More storage

I have a friend called Jayne and she is a car boot queen, she finds the coolest stuff and makes it look great.
I saw the bottom drawers at her house and wanted them:

 Guess what?? bet you can't guess??
That's right I have them!! Both of them.

The top set now look like this :

Everything used was found in my craft area.

Gave it a bottom coat of white watered down acrylic.

Top coat is acrylic paint (mixed colours til got right shade or orange).

Front of drawers covered with scrapbook papers, edges sealed with pva glue.

When dry the edges and corners were rubbed with sandpaper.

Strip of paper on bottom drawer is decorated with cute cartoon like wildlife animals.

Top drawer holds all my 3D collage bits and bobs ...

... bottom drawer holds all paper collage pieces ...

They are a solid set of drawers.

As these photos show...

...every time I went to take the photo he wasn't there and as soon as flash went off he would appear!!

Took a few attempts not to get him in the photo.

But as he's cute thought would share the "outtakes" with you.

new alphabet storage

The sun has cooled (thankfully) which means my very fair headed toddler can play in the garden. He loves to dig with his little construction trucks but has to be watched intently as he tries to pick up anything that wiggles or moves (a bee didn't like this and told him so) and anything bright coloured gets put in his mouth (big relief that the ladybird he swallowed was already dead).

So today while he was playing I decided to change the way my die-cut alphabets are stored.

I looked around at what I already have ... alot of small used jiffy bags and an old storage box  ... an idea was formed .....

To start with I ordered extra jiffy bags, 4 just wasn't going to do the job.

Problem occured: Storage box too small by time jiffy bags filled with letters.
Took an envelope out with me and found a great basket in the sale at TKMaxx.

Result:

Labels were made using more found pieces.

Box of large paper clips.

Box of large brads.

Sheet of letter stickers.

Back view shows how they're made:

some letters used the same envelopes

In the words of my hubby:

 "That's organized, scarily organized"

and all made while sitting in the garden.

new storage...

I wasn't happy with the way my craft books are displayed (I have many bookshelves spread around the house).

The magazine binders kept the different themes together and also from bending, a downside of paperbacks BUT I didn't like the mismatched look plus they are different widths so certain books only fitted in certain ones.

Whilst at Tims mums saw a great wooden crate and actually brought it home for craft fair displays (wasn't suitable) the books fit perfectly.

Tim says it looks a bit tatty but to me it's shabby and perfect.

The yellow basket holds the mini books, that i'm not happy with but it's suits the purpose for now.

I have also found another storage solution for my QK dies.

They are quite heavy and wasn't happy with the binders they are in at present

http://scrappingandchatting.blogspot.com/2010/04/die-storage.html

It has taken a long time but while in TKMaxx I found these (american company) business card binders:

I have 2, one for single dies and one for doubles. It also suits how I store my nestablities:

http://scrappingandchatting.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-storage.html

(also found at TKMaxx)

Worth the wait I think.

Another storage bag...

...for my Sizzix. I love my last one

(http://scrappingandchatting.blogspot.com/2008/09/storage-bag-for-new-sissix-machine.html)

but wanted one that will cover the machine and open flat to allow me to use it without being moved from where kept...

...having a toddler who comes scurrying at full speed to turn the handle as soon as the bigshot is pulled out, have decided to use machine where it's kept because will be hidden there and out of reach...

...as won't be moved around the bag doesn't need handles so went for a simple plimsoll/shoebag style :

top: shows bag closed and where it is stored...

bottom: shows bag open...

Material is from Ikea (purposely bought cos the colours match :)

The platform, part with the tabs, of my BigKick broke -note to self:they do not bounce if dropped-can you buy new ones??

It is usable but feel not for long especially when using TAB2 :(

Thanks for looking.

Another storage solution:

This is actually a cutlery drainer but as soon as I saw it I knew what it would be used for...

It contains all the essentials I like to have to hand:

As the picture shows I have put toilet roll tubes inside to keep the items seperate and upright (no comments on that :)

I have tried to label the photo (a first for me which was taught by Charlie :) It comes up better if you click on the picture.

I have glue pens, knives, pencils, emery boards, rub on sticks, many scissors, sharpener, rubber, sanding block, etc...

Sticking out the middle is a stack of paper.

I like to have clothes pegs handy for "clamping" paper together, they also make great scissor holders;

Lastly, I can never be bothered to seach through my sewing box for a needle or pin when needed, then when I do I lose them...This is the reason for the foam pad.

This sits on my craft mat permanently so my essentials are always there when needed.

Thanks for looking :)

more STORAGE...

This project is an old and a long time favourite:

It's an old sturdy Timberland shoebox,

Recently had new covering as papers had become shabby.

The new coverings are:

Paperchase alpha wrapping paper with matching stickers for the band,

Tim Holtz scalloped edge die,

QK lock,

yellow Thickers letters,

Chipboard letters (forgotten brand but would love more!!)

Front view:

Inside view:

 Inner boxes (all made by myself) hold the letters.

Top layer A-N:

 Cardboard shelf which lifts out by ribbon straps on each side:

Underneath the shelf is other half of the alphabet.
O-Z, plus punctuations, numbers:

Funny story: These boxes took alot of patience and measuring, whilst making them my Brother in Law came in and after watching me with piles of card and scraps around me said "Let me buy you something to put them in".

I carried on through my frustration and now this box is my pride and joy.

If you can't find what you want, check recycling... :)

Welcome to my Craft Area

The is room is officially known as The Dining Room but will only be used for this if/when we decide to move.

As you walk through this the view that greets you:

Ok, I will admit anything which didn't belong was moved out of shot.

The blue pencil case is on Charlies side of the craft table.

The BREAD bin was a gift from a friend and holds all my magazines:

I purposely didn't move Alfie car out of shot because he is usually in the room somewhere.

The sideboard:

Teddy material covers sewing machine,

Fishy material covers big Shot,

(http://scrappingandchatting.blogspot.com/2008/09/storage-bag-for-new-sissix-machine.html)

The cup holds all important Tea which is always full and visible in the craft room.

The labels are QK bookplates and made to blend with the sideboard (and removable).

These metal drawers are on permament loan from Tim:

Drawers hold A4 papers, top drawer-stickers, second-vellums, third-textured /in rest strip shows the colour.

Black box (waiting label) holds scraps smaller than 6x6.

Blue file holds various papers: double sided/tissue/sets.

The "too heavy to keep on shelf" bits:

Rev, Cuttlebug folders, red file holds 12x12 papers, behind the red file is 12x12 paper pads, gift bag in corner holds large rolls of paper.

The Unit:

Close up of bottom shelves:

material and cottons.

photo printer/material pieces/tin holds collage scraps/under tin is set of mini punches.

middle shelves:

All labelled:

ribbons/punches/adhesives

wool & clay/paint/tools

Top shelf:

 Aphabet dies

Blue (MIffy) bag holds pens http://scrappingandchatting.blogspot.com/2008/05/storage-idea.html.

(the shelves are Straight not quite sure how photographed slight curve on them...)

 Side of unit:

Holds notes from Charlie and photos.

Wall mounted shelves:

TOP: jars hold buttons & Badges/ Laminator,

MIDDLE: Bind it All/ Cottons/ Laptop,

BOTTOM: Albums.

The wire baskets are from IKEA and slot onto the shelf. They are great for tidying stuff away:

The top one holds mini inspiration notebooks

The bottom one holds bits waiting to go into boys journals.

This "item" is always in the craft room but  doesn't fit onto any shelf:

He's usually found laying across these with a car or ball.

If nobody is in the room he is usually reaching up and emptying the table :)

Thanks for looking :)

More storage...

I brought this folder in a sale at (good old) TKMaxx for 50p.

It's A5 and I had no idea what to use it for but I knew it would come in handy.

It has...

This is my QK 4x8 & NESTABILITIES storage.

(I am in process of relabeling the folder as it originally just contained 4x8 dies, all 2 of them :)

The front of the folder holds the QK.

I have the name of the alphabet cut out using the font.

I have cut down A4 clear pockets and stitched them using the sewing machine.

I found it easier to place masking tape along the line to sew as it helps to stop the needle slipping.

The back of the folder holds the NESTABILITIES.

The magnetic sheets have been cut to fit the folders.

It's easy to add to as I get more dies.

I keep anything which I could use as storage in the future mainly because I hate to throw anything away and can't always afford the prupose made storage systems.

storage (part 2)

This is how I store my alphabets.

(the storage is still the same but having Charlie ill and not wanting to go far from him decided to move the craft room around)

The red box is the smallest from a set of 3 and fits QK 4x4 perfectly.

The first beige box contains these:

I have taken the black inner plastic out so I can store more dies.

The odd coloured die is my new Tim Holtz die.

The 2 folders next to the beige box are these:

My homemade magnetic folders for QK cookie cutters.

Shown in better detail here:

(http://scrappingandchatting.blogspot.com/2008/11/quickutz-cc-folders.html)

Magpie tins.

I like to put an A onto the front of the tin to show what font is inside BUT the label holder cards weren't large enough, so...

I cut a white piece of card slightly larger than the label holder and glued this to the front instead.

OK, this isn't storage but how cute is he? Unfortunately he isn't part of a pair as was from a charity shop and was calling to me.

Now I have had a move around I "might" photograph my craft area...

Onto good news: Charlie is better now, not 100% he's still pale, needs to build his strength up, isn't arguing about going to bed BUT he is asking for food again and being cheeky.

Storage (Part 1)

I have finally found a way to store my dies that I am happy with:

Cuttbug storage bags;

this works for me cos I can flip through and see what I have

(think being a bookworm influenced me :)

One negative point was that it became heavy with all the dies in one so they have been split: QK in one, All other brands in the other.

The only size not happy with is the 4x4 QK shapes but all the good points mean will put up with this. The ones with cards behind them are exclusive shapes

2x2 shapes

 a magnetic sheet glued inside holds (Xcut) border dies

Sizzlets

XCut dies

Cuttlebug

My only BossKut die...

These bags are just for shapes the alphabets are stored in totally different way.

These bags are sturdy Alfie throws them, pulls them around and they still look as good as new plus he cannot open them. He loves to play with the tag, again, that's still as good as new.

Part 2 tomorrow

(if you not too bored :)

UPDATED TO ADD: QK dies are too heavy to keep as whole collection in one bag, if you have alot  wouldn't advise storing QK in this way.