Photo and Memoribilia Challenge #8 - Bonus - a creative block game too!

CHALLENGE #8 - IT's FRIDAY PHOTOS AND FUN CHALLENGE - Photos & Memorabilia

SET A GOAL: Remember how we talked about setting goals for this challenge so it would be done by the end of the month? Well... share with us what your goal is... how is it going and should you re-evaluate it.

NEW FRIDAY FUN CHALLENGE: We all know that "A Scrap a day keeps the psychiatrist away" or other wise known as scrap therapy... but what about those times you really need to scrap to stay sane and you can't think of what to do or create?

Here is a little game I came up with this week (mine is not done so I can't show you photos yet) You can make a spinner for this game. Or you can make it out of some jars or like containers. You can make this anyway you want to. It is for you and what inspires you. I am going to explain my version and you come up with one that will help you get out of that creative block.

Creative Ciaos Game: (you can name it what ever you like)

I have three jars full of things to inspire me.

• Jar #1 - Has lots pieces of paper, each with a place of inspiration for me. For example: Stampin' Up Catalog, Scrapbook.com Funny Quotes, Scrapbook.com Inspirational Quotes, Scrapbook.com Favorites, Scrappiest(a sketch challenge blog I like) Sketches, etc... These are all places I get inspired from when I look through what is in them.  I have tons of pages on pinterest.com for inspiration too.  If you save your articles from your mags and make a binder out of those articles (something we will be talking about later) ... that would be a great place of inspiration.


• Jar #2 - Has numbers in it. Numbers 1-99. Sometimes I will draw one and sometimes I will draw to and add them together. That will be the page, project or article I draw my inspiration from when paired with the item in Jar #1 that I drew.
  
  For Example: If I drew SB.com Favorites from Jar 1 and #55 from Jar two I would look at the project in my Scrapbook.com Favorites and then use my 55th project in there that I had already marked as "Favorite" months ago. Scrap lift it or take some embellishment ideas from it... whatever will inspire you and get you out of the creative block.


• Jar #3 - Colors - I have a list of the colors I use in my room... mostly ROY G BIV (the colors of the rainbow, Red-Orange-Yellow-Green-Blue-Indigo-Violet)... but I also add Black and White, Browns and Pinks (because I have a ton of pink for my daughter and the reds are full... LOL). This will help if creating a card... though I usually draw my color inspiration from my photos if I am scrapping a page.

That's it... shake up each jar and draw out a piece of paper... look up your inspiration and get scrapping! (Don't forget to put the papers back into the containers.)

Decorate/alter the jars/containers to match your space. Create these places, numbers and colors and put them into the containers... say goodbye to creative block!

If you did this last year then make a wall art piece out of scrappy supplies for your space. Think outside the box. If you normally do scrapbooking then alter something if you area an altered artist then do a page.

Patterned Paper & Cardstock Organization Challenge

Challenge #8 Week #2 PART 1 - Patterned Paper/ Cardstock

Every single one of us has it... but is it working for you the way you have it organized?

THE KEY TO GOOD PATTERNED PAPER ORGANIZATION IS TO: have it organized to match your train of thought.

HORIZONTAL OR VERTICAL?(from http://www.creative-scrapbook-layout s.com/scrapbook_pap...

"Scrapbook Paper Storage Idea #1: Horizontal Paper http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=257936...

Most scrapbook stores will store their paper horizontally because they have the room for rows and rows of shelves and racks. Now, most of us don't have room for all those shelves, but horizontal storage is still a possibility with 12" x 12" plastic snap top cases. You can buy them individually or as part of a three-drawer or six-drawer cart, so you can make the most use out of your vertical space.

Racks: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=257017...

Wire cubes: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=226956...

Cubes: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=251533...

Scrapbook Paper Storage Idea #2: Vertical Paper http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=258040...

Depending on your preferences, you can use traditional magazine storage files for 8.5" x 11" paper (or on your scrapbook table to store scrap paper), but you will have to get special storage files for 12" x 12" scrapbook paper. Vertical paper storage is best for cardstock or other papers that you will be accessing frequently because you can just slide the storage file out and pick the paper you need.

These paper holders also come with dividers, so you can store multiple colors within a singe file! Just one thing to keep in mind is that you will need very tall shelves if you plan on using these vertical storage files in a bookshelf."

Baskets: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=250118...

Cubes vertical: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=250438...

Files: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=888475...

HOW TO ORGANIZE IT - Now that you have thought about WHAT to store them in lets talk about HOW...

Cardstock - seem simple enough, by color right or brand? But what about those patterned papers? Do you Separate your cardstock from your patterned paper? Or would it work better for you if you had all the pink patterned paper then pink cardstock together?

Patterned Papers -

1) By color - Are you the type that reaches for the color first when you need something in your scraproom? Within each color do you organize it from lighter to darker colors?

Cropper hoppers by color:
Scraproom Re-org - Photo 5 By Deend31

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=130054...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=210448...

2) By Brand - do you have a great memory for brands. Do you think to your self when you are scrapping..."that rust and white flourish paper from the Everafter line that Cosmo Cricket put out would be perfect!" If so they by Brand and collection would be the way for you to organize.

Great way to organize by collection and brand if you like to keep them in their stacks...
Paper storage By Missqueen

3) By Theme and Pattern - Are you a graphic scrapper? One who knows they need a stripe or a polka-dot paper to balance out the floral you just picked as the background paper. Or do you scrap by theme a lot. Maybe you create a lot of mini albums or you prefer ballet shoe paper for your little princesses recital page.

There ya go... these are the best ways to organize it... now you can do it in sub categories... say you want to organize it by Brand but within each brand you want it by theme or color. Maybe it is by color first and within that color it is by pattern and theme. That works too but one of these three will be the Main way you will organize with a possible sub category.

Consider size - do you sort the scraps (if you separate these from your full sheets we will go over how to store them latter this week) into your full sheets or maybe you buy 6x6 paper. Do you sort it into your 12x12? That is up to you. Just keep in mind that when you are working on a 12x12 page you can't always use the 6x6.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW...

1) never store in direct sunlight preferably a cool, dry place

2)Store it completely separate from other supplies. If you mix them you are undoubtedly asking for creasing or tearing.

3)When looking for storage make sure that you choose a container that fits a 12x12 piece of paper or a 8x8, if that is your size preference. Keeping the paper fitting snugly will keep it from getting bent or damaged.

4)If you keep it organized it will lead to an easier scrapbooking experience. So make sure you keep it organized.

You can store them on shelves without organizational units. Keep in mind though that they will slip easily and have a chance of making a mess. Storing horizontally with out organizers creates the same problem. When you need one near the bottom all the others will begin to fall and it becomes one large balancing act.

**** Don't have the cash to fork out for these organizers? Try these almost free solutions -

Horizontal: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=65087&...

Vertical: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=123371...

Step by step instructions: http://www.wescrap.com/scrapbooking-resource s/tutorials...

JUST TO DROOL OVER....

Scraproom Challenge By Ande

 Here is my patterned paper and cardstock. I organize by "P(pink cause I have a girl) ROYGBIV N(neutrals such as black, grey, white and shades of brown)" Patterned paper on the left of the divider and CS on the right in each cropper hopper. 12x12 on the top, 8.5 x11 on the bottom left and scraps and chipboard in the binders on the right.

 

Love framed art with one Spellbinder die and Helmar

Here is a little project to share on Valentines day! I so just love this one. It was made from one Spellbinder die set, the pear. I used the bottom of each pear to make the petals of the rose and the background with the book pages. Helmar 450 Quick Dry is the key adhesive to this project and I just love how it's holding up. I used Helmar Gemstone Glue and a brush to paint the white chipboard frame and then glittered it. 

 Have a Happy Helmar Valentines Day Everyone!

PS. If you like what you see and want to see more please fallow my blog. Please leave a comment if you really like this project. Thanks.

Alphas - Challenge #7 - organize your scraproom one month challenge

Ready for today's challenge?

Challenge #7 Week #2: ALPHAS

Some of you have already worked on this but lets think for a moment what we use alpha's for and what type of Alpha's we have. (probably should have done this one before chipboard, sorry)

There are two ways to organize them in your space. Think about which one or a combo of the two will work for you before we begin to sort our alphas.

1) Keeping the embellishment types together and sorting them with in the type of embellishments they are. (Alpha Brads with Brads, Alpha Chipboard with Chipboard etc)

2) We remove the alphas from all their like embellishments and create an alpha center with everything from Chipboard - Stickers - Foam - Thicker - paper die cuts - even stamps - etc.

This all depends on how you search for Alphas for your layouts. Do you know you want chipboard alphas or do you just go after the letters you need no matter what type of alpha they are? Do you like the whimsical fun look and mix your alphas on the page or do you prefer to have them all matching?

TYPES OF ALPHAS:

Chipboard Alphas: These alphas add dimensional to the page and can be refinished to coordinate with any color or style on your LO.

Sticker Alphas: These are always ready to use with minimal need for adding details. Stick and Go!

Paper Die Cut Alphas: These can be purchased, punched or even cut with die cut machines. They can be embellished, made of PP or CS.

Tile Alphas: These are things like scrabble tiles or any other type of block tile shape. They usually add dimension and a spirit of fun and game play to your layouts and cards.

Metal Alphas: These also add dimension and the metal element to the page. Possibly some sparkle if they are shinny. These could be large or small enough to be made from brads.

Cork Alphas: These are also thick and add dimension. You can embellish them if you'd like and they also add a visual texture.

Ghost Letter Alphas: These are unique and quite subtle. They can be altered with inks and stamps but they allow you to see through them to see the paper layered underneath.

Rub-on Alphas: It is probably wise to still store these on the original sheet and not separate them by letter but they still fall into the alpha category.

Other: I am sure there are more so please share with us if I missed one.

Now, As I said up above how you organize these is up to how you think when you are scrapping. Keep this in mind.

Storage Solutions:

Tool Drawers:
{A - Alpha Storage} By KellyCali

Plastic drawer minis - http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=255779...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=222965...

Storage drawers: (ikea style) http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=167825...

Decorative baggie (I linked this before but I think it is great and apply s here also.) http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=154674...

Clip it up: If you could dedicate a section or an entire unit if you needed to holding your alphas. You could use ziplocs to hold the items that don't come on the sheets, sorted by letters or by type.

Baseball and Pocket pages: Using a binder these could be well organized into one. Use Baseball and pocket pages to organize the loose letters and page protectors to hold things like rub-on and sticker sheets.

Drawer dividers: You could also build dividers out of cardboard or chipboard and use larger drawers making smaller compartments.

I hope this helps and gets you thinking about how you scrap and what will work best for you.