My Space - Renee Van Stralen

Chances are, you're probably drooling right now. This is the space of Renee Van Stralen of Stamping for Sanity, and if I was to have an official happy place I think it would look a lot like this. *smile*

Renee is a mum of 5, from Canada, and has been a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator since 2006. We are always in awe of Renee's creations - she always has a little magic up her sleeve and never fails to impress. Here's what Renee told us about her lovely craft space.

Has this always been your creative space?
We'd been moving every year or so (due to my hubby's schooling) so I never really had a defined space to call my own. Once we bought this house, I decided that it was high time I got a space too! So, we've gone through a few renditions of the scrap area and changed it as my needs (and stuff) grew. I started out with a few IKEA pieces of furniture with the eye for being able to add and move them around. Knowing full well that we won't be living here forever, I wanted my furniture to be easily taken apart and reassembled in whatever configuration would work for whatever space I get.



What do you use for ink storage?
All my ink, markers and ink refills are stored in cases that my father-in-law made for me. They are individual units that hold up to 12 inks, and they can be stacked, be put side by side, hang up, whatever!

And stamps?
All my SU! stamps are in cupboards on the wall (see below). I purchased an IKEA bathroom cabinet with an opaque door, and they fit the stamp cases perfectly! The rest of my collection is stored in a Bind-It-All album.

How about storage for punches?
My punches are all on the wall on towel bard (also from IKEA).

We know you love ribbon - how do you store yours?
My hubby made me a cubby for my ribbon - it has two 12" wide sections with several rods in each section for plenty of ribbon storage. My scraps, well, I rarely have any 'cause I use it all up!

What's your best storage idea that you would like to share?
Hmmm ... best storage idea? I don’t know if I have a “best” idea, but I know this: if I want to use something, it’s got to be seen or at least in a cute container that is labeled!

What was your last major storage investment?
I didn’t buy this, but it was my Christmas gift from my father-in-law: he made me a storage shelf that’s on a lazy susan with all sorts of cubbies for my Big Shot and accompanying dies!


What are your top 3 tips for keeping things organised?

• always put things away once you’re finished using it

• if you find you’re not putting it away because it’s awkward, find a better spot for it!

• clean up completely after you’re done a project!

What do you do with all your paper & scraps?
I store all my solid 8 ½” x 11” card stock in a filing cabinet. They are all in individual hanging file folders and I’ve stapled a large Ziploc bag to the inside front of each for the scraps. My patterned paper and 12 x 12 card stocks are in paper holders on my desk top.

How do you store buttons, doo-dats, etc?
I have a couple of the Stampin’ Stack & Store turn-abouts and they are really handy. As almost all of my embellishments are from SU, they all come in those little round containers that are designed to fit in the stack & store – I do find that labeling the sides of the containers makes it easier to see what’s there as mine happen to be up on a shelf!

What's your dream set-up? Or are you one of the lucky ones already there?
I like what I have! I wouldn’t mind more closed storage to keep the appearance of neatness but in all honesty, it all comes out when I’m in there anyway and I’ll keep it cleaner because it is so visible!
What items are guaranteed to end up on your desk after you've made something?
Stamp-a-ma-jig, scissors, adhesive, sponges, and dimensional backings (those things are a pain to clean up!)

What do you do when your mojo needs a kick start? What always works?
CASE someone! I invariably will start to case but I purposely choose a card that I have NONE of the supplies for forcing me to think outside the case-ing box. It seems to help me get back into things! *smile*
Tell us 5 tools/items you can't live without when you're about to make something.
Assuming that scissors and adhesive are a given with any crafting project, I’d say...
stamp-a-ma-jig
mat pack & piercer
ribbon
sponges
dimensionals

Thank you Renee for showing us around your beautiful space, where the magic happens! We admire your work, and love the inspirational bug you share!

Thanks for visiting Just Add Ink!

My Space ... with Gardenia Pepworth

Today we're giving a tour of one of our regular 'players', Gardenia Pepworth's craft space.

Gardenia has been a SU! Demonstrator one month short of a year, and has quickly established herself as a reliable source for inspiration on the world-wide-web with her blog A Little Less Useless. Her layouts, 3D projects and cards are always amazing! So let’s get started on the tour...

About Gardenia...
Last Christmas Gardenia moved to a remote part of Western Australia on a mining lease where her hubby works. She describes herself as a chef, a cleaner, a chauffer, a mediator, a rule maker, a go-to gal - basically a CEO of a major company – her family. When she returns to the real world she will be working in Children’s services.

She loves everything paper, mostly cards but she loves to scrapbook when there's time.She also loves to sew, knit, crochet and have a go at anything crafty. She refers to her craft space as her "Obsession Area".

The living areas in her house are all open plan and her craft area is right in the middle of all the action. This makes it easier to grab a few minutes here and there to craft while the kids are around. She can also see straight out the front door, which not only means she can watch the kids when they are outside, but also gaze at the awesome view too...
UPDATE: Since our original interview with Gardenia, she has taken over the family living room... there's no stopping her! (hee hee)

What's one of your fave crafting toys?
I bought my Stampin’ Up! Colour Caddy a little while ago, and just love it to bits. My Big Shot is also my new best friend too, it sits right next to me that way I can use it all the time and its not so far to lift, they are heavy!

How to you store your stamps and punches?
I have a set of four draws that I “borrowed” from my girls when we moved as they both got their own robes. The top three are for stamps and the bottom is for punches, paper cutter and circle scissor. Every time I place an order I have to rearrange it all so that it will fit.


Tell us about your awesome storage tip for daubers and sponges!
My sponges and daubers are kept in containers (see below) that I found at a hardware store. Each one has their own spot and most of the daubers are labeled too, for those times when they are everywhere.


What was your last major "investment" for your craft area?
A set of craft drawers that a friend picked up for me last time she was in Perth. There are 6 draws so I have divided them into DSP, Neutrals and In-colours, Bold Brights, Earth Elements, Rich Regals and Soft Subtles. I only wish she got me TWO!

I was shocking with my scraps before. I had two scrap boxes of card and DSP They were overflowing and I never pulled them out. It was just easier to start a new piece. So when I got these new drawers for my paper and card I sorted them all out and back into the draws, this way I am managing to use them up slowly! I have way too many scraps!


What are your top 3 tips for keeping things organised?
1. Tidy up after you finish creating (I never do this)
2. Do not let your kids get to your stuff (my 18 month old loves my stamp table)
3. Have a place for everything, once things start having to live on your workspace you are in trouble!

How do you store your cards?
The cards that I have made are packaged and labeled and I keep them in plastic containers (below).What item has a permanent home on your desk?
I am in love with my Stampin’ Stack and Store. I keep any empty containers and fill them with extra punched out pieces of cards, magnets anything that will fit!


And when you're working on projects, what always ends up on your desk?
Stamp pads, Sponge daubers, paper trimmer, scissors, sticky strip and my Stampin’ Scrub are always on my desk once I finish creating! I use them with nearly every creation I make.

How do you store your ribbons?
I made a ribbon holder a few weeks back when I got sick of all my ribbons getting tangled together. I pulled out a strong cardboard box that I bought at Spotlight a while back. I found a piece of thin dowel in the shed and cut it in three. I put holes in the sides of the box and put the dowel through. It has heaps of room and if I only put on the smaller rolls I can even put the lid on!



Say you did need a little inspiration - where would you find it?
I hit the internet when I need inspiration, places like SplitcoastStampers.com is always good. Or I blog hop. I start at mine and click on one of my links to a blog I look at all the time, and just keep going!

Five [crafty] things you can't live without?

Paper trimmer, sticky strip, bone folder, sponge daubers and punches.

Any other fabulous storage ideas you'd like to share?
Storing tutorials and templates. When I print them I select to print multiple pages per sheet. I pick four. I cut them up and put them in order and then punch two holes through them with my Crop-o-dile. I put them together with craft rings that you buy for chipboard books. In between each tutorial I add a strip of card, so that I know where one ends and the next begins!

How do you hope your craft room evolves from here?
I would love to have my own stamp “room” however I don’t think I would use it as well if I had to hide away from day to day life. I would LOVE though to have floor to ceiling shelves that I could store everything on and a door or something over them to hide my mess!

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm completely inspired by Gardenia's space! I hope you have found a lot of her ideas brilliant and a big thank you to Gardenia for giving us a tour! We love your space!

Thanks for visiting Just Add Ink!

My Space ... with Jan Radu

It's about time we had a nose around someone's stamping space, don't you think? Jan Radu from Stamping Elegance has been kind enough to show us around hers ...

About Jan
Athough Jan has been scrapbooking on and off for over 6 years, she's only been stamping since July 2009. As a busy working mum of two, she decided she needed to make a space in her home to create little and often, as her schedule permitted. She tells us that she and her hubby set about transforming the unused front study in a stylish and functional craft room...

The Craft Room
Don't you love this? Jan headed off to Bunnings with a scrap of Baja Breeze cardstock and asked them to make up a batch of Baja inspired paint! Jan tells us it's almost an exact match.

The next stop was Ikea for a table that could extend up to bar height (Jan likes to stand while working sometimes), and some shelving for displaying her delightful projects.
A recent addition to her craft wall is some leftover curtain wire from Ikea and a few fixings for an easily updatable display wall for creations or favourite swaps. The horizontal cards just hang over the wire, and the vertical cards are secured with a cute little clear perspex peg.

Jan also tells us her craft room is really calming and inspiring.

"I have bookshelves with all of my favourite books and vases etc that I could never really appreciate before - and I love that my desk doesnt face the wall - it looks out into my home so that I can see the kids running in and out of their toy room, and have my own space but still feel a part of whats going on. And most importantly, I am stamping little and often (and sometimes lots and often!) because I can leave my current project out."

Thank you Jan for giving us a tour of your craft space, it's as beautiful as your creations!

Happy crafting,

My Space... with Jodene Tripp

Jodene Tripp has been kind enough to give a tour of her amazing craft room where some serious magic happens, but she's has also given us a few top tips and photo's to get us inspired. We couldn't believe just how highly organised Jodene's space was, so we had to ask just how she did it...

Has this always been your craft space? Like a lot of other crafters, I started with a small box of supplies, which grew to a crate, which grew to some drawers and a desk, then a closet (all in the corner of a room) and now 13 years later I finally have a whole room to myself! This room has only been mine since July last year when we moved house.

What are your top 3 tips for keeping things organised?

1. P for E and E for P – A place for everything and everything in its place! Although trust me, after even one card my desk is a disaster zone so it is a constant cycle of messing it up and cleaning it up again.
2. Keep the things you use most closest to you
   
3. Have regular clean outs and get rid of anything you think you won’t use. Schools love to get my extra cardstock, paper and embellishments for kids crafts!

What's your best storage idea that you would like to share? Not that it’s storage, but I love having a work table at bench height so I have the option to stand, this has made a huge difference to me. I got a table from Ikea with extendable legs so I always have the option to return it to desk height at any time.
 Where do you keep your stamps? All sets are on shelves behind me, where I can reach them easily! Individual wood mounted stamps are in drawers and clear unmounted stamps are stored in folders using cling mount.

How about your punches? My commonly used ones are stored on Ikea kitchen rails right beside me (again in easy reach) and others are just behind me in a basket.

Ribbon and buttons? Some ribbon are in spools beside my desk and the rest are stored in jars by colour which are on my wall shelves (same for buttons).

Tell us 5 tools/items you can't live without when you're about to make something.  My Score-Pal, My cuttlebug (I use it for my nestabilities for matting all the time), Ribbon, Border punches, Tape runner.

What do you do when your mojo needs a kick start? What always works? Doing online challenges! I especially love sketch challenges and colour challenges. They give you a great starting point.

Tell us about the wonderful way you store your scraps?  I have just sorted my cardstock into a rolling cart file system (see below) and each colour has a folder for scraps and whole pieces so they are all together. Helps me to remember to use them rather than reaching for a full piece every time.

What was your last major storage investment? I have to admit to not spending a lot on storage. Most of my items are inexpensive jars and containers from places like Ikea, discount shops and Woolworths (my ribbon jars are from there). I guess my Clip-it-Up and Stampin' Up! inkpad caddy have been my most expensive organisational items. Even my bookshelves were a freebie from an old warehouse that was closing down – gotta love that!

What items are guaranteed to end up on your desk after you've made something? Ribbons, stamps, my pencils and blending stumps, and of course lots of card/paper that did or didn’t make it onto my project.

And finally, (and be honest, we're all die-hard paper crafters here) what do you have waaaaaay too much of? Patterned Paper! I hoard it like nothing else.

Well, I hope you enjoyed a tour around Jodene's space as much as we did. You can visit her blog Did I Say That Out Loud by clicking here, make sure you pop over there and say hello and check out all her amazing work while you're at it.

Thank you Jodene for letting us nose around your space too! It's amazing and inspiring, just like the wonderful things you create.

Happy crafting,

We Want To See YOUR SPACE!

Have you noticed our new blinkie? It's over on the right hand side of your screen. Have you wondered what it's all about?

Right now we're looking for people that want to give the Just Add Ink readers a tour of their craft space - where the magic happens!!

Please email me at just-add-ink@hotmail.com telling me a little bit about your space - be it the kitchen table to an entire dedicated room! I want to know what you can't live without, what amazing tips you can share for storage, and a wealth of photo's of your special space. It doesn't have to be neat, and it doesn't have to be flashy - it's not a competition to see who has the most stuff!

Or if there's someone's space in particular you'd like to see, leave a message on this post and we'll see what we can do!

Can't wait to hear from you!

My Space...

Do you ever wonder what kinds of craft spaces other crafters have? My Space is a section of Just Add Ink that will lift the lid on the crafting areas of a variety of people. From members of our Design Team to anyone who’d like to share their ideas! We’ll be looking at work spaces, organisation systems, inspiration… where the magic happens!

My Space is scheduled to appear on Just Add Ink once a month, but we’re completely open to it happening more frequently if you’d like to share your space! Get in touch with us through just-add-ink@hotmail.com and tell us about your space. Include some pictures too!