Thursday 10 May 2012

Studio Tour Take 2! {and why you need to choose your trimmer REALLY carefully LOL!}






You can see the first installment of my 2012 
studio tour HERE.  Can you believe that was 
almost one MONTH ago and ever since I've 
been trying to find the time to put up 
Post TWO?   Crazy!



So here we are above my computer desk.
On top of my shelves I store my files & older
 magazines, as well as scrapbooking books.
The pink basket has old photos in it, stored
according to person (then according to years).
They aren't great photos so I tend not to use
them - bad - need to work a way around that.



Lots and lots of mags!  Dating back YEARS...
I should really get rid of them, I just think that
if any of my kids became interested in scrap
booking they'd find them handy so they stay!

The white baskets below contain lots of pens
and coloured pencils (on the left) and extra
tools on the right as labelled.  (the other label
fell off - tends to happen on baskets...:(  )



On the right there are extra spray bottles for my
misting, then in the green basket on the left are
tubs of paint with polystyrene trays stored on top
(for mixing paints, etc, just save them from the veg).



On my end wall (opposite the cupboards you'll
see soon) I have another big laminated world
 map with all the timezones stated and gridded.

Very handy - LOVE it...



On top of my double cupboards (opposite my alphas)
I have my big wheelie tote and a wheelie bin full of 
{who knows what?!?} You really don't want to know...

(Actually I can't remember LOL...should take a peek!!)


Here you can see how the double-cupboard joins my 
counter top. We are now on the OPPOSITE side of 
my very narrow studio.  I have my computer on one 
side and my work-station on the other.

No space for my sewing machine so that is set up 
on the dining-room table (I keep threatening to design a 
sewing-station that closes up into a cupboard so that our 
dining-room no longer looks like an extension of my
 studio (as there is space in the corner of the dining-room 
for it to fit. (luckily I have a very tolerant family!)



These are my "general embellishment" shelves, where I 
store stuff according to item rather than brand (mostly 
older embellishments) as I now store the new stuff in 
plastic containers in my narrow drawers. 

 I am busy upgrading to pretty glass tubs as these are ugly 
(despite being very practical - they don't make me happy).



What you see on the right there are my roman blinds.

I have a lovely big set of windows right in front of my
work counter, which is great, so I'm not staring at a 
wall (I hate that), and I'm still happy with my choice
of green and white gingham.  I guess I could do with
sorting these 2 lower shelves out a bit but I am always
grabbing things off them so this system works for me.



The 2 jam jars contain water and benzine and are 
each labelled. It's handy having a water jar at arm's 
reach for painting and I use the benzine to clean up
 my counter-top, cutting mat and trimmer at the end 
of every session.  Yes I'm obsessive like that.



I have 2 large cutting mats on my work surface 
and in front of them I have 3 narrow plastic trays 
that store my go to tools like my awl, scissors,
 journaling pens, etc, and my paints and mediums.  



Above I have different mugs for storing my pencils,
markers, journaling pens and tweezers/craft-knives, 
etc & as there's a bit of space in the front I have some
"go to" art supplies like liquid pearls, etc, there too.



Paints, paint dabbers, liquid pearls and my glitter nail-varnish.



My bin, desk lamp (dressed up with some floral hairclips)
 and my adhesives tray to the right.  I bought it at Biggie
 Best (it's a metal tray with shallow, filigree sides and is
 perfect for storing my rolls of double-sided tape and
 glue-dots).  I'm an adhesives freak...



The brightly coloured bag behind is a coolerbag I bought
from Woolworths and contains tubs of modge-podge,
varnish, etc, and my spare glue-sticks.  I also keep my
gesso and crackle glaze in front of the tray and have a 
vase behind it containing my distressing tools & date stamp.



As the tray is quite big there's space for me to 
keep my gauze in it too as well as my tape
 measures and corner-rounder plus a few different 
sized lids that I use for stamping.



The little metal houses contain scrap paper &
 post-its that I use for notes & to trial my journaling.



My butterfly tub contains my scissors, french curves,
scallop templates, file, rulers and my trimmers. 

 I have 6 trimmers as the first (a cutterpede) is a 
rotary trimmer & I later learned that I hate rotary
 trimmers as they can't cut accurate measurements, 
so I bought a very reasonably-priced  Provocraft 
trimmer which I discovered was incapable of 
cutting at a 90 degree angle to the other side!

Next I bought a local trimmer that is very nice, but
I've never been able to get blades for (the manufacturer
 just down the road from me won't supply me because 
I'm not a wholesaler!) so the 2 that I actually use & can buy 
replacement blades for are the Fiskars (EXCELLENT) 
& the Creative Memories one (just as EXCELLENT).

Now for anyone actually READING this - who can 
count -  there is still one outstanding trimmer!  My old 
Fiskars which is now numberless as it's been cleaned 
with benzine so many times, but I love it and still use it 
when measurements aren't an issue.



Scissors, pinking shears, decorative scissors, stapler,
 set squares.



HUGE tub of gorgeous washi tape collected from afar.



Small off-cut pieces of printed paper, packaging, etc - 
handy to grab when you need a little something...glue-
gun, heat embossing tool, hairdryer.



The view as you walk in my studio door.
Cupboards to the right.  Work counter
straight ahead.  Computer desk to the left.

I have 2 built-in paper racks.  The one
on the left of my drawers holds cardstock
and the one on the right holds printed paper.

The wheelie drawers hold computer paper,
photographic paper & speciality papers like
tissue papers, etc.  To the side I have my
tripod and extra desk-lamp (that I use when
I am forced to take night-photographs of my
work - not ideal but with 2 lamps it works).


On top of the wheelie drawers I have my Smash Book
(still empty LOL) and 2 tubs containing mostly Prima
and Webster's goodness.  Bloomers, bling, etc, etc.

Hope you enjoyed my second studio tour!!




25 comments:

Tracee said...

Excellent! Makes me want to get mine all organised. When I start to do my room I find myself easily distracted by all the bits n bobs I find LOL I've got a Carl rotary trimmer and while its not very portable I love it, I do have a smaller fiskars one that I use when we go away etc. Loved the tour thanx for the peep into your room Tx

Carin McDonough said...

Wow Helen you are so organised! I love the shelves up the side of your cupboard and omgoodness you have so much stuff! That would never all fit in my craft room but that could be because I am not organised enough lol! I used to have the provocraft trimmer which I adored for a few years until it suddenly started cutting skew, I think it was hit and miss with those I just lucked out with mine. I now have a Woodware trimmer which I love and a little Creative Memories guillotine trimmer I love too. :)

Stefanie said...

It's amazing how much you've got organised into your small space. Love the pinks, and dotted mugs and other storage containers. Thanks for the tour, I loved it!

Unknown said...

wow my friend how organised scraproom so fantastic

xx carla

Lynette Jacobs said...

LOL! It looks as if you can start a shop with all your stash...and so neatly organised too.

topkatnz said...

Wow that is a LOT of magazines! I have two fiskers trimmers too. One with a really fresh blade for cropping photos etc and the other with a slightly duller blade for cutting everything else:) love the colour scheme of your workspace. I remember when I was growing up we had a built-in cupboard in our dining room wall - with bifold doors - the sewing cupboard. I envy that now.

Bellaidea said...

Helen, I admie your organizations skills so much. You have tones of stuff and in such a great locations. I was working today in my studio = cleaning so I hope I will show some pars of it soon too. Thinking about Our Next hOP:) for it.
I think your map with time zones is so cool!

Vicki said...

Thanks for the tour Helen. Its always interesting to see how others store their stash and to get ideas. Its neverending working out the storage. :)

Rachael Funnell said...

OH! MY! what a FANTASTIC post Helen!!
You really are Organized.... & lots of Gr8 Idea's!!!
would you believe I have never had or used a trimmer... Weird I know!! hehehe I've always worked with a just a knife & scissors..
THANKS for Sharing.... ♥

Lizzy Hill said...

Gee Whiz! This is an incredibly well sorted work space, especially as it's such an unusual shape.....I really, really enjoyed 'walking through' it....no wonder you're so creative with everything where you can find it!!!!!:):):)

Gayle Price said...

Oh my goodness, what a very extensive tour of your "creative space", I feel as though I have actually been in your room and have peeked into every box and basket. You are SO organised ! I have baskets similar to yours for storing things and instead of putting labels on the baskets, I wrote on large shipping tags and tied them on to the basket handles so they stay put. I am with you on the trimmers tho........I have lost count of how many I've purchased and sadly most are not good. I have a large Carl cutter that stays on my desk and have just bought a fabulous, really light weight Fiskars that is probably the best cutter I have ever used.....I'm going to "name drop" now, Finnabair borrowed it while I was at her Darwin workshops and even she said it was great lol. Thanks for sharing your studio Helen, your photographs are wonderful and I can now visualise you "in your space" creating all those beautiful pages. xx

Linda Eggleton said...

Loved seeing your workspace, Helen! IT all looks so practical & very much used! (not like some scrap rooms that look like they're set up just for a magazine shoot & never used).

I have to agree with you on the Fiskars trimmers....I've had mine since I first started scrapping, almost 10 years ago...and it's still going strong & replacement blades are so easy to get.

Thanks for sharing your scrap space with us :)

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

What an AMAZING scrappy space you have!!!! I love it all!! I just can't wait to get my new space!!!!!!!!!

Alanna said...

Oh my, oh my. What a LOVELY space! You do so much with the space you have!! I love it! And it reminds me, I keep meaning to do a new and updated blog post of my scrap space...

Desire Fourie said...

Oooh, I just loved this tour of your space in craft land. You are seriously organised! Very impressed.
Hugs
Desíre
Doing Life

Eila Sandberg said...

Fantastic tour Helen!! just love checking out all the tubs and baskets and clever storage you have. A Fiskar's trimmer is on my shopping list, so fed up with the two I have now. Nothing cuts straight however hard I try :( Agreeing with Linda that your scrap room looks like something a living person is using as opposed to the the pretty, pimped ones in the magz and online. Have a fabbo weekend! xoxox

yyam said...

Wow! I love how you've utilized every inch of your small space. And how your studio is such a reflection of your style...white base with loads of bright and happy colours! :)

P/s: I must say that you have a lot of stuff though. :)

Michelle Ramsay said...

Stunning Helen and just so organised. I love your green colour - so nice and fresh. So enjoyed your tour xx

Marjie Kemper said...

Super tour!! Love your space, Helen. And a girl can never have too many trimmers, in my book! Hope you have a great weekend.

Lynnda said...

You one Lucky duck!!! Very organise... I love it!!! TFS.... Hugs..xoxo

Jasmine S said...

Oh this is just fabulous. I want to get in there and create with you. I have a fabulous room too but you see, I have to hide my "stuff" in boxes and drawers so hubby cannot really see how much I have....lol. I wish I could put it all out like this. He just doesn't "get it".

sandi said...

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Everything looks so nice and neat! Well done Helen! I need to do the same!

Keren Tamir said...

this is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo organized!! I can't put mine up for sure unless I organize it completly!!

Mitralee said...

Are you a stand up scrapper? I stand and move and pace...which is part of the reason I don't go to large crops since they make me SIT!!!!

I was quite entertained...you are SO organized!!! LOVE IT!!!

Sabrina Scrapbook said...

Helen, WOW!! I have to say I love the tour two the most, I saw lots of pinks here, wonderful! Look at the no of scissors you have, lol! And I love your adhesive tray, very pretty!! Thanks for sharing your creative space with us, I enjoyed so much touring your room! Hehe!! :)