to add it up for fear that I would tell myself I'm spending too much on 'me' and need to spend that on the family. LOL I have a tendancy to say that I'm "not worth it" and instead spend extra money on the family. I've gotten better though, at realizing I AM worth it. So I'm reluctant to figure up my average cost per LO. I do a lot of stamping in my LOs, too, and I would have no clue how to go about figuring that in there. Can you tell I'm not a math person? LOL
No, I've never spent extra money just to make a LO look exactly like a magazine LO. I tend to use magazines as inspiration for techniques, tricks, LO ideas, etc. Now, ask me if I've ever spent extra money on something I saw that I "just had to have".....well, that's a different story. LOL
It has taken me 3-4 years to collect my stash of embellishments so my cost LOs is rather low. If I spent $3.50 on brads...those brads were used on at least 10 LOs and I have a whole bunch left.
What I did do with my very first album and my second album was consider the "entire" album cost. My first album was a 12x12 that was given to me. It was a post-bound album with 8-10 page protectors (each with a white sheet). Double sided gave me 20 LO. When I went to buy more pages protectors, it was like $12 for 8-10. I extended the album posts I think three times (max allowed). I'm sure I spent over $50 just in page protectors.
My second album, I got a used 3-ring binder from work and bought the
8.5x11 page protectors in the office section at Wal-Mart -- 50 protectors for $3. I could print my own papers and I used a lot of solid packs from Wal-Mart that ran around $3-$5. That album probably didn't total $20.
As my skills, and stash, have increased, I would agree that if you broke my LOs apart, the LOs today would tally to more than the ones I created 3 years ago. However, I'm still very fragile compared to most.
Oh Amy don't be "fragile." Ok Ok I know what you mean frugal. :) I'd say I'm pretty frugal too. I'd say that when I first began scrapbooking the costs were probably through the roof. I had nothing. I bought albums, embellishments, paper, tools etc. Like Amy though the cost of my pages get cheaper and cheaper with each LO, because I'm still using the eyelets purchased years ago. I'm still using paper purchased years ago. I'm still using the tools purchased years ago. I still have the same albums. I bought several of the same kind and pages and page protectors, so there would be same continuity in the look when they are all on the shelf.
So, I'd say a new scrapbooker starting out would be frighten by the cost, but as the years go on and you use your stash they'll become cheaper and cheaper. These days I very seldom find anything new I need.
I'm the same way Deb, I very rarely spend money on things that are just for ME. I'm always concerned about the family, and whether they need things before spending money on myself. I too wouldn't know where to start to add up the average cost of my LO's. I don't refer to magazines much at all either. I have about 4 magazines from when I first started but don't buy them anymore (again, they are too expensive, and that money can be better spent elsewhere in the home). I've never bought anything to do a page like one in a magazine, matter of fact, I've never done a page just like one in a magazine, I very quickly developed my own style of scrapping, and Em and I bounce ideas and suggestions off each other all the time to use up the stuff we already have. luv Cec...xxx
Scrapbooking has gained in popularity so now it is possible to find great deals at department stores and dollar stores. Dollar stores are now carrying punches, embellishments, papers, and stickers. When I first started scrapping this wasn't possible. I was able to print custom pages either because I didn't have a colour printer. Then Sam's and Costco's started carrying things like the photo paper, adhesives, gel pens, and card stock making the cost of those things so much cheaper. The online resources have grown considerably as well. A lot of the Sizzix dies are going for as little as $6 making them more affordable than buying two or three of the die cuts. In a lot of ways scrapbooking has become more affordable. I find the cost of the scrapbooking very high at the $12 mark for some. Twelve dollars goes a long way online or at a dollar store for scrapbooking supplies. I think a new scrapbooker would almost be overwhelmed at what is available but with smart shopping they could do ok. OTOH armed with a digital camera and $10 scrapbooking software they could make some really nice LOs.
Tips for new scrapers
don't buy every pair of fancy sissors you see, you will ultimately end up using only one or two
check Sam's or Costco's for photo paper, card stock, gel pens
check dollar stores for stickers, paper, embellishments
I couldn't begin to figure the cost of a LO that I have done, because they are all so different, and I use stuff i already have on hand. The first year I started I hit every sale almost every week, and now I dont really have to buy much. Of course there are those things I just HAVE to have! LOL I have never done a page to look exactly like on in a magazine. I love reading them and getting inspiration and new techniques. I also like to see what new things (tools, stamps, sizzix dies, etc.) are coming out, but I dont go out and buy them just because I saw it in a magazine, but if I can use it for many things, I might consider buying it. I would "guess-timate" it would be a range from $5-$10? and that would include paper, cardstock, stickers, embellishments, depending if I made the embellishment or bought it. If its a pre-made page kit, then it could be more! Iguess its all what you want to put into it. Everyones style and pocketbook is different!
I have an enormous stash of things I bought because I thought they were cute even though I will probably never use them. Basically I just use cardstock and paper and I wait until it is on sale or I have a coupon to buy a package. I limit my die purchases to ones that I can use on different layouts (squares, circles, tags, flowers, etc.) because I have way too many that I bought for a single layout. I would say I have done layouts that cost me $10-15 but the majority cost less than $5 for a two page layout. I now try to shop only when I have a layout in mind and know what I want for it and limit my impulse buys.....so I can buy the cricut when it comes out. ;o)
1 Hallmark Sticker "Sing your own song within your heart" $0.99
1 Paper Bliss cardstock Tag $1.99 (on sale)
Mrs. Grossman's Casual Alphabet $2.00
Miscellaneous Tools (Fiskar's 12 Inch Personal Cutter, Fiskar's Personal Scissors microtip, Pop Dots, Xyron 500 Sticker Machine, Glue Sticks) $50.00
1 Music box button $2.99
Look of the layout: Priceless
Actually $72.69 (and the reason I know this is because today is recycling day and most of the garbage still had their tags on it or I forgot to put the items away.
Oh no! Don't feel bad about that. Just look at all of the items you will reuse over and over. I don't think you can count the cost of tools/stamps/adhesive into a single LO. I read somewhere that a rule of thumb for purchasing a tool/stamp or stamp set was to estimate how many LO's and/or cards you would probably use it on. If you can justify one LO per dollar spent then it is probably worth it. I try to do that when I buy a die or tool. It took me a while to buy the Fastenater, but when I got it for $12 with a sale and additional discount I felt I would definitely use it on at least 12 LO's - I think between my DD's and I we have past that goal already. I found out it works great to staple paperbag albums together and the staple is decorative to boot! With a die, if I know I am not going to use it a lot, I will just wait and cut a few at the Ben Franklin store rather than purchase one.
You, know - some LO's are worth the extra expense. Kate, that LO has priceless memories - it tells a story about your father that you, your sister, and your niece will treasure for the rest of your lives. Sandy
Ok so i don't feel so bad. Adjusting it to $15.20 doesn't seem so much.
The fact that my dad had tears in his voice when he explained how much the layout meant to him and how confused he was that I would want to "scrapbook a little thing like whistling" just made my day.
Hmmmm ...cost per page ? Hard to figure out since I seldom buy for specfic lay outs. I just have so much stuff that I buy because it is the type of things I like or something I want to try someday. I think we all have a style that reflects our taste and after awhile, you just have a large store of embellishments and paper that lets you express your own likes . Right now ,since I have so many baby pictures, I am on the look out for little girl baby stuff and so when I start to scrap...I just open my drawers and containers and pick out what appeals to me . Just did 12 pages over the week end. I stress scrap:-)
I like to look at the magazines for ideas and inspiration but I don't think I have ever copied one piece by piece. I think that as we scrap more ,our own ideas mold the ones we see in the books and the page comes out looking more like your own creation. I may by something that was used on the page ..but just because I like that look.. and maybe use it in another LO . I think the magazines stir up your creativity. I like to see what is out there,too.
Like many others have said already - most of your layout cost was items you'll use again, so in the next layout they won't count at all (maybe even making your layout free!) :-)
I have much the same problem, so don't feel bad. Sizzix is my big problem. Specifically the alphabet sets. I have 10. While I have used each of them, some of them have so far only been used once. Pathetic. And even though I've never purchased any of those alphabet sets without a 40 or 50% off coupon, there are still layouts where I could say the title cost $75. Talk about wanting to cry.
The cost per album would probably be an excellent way to add things up
-then just average your number of pages. But I also do like many others have said - I buy slabs of paper rather than individual sheets, and I get things I don't need right now, if I have a great coupon, and I do most of my investing in tools that will allow me to create my own embellishments.
Speaking of that - I'll tell you all one of my favorite things - I have several dies that I got to make embellishments that are similar to the metal ones. I use metallic paper, and if I really want texture, I just dry emboss it. Keeps my layouts flat and photo safe, and if I've used the die twice, I've pretty much made up the cost. :-)
I paper-scrap as well as digital, so I get to incur both sets of expenses ;-)))).
I never buy anything to emulate any one else's designs, and I always make do with my stash at home when I'm creating layouts. However -
The stash is huge and cost thousands of dollars, and I have absolutely no will-power when confronted with a new scrapbook store or a scrapbook convention, crop or show. I buy stuff I have absolutely no idea how I will use yet, and add it to the stash.
That said - I do think you need to expense the cost of tools and supplies over the projected life expectancy and uses and factor that into the cost.
For instance - lots of people are hot to buy a Wishblade. The upfront investment is in the range of $450. That's without a lot of graphics to use - if you are computer savvy you probably don't need to buy many designs, if not, you have to factor the additional software. The cutter has about the same life expectancy as a printer (not sure on warranties but I wouldn't expect anything grander than 1 year.) Are you prepared to spend $450 a year on diecuts? If you do one layout a day that uses a diecut on it, your cost for the Wishblade alone is over $1.23 per layout. (That's bare minimum cost, assuming you don't buy additional graphics. During that year you'll probably have to replace blades as well, which can run $15+ each.)
Some things get used a lot - my Quikutz tool and a few of the shapes - the alphabets not so much. The Sizzix sits in the corner collecting dust - ;-((((. So basically on the whole diecut issue - I've invested far more than I'll ever get a decent return on - but it's not always about savings, more often it's about being able to create a unique look. So it costs me more - oh well...
Embellishment packs are like lipstick - I get bored with it long before I run out of it (or I lose it before I can use it!) So I've learned some frugal tricks - I don't buy colored scrapbooking fibers. I buy skeins of white fiber, and color it whatever color I want by running it across an ink pad, or dabbing it, or smudging paint on it. I only buy colored fiber if it's a tremendous bargain. I buy bags of ribbon at Joann's in the clearance bins, you can usually get lots of different pieces in a poly bag for $1, most of them just the right length to scrap with. I buy plain eyelets/brad and then make them any color I want with embossing powder and a heat gun. I cut out those cute little Quickutz frames and ribbon slides and them make them pretty metallics with embossing powder. Cut them out of Bazzill scraps and you can get some really neat textured metallic looks on the textured side.
I'm looking at a double page layout I did of my mom and dad during their courting days. It uses -
2 sheets Bazill cardstock (I buy this in the packs, and I think I average about .25 a sheet )
4 sheets of different pattern papers (I also buy packs, but I rarely use the leftover patterns, because I don't like to do the same thing again. Average about .10 a sheet)
3 pieces of ephemera out of a kit - I will use the whole kit so I'll call this $1.00
3 stickers off a sticker sheet (I rarely buy stickers, but these were rusty keys and appealed!) I'll call that $1.00
1 bit of ribbon from my Joann's stash - .10
I antique sort of clip - these were expensive, 6 for 4.99, but I WILL use them all eventually - .83
Alphabet stickers and rub-ons for a title - I will use the entire sheets, so let's say $1.00
Ink to ink up the edges of stuff, and a bit of stamping - I've owned the stamp for years but only used it a few times, so let's say $1.00 total
I'm going to place an arbitrary value of $1.00 on the cost of tools and adhesives for this layout. I didn't use any of my diecut tools, it's all just my trimmer, MM toolkit and my Vario adhesive. Add on two page protectors (on sale, 12 for $5.00) bring my total cost for these two pages to $7.43, not counting an album to put them in, so $3.72 a page.
I'd say that's about typical for me, I use expensive embellishments sparingly (I'm not cheap, I just don't like pages that look like someone else put them together for me. I make a lot of my own, or modify it after I buy it.)
A comparable digital page would run me under $1.50, including the page protector. That's factoring in my home printing costs using manufacturer's ink and good quality photo paper, bought at discount prices (because I'm that kinda shopper!)
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