Get Organized Week #9 Embellishments. Containers to hold large, medium and small embellishments, and a label maker to label containers

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Percival Shepherd
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Week #9 Embellishments Materials Needed Containers to hold large, medium and small embellishments, and a label maker to label containers The Challenge To sort through ALL embellishments, get them

1 Week #9 Embellishments Materials Needed Containers to hold large, medium and small embellishments, and a label maker to label containers The Challenge To sort through ALL embellishments, get them into a system that aids you in the scrapbooking process, and to get them into labeled containers. This week is different from last week as far as content. It s going to take more time, patience and persistence to get through the material, so I urge you to keep a pen and paper close by as you read. Make notes of ideas that speak to you, or come to you. You might not end up using everything you write down, but at least you will have captured the thoughts and insights to read later. Your major work this week will probably be sorting. It will be oh-so-worth-it, you won t regret the effort, and I promise--you re going to LOVE the results. Get ready to make a LOT of fun decisions as we focus on your embellishments. The biggest issue with embellishments is that there are SO many available different colors, types, uses, storage requirements, etc. It s nearly impossible to find a single solution that fits everything for everybody. This means it s going to be okay to choose the path you want to travel, and the solutions that work best for you. What works for your Prima flower piles may not work for your buttons, and it doesn t have to. All I encourage you to do is be flexible until you find your best solutions. This week is also about knowing WHERE your embellishments will be stored, HOW to retrieve them, and HOW you ll put them away. You ll be finding homes for your little things and keeping those homes tidy, neat, and functional. I m a combination digger and sorter when it comes to embellishment storage. Bookcase shelves (freestanding and some built-in wall shelves) form the foundation of my embellishment, adhesive, and paper centers. The large, freestanding shelves hold muslin bins, plastic compartment containers (with hinged lids), project suitcases, and cardstock and patterned paper holders. The fabric bins hold most of my larger embellishments by color - most have been removed from their packaging. The plastic containers hold small items like brads and eyelets. When I need a red embellishment I go to the red bin first to start my search, then to the plastic containers. Ribbon is also stored in a color-coded bin, but that will be discussed in detail in Week #12. 71

2 HOW to Sort and Organize Embellishments Organization of embellishments depends on how you scrap. The main methods are: 1. By color 2. By type 3. By theme To determine which method is best I have some questions to ask. When you re looking for an embellishment, do you wonder, Do I need something red in this place? If so, COLOR sorting may be the way for you to go with all of your red embellishments in one container, green in another, etc. If, however you re looking for an embellishment and you ask yourself, Would a button look good in this corner? then sorting by TYPE may be your style. Or, if you enjoy scrapbooking by theme, you might want themed containers or a combination of all three methods for your system. You don t have to make a decision right now, think about it, and picture yourself in your studio using your supplies. Make a decision based on your preferences, storage options, and the amount of space available in your studio. I think the best way to help you tackle embellishment storage is for you to see as many storage options for each type of embellishment as you can. We ll go from embellishment to embellishment showing you samples, sharing Stacy s solutions, sharing alternatives, and then I ll show you what I do. If you have a solution you d like to share, be sure to post in our Forum -- the more information the merrier! Keep in mind that what you own right now will dictate what you do for storage and organization. For example, if your stash includes a few boxes of brads they will easily fit into a small container with many colors of the same item. If, however, you collect brads, you ll probably need a jar for each color of brad; understand? General Storage for a Variety of Small Embellishments Cropper Hopper Embellishment Boxes Glass or plastic jars Small zip-style baggies (look in the jewelry section of stores like Hobby Lobby) Empty film canisters Tic-Tac style containers Spice jars on spice racks revolving, magnetic, or wall mounted Multi-drawer chest Photo storage box Tackle box or a travel system Tilt bins Floss organizers Zippered Plastic Bags Close To My Heart Embellishment Organizer Jewelry boxes Watchmaker cases Stackable storage Rolling carts Compartmentalized boxes - These come in many different sizes! Pegboard or slat wall with hanging bins Round caddys Pill boxes 72

3 Embellishment Storage Ideas Brads, Eyelets, and Other Colored Hardware 1. Stacy s general, run-of-the-mill brads are divided by color and shape into multicompartment containers. Stacy s are labeled and stacked in a drawer. When she needs a brad, she finds the right container and uses a pair of craft tweezers to pull-out the brad she wants. 2. Stacy s large brads go in large glass canister-style jars. 3. Fancy brads are divided up by type (velvet, fabric, stripes, etc.) and stored in small plastic containers. The jars are thick clear plastic and are slightly shorter than three inches so they sit beautifully in the 3-drawer units from Sterilite. Storing jars upside down makes it easy to see what the contents are. 4. Jill sorted all of her metal hardware embellishments into like-color groups, then sorted the groups into brads, eyelets, and fancy brads within the same color container. I only want to pull out one container to find a green brad. Metal hardware (brass, antique brass, silver, copper, etc.) have their own containers as do miscellaneous items like paper clips, clasps, vintage finds, etc. 5. Check out this Brad Board idea. Paper and Fabric Flowers Flowers are beautiful and fun to use, but can become storage nightmares when there s no system in place to handle the clutter they can cause. I looked at many, many storage solutions before I settled on the one I live with and use. I m not a gardener in real life, or on my pages either, so my flower collection is minimal and easy to contain. Stacy s flower stash looks like she s a master gardener and she explains below how she tamed her unruly collection. 1. All flowers: Stacy removed every flower she owned from its packaging (including those in glass jars) and put them in a pile. She sorted ALL of the flowers into color groups first. Then, she divided each group into sizes (small and large is all that s necessary). She stores her larger flowers in glass cookie jars, and her smaller flowers go back into the original glass jars sorted by color! These jars are part of her studio décor which is a nice option. 2. All flowers: My flowers can all fit into one embellishment bin so my sorting and purging took less than an hour. I sorted ROY G. BIV and put each color group, with all sizes, into zip-style bags. Flower centers, leaves and branches are in their own bag. I especially like that all of my white flowers are now in one place so all I have to do when I want to dye or mist one is to pull out that bag and get going. One bin, one quick pass through the contents, works for me. 3. Packaged flowers: Instead of removing Prima or Petaloo flower collections from their packaging, keep them in their original packaging. Sort them by color or type and stack them on end in a drawer, pretty basket or bin. 4. Small flowers: For smaller collections of embellishments, a Clip-it-Up system might be the solution. 5. Small flowers: Keep these in their original containers or consider using spice jars. Stacy found a pretty fabric-lined basket and she keeps it in a drawer with her packaged flowers nestled inside. She says it s easy to sort through the basket to find the right color. 73

6. 7. Eyelets Buttons 1. Stored in the same multi-compartment containers as Stacy s brads in a different drawer. Sorted by size first, then by shape, and then by color. 2.

Some eyelets are sorted by size and shape, in tic-tac-style boxes within the compartments. 1. All buttons: Stacy loves buttons and loves seeing them almost as much as she enjoys using them!

): Stacy stores hers in the same small jars as her brads in a shallow drawer, or she suggests storing them in shallow bowls or baskets. 3.

4 6. 7. Eyelets Buttons 1. Stored in the same multi-compartment containers as Stacy s brads in a different drawer. Sorted by size first, then by shape, and then by color. 2. My eyelets are in with their same-colored friends the brads (and other hardware) in multi-compartment containers. Some eyelets are sorted by size and shape, in tic-tac-style boxes within the compartments. 1. All buttons: Stacy loves buttons and loves seeing them almost as much as she enjoys using them! She says she thinks they add fun and color to a space so she stores hers in glass cookie jars, sorted by color. 2. Fancy buttons (shaped, wooden, etc.): Stacy stores hers in the same small jars as her brads in a shallow drawer, or she suggests storing them in shallow bowls or baskets. 3. All buttons and vintage jewelry: My storage and organization solution is an easy and pleasant-to-look-at way to enjoy my button and vintage jewelry enthusiasm. I just love to use buttons. I enjoy looking at buttons, hence the prominent display in my studio. My containers give my space a nice boundary (not much room for over-growth) which is good. I found the black wooden Lazy Susan 74

I can see button colors, sizes and shapes easily and quickly, and the lids are almost toddler-proof in this display.

5 at a home décor store, the big center jar at Walmart, and the small plastic jars at Scrapbook.com. The color-assigned jars and jewelry jars fit around the edge of the Lazy Susan, and the neutrals and vintage buttons go into the big jar in the center. I can see button colors, sizes and shapes easily and quickly, and the lids are almost toddler-proof in this display. A vintage slide case in this grouping holds needles, some thread and waxed linen to use when adding buttons to projects. A pair of scissors is stationed here, also. Rhinestones, Gems, Bling These are tricky, since some are technically stickers and some are not. 1. Stacy has her loose gems in multi-compartment containers. She stores each container, along with her packaged rhinestones, in a small milk crate. The crate goes on a shelf. 2. I store my gems by color in their color-respective embellishment bins. I have a Clear Embellishments bin so all clear bling goes in there (rhinestones, crystals, chandelier pieces, transparent overlays, etc.) I keep gems in their packaging so they don t get ruined (if they are arranged in designs with adhesive backs). Loose gems are contained in pencil boxes I found at a drug store in the office and school supply section. Miscellaneous Embellishments For all those little things that really don t fit into any category, such as wooden pieces, photo corners, metals, sequins, acrylic pieces and glass slides; Stacy uses the same small containers used for her fancy buttons in Sterilite drawers. My journaling supplies and other miscellaneous vintage embellishments are sorted by how I will use them. Primary embellishments are in a vintage strawberry carrier next to my workspace (they re sorted by type inside the baskets). Items used occasionally (secondary 75

embellishements) are stored nearby in embellishment bins.

the bins to find what I needed. Digging through one or two open boxes is much easier.

Wall-mounted ledge-style shelves hold more vintage-looking jars filled with vintage and modern trinkets (game pieces, clothes pins, keys, etc.

6 embellishements) are stored nearby in embellishment bins. I could have placed all of the consumable journaling embellishments in their corresponding color embellishment bins, but I didn t want to dig through each of the bins to find what I needed. Digging through one or two open boxes is much easier. A strawberry carrier with baskets or an open tool box is a great place to store organized Project Life parts and pieces too. Wall-mounted ledge-style shelves hold more vintage-looking jars filled with vintage and modern trinkets (game pieces, clothes pins, keys, etc.) and there s even room to display some mini albums. I have several vintage ephemera embellishment bins that hold bingo cards, old ribbon, trim, maps, tickets, time cards, postage stamps, etc.). I also have a vintage LifeSaver store display that now holds vintage game pieces in jars on the top shelf, and yes, rolls of Lifesavers for my visitors and grandkids on the bottom shelf. 76

However, I am wise enough to know that my storage solutions are subject to change as I grow and this marvelous industry matures and grows.

7 More Insight from Jill Each container in my studio was selected for a specific purpose and yours will be, too. I ve purchased and used plenty of organizational duds for my embellishments in the past, but my current system and containers make me very happy and are efficient. However, I am wise enough to know that my storage solutions are subject to change as I grow and this marvelous industry matures and grows. We ve all seen pictures of studios that have beautiful décor pieces used for embellishment storage--they are intended to look like part of the room décor. I don t think it is always easy to accomplish this look because there isn t a one-stop-shop for crafting and art supply storage. But it is possible to find containers you ll want to look at and use, that don t cost a fortune, and will fit in with your décor. It is also possible to have embellishments and tools look eye-appealing, and be functional in their containers. Try to keep these concepts, and your personal taste, style, budget, and work habits in mind as you plan for embellishment storage in your studio. Bookcases as my Embellishment Storage Foundation I found my bookcases many years ago, and they ve been very good friends. While I wish they were black, I keep them as they are because I d rather put the time and money needed to renew them into other enjoyments. Their shelves are adjustable and sturdy, and they are trusted workhorses. Muslin Covered Wire Embellishment Bins I purchased my bins many years ago and I store most of my larger embellishments in them by color and type. The bins have a metal frame and metal grid bottom for support. Before I dyed them they had a natural muslin cover. There was also the same natural muslin covering a piece of cardboard that covered the bottom grid which was kept in place with velcro. I was able to remove the cardboard piece when I dyed the bins with walnut ink crystals solution the cardboard would ve never survived being submerged in water. I opted to dye these cost-effective bins because they now blend with and complement the vintage décor in my studio. 77

I made labels for my embellishment storage bins on my computer and slipped them into the see-thru holders. The bins are in ROY G.

The bins are open so I can dig and find what I need. I chose open bins because I don t want barriers to entry when retrieving and replacing contents; it has to be easy and efficient.

How to Dye Muslin-Covered Wire Bins I made a solution of walnut ink crystals and hot water using the instructions on the bottle. I mixed them in a large tub so one canvas bin could fit inside.

8 I made labels for my embellishment storage bins on my computer and slipped them into the see-thru holders. The bins are in ROY G. BIV order on the shelves (including, pink, aqua, black, brown, white, clear, multi, metal and vintage). There are two bins for each color, e.g., Red Embellishments and Red Ribbon. The bins are open so I can dig and find what I need. I chose open bins because I don t want barriers to entry when retrieving and replacing contents; it has to be easy and efficient. I use additional bins to store secondary tools and supplies in other areas of my studio. How to Dye Muslin-Covered Wire Bins I made a solution of walnut ink crystals and hot water using the instructions on the bottle. I mixed them in a large tub so one canvas bin could fit inside. I soaked the bin in the solution (rotating it back and forth so the solution covered all sides and the bottom) until the fabric was saturated with color. I let the excess ink drain off and set the bin out to dry on our lawn. There are light grass marks on the bottom where the grass touched the fabric as it dried. I don t mind because they don t show when the bins are on shelves and I had 25+ bins to dye in 112 degree Arizona weather. Walnut Ink isn t permanent so the clean-up was easy but the bins could bleed if they ever get wet, but that s not likely to happen in my studio. 78

Brads, Eyelets, and Other Metal Hardware In the past I ve stored hardware (brads, staples, eyelets, paper clips, and little do-dads) in jars, plastic mini-drawers in cabinets, and now they re in

I loved that I could open a drawer, dig for what I needed and close it.

9 Brads, Eyelets, and Other Metal Hardware In the past I ve stored hardware (brads, staples, eyelets, paper clips, and little do-dads) in jars, plastic mini-drawers in cabinets, and now they re in plastic compartment containers with hinged lids. The drawers were great but the cabinets they fit into took up too much valuable wall space. I loved that I could open a drawer, dig for what I needed and close it. But when grandkids graced my life a few years ago, I needed my little things to be safe from curious hands--hence the compartment containers with attached lids. I keep these labeled containers on shelves out of the reach of toddlers and preschoolers. Because I use Tim Holtz embellishments regularly, I keep them together in larger Art Bin Solution Boxes so I don t have to search through several other containers to find what I m looking for. They have removable dividers that offer a variety of compartment configurations. An attached lid that s opened can be cumbersome and take up extra space on my island top, but I love that it s attached and isn t going to get misplaced. The compartment container labels were created on my computer, and run through my Xyron Sticker Maker so they would stick to the plastic. They were covered with clear packing tape to preserve them. Containers are arranged in ROY G. BIV order and some are by type of embellishment (fasteners, vintage finds, Tim Holtz hardware, etc.). We are Wise My studio started in a closet, moved to half of our home office, then to a corner in our family room (where it needed to be behind cupboard doors to keep the room from looking cluttered). It has ended up in a spare bedroom and it must stop there. That s wisdom. I had to be brutally honest with myself when I planned my studio. I wanted to be true to my style, know what I liked best, and what made me feel most comfortable. I have become wise as a scrapbooker, and so have you. We save money when we apply our knowledge because we don t buy on impulse, nor do we listen to hype that tells us something is beautiful when it isn t to us. Remember how there will be morphing within a studio as new product and supplies emerge? Oh be wise, you know you are. Deep down know what you want to surround yourself with, and what your 79

10 style is, and let that keep you from purchasing materials you won t use or following trends and fads. Tip: You ve probably noticed in the Table of Contents that we address room décor during the last week of this challenge. It had to go somewhere in the series, and it seemed logical that once a space was de-junked, painted, furniture purchased and the place organized that the owner would be able to see how to accessorize the place. This is the week where I started finalizing the look and feel I wanted in my studio and I decided that the majority of my embellishment containers needed to be part of the décor and not have the appearance of functionality. Hence, the reason I opted to dye bins I already had I didn t want to spend time and money on something new when what I had worked and was just in need of a minor face-lift. Embellishment containers can be utilitarian or decorative, so sometime this week take a few minutes in your space and imagine your room with some of your favorite looked-at embellishment containers in place. Do you need something new or can you re-purpose things you already have? Tip: Keep all embellishment containers in the same general location, creating an Embellishment Center. You ll have only one location to remember and few steps to take when hunting. Tip: Have a nice bowl on your workspace designated as a catch all, or quick clean up container. It will be for loose embellishments you don t have time to put away while working on or after finishing a project. Because it will be a pleasure to look at, full or empty, it won t look like clutter. The amount the bowl can hold is fixed, so you ll be more inclined to get it emptied before it looks out of place in your clutter-free space. You can also set a guideline to clear it out once each week, or monthly. The scrapbooking industry is constantly changing. One year you can find white storage everywhere, and within a few months it s gone, never to return. I bring this up to encourage you to think back to Week #2 when you let yourself dream about your ultimate space. What you came up with is a good guide. Your dream and plan are both adaptable and can change as you progress through this challenge. I ve learned to look at the big picture and plan for growth in my space, and also to give myself limits on how much I can bring in. Remember how I encouraged you not to run out and purchase new containers right away? I think you can see why now--you might have ended up returning them to the store, or be stuck with something that doesn t work. 80

11 Be thinking about your decorating theme, and how you want your space to look and feel at the end of this journey. Feel free to jump ahead of the class and read the material in Week #27 Space Décor. I ve learned that some people are comfortable in a utility work environment, while others want their space to feel homey and lived in. Many want their spaces to be an extension of their home; with furniture that doesn t look like its ever seen paint or adhesive, while others want to bring memories and distressed objects of the past into the space for vintage influence and charm. Whatever helps you relax, get motivated, feel passionate or get down to business is what will work. It s easy to look at another s space and think it will work for you, but it s not until one honestly looks at what REALLY works for oneself that the creative process opens up for great storage, furniture or accessory solutions. I know I like solid structure mixed with vintage nostalgia, so that s what I surround myself with in the space I spend most of my workdays. What do you like and want? When making decisions about how to organize and store your embellishments I encourage you to study your Space Assessment Handout, and any notes you made while reading this week. Then, look at the Before photos of your space, gulp, and look at pictures of your dream space. Check those against the solutions shared here. If you still need more options visit our forum at Scrapbook.com. You ve probably tried many storage and organizational options before that didn t work so you know not to even consider them now. If the amount of embellishments you own is growing, then you ve probably outgrown the containers you have, and you know to cut back on purchases, or buy larger containers you can grow into. Ask yourself what solutions will honestly help you attain the studio of your dreams. Do you go to crops a lot? Cross off any system that won t travel well, and only focus on what will. Need to have your embellishments be mobile for totes, but on shelves when you get home? You ll have some fun solutions to figure out. The time you put into assessing your needs will pay off this week and in the weeks to come. Fast forward to Week #14, Crop Supplies, for ideas and help if necessary. Summary Keeping systems and containers simple helps you function with ease in your space. If you need a brad there should not be several barriers to entry to find one. Things in your space should be easy to find, use and put away. Your space will be more clutter and stress-free when embellishments are organized in containers and the system doesn t resemble Fort Knox. You ll soon be in control of all brads, eyelets, buttons and any other embellishments you own. Gone will be the days you d rather vacuum up stray embellishments than pick them up and put them away. Keep taking your baby steps, you ARE getting somewhere and soon you ll be striding! I ll see you in Week #10, when we won t be singing the blues, but rather, the ABC s! 81

Get Organized Week #5 Scraps Materials Needed

Get Organized Week #5 Scraps Materials Needed Container(s), and a label maker to label the containers you use The Challenge To set up a system that will help you keep paper scraps organized and usable.