The great craft room ren-organization

Like my new word ????

So, this post has been exactly 18 months in the making. That's how long ago my husband finished a portion of our unfinished basement for me. It taken me a while to tweak, organize and buy what I needed (and to figure out how to stop outgrowing it !!) But I think I"ve done it.

Long post with many pics....

So the first photo is the view as you walk down into the basement. It was a very awkward little corner that I wanted to take for a few reason. One - so that I didn't take away from the family play space, two so I could be close to the stairs and thus with the open door still feel like I"m a part of the family, and lastly so I could use it as a bargaining tool later on!!

Please keep in mind that my hubby has yet to place the door on the will hide the electrical panel !

This little grouping of drawers is where I do my die cutting, as well as store the things I don't need at hand. Alter ables, tins, Christmas stamps, bags, magazines and such. The top two drawers on the left are for all things Die cutting related, as well as the basket under my big shot. DH built that half wall behind them so I could keep kiddos out, and it has a surprise inside......

Next I have a little pantry in my corner that houses extra paper (unopened packs) my SU stamps, things like Calendar supplies etc.

I have a little Bestscrapbook shelf that I got for my b-day last year (thanks DH!!) that houses all my 12x12 paper and card stock, loose wooden stamps like lockhearts, my Waltzingmouse stamps and some random things.

This pic shows you a bit of the awkward corner. The two ink units are from Bestscrapbookshelf as well, and I highly recommend them for the price - they fit my SU inks and PTI inks with a small insert as well. Now, lets see about the next batch of inks !! My sewing machine - doesn't get used often enough- and an Ikea cupboard underneath it (Alex)

Here is my room head on. My desk is in the middle of a sea of ribbon and punches !! I love displaying my ribbon, I use it more, and I find it inspiring - and decorative! And the rods are just the cheapest and best way to store punches. They are all from IKEA. I have a while Alex drawer on the left hand side of my desk to store everything I need at hand (don't worry I'll show you!!) I think storage at hand is SUPER important to working efficiently. No need to get up, and if everything has a place it should go back there.

The Desktop. Lots of organizational theory going on here.

The Ikea rods of course. My Copics in a MM round organizer. I keep $5 PTI and some misc stamps in a little organizer beside that, and behind that is my little bin of coloured images. Going to have to force myself to "shop" that bin when time is short in the near future!!

I've also got a little shelf thingy on the left that I keep most used things. Stamp scrubber, little CM trimmer, most used (currently) PTI sets. The bottom houses some large punches and my chalks. ATG in it's ever present spot. Scor pal that doesn't leave my desk...my trimmer is on the floor. It's a cheap fiskars trimer that's light enough for me to pull out when I need. I have found anything that cuts accurately enough for my tastes - and I don't want to have to get up to cut ALL the time!! TO the right is my clip it up.

Another shot of the right. LOVE that CLip it up. All my pearls and Rhinestones, as well as many embellishments and clear stamps on there. My Clip it up is on a little shelf that houses my envelopes and some misc embellishments. And there is the surprise in my half wall - built in shelves!! Houses all my PTI goodies.

Here is a big obstacle in my room - and why I deserve something nice for picking this space. The big honking column. So I decided to make it work for me. Put up some hooks and found these little containers in the craft section at walmart. House all my PS eyelets, brads and snaps. Scor-tape is on the bottom, along with an MS ruler for use with her rotary cutter. On the other side I permanently house my heat tool and tray. Another look at my half wall of PTI goodies.

The wall of PTI. LOVE IT!!! I store all my PTI stamps and buttons (in nugget tins) on this half wall. It easy to get to - arms reach remember- although the other side of the column is a bit of a stretch so I house my really specific stamps there - teacher, Halloween, Christmas etc. I've got room for a few more releases. Beside and under that is more envelopes.

TO the left of my desk is my filing cabinet. Ran out of hanging folder so I still need to complete it, but it holds all my paper. PTI on top, SU and other on the bottom. All my scrap go back in their respective coloured folder....I LOVE IT. If anything has really changed my space and thse way I craft it has been this little filing cabinet (that my FIL found for me!!)

This little bookshelf above my filing cabinet houses my SU Clearmount stamps, my PTI and 6X6 paper pads, some odds and ends embellishments and paper. And some more ribbon. I LOVE RIBBON !!
On top of my desk is a bin I have of already stamped background paper and miscellanea that I"ve left mid project. Got to use that !

And now for the fun part. WHATS IN YOUR DRAWERS???

First up is acrylic blocks and scissors/cutting tools. I used whatever containers I had on hand as I did not want to go buy anything new !! Glitter I use a lot and some pre-made embellishments.

Next up is adhesives, pens, pencils and sponges.

All my ink spots and misc. Ink fits in this drawer. The drawers are REALLY deep and you can pull them all the way out I love that.

Glitter and various powders (embossing, flock) also my twines and some small punches. Notice how I labelled my glitter ?? A little glue dot on top of each. Yeah - don't try this. Hubby made me take a shower before hugging him.

And lastly some misc liquids (Crystal effects, dove blending solution ) and my PTI felt. Hope you enjoyed my tour of my room as much as I loved doing up this post - which has taken me FOREVER !!!!! Thanks for reading up to here and let me know if you have any specific questions !!

Thank you - and a new technique

Hello All. I've got quite a real labour of love to show you today.

My sister in law asked for a few personal thank you cards for the people that threw her a bridal shower - my mom being one of them I put a ton of effort into this card and LOVE the result.

First though, I want to show you something I discovered very accidentally. While sponging some distress ink onto my focal point, I was using a scrap piece of paper underneath that my son had coloured on with my SU markers- he's not allowed to touch the copics so these distract him !!!

The sponge with the distress ink started to pick up the ink underneath it. After ruining the first focal point, I scribbled with a marker that MATCHED my colour scheme and loved the results. Now I fell like I don't need to many of the distress colours- at this point all I would use them for is to sponge my edges. I'll just scribble with a SU (or any water based marker) and can use the ONE colour I have to pick it up - BTW, the colour I have is Tea Leaves.




This was taken a while ago, when still using my phone to photograph!











The paper is SU's newsprint DSP, and the ribbon is also SU. I made a custom spritz bottle of Rich Razzleberry and Tsuikineko's API in champagne to spray on the cream layer, the PP layer and the ribbon. Brad is a half pearl set into SU's build a brad. Stamp set it Big and bold wishes, with an accent from an SU set cant remember which !! Base card is Scarlett Jewel. Punches are both SU.

Thanks for looking.

Tuesday Trigger

I was so excited when I saw this weeks Tuesday trigger over at the Moxie Fab Blog . This shade of blue is my ABSOLUTE favourite. I was so excited when SU brought back Pacific Point (although I was well stocked up for a while)




As much as I love this blue I dont think to pair it with cream cause it's so bright...but the pcture inspired me to try.


I used my new PTI set Framed, in a card inspired by Becky's countdown for the set.

Punched 2 heart with my EK success heart punches, broke down the fibers and pulled them apart to mimic the suede. Stamped the frame in PP ink, and then stamped a decorative element from Giga Guidelines of the side, in a stamped off once colour variation of Pacific Point.

Buttons are PTI.

Thanks for looking !!

Thank you Nichole, and everyone at PTI

The gang at the PTI forum decided to do a special surprise blog hop to say thanks to Nichole, Jane, Jule, Jennifer and all the fantastic DT at Papertrey ink for EVERYTHING you do for us, and we all made a thank you card.

Here's mine. It was a beautiful Giga Guidelines tutorial from either Debbie Olsen or Betsey Vekdman, and I loved the way she layered guidelines with other sets (in this case peaceful pointsetta)
I stamped the images on sweet blush with Fresh Snow, Sweet Blush and berry sorbet. Punched a strip of Berry Sorbet, even pulled out the sewing machine and sewed on a piece of sweet blush grosgrain.

Used some liquid pearls in the centre.

Thanks again Nichole. We are excited to continue on this fantastic journey that PTI has become !!!

Sort of Craft Related

I couldn't resist but share some pics of my little guy enjoying some paper and glue...the makings of a future papercrafter ???!!!

Other CHA goodies

I wanted to play with my other fun goodies that I got at CHA - these new clay chalks from Pebbles.
I have the original shimmer chalks, and was a bit skeptical at how these were different but after seeing them being demonstrated I was sold !
I used copics, shimmer and clay chalks on the flower, and some paper from DCVW.
Popped up the flower and added some lavender moon grosgrain.

I got a close up of the shimmer and I'm super glad again that I bought these ! They blend BEAUTIFULLY, can be coloured over with copics...just super versatile.

Hey guys, posting some pictures of the yummy goodies and great peeps from the Chicago CHA Supershow !

First up here is the outside of the PTI booth - and it was packed Friday morning !!

A little later on in the day there was a bit more room to move around (hi Jennifer !! She did such a great job! We had a little checkout snafu and Jennifer and Jane fixed it no questions asked....that why I love PTI !!)

Some great picture of the display and projects we see on the blog- so great to see them up close !

This display case was set up to show the DT's fantastic creations with the CHA set....sigh I'm so in love with it. I love there's a rose in it too...LOL !!

Our preliminary haul ! We thought the rolley cart was SUCH a great idea...till we realized how heavy a rolley cart of PTI paper would be !! So we made a quick pit stop back at the hotel to drop off goodies and came back !

The make and take table with Mish and Dawn. They were SSSSOOOO super sweet in person !!

Me doing the pin make and take......

Suzanne doing hers.....isn't she super photogenic ?

And some great pictures of famous faces and friends! Here is Dawn WHAT a sweetie. You can't see it but she was wearing the CUTEST wedge sandals that matched her apron !! LOL stood in them all day too !!

A pic with me and Nichole. What a super nice person...and so approachable !! Me and Suzanne joked that if we owned a successful stamping company there is no way we would be that nice. We'd have an autograph booth somewhere and sit down all day while someone brought us fruit and wine .... But Nichole was so outgoing and approachable, she stayed at the entrance to that booth all day !!



A picture with Nadine (Wahine) she was super sweet !! Meet lots more PTI pals (HI Miss T!!) but Nadine was the only one who reminded me to take a pic !! What a sweetheart she was (and her friend too!)

And just for fun here is a pic of our goodies. Now this is me and Suzanne, as well as a friend from Canada that we shopped for. It was so much fun to see the PTI in one place.....and of course I couldn't resist................................................

AAHHHH bliss !!