Storage cart for tools and Project Life supplies

I purchased a Flip video recorder over 2 years ago.  I always pride myself on getting bargains and this was no exception. It was a mark down at WalMart and was around $60 which was half price or so then.

I envisioned myself making all kinds of tutorial videos on scrapbooking and card making, maybe some cooking/recipe tutorials too.  

So far I've taken 4 videos with it and only two of them were craft related. I do love how easy it is to use and transfer to the computer.  I DON'T like the Flipshare editing, very limited and I had lots of problems uploading to YouTube.  I finally realized I had MS video editor and it worked great.

Now if I can stop shaking, huffing & puffing and remember to speak up a bit so you can hear me, I might be able to make some tutorials.

Of course I'm adding one more thing to my "Don't Do" list, trying to turn that into a TO DO list.  LOL  And another thing to learn too.

Anyway, here is my video about my Roskag cart that I'm using for tools & Project Life, Simple Stories, Everyday Stories, I'm playing with them all.

No laughing, snickering or mean comments please.  Let me have my learning curve for now!

Organizing, the rest of the Studio!

To finish up the tour of my studio I wanted to share the final side of the room.  This side houses my desk, an old printer stand, above that is a 2x4 piece of pegboard that holds a ton of items and the area behind my sewing machine.

This is my desktop with my basic tools at hand.  On the right is the Lazy Susan that was featured on Julie's blog on Wednesday.  To the left is a stack of cake stands that house stickles, distress inks, reinkers and chalks.  My desk itself is an old computer desk that I have re-purposed.

 This is my cake stands up close, on the top is a compote to hold the chalks.  This is easy to turn to reach all the items on it.

This is the pegboard my husband made, with the baskets and pegs it holds a lot of items.  Below that is the printer stand that houses my pens, ink pads, hot glue sticks, craft sticks and other miscellaneous items.

This is beside the printer stand, it is a cart from Office Depot.  It holds paper scraps sorted by color families and the top drawer holds various tools, like brayers, wire cutters and anything I can fit in it.  LOL

Beside my pegboard I have just put nails in the wall to hang all of my clear rulers for quilting.  It is directly behind my chair at the sewing machine so they're easy to reach.

This is the continued view with my little inspiration wall above my pressing area.

Another cart from Office Depot, this one has a filing drawer in the bottom, a drawer that holds my circle cutting items and my paper trimmers sit on top.

This is an up to date shot of the wire shelves.  I have used these 3 drawer storage containers that hold all my 8.5x11 Stampin UP! cardstock.  I have labeled each drawer, they each hold at least 3 different colors.  On top of them are baskets that hold Stampin' UP! ribbon rolls, punches and stamp pads.

Well that wraps up the full tour of my studio.  I hope I have given you some new ideas for storage in your studio or craft room.  As Julie said on her blog, organizing your area is an on going process or it should be.  As you add new products to use or purge items that you no longer need or want, your area will be evolving all the time.

I would like to invite you to join a Yahoo group that I enjoy, it is dedicated to your scrapbook room:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scrapbookingrooms/

If you are interested in Stampin' UP! products I have a website that you can order from:
http://pamfairchild.stampinup.net

If you have any questions please send me a direct message at:
pamfairstampin@sbcglobal.net
Thanks for stopping by!
Pam 

Organizing your Space or the never ending saga . . .

I've lived in my home for 25 years and have had a craft room for the majority of that time.  I had learned to quilt, machine applique and there was great demand for cure seasonal and holiday clothes.  My room developed into a quilting and sewing room with storage for the little bit of paints, jewelry findings, wreath supplies, etc.  My main focus was a cutting table that was 3 ft. by 7 ft. and my new L-shaped cabinet for my Bernina sewing and serging machines.  I had a small bookcase for quilt/craft books and several totes to hold my stock of fabric.  I was making quilted items along with mini quilts and wearable art items.  Sweaters made out of sweatshirts that were stitched and appliqued or painted on.  A friend of mine and I hit the holiday craft fairs quite hard one year, selling out and working right up until Christmas.  I decided after that I was only doing this as a hobby and maybe teach.  In 2000 a co-worker and friend introduced me to scrapbooking.  I was already an avid photographer, mainly family and outdoors/wildlife pictures.  This was at a time when scrapbooking was just taking off and their were no local scrapbook stores and probably an eighth of the supplies we have now.  But sticking with it and then adding rubber stamping into the mix in 2010 made me in need of a large dedicated space.  I luckily have a supportive husband who has helped me rearrange, put together shelves and purge stuff, until I have a studio that I love and like to share.

 The above picture shows my sewing area.  The cabinet is in an L-shape and where the iron sits is really where my serger should go.  But for quilting it's important to have an ironing surface close at hand so I use a muslin covered piece of wood as my board.  This configuration also allows me an area to cut small pieces or trim up blocks to the left of my machine.

This area is directly across from the sewing area.  There is a shelf in the corner holding magazines and other basket of items.  Then I have another two shelf bookcase that holds my Cricut and a few books.  That sits in front an outer door to my room, that some day I hope to use if I hold classes.

Next to the small bookcase is a 5 foot table that I use when I work.  I can drag out baskets of items, papers, stamps, anything I may need for that project and have it right behind me, across from my desk.  Above the table are some decorative items, a small shelf and a large book rack.  I have my Cricut cartridges stored in the bottom section.  The wire dress form is holding some of my misc. ribbons.

These two wire shelves hold a lot of items.  I have magazines, storage boxes, photo boxes, cardstock and paper storage, both vertical and horizontal.  This I find is an area that is constantly changing and since this photo I have rearranged it.  I plan to do a total makeover of these two shelves in the next month or two.  Constantly evolving, other wise you stay stagnant and that is not a good place for an artist. At the end of the shelves is the double doors that lead into the room.

That is the first part of my room tour.  I will post the second part on Thursday because my desk will be featured on Julie's blog that day too, so it will tie in and finish the 360 degree view.

I hope you will join or follow my site with Blogger or Google reader.  I have lots of techniques for scrapbook pages, cards and other paper crafts coming this year and would love to share that info with you.  I also have a Twitter or Facebook page, if you participate in either of those.  Of course my newest obsession is Pinterest, I have too many boards but oh is it fun.  That's for another blog sometime soon.

I would like to give a BIG THANKS to Julie for inviting me to participate in her blog this week, I've already discovered some things I want to check out for my studio.  And some new blogs to follow of course.  Happy organizing!

Balzer Designs Organization Week

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer Organization Week

I'm very excited to let you know I am participating in this organization week Julie is curating.  Julie put out a request for participants thru her Twitter account and I sent her a few pictures of my studio.  She requested more pictures and information about my Lazy Susan tool caddy and my desktop in general for items at your finger tips.  My Lazy Susan will be featured on Wednesday and my desktop on Thursday.  I added a link to Julie's blog above so you can get to it easily.  I do love my desktop when I'm creating because of the amount of tools and the ease I can reach them.  It makes a real difference when you're creating if you have to dig around for the basics, it can take the fun out of it real quick.  Having your tools right at hand lets you spend your time experimenting with different techniques and products rather than wasting time wondering where your scissors or paper trimmer is.  I hope you'll take a look each day at Julie's blog and get some great ideas to help you in this New Year get your space organized to your satisfaction.