Saturday 18 June 2011

A Teeny Peek into my Studio






For a year now I have my own dedicated scrap-space after many years of having to work in our bedroom, without enough dedicated storage.  My space is really tiny though - 2.5 metres wide by 5 metres long and within that I have fitted a multitude of cupboards, shelves & drawers, so the floor space is just enough to open the drawers out into & fit in a chair & a place for me to stand.  I love my little studio & spend a lot of my time in here as I have a desk on one side, at sitting height, with my computer & printer & my working space on the other side at counter height as I scrap standing up.


I have started using a planner this year, in which I diarise my deadlines & I print out my challenges & design team work & adhere those to the pages too.  Just in case you're wondering "MK Sched" stands for "Scrapbooking Shedule" - I came up with the abbreviation MK years ago (Memory Keeping) because I keep my "To Do" lists in my phone & abbreviate everything!


The containers above may look like a mess but I am forever scrabbling through them looking for stuff & quite frankly there is no point keeping them any tidier as I need to be able to tip out often!  I have a container like this for every brand that I use a lot of.  I have started storing according to brand & it is working like a dream for me.  At the top of the box is a sticker with the name "American Crafts" or "Jenny Bowlin" for example.  I could add a sticker to the side too but as they are clear I can spot the manufacturer just by looking at them.


I am crazy about journaling pens & own tons of them in various colours & thicknesses & keep them all in those turquoise tubs.  Truth be told I most often use my favourite FINE 0.4 black Shachihata, but I own a multitude of others I have collected over the years & this is where they live.  By the way have you noticed that all great journaling pens are Japanese?  

I see my "Brads & Badges" have some rub-ons in them right now...this is just temporary as I was sorting through my older run-ons to use on my Colour Combos Galore page for next week - as the challenge requires using digital brushes or something similar on your photo.  As I have so many older rub-ons I thought that it would be a great way to use some on my photos instead & as this container is right next to my scrap counter I just put them in there for the time being.


My little paint tubs are all lined up in front of my desk, on a pink plastic bar tray, and I like that I can see & grab them so easily.  The idea of having them on display was in order to make me use them more & it is definitely working.My studio is too small for me to worry about how things look - I am far more concerned with how things are going to FIT & I've found that the neater my room looks the less work I get achieved in it.


That shelf above houses my old faithful Fiskars cutter (I have 4 cutters - this Fiskars one, another great Creative Memories one, a Cutter Bee that I loathe (hate rotary cutters) & a Natstat (locally-produced cutter) which is perfect, except that now the blade is blunt & I can't find new ones for sale ANYWHERE & the factory itself refuses to sell them to me because I am not a wholesaler) (yeah...go figure...it's a bit of a South African phenomenon!)


I also keep my Imaginarium Chipboard up there as the Once Upon a Sketch Design Team is sponsored by them so I need to have it close at hand to use it on as many pages as I can.  I have various bits & pieces in that pile that I use often or just haven't put away yet.  The green tub has all my older Making Memories bits in it.


These days I have started keeping my off-cut pieces WITH my cardstock, instead of in a separate location - another inspired idea - works so much better!  If I have any pieces that are more strips than squares they go into the tubs on top of my bookshelf, and I grab from there if I need strips for punching etc. My tubs are not the prettiest but there are no scrapbook storage products available here so I have to make do with what I can get & these are functional & have no lids.  I hate lids - big time-wasters.


Art mediums here next to the paint, Stickles, modge podge, varnish, paint dabbers, modelling past, Glossy accents, syringes for dropping paint splodges, old credit cards for smearing paste - largely underutilized but as I don't have a lot of storage space these ended up next to the paints for the sake of logic.


One of my latest Studio Calico packages waiting to be unpacked.  Their packaging is just perfection.  After 6 months of subscribing I am stopping for now.  I have decided that for now kit clubs are not for me.  I know what I want & when it's available I like to order it, and with kit clubs I have to settle for someone else's choice.  As I can't afford both I'm rather using the money to choose my own stash for the moment.


My latest toy - a "Sew-Easy" from We R Memory Keepers.  The first time I tried to use it was on quite a few layers & it didn't work - I've yet to try it on a single layer but others love it so hopefully it will be fine.


A typical Studio Calico kit.  Full of lovely stuff but from what I can remember I've never received a Prima Flower or any Webster's stuff in them and I'm so into the pretty stuff these days & need more embellishments than what you see here to go with all those papers, to suit the way I create.

So that is a really tiny sneak peek into my studio - just my counter that you can see above, which is big enough to hold 2 large cutting mats, with 3 bar trays of goodies in front of them & a shelf to the left.  To the right I have 2 tubs full of adhesives, my desk lamp, glue-gun, heat-embossing tool, 3 tubs of scissors & a few jars of flowers & ribbon, so still lots more to see.

I gather, from what I read, that a lot of studios are a mess, and I see, from the internet & books & magazines, that a lot of studios are so beautiful that I wonder how much work goes on in them.  My studio is not beautiful, but it is very functional & clean up is really quick & easy as there is a place for everything & everything in it's place.  

I sometimes wish I had more time & money to spend on the aesthetics of it but the most important thing really is how "workable" a studio is & in mine I am able to find what I am looking for & produce lots of layouts, which surely means my space works for me.






28 comments:

Rachael Funnell said...

Love your Teeny Peeks of your scrap Space....
looks fairly well Organized!! Your Studio Calico Kit looks YUMMY!!!!
I have a Room which is also Our Office *Sigh*
Not Organized @ all!! So until FIL comes & Redesigns My Office - Scrap Space for me.... NO pics of my Scrap Space will be shown !!!
LOL!!

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

It is always nice to peek into someone's crafty space, well, I am like you, after spring cleaning, my little craft room might look neat for week, but when all the new stock arrived, you'll see carton boxes everywhere again, let alone the craft table after every project!

Kerryn said...

Thanks for sharing some of your space Helen. I always find it interesting to see how others use their space/store their scrapbooking goodies. I have a space about 3.2x4m. I too have crammed in as much storage space as I can LOL. If only I'd stop buying more product ;).

Mel said...

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting your room, pretty doesn't work for me either, although I use the kitchen table, I still like to be organised and have my cupboard space for stash in the other side of the pantry, not perfect but at least I can still create...I tried the SC kits too, not for me either, I like to buy what I see when I see too. I love what others seem to be able to do with theirs but I don't seem to work like them. I love your storage ideas, I love how everything is on hand when you need it, in full sight which is probably why you create the masterpieces you do, I sometimes forget what I have in the cupboard...Thanks for sharing my friend. Melxx

Chantal Vandenberg said...

Hi Helen! Thanks for sharing your scrapping space! I think it looks great! Lots of great ideas too! :D

Heather Jacob said...

thanks for the share .. great organisation here Helen ... looks lovely and bright to work in ... my space is very tiny as well but everything is at my fingertips .happy scrapping my gorgeous friend ...hugz x

Diana said...

Thanks for sharing. I loved this peek into your world.
I think I've gotten a few Webster's in past SC kits, not a ton, but some. Never any Prima flowers though. Actually, you're right, SC isn't really suited to your style and the types of LOs you do. I'm sticking with them because I love most of the kits and I don't have the drive to follow the new releases and order for myself.

Alia said...

What's most important is that you have a space and you've made it work - that's great! :) If it makes you feel any better, I usually opt to CLEAN, ORGANIZE, and BEAUTIFY my space, which usually eliminates an extra layout per session...hehe Seems like your strategy keeps you creating more! :)

Jolanda said...

Your scrapplace looks amazing Helen....I wish I could be there for a day ;)
Beautiful!!
Have a very nice sunday.
xx

Karen Shady said...

thanks for the tour around your scrapspace... Its great..... You have some great storage ideas... thanks for sharing :)

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

I loveeeeeeeeeee your space! I love love love how you have it organized! :):):):):):):):):):):)

Bernadine said...

Hi Hels. I so long for my own dedicated scrapping space!!! I have so much and so much is so disorganised and all over.

With regards to the cutter you can't get a blade for. Have you tried Waltons? I have seen cutters with that name in their shop here and I am assuming they are all the same. Otherwise take a picture and mail it to me and I will see what I can do this side for you. I will go to all the stationery shops and ask them.

I will mail you my contact number and maybe you can message me a photo as that will be easier than mailing.

Stefanie said...

Love it.
Can't believe it is a year that you've been in your "new" house already. Where did you get those long lid-less containers that you store your cardstock strips in?
I wish we lived closer, would love to pop in for a cuppa>

Kiki Aposeki said...

I would like too such a room! It's perfect!

Cynthia Lloréns said...

Hy my dear and sweet friend!!!!!I just loved your scrapspace!!!!!So organized at all!!!!
Have a wonderful sunday!!!!
kisses and huges from Brazil
PS. I like you a lot....you are sucha a wonderful friend!!!!
Cynthia

Lynette Jacobs said...

You look very organised Helen...and I am pretty sure you can lay your hands on anything you need quickly. Thanks for the peek.

Unknown said...

what great teeny Peeks of your scrap Space .
it's look organised wonderful!!!
thanks for share !!

hugs and have a great week
Carla

Eila Sandberg said...

No lids? hmmm ... with Miss Elsa who can break INTO a container with a lid that's not put on properly me thinks clip-on lids are a necessity for mummy's sanity he he! Your studio is just fantatstic Helen, looks so bright and airy and most of all, very organized! I'm dying to hear how you store your patterned papers! HELP! that's my main concern at home, piling them up in large IKEA boxes just doesn't work any longer. Looking for a new paper cutter, any tips? Left all household work undone this weekend, had to clear my head from work-related stuff threatening to blast my mind, and scrapped for 2 days. Not particularly happy with the outcome but never mind. Hope all's well sweets? xoxoxoxo

Yolande (pronounced you-land-a) said...

Your studio is fab Helen! I love the way you organize your goodies, and that it is practical and functional, and it looks great.
Have a super week..

Pearl said...

That's fantastic organisation you have here , grrll ! wow ! & I so hear you on the kit clubs, We're better off buying what we want when we have clear ideas about it ! ;)

Vicky Varvadouka said...

Hi Helen, I also like my work place to be functional and not necessarily beautiful! I love your place. The sew easy tool is hard to punch through several layers but with two, if you press hard, it does the job! As for kit clubs, I am not with you on that...I think that being subscribed to a kit club that really suits you, can save a lot of wasted money! I searched really hard to find my favorite but I am 100% satisfied with what they send me! Full of prima and websters and lace...etc

Sharm Nidyanandan said...

Helen your craft space is amazing! ur so well organized! i've got things lying all over the place *lol*!! tfs!!! :)

scrapbookertink said...

Love your scrap space about the same size as mine but I have to share the computer with OTHERS even though we have 2 laptops, another main computer, Ipad and all phones have internet access!

yyam said...

I think that you have such a wonderful space! :) It's functional and that is the most important! :)

sandi said...

Love your scrapping area! You have everything so neat and organized. I too like neat. I tend to clean up, then I get busy with lo's, the area starts getting messy, I put on the brakes....and clean it again, and then the cycle starts all over. Neat is good...it's the only way to keep track of what you have. :)

Alison said...

Loved having a peek at your scrapping space Helen...I have more space, but I think your organizational skills are better than mine!
Alison xx

Blossom inch said...

I love your studio Helen..it is so need and colourful and thanks for sharing!

Sophia said...

Hi Helen, I also bought that Sew Easy tool, but so far not working for me and I think it might be money wasted, even on thinner paper I am battling for it to make any holes, without damaging my paper...just a heads up!