Stamp Organization

I'm a little weird - I really enjoy organizing things. It makes me happy and motivated when things are in order and I can FIND THEM. I recently started a project to catalog my stamp sets so I can remember what I have when I'm ready to create. The program I use is called OneNote, which is part of the MSOffice suite. Here's a peek at what it looks like:

Each stamp set has its own page in the notebook. I tag the heck out of each stamp set with as many descriptive words as I can think of. This makes it so easy to identify a theme or specific word by using the search feature. Because I like things to be easy to find, I drag the page to the right spot so it's in alphabetic order in the left thumbnail part of the OneNote main page. 

I'm by no means an expert, but this has been super easy to learn. I love that it functions on a cloud, so I can access my OneNote from my laptop computer, from my tablet, or from my phone. This is an ongoing project, but it has been fun to do. I've discovered some "old friends" in my stamp collection and am eager to use them in some upcoming artwork. 

Organized

There are few things I enjoy doing more than organizing things. I know -- it's a sickness. Next to a scrapbook store, one of my favorite places to go is the office supply store. Or Organizer Heaven, otherwise known as The Container Store! When I read that the challenge on Heart 2 Heart this week was all about organizing, I knew I had to post!

My scrapbook room was my daughter's bedroom until she moved into her own apartment a year ago. I lost no time in staking my claim and was all set up before the weekend ended. I love my cozy little space.

This is the view from the doorway.

And the view from the opposite corner:

Now for some close-ups of my favorite organizational items:

Let's start with paper. I organize my cardstock by color families because that works for me. I am slowly getting each color in a zip-top bag so I can keep the scraps in the bag with the color. I tend to use them up that way. I used to throw them in 12x12 plastic drawers, sorted by color but accumulated WAY too many. To overcome that, I went through all the scraps while recovering from surgery a few years ago and cut the pieces first into a standard card size if it was big enough, then a standard size card front, then 4 x 6 pieces, all the way down to 3 x 3. I didn't keep smaller pieces, and those card bases and fronts have really come in handy! I'm in the process of sorting my retired B&T into color families, too, once I get down to a few smaller pieces. Until then, the retired paper packets are kept alphabetically in a plastic crate.

My current paper packets are kept on this wire paper tower I bought from a going-out-of-business scrapbook store. One slot has the Level 2 Paper Packet, and the next one has the Level 1 kit. The paper packs are kept alphabetically so I can find them easily.

There are a few extra slots for pages in progress.

I found these cute little pink containers at Wal Mart. I bought them in several sizes and have several items sorted into them, labeled with my handy label maker. The deeper ones hold Petite Perks stamp sets and white self-stick notes; the shallow ones hold things like tape runners.

I love using this larger container for my blocks. The handles latch to the lid, so it's easy to take the blocks to crops. It fits on one of the shallow shelves in my black desk from Target for easy access.

Let's talk stamps. I have tried every way I can think of to organize my stamps, and I always come back to my reliable old cd baskets that I bought several years ago at Target. I keep them organized alpha numerically. Ignore the numbers written in the corners -- it was from a different system I tried. Fail.

What I ran into with keeping them organized this way was how to find what I needed and how to remember what I have. I finally decided to create a topical index of each stamp set. I wrote down every category I could think of and printed a label for each one. I also created pages for A - Z (words and sentiments), specific common phrases like "Happy Birthday" and "Thank You," and alphabets. I used old non-CTMH cardstock and just 3-hole punched it. I spent a weekend stamping and only got about halfway through. So now, if I use a stamp set that hasn't been entered in the index, I make myself stamp each image in the book before I use it. I also take the tiny stamp number and stamp it right next to the image. Makes it so easy to find what I'm looking for! Here's an example using the "Frames/Tags" page:

Another organizing item I'm proud of is the way I keep my Nesties and embossing folders. One day I looked at the My Acrylix stamp box and thought, "Perfect!" I dug out some self-adhesive magnet strips, cut down the Nestabilities cardboard insert and attached the magnets right to the insert. You have to use several strips to catch all the small inner dies. I can just flip through to see what I have! Plus it's very portable.

I like to use things that are pretty as well as practical, like the 3-tier wire basket (Target) and buttons by color families in glass jars:

I love my Ikea drawers, covered in Basic Grey paper. These hold my chipboard alphabet letters and numbers.

And last, but not least, is my beloved labeler. I couldn't organize without it! Well, I guess I could organize - I just couldn't find anything.

Thanks for visiting my scrapbook room! I hope you took away an idea or two to use in your own organizing. Have fun!

Storing those ink daubers...

I'm always looking for creative storage that doesn't break the bank for my scrapping and stamping supplies. While grocery shopping in Kroger recently, I spotted these ice cube trays and immediately thought how PERFECT they would be for storing sponge daubers! I brought home a few, and I was right -- they work beautifully. The neat thing is that the bottom of the "cube" is actually a slightly rounded silicone area, so it holds the dauber really well. The trays were hanging on a hook next to the bottled water since the cubes are sized to fit into a water bottle. Next step -- labeling each dauber with a different color of ink.

Page Planning

I've enjoyed a few days off work, so I've been able to start scrapping the pictures from our trip to Washington, DC in July. I wanted to use the newest idea book Magic, which required a little planning ahead since many of the layouts use larger photos or non-traditional sizes of photos. I spent some time with the Magic book and my computer to plan out which photos I needed to get printed. I use scrapbookpictures.com  for photo printing because they offer such a wide variety of photo sizes. The 1.99 shipping in August didn't hurt, either.

I started by selecting a Magic layout, then choosing photos which fit on the layout. In a little notebook, I wrote the name of the layout, the photo sizes, and brief notes about which photos I was using on that layout. Even though this was time-consuming, it is paying off now that I have time to scrapbook! Once all the layouts were planned, I went to scrapbookpictures.com and placed my order. I especially like being able to order 2x2 or 3x3 photos instead of cropping the pictures manually. The scale is correct, and it saves a bunch of time!

When the picture order arrived, I spent some time sorting the photos by layout. If I were really organized, I would have selected the papers, too, and had that all ready. But I wasn't that organized this time. I'm finding that, because of my planning, I can get the papers cut and the basic page completed in about 15 minutes. The embellishments -- not so much! Anyone who knows me knows that the embellishing is the most time-consuming for me, but I love doing it!

Here are a couple of the results of my planning:

Here is a page in process (about visiting the Julia Child exhibit at the Smithsonian!). The Magic book is open to the layout being used. I shamelessly copied the page, down to the paper choice. Hey -- it worked for these photos! Why reinvent the wheel?

I hope this has inspired you to give Magic a try. Spending a little time in planning can reap big results when there is time to scrapbook!

Cuttlebug Folder storage

I love it when I find the perfect storage solution! While shopping at WalMart tonight, I came across these little containers and thought they would work for my Cuttlebug folders. Sure enough -- the folders fit perfectly!

This is what the container looks like with the lid on and latched:

I don't have a lot of folders (yet), so I placed a note cube behind the folders to keep them from sliding down into the box. If the folders can lean backward a little, the lid will still fit on top. I love being able to flip through to see easily what folders I have!

If the folders stand completely upright, they peek just over the edge of the box. When I get enough folders to fill the box, I'll just keep the lid underneath. Doesn't take much to make me happy, does it? :)

My scrapping space

When my daughter moved into her own apartment in January, I made her bedroom into my scrapping space. I love my cozy little space and wanted to share it with you!

The first stop on the tour is my stamping table. I keep all my CTMH inks in the Exclusive Inks Organizer. (I know -- you're shocked!) This little baby is so handy for keeping all the CTMH inks and markers. I added the optional, removable tray to the top for my re-inkers and other items. There are handles underneath that so the whole thing can be picked up and moved. I store my inks by color families rather than season, because that's just the way I think.
Here's the whole table. I keep a VersaMat foam-side-up underneath the desk pad to give my stamps some cushion. My blocks are in the white tool caddy.
I found these magnetic whiteboards at WalMart. They are a great place to hang artwork and inspiration. I've also been know to make a list or twenty, and this is a great place to keep the lists in my line of sight, and possibly my memory. The tv and dvd player sit on a repurposed computer cart. And, yes, that's Mike Holmes on the tv -- "Holmes on Homes." Nothing like HGTV to keep me company while I stamp and scrap.

Idea Books and samples --

The shelves are hand-me-downs from my husband's place of employment. The adjustable shelves make it so easy to fit everything. I keep everything on here from paper to dimensional elements (in the wood Ikea drawers) to stamps. I'm very visual, so I have to see things to remember that I have them, or they don't get used.

A close-up of my stamp storage -- The baskets are dvd baskets from Target. A whole lot of stamp sets will fit in them. I store my stamps alphabetically by title (for now). Again, it's the easiest way for me to find a stamp set. I also turn the stamps around and put them in the envelope "backward." That way I can see the set at a glance.

CTMH cardstock is sorted by color families and kept in Cropper Hopper paper keepers with labeled dividers. (What would I do without my P-Touch labeler??) Retired B&T paper and non-CTMH papers (I really do have some...okay, LOTS!) are kept here, too, loosely arranged by color or manufacturer.

Target had these sweet little wire baskets last year around Easter time. I got two and keep my punches in them. They make pretty dandy bookends, too, when loaded with heavy punches.

The scrapping area -- it's a little too cozy for more than me to scrap here, but I can always set up tables in the basement or in the family room if a group is coming over.

The view from the door: Shelves will be hung soon above the small bookcase.

The closet had a nice closet organizer, so I tried to utilize it for storage by adding some additional drawer units and shelves.

My adapted Library of Memories system:

And -- more shelves with extra "stuff" that I'd rather not see all the time.

I keep my current CTMH paper packets in a file crate ~ pink, of course. There is no rhyme or reason to the order right now. I really need to go through all of them and do some condensing and cleaning out. Add it to the list of "things to do when I finish college in May"!

And finally, the accessory cases. I'm sure you'll be surprised by this, but the embellishments are sorted by color.

Thanks for visiting my scrapping and stamping space!

My Scrapping and Stamping Space

I LOVE looking at pictures of scrapbook rooms! Some look like studios; others are a closet or little nooks. I remember viewing pictures of one room that had a jaw-dropping amount of stamp sets and other products. I wondered how she could find anything to use it! That was definitely one I showed my husband -- See, honey, I don't really have THAT much stuff!

My space isn't a studio, but it's not a closet, either. I have an area in the basement that I share with the kids' rec room (air hockey table, foosball table, video games) and my oldest son's bedroom. My son and I actually just flip-flopped ends of the basement to where I am now. I love it -- it's cozy, and I can work after he goes to bed at night without disturbing him. Sadly, it's also close to the laundry room, so I have no excuses for not getting the clothes washed. ;)

Ready to tour? Let's go!

This is the wide view:


It's really easy to arrange the tables end-to-end if a group wants to come over to scrap, like this past weekend!

This is the view when I'm sitting in my chair, facing the stairs. The three-tiered baskets are from Target. I found them around Easter and think they're perfect for holding my punches!


Moving around the room, I have set up an area for my Cricut and Cuttlebug. I covered the drawer units from Ikea last year while I was recovering from surgery. The drawers hold my chipboard, acrylic, and metal letters: one drawer per letter. Sorry for all the hanging cables and cords -- it's still a work in progress! (As well as the paint job -- definitely needs some help!)



This cabinet holds cardstock aranged by color families, retired B&T and non-CTMH patterned paper, idea books, how-to books, and many other supplies.









The right cabinet holds clear drawers from the Container Store. They're designed to hold shoes but work well for smaller items like Connection Club rewards.







Base pages and non-CTMH cardstock are in the paper rack. The bookcases hold an assortment of items, including photo albums arranged loosely on Stacy Julian's "Photo Freedom" system.


Altered items on top of the bookcases:


I keep my stamp sets in cd baskets purchased at Target:


I have found that I think by color when I am scrapping and stamping, so my embellishments are organized that way in the CTMH accessory cases. They fit perfectly in a metal file basket found -- where else -- at Target!


These magnetic white boards are awesome for displaying artwork! My most recent card swap is posted on this board, and I have another one for magnets from places we have visited and one for business stuff.


Hope you enjoyed the peek at my scrapping space!