studio storage: accordion files & collage papers

It is no great secret that I love to be organized. And it is obvious by looking around here that I love containers and storage systems, but until now, I just hadn't found the perfect filing system for my collage papers. You know the ones? Those odd shaped and indeterminate sized scraps that we just have to keep! Enter these awesome little accordion file jackets. Oh my- is that a CHEVRON PATTERN I see? They are the perfect size for storing all of those odds bits and pieces I want to hang onto for collaging, mail art and card making. Have bigger scraps or a need to file your larger book pages and paper? I love these accordion files by Martha Stewart Home Office! Do you want to know the very best part about this little studio storage project? These little puppies were only $1 each in the Dollar Section at my local Target. Now making this will be a snap!

in my house: living room redo part 2

So - I am finally ready to share my Living Room with you. Back in February I posted part 1-  what prompted me to redo my living room. I know it took me two months to get back to this, but I wanted it to be complete when I shared it with you again and with the exception of the finish on my coffee table it is all done!

Two items on my BUDGET BOARD were my intended focal point and grounded the room perfectly - this furniture and my antique chalkboard. I gave my old toss pillows a face lift with burlap & duckcloth shams, adding linen ruffles and medallions. The wreathe is one I made with recycled materials.

I tackled the dark laminate tv cabinet with one coat of this primer and two coats of this awesome paint which I had tinted to Natural White. Once dry, I sanded the cabinet roughly with an electric palm sander, creating deep grooves and rounded edges.

I loved the gray with the hard wood floors, so I opted to tie in a few antique pieces. I gave an old dresser a new coat of my favorite wax in Natural, and it now serves as added storage for games, coasters, and blankets. An oversized library table gets the same treatment and houses school and kids arts and crafts supplies.

I don't like things to be "matchy matchy" so I tied in a few old chippy painted pieces as well. I am in total love with this green side table. It just so happened to match my walls perfectly - which are painted a very pale shade by Ralph Lauren called Killington Traverse. This little round beauty still shows signs of the original floral tromp de l'oeil design visible on the table top surface.

I went ahead and bought the wooden lamp base at Target but found my burlap shade at Wal-Mart. The floor lamp also came from Wal-Mart. I just swapped out the original shade for this one.

 Because my Kitchen and Living Room are basically one giant room, it was mandatory that they tie together seamlessly, without being exactly alike. I was able to achieve that with color. The kitchen cabinets are a coordinating shade of white and the antique gold curtains picked up the warm hues of the wood and burlap. I like the cohesion this rug from Ikea gives the entire room and since my kids love to hang out on the floor I made two oversized floor pillows using duck cloth and left over linen and ribbon scraps from Christmas projects.

The small things on my BUDGET BOARD were easy. Metal trays and vintage ice buckets were picked up for pennies in local shops and at goodwill. Grainsack material covers a recycled oversized pillow. I had fun embellshing it with burlap and a hand crocheted flower with a vintage bling center. Books and more vintage trophies filled with flowers line the cubbies on the tv cabinet and giant metal stars I lugged back from PA years ago got a new coat of silver paint and hang on the walls.

I love it. That is a surefire way of saying I will tweak it down the road, no doubt, but I do love it.

live the repurposed life: dental floss cord dispenser

Okay so this GOING GREEN thing has really made me look at everything differently. You know it is addictive when you can't throw away your empty dental floss container. After a closer look inside I realized I could recycle the container by rewinding thin cord, baker's twine or waxed thread around the existing core. It turned out like this --->

It was super easy if you want to give it a whirl. Easy step by step directions follow. Enjoy!

I love it! Easy. Portable. Re-purposed & Recycled. Just my style! I think I will make one for all the colors of cord I have on hand. Better start flossing sixteen times a day! Here are the links for the glue dots and cording that I like to use in my projects! SULYN CLUBHOUSE CRAFTS ELASTIC CORD and GLUE DOTS BRAND GLUE DOTS.

I use these products because I like them. I was not reimbursed in any way for promoting them on my website.

storage worth stealing: mini stamp mania

I think I am suffering from mini stamp mania these days! It started with one little set of alphabet stamps from the dollar bin. I found myself using them on everything, like this and the next thing you knew I had collected five sets - all from the dollar bin. I love the dollar bin. I love alphabet stamps. What I didn't love was how they kept falling out of the lidless box they came in -

I decided that storage was key in my studio- as it always is with me, as was re-purposing. I dug around in the closet and found a metal box that used to hold scrapbooking tools. The only other thing I needed was some scraps of heavy duty chipboard.

Arrange your stamps how you like them, inserting pieces of chipboard in between each set. This helps separate the sets as well as give the little buggers some stability. This way when you are plucking the tiny things in and out of the box the other 25 stamps don't collapse into a pile.

I just eye-balled my chipboard and trimmed it to fit. You could always glue it down, but I chose not too, in case I want to shift them around later. Now all my little mini alphabet stamps are in one easy to reach storage container- yea!

Storage Worth Stealing: Thread, pins & needles

When I am sewing, which is a large part of my crafting lately, I want my favorite threads and needed tools close at hand. I am always looking at things wondering if there is another use for them. If I like it, I can usually find a way to use them in an unique way.

This votive candle holder was the perfect size to hold my most used colors of thread.

This tart tin was perfect for colorful straight pins.

Practical uses for pretty things = Creative Storage.

In My House: wire baskets

In my house... there seems to be a pattern evolving with vintage wire baskets. What started as a simple pair of egg baskets has erupted into a metal basket mania.

The pair I mention made the long trip home with me from Pennsylvania a few summer's ago. They were a bit bent and didn't even sit flat when I placed them on the counter of the barn style store I was visiting, but they had stolen my heart with their quirky simplicity. Now they rest on a plain white shelf, unadorned, where they state the obvious -  Understated.

Since then, more wire treasure have found their way into my home. They are reclaimed, strong, functional and add just the right amount of vintage charm to any room.

Storage Worth Stealing: Spice Rack

A modern polished wood spice rack turned vintage storage charm -

With a little white paint and sanding, this old spice jar rack makes the perfect storage solution.

Some of my projects call for the same items over and over again.  I like to keep these close at hand but didn't have room at my work station for tons of twine and paper leaves....things I buy in bulk.  So when I found this spice rack at Goodwill, it had to come home with me.

The jars hold my favorite vintage items needed for projects - vintage jewels, twine, old measuring tapes, clothespins, paper leaves, and rhinestones. Each jar removes easily from the swiveling stand making all my jars easy to reach!

Now when I create a project, I have what I need on hand.  When the jar is depleted, I can easily refill it from the bulk container stored in a cupboard or closet.  Practical, yet pretty, storage.

Storage Worth Stealing: Packaging/Wrapping Station

I am a big fan of stations in my art studio. All my needed supplies and tools for a task are organized together. Because I love pretty things that make me smile to look at them, I try to surround myself with beautiful things.

I use this station for packaging all of my orders. It could easily double as a mini and portable gift wrapping station. I store scissors in an antique flower frog...twine in a vintage sugar dispenser...a metal tin holds business cards...note cards, tags and labels for wrapping the parcels are stored in vintage glass jars.

I use two antique textile spools to hold a roll of brown paper. These rest on the edges of a vintage wire file bin. Portable and so pretty!

storage worth stealing: studio drawers

This is a new piece of storage for my studio - a small metal drawer unit - a recent gift from a friend I don't get to see very often. She saw it and instantly thought of me and my space. How sweet. I love it.

The piece I was using, while I loved it, was tall and wide and didn't leave me much room for sewing. I need to have my basic supplies near me as I use them daily.  This drawer unit was perfect for close by storage.

 I love the tiny tart tins on top. i use them for storing the extra feet for my machine making switching them easy.  String. Need. Love. Use. DAILY. The tiny burlap "wastebasket" was a happy find on a trip to Utah with friends. I use it to catch all my threads and tidbits as I create at my sewing station.

PERFECT!

storage worth stealing: files to fabric

I love office supplies...almost as much as I love fabric. So when I was no longer using this office file folder unit, I couldn't bear to toss it. Instead, I turned it on end and began using it as a fabric organizer. Now I can keep all my current project's fabric on hand. No more digging through the cupboard for somthing. I love it!