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I am 5'6" and sometimes stand to stamp. My desk top is counter-laminate on top of base cabinets from Home Depot. When I sit to stamp I sit on a "bar" height chair, standing makes it go faster and I can reach every item on my pegboard at the same time. I sit if I am thinking and designed but once production begins I am usually standing. (read in a health magazine that standing actually burns more calories than the same amount of work done sitting.)
__________________ c-mouse-If you can't say nuttin nice--don't say nuttin at all. Thumper. Pansy
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If you can sit to do your art, more power to you, because when you get old, standing all day is difficult. I can't seem to do anything right unless I am standing and looking down at the project. I would prefer to stand at a counter, but I have only the dining room table. If I sit, invariably my eyes deceive me and I tilt the stamp and/or the frame just enough to make me furious. I work at getting enough done on cards so that I can sit and color many, or whatever needs doing that won't require precision. The footprint of my favorite tools takes most of the room on the table-top(Genesis trimmer, Score-it, Darice stamping pad, Ott lamp, ATG tape gun, stack of 7 rulers, 3 pairs of scissors, assorted glues, tapes, erasers, pens, new Cuttlebug, stamp scrubber, and two tumblers full of Xacto knives, pencils, alligator clips, piercing tool and about 20 different paint brushes, most of which are used for everything but paint.)....everything else is in the drawers and cupboards of built-in china cabinets across from the table where I work. So I'm constantly moving around the room. If your work space is such that you can mostly sit while you work, I envy you!
I can sit - but I have a small space and - this is so horrible - but I get frustrated if I have to get up to grab something I need. And then sit back down. And manuever the chair all around. I'd rather just stand - I figure I can probably save seconds this way!!!
I'm short 51/2. So, most of the time, I stand to stamp. I usually try to get everything organized(whatever that is,lol), and, when it is finally time to actually stamp, I stand up so I am looking down at the cardstock. I seldom actually measure, just *eyeball* it. My hubby is a tool maker and that drives him crazy. He measures everything. lol
I've always been a standing stamper - my stamping counter is made from cabinets that are upper cabinet depth (not as deep as bottom cabinets) topped with a Corian counter top. They measure 35.5 from the ground to the counter top. If I need to sit for anything I use the bar which is a short walk across the room. I keep the bare essentials out and the cabinets below are stocked full with supplies. Here's a picture that shows it.
eta: I'm 5'6" .
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Last edited by 11Valerie11; 05-15-2010 at 09:21 PM..
I have not been doing this for along time, but it never occurred to me to try to do it while seated. I am 5'2" and work at my dinette table. All of my supplies are behind me in drawer carts.
I need to stand to line up paper on my cutter. I use my CB while standing. I stand to apply even pressure on the stamps to get even images or use my perfect layers . The only time I am seated is when I color .
Have you considered trying out those barista height tables that they have for kitchen nooks? It might be the right standing height (well, some of those things are likely too tall for you).
I usually sit to stamp. I will stand briefly if I am stamping something that needs to be lined up just so. But, my work table is a big heavy drafting table that I found on Craigslist. It has a foot pedal and I can set it at whatever height I want. So, if I wanted to stand while working on a larger project, I could just raise the table.
I'm just 5'2", so I often need to stand to see and apply correct pressure. My main work station is a "kitchen counter" affair. Got 2 cabinets, one with drawers and one with a drawer and a door, then stuck a 6' counter top on them. Got all the pieces at a place that recycles bulding materials for less than $30. It's standard height. When I sit, I use a drafting stool ($8 at a thrift store). I also have a dinette type table I use for paper cutting, CB work and stuff like that. If the counters in your kitchen are a good height for you (my DH at 6'1" finds them a little short), you can always put a base under them to lift them so they're comfortable. With the draft stool (on wheels) I can just push it back when I need to stand.
I am 5'9" and i stand in front of an costco folding table ( set at counter height) but, its on carpet. so its not, horrible but. Im not as tall as you either.
(the dream is someday have a real studio and have a wood one done (because sometimes this shakes) and it is plastic so... Im being careful with it. think it could be cool to get a kitchen cutting station type thing with say part of it in marble or something non absorbant to do messy things on.
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I was first a scrapbooker, and I still scrapbook. But when stamping entered my life and I now that I have a room all to my self....I stand. Just about everything I do is more precise, ex. stamping, cutting, laying out my design. I am 5'7" and I have 2 levels of counter in my room. Counter tops are regular "kitchen" height and then I have a folding table that I keep my computer on and do all designing from there.
I also use to be one that rolled around in my chair and would get frustrated when I "had to get up"...go figure. So standing has resolved this issue, LOL!!;);)
I just switched to a "stand-to-stamp" desk. My DH put it all together for me and it's 36" from the floor to the countertop. I'm only 5'5", but I like having things taller than most my size. I have a counter-height bar stool that I keep under the desk for when I want to sit, which isn't very often - I like standing to stamp so much better! HTH and good luck!
__________________ Mindy
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I hate sitting to stamp, for the same reasons, I am forever looking for papers, or using tools and they do not all fit right in front of me...I only sit to color, and even then, I am happy with a stool. So both of my surfaces are counter-height at 36" exactly. It works for me, another inch would be nice, but standard cabinetry and countertops work out to be 36" usually, so it was cost effective for me to use stock products.
Here is a pic of my room...it works great for me...but some people would hate not having a regular height desk.
I am 5'10"...so that's probably why I think an extra inch would be nice!
__________________ Cher No longer stamping...on to bigger things.
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I stand to stamp too. I use a stainless steel table that I bought to use in my kitchen years ago. It was originally a baking table and is a bit taller than typical counter tops. The legs are expandable so it has worked perfectly for me. I originally bought it at Costco or maybe Sams Club. Good luck in your search to find the perfect table!
Right now I have a small corner in the study, so I sit......Pretty much everything is within arms reach, though it does mean things are on the floor next to my chair. When I get to convert the guestroom,(sometime this summer), I will also have a second level so I can stand as well. My friend stands when she stamps and had her hubby raise her table like she saw here on SCS. I like how it turned out so I'm going to get my hubby to do the same.
I am VERY short--4' 10"--and I always struggled with getting tables that were at the "right" height for me to work. I am a sewer and I purchased this table for cutting fabric--but it is perfect for stamping, too. They are custom made to "your" height--they are not cheap, but they are worth every penny. No back/neck/arm strain at all--I can stamp or cut fabric all day with no problems. I highly recommend these tables!
I hate sitting to stamp, for the same reasons, I am forever looking for papers, or using tools and they do not all fit right in front of me...I only sit to color, and even then, I am happy with a stool. So both of my surfaces are counter-height at 36" exactly. It works for me, another inch would be nice, but standard cabinetry and countertops work out to be 36" usually, so it was cost effective for me to use stock products.
Here is a pic of my room...it works great for me...but some people would hate not having a regular height desk.
I am 5'10"...so that's probably why I think an extra inch would be nice!
just wondering out loud (beautiful space btw) if you could get bed risers to go under the island to boost it up?
I'm 5'10 and stand to stamp. I inherited a longer version of this kitchen island to use in my craft room last year. When my 6'6 DH and 6'3 BIL bought it for their shared kitchen 6 years ago, they added a clear finish and large, heavy duty casters that gave made it a few inches higher. I love using the 38" high work surface. It makes me wish my kitchen counters were that high.
I also do some work at our pub height (36") dining table and find it easy to slide between standing for stamping and sitting for more intensive coloring and cutting when there aren't other chairs in the way. I actually chose the table with the idea that it would eventually end up in my craft room.
Large casters (or wood bun feet if it's not sturdy enough for wheels) are a great way to add an extra couple inches to work tables and desks.
I can sit - but I have a small space and - this is so horrible - but I get frustrated if I have to get up to grab something I need. And then sit back down. And maneuver the chair all around. I'd rather just stand - I figure I can probably save seconds this way!!!
I have a tiny space to work in too.... standing would work for me depending on what I need to do but after awhile I get tired, the floor gets colds etc. but I one suggestion for you... How about an office chair.... you know the kind that spins around so you can move about and the kind that you can raise or lower. and you can find the right height for what you need.
You can also get a bar stool of different heights with a back on it so you can turn around when you need.
Oh, one more idea.... make your tools easily accessible.... I know it may take some organizing and shifting stuff around but it makes things easier.
Put your most used tools/ items in front of you......
favorite tools or must haves are on your right hand side ( left if you are a lefty) next items beside you ....
then the next used items you would have above or below your work surface.
This way you would just turn your body instead of getting up to go and get it, use it , then return it etc.
If you like a bulletin board in front of you or you could display your fav embellies nearby for inspiration.
I would like an L shaped desk so I could put my cutter right beside/behind me and I could cut without leaving my station.
I'm sure you can get a lot of ideas from looking at other SCS rooms!
Stamping shouldn't be exercise! I can think of better ways to burn calories! It should be fun and painless!:rolleyes:
I like standing when I make cards as I can see what I'm doing better than when I am sitting down. I'm 5'2" and my stamping table is 34" tall. I bought two pine hobby carts at a local unfinished furniture store and painted them white to match the rest of my furniture. My husband attached them back to back and made a countertop from pine boards glued together in butcher block fashion. I love it! I also have a table where I sit when I'm coloring, or pondering over ideas, but I don't use the table as a workspace near as much as the free-standing counter.
just wondering out loud (beautiful space btw) if you could get bed risers to go under the island to boost it up?
On that island, it would be possible to set the legs on blocks, up to about 5" high because the steel bottoms of the legs slide up and down...so they would totally cover any blocks and the seam. Ikea has an entire line of cabinetry with this option, so you could potentially add height to any of the pieces.
__________________ Cher No longer stamping...on to bigger things.
I have often lamented that the world was made for short people! My kitchen sink is too low, the bathroom vanity is too low, the ceilings in my house are too low, the toilet is too low and my stamping table was too low!
I'm only 5'8". I don't have fancy stamping space or anything like that, but I had my husband build boxes to raise my tables. To give you an optimum height would be redundant, but when he asked me how big to make the boxes, I told him I want my tables to be no lower than my waist. Then I bought a draftsman chair and enjoy the best of both. I can stand and stamp comfortably, and I can sit if I choose to do so.
I should add too, that my SIL is almost 6' and she is definately very uncomfortable with typical height things as well. We fight for elbow space at my stand up tables when she comes to play.
It aint pretty, but it works for me.
__________________ �:*�*:�My next house won't have a kitchen. Just a bunch of vending machines and garbage cans.�:*�*:�
I can sit - but I have a small space and - this is so horrible - but I get frustrated if I have to get up to grab something I need. And then sit back down. And manuever the chair all around. I'd rather just stand - I figure I can probably save seconds this way!!!
I have somewhat of a low budget stamping/sewing room. I would rather spend my money on more fabric and stamp supplies. My husband got 2 inch PVC pipe and cut about 10 inch lengths, then we put one under each leg of an inexpensive 8 foot folding table. Works great, very stable. And I can take the extensions off if I want to use the table for something else.
I stand and got a great solution from Ikea - I got a table top (for just $20) and 4 adjustable legs ($5 each) - you can adjust the height to what suits you best - I've had this set up for 4 years now and LOVE it - I actually have two of them which hubby attached together with brackets to give me a 4 foot square table top area - I also got a stool to sit at for prolonged work...LOVE it
Uh hum...pls excuse the extremely tidy area shown in the photograph - that was 4 years ago after I just finished doing my room and lets just say it has NEVER looked like that since
I know for cooking, the ideal height for a counter is about level with your wrist. And when I stand up and check my desk up here, it's about the same. Most of the time I craft sitting, but when DH is at my PC, then I stand further down the desk.
Rule of thumb, for me anyway, hehehe: stand, put your arms at your sides, raise your arm at the elbow and bring it to a 90 degree angle. That is the height your space should be at. I did this when I had someone build me a custom desk. I stand almost exclusively!
Let us know how it turns out, Cassie!
Nancy
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If you stand to stamp
