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HI,
I am in a quantry with my stamp room. I have enough space, I'm sure I have enough storage, but my organization skills suck! I also have what I think of as ocd taste. I like things to be lined up in a row...(not piles like I actually do!) I like things to look pretty... and my style is simple/contemporary, and from my experience... all I can muster up is cluttered/tacky!
Does anyone have any suggestions for ways to keep it "nice and clean" without spending a ton of money?
I also do alot of workshops from this room. I currently have 1 big table 8x4 for guests with up to 12 chairs - what other options do I have for seating large numbers without having a white elephant in my room? Would 3 smaller tables that seat 4 be better?
Finally I have cats... they like cord and ribbon...I am worried about a trip to the vet to untangle something - so my wire rack storage system isn't working so well for me...
So here's the issues in a nut shell:
1. tastefull not tacky accessible storage for the small things (ribbon etc)
2. more compact seating (even something that can be ... get this - put away on occassion)
3. SAFE for the felines.
Kerri
PS My space is open concept to the family room, with a traffic zone to the lowest level of my house (it's on the 1st level down of a 4 level split) and traffic zone to a bathroom. It has a ledge at 4 feet and very large windows above that area.
Hi. What a nice, large space you have to work in. I don't have any suggestions about the tables, but I do have one for the storage issue and keeping it safe for the cats.
I use photo boxes to store all of my little things like ribbons, fibers, embellishments, primas, blank cards and envelopes, brass stencils, etc. I put the boxes on a bookshelf, which is about 2' wide and 6' tall. It keeps my cat out of dangling ribbons and fibers. Since everything is labeled, it's easy to find what box of goodies I need, and clean up is easy as everything just goes back in to the box and on the shelf. The boxes are also pretty and add color to my space. On one shelf, I have all my papers lined up neatly. HTH.
I forgot to mention that I would also like a suggestion for a paint color for where the white is... if you hadn't noticed... that isn't even done yet! I was thinking either red (like cranberry crisp) or eggplant. The goldy tan color is like river rock...
Yes I thought about stocking up on photo boxes. I do have shelving around the corner of that photo. The furnature has moved as well... I had to fit a sewing machine cabinet in there...so it's a little different. The pc isn't there, but my work desk is where the pc was. It is like a peninsula, dividing it into MY zone and the students zone.
Here are two views of my craft room. I , too, need organization to be creative. Messiness just blocks any great ideas I have. I also like everything at myfingertips. This set up is like a 'U'. I can turn within 3 directions and have at hand what I need.
On the table, infront of me, is DP folders, TV, inkpad caddy, marker caddy, tool caddy on lazy susan, embelishment drawers. For anything else, I just need to turn around in my chair.
p.s. I like the clean look of white walls in this room. There is no influence in white walls. The colors are in the rest of my house [burgundy, cinnamon, camel, purple].
#1 My craft Pit - view #1 by vjdeed at Splitcoaststampers
#2 my craft pit - view #2 by vjdeed at Splitcoaststampers
From this view, you can see I other general crafts, sewing maching, clear fronted drawers on wheels. The far left of the picture, is a side view of an old hutch I use as storage. The top [plate shelves] is used for visable stamp storage. The bottom holds my two diecut machines.
Whew.....didnt mean to get so wordy, just hope something here might help.
Happy crafting,
Valerie in Ohio
__________________ Money will buy a dog; only kindness will make him wag his tail.
thanks for replying, you have some great suggestions! Valerie, it sounds like the rest of your house is the exact same colors as mine, I would like to encorperate those colors, into mine. Does anyone know if those photo boxes that you can get at micheals will paint? I also need blinds and was thinking either cream or burgandy... depending on what color I paint the white part of my walls. I am finding that the entire room is so yellow/orange looking with all that wood (cabinates, shelves, doors pannelling and paint color all have the same tone) I think I need to go shopping tomorrow for some paint and boxes. (I really hope that I can paint them!)
I've started buying the photo boxes from Michaels when they have them on sale. I think the last time they were 3 for $5. I don't know if they can be painted or not. I've been buying boxes that have brown as the predominant color. They won't match but will at least coordinate.
You're wise to watch what the cats can get ahold of. I once had a cat that swallowed a string. One end was coming out of his behind so off to the vet we went. The vet discovered the other end was wrapped around his tongue. Poor Smokey didn't survive.
janiel, I am sorry to hear about smokey. I've already caught one of our cats with a wad a string in it's mouth... not to mention the lovely little midnight treasures they hack up (hubby nearly made me clean it up when he saw it had gold cord in it!)
I am off to michaels tomorrow to buy more photo boxes. They don't really fit on the ledge the right way... but they fit on my shelves. (and now that I've lost 75% of the stamp sets I have to the retired zone... I have lots of room. (this is what provoked the reorganization... besides the creative slump I'm in and the cats.)
Anyone have opinions on changing the large table to 3 smaller ones that can be taken down if needed? ( I tend to fill up the large one with my projects on the go... and then end up with piles sitting out when I need to have hostess club - so it's important to me to limit the amount of open realestate in the room on a regular basis!) Does that make me a freak?
I too am having Stamping room blahs...I have this huge room above my garage (the bonus room) and I just don't have enough storage. I don't want to spend lots of extra money on storage stuff...been scouting the good wills and yard sales...no luck yet! :(
__________________ ***Carrie***
Addicted to Stamping
carrie, that's what I've been relying on up until now (and my husbands carpentry skills when he's not super busy - we get the basic idea done... but finishing (my dept) is lacking) I have collected alot of stuff... that doesn't work. I am seriously thinking of doing the photo storage boxes. Another thing that I did that actually works ( but is tacky!) is using cereal boxes for paper organizers in a deep top hinged drawer (nobody sees them) but you can cut them down to store paper in so that they don't fall over and crumple. I suppose we could cover those with designer paper and paint as well. We could even add hodgepodge and a lable... hmmm feeling more creative. ( it could be that the clutter is vanishing from my room as I've worked on it most of today)
I have one of those white melamine organizers from Target. It is about 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It has 9 sections in it. You can purchase doors or fabric drawers to go into each section. I keep my stamp sets in the drawers (they hold quite a few and nobody sees quite how many I have-LOL). I'm going to hang tags from each of the drawer handles to label which type of sets are in each drawer.
More later...my 2 yr. old DD just came in and asked me to play ball. Can't resist.
ahhh there will be no pics posted of the finished product tonight... still working on it...and now it's time for a dip in the hot tub... Looking forward to see if anyone has any other ideas for me on those tables!
Kerri - I haven't read all of the posts, so forgive me if I repeat something, but my first thought was "climb the walls"! Do you know anyone who is handy who could make you some shelving (think bookcases) that would fit on the ledge that goes around the room? You could get boxes or baskets to store stuff in on the shelves then.
As for color, I'd go with something closer to a mossy green. With the wood on the bottom you'd want a color that can be found in nature that coordinates well. Cranberry and Eggplant are both nice colors but I think they may be too dark for the space and would make it look smaller (and top heavy).
HI,
I am in a quantry with my stamp room. I have enough space, I'm sure I have enough storage, but my organization skills suck! I also have what I think of as ocd taste. I like things to be lined up in a row...(not piles like I actually do!) I like things to look pretty... and my style is simple/contemporary, and from my experience... all I can muster up is cluttered/tacky!
Does anyone have any suggestions for ways to keep it "nice and clean" without spending a ton of money?
I also do alot of workshops from this room. I currently have 1 big table 8x4 for guests with up to 12 chairs - what other options do I have for seating large numbers without having a white elephant in my room? Would 3 smaller tables that seat 4 be better?
Finally I have cats... they like cord and ribbon...I am worried about a trip to the vet to untangle something - so my wire rack storage system isn't working so well for me...
So here's the issues in a nut shell:
1. tastefull not tacky accessible storage for the small things (ribbon etc)
2. more compact seating (even something that can be ... get this - put away on occassion)
3. SAFE for the felines.
Kerri
PS My space is open concept to the family room, with a traffic zone to the lowest level of my house (it's on the 1st level down of a 4 level split) and traffic zone to a bathroom. It has a ledge at 4 feet and very large windows above that area.
Tips please!
Kerri
I just got done reading some great articles at Craft Critique on organizing your space. I, too, have everything everywhere and I need to get organized and fast. Try this site and scroll down and entry or two. There are about four articles on organizing. I learned a lot. http://www.craftcritique.com/
Hugs,
Gina K.
__________________ Be polite to those who are rude to you. Not because they are nice, but because you are.
Owner- Gina K. Designs
I just posted pictures of my stamp room as well if you are interested in taking a look. Good luck!!! (its on my blog, link is below) I still have to upload it to SCS soon!
Thank you to all those that have posted ideas and links to what has worked for them. I really appreciate it! I am currently reclaiming desk drawers - to store the ribbon in... and maybe punches on the other side. Who put all that junk in there?
I agree with Gina...go visit Craft Critique (shameless plug because I am one of the writers--tee hee). We are doing a whole week or so of articles showing different styles of organization from mine (OCD) to Amy's (just getting by). We also are having an Organization Carnival both Wednesday and Thursday which will have TONS of great links to other peoples blogs and articles on organization tips...(including some from the Queen of Organization...Sharon!)...stop by and I am sure you will find some great tips!
Colleen
__________________ Colleen Schaan - Education Specialist at Imagination International Inc.,/Copic Marker
Blog - Distinctive Touches;My Copic Books!
quick reply here... i repainted some of my photo boxes with Kilz primer spray paint! Worked for me. Then of course I had to repaint them black to match everything else!
I think smaller tables could be great for workshops.. Looking around at folks instead of craining your neck around to see down a long table would be a plus. IMHO
Try a color from a warm palate of colors to worm with your wood paneling! Olive green is on the warm side. Yellows would be too much though I think!
JMHO....LOL
YOu have a GREAT space!!!!
Last edited by TimeforT; 09-26-2009 at 05:38 AM..
Reason: adding info
Stamp room - blahs
