Organizing Your Stash...Day 2

Hi there, taking a little break from a great, sun shiney day to post Day 2 of my organizing. I'll be answering some of those questions from Day 1 soon when I get a little bit more time. If you recall from my previous post, I was talking about visual organization....being able to see your stash of products out in the open while you work.

I've shown my way of organizing my Washi tape in this post, but I've since added more to my collection.....and it's so popular right now....I thought it was worth repeating. These are some newest additions to my Washi stash.

I really love to use vintage receipt spikes to hold 7-8 rolls of tape. I just stack on the tape rolls in no particular order.
Then they all nestle in the top of my Pottery Barn 3 tiered, galvanized unit. I love that I can see them and just pull out a bunch at a time. I'm afraid that my Washi stash is outgrowing this method though. I might have to resort to a cute milk glass dish or something like that to hold more. And I've noticed that the price of the receipt spikes has nearly doubled or tripled since I first found mine. Bummer. How do you store your tapes, I'd love to hear?

Up next is a big ole stash of Elle's Studio journaling cards. Again, adorable packaging but I need to be able to sift through all the cute cards.
I tore all the pieces out of the plastic packaging and sorted them by like item and size.
I used small clothespins to clip all the groupings together and then tucked them into a vintage loaf pan. Now I can easily flip through the journaling cards and pull out a grouping I like.
And that's it for today. If you've got a great way to organize your tapes, journaling cards or other supplies please link me up in the comments section. I loved reading your posts from last time. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! I'm off to finish an assignment and then it's back outdoors for me. :)

Project Life Week 9, 2012

Whew, it's been a while since I've had a Project Life update. Just finished Week 9 and have some more catching up to do. This week, I kept it scrappy because I still love to work like that on my pages....however I feel the need to work at a faster pace until I get caught up. So this week's spread uses fewer embellishments which helped me spend less time on the inserts.

Here's my 2 page spread. I used a lot of neutral backgrounds of what I had on hand to fill in the 3 x 4 and 4 x 6 inserts.
The left page. Wrapping up basketball, Jordan as Superfan Thing #1 (still have an insert to do with a cute photo), tornado season.....
Right page. A favorite new place to eat, some vintage finds, fresh flowers, Charlie and new track shoes.
Was so happy to tear into some Banana Fish Studio journaling cards. Love the softer colors. I hand wrote a lot this week + I used my big Markit marker for a title. The metal rim tag was a fun accent for marking the year.
Good times at the basketball game. I used Studio Calico stamps + a journaling card from Elle's Studio.
Hand cut journaling card from a grid paper + sticker accents from my Studio Calico kit + new Washi tape + a painted Studio Calico butterfly + another Banana Fish Studio journaling card. Flower stamps are from My Mind's Eye. Typed journaling was on a Grid Label.
Here I added hand cut patterned paper to make toppers for journaling cards.
On to the 4 x 6 inserts. I used sticker letters and chipboard numbers + an Elle's Studio journaling tag. I just loved Jordan's clever head bands she made for her and her friend.

Smash Book tape + a stapled sticker file folder label + another Grid Label.

Here I used the cute camera stamp from Amy Tangerine + an Elle's Studio journaling tag + Hero Arts letters + the am & pm stamps from Studio Calico. Washi tape and a scrap from the floor were stitched to the bottom.
And new track shoes for the reds. I used a tag from Jordan's shoes as an accent embellishment + used more sticker letters and a small grid label.
And that's it. So glad to have another week in the books. I will admit......Project Life can be time consuming if you like to get really scrappy and add lots of photos. But it's SO, so worth it to me. I can tell that I'm going to have to stay on top of my calendar and taking photos because it's getting BUSY around here with all the Spring happenings. If you're still hanging in there with PL, good for you!

Thoughts:

Since I most use my Project Life as my main scrapbooking source, the regular scrapped inserts are fewer. But I've had a ton of misc photos lately. Too many to include in the weekly spreads. I've been brainstorming on new ideas to add those photos into my PL albums so I'll be implementing those soon. :)

Organizing:

Loved the comments from my organizing post. I'll be answering those questions, sharing your best tips and continuing with Day 2 soon here on the blog. Thanks for sharing your ideas with me!

Organizing Your Stash...Day 1

Recently I found these fun creamy glassware pieces at my favorite thrift shop. It sparked an organizing frenzy in my craft department. Big time. This week I'm going to share my recent organization sessions with you. :)

If you're a paper crafter you know how the goodies pile up, right? I was noticing that since I started Project Life and the Studio Calico kit club, my collection of smaller packaged items was growing. Big time. So how do you store it all? That is the question. When I receive new crafty items the packaging is enticing. And so pretty. I never want to tear into it. But I have found the secret to using up my stash and not hoarding it. I take it all out of the packaging.

I know for some this is terrifying. You want to keep everything in it's place. You want it to look pretty. But I find that if I leave items in their packaging I don't use them. So here's what I I do when I get a new stash of goodies: I admire them and fondle the packaging for a while before the items ever actually make it down to the craft department. Once in the craft department area they sit for a while so I can admire the pretty packaging again. Then once I'm over that I tear into the packaging. *gasp*

I am a visual crafter. I love to have things neat and tidy though. I love to have places for all my things. But recently my preferred method of organization is what I call "organized clutter". Everywhere. It's bad. I know you know what I mean. There are little organized piles of like stuff sitting around everywhere. That's how I roll. So my thought is if I can corral those little piles into something that looks nice but still sits out where I can see it, it's all good.

So that's where my pretty little vintage finds come into play. I took my little pile of goodies and tore everything out of the packaging. I started with brads, buttons, little yo-yo's, wood letters and little paper flags. Most of these items came from my Studio Calico kits. Some are items that I order online. I separated them into the little sections of my milk glass so the like items are still grouped together. Now everything is out in sight but it's all organized. I can look over to where I keep these little trays and the ideas are sparked. Visual organization is what it's about for me.

But I know what you're thinking. If it's not all showing in the cute packaging, "how do you know what you have?" I keep fun plates or trays like this plate from Anthropology handy. When I want to look at all my brads, for example, I scoop them out and spread them out on the plate. Each little collection is organized by like items. Do not dump everything into one big bowl, that may cause organizational mayhem. Not good.

And I know you're also asking, "how do you know what company makes what?" I don't know how I do it but most of the time I can remember what company makes a certain item. I tend to purchase from just a handful of favorite lines so their signature look shines through. I couldn't remember how old Jordan was the other day but when it comes to my crafty stuff, it's all up there. Ha!
Soooo.....I'd love your comments on how you organize. Are you a visual organizer? What do you like to store your goodies in? What are your favorite vintage finds? Got a photo, I'd love for you to link it up. I'll be sharing a few more posts of my visual organizing in the next week or so please visit again soon.

Disclaimer: I am by no means a well organized person. I am a hoarder, a collector, my mother's daughter. I get it honest. When you see one area of my house organized, just be careful when you open a closet or drawer. It might explode like a jack-in-the-box! But it's all good with me. I'll keep on wishing for that day when my house is all neat and tidy at the same time.

A good idea: Sometimes you just need to get over it and start purging. Those items you loved 5 years ago might not ever be your style again. Get rid of it. I'm going to keep this in mind and keep on sorting and cleaning out. Feeeeeeeels good, friends.

Hello There Notebook Gift

Hi everyone, just wanted to start off with a big thank you for your thoughts, prayers and notes during my dad's surgery. It went very well and Dad is home now resting. He's doing great!

While in the hospital waiting for Dad I took lots of magazines for my mom and sister and me to look at. I also took my sister a set of cards for her birthday, the last ones posted in this post. I had so much fun with the confetti bags that I tried a window version using a chevron sack from my shop.
I die cut an oval using my Papertrey oval dies and then just tucked in a plastic baggie that I had filled with confetti. To embellish the Kraft sack packaging I used a metal tag stamped with "hello there" from Framed Out #2. The ribbon is Kraft Satin.
Inside the sack is a cute notebook that I gave to my mom at the hospital. I thought she might need to take a few notes or jot down questions that she may have for the doctor. I used my Take Note stamp set for the "notes" sentiment on the front of the notepad.
To embellish the notebook I used Kraft cardstock, Dearest Jane patterned paper and one of the border strips I created a while back. So fun to just reach for a strip and see how it can be used. I tied on a Vintage Button with baker's twine for a finishing touch.
Such a fun little gift. I think cards & notepads make some of the most thoughtful....and useful gifts. They're some of my favorite to make....and receive I've been told. :)

This & That:

If you'd like to try your hand at the confetti sacks I've been showing I have some Confetti Gift Sack Kits available in the shop. There are a variety of the smaller sacks to play around with + I've included a clear sack with a little of the "snow" in it that can be mixed with punched confetti of your own. I've also added some of my more recent cards up for sale in the shop. And under the PAGES section at the upper left side of my blog, I've added lots of stamps and dies for sale. Each listing has a separate page and PayPal button, just click on the links.

Coming Soon:

I've been doing a little organizing and have taken some photos of my progress. I'll be sharing some ideas with you soon. Also I just finished Week 9 of my Project Life so look for that spread too.

Vintage finds create instant collections & a thought...

Hi there. I'm getting ready to head out to the hospital today. Today's the day for my dad's big surgery. It's going to be a long day so I'm trying to put a smile on my face and be very positive for my mom and dad. I'm reminded today that things are things. People are what matter most and how you treat them. Not just when they are sick or down & out....but every.single.day. I hope you keep those thoughts tucked into your heart today and every day.

Yesterday I grocery shopped and prepared a ton of food for family that is visiting. To relieve a little stress I stopped by my favorite little thrift shop before heading home from the grocery store. The owner and my thrifty friend, Ellie Lou, was out of the shop. I found out that she just had a major surgery too. I will have to send her a card. I missed my chat with her about our crafty ventures.

I haven't bought much lately in the vintage department because I don't want all my goodies to end up in an episode of Hoarders or Storage Wars some day. But I've been eyeing hobnail milk glass lately and I finally caved yesterday. I had one of these little beauties in my hands and put it back on the shelf a few times. Then I stumbled on another matching dish in another vendor's booth and decided that these were meant to come home with me.
Then I found this cute little restaurant ware pitcher and little planter in my favorite off white color. I couldn't resist. I love to put little flowers in these tiny pitchers and the planters are perfect for candies or crafty goodness.
And just like that I had an instant collection of off white glass goodies. I finally decided that these would make for some fun storage for all my smaller tags and Project Life embellishments.
I can't wait to clear off a shelf and display my new finds. Who can resist all those little divided cubby holes.
Are you looking for some unique storage for your crafty finds? Sometimes a trip to the junk shops is just what you need. A tip: Don't look for the obvious. You probably won't find a grouping of just what you need sitting there staring at you. Think outside the box. Find one classic item that you like and build upon that item. Carry that favorite around look for other items that match in color or style.

Have some quirky collections of your own? I'd love to see them...post a link in the comments. I'd love to have some links to look at today while in the waiting room. Later friends.

March Papertrey Release Projects...

Hi there, today I'm back to share my Papertrey March release projects with you. All of my projects today use my handmade border strips that I showed you in this post. The decorative strips made it so easy to come up with card designs. I'll definitely be using them on more projects to come.

First up is a simple birthday card using 2012 Birthday Tags.
I stamped a few stars on my Rustic White base card, layered on a border strip and tied on some baker's twine. I layered on a dimensional tag made by piecing together different colors of stamped images. By using the new Edgers #5 file folder die, I had the perfect spot for another little sentiment. A few splatters of Mister Huey ink finish off the card.
Here I used Tremendous Treats: Birthday and Heart-2-Heart #2.
I paper pieced the cute turtle shell and colored the rest with Copic markers. Washi tape, some ink splatters and machine stitching finish off the focal point. My border strip features a few of Dawn's dies, the heart and star borders along with ric rac and a scallop.
Up next are some cute gift sacks I created using Medium Glassine Sacks from my shop + Heather's Framed Out #2. I added a few border strips with Scor-Tape, tied on some baker's twine and popped up the colorful, stamped frames. Remember that confetti I showed you in my last post? It's making it's debut here in the bottom of the sacks.
Last week Josey got invited to a birthday bonfire. I always like to send a little gift for Josey's girlfriends but it seems that kids these day just plan events very spur of the moment. Since we live in the country it's not always convenient to make a town run. So I'm making up a few of these gift sacks to have on hand. They're perfect for tucking in a few candy bars that we can pick up at the convenience store on the way to an event. I always find that my gifts are packaged way cuter if I have something made up in advance.
I made a few fancier versions of the gift sacks in case I need a gift for one of my girlfriends too. This time I used my Kraft Sacks as the base, splattered with Mister Huey white ink. Wanting to use my confetti, I thought why not make a "party in a sack"? So I filled some Small Glassine Sacks with confetti (you can see my version in this post) and stitched up the opening with my sewing machine.
These were tucked under my handmade border strips with a hand cut notched banner underneath. Nichole's new set 2012 Birthday Tags was perfect for creating a bright circle embellishment.
I stamped the arrow stamp from Movers & Shakers Sentiments on the sacks, pointing to the confetti sacks. If the recipient wants, they can rip open the sacks for instant fun, confetti spillage.
The "celebrate" is from Think Big Favorites #13. I can't wait to fill these goodie sacks with a special treat for friends.
Here's a gift ensemble I created for my sister for when she comes to visit this week. Her birthday is coming up and she loves my cards as a gift. I'll tuck them all into another "party in a sack" gift bag.
Here's the card trio. By using the colorful border strips I didn't need a lot of other embellishments. I used stamps from 2012 Birthday Tags along with others from Movers & Shakers Sentiments. Ink is the old style Smokey Shadow.
For the tops of the cards I used Kraft cardstock with white ink and the new Background Basics: Wrought Iron set. I love it as a pretty little background.
And here's a close up of the confetti gift sack. This time I used a clear bag to package the confetti. I added in some punched doily pieces and vintage book print. The tag was made with 2012 Birthday Tags in Smokey Shadow and Ripe Avocado.
I hope you enjoyed my projects this month. I think while my work table is still a mess I'll just create some more fun birthday confetti sacks and cards. That confetti IS addicting. :)

Be sure to visit the other Papertrey Design Team blogs for their remaining projects you haven't seen yet this month. Links are on the left. Enjoy!

Border Die Cut Strips..

Hi everyone, it's about time for this month's Papertrey release. As I was sketching out project ideas for this month I noticed that I use a lot of border strips. So the idea took off for me to create some fun border strips using Papertrey border dies. I reached for my jar of dies and went straight to work.
Here's the ones that I used the most, shown below.
I grabbed a selection of patterned papers. Just ones that I liked, including some from Papertrey's Pattern Packs.
I used my paper trimmer to cut strips about 1-2" wide.
I placed several borders dies onto my cutting plate at once, making quick work of die cutting.
I kinda went crazy and ended up with lots and lots of border die cuts. A big, mixy matchy collection of designs.
My big idea was to layer the strips to create quirky embellishment strips. I used thin strips of notebook paper for the base and just started adhering the strips with adhesive. I used Hermafix removable adhesive for this project.
Then I used my sewing machine and orange thread....cuz that's what was in the machine....and stitched over the dies. I went back and forth as many times as I needed to catch all the layers.
I was like Forrest Gump who just kept on running. I just kept on sewing. and sewing. and sewing.....
Some of my favorites use Dawn's new file folder die. I might be using that thing. A lot.
And here's the final mother load of border strips. I think I made about 25 or so. I guess you'll be seeing these lots. I'll have my first batch of projects that ALL have a border strip on them ready on the morning of the 15th. The entire Papertrey Design Team will be showing the rest of their PTI projects for the month. I can't wait for you to see my creations.
And Lisa Truesdell has started a confetti craze. I had to jump on board and try it for myself. And guess what, I liked it?! So you'll find a little confetti thrown into my mix of projects this month too. Perfect timing since so many of my projects were used for actual birthday gifts and cards that I needed this month. I'll be back soon to share.
In other news & shop update:

This Friday my dad is undergoing an extensive, 4 hour surgery. I will be at the hospital with my mom and other family members will be coming to stay. My girls also start Spring Break on Friday + it's Eric's birthday. So I'll be gone for a little while depending on how the surgery goes for my dad. If you're the praying kind, I would be grateful if you said a few words for him.

All orders placed in my shop yet this week will be shipped out by Thursday or early Friday morning. Thanks so much for your patronage. I really appreciate your business and hope that you're enjoying my products. All of the little tidbits in my shop are items that I use myself so I know how fun it is to receive a little care package in the mail. Stay tuned for lots of uses for the products. :)