Craft Studio Storage Solutions from Creative Bag

It is no secret that Creative Bag is one of my favorite stores.  I stopped in today to pick up some twine for a volunteer project.

TA DA!

This is what I found that was new in the store this week.  *clap* *lunge* YAY!   These are just superb for a craft studio.

Acquired Brain Injury Program Paper Quilt

Every week I volunteer for a not for profit healthcare company at an acquired brain injury program - I help with the art program.  It has been such a rewarding time for me, each client has such a heart wrenching story to tell.  I have watched clients create beautiful works of art and see the joy of accomplishment in their faces.  Today was the first week of the fall session and the clients made blocks for a paper quit that is for an event to celebrate recovery.  Each client created a quilt block for what recovery means to them.

As the clients discussed words that describe how they have felt during their brain injury recovery, the word HOPE stood out for me.

This is the paper quilt block that I created.

Shabby Closet

When I got married 4 years ago I moved from my small apartment to my husband's small apartment with a lack of storage space including closets.  This was my remedy for a quick inexpensive closet with a shabby flare.

Two recycled old doors with a piece of pine, two rods and a couple of wrought iron brackets became the home that my clothes would rest for the next four years.

Iron brackets hold the closet stable

I used a retro mail box for a magazine rack

Iron brackets make a cute shelf where there is no room for a night stand

My Bay Tree

Creative Bag Shopping Trip

Wow!  I had so much fun at Creative Bag today.  I went in to get a small jar for sauces for packing lunches (I seem to do a lot of lunch packing lately) and came out with an incredible stash of goodies.

3 packages of love and thank you charms
1 set Fiskars rubber stamps
1 set clear stamps
1 bottle Glossy Accents (Ranger)
1 key bottle opener
2 mister bottles (Ranger)

! jar (that I went to Creative Bag for)
and the grand daddy of all of my treasures.....
4 Ranger craft mats for 2.99 each.

Grand Total was 23.00 with taxes included - this is less than I paid for my original craft mat.

FYI - I bought all of the craft mats

Labeling Copic Markers

When I went for my two day Copic Certification I was unsure how to label my markers so I could easily see if a marker was mine.  My craft room stuff is aqua/turquoise and I knew I wanted to label my markers with aqua but just didn't know what to use.  I went to the drug store to look at nail polishes in aqua but didn't see anything that I thought would work.  I tried a Smash aqua stripe washi tape but it wasn't sticky enough and I had to put scotch tape over it.  As I was digging through my craft supplies I noticed a whale tape dispenser from K&Company (EKSuccess/Smash)  It's a shiny aqua and teal translucent tape perfect for marking my Copics. 

Rubber Stamp Shelf

A couple of months ago I made a shelf to store some of my rubber stamps.

In my many moves and reducing I have somehow lost my rubber stamp shelves.  I designed a new taller shelf to comfortably house my stamps that aren't in storage (over 300 stamps.)  I started teaching Rubber Stamp Workshops just after my daughter was born, she is now 22.  At last count 10 years ago, my collection had grown to over 1000 rubber stamps.   If I pull them all out of storage, I will probably have to build a second shelf.

I drew up my design and headed to Home Depot to pick out the straightest 1 x 4's they had.

Steel wool and apple cider vinegar produce an aged look to the wood.  I am quite happy with how it turned out and now have my stamps at my fingertips when I need them.

Embossed Paint Chip Anniversary Card

I have been playing with paint chips, I am afraid Home Depot shudders when they see me hanging out in the paint department.  I found that the best paint chips for  4.25 x 5" cards are the single coloured paint chips for BEHR.  They are however, available in mostly darker colours.  For this Anniversary card I used the following:

- Burlap as the backing

- Pale Honey UL 1 50-12 BEHR paint chip

- Jute Ribbon from Creative Bag

- Darice embossing folder also from Creative Bag

- The roses are clearance items from Creative Bag

- Happy Anniversary rubber stamp from Stampendous

- The embossing powder is gold with iridescent sparkles

Once the paint chip was embossed I lightly sanded it to make it look worn.  I find the best place to get my burlap is from Lowes in the fall, it is much cheaper than the fabric stores.

Thank You Card

Thank you:
BEHR Paint Chip UL220-5 Opal Silk
Darice Embossing Folder - Thank You

Organize your Embossing Folders

For quick reference in deciding which embossing folder is right for my projects - I embossed BEHR paint chips and used the clips that they have available to make your own paint pallet. (available at Home Depot)   After  lightly sanded them I can easily see which embossing folder will work for what I am working on.

When I take my tools on the road it easily fits into my tools tote.

Old Trunk - Once Owned by Anthony Haynes

Eiffel Tower Card

Eiffel Tower:  Sihouette - Eiffel Tower Love

Embossing Folder:  Darice - Scroll

Ribbon:  Creative Bag -  Sheer Sparkle, sadly they no longer carry it.

Kick Up Yer Heels! Card

Embossing folder:  Darice - Scroll
Boots and tag:  Silhouette America Cowboy Boot
Ribbon:  Creative Bag - Grosgrain Dash
Twine:  Creative Bag - Bakers Twine

Genealogy Fan

I have to say that I am a huge "fan" of this website.

Tree Seek you can log in with your Family Search id.

As I dig through my Family Search files I often lose the big picture trying to keep track of everyone.  This is a great "see it all in one place" chart.  There is an option to enter the id for anyone so you can create great gifts - just print with a colour laser printer and you have a beautiful framable chart.