Hi Ask Anna readers! My name is Jaimie Raskin and I’m delighted to be guest blogging at Ask Anna Moseley. I’m a graphic designer and feature my digital art, printables and paper for all your digi-crafting fun on my site, Time Travel Designs. I also have a line of fabulous custom invitations for your next fest so be sure to stop by and have a look around. Even though I’m hooked on digital graphics and digiscrapping, I am still a traditional scrapper at heart.
I love the look and feel of the wonderful papers and embellishments available out there. I’m absolutely putty in the hands of all those fabulous things swirling around my inbox. Just thinking about it makes me weak in the knees and I know you probably have a reserved seat on my infatuation train, too! Now that we’re acquainted, I’d like to share my deepest darkest secret with you all; I think I like collecting scrapbook supplies even more than I like to scrap them. There. I said it. Admitting you have a problem is the first step towards recovery, right?
I am very fortunate to have a sanctuary devoted wholly to my craft. It’s actually quite small but all mine just the same. I am a firm believer in the vertical! I use every nook and available cranny of my space. I love to concoct new storage solutions and am always refining until it feels just right. I have actually discovered some VERY successful storage strategies and I can’t wait to share them with you! Anna is so sweet to let me hop over for this share fest. Let’s get started…As a reminder, please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times and no flash photography 🙂
Our first stop on the tour is an overview of the space. See? Told you it was tiny. I scrap at the desk but love to hang out on the daybed and flip through mags for inspiration. There’s also a t.v. on the wall if I feel like background noise and a bay window looking out on the street for daydreaming and spying on the neighbors. 🙂 Okay, friends, here’s another view of the desk where magic is made on a daily basis.
- The blue and green magazine storage files are used for my 8 1/2 x 11 solid card stock. I’m a color sorter because it works best for me. The holes in the front allow me to see which colors are in the box; cool, warm, neutral etc.
- The flip top boxes house my stickers. This is probably my most recent brainstorm and a total home run! I adhere stickers to 5 x 7 index cards (sorted by color). It’s so neat and manageable. I love it.
- Copics…need I say more? I want but practice self restraint so that I am able to feed and clothe my daughter.
- Makeup is the greatest invention EVER! If for no other reason than it makes for amazing Smooch, glitter, micro beads, Stickles, and eyelet storage solutions. If you’re in the mood for some fun, go to Bed Bath & Beyond and check out the makeup organizers.
By the way, I got the glass vials that house my eyelets from a container manufacturer. They fit just perfectly in the lipstick compartments. My guess is that biochemists use these vials to find cures for terrible diseases but they are also a GREAT storage solution for tiny embellishments…You’re probably thinking I’m about as shallow as a lap pool right now, aren’t you?
- Okay, admittedly, I’m not a big fan of idle time. I am, however, a big fan of “at least do something with your hands while you’re engaged in nothing time”. So I punch. I punch out shapes and put them in sweet little containers for some creation to be named later. I grab a pile of scraps in assorted patterns and punch until I’m punch drunk.
Button, button, I’ve got the buttons! I used one of those single serving coffee storage solution thingies, put my buttons in spice jars and color sorted (warms on one side, cools on the other). I really like this system. Both fun and functional (a lot like me…sort of…)
Let’s talk paper, shall we? I can’t get enough of that, personally, but I try to stave off my cravings so I don’t end up the subject of a My Strange Addiction episode. Yes I have paper; all shapes and sizes, colors, patterns, swatches but NEVER have any scratch paper to make a grocery list…go figure. 1) My 12 x 12 solid card stock is stored on the right hand side of the closet, top shelf. Sorting by color makes it easy to find a coordinating shade and looks so pretty, right? 2) 8 1/2 X 11 card stock is housed in these blue and green magazine storage containers – with the peep hole for easy reference. 3) Here is all my patterned paper sorted by color. It’s all underneath the window seat…This is also where I keep my miscellaneous 6 X 6 and smaller patterned paper collections. This system actually works well for me because I yank out the whole pile in the hue I need and sift through the papers until I hit on a great combo. (Not necessarily in the same collection, either.) I love figuring out the color story for a layout.
This is the area to the left of my workspace and behind the door as you enter the room. This is where I store my 1) letterpress collection, 2) punches (on the door), 3) embossing powders (in a hanging jewelry organizer), 4) Cricut cartridges, and 5) metal embellishments. 6) The Cricut and printer station is actually in the built-in desk. Both are on pull out shelves for super easy access.
Now, on the other side of the door is a two sided closet with sliding doors. I have used every available inch of space in the closet utilizing storage containers, a grid system, drawers, pants hangers, sectioned slide out boxes and baskets, binder rings and clips and more glass jars than you would see in a jam factory! How I love lots and lots of pretty little things! Sigh!…Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
I store my ribbons on a grid panel that hangs in the front of the lower left side of the closet. This system has worked great for me! My ribbons are sorted by color on ribbon rings that I slide onto binder rings and attach to the grid panel. The paper trim rolls (for borders, etc) hang above the ribbon. The panel easily detaches from the front of the closet so you can see all of the treasures that lie behind it. My fun fabric trims hang from a wire shelf just to the right of the ribbon. I used chip clips to attach to the shelf and run the fabric trims through the lower portion of the clip. Brilliant, I know!
What’s behind the ribbon curtain, you ask?
Take a look… It’s a scrap heaven! Row after row of badges, brads, stamp pads, paints, paper for photo mattes, card stock swatches, borders, trims, frames. 2) There are two pull out wire baskets attached to the shelf above the jar garage. One contains various ATC supplies (great for mini albums) and the other holds my chalks and stencils. Additionally, there are two more shelves above the baskets with various supplies that I access less frequently…one being a box of about 200 paper fan flowers when I went through my “I simply can’t stop making paper fan flowers” phase.
There is even more fun waiting on the right hand side of the closet…
1) These 3 drawers are under the card stock shelf and the top two contain scrapbook essentials like albums, binder rings, plastic bags, blade replacements, jewel cases, etc.) 2) The bottom drawer is my chip board supply with sectional sorting.
Here is the bottom section of the right hand side of the closet…
- Card stock and envelopes in various sizes and shapes are sorted by color and hang on a pullout pant hanger system. The hangers remove easily or you can simply pull your selection off of the binder clip.
- A pull out box drawer holds my assortment of die cuts, sorted by color. Don’t you just want to get in there and goof off for a while?
Finally, I’d like to show you my multi drawer filing cabinet. I really love this piece! It’s on casters so super easy to roll around and usually sits on the right hand side of the daybed. I bought it from Pottery Barn years ago but I don’t think they carry it anymore (sad day). Container Store and Home Decorators are two excellent alternatives (for just about everything except a husband).
1) I store my stamps in the top 6 drawers.
2) Decorative trims take up the bottom two drawers.
Well, you have arrived safely back at the beginning of the grand tour! I hope you enjoyed it. I’m thrilled that I had the opportunity to share. Thank you, Anna!!
Patricia says
Oh, my. I am just sitting here in shock and awe. That is the most wonderful place I’ve ever seen. I am so envious. I’d like to just come visit and sit there and soak it all in. Then maybe you could give me a few lessons as well!
Crystal N says
Love your organization and all the fun stuff you have!!!