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Thursday, July 5, 2012

Stamping and Stamp Room

I recently took a few days away from the computer so I could tend to other matters around the house.  #1 on the list was cleaning, tidying, and reorganizing my stamp room.  How many times have I done that?  Many!  This time I didn’t discard anything or give anything away (except a hot glue gun).  I figured I bought this stuff, I’m going to use it.  My room wasn’t what you’d call a “mess”.  I keep it relatively clean and tidy.  However, I found myself digging through embellishment drawers and being surprised by what I found there.  Once it had been cleaned and reorganized (a process that took place over several days) well, what do you know, I felt like stamping.
So… I inked up a new Flourishes set which I picked up from their latest release.  I would love to have them all, but I chose just one that I fell head over heels in love with – Summer Blossom.  I haven’t used the largest main image yet, but I love every stamp in the set and I think it’s very versatile as to the style of card you can create with it.  My first card is soft and feminine, a teensy touch vintage.  I used the smallest floral image in the set, as well as my new possibly favorite designer paper – My Mind’s Eye Howdy Doody – also from Flourishes.  I made the card from Flourishes’ Classic Ivory cardstock and colored the image with Copic markers.  The curved borders were cut with Spellbinders Curved Rectangle Nestabilities (S5-006).  The scalloped border is a Stampin’ Up! punch.

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The next card is bright and flirty feminine, on Classic White cardstock, also colored with Copic markers.  The resin sticker frame is one of those items I unearthed in my stamp room.  It may be old by the standards of today’s fast moving market, but it got a face lift with a little color coordination and some new stamps.  Am I having fun yet?  You bet!

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About my stamp room…  The first thing I organized was the ribbon.  It’s still the same Ribbon Central I’ve had for years.  However, it had become piled high with ribbon that had no place else to go.  No home of its own.  No slot to slip into.  That’s what comes of a ribbon obsession and several years on a design team.  I should have taken a “before” picture, but I wasn’t thinking about blogging at the time.  This is the cabinet top “after”.  The jars are scraps.  The cards of old Stampin’ Up! ribbon collections are in letter holders from Staples.

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This is a partial view of the cabinet drawer.  Oh, there’s more – much more.  This is organized by type – printed, novelty, taffeta, organdy, satin, etc.  Some of these ribbons go back many years.

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This is the overflow.  Good grief, can you imagine how disorganized this was?  I cleaned out these drawers specifically to house the ribbon.

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These are just brads.  Nothing but brads.  They were here, there and everywhere, but now they’re all in one place.  The jar holds buttons, but that’s another story.

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Thought I’d show you how I store my 6 x 6 pads.  It’s not genius, but it works in the allotted space.  I keep the scraps inside the pad and store the pads upside down so the scraps won’t fall out.  I have to thumb through to make my selections, but it’s surprisingly not that difficult to find what I’m looking for.

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Everything else has its own designated space, too, which makes stamping easier and much more fun for me.  I just don’t function well in disarray.  Naturally, even the creation of a single card makes the room look like an explosion occurred (come on, you know what I’m saying), but so far I've been picking it up afterward.  We’ll see how long I can keep this up.  Looking forward to more stamping.  Have a great day!

33 comments:

  1. always happy to see your beautiful creations.

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  2. Both cards are very pretty Leslie but my favorite is the first one. Love seeing how you've organized your supplies. Thanks for some ideas.

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  3. I adore both of your delightful creations! So sweet and beautiful. I loved seeing your craft room. It looked VERY organized when we were there. Wish we could have stamped together!

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  4. Beautiful cards Leslie, my favourite is the first one. So pretty.Thanks for sharing your ideas on your organized supplies. I need to tackle my ribbon , I have 3 buckets full of un-rolled ribbon, it's a nightmare to say the least when you are trying to find something!

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  5. Leslie, once again you have two beauties to show us. Love the Victorian look to them. I smiled when you told about your ribbon and reorganizing. I need to reorganize as well.

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  6. I love seeing craft room pictures. Everytime I see one I get an idea for my own craft room and many times I get "craft room envy". I enjoy organizing almost as much as crafting....well sort of, but it sure helps you remember what you have not to mention what you would like to have LOL. Don't know what I enjoy more, seeing your cards or your sweet puppies (all dogs are puppies to me).

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  7. nice cards. Yup you have a few ribbons BIG GRIN. I definitely know about obsessions. I also seem to be like you in that I have a hard time working in disarray. I like a tidy area which I can make a mess of each time. And I know how it feels after organizing, seeing things forgotten about, and wanting to create again.
    Thanks for the peeks and that's a good idea slipping your scraps in the pad and turning it upside down. I don't use pads of paper so not helpful for me, but a good idea non the less.
    Have a great day.

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  8. What a great post, Leslie. I adore both card. ADORE them, I tell you! I can't stop ogling over them. They're THAT pretty! Your organized ribbon, brad, and embellishment stations are fabulous. What a great idea to use those ivory colored plastic trays for ribbon. Back to your 2 cards. Love them!

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  9. Those cards are both just beautiful. Love the first one the most with all the layers and textures. Gorgeous images.

    Thanks for sharing your space. I'm also a ribbon and paper addict and also keep the larger scraps with the pad, but the tiny strips I toss in a photo box of scraps. One day I'll figure out something to do with them. TFS

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  10. Oh my I LOVE them both, I wouldn't have figured how to use that small stamp and I just love what you have come up with and the great idea of using that die for a border is terrific, great framing of that sticker with your flower stamps, such terrific ideas and such pretty colors. I wish I had some organizatinal skills, my room always seems a mess, I really need to pull everything out and start over but I don't have the motivation.

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  11. Your color coordination is outstanding, Leslie. Such beautiful cards. I stack my paper pads but like your idea better. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Hi Leslie! I love both of your cards. I know I say this all of the time but I so admire your affinity for always choosing the perfect patterned papers! Thanks for the peak into your stamp room. I store my 6x6 pad in much the same way as you do with the scraps in the pad. I am, however, forever challenged with finding a suitable system to store my ribbon. You've inspired me to look at this yet again!

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  13. Your cards are so beautiful and love the touch of vintage you gave them! I too like to store my paper pads with the scraps tucked in them! Waste not , want not, is a good adage to live by...I think! :))

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  14. *laughing* Leslie, I've been doing the same thing! For the past several days I've been out in the Casita cleaning, organizing, re-organizing. I'm going to try and create a few cards in the next two days before I leave for DC. We are officially on "Baby Watch" (12 days) and I'll be leaving Tuesday. Won't be back in Phoenix until the end of July so there won't be any stamping for me until August. But ... I am taking my camera and hope to do some photography posts while I'm back east. The cards today were lovely and I so appreciate your coloring. In fact, when I was organizing my Flourish stamps I thought of you - I always do. Thanks for sharing your wealth of talent with us. Hope you're 4th of July was a good one. Hugs to Wally and Lulu

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  15. Francie (Montreal)July 5, 2012 at 10:17 AM

    I get so excited when you post a card. You always have something fabulous to show us. These two, of course live up to expectations. They are just lovely. It was great to see how you've organized some of your craft supplies. It's given me useful ideas. Thanks!

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  16. Leslie your 2 cards today are so pretty. I love what can be acheived with such a little stamp. Thanks for the inspiration. Seeing you've finished tidying your stamp room you could come here now and do mine if you like, lol. I've been "tidying" things into it then closing the door, definately time to reorganise. Your stamp room looks good and organised. Great idea to keep the paper "bits" in the back of paper packs. Mine are mixed up in a file storage box in rough colour sections. Very random and time consuming when looking to find the bit I need at times. Thanks for showing us your inspirational crafting space.

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  17. I love your cards and as always your eye for color is spot on! Love all your re-arrangements and wow, just look at all that wonderful ribbon! I'm so impressed with all you have done and now you are making me want to re-think some of my storage!

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  18. Great cards. The first one is so elegant and I like the rainbow colors in the second one.
    Your room looks great....do you make house calls?

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  19. Gorgeously beautiful cards, Leslie! I, too, want to go through all my stuff and organize it a little bit better and take inventory of my stickers and things. I had to empty the entire room for new carpet last week, but didn't have to empty all of the drawers. I guess I'll save that for our move! Great job of rediscovering a few new things.

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  20. My Dear, you have fallen off the pedestal I had you perched upon!! I would have never guessed you had any disorganization in your craft room. Now, with that being said, I have to tell you how delighted I am to know this! It's a constant battle with me and until my room gets organized, I have a lot of difficulty going in there to get something done!

    As far as these cards, they are just beautiful!

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  21. These are gorgeous cards. The first is my favorite, but it was hard to decide. Your organized room makes me want to tackle mine again. Notice I say again. ha ha It looks like I finally found someone with as much ribbon as I have.You have made me feel much, much better!! I am not the only hoarder out there!

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  22. Thanks for the tour, Leslie! I really enjoyed seeing this. My, but you have so much ribbon! I'm green with envy. :) I too store my 6 x 6 pads upside down with scraps inside. Makes it easy to keep it all together.

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  23. Your cards are Gorgeoes as always! I love the edging trick with the curved rectangle. I have that die and never thought of that! Also, I'm pretty sure I have that same epoxy frame in my stash somewhere. Great to see a peek at your organization. It's a constant struggle for me, but I also function much better in a clean organized space!

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  24. Goodness Miss Leslie! Love your Gorgeous cards! Love the images on that set too! It's on my Wish list as we speak, lol 8-). Thanks for the Fantastic peek inside your crafty area! Looks great to me! I have a hard time creating when my crafting space is a mess too! And yes, I agree even working on one small little card will make my crafting area look like a hurricane hit! LOL 8-)

    Big hugs!
    Shannon 8-)

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  25. Oh dear, your craft stash looks so neat!!! My problem is buy, buy, buy and I've run out of room in my craft room to put all the items that I've purchased BUT I have good intentions to use it all so will see how I go.
    Thanks for sharing Leslie.

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  26. Beautiful Leslie, you can bring any stamp set to life I tell you! Just beautiful. Wow... you DO have a lot of ribbons girl and that paper. You make me giggle. Looks like you are all organized and ready for stamping. :0)

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  27. Hi Leslie... finally getting around to blog again! LOVE each of your posts and designs! Miss crafting but my travels have taken over... you always inspire me not just in crafting but in every day life! Hugs to you always ~ Jennifer xxx

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  28. First off...gorgeous card! Love the pretty papers and they way you used your nesties for borders! I am going to try that soon. Second, as I was scrolling down your post in google reader, I thought to myself...is that the only ribbon Leslie has? Silly me....I kept scrolling and scrolling! I store my 6x66 similarly, but tape an envelope to the back to store the scraps...works like a dream! I am going up to my scrappy room and do a little 'detailing' after seeing your tidiness!

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  29. OMG Leslie.....your ribbons are bringing back memories of our ribbon shopping trips together and why I LOVE ribbons too :-) After weeks of reorganizing I think I am going to be done with my room by tonight :-) We must plan a playday soon...TFS

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  30. P.S I LOVE both your cards with your beautiful (Leslie style) new stamp sets. TFS

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  31. Those new summer blooms are so pretty and I love how you colored them. I also love how you used the curved rectangle to create borders. I've never thought to do that, but I'm definitely going to have to remember to try that. Love the look.

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  32. Both cards are beautiful, Leslie, but that first card stole my heart. Absolutely adore the sweet papers and perfectly colored floral image.

    I recently moved all my craft supplies from one room to another and took the opportunity to organize everything. I know what a great feeling it is to get it all sorted and accessible.

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  33. Oh gosh, I like the idea of placing the stack upside down with the scraps inside.
    I am anal about my paper and don't like to get it dented or damaged...this would be a great idea for me! Thanks.

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