It's in the Bag!

 I am always looking for easy ways to store items.  This drawstring bag is quick to make and can be done in lots of sizes.  This project was first made to store the Jenga style blocks from Dollar Tree.  But you can make them to store items like Legos, card games, small action figures, craft supplies, sewing notions and more.  

If you make one share in the comments what you use your bag for.

Thanks,

Danna

Baby Wipes Box to the Rescue

Several weeks ago we had a plumbing issue with out kitchen sink.  As do most people I keep my soap packets for the dishwasher under the sink.  The plumbing issue had water all under the sink right where I keep my dishwasher soap.  If they had been in the original cardboard box they would have all been ruined. But under the sink would have been squeaky clean.  Since I keep mine in an old baby wipes container they were safe and sound.

My baby wipes box saved the day!

The dishwasher packets safe and sound.

 

I think in honor of the wipes box saving the day I need to give it a face lift.  Maybe I could put the word "SOAP" on the front in vinyl.  What clever ideas do you use old baby wipe containers for?  Share a comment below with your great ideas.

 

Danna

Clear Stamp Storage

Craft supply storage is an ongoing journey through the organizational maze.  I have tried all sorts of ideas for storing stamp supplies.  The rubber stamp pads on wooden blocks work well in a drawer where you can see all the designs in a quick glance.

Clear stamps have proved to be a little more of a challenge.  For a long time I kept mine in the original packaging and stored them lined up in a box.  The problem with this form was that each time I wanted to use the stamp I had to open the package.  The designs were easy to see at a glance but not quick to pull out and use.

I have seen the stamps stored in CD jewel cases and I like this idea but do not have the room for this solution.  I keep all my stamp supplies in a three drawer unit so my storage options are limited.

Then one day I was digging through my supplies and came across an old Altoid tin.  Now these tins are good for an abundance of storage solutions.  So I thought I would see how they worked for clear stamps.  I sorted my stamps by category (i.e. Christmas, flowers, hearts etc.) then cut the plastic apart so the stamps would fit into the tins.

Mint tins are a great storage solution.

Clear and rubber stamps.

 

Now the stamps are easy to whip out, use and go right back into the tin.  The tins line up nicely in the drawers I have and I eventually want to paint the tins and label them for even easier use.  It just goes to show that you never know what simple items can transform your world.  Ask your family and friends to save them for you or enjoy emptying them yourself. At least you will have minty breath.

 

The stamps fit easily in the tins and are sorted by type.

The tins line up nicely in the plastic drawers.

 

Hopefully you have found a workable solution for your stamps, if not, try an old mint tin.  To see some other storage ideas using mint containers check out my previous posts Small Storage Items and Tic Tack Boxes to the Rescue. 

 

Danna

Bathroom Organization - Cotton Balls and Q-tips

I love a house that is organized and efficient. Now I am not saying that my personal home is that way but I try to take baby steps to make it more organized and efficient. One area I have done a few organizational tasks in is my kid’s bathroom.

Their bathroom has a long counter and only one sink. Therefore there is plenty of space for items on the counter. The one area they lack in their bathroom is wall space. The entire area above the counter is a full wall mirror. So putting up small shelves to hold everyday items is not an option.

So, I had to find a solution for items such as cotton balls and Q-tips. I was browsing the isles of the local organization store and came across this plastic holder that had a jar type center with space around it. You put the Q-tips in the jar and the cotton balls around the outside. Wow, that is brilliant I thought but I was not going to pay the almost $20.00 they wanted. Now my hunt was on to figure out a less expensive way to accomplish the same look.

While scouring the Dollar Spot at Target I found a tall shot glass. This would work great to hold the Q-tips. So I made my own version of the jar. 

My version of the handy jar.

 

Using the round plastic container we already had I placed the shot glass in the bottom. I secured the shot glass with some candle wax stick so I could remove it later if I wanted to. My jar cost me about $1.25 (since I already had the round jar).

Tall shot glass worked well, I don't think a short glass would.

The Q-tips are in the center and then you stuff

the cotton balls around the outside edge.

What areas of your life have you found clever or knock it off versions to get your life organized? Share a comment below for all to enjoy your efficient life. I'm baby stepping my way to better organization.

Danna


Check out this link party: Flamingtoes

Bracelet Organization

Why is it that sometimes you struggle with trying to figure something out and the solution was right in front of your face?  I love to make and wear bracelets so I have an abundance of them.  I have kept them in two goblet type vases for the longest time but this was not the best solution.  I began to only wear the ones on top because to get to the rest I had to dump out the whole container.  And since I am usually running a bit short on time in the mornings I am always in a hurry.

I have pondered and considered several other options over the last few years but nothing seemed to be a much better solution.  Until this summer when I was looking for a bracelet and got really frustrated. I told myself that there had to be a better way.  I really wanted each bracelet on an individual hook so that I could see all of them at a glance.  This was going to require a fair amount of space.

My original idea was to put Command hooks on my mirror and hang each one on the hooks.  But after thinking this through I decided this would look really messy in my bathroom.  Then out of the blue I turned and noticed the blank side of a small shelf in my closet that holds some of my shoes.  Then the Pink Lemonade Idea hit me like a brick.  That open side of the shelf would be the perfect place to put hooks for all of my bracelets.

So, here it is.  I can not tell you the difference this has made in my ability to wear more of my bracelets.  I arranged them by color (of course, everything in my life is arranged by color) on the side so now when I am getting dressed all I do is find the right color section and select the one I want to wear.  I had even forgotten some of the bracelets I had made because they were always in the bottom of the vase before.

 

Here is the finished product.

 

This is where it stays in my closet.

Instead of buying the Command hooks I purchased two packages of self adhesive plastic hooks at the dollar store.  So for $2.00 and a little time I was able to renovate my bracelet storage.

I purchased these at the 99 cent store.

I put 8 across on each row.  I lined up the top row with the edge of the shelf.  I then used a ruler and measured out the rest of the rows.  I hung a few bracelets on each row before marking where the next one was to be placed.  This ensured that they were far enough apart.

If you have an area of your life that needs better storage keep looking and don't forget to study the unusual places like the side of a shelf.

Danna

New Storage Always a Plus!

This summer during one of our garage sale treasure hunts my husband and I found a great plastic drawer storage unit.  It is one of the large heavy duty units and we only paid $2.00 for it.  I wasn't sure exactly where I was going to use it but for $2.00 I could not pass on such a great deal.  My fist thought was I would combine some smaller units we have in my husband's area of our shop.  But once it made it home I quickly tossed out that idea for a better use in my area.

The drawer unit was the perfect size to fit at the end of my crafting counter.  Placing it on the end allows it to block off the end of the counter so you cannot see the mess (I mean projects in progress) on the rest of the counter.  I love it.  Covering up your messiness is always a positive.

The outside casing for the drawers is white.  Well, it was once a bright white now it is more of an ecru color.  It did have a few rust stains on the top where it looked like a can had been left.  But, a little baking soda to the rescue and it really cleaned up nicely.

The unit has some large drawers which is much more functional than only having the small drawers.

The rust stains on the top.

Dry baking soda.  The trick is to only us a small amount of water.

Stains all gone!

 



If you are not aware of the magical cleaning powers of ordinary baking soda you are missing out on an extraordinary product.  I have found that baking soda will remove almost any kind of stain or baked on yuk from most things.  Do not use it on painted surfaces because it can remove the paint.  But on any non porous hard surface it works wonders.  Now back to the storage unit.  I was able to remove the rust stains and it brightened up the plastic slightly.

The position I placed the drawers on my counter meant that the back of the unit was facing out.  It does not have a solid back so I covered the back with a piece of poster board covered with black and white contact paper.  The contact paper coordinates with my color scheme really well and I had it in the closet. 

The open back was not attractive.

The poster board cut to fit the back.

I have had the black and white contact paper for a while in my closet.

The finished back of the drawer unit.  Much better!

 

The next step was probably one of the most important steps, labeling the drawers.  I do not like to take the time to search for something when I am in my creative process  Although I seem to be constantly looking for something.  I am trying to get myself well organized so I can spend more time creating and less time searching for my supplies.  Maybe someday I will finally achieve that goal.  Once I decided what items would go in each drawer I then used my label maker to label the drawers.

 

Labeling is a must!

My label maker has borders so all of the labels in my craft/sewing area has the flower border.

 



One last addition and the drawers were fully functional.  After knocking the drawer unit off the counter onto the floor I added some shelf liner underneath to give it some grip.  Yes, after I filled all the drawers I caught the end one day with a book and it went sailing off onto the floor.  Thankfully nothing broke and I knew what would keep it in place.  Gripping shelf liner might just be as magical as baking soda.  It will keep almost anything in place.  Since adding the shelf liner the drawer unit has stayed in place.

 

I use my new drawer unit every day and I love the feeling of being somewhat organized.  Hopefully you can find the perfect storage accessory for your crafting and sewing area.  Don't pass it up at a garage sale just because it has a few stains.  Remember the magic of baking soda and a little elbow grease.

 

Danna

 





Washi Tape Holder

Washi Tape is one my new loves. It is easy and fun to work with and perfect for many different projects. Here are links to some I have done in the past.  Washi Tape & Christmas Countdown 21 days left!

But with all new additions to your craft room the big question is how and where do you store it. Since I am a visual learner and organizer I like items that are all the same size to be stored neatly in rows if possible. I have seen on Pinterest several different ways to store Washi tape everything from the rolls on dowel rods to pretty jars.

I started to put mine in a pretty box inside the cabinet but then it struck me that the tapes themselves were too pretty to store in a box. Also, I wasn’t sure where I would put said box since my cabinets are bursting at the seams. (Maybe it is time to purge some items – is there ever a time to get rid of craft items, you might need it soon). So here is my solution:

I had the mug tree stuffed in the back of my kitchen cabinets. You never know when they might come back in style or you may need it for a completely different purpose. Boy, I was glad I kept that tree mug. The tapes fit nicely on each of the branches and I can group them by color or sets.

When things are out and organized in an attractive way I am much more likely to use them. I know I can’t have everything out in plain sight but it is nice to have a few inspirational pieces to stir those creative juices.

So if you are looking for a unique way to display your items, start by digging in the back of your kitchen cabinets. Who knows what treasures you will find.

Danna

Tic Tac Boxes to the Rescue

Being a frugal crafter provides opportunities to reuse items most people would toss in the trash. I also desire that uniform look that comes from having the same size and color container for items. With both of these criteria I have designed a way to store my small beads and pre-punched shapes.

In a previous post Printers Trays for Small Item Storage I showed you how I keep my small seed beads divided and stored. Using the small Tick Tac boxes has made this very functional. But now they have made larger Tic Tac boxes. Oh, the dilemma of what I could do with these. As usual this became a Pink Lemonade Idea.

I have several paper punches that I use on a regular basis for all sorts of crafts. When I am creating a card, decorating a paper bag etc. I try to use up the paper scraps. One way I do this is to use the paper punches and pre-punch items. This allows for a quick embellishment at any time. This created a problem of storing the pre-punched shapes. At first I stored them in a plastic bag along with the rest of the small paper scraps in that color family. (Remember I store everything by color groups) The problem with this solution was I would lose the small punches in the bottom of the bag and I was not able to quickly find them. Then the pink lemonade idea burst in my head – the larger Tic Tac boxes would be perfect.

Now the pre-punched shapes are stored in larger Tic Tac boxes separated by shape. (I will eventually separate by color I am sure but I do not have enough boxes yet) The larger boxes would not fit in my printers trays so I keep them lined up in a desk caddy. They fit nicely in the sections and are easily pulled out when I need a quick embellishment.



The Tic Tac boxes are a perfect size and

I love the fact that they are clear.

 

I only have a few boxes now, but working on getting more.

They look nice and neat in the desk caddy. 

When I get enough the whole tray will be full of boxes.

These are the pre-punched paper shapes.

Each box holds a bunch of shapes.

 

Also stored with the pre-punched shapes are some words I cut out of books, stamps and small paper scraps that I use for my collage jewelry. Since the boxes are clear it is easy to see what each box contains. Fortunately, I have several friends and family members that keep me supplied with boxes. My kids get several in their stockings each year and are happy to eat the Tic Tacs and give me the box.

These boxes have other small items I needed to

organize for my collage jewelry projects.

So the next time you need a storage solution that won't break the bank head down the candy isle.  Who knows what sweet idea will be formed.

Danna
 

Cork Squares = a Tidy Kitchen

I am sure your family like mine has a multitude of flyers, informational notes etc., that need to be kept handy for quick reference. I have always used the front doors of my refrigerator for this purpose. But it bothered me that they looked messy all the time. When a friend gave me some cork squares she no longer needed it hit me that I had an area I could use to post those notes, the inside of my pantry doors.

This door has three squares of cork.  

A closer look at the door.

 

This is the second door where all the frequently referenced schedules go.

 
My husband and I used a heavy duty double stick tape to attach the cork squares to the doors. This will allow for easy removal later. I added names to several of the squares so I could post each person’s notes to their area. On the second door the last two squares are used for the most frequently referred to notes. In our house those are the notes for the high school band and church. This keeps these from getting buried and everyone knows where they are located.

To make the name tags I used some marbled cardstock paper I made and rub on scrapbooking letters. I first attached the name tags with double stick tape but they did not stay. So I now use thumbtacks to keep them in place.





















Now my refrigerator is tidy and clean. I could not believe how much better it made my kitchen look and feel to have the refrigerator doors cleared off. So, if you are having trouble finding a place to keep your notes tidy look for an open space behind closed doors and add some cork squares.

Danna

Look inside the cabinets!

Sometimes the most obvious answer to a question is right in front of you.  Several years ago I was looking for a way to get information I used frequently in a more accessible area.  I had everything from phone numbers, cooking references and recipes etc.  Then it hit me that I had a lot of cabinet space I was not using.  The cabinet doors.

So my husband and I put rolled cork on the inside of several cabinet doors.  We purchased a roll of cork from Hobby Lobby for less than $20.00 and did four cabinet doors.  Now my frequently used phone numbers, recipes etc. are literally right inside the cabinet.

My husband was concerned that if we glued the cork to the cabinet door when it needed to be replaced it would be hard to remove.  So, we used small nails around the edge on some of the doors.  Since my cabinets are different widths some of the cork goes all the way from edge to edge while others have a small gap around the edge. On the doors with the gap we did use a heavy duty double stick tape to secure the cork.

Here are some pictures:


The is where I keep my cookbooks.  I posted some of our family favorite recipes on the door.

This cork goes all the way from edge to edge inside the door.

The is by my spices and has measurement charts posted.

This is the spice cabinet door.  See how the cork does not go all the way to the edge. We used the double stick tape to secure this cork.

What a mess!  Inside this door is where I keep my frequently called phone numbers.

 

Now, that is better.  I did a little 2014 cleanup.  Why do I keep so many numbers that are no longer correct?  Maybe I need to purge this door more often.

 

I have seen in magazines where people have put cork or chalkboard paint on the outside of the cabinet doors.  For my personal taste I wanted my notes and information behind closed doors.   Apparently, since my phone numbers were such a mess I need to keep it behind the doors.  I hope this will spark some useful ideas of a way to keep information handy and tidy. 

 

Danna

Happy New Year!

Well, another year has come and gone.  It is hard to believe that 2014 is here, ready or not.  The start of a new year calls for resolutions, goals and reflection.  I am not one to make a long list of resolutions that I know will be discarded by the end of the first month.  I typically try to pick a few areas of my life that need some extra attention and focus on those areas.

Continuing to develop and grow this blog is one area I plan to concentrate in 2014.  I have decided one way to do this is to focus on a particular area or theme each month.  I hope this will keep me on track on what I post and spark some new ideas along the way.

January for many people is a time to "Get Organized".  So, this month I will post some organization ideas from my craft/sewing room, home and classroom.  Most of my organization tips will be very budget friendly (because remember I am a frugal crafter). 

I look forward to a new year and hope you will join me along the way.

Danna

Christmas Countdown - 4 days left!

If you are like me I want an organized desk. Now it doesn’t always stay that way but I do try. A very useful item I have found for my desk at school is a clipboard. I can clip notes or papers that I refer back to often to the clipboard and it stands out on my desk. This keeps the items from getting lost in the stacks.

Of course the boring brown clipboard is well – boring. So I decorated mine with paper that coordinates with my desk color scheme.

Boring brown
BEFORE
 

AFTER
I love the bright colors in this wrapping paper

I painted the back of the board with craft paint. Then I used wrapping paper since it was large enough to cover the whole clipboard without any seams to cover the front. I simply used Mod Podge to adhere the paper and several coats on top to seal the finish. The trick to using Mod Podge on thinner paper is to go slow and add thin layers letting each layer dry completely.

Back of clipboard painted bright pink

For Christmas I made another version that has a dual function. I used the chalkboard paint (I seem to be hooked on chalkboard paint). This allows for papers to be clipped to the board and for writing directly on the surface. This would make a great option if you were going to hang your clipboard. Then it will double as a message board.

Painted with 4 coats of chalkboard paint

 I made an additional board using the wrapping paper method. I will post it after Christmas since it is a gift for a family member. I purchased my clipboards at the dollar store so the total cost was about $2.00 if you include the cost of the Mod Podge and wrapping paper.

If you have someone on your list that needs a little more organization in their life give them a decorated clipboard.

Danna

Accessory Items in Sewing/Craft Area

When I moved my space to its new location several years ago I wanted to create a space that was inspirational.  This was not an easy task since my space is in a converted garage.  The walls and floor are not "pretty" but I was able to carve out a few spots that are a little more decorative. 

One item I created was a bulletin/marker board above my sewing machines.  The bulletin/marker board is made out of an old cabinet door we had removed from our bathroom. I painted the door white and using the back of the door my husband mounted a metal dry erase board to the center.  Then we used rolled cork to fill in the spaces on each side.  This gives me two small bulletin boards and a magnetic marker board in the middle. I covered the edge of the marker board with ribbon to give it a more finished look and added buttons to the corners.

Next I glued four metal hooks to the bottom edge.  This gives me a place to hang binder clips with notes and patterns attached.  To finish the piece I added scrabble tiles to spell out IMAGINE and two small pink buttons on each end.  The bulletin/marker board has proved to be very handy in the space above the machines.  It holds all my notes and supply lists.

 Another item I repurposed for my space was a couple of ugly lazy susans.  I purchased three of them at a garage sale for .25 cents each.  I used some left over contact paper from my classroom to cover the center of each one.  I may at some point come back and paint or do something else to the edge,  but for now I wanted something easy and functional.  On one of the lazy susans I put my bobbin case and a few sewing items I like handy. 

 

The other lazy susan holds all of my pens, markers and pencils.  I used several black and white boxes and cans I purchased from Michael's on clearance.  They hold all of my sharpies, colored pencils, markers etc.  I had just enough room to place my small tape dispenser in the middle of the buckets. 

In my "dream" sewing/craft room I have ideas for many more accessory type pieces.  Someday when my children move out I will take back a bedroom and be able to truly decorate my area.  I am looking forward to that day but for now I am fairly pleased with the space I have.  I am able to work in a part of my house that is not visible if someone drops by and I can leave a project out that is in the process.  For years I worked on the dining room table so every time I wanted to make something I gathered all of my supplies, carried them to the table and then before going to bed I cleaned it all up again.  So I am truly blessed to have an area that is mine.

Hopefully, you have a area that is just for you.  It doesn't have to be a large space but there is a freedom in having your own space to create.  I would love to hear your ideas and see pictures of your craft/sewing space.

Danna