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Post by anniefb on Feb 16, 2017 19:07:40 GMT
If you're doing a lot of die cutting with metal dies or lots of stamping have a small plate or tray near by to put the dies or stamps in so they won't get lost and they're all in one place when you need to put them away I bought a small magnetic tray from a hardware store in the auto section. Its 9x5 Thanks scrappington I had no idea such a thing was available. Will look out for one.
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Post by scrapincin on Feb 17, 2017 4:26:24 GMT
Autozone carries small magnetic bowls also. I have one on my desk and it works for me.nice if you spill paper clips etc
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Feb 17, 2017 11:48:02 GMT
Ooh, I have another tip.
Keep all of your memorabilia in one place.
If I were to take a large trip, like to Disney, I would have a 2 gallon ziplock bag to put all the brochures, napkins, etc in.
For my everyday memorabilia, I put it all in one bag that I keep on a shelf.
I also know to look through this bag when I'm pulling photos to make kits.
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Post by katmandu on Feb 17, 2017 17:20:29 GMT
One tool that I haven't seen people mention yet is a glass cutting mat. It makes my life so much easier because I can get glue/paint/ink on it and then easily clean it off. Another bonus is that you can put it on your lap and use it as a crafting surface if you like to craft in front of the TV like I do!
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Post by Delta Dawn on Feb 17, 2017 17:56:27 GMT
Imagine if you will you have a big drawer full of tools in your scraproom. Always turn on the light when you are looking for something or your X-acto knife will find your good hand and it never has the cap on it (of course). Always, turn on the light no matter how bright it looks in there. Speaking from experience. Hee hee! Or at least put your xacto knife back INTO the tool drawer, instead of just dropping it on your counter when you are done with it... Just sayin'... Well I have a couple. I have a Making Memories one, an X-Acto one and maybe an another one just to be sure. This is ME we are talking about after all. It is curious though how only sharp things make their way back into the drawer. My scrap room if you want to call it that is off on one side of the house where no one can hear me so I was able to utter the F word loudly and didn't offend anyone but maybe a spider under the deck. (I am not that considerate of spiders these days).
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sueg
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,049
Location: Munich
Member is Online
Apr 12, 2016 12:51:01 GMT
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Post by sueg on Feb 17, 2017 19:02:49 GMT
Ooh, I have another tip. Keep all of your memorabilia in one place. If I were to take a large trip, like to Disney, I would have a 2 gallon ziplock bag to put all the brochures, napkins, etc in. For my everyday memorabilia, I put it all in one bag that I keep on a shelf. I also know to look through this bag when I'm pulling photos to make kits. I've been doing this for a few years now. DH laughed at first, but it makes life much easier when it comes to scrapping trips, especially as I sometimes don't get around to them for a while. Not everything makes it into the scrapbooks, but it is still useful for journalling - exactly what was the name of that museum?, where did we go on Thursday? - that sort of thing.
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Post by scrapaddict702 on Feb 17, 2017 19:07:17 GMT
Adhesive erasers (I have one from EK Success, but I'm sure there are others) can help you remove rub-ons that didn't transfer properly.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Feb 17, 2017 19:59:41 GMT
Back when I stamped a lot, I kept a microfiber cloth for dusting with my stuff. After I was done using glitter or Pearl Ex or similar static-y stuff, I would wipe the front of my project (or desk, or whatever) with it to pick up every stray bit of glitter or powder.
An old terrycloth wash cloth folded up on a plate with plain water on it gets most stamps just as clean as expensive stamp cleaner--and it's basically free.
Thin plastic film grocery bags make a better release for thin dies than waxed paper, and they don't gum up your dies.
I keep a bowl or paper nacho tray on my desk to hold small pieces when I'm assembling a project from a class kit, etc. It keeps all the little pieces handy and they're less likely to get stuck to my sleeves or end up on the floor or in the trash.
I always keep a pack of baby wipes on my desk / with my stuff so if my fingers get sticky, inky or chalky I can quickly clean them off without having to go upstairs (or to the restroom at a crop) to wash hands.
I use a Hobby Holster on the side of my desk to hold the remotes for the TV and Dish. That way they don't get lost in the inevitable desktop mess that accrues when I'm in the middle of a project.
I keep four 3-drawer 12x12 Sterilite drawer units under my desk, and a catchall bin on the floor for scrap pieces of cardstock. While I'm working on something or cutting out pieces, I throw the scraps in the bin. When the bin gets full, I cut the weird edges off of the pieces and sort them by color into the drawers (one for each major color plus black, white, brown and metallic). Then when I need a little piece of red or blue or whatever, I can quickly check the drawer first to see if there's a scrap that I can use up before cutting into a new piece of paper.
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Post by mikklynn on Feb 18, 2017 14:10:36 GMT
always have chocolate on hand....buy more than you think you will eat and eat it anyway...especially Lindt balls......! Yes! You don't want to find yourself in the middle of a layout and be out of Lindt truffles
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Post by mikklynn on Feb 18, 2017 14:15:40 GMT
I save the clear plastic lids from a cake or tray of cookies. This is my spray box. I put the item I want to paint or mist in the lid and spray away. When it gets gross, I toss it and use a new one.
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Post by 950nancy on Feb 18, 2017 16:55:46 GMT
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Post by 950nancy on Feb 18, 2017 16:59:14 GMT
Ooh, I have another tip. Keep all of your memorabilia in one place. If I were to take a large trip, like to Disney, I would have a 2 gallon ziplock bag to put all the brochures, napkins, etc in. For my everyday memorabilia, I put it all in one bag that I keep on a shelf. I also know to look through this bag when I'm pulling photos to make kits. I just found my bag of memorabilia from our trip to Hawaii. The trip was in 1993. That scrapbook will be PL centered and now I have all of the little things to add. I always pack a dozen or so Ziplocks for gross stuff and papers.
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Post by crystalb on Feb 18, 2017 17:15:46 GMT
DUH! A bowl or container to keep the little pieces! I used to do this, not sure why I stopped. i need to find a pretty one! Thanks for sharing all your awesome tips! I am not allowed anything pointy/sharp, trying to unclog glossy accents with a paper piercer....ending up in the ER while you are 5 months pregnant....enough said I now announce every time I am using something besides scissors lol! I also use baby wipes like crazy, we still have them on subscribe and save even though we are a diaper free house for 2 years now! LOL! I use fabric softener sheets for glitter, they work well too! (I was making a zillion glittered ornaments this year for Christmas)
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Post by infochick on Feb 18, 2017 17:17:14 GMT
A lovely pea shared this tip with me, unfortunately I couldn't remember the thread to give her credit, but it's too good not to share. The diagram on this website shows how to cut four 5x7s out of one sheet of 12x12 paper.
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Feb 18, 2017 17:29:15 GMT
I am not allowed anything pointy/sharp, trying to unclog glossy accents with a paper piercer....ending up in the ER while you are 5 months pregnant....enough said I now announce every time I am using something besides scissors lol! I use an unfolded paper clip to unclog Stickles. It has a blunt end.
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Post by DawnMcD on Feb 18, 2017 23:33:02 GMT
If you have Kiwi Lane Templates and Scrapbook Generation sketches they work really well together. Many scrapbook Generation sketches have strips of paper and larger shapes. You can replace them with some of the Kiwi Lane Borders and elements.
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Post by refugeepea on Feb 19, 2017 3:33:23 GMT
I have to scrap in spurts because it's not good to leave my stuff out. I never know when I need to put stuff away fast! My tip is to use post-it notes! I know I've mentioned it before. As soon as a thought enters my head I write it down and stick it in the page protector. Like use this manual die cut, use this pattern paper, use the red brads, etc... When I pull out the page again, I've already forgot what I wrote!
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Post by njinkerbelle on Feb 19, 2017 9:29:23 GMT
I picked up a ceramic tile from mis-matched bin at Lowes and do my heat embossing on the tile. The tile heats up the underside and helps set the embossing quicker.
Quite some time ago I found a tiered acrylic rack to hold nail polish bottles. I use the rack to hold ink pads handy for using for a project. When done with my project I put the ink pads back into the storage rack.
I also use wax paper for positioning my letter stickers or Thickers. I place the letters on the wax paper, place the wax paper on my layout, then carefully roll one half of the wax paper back from stickers pressing that half down. Then simply roll the other half of the wax paper away.
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Post by pas2 on Feb 19, 2017 11:07:05 GMT
Ooh, I have another tip. Keep all of your memorabilia in one place. If I were to take a large trip, like to Disney, I would have a 2 gallon ziplock bag to put all the brochures, napkins, etc in. For my everyday memorabilia, I put it all in one bag that I keep on a shelf. I also know to look through this bag when I'm pulling photos to make kits. I keep the Ziplock company in business because I use zip lock bags to organize EVERYTHING!
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Post by crystalb on Feb 25, 2017 19:47:45 GMT
These are all awesome! I thought I would bump it back up so we could keep adding to it!
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Feb 25, 2017 21:50:07 GMT
I have a tip! When you're prepping your layouts for a crop, or for Calvinball, lay all the papers, photos, stickers, ephemera, and whatnot for a page on the table, and *take a photo* of your mockup. That way you won't have to rely on your memory when it comes time to complete your page. Just check your phone!
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Post by coloradocropper on Feb 26, 2017 18:39:48 GMT
Great tips! Refill your mono-multi glue bottle (with the green caps): it's a fabulous applicator, but the scotch quick-dry adhesive is easier to find and less expensive. You just pull out the large (rubbery) glue applicator end, refill, and then shove the tip back into place.
Use copic markers to recolour everything. My favourite is to change white to cream or off-whitek, like for die cuts or journaling cards (like project life) when I'm working with a cream based paper but really like a white-based die cut... I have purchased about 4 different pale copics just for this purpose. I just threw an empty in the trash. Gonna go dig it out! Never thought to do this! thx!
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Katie Beth
Shy Member
Posts: 32
Jun 29, 2014 18:28:26 GMT
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Post by Katie Beth on Feb 26, 2017 18:53:43 GMT
Thanks everyone for sharing all these great tips. msliz, I have been preparing kits for a weekend retreat in April. I do exactly what you do. The photo definitely comes in handy. I have 25 kits ready and plan to do a few more. There is NO WAY I could remember what I planned to do when there is that many layouts. The photo is a life saver!!
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Post by coloradocropper on Feb 26, 2017 18:57:26 GMT
So I have a variation of the magnetic sheet storage for wafer dies. I buy the self adhesive roll at Hobby Lobby for this ($6 with a 40% off coupon). Behind my scrap room door, on the wall, I used my husband's heavy duty stapler gun to staple the entire magnet sheet to the wall. I don't expose the sticky side because there's no reason to do that if you use good strong staples. I've been able to store at least 100 dies this way and I use them way more often because I can see what I have at a glance. The beauty is this tiny wall space wasn't used but now it is and I have room for 3 more rolls as my collection of dies grows. I also keep small sheets of magnet pieces to take select dies to crops. Then I come home and put them back up on my wall and nothing gets lost.
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Post by coloradocropper on Feb 26, 2017 19:03:46 GMT
With the layering and 3 cluster craze came this idea. When you layer you often get chunks of paper or embellishments that are wasted under the layers, right? So I cut off pieces that would have been wasted. I use those pieces to die cut shapes that I can use in my clusters. That way it pulls the clusters together with the key embellishment. Nothing wasted!
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Post by coloradocropper on Feb 26, 2017 19:16:00 GMT
OK one more but I feel this is my best idea yet... So I catalogued my clear stamps using a bin that fits in a expedit (it can even be a cheap folding cube sold at Michaels so you can store in a cabinet or wherever), sheet protectors, and a 3 ring binder. Here's how my process goes. I use our little office photocopier to copy the front sheet of the stamp set. In fact, depending on size of the stamp set, I can get multiple sets on one sheet. I then place those stamp sets in page protector and I label, for example #1, on both the page protector and the sheet I just copied. Place the filled page protector in the bin and then 3 ring punch the paper and put it in the binder. My binder has 80 sheets of my collection and when I'm looking for a stamp, all I have to do is flip through the binder and, with my numbering system, I know exactly where to go to find the stamp I want to use. Simple and quick and I'm using my stamps more than ever!
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Post by anniefb on Feb 26, 2017 19:47:07 GMT
Another cataloguing idea - I use Evernote to keep track of my stamps and dies. I add a picture of the items plus put in all sentiments as 'tags' - that way I can just search for key words or phrases and the sets with those pop up.
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Post by jstblondie on Feb 27, 2017 4:48:24 GMT
I keep a recycle trash bin as well as a regular trash bin in my scrap room. It serves as my upstairs recycle bin so I don't have to go downstairs to throw it in the recycling bin.
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PrettyInPeank
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,691
Jun 25, 2014 21:31:58 GMT
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Post by PrettyInPeank on Feb 27, 2017 6:28:13 GMT
My tip is more of a product recommendation. Every scapper (or crafter) needs a scrap ma bob. Especially if you're occasionally clumsey (like me), have small children around who have a gravitational pull towards spilling (like mine), or have pets who don't think highly of your projects (like mine). On mobile so I can't hyperlink. www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001UE1RCA/ref=cm_cr_srp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8
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Post by crystalb on Mar 1, 2017 15:19:55 GMT
PrettyInPeank YES YES YES! I lvoe love love my ScrapMaBob! I use it all the time and every time I go to crops it goes with me. I broke it and hubby had to affix a wooden block to where it attaches to the table so it is a bit ugly but still functions wonderfully!
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