Getting there...

April 17, 2012

Last night I loaded up my thrift store spinning thingy with my technique swap samples. 

Now all I need to do is give it a spin to be inspired to try a new technique!

Over the weekend I made a quick dash out to IKEA and picked up a couple of kitchen racks to accomodate more punches.  See the new longer rack on the very bottom?

I added a smaller one here for more punches and I found a space for my flat SU! punches too!

I was a bit bummed that they didn't have the same kind of rack as what I started with but this style is ok and with all the punches you can't really see the rack!

I also finished my mother-in-law's birthday gift - I made her a bronze and gunmetal chainmaille bracelet. 

Until Next Time!
Marie

More Organizing!

PUNCHES
Even though I have lots of Sizzix Dies and Nestabilities I still like to use punches.  They are quick and convenient when you have space to store them properly!

I've outgrown my current storage system - I thought I had this under control by using these IKEA racks to hold my "mostly used" punches

and a "behind the door" shoe holder for my border punches and new Stampin' Up! flat style punches.

I love having my punches out in the open like this but now I've run out of room and have gone back to putting punches in drawers.  And they don't get used if they're not in view!

I've cleared a space on my desk and I'm thinking of adding a 3rd row IKEA rack (on the right).  Unfortunately IKEA doesn't sell the kind I bought anymore so I'll have to find one similiar. 

OR maybe I just need to get rid of some of my punches? 

RIBBON

I have so much ribbon you would not believe it.  I admit it - I'm a ribbon hoarder!

I won't even show you how much ribbon I have but I will show you how I store my "mostly used" ribbon.

I have 3 Making Memories Embellishment centres but I choose not to use the ribbon dowels. 

Instead I use these Store In Style Ribbon Spool Stackers and sort my ribbon by colour or theme.

I like this pant hanger idea but I can only use 2 of the 4 rods!

I just used one that I had at home but if you're shopping for one of these I would suggest you take some spools of ribbon with you to test out the space between each rod.

This is only a small fraction of my ribbon "collection" and if I wanted to really organize it I would need one (or more) of these bad boys. 

 Isn't this amazing!! It's made by Patty and her husband.  Click the photo to read more about it.

You can keep it out or slide it into a cupboard (if you had an empty cupboard that is!).

OTHER EMBELLISHMENTS

For other embellishments I use these Making Memories drawers which fit perfectly in the Embellishment centres.

I also use these clear plastic craft jars (large and small)

but mostly I keep my embellishments (stickers, rubons, glitter, brads etc)  in Best Craft Organizer drawer units like this.

STICKLES

I really like how Shannon stores her stickles using a cookie sheet and magnetic circles. Click the photo to read about it on her blog.

But I don't have a lot of Stickles or Glitter Glue bottles so I just needed something smaller. 

I used to keep them on my desk top but in an effort to clear some space for another punch rack I opted for a Best Craft Organizer Dazzle Caddy.  I got mine at Scrap Arts and I use both the base and the lid to store my glitter bottles.

If you have any suggestions to help me (and others) with storage ideas for punches, ribbon, or embellishments please leave a comment.

Until Next Time!
Marie

Happy St Patrick's Day!

I'm actually a bit early for once!

I made this cute punch leprechaun to use as a bag topper, peppermint topper or to embellish a card.

Punches used:
Key Tag - black and green
1 1/4 inch Circle - pink/beige
1/4 inch Circle - pink/beige and 2 black
1 inch Circle - rust
Scalloped Circle - rust
1/4 inch square - gold


Until Next Time!
Marie

Cute Punch Santa!

I saw this post from Patty Bennett on making a punch out Santa while at Stampin' Up!s Founder's Circle event and I just had to try it!

Isn't it just the cutest thing! 

Perfect for a card part, tag, treat topper or bookmark etc..

Punches used:
119859 Extra Large Oval (Red & White for Hat parts),
119855 Large Oval (Pink for Face),
119847 Ornament Punch (White for Beard),
117191 Bird Builder (just the wings in White for the Moustache),
118074 Owl Builder (just the Medium sized Eye circles - 2 Black for Eyes, 1 Red for Mouth, 1 Pink for Nose),
116824 Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder for the Red Extra Large Oval piece for his Hat
Snowflake Embossing folder for White Ornament Beard piece
Pom-Pom cut from spool of Pom-Pom strand


Until Next Time!
Marie

Punch Storage & Custom Craft Space

I often get asked - How do you store your punches?

Storage is an ongoing issue for me because I have soooo much stuff and I keep buying more! 

But as I tell all my crafting friends - keep your craft stuff where you can see it and access it.

Out of sight, out of mind!

Which for me means if I don't have it handy and ready to use I forget about it and I don't use it.  OR worse yet I buy duplicates!

What a waste!

So even though my desk and work area is very cluttered I have most of my tools and supplies handy!

I used to keep my punches in a drawer like this and they hardly got used or more like I'd be too lazy to dig them out and find what I needed.

So what I did a while back was I hung them on my wall!

I bought 3 of the Ikea Kroken kitchen rails and one of the matching magnetic knife rail. 

This is what it looks like "naked".

Unfortunately they are no longer available but Ikea has others that work just as well.

This is the Bygel Rail - it's super cheap and comes in 2 lengths.  Click the photo for more info.

There are so many interesting and different storage ideas on the internet now. 

You can pretty much find anything you need just by Googling it!

And lots of lucky women have their own "custom" or makeshift craft spaces. 

I fell pretty lucky to have 1/2 of our main floor den - I share the other half with my son and his gaming system.

If you haven't already checked out Crafty Storage you should!  There is lots of info and sharing going on there and you may find some ideas that will help you.

Right now I can think of a couple of women who are showcasing their "renovated" craft rooms.  One is Nicole Heady (from Paper Trey Ink) and the other is Mary Fish.

HERE is what Nichole's old room looked like.  Isn't it gorgeous!!!  She is re-doing it but I can't find the link right now so I'll post the link to her updated room as soon as I find it!

THIS is what Mary's old room looked like and now she is installing a custom craft room after her move to another state.  If you are interested in seeing a custom craft room being built please click HERE to go to Mary Fish's blog.  She is setting up her special place - it's amazing - and she uses the Bygel rails for her punches.

Everytime I see an update from these ladies it makes me want to purge and re-oganized my space!

I hope that you get some craft room/space inspiration by visiting their spaces.

Until Next Time!
Marie