My Stampin' Space: The Washer!?!

It may sound a little strange, but I use the tops of my washer AND my dryer for extra work space--especially for cutting with the paper trimmers and working with the Cuttlebug. When I get ready to begin a new project, I usually have my inspiration on hand (here the SU! Holiday Mini Catalog and the list of materials that was used for the card I was "casing"). I pull out all of the papers, ink, and stamps I plan to use, then get to work cutting out pieces. Remember, I usually make a whole batch of cards (8-12) at a time, so once I have a design I cut all the pieces out at the washer and dryer, and then do all the stamping at my desk. Last of all, I put all the cards together assembly-line fashion. So now the nickle tour is over! If you have any questions, ask away!

Stampin' Space: The Utility Sink

Let me tell you . . . it is REALLY convenient to have a sink in your stamping area. Aside from a place to wash hands and clean things, it also helps to contain some of the more messy projects . . . shaving cream . . . color spritzer . . . glitter . . . embossing powder . . . you get the idea! If you're holding over the big sink while you work on those kinds of projects, clean-up is a snap! Just rinse out the sink and you're done. Am I spoiled, or what?!

My Stampin' Space: Desk

It doesn't matter how much desk space I have. It's never enough! Of course, my SU! IB&C is on the desk. The basket holds instructions for some things I want to try soon, and a few items to be altered to give as gifts. There's a fluorescent lighting fixture mounted to the wall right above the workspace, and scissors are hanging on the wall, too. There are some canning jars holding colored pencils, scissors, tools, and writing instruments, a scented candle, a few CDs, and a CD player and headphones. My favorite paper trimmer is on the desk right on top of my paper pad. The paper pad makes clean up really easy! When I'm done with a project there are snips and scraps and all kinds of little pieces of trash. I just sweep it all in a little pile, roll up the top sheet, tear it off and pop it in the trash. On the right of the desk is my SU! Stampin' Scrub and a small bottle of Stampin' Mist (love that stuff!). The drawer on the left contains hand-held punches, rulers, crop-a-dile, and blades for my paper trimmers. The drawer on the right contains a stapler, tape dispenser, and a bunch of those cute little stamps that you use on the back of your cards.

My Stampin' Space: 3D Sample Projects

The cabinet above my desk houses lots of miscellaneous craft stuff . . . non-SU! papers, retired SU! stuff, embellishments, envelopes, embossing supplies, heat gun, glue gun, adhesives, ink refills, markers, watercolors, tools, etc. I took a picture of the inside of it, but we're not gonna go there . . . it just isn't "pretty"! On top of the cabinet I store 3D Sample Projects from parties and clubs that I've attended. I really like to be able to look at an example AND the directions when I make something 3D. Don't you? My first two "books" are also hiding up there behind the projects on the right.

My Stampin' Space: Paper and More!

I bought these sorters from Sam's a couple years ago. I have labeled the left edge of each bin with the SU! color that goes inside. Each bin contains 8 1/2 X 11 card stock along with any matching scraps, buttons, markers, ink, ribbon, etc. that I have in that color. Sometimes I can slice the top of the cellophane wrapper that the card stock comes in and store everything right in the package. That way when I'm working on a project I have all the goodies in that color in one place and have it out all at once. Sometimes just seeing what you have inspires you to use it! This is NOT the most efficient use of the space--a filing cabinet would store the paper in much less space--but I really like being able to grab everything in a color by pulling out just one little package. The sorters are stacked so that I have 6 columns of 12 bins (not all are shown in the previous post). The column on the far left houses my old SU! IB&C collection (all the way back to 2000, I think!), watercolor paper, mulberry paper, metallics, and miscellaneous non-SU! papers. The next 5 columns are organized by the SU! color families: Soft Subtles, Rich Regals, Earth Elements, Bold Brights, and Neutrals.

My Stampin' Space: Punches

There's a little alcove under the stairwell that I use to store punches, papers and gadgets. On the wall I have my punches resting on cafe curtain rods. These rods are expandable from 24-40 inches or something like that, but I have them at the shortest length so that they won't sag under the weight of the punches. This was pretty easy to do--I actually did it myself! Where the screws needed to go to mount the brackets I tapped holes with an awl. I tapped drywall anchors into the holes using a hammer, then mounted the brackets using the provided screws. I mounted the rods about 6 inches apart. I have the punches loosely categorized by shape--circles, squares, ovals, and so on--so they are easier to find. I'm learning that storing things vertically instead of horizontally--especially using once-empty wall space--tends to be very efficient! All the black punches were purchased from Stampin' Up! The white and pastel green border punches are by Martha Stewart and were purchased at Micheal's and Walmart. PS: you can click on any picture to look at it "close up". :)

My Stampin' Space: The Stamp Shelf

See the door on the left? That's the doorway I was coming into when I snapped the "Introduction" picture. I've closed the door, and I'm showing you the shelf that is usually behind the opened door! Quite frankly, I have a hard time parting with stamps! I mean, I bought them because I loved them, and somehow the idea of selling any of them seems like selling one of my own children! And I've been at this for about ten years now! Hence, I find myself with two dilemmas: (1) I'm running out of storage space. I do have room to put one more shelf in my shelving unit--IF I turn my boxes on their sides instead of standing them on end and readjust the existing shelves. I'll need to do this soon. (2) I'm having a little difficulty remembering exactly what I own! I have grand intentions of making a notebook with a page for each stamp set organized in the categories they would have appeared under in the catalog. I'd also like to create an alphabetical list of all the words, phrases, and sentiments I have cross-referenced to the stamp set they are in. I have no idea when I'll ever get around to this mammoth project, but the idea has been kicking around in my head for a while now. My shelves are loosely organized like this: on top of the unit are sets containing words, phrases, and sentiments, along with a couple non-SU! sets and a few odds and ends; the top shelf contains background stamps on the left, my "book" on the right, and behind it begins the rest of my collection, alphabetized by the name of the set.

My Stampin' Space: Introduction

I had my Stampin' Space all cleaned up and ready for my next project, so I thought I'd give you the nickle tour while it was presentable! A few years ago my dear husband, Mark, finished what was once a dark, dreary, cobwebby, cinder block and 2X4-walled, concrete-floored part of the basement that housed my laundry area and make-shift Stampin' Space. The result is what I'm about to show you here! I'm proud of the job my DH did, and really pleased to have a bright, cheerful, useful area that houses not only my Stampin' Space, but also my laundry area and freezer. Mark finished most of the walls with drywall (painted a yellowish white called "Soft White") and did one wall with white paneling that has a bead-board look. He installed a drop ceiling, fluorescent ceiling lights, and stock cabinetry. The floor is painted with this nifty epoxy stuff that makes it look kind of like old-fashioned linoleum--perfect for a basement floor! Painting the floor was quite the process: etch, rinse, dry, paint, and and finally sprinkle on the flecks. The flecks were like multi-colored paint flakes in a shaker container exactly like what Parmesan cheese comes in! Once the area was ready to go, I hit my local Walmart for the towel bar, towels, clock, and throw rugs. Wonderful! This photo is the view you get when you walk in the door. Future posts will take you clockwise around the room and will give a little more detail. Probably more detail than you want! :)

Christmas gift for a letter-writing college student

One of my daughter's dearest friends, Carol, loves to write cards and letters. When she went away to college, I made her some monogrammed stationery in her favorite color. She really seemed to enjoy it, so I decided to make her another little gift set. This time, instead of using her favorite color, I used her school colors--navy and gray. What looks like DSP is actually just plain white card stock with the initials of her school--UMW--alternating in the school colors. I did this on the computer, and printed it on a color laser printer. I also used the computer to make the words, "A NOTE FROM . . . " Sometimes a conglomeration of ideas comes together to make one good element, and this homemade DSP is a fine example. About three years ago I saw a card on a blog that had a Bible verse repeated to make a background. Around the same time, my son had a teacher who was an avid Virginia Tech fan. I needed to come up with a nice Christmas gift for her and figured a teacher can always use thank you notes! Right? So I made some VT DSP and made her a set of 20 thank you notes. I'm recycling the general idea and adapting it to Chloe's friend, Carol. I hope she likes it! CARD STOCK: Whisper White, Night of Navy and Going Gray (retired, not shown--I made some in Night of Navy and some in Going Gray). PUNCHES: Large Oval and Scallop Oval.

What's in the box? Wedding

The pictures really don't do this one justice. It's been a while since I made this one, but if I remember correctly the idea for this card came from a tutorial on the SplitCoastStampers website. The "card" is made using transparency. The lace background is stamped on the front with white Staz On ink. What appears to be the bottom layer (Pale Plum) is actually on the inside right of the card and has the verse on it. What appears to be the middle layer (Perfect Plum) is actually on the inside left of the card with the wedding bells stamped on it. What appears to be the top layer (Whisper White) is the only part of the card that is attached to the outside! The challenge in making this card was lining up the parts so that when the card is closed the layers are even. CARD STOCK/PAPER: Transparency, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Whisper White. INK: Staz On White, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum. STAMPS: Fine Lace, God Bless II, Sketch An Event, Trimtastic.

What's in the box? Thanks

I made up a pile of these when I designed them. I made them with different sentiments with the intention of giving them away in sets as gifts, but I liked them so much I hated to give them away. Is that selfish, or what?! The inspiration for this was, oddly enough, some Christmas wrapping paper that we used last year. I loved the color scheme, and easily translated it to SU! colors. Does anyone else out there think in SU! colors? ;)
CARD STOCK: Ruby Red, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip.
INK: Certainly Celery, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip.
STAMPS: Painted Posies, Springtime Stems, Sincere Salutations.
OTHER: Textile Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (not SU!), Martha Stewart Lace Edge Punch (not SU!).

What's in the box? Anniversary

I will begin this post by admitting that this is NOT one of my favorite designs. I used a layout I saw in the Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog. I like the layout fine--it's the colors I'm not too keen on. I wanted to use shades of purple, and it just didn't zing me. Anyway . . . here's the scoop:

CARD STOCK: Lovely Lilac, Summer Sun, Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant.

STAMPS: Congrats

OTHER: Tearing Edge, Heart to Heart Punch, Spots & Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (not SU!), Elegant Eggplant Ribbon, 3M foam mounting tape (not SU!).