I was asked for Christmas present ideas for myself by a loved one who knows nothing about scrapbooking, paper crafting, art journaling or card making but supports my creativity, they aren't sure what would be a good gift. So while I was thinking about what I could suggest I decided to try creating a post for others who love a paper crafter and want to give them a thoughtful present.
Ok this post is going to be a long one so bare with me.
Before I get into my list I just want to share this cute bag from James Burke, I love it as a scrapbooker and journal keeper, it is a great quote as I keep so much stuff others would just throw away to use in either my journal or a scrapbooking layout. So before I start my list I am going to recommend This Cute Bag as a cute gift because it would otherwise fit in my list much further down and I don't want you to miss it. :)
He has a full priced version and a discounted version as it has a flaw.
Note: Though James is a Aussie he is living in the US so postage is high due to this but I love supporting artists like James who share their art and provide tutorials to help inspire us and help us find our creativity.
Note: Though James is a Aussie he is living in the US so postage is high due to this but I love supporting artists like James who share their art and provide tutorials to help inspire us and help us find our creativity.
Ok back to my Gift Suggestion List
Gift idea Number 1
I think we can all relate to needing time to do the things that bring us joy and are good for our mental health so my number 1 gift idea is time and I have a couple of ideas on how you can give this gift. It can cost you nothing or as much as you wish to spend but it will be a really thoughtful gift they will appreciate, so here are some ideas on how you can give them TIME.
Does the papercrafter have kids? Offer to take them out somewhere, to the park, a museum, the movies, etc. Of course only offer this if they are a parent you have a relationship with that this is suitable.
Is the Housework something that gets in the way of their crafting? Maybe book and pay for a cleaner to come for a hour or 2 with a note saying they should craft while the cleaner is working.
Those are 2 examples of life chaos you could offer to help with to give them more time, think about ways that suit you and them that this could work for.
A lot of crafters love going to crops, classes and retreats. These are a great way to give time but can be more expensive. So why not book and pay for a crop, class or retreat and give that to them. Try and suss out what sort of class, crop or retreat they would enjoy.
Even experienced crafters may enjoy attending a class, personally even though I have taught classes I do love attending classes due to the social aspect and I believe we are always learning and even if they are teaching something I already know I may learn something else from the class.
Even experienced crafters may enjoy attending a class, personally even though I have taught classes I do love attending classes due to the social aspect and I believe we are always learning and even if they are teaching something I already know I may learn something else from the class.
One thing to keep in mind when booking a local to your crafter class is the shops they choose to shop with locally. They may have a preference so try to go with their preference. For example, locally the Art Journal Classes I prefer are at Wide Bay Art Gallery.
Back to retreats. These are a big ticket item so you may want to split the present with other loved ones.
Oh how I would love to attend a retreat. A weekend away just for crafting would be awesome. Keep in mind the travel involved to attend the retreat. For example I am not up to being in a car for a prolonged period so I would need a retreat close to home or one I could attend via the Tilt Train that would be a short taxi ride from the station or someone at the retreat would be willing to pick me up from the station. Also if your crafter has food allergies check with the retreat organiser as to whether this can be accommodated without them being given a plate of rocket as a meal (that happened to me at a wedding once lol).
Oh how I would love to attend a retreat. A weekend away just for crafting would be awesome. Keep in mind the travel involved to attend the retreat. For example I am not up to being in a car for a prolonged period so I would need a retreat close to home or one I could attend via the Tilt Train that would be a short taxi ride from the station or someone at the retreat would be willing to pick me up from the station. Also if your crafter has food allergies check with the retreat organiser as to whether this can be accommodated without them being given a plate of rocket as a meal (that happened to me at a wedding once lol).
And please think about the cost of travel to the retreat, while I would love to attend a retreat I am really good at talking myself out of attending due to the travel cost so you could include the travel cost in the gift or talk to another loved one about giving them a gift of the travel to the retreat booked and paid for.
Gift idea Number 2
My next need is Supplies.
Some Supplies we always need like adhesive, the background paper or cardstock we use on every project, so that might be white 12x12 cardstock or mixed media paper or watercolour paper and other supplies are things we would love but haven't got yet. Giving these staples is a great thoughtful gift.
Some Supplies we always need like adhesive, the background paper or cardstock we use on every project, so that might be white 12x12 cardstock or mixed media paper or watercolour paper and other supplies are things we would love but haven't got yet. Giving these staples is a great thoughtful gift.
Another good way to ensure your crafter is able to get the supplies the need and want is gift vouchers with businesses, this can be a great way for them to be able to buy a big ticket item they otherwise wouldn't buy, especially if loved ones work together and choose to buy vouchers from the same shop.
Personally I would recommend getting a voucher for a business that has a large variety of supplies used or supplies other stores may not have. CraftOnline, Aunty Vera's Scrap and Craft, Shop and Crop Scrapbooking, Anna's Craft Cupboard and many more amazing Aussie businesses have a large range and some have ranges others don't. Have a look at what businesses they share posts from or are following on social media to get a idea of what ones they love..
There are also some great stores whose websites aren't online shopping friendly but I have found them to be very helpful when shopping over the phone so check out Bella Paperie and Daisy Chain Scrapbooks, they have some awesome supplies for sale.
Personally I would recommend getting a voucher for a business that has a large variety of supplies used or supplies other stores may not have. CraftOnline, Aunty Vera's Scrap and Craft, Shop and Crop Scrapbooking, Anna's Craft Cupboard and many more amazing Aussie businesses have a large range and some have ranges others don't. Have a look at what businesses they share posts from or are following on social media to get a idea of what ones they love..
There are also some great stores whose websites aren't online shopping friendly but I have found them to be very helpful when shopping over the phone so check out Bella Paperie and Daisy Chain Scrapbooks, they have some awesome supplies for sale.
Gift idea Number 3
My next scrapping love is Scrapboking kits, they come in a range of prices and styles. Kits usually are full of coordinating supplies and can be a great way to get projects created as it all goes together. If a kit is outside of my usual preferred supplies I view it as a challenge to get me creating outside of my comfort zone, creating more. I do enjoy challenging my creativity.
You could get them a 1, 3 or 6 month subscription so that it is a gift that keeps giving. They range in price from $10pp to $85pp per month so there is a price to suit any budget.
Disclaimer I do own a tiny kit business which I will include in the list of kit businesses. Here is a list of Aussie Kit businesses (note these are just ones I can think of, there are likely many I have not thought of as I know my list is shorter than it used to be).
Disclaimer I do own a tiny kit business which I will include in the list of kit businesses. Here is a list of Aussie Kit businesses (note these are just ones I can think of, there are likely many I have not thought of as I know my list is shorter than it used to be).
and Corbett Creations have a monthly wood veneer and acrylic embellishment kits.
There are other kit businesses I haven't shopped with yet including
Gift ideas that are individual items
Being able to print photos at home is awesome for any scrapbooker or journal keeper so a photo printer is a awesome big ticket item. Portable printing is even better if they travel or attend crops. A wish item for me is a HP Sprocket, so I can print anywhere for my journal.
Check out your favourite store that sells printers to see if they stock the HP Sprocket.
For more archival printing for my scrapbooking I would love a Cannon Selphie, this would mean I can just create when I am in the mood to with whatever memories I want to work with instead of needing to go to the shop and wait for prints, on bad pain days this can really impede my creating so it is a important tool to have.
Check out your favourite store that sells printers to see if they stock the Cannon Selphie.
If they are a papercrafter who loves vintage items check out your local op-shops for vintage sheet music, ledgers, dictionaries, etc they can use.
And doilies, doilies can be a wonderful item in crafting.
As mentioned at the start of this post a cute bag, they are great for packing supplies in to go to a class, crop or retreat or if they are like me and craft while on the train.
A cute mug for their favourite cuppa.
We all need a good cuppa during our relaxing time I think so a cute mug can inspire their creativity while they drink.
A spill proof Water Bottle to keep them hydrated while they create without risking damaging their work if they knock it over.
A Scrap-Ma-Bob or a similar product to clip onto their desk and be a home to their drink, etc.
Another big ticket item they may not have yet is a Die Cutting Machine, this can be a very useful tool for the papercrafter in your life. There are manual machines that you need metal dies for or electronic machines that you use software to design what you want to cut or download designs. Personally if getting a manual machine I would go with the electronic version of it like the Big Shot Plus Machine as it means your papercrafter can use a wide range of paper dies,doesn't have to learn to navigate a software program if they are not tech savvy and they don't have to spend time cranking a handle to get the die through.
I hope this list is helpful to you, even if it is just a starting point for helping you think of things the crafter in your life would love.
Merry Christmas and Happy Crafting. :)
After a chat with my friend Shay I created a second list with more awesome gift ideas so make sure you check that one out too.
The first 2 items are big ticket items so you may want to work with other loved ones and pitch in together to buy either of these.
Being able to print photos at home is awesome for any scrapbooker or journal keeper so a photo printer is a awesome big ticket item. Portable printing is even better if they travel or attend crops. A wish item for me is a HP Sprocket, so I can print anywhere for my journal.
Check out your favourite store that sells printers to see if they stock the HP Sprocket.
Check out your favourite store that sells printers to see if they stock the Cannon Selphie.
When it comes to giving a piece of technology please keep in mind if your papercrafter is not tech savvy and organise installation for them and find them a tutorial on using it if needed. I am not tech savvy.
Now for some more budget friendly items.
And doilies, doilies can be a wonderful item in crafting.
As mentioned at the start of this post a cute bag, they are great for packing supplies in to go to a class, crop or retreat or if they are like me and craft while on the train.
A Cute Pencil Case. Even when I am not crafting while traveling I keep some supplies in a Cute Pencil Case on my desk. Storage is always handy but I love my Pencil Case my daughter gave me for my birthday a few years ago as I use it on my desk but also when I travel.
A Cute Bucket, Tub or Cup to keep supplies on their desk. Like the Pencil Case Storage is great but cute storage can help inspire creativity.
Cute Totes to put their supplies in when going to a crop, class or retreat.
A cute mug for their favourite cuppa.We all need a good cuppa during our relaxing time I think so a cute mug can inspire their creativity while they drink.
Online Classes are also a great gift idea. Check that they class will be downloadable and able to be completed in a time that suits them.
James Burke has a new series of classes coming out in the New Year and his previous Patreon content is available on his Etsy store as a bundle (so many awesome videos and blog posts in that bundle I am sure), there are many other online classes available including Ali Edwards, Craftsy, Jane Davenport, Vicki Boutin, Big Picture Classes, Scrapbook.com, Art of the 5th and there are so many more. Just google scrapbooking online classes, or scrappbooking online workshops or art journaling online classes, etc.
James Burke has a new series of classes coming out in the New Year and his previous Patreon content is available on his Etsy store as a bundle (so many awesome videos and blog posts in that bundle I am sure), there are many other online classes available including Ali Edwards, Craftsy, Jane Davenport, Vicki Boutin, Big Picture Classes, Scrapbook.com, Art of the 5th and there are so many more. Just google scrapbooking online classes, or scrappbooking online workshops or art journaling online classes, etc.
A spill proof Water Bottle to keep them hydrated while they create without risking damaging their work if they knock it over.
Another big ticket item they may not have yet is a Die Cutting Machine, this can be a very useful tool for the papercrafter in your life. There are manual machines that you need metal dies for or electronic machines that you use software to design what you want to cut or download designs. Personally if getting a manual machine I would go with the electronic version of it like the Big Shot Plus Machine as it means your papercrafter can use a wide range of paper dies,doesn't have to learn to navigate a software program if they are not tech savvy and they don't have to spend time cranking a handle to get the die through.
I hope this list is helpful to you, even if it is just a starting point for helping you think of things the crafter in your life would love.
Merry Christmas and Happy Crafting. :)
After a chat with my friend Shay I created a second list with more awesome gift ideas so make sure you check that one out too.
what a great list, I am always asking my kids for gift vouchers to online stores I use. Craftonline, scrapdragon, My Scrapbook Room, etc etc.
ReplyDeleteHopefully it helps ;)
DeleteWhat an awesome article. Thanks Raelene
ReplyDeleteThank you Amy.
DeleteOmg I need one of those scrap ma bobs! Where do I find me one of those!
ReplyDeleteI have found some with stock.
Deletehttp://www.littlescrapbookshop.com.au/product/scrap-ma-bob-caddy/
https://the-craft-emporium-australia.myshopify.com/products/scrap-ma-bob-clamp-on-holder-for-cup-bag
https://www.theoriginalscrapbox.com.au/products/scrapmabob