Storing Stuff

I try to stay organized so that I can find things. Things go along smoothly until my collection of stuff exceeds the storage space or system that I had in place. I went from a few rubber stamps on wood blocks years ago to a number of stamps of various compositions that shall remain uncounted. The same scenario holds true for knitting needles, tubes of watercolors, beading supplies....oh that I would just stick to one craft, right? That isn't about to happen.

On my earlier blog I wrote about Copic Marker storage here. My marker collection is still stored in that bin, but Copic now recommends that markers be stored horizontally so the case sets on its side. This isn't a problem, but did change where the case is stored. Such is my life...finding a place to keep things, then re-doing it all again. And again and again.

Storage case and dividers by Art Bin

Besides loving to create, I also love databases. Sick? No, just another way to create. When I get a class supply list or find a project on Pinterest that I want to make, it is much quicker for me to look in a database to see if I have Copic color B29 or a 32" circular size 4 knitting needle than it is to pull out the bin of markers or case that holds my needles.

I like to see how others organize and store their supplies. Sometimes I change my way of doing things, other times I am just in awe of their storage and work space. Today I am sharing how I keep track of and store stamps, dies and embossing folders.

I have quite a few cling dies. After trying various storage ideas that didn't suit me, I have been buying these EZ Mount storage panels from Amazon. I can't find them locally but never have to wait long for an Amazon order to arrive. A package of five is under $4 before shipping fees.

I store stamps on both sides of these panels and store them in a plastic storage bin with coordinating sheets of paper that show what stamps are on each page. Both the panel of stamps and the photo key go in plastic page protectors. I buy them by the box at office supply stores. Here is a photo index

And here is the panel that goes with the index.

I have many stamps by Art Impressions, so many in fact, I have one storage container for their stamps and one that holds all the other stamps and my embossing folders.

These bins are stacked beside a stack of drawers that hold most of the dies used with my Sizzix Big Shot. There are a few dies in packages too large for the bins. Those are on top of the drawers and next to them, on top of the box marked Envelope Maker. The tall bin on the right holds stickers that are sorted by not inventoried. I am not crazy enough to try to maintain an inventory of things that become depleted although that would be different if I were running a business.

The case with the copper colored handle is another Art Bin product specifically designed to hold magnetic dies. The panels that fit inside that case are magnets. I love that system! No more dies falling out and getting mixed up with something else. Many of my dies are nested in size which means many dies will fit in a small space. 

Now for my binder. The inside pocket on the left is holding two sheets of sturdy card stock with samples of my punches. I have the sizes and names of the punch listed next to the holes punched out image on the large sheets and the loose pieces labeled and in the ziplock bag. Sometimes I want to hold the "hole" over a sheet of paper to get an idea what the image will look like, other times the reverse is handy to use to see what kind of space an image is going to use up on a layout or to use as a mask. 

My list of Sizzix dies begins above on the right, nested dies are below.

Embossing folders are next

Some of many pages of Art Impressions stamps

Followed by all the other brands of stamps

And last but not least, the wooden stamps that began it all...

Perhaps I should now go make use of these items instead of rearranging them and writing about them.

Easel cards

Sometimes I get excited over things that I'm sure make others wonder what the heck....

I've been liking easel cards lately. So much so that I bought a Sizzix die to make this easel card. The die is # 659211, called the Regal Stand-up.

The layers of the flower were cut from Sizzix Triplits #659608.  The lace border was made with a Martha Stewart Punch. 

You can barely tell in this next photo that the card is propped up in place by a small cut in a shape that reminds me more of a thumbnail impression than a half-moon.

I probably should have taken another photo from a different angle before I mailed it. I wrote anniversary greetings on the inside (opposite side of the the light pink floral paper) and have been thinking that this card could be a fun way to share good wishes and positive affirmations to someone. I can see having a phrase like "You can do it!" on the front where the lace is, with a handwritten message inside that might encourage someone.

I can also see the points on the medallion becoming a spider web for a Halloween greeting.

Cut calories while coloring

One of my favorite line of stamps is Art Impressions. I like everything they do, especially their Girlfriends and Golden Oldies collections. The six pictures here are going to be for my Weight Watcher leader. They may not be appropriate for corporate WW, but my leader has a sense of humor and I think she and the ladies who work the desk will chuckle over them.

I stamped the various images, scanned them, re-sized them and added captions in Word. These were printed on a Brother ink jet printer onto X-Press paper. Copic markers were used along with Sakura white, clear glaze and star glaze pens (star glaze on some of the jewelry, clear on eyeglass lenses and dishes) and silver and gold metallic pens for some of the jewelry.

This first image is from the stamp set called Yoga Yolanda #4209

Next is Madge #1549

Out to Lunch #3576

Selma & Gladys #4211

Gossip Club #1522

And the stamp that led me to this idea, The Weigh In Set #4049

I still like Crayola crayons, especially a brand new box of them looking all perfect and smelling wonderful, but boy howdy...I really, really love Copic markers!

Gray haired Goldilocks

"Go look for new furniture for the sun room" Hubby said.
"Oh boy!" was my initial reply, to be followed by "%$#*!!!" later on.

This should have been a good thing, right?
Not if your sun room is small and you'd like a dining table without a hole in it for a patio umbrella. It would probably help if it wasn't the end of the season for these items in Michigan, but I'm not sure my size requirements and table without a hole are going to much easier to find in the spring.

We may end up scraping, sanding and repainting the existing table and chairs which will lead to recovering the seats once we find a settee and chair to replace the wicker that really has to go. More about this room at a later date but for now, my question is why is it so hard to find what I want?

We encountered this when we shopped for living room furniture two years ago. You wouldn't think comfort without massive arms and no floral or geometric upholstery would be so limiting. I'm beginning to look at new cars. None of the styles scream "Me! Buy me!" because they all look so similar. My criteria is more pep than my current car (I'm doing more expressway driving and need to get away from some people), a mirror mounted in such a way that it doesn't create a blind spot, heated leather seats and I want the car to be red. Not wine. Not cinnamon. I don't want to fall into a well as I get in. I don't want to need a step stool either. And what is with the wide door sills on some vehicles? Goodness gracious, I've become Goldilocks!

I don't think I am exceptionally picky but when you plan to live with something for a good while (furniture and cars) and are paying quite a bit for those items, you should be able to find something that meets a few simple requirements, don't you think?

Just like the middle bowl of porridge above, I have something that turned out just right, a pair of socks.  The pattern is Wendy Johnson's basic toe up sock, the stitch pattern is broken waterfall, and the yarn is Madelinetosh sock yarn in color #27, Paper.

They weren't difficult but I did take a long time completing them. I put them aside many times to work on other projects. I had one sock finished at a shorter length and decided on the second that I should use up more of the yarn and make the socks taller. Undoing the ribbed part of the finished sock shouldn't have been a problem but I made it one. I unraveled two complete pattern repeats (6 rows each) before I was satisfied with the stitches on my needles. I love them. I just don't want it to be cold enough to wear them.

Hmm, maybe since these turned out just right, I should wear them and go looking for patio furniture and a new car!

A gutsy move

I wasn't going to do this, at least until I reached another milestone, but here I go....

I've added a link in my sidebar to a blog I started a few months ago about my weight loss journey. I don't intend to talk it about here but thought I would make one exception and explain the link over there and at the bottom --->

Wish me luck, we can all use luck and positive reinforcement!

Miss FooFoo has new finery

As I went through my stash to gather fabric to donate, I found a bunny and carrot print that was purchased for a reason that has escaped me. Coincidentally, a rabbit that I made years ago was sitting on my craft room counter. I swear she was eyeing this print and said "that would make a lovely new dress for me you know".  Who am I to turn down a talking rabbit?

The rabbit is made from muslin. The pattern was from a magazine around 30 years ago. (Ouch...it hurts to say that!) I should have taken her before picture. I could have sworn I had one but it seems to be lost with some of my marbles. Her original dress was blue with yellow flowers. Her pinafore with pockets to hold her three babies, swaddled in dress fabric, was yellow with blue flowers. Sun didn't seem to harm her the blue fabric or the muslin, but oh the yellow...yikes!

I had just made new curtains for a bathroom in a white on white print. The leftovers were perfect for Miss FooFoo's pinafore.

I managed to use up some trim and ribbon too, and that makes me happy. Mama and her baby bunnies can now go into the Easter decoration bin and rest for a few months. I was going to do this back in April but apparently motivation didn't strike until August. At least I got it done in an "A" month and before a new Easter rolled around.

Are you familiar with the story of Little Bunny FooFoo? If not, here are the words and an audio clip of the music for this silly little song.

Dragonfly card

Sometimes simple is best. No coloring, no fancy cuts. Just two papers layered onto cardstock and a dragonfly embellishment made this card for a friend who likes dragonflies.

Both the paper and embellishment are from K&Company. The dragonfly was a new purchase, the paper is from a mat pack that is at least four years old.

I mimicked the dragonfly on the envelope, using a Copic multi-liner and Prismacolor pencils. Our nicknames are in the wings.

The only downside to using thick embellishments is the extra postage that is often required. I tell myself that I am saving money by not buying cards in a gift shop. The hundreds of dollars invested in dies, Copic markers, adhesives and papers don't count.