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Yup, that's me. Checking email "for just a minute", then getting distracted because honestly, only 1 person emails me anymore, following the links to SCS and laughing, because I finally realize I'm not the only one who's wasting time! LOL! Makes my day!
__________________ We can't all be stars but we can all twinkle.
I ordered the ribbon rings for my extensive range of ribbons. I was so excited when they arrived - a couple of weeks after our new kitten arrived! I ended up sitting outside with my rings and ribbons trying to organise them with a kitten scratching at the door trying to join me. I finally had all the ribbons organised into colours and ready to hang. Some ribbons were quite long and I had them doubled over. Well, didn't Ginga love all those hanging ribbons! I would often walk into my craft room to find ribbons spread across the floor. Now, 5 years later, and in another house, my ribbons are stored in crates with lids. The lids never stay off for long.
Ginga also loves wool. She has her own wool drawer now. I used to store my knitting in the drawer in the coffee table. Now that drawer only has wool Ginga is allowed to play with (the stuff I couldn't untangle) and she loves to pull that drawer open and inspect her wool collection!
I currently have my paper in 3 racks like this, except made for 8.5x11, not 12x12. Paper Rack (Wire) - Floor Standing Display with 30 Shelves SIW21-702
I got them cheap, and have used them for years, BUT...
(you knew there was a but, right?)
All of the corners get dinged up because it's a tight fit when sliding the paper back in, and I have to keep the whole thing covered with an old quilt to prevent paper fading. Unfortunately it all still gets dusty. It also seems to take up a lot of space for the amount of paper.
So, I'm wondering, if you have your paper in file drawers, do you like it? Or will that just have it's own failings?
__________________ "When I do good I feel good, when I do bad I feel bad, and that is my religion."
--Abraham Lincoln
I currently have my paper in 3 racks like this, except made for 8.5x11, not 12x12. Paper Rack (Wire) - Floor Standing Display with 30 Shelves SIW21-702
I got them cheap, and have used them for years, BUT...
(you knew there was a but, right?)
All of the corners get dinged up because it's a tight fit when sliding the paper back in, and I have to keep the whole thing covered with an old quilt to prevent paper fading. Unfortunately it all still gets dusty. It also seems to take up a lot of space for the amount of paper.
So, I'm wondering, if you have your paper in file drawers, do you like it? Or will that just have it's own failings?
Yep, those racks were such a pain. I tried drawers for my 12x12 and I still crunched the corners. I know a lot of people like drawers but it just wasn't a good solution for me. Also, the drawers were heavy. I still love my display dynamic trays.
Yep, those racks were such a pain. I tried drawers for my 12x12 and I still crunched the corners. I know a lot of people like drawers but it just wasn't a good solution for me. Also, the drawers were heavy. I still love my display dynamic trays.
Do the trays bow from the weight when you put a lot of paper in them?
They could solve my messed up corners problem, but I would still have trouble with dust and fading... The heaviness of the drawers in a file is something I hadn't thought about. So maybe single drawer would be better than double drawer cabinets.
__________________ "When I do good I feel good, when I do bad I feel bad, and that is my religion."
--Abraham Lincoln
I have all my cardstock within reach in my two bottom file drawers. It's all 8.5X11 and in hanging file folders. It works fine, no bunged corners, but obviously I don't have a ton. If I had more than say 25 sheets per file folder it would probably get bent due to overloading the file folders. I only have about 35 colors plus various whites. A friend of mine who has tons more cardstock uses those ticket holder sleeves and magazine holders for the ticket holders. She stores on shelves. It's the same system as Jennifer McGuire uses.
Do the trays bow from the weight when you put a lot of paper in them?
They could solve my messed up corners problem, but I would still have trouble with dust and fading... The heaviness of the drawers in a file is something I hadn't thought about. So maybe single drawer would be better than double drawer cabinets.
____
A friend of mine who has tons more cardstock uses those ticket holder sleeves and magazine holders for the ticket holders. She stores on shelves. It's the same system as Jennifer McGuire uses.
I use the ticket sleeves for 8 1/2 x 11 paper and I like it but sometimes I mess up my corners anyway :rolleyes:
The pic of the trays is old but they don't bow with the weight. I think I've been using them for about 4 years and they are still good. As for fading, the trays won't help. My trays don't get direct sunlight so I don't have that problem and I don't have a dust problem since the trays sit inside the cubes.
Like the hanging files, the ticket holder sleeves don't hold an infinite amount. If you have tons of each color some of the extra is going to have to be stored somewhere else. My friend who uses the ticket holders stores extra in stacks in a closet. She also stores her half used smaller pieces of a particular color in each ticket holder so it's convenient for making a little piece for a die cut. She no longer has to go through a huge accordion file of scraps trying to find a matching color. The convenience for me of two bottom file drawers is that I can just look down into them seated at my desk and grab a piece. I also have a hanging file of scraps in most colors but I have to sort through it each time.
maryalena -- thank you for the reminder that hanging files can only hold so much.
stamphappy -- thank you for the picture! You have a fair amount of paper on some of those and they don't look bowed at all. So many options to consider...
Anybody else have experience (good or bad) with their paper in file drawers?
__________________ "When I do good I feel good, when I do bad I feel bad, and that is my religion."
--Abraham Lincoln
Like the hanging files, the ticket holder sleeves don't hold an infinite amount. If you have tons of each color some of the extra is going to have to be stored somewhere else. My friend who uses the ticket holders stores extra in stacks in a closet. She also stores her half used smaller pieces of a particular color in each ticket holder so it's convenient for making a little piece for a die cut. She no longer has to go through a huge accordion file of scraps trying to find a matching color. The convenience for me of two bottom file drawers is that I can just look down into them seated at my desk and grab a piece. I also have a hanging file of scraps in most colors but I have to sort through it each time.
I think I do similar to your friend. Each job ticket holder holds very roughly 20-25 sheets. I keep good sized scraps with the whole sheets. My white CS that was purchased in reams is stacked elsewhere, and the job ticket pockets replenished.
I've used Office Depot and Avery job ticket holders, and prefer Office Depot. They seem a bit more flexible and don't smell like new beach balls.
The job ticket holder tops (with the little hole) are sliced off and are upright in magazine holders a la Jennifer McGuire, though far fewer than she has.
Sometimes more than one color are in one holder if I only have a few sheets of each color. ROYGBIV order.
happy-stamper'
see my entry at #105. I keep mine in a large file drawer, but have also used regular file drawers with success.
Thank you for referring me to your post with the picture! I hadn't even thought to use the file drawers without the hanging files. It looks like it works well.
__________________ "When I do good I feel good, when I do bad I feel bad, and that is my religion."
--Abraham Lincoln
Wow I have thought of using so many of your fails listed here! I have extremely small space actually no space. All my stuff stored in a closet and I've done it at my table for years.
One thing that has helped alot with Paper storage because I can't have shelf units or trays due to small house and no extra crafting room or basement etc., is file drawers. I have 2- 3 drawer storage units that I bought at Office max with the bottom draw being file drawers. They were prob $45 dollars each and have a hard counter like top(although plastic) and great for extra workspace too.
I keep my cardstock in the files because they are kept out of sun and dust. I have filed my paper for at least the last 12 years like this and love it.
I keep the 8 1/2x 11" in file folders and recently started putting the pack when I buy it into a Job ticket folder. When I have 1/4 sheets and scraps I put them into the folder with the same color full sheets. I keep 2-3 colors per folder and now you can buy on Ebay already made tabs to put on so you can see what colors are in what folder as the Job ticket holders aren't very clear. It is great to reach down and grab what I need and always have my paper nice and with no corners bent.
I didn't use job ticket holders until recently and sometimes when I had just a few sheets they would bow.
I have tried keeping my DSP in 12x12 boxes but I don't think I would use it if I can't see it. Any suggestions?? I just saw that someone keeps them precut in a binder in some type of clear pockets. (looks like it's cut to 4x6?) Good idea but not sure where to get the pockets or the size.
Also saw that someone cuts them down and keeps (looks like 4x6 size??) in the Stampin up Storage cases made for wood block stamps. Love this idea.
What do you all think?
Dear Denise,
I store my 12x12 in a file drawer as well as my cardstock. I have a drawer deep enough to hold the whole sheet, but if I didn't, I would cut them down no smaller than 8 1/2 x 11 as I never know what size card I will need it for. Then they would fit in a regular file drawer.
in2stamps, regarding the storage pocket sheets- if you search Amazon for currency storage sheets/ Postcard storage sheets, you will find many different variations in what's available. I'm currently using them to store unmounted stamps in, buying various sizes to fit different stamps.
I could put my colored paper in the drawers and keep my whites, cream, etc. in the cubbies, and have bonus counter space on top! If only I had a bunch of $$ laying around somewhere... :rolleyes:
__________________ "When I do good I feel good, when I do bad I feel bad, and that is my religion."
--Abraham Lincoln
Thank you for referring me to your post with the picture! I hadn't even thought to use the file drawers without the hanging files. It looks like it works well.
I do have accordian flies inside the drawer that have dividers for the colors. That keeps them upright, separated and easy to get at.
Dear Denise,
I store my 12x12 in a file drawer as well as my cardstock. I have a drawer deep enough to hold the whole sheet, but if I didn't, I would cut them down no smaller than 8 1/2 x 11 as I never know what size card I will need it for. Then they would fit in a regular file drawer.
Thank you that was my concern...cutting them so small yet I don't know what size card I would make. I like the idea of at least cutting them to 8 1/2x11 and then I would have the scraps to us when I want smaller pieces. Usually I always make the A2 size but just saw cards that someone made square and thought I would try to come out of my box. LOl they looked really cool.
In the meantime I will look for those pages that shazsilverwolf meantioned. :o)
My failure is the 12x12 storage drawers from Michael's. Once loaded with paper or cardstock, they are worthless. Still looking for 12x12 cardstock storage that takes up little space & is protected from sunlight.
Once I find it, I'll be removing the drawers & replacing them with cloth storage bins.
I like my jet max cubes but I use the one with slots or shelves ro 12 x 12 paper. It's open but I can see the paper. When I open the pack I put the paper in a 12x12 scrapbook plastic page protector. Keeps the little pieces where they belong
I use the ticket sleeves for 8 1/2 x 11 paper and I like it but sometimes I mess up my corners anyway :rolleyes:
The pic of the trays is old but they don't bow with the weight. I think I've been using them for about 4 years and they are still good. As for fading, the trays won't help. My trays don't get direct sunlight so I don't have that problem and I don't have a dust problem since the trays sit inside the cubes.
I use those too for big paper and no complaints from me!
My husband built me a rack for my ribbons that became a nightmare to use ... At one point, I hit it just right and over half my ribbon rolls just unrolled, right there ... poof. Took me over an hour to re-roll them and then pin them so they would not unroll again. Plus the space it took up ...
So I next tried these ribbon boxes that you could store your rolls in, see them and just pull out what you needed and they stacked nicely.
The issue with them was that most of the time, the rolls did not fit so dividers had to be removed. This meant, instead of storing 24 rolls of ribbon, one could only store 12 or less depending on the size. And when you pulled the ribbon and cut it, 9 out of 10 times the rolls would flip back pulling the ribbon end back into the box which meant I had to unstack the boxes and dig it all out ...
Now I just store them in a couple of DVD boxes that had dividers in them. Much easier and nicer looking too.
I spent a lot of money and purchased the plastic sizzix envelopes to store my dies in. While good in theory, they take up a huge amount of space over time. I finally switched to the avery elle type plastic envelopes and magnetics sheets. My dies take up a quarter of the space they did before. (I found mine on ebay for about $15 for 100 which was a really good price). And are really easy to take with to crops if I want!
I do use the cookie sheets hanging on the wall but only for my mover/shaper dies
Those rainbow colored tall drawer units were my biggest storage failure. I got three of them . . . two for 12X12 paper and one for 8 1/2 X 11 paper. The drawers kept falling out of the rails, it was hard to find things at the bottom of the stack in each drawer, they took a huge amount of space . . .
Those rainbow colored tall drawer units were my biggest storage failure. I got three of them . . . two for 12X12 paper and one for 8 1/2 X 11 paper. The drawers kept falling out of the rails, it was hard to find things at the bottom of the stack in each drawer, they took a huge amount of space . . .
After trying other methods, I have one of the Advantus carts too, with the white oversized hanging folders, and love it. Vertical storage in general makes it so much easier for me to find something.
The website referred to in the video no longer exists because the woman who owns the company is closing it down but she still has some inventory she's selling off. See here:
I just have one ring with lots of tags on it - plenty for my cardmaking needs. I hang it on a door handle in my craft room.
Oh my goodness - I bet if you have a electronic cutting machine you could make your own "rings"
__________________ 2 cats short of the Crazy Cat Lady (5 Ragdolls RIP Katie DSH, RIP little Merlot Flame Ragdoll & Sunna Torbie Ragdoll- we miss you! Damn FIP) http://rebecca-rebeccasemptynest.blogspot.com/
Those rainbow colored tall drawer units were my biggest storage failure. I got three of them . . . two for 12X12 paper and one for 8 1/2 X 11 paper. The drawers kept falling out of the rails, it was hard to find things at the bottom of the stack in each drawer, they took a huge amount of space . . .
Oh I have one of those! I have love/hate relationship with the silly thing.
I still have it, and keep telling myself to get rid of it every time I have to stop and re-seat the drawers, but it was a gift and well ... the main reason I hang on to it :O(
Just a comment: I see a lot of people complaining about die storage. I buy magnetic vent covers at Home Depot, cut them up to fit either CD cases or for larger ones DVD cases. I store them in photo boxes from Mikes. I keep a document on the computer that tells me which box has which dies in them. Maybe being a retired librarian makes me a little OCD, but I have so much stuff I'd never find what I want for anything. I lists of where my stamps are stored also, what shelf, etc.
Vertical storage in general makes it so much easier for me to find something.
I agree -- I've discovered after many reorganizations that I'm a "flipper". I like to flip through things to find what I'm looking for. That's what's bringing me this close to Avery Elle envelopes for my stamps . . .
I agree -- I've discovered after many reorganizations that I'm a "flipper". I like to flip through things to find what I'm looking for. That's what's bringing me this close to Avery Elle envelopes for my stamps . . .
C'mon in, the water is great. ; ) I did the Avery Elle pocket thing, also being a leader/flipper.
I did it for dies too, with magnetic sheets only for nested or lots of tiny ones, a la Jennifer McGuire. Keeps the weight down, since I grab the die box from an Expedit cube to my right to in front of me. (Such efficiency of motion aka laziness.)
They're in a Container Store Pure Box (made in France) instead of one of JM's Interdesign boxes, because they're very light weight but strong. Inexpensive too. The medium (not medium shallow or medium deep). https://www.containerstore.com/s/col...uctId=10035361
The stamps are in a double Interdesign however, other than big background stamps. They're in a wide but not-too-big Interdesign box I happened to have in the pantry.
I really like the stamp storage pockets. They are simple to set up, easy to maintain (and expand), and not terribly expensive in the long run.
I always joke that I can't watch a Jennifer McGuire video without buying just about everything featured in it, but I've adopted her stamp storage system (and even made the same plastic dividers) and am happy I did. I don't separate out by size or keep the dies separate. They all go into pockets, and the pockets all go into one big bin sorted alphabetically by manufacturer. If I have a matching die and stamp set, they go into the same pocket. Clear sets and bare sets are stored this way.
My failed stamp storage system (for my bare rubber stamps) is the EZ Mount pages in binders. My TIOO started to fail, and the stamps were falling off the pages willy-nilly. I've since converted those pages to cling mount storage.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
Oddesigns, I had exactly the same problem with putting glue on the back of my stamps. I tried the Tombow, and TIOO, and I could not get a consistent 'tack' from either.
I've gone down the currency storage sheets route now, and I am loving it. I do have some of the Ad-Tech tape that was recommended as well. Just in case I find faults with this method, lol.
I really like the stamp storage pockets. They are simple to set up, easy to maintain (and expand), and not terribly expensive in the long run.
I always joke that I can't watch a Jennifer McGuire video without buying just about everything featured in it, but I've adopted her stamp storage system (and even made the same plastic dividers) and am happy I did. I don't separate out by size or keep the dies separate. They all go into pockets, and the pockets all go into one big bin sorted alphabetically by manufacturer. If I have a matching die and stamp set, they go into the same pocket. Clear sets and bare sets are stored this way.
My failed stamp storage system (for my bare rubber stamps) is the EZ Mount pages in binders. My TIOO started to fail, and the stamps were falling off the pages willy-nilly. I've since converted those pages to cling mount storage.
Just curious, but I wondered if you had considered using JM's storage system with rubber stamps. My rubber stamps - though I don't have many - come mounted or I mount them on EZMount (not pages!), so are stored with my photopolymer stamps using the JM system.
But I guess it wouldn't work with bare rubber since you have something sticky on the rubber? What if the bare rubber stamp was stuck to cardstock that had been laminated so it doesn't actually stick? If that makes sense.
I'm not suggesting you change anything, just kind of obsessed with stamp organization and its permutations. : )
Just curious, but I wondered if you had considered using JM's storage system with rubber stamps. My rubber stamps - though I don't have many - come mounted or I mount them on EZMount (not pages!), so are stored with my photopolymer stamps using the JM system.
My wood-mounted stamps live in a Stanton Cart, sorted by theme. No clamshells or other cases, just stamps in drawers. I don't use the wood mount ones much any more, so I will probably sell most of them.
My cling-mount stamps stay in their DVD cases or, if they didn't come with cases, they now go onto the EZ Mount sheets. I was storing them in the stamp pockets, which works, but my bin was getting too full so I moved them to fit the bare rubber ones in.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
Just curious, but I wondered if you had considered using JM's storage system with rubber stamps. My rubber stamps - though I don't have many - come mounted or I mount them on EZMount (not pages!), so are stored with my photopolymer stamps using the JM system.
But I guess it wouldn't work with bare rubber since you have something sticky on the rubber? What if the bare rubber stamp was stuck to cardstock that had been laminated so it doesn't actually stick? If that makes sense.
I'm not suggesting you change anything, just kind of obsessed with stamp organization and its permutations. : )
All of my bare rubber are in stamp pockets, JM style. I cut a piece of the special plastic stuff I bought (not supposed to damage stamps) to fit the pocket, and stick the bare stamps to the plastic. Works perfectly.
This works for cling mount too, but I moved those elsewhere because I was running out of room in my big bin.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
Have you tried a file cabinet? They come in two and 4 drawer stacks and also in a variety of sizes. That is the system I use, only my hubby built the file drawers. They are the same principal, though.
Very nice! - But I don't have room for another file cabinet. Right now I have a 4-drawer FREE heavy duty legal-sized file cabinet full of all my cardstock and scraps stored and love it.
Each cardstock color is in a letter-sized file folder labeled and inside that at the front I have an 8-1/2" x 11" piece of white cardstock folded in half and also labeled with all the same colored scraps. I've placed 2 folders in legal hanging folders organized in color families. This system also protects my cardstock from faded edges from exposure to even overhead lights.
(An office/commercial heavy duty file cabinet has deeper drawers than say one purchased at Walmart made of cheap, bendable metal. They can also stand up to the weight of a whole drawer of cardstock!)
What I did do was use a lidded Rubbermaid bin I already had and cut the fronts off the hanging folders from the drawers for dividers, labeled them and now all my 12x12 cardstock is stored and out of the light. The rest of the flimsy chipboard from the file folders is being used for die cutting, etc.
The drawers? I removed the drawers & insides and I'm using the cubes for storing 12x12 scrapbooks and craft related books. They actually look very nice! This has also freed up space on my bookcases!
I guess you could say I turned this storage failure into a success!
I am completely happy with my new studio! It is like a dream come true to have a studio space that isn't a bedroom!
I see a lot about CD cases here. Years ago, to save storage space, I unmounted all rubber stamps and used the Tack it Over & Over. I then put CS in the front of a music CD case with an index, labeled the spine and placed the stamps inside.
I have tons of stamps sets and this takes up little space, but there are issues with stamps not sticking to the cases and that little strip on the lid with a hole in it.
I have three 5' shelves with all my stamps on them! I've started on a fourth shelf! These shelves were free and very nice and are all adjustable.
When SU came out with the new style CD cases, I really liked them because they help contain the stamps in the case. But, there is no way now to convert to all new cases (cost!). Instead, I went through all my music CD stamp sets and converted any sets that were in more than one case. The difference in storage is 3 music CD cases to every 2 SU cases. I would have run out of shelving space!
I still have all my original clam shell cases and use them all the time for storage in all parts of my home.
I guess you could say that the music CD cases are my storage failure!
I love the Jennifer McGuire system of storing stamp sets, but I don't have a way it would work for me because you have to be able to access the plastic bins to see them. In my studio, I would have to keep pulling out each bin to find a stamp set. I currently have my CTMH stamp sets stored in their original plastic sleeves in pull out boxes and hate it!
