Several scrapbooking questions..

[C.Ann]

First of all, awhile back I purchased boxes and boxes and boxes of scrapbook supplies from a friend in another state for next to nothing and amongst those items were two things that I have never used - and quite frankly, don't even know how to use - LOL.. My scrapbooking to date hasn't involved a lot of fancy tools and gadgets, but since I have them, I might as well use them.. One is a Sizzlex (sp?) with a bunch of accessories - and the other is a Xyron machine (brand new in the box)..

My next question is if anyone knows of a source that carries odd sized scrapbooks - about the size of the front page of a newspaper..

And lastly, how do you organize all of your supplies? I am in the process of setting up a temporary room which will be small now, but 3 times as big later on down the road.. Right now I really have to maximize the area that I have and although my son-in-law has offered to install temporary counter space along one or two walls for my work areas, I'm not sure how I can organize all of my supplies (other than in totes piled on top of each other) so I'd have easier access to everything.. Any suggestions?

I don't normally post on this board, but I do pop in from time to time to read and look at the photos of all the great work that you all do..

 

[pjlla]

The Xyron is an adhesive machine... very handy, but be warned, the refills can be expensive. Be sure you have a 40% of coupon if you are buying.

The Sizzix is a die cutting machine (assuming you got that and some dies???). Very easy to use... put the paper under the black rubber part of the die, put them paper-side-down onto the the mat of the cutter, slide under the lever, pull lever handle down, lift up, slide out die and paper.... PRESTO, you have a die cut shape!! Very low-tech in terms of today's "stuff", but also very easy to use!!

For myself, for organizing... I keep my cardstock filed by ROYGBIV (the rainbow). I keep most of my other embellishments filed by category (Christmas/Winter, Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving, Spring/Easter, Summer/Vacation, School/Sports, Disney, Travel, Baby/Toddler, Birthday, are just some of my categories). The smaller stuff that can be used anywhere is filed by type (brads, eyelets, ribbon, buttons, slide mounts, rub-ons, etc).

But everyone is different and it seems that EVERY scrapper has a different organizing system that works for them. YOu may have to play with it for a while before you figure out what works for you (what you like to keep closer, what you can put further away etc). Just don't spend much money up front, until you figure out what work really work for you. They have some great plastic drawers and tubs out there at place like Target that can work great for now, and be used in other places in the home if they don't work out for you in your scrapping area. Good luck!................................P

 

[C.Ann]

The Xyron is an adhesive machine... very handy, but be warned, the refills can be expensive. Be sure you have a 40% of coupon if you are buying.

The Sizzix is a die cutting machine (assuming you got that and some dies???). Very easy to use... put the paper under the black rubber part of the die, put them paper-side-down onto the the mat of the cutter, slide under the lever, pull lever handle down, lift up, slide out die and paper.... PRESTO, you have a die cut shape!! Very low-tech in terms of today's "stuff", but also very easy to use!!

For myself, for organizing... I keep my cardstock filed by ROYGBIV (the rainbow). I keep most of my other embellishments filed by category (Christmas/Winter, Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving, Spring/Easter, Summer/Vacation, School/Sports, Disney, Travel, Baby/Toddler, Birthday, are just some of my categories). The smaller stuff that can be used anywhere is filed by type (brads, eyelets, ribbon, buttons, slide mounts, rub-ons, etc).

But everyone is different and it seems that EVERY scrapper has a different organizing system that works for them. YOu may have to play with it for a while before you figure out what works for you (what you like to keep closer, what you can put further away etc). Just don't spend much money up front, until you figure out what work really work for you. They have some great plastic drawers and tubs out there at place like Target that can work great for now, and be used in other places in the home if they don't work out for you in your scrapping area. Good luck!................................P

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Thanks so much! The Xyron machine came with a whole bunch of refills - and the Sizzix came with a ton of dies.. Guess I'll just have to sit down and fool around with them and figure out what is what..

My problem with "organizing" is that come the first hint of spring, I move up to my place at the lake for 7 to 8 months - thus the reason that most everything is in totes; clear rubbermaid containers; etc.; so I can then "transfer" it up there (where I have even less room - LOL)..

However, I have done some organizing "within" the totes - such as accordian type file holders with patterned papers separated into categories; smaller containers with "corners"; quotes; cut-outs; etc. - and underbed totes with my 12x12 sheets of papers; page protectors; new unused scrapbooks; etc..

 

[TPCShauna]

Hi C.Ann!

I've been battling the organizational bug and the ladies on this board have given me tons of help. If you check out this thread - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1684261 - you will see all of the fabulous advice everyone gave me on how to organize scrap stuff.

Good luck!

 

[LindaBabe]

C.Ann, one of the things I would recommend for your summer is - rather than lugging all your stuff to the lake, where you have less space, while you are home - plan your albums and make page kits so that you can scrap on vacation without lugging everyting you own! (SimpleScrapbooksMagazine.com has an easy to use planning sheet)

I would plan complete albums around a color scheme, so that the scraps/embellishments/ribbons from one page can be used on the others.

Carefully planned, you could probably get away with taking your box of page kits, paper trimmer, scissors, pens, adhesive (including the xyron if you figure out how to use it and use it a lot) and maybe a punch or two (the big square for cropping photos comes to mind, and a tiny hole punch for brads)

I'm currently faced with a six week trip, during which I expect to scrap, but will be living out of the van, in hotel rooms. My space will be severely curtailed, and my plan is to do just as I advised - with one exception.

I'm going to scrap my trip as we go - so instead of page kits, i've planned the album, bought all the cardstock according to the color scheme, and will take that and page protectors as well as the short list of tools above. (No Xyron) I'm precutting my titles on my Cricut (that's not going either)

Since it's a defined colorscheme, I will only need the brads, ribbons and embellishments that coordinate.

Also working on my Give Kids the World pages, which will be totally pre -kitted. I expect the whole mess to fit in one small wheeled tote. For an entire summer, you might need an XL or XXL tote!

Love to hear how you make out!

 

[C.Ann]

Thanks for the tips and the link to that thread - very interesting..

By the weekend, my counter tops should be up in my temporary room and I can really tackle getting everything organized - as well as trying out the two craft tools I mentioned in my original thread..

Wish me luck!

 

[soccerchick]

I'm not sure about the large size album. I *think* Michaels will let you use the coupons on the Martha Stewart albums, and she had some BIG ones, maybe 18x18, not sure if larger.

Hopefully some others can point you to some online stores for other sources of large albums. I use 12x12 regularly and have 12x15 for my kids "art."

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

the Martha ones are 18 x 18.

creative memories has a 12x15 book, which might be a bit more manageable especially for traveling purposes.

http://www.creativememories.com/MainMenu/Our-products-and-services/Albums/Big-Book-Album-12x15