Showing posts with label organize. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organize. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Beautifully organize your coat closet - Decorating on a Dollar

Good day everyone!

Beautifully organize your coat closet by adding some designer scrapbook paper, boxes and tags. To see my step by step tutorial please go to my Helmar Post on the Helmar Blog called:

A Happy Helmar House - Coat Closet Storage made beautiful

Helmar Covers plastic boxs with DCWV papers and pinwheel decor blog titile

Leave a comment here or on the Helmar Blog! PIN IT TOO!

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Sunday, March 4, 2012

How to organize your stamps and care for them too

Hello Organizers,

Ok so I know I said there were only two left but as I was reviewing last years I saw a challenge we threw in at the end that was not listed and posted in the front... It was for "in progress projects" I will post it on Monday. Here is this weekend's challenge:

Challenge #16 - Week #4 - STAMPS, Rubber, Foam and Acrylic

I can here everyone groaning as I type lol. There are several ways to store your stamps. First though lets look into the three main types of stamps out there.

Rubber - These stamps come in four ways, mounted on wood, mounted on a plastic roller wheels, unmounted with cleaning backs, and unmounted with no foam or sticky backs. With rubber stamps you will be looking for storage with wood or unmounted. The wood mounted stamps can be removed off of the wood blocks and stored with your unmounted stamps if you prefer even the ones mounted on wheels.

Acrylic - Come unmounted in a plastic packaging.

Foam - Usually come mounted on foam blocks or the shape is large and thick with no block. Either way I have not heard of unmounting these to use like the acrylic or rubber stamps. These are generally much thicker and take up more space.

Here is an article from Blade Rubber Stamps with some key tips on how to care and store them...


    "How to Store and care for Your Rubber Stamps

    TYPES OF STAMP
    Stamps are available in two formats: mounted to a wooden block, or unmounted in sheets. These sheets can be cut up and either mounted to re-positionable foam, or else painted on the back with a re-positionable adhesive, eg: Stamporium Ultimate Adhesive, then used with an acrylic block. Stamps are available in two types: traditional rubber (pink, red or grey) or polymer (which is translucent).

    LOOKING AFTER YOUR STAMPS

    The two main points:

    Never wash a mounted stamp under the tap - the rubber can come off the cushion. However, if the rubber does come off, don't panic - stick the image back on using rubber solution glue.

    Never leave a rubber stamp out in the sun - this makes the rubber brittle and it can perish over time.

    CLEANING STAMPS

    Stamp-cleaning mats are excellent - just wet under the tap and re-use over and over. Dry off on kitchen towel.

    Alchol-free baby wipes are excellent for cleaning stamps, hands, and also to remove most inks from the handle of the stamp (the block). Finish by blotting with kitchen towel.

    Filthy, ink-clogged stamps can be cleaned with an old toothbrush - either dampened with plain water or with a designated stamp cleaner. Rinse off by wiping with damp kitchen roll, a damp flannel or old towel, then dry with kitchen roll.

    Absolutely disgustingly gunged stamps? Use Staz-On cleaner - this will remove virtually any ink build-up. Finish by wiping with damp kitchen roll etc, as above.

    Polymer stamps can become a little sticky after cleaning: simply dust with baby powder.

    STORAGE OF MOUNTED STAMPS

    Store stamps flat, rubber side down, or else standing on edge (as in a stamp shop) facing away from the sun.

    DON'T throw them into a pile in a box where the rubber or polymer is distorted by the blocks of other rubber stamps pressing down on them. This will create a permanent dent in the surface. Also, don't store in wire baskets (for the same reason). Once damaged in this way, you will find the damage is permanent.

    You can layer stamps on top of each other but not too many or, again, you may distort the rubber. Keep the big (heavy) ones at the bottom and make sure the rubber is supported. Personally, I think two layers is enough.

    A good stop-gap for storing stamps are pizza boxes (clean, unused ones) but again, not more than 2 or 3 on top of each other, or there will be too much weight on the bottom layer.

    Huge block stamps can be difficult to store: investigate the option of deep drawers or cardboard boxes which can then be stored on a shelf. Block stamps are expensive and need to be kept out of the sun - on all surfaces! An easy, cheap option whilst you are searching for the perfect storage solution is use an old box - one that held detergent tablets. These have a small flap, which can be tucked inside or fastened with self-adhesive Velcro tabs. They are the right dimensions and made of very strong cardboard, so are stackable. If you don't like the appearance of the box, paint it or collage scrapbook papers over the top.

    Clear nail varnish painted on the wood around the stamp helps to keep it clean, if ink stains really worry you.

    If you get do ink on the block of the stamp, just get over it! A stamp is a tool, and made to be used - don't get too worried about it, or you will be too afraid to use it.

    STORAGE OF UNMOUNTED STAMPS

    Unmounted stamps are popular as they take up much less space. Store the acrylic handles in a drawer and use over and over.

    WITHOUT ADHESIVE

    If you prefer to use your UMs without adhesive (using glue stick on the back, and washing off when you clean your stamps) storage is very easy.

    Stamp the image onto the front of an envelope, and tuck the stamp inside. Store upright in a card file box, by category.

    Too big? Use giant envelopes, and store flap-side upwards in a ring binder.

    WITH ADHESIVE OR EZ MOUNT

    The back of the stamp will be sticky, or clingy (to adhere to the acrylic blocks used as handles).

    Stick onto the front of transparency sheets, with the index (image) sheet behind, so that you can identify your stamps, and store in a ring binder.

    OR: Use a photo album (the sort where you peel away the protective sheet). Place the index sheet on the cardboard under the protective sheet, smooth back down, then stick the stamps on the front, over the index sheet so that you can see which stamp is which. Simple!

    Don't put too many stamps in each binder, or they will be too heavy to stand up. Again, the aim is to keep the stamps clean and out of the sun."




"Keep Away From Cardboard

    Avoid storing them in contact with cardboard, it will cause the rubber to dry out more rapidly and reduce the life of your stamps. Plastic baskets, plastic shoe boxes, and plastic silverware organizers are good for using in drawers to protect your stamps. You can also use a tackle box, the depth of the drawers is ideal for most stamps, and you can remove dividers by scoring them with a blade to make more wide open drawers."

By QueenBeeCrafts


Storage solutions:


Mounted:


Here is a way to store your mounted stamps in crates. http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=252371...

Single stamp storage for wood: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=243874...

stamp storage By J3Mel

Mini stamp storage in Cropper hopper drawers... http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=250120...

Wall shelf unit: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=232774...

Jars??? - Yup - http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=209188...

Baskets: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=204051...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=203724...

Cabinet Alphabetical by size of container:
Stamp Catalog and shelf unit By Hanging By A Moment


Unmounted: Here is a video that explains several types of storage for unmounted stamps. She explains how to store them in Baggies, laminated sheets in binders and in CD jewel cases. How to make your own laminated sheets to store in the binders without a laminator or purchasing them at a store. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjflQYXwS10

Unmounted Stamps Storage (EZ Cling) By Yadee87 She has explained nicely how to do this with Avery page protectors.

This blog shows a method of storing unmounted stamps in a large photo box by categories and on cardstock cards she created with contact paper. http://mynextthirtyyears.com/sharing-my-newly-orga nized...

inside cm clear stamp storage By Mrs. Tristan

If you don't want to remove them from MFG packaging here is an option with a binder... http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=255637...

CD Cases: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=237130...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=232774...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=225914...

CD in a basket: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=223229...

My Stamp Storage 1 By Becki Jo

Zutter Bind it All kit: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=235108...

Foam:

Cases: Foam Stamp Storage - 2009 By Reyasunshine

Drawers:

Foam Alpha Stamp Storage - 2009 By Reyasunshine

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=184743...

PEG BOARD: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=168138...

Plastic drawers: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=107159...

Plastic drawers in baskets: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=801551...

Magnets:
Scraproom Re-org - Photo 9 By Deend31

Clip it up in Baggies: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=122714...

Indexes or Catalogs:


Indexes: The video talked about creating an index for your stamps. This is a great idea and making one for each CD case or your binders will be time consuming but worth it. Have fun with this and color them too. I will be doing this for my unmounted collection that has grown so much recently. Then I will be doing what I did with the catalog. Since it is hard to see the acrylic image sometimes I have to stamp them first for an index.

Catalog: I created a catalog for mine wood stamps. It took less time and was cleaner too then stamping every image however it was more pricey, adding the cost of printing the photos and the standard 4x6 photo album it is stored in. Though I love this solution for my mounted stamps because the stamps are organized by alphabetical and yet in the catalog I have them sorted by type, alpha, floral/nature, holiday, sentiments... etc. I took the photos of the sets and photo edited in the name and a boarder. At the time I did not have a photo editing program so I added the name in MS Paint. Uploaded it to wal-mart's photo printing site and added a boarder from their selection.

Here is a photo of my system.

Stamp Catalog and shelf unit By Hanging By A Moment

Photo of Stamp set for Catalog By Hanging By A MomentPhotobucket
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Friday, March 2, 2012

Organize your glitters, glitter glues, flocking, embossing powders and beads

Hello organizers,

CHALLENGE #14 WEEK #4 - Glitter, Glitter Glue, Flocking, Embossing Powders, Micro Beads etc.

I am not sure if you all know but I am a glitter fanatic! LOL. To put it lightly. I have over 100 shades of glitter and embossing powders. I have almost 40 different colors of glitter glues. I am a bit obsessed about the sparkle I think ... LOL.





REMEMBER: Always leave room for your stuff to grow!!! Especially you collectors!Photobucket
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Organize your stickers and rubons - Scraproom Organization

Hello Organizers,
Challenge #13 - Stickers/rub-ons/bling

If it has a paper backing and requires you to peel & stick or rub it on it is time to clean it up and organize it.

I seriously have stickers from ... 15 years ago... I NEED TO PURGE. Please feel free to join me with this one.

Stickers/rub-ons/ bling - only have one storage issue. THEY MUST BE STORED FLAT. If you choose vertical storage or horizontal these are items that can not be bent. It usually is easier to keep them stored in the original package too. Just for safe keeping, to make sure nothing begins to peel off an image you may need later while it is jumbled around without the protective packaging.

You will be needing to decide how to sort them...

Stickers/Rub-ons - Themes is probably best. One sheet of stickers usually does not have just one color. But one sheet usually has just one theme on it.

Bling - This could be sorted by color, size or shapes/styles what ever you search for fist. There are the individual bling dots (for lack of a better term) the flourishes and the shapes like stars, flowers, etc. and the Alphas and letters.

Storage Options:

Clip it up options:



Bulletin Board with page protectors:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=232050...

Binder with page protectors:
Stickers Storage By Glad2scrap0802

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=215184...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=139900...

Magazine, paper, stencil and sticker storage. By Shirleyanne4557

Not quite a clip it up but a space saver:
sticker holder By Joelle M

Vertical paper holders:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=186212...

In a drawer (be very careful with this don't let them slide around brace it from the back of your stash to prevent them from laying down so they don't get mixed up and start peeling the stickers... messy) http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=177087...

Files:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=221262...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=217984...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=374119...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=391763...

Portable file:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=124336...

Basket:
Alpha Sticker and Rubon Storage By ReadySetDistress

Honestly there is not many options in this gallery besides the clip it up... tons of people like this concept so it must work. Try it you might like it. But there are still several options to the clip it up.
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Monday, February 27, 2012

Organize Your Ribbons and Fibers - Scraproom and Craft room Organization

Hello Organizers!
Challenge #12 Week #3 - Ribbons and fibers

The biggest problem with these items is the potential of tangling and unraveling from the spool. The largest storage problem is the size that the spools take up. Because of these issues many scrapbookers remove the ribbon from their spools, especially if they collect a lot.

You will find most people sort them by color. However there are few that do it my MFG. It all depends on what way will be easiest for your brain to search and find what you need.

Storage Options for spools of ribbon:

Embellishment Center: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=260185...

Cropper Hopper Embellishment Center:
Ribbon Storage By Candace M.

Handmade Ribbon Box: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=259026...

SUPER CUTE CUPCAKE HOLDER: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=253370...

SUPER CUTE CAKE STAND:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=245882...

SUPER CUTE BIRDCAGE:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=242602...

Craft locker: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=759299...

Ribbon box: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=108272...

Plastic Bins:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=124191...

Wire Shelves:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=142257...

Wire Prima Flower shelf used now for ribbon:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=239826...

Curtain Rods: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=238397...

Towel Rack (Behind the door): http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=197752...

In a Drawer:
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=170872...

Vertical Pegs: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=164391...

http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=892841...

Storage Options for removing them from the spools:

Pant Hanger (closet organizer): (This is mine)
*PK GLITZ DT* Ribbon Rack Label By Hanging By A Moment

Easy Pulls Handmade:
My Edition of EZ Pull By Vh678

Ribbons on cards in a photo box: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=259429...

Ribbon box By SwedishDesign

SUPPER CUTE AND CLEVER RIBBON TREE: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=258047...

Coat Hanger:
ribbon storage By Greenqueen

Towel Rack (behind the door):
Ribbon Storage By Sarah-Scraps

Embroidery floss plastic boxes:
Ribbon storage By Jennie_C_vetc

In Jars (though I would worry about creasing):
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=159043...

Shoe rack (Door Hanger):
http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=142326...

Card and paper clips: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/?m=image& id=145223...

On Rings:
collected By Northernmemories

Close up of he rings:
http://www.scrapbook.com/myplace/index.php?mod=gallerie...

Clothes pins and Jars:  (this is mine)
Fibers Storage By Hanging By A Moment
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Sunday, February 26, 2012

Organize your Buttons/Metals, Eyelets, brads, etc. Challenge #11 Scraproom and Craft room

Challenge #11 Week #3 - Buttons/Metals, Eyelets, brads, etc.

I know some of you are done with this (woo hoo a night off for you). Today we are going after all our little pieces, Itty bitty embellishments.

Lets go over really quick all those types of little pieces.

Buttons: Some of us are at a loss of what to do with them so here is an article excerpt from Ezine @rticles it is written by Christine Perry

    Buttons are not just for clothing. It's unclear when scrapbooking with buttons began as a trend. Even in early scrapbook albums, it wasn't unusual to see a button placed on a scrapbooking page. Quite often it was a keepsake button, like from a vintage piece of clothing or a baby girl's first dress. As scrapbooking pages started to become more 3-D and scrappers looked for unique embellishments for their pages, buttons became more popular. Manufacturers started offering buttons to coordinate with their paper lines, and buttons with themes like Christmas and sports became available. Monthly scrapbooking kits and page kits often include complementary buttons as part of their packages. Consider these tips for using buttons on your pages.

    1. Buttons lined up together can make a border for your scrapbooking page layouts.

    2. Place buttons in your titles by using them to dot your "i"s. You can also use them as the center of letters like "o" and "p."

    3. Buttons can be secured to a page using embroidery floss by sewing it onto the page.

    4. Glue dots work very well to adhere larger-sized buttons to a page, as well as buttons that are not flat on the bottom.

    5. A few buttons make nice accents to anchor a ribbon border to a page. Again, glue dots will securely attach the buttons to the ribbon.

    6. Try placing a button on the flap of an envelope to decorate a simple page element.

    7. Flowers are still very popular on scrapbooking pages. Silk or paper flowers come in all sizes and colors now. A button makes a perfect center for a flower. An added benefit is that the button can hide the adhesive that typically shows through a paper flower.

    8. Take 4 small buttons and attach them to the 4 corners of a photograph. The buttons will look like they are holding the photo to the page.

    9. Create a bullet list for journaling. Use buttons as the bullets.

    10. Scrapbooking tags can be used for page elements, photo mats, and journaling blocks on a scrapbooking page. You can use a button to decorate the hole at the top of a tag.

    11. Try placing a button on a page and then hanging the string from a scrapbooking tag from it as an anchor.

    12. An antique, vintage or unusual button can be used individually on a page as a page element all its own. Try double matting the button to highlight it on your layout.

    13. Attach a button to a page with the holes empty, or thread some floss through the holes and tie it in a knot or bow for an added accent.

    14. Don't limit yourself to one size of buttons on your page layout. Mix sizes and styles of buttons. You could stay with the same color, but have a variety of different buttons in that same color on a single page.

    15. Buttons can be memorabilia. Save buttons from shirts, handbags, hats and other clothing that have sentimental value, but that you no longer can use. The buttons can be added to a scrapbooking page to remember the times when you wore those items. Baby buttons look cute on a baby page layout as well.


Metals: These will be your clips, hinges, keys, name plates, tabs, wire, frames, staples, tags etc. Anything that is metal (accept brads and eyelets). Some of you may not have any of these... I love adding metal to my pages but I always forget I have them. They are stuffed in the back of a drawer. Lets take some time to organize them.

Eyelets: These are great for lacing ribbon techniques or just adding color and texture to you page. They are the metal and have a hole in the middle. These items that take a cropadile or two tools to set them into your paper. They come in all shapes and several sizes. I have seen a few that don't have the hole in the middle but that is rare.

Brads: Are the ones with the two prongs on the back of the metal shape. They have no holes usually but I have seen them mimic eyelets every now and then. The prongs are pointy and can pierce the paper then be folded back behind the sheet to secure the item onto your page or card. They are colorful and can add a little extra pop to your work.

Beads: There are various beads being used in the scrapbooking world too. These are also used on flowers, strung with wire or even the micro beads that are adhered like glitter with adhesive to your project. Beads come in glass and plastic and can add a 3-D sparkle by catching the light with their commonly shinny surfaces.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS: The majority of these are tiny and micro sized so we are going to be looking at much smaller options for storage today. You will need to decide if you want to sort them by color or by style, MFG, shape or size.

     
    Here is mine they have not changed from last year:


What I truly love about most of these is you can think outside the Box store and create a trash to treasure by using something you would find at a thrift store, garage sale, Craig list or for free from your kitchen. Even the metal storage tins on the metallic board. Try using a cookie sheet and some wedding treat tins, adding magnets on the back. Have fun!
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