Crafting and Savings XP

During our ventures in "Low Income" we found our favorite level to play was "Bargain Shopping". We found ourselves getting so good that we just replayed the level over and over trying to top out our last High Score. Any one who has ever been to my house knows that we have become pros (especially around Target...). Find anything you like and chances are 75% off at Target! And, we don't just buy nonsense, we pick things out that we love/need and watch them like a hawk to go down on price. If it doesn't make it, we don't get it. As we advanced to the New World (Lower Middle Class) we also opened up new Levels to start "Bargain Shopping" through. Fred Myers has made it on our list today (hahaha).

Here's the thing with this level, the bad guys trying to bring you down are all those cool things that are new and full price and awesome and you can't live without them for even a moment longer. When you master the Level, such as we have at Target, you know their system. You can say no to the higher price tag and convince yourself that it will go down. But, a new Level, such as Freddy's for us, you don't know for sure it's going down. AND, there are a bunch of new things you have never seen before and they bombard you like those stinkin' Orcs in the Mines of Moria. Too many to handle!!! The Orc that I cannot defeat is called a Smash Book Video Clip of my Orc There are days I begged Dustin to take us to Fred Myers just so I can look at the display and spend way too much time trying to come up with as many excuses as possible as to why I HAVE to get one. My energy gets drained and Dustin eventually has to just KO one of his own in order to at least tap out of the level before it takes me completely.

So, I went home and thought to myself, what is it about this thing that I just have to have? What I found is that I love the different papers!! and the concept behind the relaxed scrapbook that goes with you everywhere. That's when it hit me, I can just make that on my own! I have tons of scrapbook papers! How hard could it be?

Recycled old Text Book Turned into my Very Own "Smash Book"

Answer is? Not hard at all. Time Consuming? Yes? Hard? No. And the cost involved? Not a penny out of my pocket (well, some of the stuff I bought before, but it's just around the house).

Step 1: Find a book. I had an old text book I had taken from work off the free bin.
Step 2: Rip out pages periodically throughout the book to give it room to add more pages in along with everything I want to scrap! Next, staple a few pages together (I choose 3 pages) to make the pages a little thicker.
Step 3: Cover book. I used a grocery bag to give me the brown paper look and used clear duct tape to make sure it would stay covered.
Step 4: Cut scrapbook papers to the size of pages from the book (measuring the cut out pages was the best way to find out how big I should cut down my paper) and glue onto stapled pages in book! You can add stickers and embellishments as desired!
Step 5: Enjoy your homemade and unique scrapbook that you can take everywhere and be hip and trendy.

Crafting XP: 50
Savings XP: 150

What my book has done for me: Given me something to do while my Packers were losing the game yesterday so I would stop yelling at the tv, help me use up a bunch of scrapbooking stuff that has just been sitting in my cupboard, and given me the Savings XP that I needed to boost me up to the next level at Freddy's and provide me with the skills I needed to say no to buying something at full price. Will I still want to buy some of the cool extras that are also on display with the Smash Books? Heck yes, I will! But, they are only a few dollars, verses the $15 I just said no to! This Boss has been defeated! and I can journey through Moria at ease knowing exactly how to fight off those awful Orcs.