Ingenious Inkling

Stamp *n* Storage Wafer Die Cut Storage

I have been searching for a way to store my Wafer Die Cuts for some time.  I had reached the point of frustration when I could no longer easily close my die cut drawer.

Yes, that has been my storage method for several years.  So every time I need a die cut, I have to pull the entire drawer down off the top shelf and start rummaging through it.  Not efficient or fun.

Over the years, I had unsuccesfully tried CD cases (to putzy, not viewable from the outside, and took-up too much room) and wall storage (took up too much space and the small ones were always falling off).  

So I e-mailed the Kittie the *queen* of die cuts and asked what storage method she used ... and she recommended Stamp *n* Storage Wafer Die Cut Storage.  This is a similar method to how I store my embossing folder (which I love being able to just thumb through), so I thought it looked like it would work for me ... so I ordered the Large (without Cover) and two sizes of Magnet Sheets.

My first step was to remove all of my die cuts from their packaging and put them onto the magnets (Yes almost that entire drawer is now in this box ... I purged 2 or three sets that I had no idea who made them or they had been discontinued).  

These are very strong magnets, so there will be no risk of them falling off.  I grouped my die cuts by companies, so all of the die cuts from the same company would be stored together.

As I worked through my collection, I stacked them up with the packaging, so I would have the company, die cut name, etc. when I went back to label them.

I used Avery 2"x4" White Shipping Labels (8163 for InkJet) and Avery Design & Print Online tool to label the back of my sheets.

So far, I am loving my new system.  The only die cuts I didn't include were those that specifically coordinated with a stamp set.  I put those into the Avery Elle Stamp Storage Pockets with the cordinating Stamp Set, so they would always be available together.

My next plan is to make some dividers to label each company, so they are even easier to locate.

Studio Tour

While my studio is far from finished, it is functional again, so I thought I would take you on a little tour.

In our former home, my studio was one half of a converted two-car garage with our livingroom at the other end.  I really loved this layout because my husband and I could share the same space, but both be doing our own thing.  One of the reasons we fell in love with our new home is because it also had a large open space for us to share.

However, now my studio is the first thing you see when you walk in the door ... so I swapped my colorful vinyl tableclothes for some stain resistant solid ones.  Here's the view when you walk in our front door.

Instead of having my two 4'x4' tables pushed together like I did in my former space, I have them in two separate parts of the room.  I'm still debating replacing the first table with something longer and narrower, but then I would lose my storage underneath.  I have a coffee table with baskets and a vintage dresser holding all sorts of goodies (like my ribbon collection in drawer number 2)

Here's the view to the left as you walk into our home ... lots of room for new art on that wall.  

And this is the view as you pass the first table and look back toward the front door.  I love that my Brian Andreas Coat Rack is perfect to hold our satchels that we take with us when we go to market or to the brewery.  My paper racks are also protected from the sunlight, which was more challenging in our prior space.

 My second table is positioned at the back of the living room, so I can see our TV while I'm crafting (or my computer screen, which is nice for challenges).  I also have lots of little art nooks.

A lot of my favorite art pieces hang on the wall behind this table.  There's even a little shelf to display some of the cards I have received in the mail.  I'd love to add a few more display shelves in the future.

And ... there's more.

Our first floor guest room is also filled with studio fun.  The middle table moves out easily when we need to fold out the twin size hide-a-bed.  This room has great light, so it's also where I keep my photo studio.

Dad also hung some of my heavier storage pieces (remember when Dad & I made that punch rack) on the sturdy brick wall.

I also have lots of fun art in this room.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my new creative space ... now I need to get those drawers labeled so I can find things :)

Home Filled with Art

One of the best things about our new home (besides having my own bathroom) is that we have lots more space to display our art collection.  We were bursting at the seams in our prior home.  If we bought something new, that meant something else had to go.  

With Dad's help, I now have all of my art in its new space.  This is the view as you walk up the stairway from the first floor to the loft.

Here's the same view from the 2nd floor landing.  While my collection is rather eclective, I tried to tie this display together using visual triangles of colors and shapes centered around the tree of life in the center.  The beautiful drawing on the bottom right is by my talented friend Michele.  

 I have another collection of art on the back wall of my creative space (studio tour will follow ... it still needs more work, which will be easier now that all of the art isn't on the floor).  I added a shelf to display some of my favorite cards ... I'll probably add a few more shelves, so I can rotate my displays.  It's fun to create displays that work with the vents and other architectural elements.

Another thing I love are all of the nooks and crannies where I can put more art ... like this little space above one of the windows (on the right is one of my favorite pieces by Nicole Maki).

 We did hang some things on the brick walls including my punch storage that Dad helped me build & some ink pad storage.

These ceramic pieces are on our living room wall ... I love how it looks like the comet is staring at us while we watch TV.  The blue painting on the shelf was one of my very first art purchases ... I bought it from the painter when I was in Haiti in 1985.  It has been on display in every one of my homes.

Here is more art displayed on another ladder shelf ... I love wood, stone & clay.

I also love our row of faces we have hanging on the loft ... here are a few of them.

I also love my Brian Andreas coat rack by the door ... a great message to read every day.

Now that we're done ... it's time to make some of my own art.

Crafty Storage

Moxie Fab World is asking crafters to share some of their favorite storage ideas in their studio.  

My studio in our new condo is still a work-in-progress, but I can share a few of my storage solutions.

One piece that I'll be hanging in my new studio is this stamp hanger that my Dad helped me make.

We bought a board at the lumber yard that we sanded and stained.  Next, we attached four curtain rods which are the perfect way to store lots of stamps.  We attached a sturdy cable to the back, so it can be hung on the wall (love storage that uses open wall space).

Another storage find I love is from my Dad's favorite store ... Harbour Freight.

I used it to store washi tape (until my collection outgrew it).  Right now it is storing stickles and paints.  I had previously put magnets on the bottom of my stickles bottles when I stored them like this ... and now the magnets are perfect to keep them in place in the metal trays.

Still Unpacking

No cardmaking today, but at least I started unpacking a tiny bit of my studio.

So glad to have my rainbow of paper visible again.

Studio Clean-Up and Tour

I usually try to change the table cloth on my studio work table at least once a year ... the places where I work a lot get inky and worn, and I want to keep the wood protected underneath ... yesterday was the day.

I took every thing off the tables, cleaned them, and rotated the one where I work the most (the edge was showing a little wear) and put on a new red table vinyl table cloth.  I usually try to pick-up bright summer patterns, but I haven't been able to find any, so I went with solid red this time.  My work tables are two 48" square standing height dining tables.

The first step was to put the lamp back in the center of the table.   My studio is one half of what was formerly an attached two car garage.  You can see one of the light fixtures on the ceiling above (there are four in the room).  They light the room well, but leave the center of my work table pretty dark.

We thought about hanging a fixture from the ceiling, but ultimately I found the tallest desk lamp I could, so it would spread light over the entire table (and not block my view of the TV at the other end of the room).

However, when we got it home, it still wasn't quite tall enough, so I went through my book stash & created my own lamp pedestal.

The next step was to put my main pieces of equipment back in their usual places.  After years of working in this space, I have figured out where most things work best, including my awesome Genesis paper cutter.  The light on the right makes it so easy to see exactly where I'm cutting ... especially when I'm trying to line-up and cut very close to sentiments or images.  I was buying a new paper cutter every year or so before, but I've had this one over two years and it still cuts perfectly.

I sorted my washi tape by color in my Revolving Bin from Harbour Freight.

I also finally took the time to sort my Spectrum Noir markers by color families.

I've had my spinning ink holder for years ... with my large table space, I work from both side, so things that spin work the best.

Cleaning off the table, also got me to file away all of my cardstock paper scraps ... I keep them in the crate on the left in hanging file folders by color (with metallics and specialty papers at the back).

The other end of the table is where I do a lot fo my stamping.  I have a ledger-sized foam pad that I cover with a piece of ledger-sized paper.  When the paper gets to inky, I turn it over, and then eventually replace with another sheet.

I also clean my stamps at that end of the table, as well as heat emboss ... and to the left is my CuttleBug and dry embossing station.

Another rotating bin I found on my travels that holds tools, scissors, paint brushes and my smaller hole punches ... and my beloved pink 3M tape gun is always close at hand.

Here are the tables once everything was back in its place.  I have two chairs that sit at the end.  One holds a bin with my newest purchases ... the other holds a trash can so I can scrape all of the scraps from my paper cutter.  I sit in one occasionally, but find I really work best standing and moving around.

I hope you enjoyed my little studio clean-up tour.

Christmas in July

We're celebrating Christmas in July at Unscripted Sketches, and today I'm taking you on a tour of my favorite room in my house ... my studio.  I spend time in it almost every day and nothing makes me happier than to be immersed in the creative process.

I recently installed new vinyl flooring in my studio and I absolutely love it.  This shot was taken right after we started moving everything back (all of heavy cardstock was moved and stored in the rolling suitcases ... my husband's idea and it worked like a charm).  

I do most of my designing standing-up, so I have two 48" square standing height tables that I use for my creative space (with plenty of room for storage underneath.  I have several bar height charis when I do want to sit and create.

I have lots of art on my wall ... here are a few of my favorite pieces.

I also got some cool foam mats to help ease the stress of standing (and pretty-up the place).

Some of my favorite things to create for the holidays are card gift sets designed specifically for the recipient.  I love to tuck them in with holiday gifts, so they have cards to send throughout the year.  

I found these awesome Beatles Album Cover stickers and knew immediately they'd be perfect for several music lovers on my gift list.

For this one, the Magical Mystery Tour is paired with gorgeous musical collage paper from 7gypsies Morceaux collection.  I added an Imaginesce Snag 'em Live Loud sentiment stamp.

Please Please Me was paired with Papers from Echo Park's Note to Self and the same sentiment stamp (layout is Sketch Saturday).

Thanks for stopping by to visit me in my studio today.

Hero Arts Social Club

Excited to see my Everything Good card featured on the Hero Arts Blog today.

I also won some fun stamps from the Sweet Stamp Stop in Julie's Blog Celebration.

And my stamps I won from Paper and Such Blog Hop arrived in the mail today (how fun are those goofy snails).

And here are a few pictures from my studio.

A vintage 1960's owl container from my mother-in-law ... my new studio friend.

I added some shelves to the walls for more art displays.  The gorgeous mosaic picture was made by my friend MIchele DeSutter ... and the cool dress-form vase is from my brother's friend Eric Botbyl.  The top piece is a portion of a wonderful mixed media quilt piece from a Iowa fiber artist Amy Skouson.

And colorful new foam mats for the areas where I stand and create ... I love the pop of color with my new floors.

Designer Tape Thanks

I love this week's Sketch at Skipping Stones Designs ... and the great design team samples really showcase a lot of fabulous design possibilities.

I decided to play with tape ... for my design I used one fabric tape and two washi tapes.

I finished with an EAD Designs Rub-on sentiment.

And speaking of tapes ... I love the new way I have to store them.  When I saw this 12" four-bin revolving storage unit from Harbor Freight on Pinterest, I knew it would be a great addition to my studio.  I'm a very visual crafter & like to have my supplies in my line of sight.  

Thankfully we have a Horbor Freight in town ... and I was able to get one of my own for only $19.99 (you can order on-line).  I actually have a fair amount of storage in my studio that was intended for tools ... I love that the designs are b

oth sturdy and practical.

I will warn you ... there are a lot of screws to put this baby together.  The top two trays were supposed to have six dividers, but I went with three at all levels, which works better for me.

Studio Update

Several people had asked to see photos of my new shelving unit once it was filled.  They are metal industrial shelves we got from Sam's Club.  They were a tad tricky to put together (three people to hold things rather than two would make it much easier), but we managed to get it done without too much angst.

Right now they are mostly filled wtih baskets and bins.  I don't think I've found my final configuration yet, but it's coming along.  The new shelves necessitated some re-arranging with my smaller table (where I primarily do heat embossing and cutting with my circle cutter) now in the corner by the shelves.

Also, while my Dad was here this weekend, we finally found a lighting solution for the center of my craft tables ... a tall lamp that is sitting on top of several large dictionaries in the center of the table.  It helps tremendously.

I'm still searching for another small book shelf to go under the table to store the extra books and things that are still in boxes after the rearranging.  I sure do love my space ... very functional and accessible.

You can see more studio photos here.