Organization

Dear Blogger friends, today I intended to work on Tim Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas 2011.  Instead I got side tracked when I went to pull out the distress stain that I needed for Tag #2.  I decided to share my project with you and maybe it would help you, too.
Recently I had completed the line of Tim Holtz' Distress Stains,  of which there are 37 different colors. I store all of them in a plastic container.  I want to be able to pick them all up at once and my shelf space is limited so I am not able to store them so I can see the labels.
When I realized that I had to search thru each one to find the one I needed I decided I had to have a solution.

1. First I put all the stains in alphabetical order.
2. Using a sheet of address labels I briefly identified each stain color on the sheet of labels...2 colors per label.
3. Place a nickle size dot of each stain next to it's identification.
4. Use a 1/4" round punch to punch out each stain and place on top of corresponding bottle of stain.

Here are some pictures of my progress:

Creating a color sheet

True stain colors on lids

I think this will help me to identify the stain I need in the future.  Let me know if this has helped you.  I have other organizing tricks I could share if you would be interested.  Leave me a comment if you would like more of posts like this.

My Space

The Very Beginning
My first stamping work space was a shared room with my husband's home office.  I had a very small computer desk plus two drawers for stamping supplies.  More than enough storage room for my new hobby. That was the beginning of a fast paced journey.  In just a couple of years I went from that small space to converting our formal living room (15' x 25') into my growing need for storage, space AND organization.  It filled up quickly.  In 2007 we decided to sell our home and move into a 37 foot Fusion RV Toy Hauler to accommodate David's new consulting business and not knowing where this new business would take us..  The Toy Hauler model was my idea....it gave me 8' x 12' space to condense my home studio into a "portable" studio.  This required a lot of thought and preparation but also some drastic reduction decisions. (Heavens No...did not go on a diet!!) Through the experience I believe I have scaled down and used the space I have most efficiently even as my collection has grown..

My work Space
One of my best investments in this surgical reduction of my space was a desk purchased from Stamps and More by Eleanor which is made by The Best Scrapbook Shelf Company.  The top surface is extra wide...enough that two people could work facing each other.  This gave me 28" x 52" of surface space plus I choose to have twenty 1" drawers on each side.  On the right side I have all my word/verse stamps separated in categories and on the left side are all my Penny Black, Hero Arts, PSX wood mounted stamps in categories of flowers, leaves, trees, etc.  Currently on the top of my desk I have The Best Scrapbook Shelf cubes which hold a supply of basic car dstock and stamping supplies.  I keep my Genesis 12"  paper cutter on a table to my left.along with my card size Scor-it stored under the Genesis. Everyone's space and needs are different but as basic needs for all rubber stamp artists. That will have to wait for another post as my posting time is gone.  Got to get to the store.  Have a great day and check back soon!