My journey through paper organization...

I have been asked by a few people how I organize my stash, so I will take a few posts over the next couple of days to share that.  It has been a process for me and it is based on how I scrapbook, but maybe it will give you some ideas.

Today we are going to talk about paper.  I have a long history with struggling with paper storage.  I started off with one of these...

Yeah.  I quickly outgrew that.  Let's not dwell on it.  LOL  My next choice was this:

I really liked those (and still have them), but I just wasn't happy with it, so I tried these...

Which I love (and still use), but I still thought I could do better so I moved onto this:

Which very quickly demonstrated that it was not sturdy enough so I then was EXTREMELY blessed to stumble into this:

I really feel like the luckiest girl in the world.  I have other photos posted further down in my blog, but, basically,  a LSS went out of business and our being in the right place at the right time ended up with me owning 2 slat walls and tons of clear 12x12 trays and shelves for about $50.  I am extremely grateful.

Now, you may have stopped part way through this post and thought...those other storage options are great!  Why did she keep looking?

Here is what my goals were for my paper:
1.  Off the floor
2.  Lots of categories
3.  Labels!
4.  Displayed so I will use it

I finally have what is my ideal set up. 

Putting my paper into categories has changed as I have gotten better storage, but the core of how I do it has stayed the same.  My first exploration was how I scrapbook.  I always start with a color scheme.  Always.  So sorting by color works well for me.  I tried sorting EVERYTHING by color and soon realized that not all stacks/manufactuers can be put in that neat little box, so I started working on a secondary way to categorize my paper that can work with my color categories.

All of my cardstock (and many other of my supplies) are sorted by color in a specific order.  Here is the color order that I use for my ribbon, paper, embellishments, paints, inks...

Red     Pink     Purple     Blue     Green     Yellow     Orange     Black     Grey     White     Brown    Skintone

My loose patterned paper and the leftover paper from stacks/kits/paper pads get divided into that same palette.  I look at each piece and choose the predominant color for my categories.  If it is hard to put in category, then I do have a "multi" category for thos tricky papers with lots of colors.

All of my other patterned paper is divided into one of two categories:  either by theme (boy, school, Christmas, Halloween, Valentiens, Nature...) or by Manufacturer.  I have learned to NOT take apart my paper pads, unless it is necessary.  They had experts coordinate the paper and it is so much easier for my process if I keep the paper together and use it together.  I tend to buy paper from the same companies, so I do have some trays labeled for Basic Grey, Sassafrass, Cosmo Cricket...  Those are some of my go to papers and I like to have them handy.

Let's not forget about the ever present paper scraps.  I have my cardstock ones in a 12x12 accordian folder sorted by, you guessed it, color and the patterned paper scraps in a cropper hopper.  Those are my go to places when I want to use my cricut, punches or make a card.

Also, I have learned to only buy paper I LOVE.  When I first started scrapbooking, I would buy paper because it was on sale...or I liked a few sheets from a stack.  I found that I wasted alot of paper that way.  I have a few companies that I buy by the pad/kit, but other than that, I buy individual pieces.  And...are you ready for this...it has helped me tremendously...When I buy single sheets of paper I also get the cardstock to match...sort of make my own mini kit right at the store.  That way I know I have things that match and that I will use instead of just a random sheet of paper.  Those 5 for a dollar sales are great, but half of that paper I never used.  Now I do.

If you have any other questions, please post them here and I will be happy to answer them.  Next up will be my stamps and inks so be on the lookout for that!

Fied Trip

Here is another layout finished this weekend.  Can I say again how much I love those 2 Peas classes?

The class was about stamping and using different colors of embossing powder on the same stamped image.  I quickly discovered that I stink at that.  LOL  I tried quite a few times and it just wasn't working.  However, I did do different colors of embossing on the same project!  How about that?  I embossed the trees and basket in brown...butterfly in teal...Isabel in red and Field Trip in black.  I used Copics to color in the leaves and apples.  I'll have to keep working on that technique.

In Wonderland

Between our challenge blog and the 2 Peas classes, I cannot possibly run out of things to create!  My little notebook of what I want to make this month is full, thanks to some pre-determined challenges.   :)  It is nice to get some things accomplished.

Here is the layout that I did for Shimelle's 4x6 Photo Love Class...

I used my favorite Cosmo Cricket Paper (Girl Friday) and Chipboard Set, some Basic Grey Glazed brads from various lines, clear stickers (put on white cardstock, cut out and foam squared for dimention) from American Crafts and a Library Journaling Card that I printed out.

I am loving me some stick pins...

Last month's Counterfeit kit has stick pins in it.  I got out my obligitary pins that I had purchased along time ago and put them in my kit.  Whoohoo.  Then a wonderous thing happened.  My sweet husband brought home several of those plastic storage holders with the drawers FULL of jewlery making things.  Um...I don't make jewlery honey.  But you could.  But I don't.  But you could...just look through it, okay?

So I looked...and started to see some pretty things (and alot of things I will never use).  And started to get some scrappy ideas!  Hmmm...these charms would be cute on a page...those beads could have rub ons put on them...

And then this months kit had a stick pin again.  But this time, I was excited about it.  I was going to make my own.  I was lucky enough to find some straigh pins (for jewlery making) in the glorious mess of beads, so I got to work.  It was SO easy and I am in love with them. 

Here is my first one that I did for my kit this month:

Really, it doesn't take much at all to make these.  All you need is some beads/charms, straight pins of some sort or even safty pins and clear glue.  You might have most of this already in your house.  Go look.  I'll wait........

If you are using a safety pin, just put the beads on and close it.  Done.  If using straight pins, put a bead on the pin toward the end and put some clear glue on the top and bottom of the bead...you don't have to wait for it to dry.  Go ahead and add any other bead/charms as you see fit and put clear glue in between each and especially at the end.  Then put it down and give it a few minutes for the glue to dry.

Look how cute!  Do I have to use them?  LOL

Now go and create something. 

February's Counterfeit Kit

I am so excited about this months kit from Scraps of Darkness!  If you haven't seen the kit we counterfeited yet, head on over there and check it out!

If you haven't stopped by the Counterfeit Kit Challenge, check in there to see more pictures of the kits we were inspired to make!

When she first sent pictures of her kit and add on kits to us so we could get started on them, I will admit to being overwhelmed with the amout of items in these kits!  So much scrappy goodness!

Let's walk through how I put together my kit:

Step one for me was to focus on an inspiration piece in the kit.  I really like the patterns of the paper she chose, so I decided to start there.  I have a pack of American Craft Metropolitan Paper that I was looking for a chance to use and decided to start there.

I used this pretty print as a guide for picking out my cardstock.  I do a lot of 2 page layouts, so I put in 2 sheets of each color to give myself some options.  Since I had the whole stack from AC, it was pretty easy to pick coordinating papers for my kit.

Next I moved onto the embellishments.  There are so many in the kit!  Not to mention the add on kits!  I took some liberty with my embellishments, although I did try to stick to the original kit as much as I could.  That is the beauty of making your own kit.  You can do whatever you want!

Original Kit embellishments:

Cut apart cards (see picture further down in post) (check)

Mini alpha stickers (check)

Bingo Cards (check)

Small Frame Stamp (check)

Page Pebbles (made...check)

Lace Trim (check)

Stick pin (made...check)

Fiber Trim (replaced with a cute pom pom trim...check)

3 bunches of small roses (made...check)

various brads (check)

Pack of larger flowers (made...check)

self adhesive pearl design (check)

2 die cuts - fairy and heard (replaced with 2 chipboard shapes...check)

Teresa Colling Blingage (used chipboard shape -embossed and heat embossed...check)

additon of buttons...I love buttons (check)

Here are the cut apart cards I made.  I used See D's stamps, Michaels $ stamps and The Girls Paperie set (it also has the frame I am adding to my kit).

Scraps of Darkness has great add on kits, so I got stared on those next.
I trimmed down the Romance Add On Kit.  I didn't feel the need for more flowers, so I skipped those and the pearl dots and pins.  I made my own metal frames and added a metal trim instead of the trim with beading.

For the Color Add On Kit, I decided to not go ahead and mix up colors and things until I am actually working on a project.  I did pull out my collection of Pearl Ex products (all obtained through garage sales, thank you very much).  I have not used them much, so I am excited about playing around with them and will be sure to share my experiments with you!

I can't wait to see what you create with your kit!  Don't forget to link a picture from either your blog, facebook or even 2 Peas or Scrapbook.com to enter our contest for this month over at Counterfeit Kit Challenge!  Inspire me, people!

Pretty displays make all the difference

Who cannot stand a messy desk?  Come on!  I know you are out there!  Stand proud with me!  I am a clean as I go sort of person whether it is scrapping or cooking.  I need a nice clean area to work in or I cannot focus. 

That is great for staying neat, but not so great for feeling creative.  Right now I think I have the perfect organizational systems.  I love them and everything has it's place.  This weekend while I was putting together a kit I was working on and creatively taking some photos of the kit (see other post) and it hit me!  I should keep my kit things out in some cute containers on my desk so I will be inspired to use them! 

So here are a few different containers I came up with (the first picture you will remember from yesterday):

(This last bucket I turned upside down so I would have a more shallow container. )

So what fun containers do you use (or could you use) to display your scrap stuff that you are in the process of using?  Share your good ideas with me, please!

My photo taking "aha" moment!

This weekend I was working on my kit for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog and was trying to figure out a way to get better pictures.  My camera is not fancy and I don't have alot of photography skills.  I envy people who are able to get really great shots of their finished cards and layouts.  So I decided to poke around online and see how the kit clubs were showing off their products.  I noticed three things:

1.  Natural lighting
2.  Interesting backgrounds
3.  fun display containers

Here is what I came up with to try and integrate those things in my display photos. 

First I pulled out some white foam core boards that I had sitting around and some patterned paper:

Then I found a good, natural light source (a great window with lots of light...I also can use my front bay window) and put made a "stage" with the foam boards:

Pick some patterned paper and prop it up on the foam board (like wallpaper, but not glued down).  You could also use fabric and even put some cardstock down as the "floor":

Then just put the object in front of the patterned paper, get down on eye level and take the photo.  Looks prettier already!

I also decided to find some pretty containers to display some of my stuff that I wanted to photograph (a neat trick that I saw on alot of kit clubs).  My husband thought using a gravy boat was a bit nuts, but I like it.  I also turned the candle sticks upside down because the bottoms have more room to store things.  Look at how much nicer my embellishments look with a little TLC photography: