I'll NEVER buy these again! Six DIY Card-Making Supplies I Make Myself [2024/46] 

Hello, crafty friends! A few recurring things have come up in the comments that I'd like to address: 1. They're cheaper to buy! This depends on where you live and what you already have in your stash. Here in the UK, craft supplies are usually expensive. We don't have many big UK-based papercraft companies, so a lot of products get shipped in from the USA, which means they're more expensive for us to buy. Also, because UK craft brands tend to have a smaller customer base than US companies, they can't offer their products at lower prices. For example, a small pack of Simple Stories enamel dots is £5 from a UK supplier, whereas the same enamel dots from scrapbook.com only cost £3.50 (at today's exchange rate). The circle die I use for making enamel dots is only £7 which makes it a great investment seeing as I already have the inks, paper scraps and glossy accents in my stash. 2. Using alcohol in home-made shimmer sprays to prevent mold growth: Please be VERY careful with this! Alcohol can be absorbed into your bloodstream by breathing it in and through contact with the skin. Please do your research about how to safely use isopropyl alcohol (aka: rubbing alcohol and surgical spirit). 3. How to stop home-made shimmer sprays from rubbing off once dry: Some pigment powders contain binders that fix the pigment and mica to the paper once they've dried, so they won't significantly rub off. If you find that your pigment or shimmer rubs off, you can spray it with hairspray or a transparent fixative. This should keep it in place. (Use in a well-ventilated area). Hope that helps! x

It took me decades to realize that I didn't need fifty-eleven colors of embossing powder and just needed clear. Now I have fifty-eleven ink colors. LOL!

If you use glitter paper with the glossy accents, you get glittery dots. I did this for Christmas cards. Very pretty

I love DIY craft supplies! I started crafting 35+ years ago - it was all about recycling, DIY, repurposing. In the last 10 years or so, the craft industry has pushed trendy things that are replaced with new trendy things on a monthly basis. The cost of these tools/supplies are crazy! I'm still using my Cuttlebug, which cost $35 in 2004 (a big investment in those days). 🤣 I did not know about DIY enamel dots until watching your videos - thank you!!! A couple of my DIY's: I make shimmer sprays with isopropyl alcohol and never have mold. It dries very fast compared to water. (It has the initial smell of alcohol when spraying it, but then fades away.) You could probably use a water/alcohol mix if the smell is too much for you. And I use petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to seal my distress/oxides inks instead of Microglaze, blending with a flat blender sponge. It can remove some of the "chalky" look of oxides, so important that the ink is completely dry, you use a light hand in blending and a very thin layer. (It should not feel greasy afterwards.) Thank you for all your wonderful videos! ❤👍❤

Yes!! A special series about pigment powders❤ I have and love Brusho’s and Lindy’s

This is brilliant …I’m finding it harder to find enamel dots,so this will solve the problem! Thank you, can’t wait to try this technique!

This is the first time I've seen your videos and having lots of different types of muca powders would love new ideas for using them. Thank you for sharing your ideas ❤❤❤

Fabulous! Fabulous! Fabulous! This has been one of the BEST videos on ways to DIY versus buying these supplies over and over again! Thank you for sharing! GREAT demonstrations!

Yes, a series about pigment powders please! I have a lot and rarely use them, got a great deal on them!!

Great ideas - not only saving money, but also storage space!

I love how you make your own embellishments/enamel dots so much that I bought a bubble coverplate die with 3 sizes of small circles so I can make my own. I love being able to make them the color I want to use. The other toys are great too. I'm saving this video.

Excellent advice. Another reason patterned paper isn't useful to me these days is that I've come to prefer making clean-and-simple cards, and the busy-ness of so many store-bought papers takes away from that look. 😊

A series on pigment powders would be great! I have Brushos, Luscious, Nuvo Shimmer and Micas. Haven't been very successful using them, so look forward to your ideas.

Love videos like yours that are DIY cost saving ideas. As I am a retired lab person, I enjoy creating potions and such in my craft room. Pigment powders would be an excellent video!

It's also a solution to only buy white dots and color them with an alcohol marker.

Perfect Pearls pigment powders ... yes pls to vid ❤

My pigment powders are mainly Pearl-Ex. I also have Tim Holtz, Prism and some from a candle making company. I am a terrible craft supply hoarder. I buy stuff that just comes out to try it. when I am tired of it or find something else to try, I just put it away for later. It seems like fashion, everything old becomes new again. Like I have a few paper crimpers from over a decade ago and Hunkydory just came out with one in their tool line. Oh, and I am a clearance and sale shopper as well as second hand. I live in the US so somethings get popular here at different times than Europe. I am always up to try new ways to use my stash. I recently purchased two dies that are supposed to make "shaped sequins" I will have to try out your Enamel dots with them.

I used to buy a lot of psper flowers. I don't even prefer them anymore over my own creations. I have small paper punches that are very inexpensive and some die cuts I've had for 10+ years. I cut several bits and glue them together to make dimensional flowers. I save flyers from the mail and do my punches and cuts from the colored areas. I get great variation of color from a pile of lemons or strawberries, etc. in grocery ads. Even outdoor scenes provide winter greys and blues. Recently, I cut several sizes of hearts from ads for Valentines Day. I especially love when it is not a solid color and I get that variation in my pieces. that were very inexpensive

I'm working on a low spend year, so I appreciate you demonstrating ways to make enamel dots and how to make use of embossing supplies.

Very helpful hints. Another way to create shimmer sprays is using metalic acrylic paint, folk art works lovely, and watering it down to a liquid watery consistency. It works beautifully and most crafters have acrylic paint in their craft stash.

Making shimmer sprays with rubbing alcohol instead of water helps it dry quicker and shouldn't mould. EDIT You could do the same but put the rubbing alcohol and mica powder into a water brush. One where you put water in the handle. Shake well before use.

I hit a sale on Lucious powders. I bought them because they look wonderful, but they have been sitting ever since. I’d love and appreciate videos on this product!!!🎉🎉🎉 This video is invaluable. ❤️👍🏻

Could you show us how to make refills for our Wink by Stella to again save money. Or just use the sprays you mentions and dip a brush to color or splatter. I'm thinking they are the same thing just delivered in a different expensive brush/squeeze system. Thanks for all you share. You have taught me soooo much in a very short time!!!❤❤

Thank you for showing us this Natalie, some great ideas here. Can you please do a video on different ways you can use brushos & mica powders, and the difference between mica & pigment powders? Thank you

I have jeweller’s boxes and whenever I have little bits from die cutting that look promising for embellishments I pop them in one of the little containers. Then I can colour what I like later as required. Your idea about Glossy Accents on the top will make them that much better.

Pigment/mica other powders that rub off do not have a binder in them. Add GumArabic small amount to powder and mix it. Gum Arabic is a binder. I'm still learning about all these powders etc. You can get it at your craft store in art supplies.or at a art store. I have to start playing and see where it goes. 😅 have fun at what ever you do.. OH, you can also use clear nail polish for shine and if put on thick and several layers, works great to give shapes or areas dimension. Also glitter nail polishs. I got mine at our dollar store. Swatch out on a piece of card stock to see how they dry and how many coats need to get the effect you want. And write it next to it.Thanks for Sharing. I took notes.

Great hints and tips👌

So glad you showed us mixing the powders with the clear embossing powders 😊

Thank you..more pigment powder info…on my list..you are so generous for sharing…

First time watching and now I'm a subscriber. This was very informative. I have Pearl X Powers and other brands and just didn't know what else to do with them. Thank you.👍🏻🙏🏻

What a wonderfully helpful video. Thanks for all the tips!

Wow! Thanks for these great tips 👍

Thank you for sharing your amazing gifts. Your ideas make a craft possible for those of us who choose not to break the bank.

You presented so many good ideas. Thank you. I have perfect pearls, color sparks and Lindy’s powders. I would very much enjoy ideas that would inspire me to get even more use of them.

Yes please! That would be awesome!! Thank you💖 This was so so helpful. Love your videos so much!!❤️👍

Peelable offable. Love it 😂😅😊

Yes please Natalie. I have Brushos, Cosmic shimmer powders, Pearl Ex .and a heap of no name pigment powders I bought .online. Barb

I'm so glad I found your channel. I have just really been enjoying your content & creativity. -Sarah

I hadn't thought to mix in my pigment powders with embossing powder! Also, your charity shops sound AMAZING! I haven't had much luck with crafting supplies.

I make my own sprays in tiny bottles with ink refills, water & perfect pearls for shimmer

Love this so much!! Reduce, reuse, recycle - cut down on consumption AND match!

I make my shimmer sprays with Isopropyl Alcohol/Surgical Spirit instead of water. It dries quicker and never moulds (well I haven't had any in 6yrs so far so good) I do a lot of what you do, but there was some that helped me. TFS and have a great Easter weekend. 👍❤

I try not to buy patterned paper, but I still sometimes do. I dont just have a pouch of pretties. I think I probably have 3 or 4 large drawers full. Hard to throw little bits away...might just need that sometime 😅

Your shimmer spray will last longer on the paper with a little liquid hair spray added. The mold can be prevented by adding a little isopropyl alcohol. I make it with no water, just hair spray and isopropyl alcohol . You can add mica powder or ink. A glass bead in the spray bottle helps to mix it.

I’m an Alphabet addict myself. Thanks for a great video.

I would appreciate more ways to use pigment powders. Thank you for this video!

Thank you for this video. I never knew about making embossing power with Lucious powder. A video on Lucious would be very appreciated.😊

Very clever.

Peelable offable 😂 you just made my day!

Marvellous ideas. I shall be experimenting with your ideas. Thank you

Love the tip for embossing ink over a color ink! Genius!

Just came across this video and it’s exactly what I needed. Your ideas are brilliant! I’m extremely new to card making (didn’t even know it was a thing). This video just helped me to save money just as I was about to go on a buying binge to get started with this new hobby. Really appreciate you doing this video.

I love enamel dots. I make my own melting plastic beads. The sequins mix is very interesting, I have noticed that I get shaker cut out bits with a lot of dies. I made my shimmer sprays with alcohol a couple years ago and they are still good. One tip you can do when making your own thickers is use clear packing tape to cover the paper before you cut them out and they will be shiny

Thank you. I am fairly new at card making and don't have much of a stash, so very useful to know what not to invest in. Your advice is very timely for me. 😊

Another brilliant video. Thank you Natalie

Brilliant iv just gotten into pigment powders, iv luscious powders by Indigoblu, I also have some pearl powders, and I have loads of mica powders, cant wait for the video now.. xx

A video on pigment powders would awesome!!! I have Lindy’s, Elements and Brusho.

Would you consider doing a video of your journaling? I also do mixed media and watercolor. I actually added card making to my repertoire more recently.

Great tips on making your own stash. My favourite is mixing mica powders with clear embossing powder. I have loads of the stuff and never use it because it never stays on the cardstock, it always rubs off so this is a great way to use it up. Thank you for the idea.

great video, would love more like this. Using your stash in a different way or alternatives to expensive items.

As a crafter or over 30 years, I am no longer seduced by all the latest trends. I did a purge a few years ago and was horified to see I could get a new kitchen for what I had spent on craft materials and tools that were hardly if ever used. A good paper trimmer, score board and stamp platform, a heat tool, a glue gun, bone folder, quality cardstock from Limetree Crafts and my indulgence two die cutting machines, one manual and one electric. Embossing Powders: A tip would be to double emboss once the first layer of powder is dry, ink with Versamark and then emboss again with clear powder. Alpha numberic dies,: rather than foam, I use scrap card and layer the cut pieces. However, I think your soltions for the sequins and the enamel dots are convoluted. Try using hot glue with alcohol pens, or colouring your glossy accents. Quicker & easier and not requiring special equipment. Here in the UK though harder to find a WHSmith, they sell the craft magazines; Creative Stamping, Simply Cards & Papercrafts, Die Cutting Essentials et al. The usually come with an A4 sheet of silicone stamps and the kits come with embossing folders, stencils and dies. These are still a good investment. Just recently I wanted to do a garden book and was so excited to get a themed kit, papers, stamps, dies and embossing folder for £14. THank you for posting, I love your cards.

To make shimmer sprays I also have used alcohol there is less chance of Mould and such. These are awesome ideas! Thank you.

Oh yes please do a series on the pigment powders.🙂

Super great ideas!!!❤

Brilliant, thank you.x

Great video Natalie. I only buy in sales or second hand. I was given mica powders ages ago and I am not sure how to use them.. Can you help please? Many thanks for all your hard work. Xx

Fantastic as always, thankyou Natalie xxx

Thank you for all the great tips!

Lots of great tips! Thank you!

Great ideas! Im a scrapbooker who is new to card making. Thank you!!

Great great great ideas. Thank you

Great ideas! Thank you.

Just found your Channel, love what you have demonstrated. Such clear instructions, have now subscribed, liked & saved, will look out for you new demo's. Thanks again. ❤

Just found your channel….love your ideas, tips and tricks. Thank you for sharing them with us!

Fantastic Ideas

Thank you for all these wonderful tips!!

I started using my paper punch, I mail lots if cards

Great tips, thank you for sharing! 😊

Great video Natalie!

yes, please do the video on pigment powders

Ide like to see you make some mixed media backgrounds. I saw a wavy one in you stack that was sooo interesting 😁

Exceptional suggestions. Thank you.

Really great ideas thank you for sharing.

Great ideas! Be kind to each other. Stay safe. Love to all

I loved this video! Love to find ways to save money. Thx for sharing! 😊

I REALLY enjoyed watching. I do a bit of what you do. And, I get why a little better now... it is the process of MAKING my own that is fun. And making an exact match when needed is so satisfying too!😅

Love it.

I love your resourcefulness ❤😊 Well done!😊

Wowza! So helpful!

Fantastic ideas, thanks Natalie. Jenny ❤😊

Great tips and tricks. Thanks for all of the ideas. I love all of your unique papers

Thanks so much for this very helpful video, I am already crafting for ages, but still found a tip or two from you and lots of reminders of tips I forgot, thx so much for this lovely video, going to subscribe ;-) THX !

A series would be great! I have cosmic shimmer and just ordered some lindys.

Oh my gosh, this is brilliant, totally brilliant!! Love these ideas and thank you for sharing. Your video just popped up in my you tube and have no reason why!! But super glad it did. I’m commenting right after the “creating the dots” played! Have to stop video and tell you I’m already pumped to watch the rest of it. New subbie here and clicked for future videos. Great and again, thank you so much. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Such a great video. Very helpful. Thank you.

Great tips Natalie, thank you! Your videos have given me lots of ideas on how to use what I have - my New Year’s resolution was not to buy any more crafting goodies (this year at least!) - so far so good!

All great ideas, i learned so much from you, thank you!

Thank you for all these ideas. I still buy all of these categories but I never bought more than a few items in each, so I never had to stop, except for patterned paper, which I have waaayyyy too much of. 😂 I use clear Nuvo crystal drops instead of glossy accents. For me the glossy gets goopy and unusable. For embossing with mica, I prefer heat and stick powder. It’s like glue when heat embossed, then you sprinkle the mica (or glitter) over and lightly heat again to “set” the powder in place. It’s the strongest and most vibrant color method I tried. I also never bought into laminating machine or foiling heat machine. I am fine w ironing any laminating pockets (but I have never found the need). I have tried foil sheets with glued design sheets. I think just heat embossing is just as good. I never tried Cricut machine. I love cutting vinyl colored sheets to make decorative designs. But i use my dies for this. For alphabets, I prefer the stickers over dies, which is very expensive, I have one 12” die strip that has all alphabets and numbers and 2nd 12” die strip that says Happy birthday. that’s it. Bit I don’t make any thick letters, as you do. I use small sticker letters in various fonts, and I find them much faster and cheaper by far. To each her own! Please keep this up. Ideas for multi-use of card supplies are always in demand. ❤

That is some great tips. I’m really going to have to look at my stash that I don’t use. ❤ thank you 🎉

I would love a video on getting the most from pigment powders . They are something that I have been considering but I am yet to buy any …