One of my duties when I worked in the Philadelphia Library was to maintain the clipping file. Every day I read a handful of local papers and clipped articles that might be useful to our patrons or staff. These papers only had a local circulation and were too small to be indexed in any of the major published indexes. This was back in the 70's before we had a computer on every desk and cubby. Retrieving a newspaper or periodical article meant locating the microfiche or microcard and using the appropriate readers. Newspapers in their original form were too fragile for long term storage unless in an archival setting - controlled temperature and humidity, light, dust and pollution free etc. In other words it was a royal P.I.A. - Any clipping that we deemed important was photocopied onto permanent paper - paper that was acid free, lignin free, and tear resistant. The link below has a lot of information of preserving newspapers and at the bottom of the article it has a link to creating archival scrapbooks too. Here is a link that might be useful: clippings

I've taken a couple of classes and attended a lot of crops with other scrapbookers. Why not get your group together to talk about what each person wants to learn? If most of them want to learn the basic's, as I suspect, then go ahead and plan to teach them about the tools they'll need, organization tips, and making a simple page or two. You can find a lot of info on line, as well as finding several good books to help you get started. As for supplies, look online and have them sent to you. Good luck and enjoy! Sue

I too, am considering making my hobby, a part time job. Not necessarily for the money, but for the company of other crafters who enjoy the same hobby as I do. To the best of my knowledge there is not an active club or group within 15 miles of me now, and I hate having to drive a lot futher to learn new ideas and layouts. I can't make myself just go with CM though. I find that there are just too many new items coming out almost daily, that CM just does not carry, and many people are requesting for their books. I think that CM got so used to being the "only" supplier early on, that they no longer tried to find and market new items, and so they are now paying the price for their slow marketing skills. While I do use some of their products, and enjoy them, I find MANY items cheaper, and of a MUCH larger selection, in the variety of stores that are now catching on to this craft, along with of course all the online stores now available. I would say that if you have enough of a following in your area of friends, who are not already connected with a CM consultant, then by all means go for it, but do your homework first. For example: How much will it cost you to rent/use a building for a class, if your home in not big enough for you to hold it there? How many friends do you know who would be willing to leave their regular CM consultant now, and become your customer? Who will watch your children while you are at your classes? What is your up front cost going to be and how long do you project it will take you before you recover these inital expenses? Does the building in question have heat, cooling, tables, and at least a fridge or soda machine for your classes? The more answers you find for these and other questions you ask yourself now, the more successful you will be later, and the more you will be able to judge if this should be your job or remain just your hobby. Good luck and I wish you the best. Penny

I made snowman ornaments, I cut out a simple snowman shape, used my markers and gel pens to make faces, vests and stitches around the edges. I laid them right sides together, placed a small piece of batting on the outside, stitched, turned and stuck small twigs for arms through the side seams and glued and added a cord hanger. One of the stamping sites stamped on the back side of pop cans, cut them out and slightly curled the edges and made cool butterflies, you could just draw with your markers or stencil them. A friend spray painted vegetable cans, then stenciled on them for small planters, she added a wire handle. I have one with pansies that is really cute. I sometimes use my papers as stationery, I print out letters on them, brightens shutins day or I place a sticker on a plain letter to add a holiday or special event theme. I also use my decorative scissors to trim envelope flaps to add interest. Light switch covers with a few decorative stickers or stenciling can hide the cover and carry out a theme. Also plan to make seed packets with stickers and markers/gel pens and put small curled wire hangers on them then add my own saved seed for stocking stuffers and secret gifts. Gracefulbee.com was starting a new section with ideas for using scrapping tools, etc., too.