Thinking Inking

5 Days to an Organized Crafty Stash: Stencils, Embellishments, and Tools

Good morning! It's the final day of the My Favorite Things Stamps 5 Days to an Organized Crafty Stash post series. Today is all about stencils, embellishments, and tools. Stencils are pretty simple! They're thin and don't take up a lot of space. Mine are stored in the same container as my 6 x 6 background stamps. I put them into 6 x 6 scrapbook page protectors. These were some that have been sitting at my house for years, so I thought I would use them up before I purchase 6 x 6 envelopes.

Each one is labeled so that I can find them easily, and then alphabetized.

Now embellishments. . . Those are a little trickier because they come in so many shapes and sizes! Lately I have purchased mostly embellishments that come in tiny zip-loc bags. This narrow little plastic bin (Walmart) is the perfect width to simply stand the bags in and flip through when I'm looking for something specific. My Nuvo Jewel Drops are in the same size container just behind the embellishments. These bins are on top of my stamp storage. You may not like "clutter" on top of your stamp storage, but I need to keep anything that I want to use in sight. Otherwise I find it two years later when nobody is using it any more anyway. ;-)

The embellishments I use most end up near the front, and the ones that I use less, near the back.

I have more embellishments . . . Here's one more draw of mostly shaker card materials or Chibi Lights. 

Other inhabitants of the rolling drawers include embossing powders, glitter, peals and rhinestones (in case they come back one day!), my distress inks, my MISTI and an extra Scor-Pal, and a drawer stuffed full of lettering pens and markers. 

Let's talk tools now. Honestly, I have too many tools to show all of them, or this post could have fifty pictures! A few that I use the most are shown here though--my old Genesis Cutter is still going strong after years and years. I'm a little concerned about getting replacement parts for it since I don't think they are available any more. But I'll use it until I can't use it any more. It's been a great cutter. I keep scoring boards (both Scor-It and Scor-Buddy by Scor-Pal) in the drawer just below the paper cutter. When I need to score a card base. I just pull the drawer out and score it right in the drawer. That way I don't need one more thing on the counter top. I use the Scor-Buddy mostly, but when I have a really heavy cardstock (110 lb. or above), I move the Score-Pal and use the Scor-It instead.

I use my light tent more days of the week than I don't use it, for sure! This one is newer and smaller than my last one, which was just taking up too much prime counter top real estate. This one has little LED light strips and works pretty well. I have another light on the side that I occasionally use when I want a shiny little embellishment to catch the light.  Another thing that I use a LOT and didn't show was the air compressor that I use with my Copic markers. The air compressor is  in one of the upper cabinets, so I just pull the hose down and use it when I need to. 

Well, you've probably heard more than you'll ever need to know about how my studio space is arranged! But I hope that some of the ideas will be helpful anyway. I've got many ideas from others, and I'm thankful that other shared their ideas with me. Hope you get a chance to go visit the MFT Stamps blog for many more organization ideas!

5 Days to an Organized Crafty Stash: Cardstock, Patterned Paper, and Felt

Welcome to Day 4 of the My Favorite Things Stamps Five Days to an Organized Craft Stash series! Today it's all about cardstock, patterned paper, and felt storage. 

My cardstock storage is pretty much the same as last year. It's worked well for me, so I haven't had a reason to change it. Whole sheets of cardstock stay in these four file cabinet drawers. The file cabinets are in my knee space below my computer desk. I miss the knee space a little bit, but not as much as I would miss the floor space if they were not in the knee space!

My patterned paper stash has more than doubled since I last took a picture, so it now has its own plastic bin storage and usually sits on the top shelf of a small rolling cart. 

I didn't have this felt stash last year, so I didn't need felt storage! Luckily I had an extra plastic bin--left over from switching stamps to a double bin when they overran the single bin.

I added a couple of scraps of cardboard between the rows so that I could keep them organized by my printed color chart. I'm keeping them in their bags for two reasons: one, because the color names are on the bags, and two because I'd prefer that the felt not get dusty.

So, that's how I store my cardstock, patterned paper, and felt. Be sure to stop by the MFT Stamps blog for more organizational tips! Thank you for visiting,

5 Days to an Organized Crafty Stash: Die-namics

Welcome to day three of My Favorite Things Stamps 5 Days to an Organized Crafty Stash posts! Today is about Die-namics storage. My system for storing Die-namics hasn't changed much since last year, but my die box is definitely fuller! (It's heavy too--not a box you want to move very often.) I've used the ubiquitous InterDesign Divided Storage Container that Jennifer McGuire introduced to the stamping world a few years back. 

I have used 5-1/2" x 8" magnetic sheets from Taylored Expressions for several years. They are nice and stiff, which helps the dies not to pop off as you flip through the stack of die sheets. (These are currently out of stock.) The only thing that I have changed is to add a couple of categories to my dividers since I had one section that was getting too large to flip through quickly.  Most of my Die-namics are stored with my stamp sets; my Die-namics that coordinate with stamp sets are all in the same clear bag envelope as the stamp set. So this container has to hold only Die-namics that are general purpose and do not coordinate with a specific stamp set. 

I try to keep similar dies together on the same sheet and use as much of each sheet as I can since magnetic sheets are an investment! Sometimes I get an odd die on a sheet just because it fits the space that's left, but most of the sheets are pretty well-organized.

I keep my label maker in the bin with the magnetic die storage sheets, along with a little tool container for a couple of pairs of metal nippers (for separating dies), needle-nose pliers and round nose pliers for crimping binder coils, and a tool for cleaning little bits out of my dies. (In reality, this area is usually covered with little bits of paper, but I cleaned it up for you--I guess that makes you "company!")

I hope you get a chance to visit the MFT Stamps blog for more organization tips and inspiration. Thanks for visiting!

5 Days to an Organized Crafty Stash: Stamps

Welcome to Day two of My Favorite Things Stamps 5 Days to an Organized Crafty Stash posts! Today we are looking at stamp storage. If you saw my post last year, you probably realize that I have graduated from one container of MFT stamps to two. . . and number two is almost full as well. I can see a third in my near future, but I may have to reconsider my stamp storage at that point since I will begin taking up too much counter space. (This sounds like a problem for my husband, who is a really good carpenter, right?)

I store my clear stamps in clear envelopes. I take a screenshot of the stamp set from its description page online and add the name of the stamp set, as well as its coordinating Die-namics if it has those. I store both the stamp set and its coordinating Die-namics in the same envelope so that I can find them BOTH when I need them. (Otherwise, trust me--I could definitely lose them!) If I have left the Die-namics attached to each other (as they come), I usually simply slip the bare Die-namics into the clear envelope; but if I have cut them apart, I use a magnetic sheet to store the parts on, again so that I don't lose them by having something fall out of an envelope. Shown above is one of my envelopes, its guide sheet, the stamp set, and the cut-apart coordinating Die-namics.

As I get more stamps, my number of categories gets larger. Last year, I had one category for "Whimsical Animals." This year, I have split that category into Domestic Animals (cats/dogs/pets), Forest Animals (foxes, squirrels, etc.), Wild Animals (lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!), Farm Animals (cows, pigs, chickens etc.), Aquatic Animals and Sea Life, Imaginary Animals and Monsters, Birds, and Insects. So I now have EIGHT categories where I once had ONE. On the other hand, I can find the stamp set that I'm looking for much more quickly!

Right now I still have "Whimsical People" as one category, but I probably need to split that into "Pure Innocence People" and "Birdie Brown People" soon. The next category that I will split after People is the Sentiments category. Splitting that into smaller, more specific sections would save me some searching time.

I hope that this week's posts are a help to you! I know they are a help to me, since I feel compelled to pick everything up and put it away. ;-) Be sure to visit the MFT Stamps blog for links to more inspiration, okay? Thanks for stopping by today,

5 Days to an Organized Crafty Stash: Ink and Coloring Mediums

Welcome! It's that time of year when the My Favorite Things Stamps design team members share pictures and tips for organizing your crafty stash. Okay, being a little more transparent and personal, it's that time of year when I put everything away, find a few things that I forgot I had, want to stop and play with other things I forgot that I had, and wonder how I ever accumulated this much STUFF to begin with (albeit very cool stuff)!

Shown above is my MFT ink storage. I purchased the Slim Ink Pad Holders from Stamp 'n Storage, starting with the 120 pad holder, and later adding a 48 pad holder. These are the ink pads that I use the most, so they stay on my countertop rather than in a cabinet.

Here are more ink pads. . . I know what you might be thinking: "Who needs this many ink pads?" Well, most of them have different uses, or they coordinate with a different set of cardstock. And also to be fair, I've given away two or three full sets because I knew that I absolutely could not use them all, and other people could! That little electrical outlet in the back of the cabinet that you see on the lower left lets me plug in the under-the-cabinet low voltage strip LED lights. Rick drilled a hole through the bottom of the cabinet so I could hide the cords. He takes good care of me. :-)

I use my Copic markers a LOT, so they also stay out on my countertop, along with the refills. The marker storage is not something that I can link you to; I've used acrylic cases that stores display markers in. A couple of them were purchased through Imagination International, Inc., though they are not on the website. And a couple I ran across on eBay or Amazon. While I really like my Copic storage, the acrylic cases do not always ship well, and there are other options out there that might be easier to find.

Believe it or not, when I first took pictures of my ink storage and color medium storage, I totally forgot that I have brush watercolors, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons, and watercolors in tubes. Yikes. That's a lot of stuff that needs more love. Because I don't use it as often as I use my Copics, it stays in the cabinet. And "out of sight, out of mind" is an adage for a reason! Someday I hope to have more time to just experiment with the fabulous art supplies that languish in my cabinet.

We can't forget ink refill storage, can we? Right now, all of my MFT ink refills are stored in this little three-drawer plastic unit, hidden away in a cabinet, in a closet. They are there when I need them, but I don't re-ink pads that often, so they stay put away awaiting a dry ink pad.

Here we have another three drawers of "Oops, I almost forgot to take a picture of these!" I do love Distress Inks. But I don't use them nearly as much as I do my markers. so they stay put away. I have only the small ink cubes in most colors, mostly to conserve space. Since I have collected the refills, having a smaller ink pad works fine for me. I probably use the re-inkers on a palette with a water brush more than I use the ink pads anyway. 

I have started collecting some Distress Oxide ink pads as well, and they are in a plastic box on top of my 36-slim-pad-storage unit. They will need a better home one day, but for now, this works. (I usually watch for special sales or free shipping before buying ink holders, but I do have one more on my wishlist!)

Please visit the MFT Stamps Blog for links to all of the rest of the team blogs--I know that you'll get some great ideas, because I do too! Thank you for visiting,

Copic Airbrush System Organization

 

Welcome back to my Copic organizational mini series. Today I wanted to share my Copic Airbrush System area with you. So where is it? That what I like--it's pretty much out of the way, but easily accessible since I use it several times a week!

Yes, it's hiding in the cabinet just to the left of my Copic Various Inks and extra markers. When we put the cabinets in, I asked Rick to put a couple of electrical outlets inside my cabinets for tools like my air compressor and under-cabinet low voltage lighting. The cabinet obviously isn't airtight, so I don't worry about the air compressor not getting enough air circulation. Rick also drilled a hole through the back right bottom of that cabinet so that I could run my air compressor hose through the hole, but I haven't used that much since I really just prefer to pull the hose and air grip out when I need it, and then put it right back when I finish with it rather than having cord showing on my countertop or hanging on my wall all of the time.

If you've been here very often, you've probably also heard me mention my Ellen Hutson Craft Assistant--a 12 x 12 magnetic board that I love for airbrushing. It lives in the drawer just underneath the cabinet holding the air compressor. I usually pull it out of the drawer and set it on the counter top to use it; but if the counter top is full (as it sometimes is), I sometimes just pull the drawer out and use the Craft Assistant right where it is. So far I haven't had to clean ink overspray off of my cabinet, but I'm sure I eventually will. It's really a better idea to pull it out and use it. . .

And that's what I usually do. (By the way, the metal is not warped. I just need to change my piece of scrap paper that I leave on the board to keep it clean.)

So when I'm airbrushing, this is the set-up. Then it all goes away pretty quickly, as you saw in the top picture on this post. In addition to my air compressor and Copic ABS3, I also have a Copic ABS1, which is a portable (canned air) version of a Copic airbrush system. That one is my traveling airbrush; at home I always use the air compressor.

Edited to add one more picture: I had to laugh this morning when I saw the only comment at the top of this post:

I hope it's okay with Trudie that I posted that, because it really made me think. . . You do know that when people take pictures of their work spaces,  they generally prefer for them to be Pinterest-Tidy, right? I mean, who wants to document the 95% reality when the 5% ideal is so much more appealing? [Warning, sermon alert!] We have an epidemic of beautiful women--and maybe men too, but I'm not as well-versed in how they think--who feel vaguely like a failure because their lives aren't as tidy/pretty/together as "everyone else's" around them. {{{Dear creative people, we're pretty much ALL in that same boat.}}} That's the point of my picture above. And, frankly, sometimes it gets much worse than that! When it gets too messy, I find that my creativity is sapped. That's when I stop and spend an evening cleaning everything up and putting everything away, and it again becomes a happy space for me. But don't be deceived into thinking that somehow YOU are the only one in the world who doesn't have your act--or work space--together much of the time. Keep making messes, and and keep making beautiful things that make your heart and the hearts of those around you SING. There, I feel much better with that sermon out of my head. ;-)

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments section, okay? Thanks for stopping by,

Copic Markers and Various Inks Organization

Welcome! I get a LOT of questions about how I store my Copic supplies. This isn't new information, but it evidently bears repeating. Tomorrow I will have a post showing how I store my Copic Airbrush System; I'm not sure that I've shown that before. So buckle up for a picture ride if this is something that might help you!

Before I share more pictures, I thought I would tell you about our new Copic Workshops, now that we've had the first exciting run-through in Phoenix: Hand Lettering, Coloring Animals, and Coloring Landscapes went well! We were all able to be there and get on the same page for the next classes, as well as make a few tiny tweaks where a project took maybe a bit longer or shorter than we had expected. I can't wait to teach these, and I'm working on portfolios for them every chance I get. My first NEW Workshops will be in Detroit on May 19-20, and Dallas/Irving on June 9-10. Before that though, I'll be teaching Certifications and the Flowers Workshop in Atlanta (February 10-11), Dallas/Irving (March 3-4),  Saskatoon (April 7-8), and Pittsburgh (April 28-29). Whew, I'm tired just typing all of that!

First I'll show you both sides of my studio; the first three pictures in my post were taken in 2016, but the rest will be new. I'll point out any changes between last year and this year. The biggest change (and the reason that my "big picture" shots are last year's) is that right now I have three extra storage shelves crammed into one end of my studio. We're working on finishing a family room in the basement, right next door to my studio, and I've tried to relocate everything I can in order to avoid having to clean drywall dust off of everything. I thought that a few weeks (okay, months?) of being crowded would be SO worth it when the basement is finished. I might change my mind though. ;-)

So, the photo above shows the creative side of the room--my workstations for cutting, stamping, coloring, sketching, and die-cutting. Changes from this photo: (1) My light table has moved so that I don't scratch the top of it, (2) the button storage containers have all been put away. (So they can come back in style at any time, now that I've put mine away, right?) I decided that as little as I was using them, I valued the clean space more than the convenience. (3) I have a large Stamp-n-Storage ink holder now (but it's full and I need another.)

This is the business side of my studio--stamp storage, printers, computer, cardstock storage in the kneehole cubby, ribbon storage, sewing machine, and photo tent just out of sight on the right. Not much has changed on this side, other than the fact that my trusty five-year-old iMac died last December. . . I'm using my old laptop until I see what Apple does with their next release. I haven't used my beautiful wide ribbon in ages, but since Rick spent a lot of time building this ribbon storage unit for me, I didn't have the heart part with it or hide it in the storage area of our basement. Will wide ribbon ever come back in style? I figure I've got at least two more years before it does. ;-)

Now we're on to the new pictures! My Copic workspace has stayed pretty much the same, other than collecting a few more storage bins for items that I use often enough not to want to open a drawer to grab them. As you see, I was playing with lettering projects this afternoon and evening. That one white basket container of Copics does fit on my Copic storage racks. I still need to record that I used them on a project before I put them away though. I love the storage racks that I have for my Copics, but they are not easy to find. These are actually display racks that stores use. I purchased a couple directly from Imagination International, one from eBay, and one from Amazon. (Yes, I liked them enough to hunt all over for them!)

The display racks on the left of the photo are for my Copic Various Inks, as well as a few random extra markers and Multiliners. I have finally purchased almost all of the refills; I'm missing only a couple that aren't in stock right now.

Remember those three extra storage shelf units that are temporarily in my studio?  I have three 12 x 12 bins of extra Copic/Imagination International materials stored there. I also have three 6 x 12 bins of Copic class projects and portfolio pieces that I'm working on. But I'm hoping to sneak those shelf units back into the family room when the drywall is done. . . In addition to these bins, I always have two large pieces of luggage that go to each class with me, as well as two shipping boxes containing class materials and supplies. Oh, yes. It's a LOT of stuff!

That covers a general overview of my studio space, as well as specifically my Copic Marker and Various Inks Storage. I have a few more pictures to edit before I share my Copic Airbrush system storage tomorrow. (And one more honey-do project as well!) If you want to see more storage pictures, including stamps, dies, cardstock, and patterned papers, here is a link to the organizational posts in which I covered all of those areas. While I have collected more of those items, my storage systems for those have not changed.

If you have questions, ask in the comments section, and I'll try to answer anything I can. Thank you for visiting!

Storage and Organization: Studio

Welcome! Today I'm sharing pictures of my work space in conjunction with the MFT Five Days to An Organized Crafty Stash week. Have I mentioned yet that MFT has been running specials this whole week? I hope that you saw that when you visited the MFT Blog to get links to everyone else participating in this week's organizational festivities!

First, I am blessed to have a dedicated space in which to work. I know that many of you have double-duty spaces that don't allow you the luxury of leaving your tools and supplies out, and that your crafting time may also have to be used to get things out and put them away neatly. We had unfinished basement space meant for a bedroom that we've never needed. So a few years ago, my husband agreed to create a work space for me--have I mentioned a time or two that he's VERY handy, and total "keeper?" It's not super fancy, but it's utilitarian and a great space for me. 

The picture above is taken from the doorway of my walk-in closet that is about five feet deep and the width of the room (and hides a multitude of sins, ummm, I mean cabinets and shelves. . . ;-) I use the counter on the left to work on projects, and the counter on the right to do my computer work, sew, and take photos of my work for blogging.

This picture is taken from the window area, looking back toward the closet. Obviously the work space is reversed then--computer/photography on the left and crafting space on the right.

Here's where I sit most often to work--right in front of my Copic markers and my ink pads--my happy place!  That's a light table on my desk surface. I don't use it super-often, but it certainly comes in handy when I do need a light table. I have a tempered glass mat sitting on top of it to protect the light table surface. I have two paper cutters on my countertop--a Genesis cutter that is just outside of this picture to the right of the desk area, and Tonic that you see in this picture. (If you look at the TOP picture again, you can see the Genesis cutter right by the window.) I have a third paper cutter stored in the closet, a Carl rotary cutter. I use the Carl Cutter when I need to cut a thicker material, like chipboard, or a whole stack of cardstock. 

Back to the business side: I have both an inkjet and a small laser printer on the very end, one for color printing and the other for economical black and white printing. Next comes my computer (with cardstock stored in the kneehole beneath the computer), clear stamps and ribbon, sewing machine, and to the right of the sewing machine just outside of this picture, my light tent and photo lights. If I were to pick one main thing to change, it would be to clear off more of the countertop and find places to put some of the STUFF that's on my countertops. I am more productive when my room is tidy, and I really like visual "quiet space."  But that means that I need to pare down my stash in order to make more space to put things away. Hmmmm. . .

In the closet I have three 6' x  2-1/2' utility cabinets, as well as three paper/cardstock racks, and a wire grid shelving unit with labeled cloth drawer bins. The closet is pretty full, but I can generally find what I need in it, and it keeps my room looking better than it would otherwise! If you have questions from what I've shared this week, please feel free to ask in the comments section, and I'll try to answer them if I can. 

I hope you've enjoyed this storage and organization week! Be sure to visit the MFT Blog to see who else is participating in the craft room tour today. And check for specials while you're at it, okay? ;-)

Thank you for visiting,

Storage and Organization: Cardstock and Stencils

Welcome! I'm back with a third MFT craft organization post, with today's topic being cardstock organization. All of today's participants are linked on the MFT Blog. I really haven't had much of a challenge in the cardstock area in past years, because almost all of the cardstock I used was from the same company. That meant that all I had to keep straight was color--and that's easy! But when I suddenly need to keep two lines of cardstock unmingled, I was a bit concerned about how I would store it.

You see, I really didn't have room, even with a walk-in closet, to add another cardstock storage shelf! (You caught me: these aren't in rainbow order, and I have no idea why--must fix!)

I looked around the house and found a couple of old, short filing cabinets that could be repurposed and decided that repurposing was better than buying another new shelf or two and creating space issues in my studio closet. Since these are just two-drawer cabinets and not very deep, I was able to put then under my computer desk, in the knee-hole area. (My oh-so-handy husband built me a pull-out keyboard shelf, so I didn't need to sit in close to the countertop to work.) At the moment, my MFT cardstock is happy here. But when I start collecting more full packs (instead of mostly sampler packs), I may eventually need to switch out with the cardstock shelves in the closet. As long as my filing cabinets will hold the cardstock, I'll be happy to leave it this way, mostly because of a FABULOUS idea that watercolorist extraordinaire (among numerous other talents) Kay Miller shared! I asked Kay how on earth she kept everything straight, as many companies as she works for, and Kay graciously shared how she was organizing her cardstock.

Kay said that she cuts a piece of cardstock into four pieces--4-1/4 x 5-1/2"--and uses the same refrigerator bins that most clear stamp sets fit into to store labeled cardstock right beside her paper cutter. (Is that genius, or what?) I can't even tell you how much Kay's idea has simplified my life when it comes to keeping up with cardstock! I can grab exactly the line and color that I need, and I can easily check to see what color I have used in cases of similar colors. I also have room for cardstock scraps right in front of the quarter-sized sheets (see below). And when I get to the last quarter sheet, it's time to cut down another full sheet of that color. 

By the way, that's also how I decide what cardstock colors to purchase next: I started with only two variety packs of cardstock, along with a few colors that I knew I already loved and would use often--like blue-greens and pinks. (Oh yes, I adore blue-greens and pinks!) Anyway, when I have cut into my last sheet from the variety packs, I put that particular color on my list to purchase next time I have enough on my want/need list to earn free shipping. Pretty slick! (And, thanks, Kay, for the help!)

It's handy and accessible--just what I needed. The tall half sheets in the back are for card bases since most of my cards are vertical. I still make a few trips to the closet and filing cabinets, but not so many now. I hope you get a chance to go to the the MFT Blog Blog and see a full list of designers playing along with the storage and organization ideas week! Thanks for visiting,

P.S. I didn't link to the refrigerator bins yesterday or today because Jennifer McGuire has linked to them in her organization lists HERE. I thought since she had gone to all of that work making videos and had been kind enough to share her ideas, she should be able to get affiliate credit for it. Thanks for understanding!

Storage and Organization: Die-namics

Welcome to day three of MFT's Five Days to An Organized Crafty Stash event! The MFT Blog has a complete list of today's participants. Today we are sharing ways that we have organized our dies. As you might image, I have a LOT of dies--not even going to try to count them! Most of my dies are the thinner, wafer or cookie cutter type dies, though I have a few of the thicker variety as well for cutting heavy materials like chipboard. Today I'm focusing on the wafer dies such as MFT's Die-namics line.

I store dies that coordinate with stamp sets in the same clear envelope that I store the stamp set in; that way they don't get separated, and I don't have to spend time looking for them.

The dies that are nesting or that don't coordinate with specific sets are placed on magnetic sheets and labeled, then stored in an Inter-Design refrigerator bin. 

And here we have the oh-so-rare-all-tidied-up look! Seriously, my die-cutting area is the area most likely to be in disarray since I really DO use dies quite often. This bin contains not only my MFT dies, but also dies from three other companies. Since I am storing stamp-set-coordinating dies in the envelopes with the stamps, I should have sufficient room in the box for quite a while. (The patterned paper and label maker are in there mostly to keep the dies from sliding down toward the front, and the metal cutters are on there for when I need to cut apart attached die sets.)

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I'll be traveling down to South Carolina today to visit my parents, but I'll try to watch for questions and answer them when I get a chance along the way.  Tomorrow is all about cardstock storage. . . Don't forget to check out the MFT Blog for a complete list of designers participating in the Storage and Organization event! Thanks for visiting,

Storage and Organization: Stamp Sets

Welcome back to day two of MFT's Storage and Organization week! Today we're looking at stamp set storage. For a full list of everyone participating in the day's post, see the MFT Blog. Stamp set storage has come a LONG way since I started paper crafting about fifteen years ago. Back then, every stamp set took up a LOT of space. Almost all sets were mounted on wood blocks, except for the occasional rubber set that came on gray foam cling padding. Remember those days? 

Yes, I still have a few sets that I haven't quite decided to part with yet!

Okay, maybe more than a few! (By the way, that bin in the top left corner has my MFT background stamps in it, along with some current 6 x 6 paper pads.)

And then along came clear acrylic stamps. It took some of us us a while to get used to them, didn't it? (They've improved over the years, for sure!) My first acrylic stamp storage was the CD case storage, and I have a LOT of stamp sets still in CD cases. Then the sets got larger, and DVD cases supplanted CD cases as the more common storage system. (That size difference messed up my storage, I can tell you!)

Don't even ask. I didn't count. And remember that this really was for my job--not *just* a lack of self-control! When I ran out of room for DVD case furniture, I went to plastic Iris bins. (Iris bins are probably my second favorite storage option. I like those heavy plastic clear refrigerator bins the very best, but I like Iris bins quite a bit as well.)

Then I started hearing people talk about using clear, thick envelopes for stamp storage. I still wasn't convinced. . . until it was time to order DVD cases again and I had no idea where I would even store them! I saw some organization posts on Jennifer McGuire's blog--man, is Jennifer the guru of organization, or what? (Yes, she definitely is.) I tried clear envelopes, and I love them. I can store so many more stamp sets in less space. I don't need to order more DVD-holding furniture either! Above you see how my MFT clear stamps are stored. I create an image sheet from a screenshot, then put my stamp set behind the cover sheet and any coordinating dies behind that. SO simple!

Right now I have all of my current MFT stamps on the right side of this refrigerator bin, and several other companies that I've also transitioned to clear envelopes on the left side. But I can read the handwriting on the wall, and I'm guessing that in another month or so, I will need a second bin for my clear stamps. Still, the clear envelopes are much more space efficient than the CD and DVD cases are. I'm a happy camper. . .

I am sure that my system will have to evolve as I collect more stamp sets, but right now they are in order by release date. I'm considering order by topic (flowers, people, sentiments) eventually. I hope that you've found something helpful in today's stamp organization post! Be sure to visit the the MFT Blog for a list of everyone who is sharing stamp organization posts today. I promise that you'll see some amazing spaces and ideas! Thanks for visiting,

Storage and Organization: Ink pads

It's storage and organization week on the MFT Blog, which means that you get to see a LOT of storage option for your craft supplies! Today's post is on storing ink pads. How many ink pads do you have? I did a quick count and may have missed some, but I counted close to 350 ink pads, and that doesn't include the mini ink pads like my little Distress Ink cubes! It's no wonder that keeping track of all of the STUFF can be a full-time endeavor, is it? Now, I guess I'd better answer this question, since someone is bound to ask it: Does anyone really need that many ink pads?  The answer is probably not; however, I've collected them over a period of about 15 years, and I often collected an entire set when I worked for different companies so that I could use that company's ink with that company's stamps. (Does that make it sound any more reasonable?) 

How about some ink refills? I'm working on collecting the MFT refills these days, and when I get more, I'll need a better system of organization. I try to order a reinker whenever I order an ink pad so that I don't have to keep separate lists of what I have and what I still need.

Currently my MFT ink pads are living alongside my PTI ink pads in some repurposed Quikutz drawer units from which I removed the drawers. And, believe it or not, while I have a TON of ink pads, every time there is a color challenge, I'm missing at least a color or two to be able to participate! (That's when you get creative and use cardstock in that color, or Copic markers.) I can see that my little Quikutz cabinets will soon be filled to capacity, and I recently ordered a 120-pad ink storage unit that should take up about the same footprint on my desk, but hold half again as many ink pads. 

I have several of the MFT dye ink pads, and several of the hybrid ink pads, but no pigment pads yet since I mostly stamp on paper. 

I use my trusty Brother P-Touch labeler to put the name on the end of each ink pad, and it works pretty well. (Sometimes the rounded edges want to curl up at bit--I'm still learning the tricks!) The other thing that you may notice is that some of the names are upside down. I started putting labels on right-side up, then decided after a couple of months that I really wanted to store my ink pads upside down to keep the pad moist. I just need to switch out labels on my earliest ink pads that have their labels upside down. 

More ink pad storage--chalk inks and miscellaneous pigment inks, mostly. (That doesn't count all of my Versamagic mini ink pads--the teardrop shaped ones, stored in a plastic drawer unit!)

And MORE ink pads--the ones that I don't reach for quite as often (unless I can't find a color in my currents batch.) 

And yet MORE ink pads and reinkers. . .  I think I have four or five of these acrylic containers from my very first foray into paper-crafting. (Bet my husband wishes I'd never gone to that party!)

I didn't include the mini ink pads in my quick count, but I do love and use these little Distress Ink pads. I smoosh them onto plastic and watercolor with them more than I actually stamp with them though. You may have noticed by now that I usually arrange inks in rainbow order--ROY G BIV. It's just the right way to do it. :-D

Here's an unusual view of my main work surface. Why unusual? Because it isn't usually this clean! I hope you get a chance to stop by the MFT Blog for a list of everyone participating in the craft organization posts this week; I know that I've seen some really great ideas, and I can't wait to have time to implement some of them!

Finally, I learned one more thing today as I counted ink pads. (I probably shouldn't admit this part, but I will just the same.) I have more ink pads than I need. Don't get me wrong--I'm still collecting ones that I DO need for work and will use! But I have at least a couple of sets that I use no more than 2-3 times a year. . . I've already emailed a sweet friend who is a blessing to a lot of women and asked her if she could use some of my extras with her ladies. It's a win-win proposition: I win some space, and she wins some ink pads! All of that to say that I'm glad that you "visited" my studio today. You encouraged me to clean house. :-) Thanks!