A little Nat'l Scrapbooking Day organization project

Every year on National Scrapbooking Day, I try to accomplish at least on organizational task. This year, I decided to take things digital. Inspired by a tip I learned in Rhonna Farrer's Instagram class, I decided to organize my Wingding and Webding fonts by creating a font key.

It's nothing fancy, but it does the trick. Now I know exactly what characters I have at my fingertips.

I did this is in a few quick steps:

1. Open Pages (or Word, if you're using a PC) and create a two-row, four-column table.
2. Put curser in column one and select your first Wingding (character) font. Proceed to type each character on your keyboard (numbers included).

Tip: Don't forget to turn caplocks on and type the letters again. There are extra characters this way!

3. Label the column the name of the Wingding font. Ex. Wingding 1.
4. Repeat, doing one column per font. I currently have four character fonts on my comp, so I only needed four.
5. Print your table and store it with your other journaling supplies (pens, journaling spots, etc.) as a reminder of your fun digi options.


I had no idea there were this many fun font to choose from. Here are a few of my favorites that I discovered.

A few of the fun wingdings I discovered hiding in my computer.

I'm definitely going to use the ampersand soon. And how cute is that little clipboard? I want to cut it out and use it as a journaling spot on an upcoming page.

Wingdings, where have you been all my life? Now that I have my key, I have a feeling I'll be using you more often.

How are you celebrating Nat'l Scrapbooking Day? However you are, I hope you're having fun! After all, that's what scrapbooking, and any hobby for that matter, is all about.

Enjoy!

Vintage Ribbon and Fabric Storage, and a Fabric Giveaway!

One of my favorite columns to write at work is “Stash It.” Or, as we like to call it around the office, Must Stash It...get it? Mustache It? LOL Good times!

Anyway, this column appears in every Scrapbooking Tips & Tricks special issue, and it’s all about scrapbook organization. The current issue, Scrapbooking Tips & Tricks: Texture, was extra fun to write, because it’s about organizing your textured treats (ribbon, fabric, floss, etc.). These are some of my favorite scrapbooking supplies, both to use and to organize. 

One of the ideas featured in my column was using vintage textile spools to organize your trims. I’ve picked these classic pieces up here and there at consignment and antique shops. They’re surprisingly easy to find. You can even search online at Esty.com and/or eBay.com and find several results. 

Take your trim stash from this...

To this!

Image used with prior consent from Creating Keepsakes magazine.

Simply wrap the trim around the spool and use a small straight pin to hold it in place. Once the spool is full, put it on display to enjoy. 

When it comes to how you approach your spool storage, you have options.

1. Wrap a bunch of various trims on one spool 
2. Wrap your spools by trim type, keeping like types together 
3. Wrap and divide the spools by trim color 

You can also take your fabric scraps from this...

To this, using the same method!

Image used with prior consent from Creating Keepsakes magazine.

For more on organizing your textured stash, including a cool fabric-covered suitcase, I hope you’ll tune into Studio 5 this morning at 11:00 on channel 5 (if you’re in Utah). For those of you out of state, I’ll post a link to the segment soon.

Also, I have a complete step-by-step tutorial for creating the train case on the Creating Keepsakes blog today. Check it out and, while you’re there, enter to win some stunning new Anna Griffin fabric! “Yum” is the best word I can find to describe the awesome assortment we’re giving away. 

I’ll leave you with a question. How do you organize and contain your fabric? I’m getting more and more into this beautiful crafting supply, and I’m always looking for storage solutions. Any ideas you have to share would be much appreciated. :)

Cheers!

Bitty Box Scrapbook Storage

It’s another new year, which means many of us are focusing our efforts on getting organized. As you already know, I’ve been spending a great deal of time getting my craft room in tiptop shape. While organizing my drawers, I came across this storage idea that I first shared in the “Tips & Tricks” column of Creating Keepsakes magazine in 2009.

I took little 2” x 2” boxes like this, which are from Expedx...

And added  small accents to the lids of the boxes in various categories (eyelets, brads, bling, small tags, and flowers), which I set up by color...  

Finally, I lined one of my shallow drawers with the boxes. They fit in the drawer perfectly! 

The outcome: an affordable storage approach for those bitty scrapbooking delights. What is your favorite way to organize your small supplies? I’m always looking for new suggestions and ideas to try. 

Cheers!