Crusade No. 8 ~ Cheap Tricks

Let's see your clever, inexpensive favorite things to use when making art.  Free stuff is even better (think CAUTION tape).  Sure, you could just list them but it would be way cooler to SEE your tool or supply AND an instance where you've used it on a journal page or project.  Remember how much fun it was to SEE each other's collections in an earlier Crusade?  Make it easy - pick one Cheap Trick, use it on a journal page, tell us about it on your blog or site, then come back here and leave a comment with a link to you.  ***

I love to collect guitar picks and I use them as tabs on a page.  There is this awesome tool from Dick Blick that will drill through the pick so you can attach to your page with mini-brads.  Just a few twists of the thingie and it bores through even a penny!  I'm sure I've mentioned that I crack myself up.  Well recently when I was creating the Top Hat Pick banner for a Crusade winner it occured to me I could have guitar picks custom printed.  Now honestly, how cool it that?  They arrived just in time to send in Penny's prize package.  I will be sending a few to previous winners so no whining. 

*** HEADS UP!! COMPANY IS COMING!! ***

Time to put on a clean tablecloth.  Just today I rec'd the premier copy of Somerset Life.  It is stunning!!  It is a visual feast.  Here's the thing:  they have an article about creative blogging, and not only do they show two other lovely blogs, they also feature BOTH of mine.  So THAT means we may get a little more traffic here.  This is YOUR time to shine.  You're here because you either participate in the crusades or are thinking about it.  Remember, the point of being on the Street Team is to get visitors to swing by YOUR street.  While there are no rules about how you submit an entry here you should consider this - what kind of blogs do you enjoy?  I'm guessing you like ones with interesting visuals.  Am I right?  So come on, join in this crusade with a visual that will wow us and our new visitors.  We rock!  Let's show some evidence of that.

CRUSADE No. 8 ~ Cheap Tricks Due June 1.  Show us a cool, cheap (or free) supply or tool you like to use and how you use it.  Make an entry on your blog or site and comment here with a link.  You may participate by following this month's prompt or any of the previous prompts.  (There is a new link list, bottom left, to navigate the earlier Crusades.)

And if you're new here - thanks for stopping by.  Come and play! 

EDIT:  I forgot to show the tool...found HERE.

EDIT No. 2:  more pick pages....oh!  and COLORED STAPLES!  Hard to show in a photo, but in real life they make for a very clever little detail.  And TEXT - how can you pass up cutting cool slick lettering from magazines?  Clip clip clip and stash in a flat palette box so you can scrumage around and find the perfect addition to a page.

Comments

[Crafty Green Poet]

What a brilliant prompt! This is totally my thing so I'll certainly do a visual this time. I love what you've done with the guitar picks!

[Becky New]

LOVE the tabs!!! I just passed up 5 different types of tabs just *knowing* there was a better idea.... DANG woman!!! :D LOVE THIS!!! :D :D :D Going to post my Cheap Trick now.... :D (lord knows I'll have more than one!)

[Becky New]

Well duh... Guess I should have put my link in there! LoL!
http://bexarts.typepad.com/bexarts/

[Sigrid]

Michelle, this is a great challenge, I am really curious about all the cheap trick other players will come up with!
Here are my cheap twopence:
http://sixfrites.wordpress.com/2007/05/05/cheap-embellishment-tricks/

[karla nathan]

congrats on the Somerset article!!

[karla nathan]

congrats on the Somerset article!!

[Nicole Z.]

Here is my entry for this crusade, was a lot of fun. ;)

http://sshaythiel.blogspot.com/index.html#7735541210336341644

Hugs
Nicole

[Beth Leintz]

This is a good challenge- made me think! I took a look at what I've made recently and decided my grommet maker is one of my favorite cheap tricks. You can meet my grommetter at my blog: http://bethleintz.typepad.com/

[Deryn Mentock]

Terrific idea for the picks Michelle. My son is a guitar player so we have picks everywhere in our house! I've been trying to figure out a good way to incorporate them into jewelry but I love them as page tabs.

[susan greene]

I love this challenge. I have read other peoples ideas and my head is spinning.I now need to buy a grommet maker as I lent mine out and it has never returned.

[Ro Bruhn]

Hi Michelle, this is my sort of crusade, making something out of nothing. Here's my link, I've also included last months as I missed the deadline.
Thanks for a great challenge http://robruhn.blogspot.com/2007/05/crusades-7-and-8.html

[carlene]

Great challenge, here's some of my cheap tricks...
http://carlenefederer.blogspot.com/

[Crafty Green Poet]

I'm doing this in 2 parts. Part One the materials can be found here: http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot.com/2007/05/cheap-tricks-part-1-materials.html

Part 2 - the art journal will follow!

[karla nathan]

Oh, I HAD to play this time! cheap is my life

[Becky New]

I posted some more Cheap Tricks on my blog. Have a look if you'd like!
http://bexarts.typepad.com/bexarts

[gaby braun]

I love the idea of cheap tricks, then I love cheap things. I posted my tricks on my blog.
There are two postings to the theme.
gaby
http://gaby-cajubrasil.blogspot.com/2007/05/crusade-nr-8-cheap-tricks.html

[Lindart]

My first answer to a Crusade! The cheapest tool is the free tool! Have a look...

[Lindart]

Ooops! My blog link is http://www.lindart.blogspot.com

[Ursula Clamer]

Hi Michelle, Here is my entry for this months crusade
http://barefootwanderings.typepad.com/
Hopefully I'll have a chance to do another before the month ends - we'll see!!
Ursula xo

[steff]

OK, this is my first-ever post! I love the ideas on here-and the Somerset article was awesome!
http://mommycraft.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/crusade-no-8-cheap-tricks/
from my blog www.mommycraft.com

[karla nathan]

Michelle, by leaving a comment on my blog, you were entered in a contest! And today I drew names, you won 2nd place. If you'll get your address to me, I'll get it into the mail for you!

Thanks for coming by to visit me, hope you enjoy your prize!

[debra]

This is my first time playing. Thanks for the fun prompt!

http://littleblackkitty.typepad.com/a_little_imagination_and_/2007/05/art_tip_2.html

[Karen Campbell]

This was a good challenge. I had to think hard of what I use that is free or cheap ... I must be taking these things for granted :)
Here is my entry ...
http://karensaltereddreamz.blogspot.com/2007/05/graffiti-art-chunkies.html

[tricia]

this was fun!
here is my entry:
http://a-little-birdie.blogspot.com/2007/05/crusade-8-and-winner-is.html

[Nicole]

Another entry from me:

http://sshaythiel.blogspot.com/index.html#5831859117727622111

Hugs
Nicole

[svenja]

Hi Michelle,
My entry:
http://art-creations.blogspot.com/2007/05/michelle-wards-crusade-nr8-cheap-tricks.html

i hope you all understand it :)
Svenja

[Sigrid]

I had linked to some of my cheap tricks in a comment above; here I used the textured metal on a canvas:

http://sixfrites.wordpress.com/2007/05/17/the-french-lily/

TFL!

Sigrid

[Nicole]

Another entry from me:

http://sshaythiel.blogspot.com/2007/05/another-piece.html

[Belinda]

here are my 2 cheap tricks
http://belindaschneider.wordpress.com/2007/05/20/cheap-tricks/
i love that punch as well, so handy dandy. wow, and i never thought of custom printed guitar picks. yet i carry my favorite one around every day DUH! never used my colored staples, don't know why.

[Kim Tedrow]

Cheap trick #1 posted at http://kimtedrow.blogspot.com. Thanks Michelle!

[Mia Howard]

Here is my cheap tricks! Thanks - Mia!

http://miahoward.blogspot.com/

[Kim Tedrow]

Sorry, screwed up my link to the cheap trick -- let's try this again;

http://kimtedrow.blogspot.com/2007/05/gear-dude.html

And thanks for your kind words Michelle, you made my day!

-Kim

[Tera]

My favorite thing are thrift store finds. I love scoping through the aisles to find things to recycle in my projects or scrapbooks. These latest finds made little books.

[Tera]

Oops should share the link ... http://justtera.blogspot.com/

[tina]

Here is mine! Another totally thought provoking, raid the artroom challenge....
http://inspiredbycolor.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/gpp-street-team-crusade-no-8/

[johanna]

here is my first contribution to your crusades:)

http://johanna-mixedmediafun.blogspot.com/2007/05/gpp-crusade-no-8-cheap-tricks.html

if anyone has questions, you can email me at johanna@goisser.de

[Penny Stuart]

Hey Michelle,
Here are the pages for the Crusade....gotta go take a look for more "everyday" items. I'm sure there are more items to play with!

http://pennyrabbitart.typepad.com/penny_rabbit_art/

Thanks for another wonderful challenge! Fantastic theme!

[Natalie Briney]

Hi Michelle!! I've been a lurker for a long time and love what everyone comes up with. So thought it was about time I cam out of lurkdom (is that a word??) and did something myself.

So here is my list of cheap tricks.....

http://nats-ramblings.blogspot.com/2007/05/gpp-street-team-crusade-no-8-cheap.html

thanks for looking

[Gisele]

Hi Michelle

Been wanting to participate here for ages,so here's my contribution at last...thanks for coming up with such great Crusades :)

http://artescapes.blogspot.com/2007/05/cheap-trick-tissue-paper-backgrounds.html

[Dymphie]

Here's my cheap envelope template:
http://papierenavonturen.blogspot.com/2007/05/opgeruimd-tidied-up.html

I love browsing all the cheap tricks, some very good ones!
Dymphie

[Megan Pickwell]

At last scraping in by a couple of days, my GPP street Crusade No 8 entry!
http://artfelt.typepad.com/art_felt/2007/05/cheap_tricks_ch.html
Megan

[johanna]

just remembered i have another one for adding text to a project:)

http://johanna-mixedmediafun.blogspot.com/2007/05/gpp-crusade-no-8-cheap-tricks-another.html

[michelle infantino]

had a great time doin' this Michelle! Thanks.

http://solistenup.blogspot.com/

[Tautchia]

Awesome prompt! Gonna have a blast checking out what everyone came up with!
Here's my project - it's the May 31 entry
http://tautchiacoleman.blogspot.com/

[Sue]

Finally!! I've been wanting to participate in this for months! The artwork used for example isn't new, but I hope the "cheap tricks" make up for it. Here's the link: http://artfuladventures.typepad.com/artful_adventures/2007/05/cheap_tricks.html