Organizing Tips and Tricks

I have been organizing again - taking stock of all my supplies and making sure I have it all organized. I thought I'd share a tip I came up with for my stacking Distress Ink Pads. The thing that frustrated me with these is that when they are stacked you can't see what colors are what. So I got some file folder labels at the office supply store (see image, bottom left). For some reason they have a little black line at each end that marks the middle - which turns out to be really handy. I cut between the labels - so I only have one - then I ink it - which I initially did with the pad itself, but now am doing using the little foam applicators (upper right of photo) which works better and gives a better idea of the stamp pad color. After applying the color to the label I cut it in half with an x-acto knife then peel and stick to the edge of the stamp pad, wrapping it around the corner. I do the same on the other side with the second half – that way no matter how you pick up the pad you can see color on the side!

Now when they are stacked I can totally see what colors are what! Very handy and very easy to see. I suppose if I wanted to I could write the color names on, but I don't find that necessary.

I used another similar trick with my Distress Paints and Stain bottles. I pile them up in clear shoe boxes but then can't easily tell them apart when I want to grab one. So I paint (or stain) some white card stock, let it dry and then punch it out with the proper sized punch - I think the 3/4" sized one is what worked for this. Then I glue it to the cap. Voilá! Easy to sort them out quickly when I need them. And actually the colors are ever so slightly more accurate because I'm seeing the actual paint or stain color – or at least how it looks on white paper. Handy.

And for my punches - when I'm out shopping I can seldom recall which sizes I already have at home and which size I was wanting to add to my collection, which is always growing. So I cut some card stock (I chose black) in half - 5.5" x 8.5" - and then punched out of lavender paper so it would show up nicely, yet is light enough that I could write notes on it to indicate sizes and companies of the different punches. This is a handy size I can carry with me when out shopping or attending a stamping convention. I think I have a 3-ring binder this size I could put this into, too.


What do you do to organize your craft supplies that you find handy? I'd love to hear!

Making Art = Making a Mess!

Spent the last few days on a mini-trip to see
my friend, Sharon, again and we crafted and
made art (our favorite pasttime, next to
playing computer games). This was my work
space to give you an idea of how I "work." Grab
this, grab that... you gotta have pretty much
everything at your fingertips! My space at home
is even worse usually as things grow out of
control. Fortunately for Sharon I had to pack
up and go home so I had to clean up my mess!
But it was great fun. If I can remember to bring
in my stuff I made to scan it, I will post that here
soon as well! Generally I'm reluctant to share
photos of my work space as it is usually in state
of chaos like this... but here you go, me - letting it
all hang out, so to speak!

Yet another fun craft to try!

Well I managed to find one more craft to try! Going into a yarn shop yesterday after a work meeting next door was over... in an area way north of town I've never been to before... I was very warmly welcomed by one of the shop owners (though I didn't know that at the time) Elaine. She showed me how she made these neat little woven squares (or rectangles) on a tiny hand-held loom (called Weavette looms) and then she pieces them together (NOT sewing - she proclaimed). You can do so much with them and she and I really connected as we continued to talk. Ideas started flowing on what I could make with these little gems.... scarves, purses.... and then Elaine proceeded to show me samples she'd done! And then she gave me a little demo on how to start the loom with yarn and before you know it.... I bought a loom and she showed me how to do it and before I left I had my first little rectangle (shown above). I tried to do another one at home, but I think I need a remedial lesson on the last step because something wasn't quite right... but I almost have the hang of it. I'm definitely going back for more lessons, more yarn and more of Elaine's warm conversation.... I felt like I found a new home!
In case you want to go.... it's called A Tangled Tale and is in Powell, OH 50 S. Liberty St. suite 174... it's a cute little town. Their web site (which I haven't even gotten to yet myself is: atangledtale.com. Elaine and her daughter Doreen run it and it's a lovely place filled with windows, light and lovely colors of yarn!

Cleaning the craft room

Inspired by recent magazines I've been looking through, and wanting to get back to working on some art... I starting cleaning out the craft room (aka the dining room). It has been a horrendous mess for quite some time and every time I do more work it just gets worse and worse. Words can't begin to describe how really and truly bad it has gotten. After a couple of hours this morning I was so pooped out I sat on the couch and dozed for a couple of hours. I was as wiped out as I've been in a long time. I finally decided I HAD to get back up and move around and since I had coupons I wanted to use at Archivers and Barnes & Noble that are about to expire I got up and went out.

I got some cool stuff at Archivers and didn't spend too much (that store is a hard one to restrain myself in). And I got a couple good books at B & N... one Dover book on Victorian art that comes with a CD of the images (I'm getting attracted to the flourishes and swirls that seem to be all the rage now) and a book on selling your art that I'm hoping might inspire me to move forward with making some money off something I can make. And I got the newest Somerset Studio too. A late lunch/early dinner at Taco Bell... hey, it's cheap!

So I got more done when I got home.... lots more, nearly done, or at least done enough to start some work but maybe tomorrow, I'm pretty pooped out again. It's a good feeling to get that accomplished. I also realize how many unmounted stamps I have that I've never used! It's like winning a stamp lottery or something.... stuff I forgot that I even bought! I will work on organizing those soon, too. I can get sheets at the Container Store with my discount so that won't be a big deal. Maybe I'll get some tomorrow at work.

Well off to sit for a bit!