Getting organized!

So, As many know I moved into a new house in September 2011. I now have my very own studio space and a lot of stuff to fill it. I've slowly been working on finding efficient was to store materials and tools. I think I finally found the right way to store certain materials.

Take a look.

I found these little bins in the $1 area at Target the other day. They are just the right size! The front row of ribbon is running through the second row of holes in each basket, with the back row over top in the top row. It is so easy now to just pull the yardage I need and snip with scissors. I was lucky that these baskets stack fairly well inside each other. So I stacked the baskets to save on shelf space.



With each order I like to include a hand written thank you note on color coordinated cards.  I have 3 boxes of cards floating around, normally stuffed on a top shelf and when I grab one it opens and I end up playing 52 card pick up.  So I decided to put them all together, which helps me to remember what colors I am running low on and not dump them all over the floor.  I threw in some writing tools and cute tags, now I can just grab the bin and have everything at my finger tips.  Writing Thank You Notes has never been so easy!

I hope these tricks can be useful in your everyday craftiness.  I like being efficient, it helps me keep track of everything, and makes clean up easier.  Stay tuned in the next few weeks for new Shop Updates.  Some serious projects are planned for the next few weeks.  I will be sharing more helpful organization tips and photos of the new shop!  Thanks for stopping by!

Where Was I?

h yeah!  Purple. Well, I'll get to the purple...

This new year is bringing many surprises and lots of work.  I have been giving some friends a hand by watching the little ones a few days a week.  I have never been so tired; oh and I forgot to mention Max and I where sick the beginning of the week.  So we took a brief break from the shop and the blogging world in order to spend time playing and healing.

Now that the coughs are gone and the weather is turning colder for some reason this color purple has walked through my door, plopped down on the table, and has decided to stay. Purple has invaded the mobiles: and it looks like its here to stay.  I have started trying to include a few process photos.  Remembering to take pictures in the middle of a project should be easier. 

I tried setting up the tripod by the desk to remind and have everything "Instantly set up". That plan bombed. I guess I like to spread out while I work, I found that the tripod was really just in the way. 

I've really tried to keep in mind my process this year.  I have the type of personality that likes everything in it's place and I actually operate better when I allow myself a little bit of "set up time".    I lay everything out, all the parts and tools. I even made myself a jig a few months back to expedite my process a bit.  Then before I know it, my project is boxed up and ready for it's trip to the post office.

My office is always a disaster area when I've finished a project. I find that if I take the extra 15 minutes I take at the end of the project the easier it is to start the next one.  Sometimes circumstances, like Max or dinner, don't allow that time and I find myself playing catch up the next order that comes in.

So far, paper lantern mobiles are by far the most popular item in the shop. This month I have sold seven different mobiles, ranging from a lighted paper lantern mobile, pictured, to a simple set of set of replacement lanterns for a mobile sold a year ago.  This year has been busier than I could have imagined.  I'm not complaining, just realizing it's time to bring my A Game, kick the sniffles in the butt, and get down to business in business and real life.

If i find that I get an extra 15 minutes at the end of the project after clean up, I'll post a little bit more about what I've learned from that project.

I can't wait to see what bit of learning the next purple project in January will bring.  Oh yes, this month is now officially dedicated to the color purple.  Don't worry, there's only 10 more days in January, there can't be too much more... can there?