Wednesday 13 February 2013

WOYWW 193 - and some ideas

My desk when I ran away yesterday afternoon to post some letters and do a little bit of shopping:
Usual mug of cold coffee, basket of cards awaiting inserts and the mess leftovers from what I'd been doing earlier. Oooer, and at the back a packet of mini Easter eggs in a lovely box - from Sarn, and a super card from Sam as well.

I think I must have caught a virus, it's the 'sort and tidy' one that seems to be doing the rounds in a lot of craft rooms right now. After doing SU card stock swatches last week, I moved onto finish off making swatches for all the ink pads. Then sat twiddling my thumbs yesterday wondering what else I could do to make life easier/less stressful when crafting. Sometimes I'm a bit like a dog looking for a lost bone with stuff flying in all directions :(

The cataloguing of stamps is a mahoosive ongoing project that I can't stick at all the time but a comment left by Helen on my last week's WOYWW post, about something her friend did, triggered off this:
It's a sort of swatch, for punches :) Not every single one, just those used for sentiments so I can try it against the card and of course against the stamped sentiment (or even the unstamped one) to check for size and shape. I used Shrinkles shrink plastic (the frosted one) 'cos that was all I could lay my paws on in here then wrote the names of the punches on in permanent ink and rounded the corners - they were lethal sharp before that little extra step.

Another small, but to me important, discovery has been how to cope with the Tonic glass mat on the desk here. I totally, love the glass mat but found that card was slipping about so l during the week I played with this as a solution when stamping and sticking bits of card together. For me, it works brilliantly without having to put summick non-slip underneath my work:
It's a repositional tape runner, by Dovecraft. A quick swipe or two on the back of what you want to be kept totally immovable, then just turn it over and stick to the glass mat.
This is the back of a piece of embossed card that I'd just turned back over after adhering a Stickeroo topper - where there was absolutely no room for error. You can see a sort of  globule of removeable glue, I'd just started to rub it off with my finger. Yay - another solution :))

The creation that was being worked on is hidden until it arrives at its destination - so I've nuffin' more to show - why not go to Julia's where you might see more creativity and less of the OCD stuff. But hey, at least I didn't just say it's the same old mess :)

Happy WOYWW!!

Di
x

34 comments:

  1. Now I know where the Tidy Fairies have gone. They have been over with you making your desk tidy. Please can I have them back. That is a very good idea for your punches, I might pinch that one. I am pinching Shaz Silverwolf's plan for swatches for inks. Coo, aren't we all going to be so tidy this year, until we forget where we put the swatches etc.
    Another good idea for keeping things still while you work on them. Right, I am off to bed now, see you all in the morning. xx Maggie PS If it snows, I might stay in bed and snuggle in for the day.

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  2. My, my, you are a right little Miss Fixit today aren't you! Just about the only thing on my desk this week is a mahoosive box of flowers!! Wonder where they came from, lol!!

    Hugs
    Brenda

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  3. Hello Di,
    Your desk looks amazing, and what an idea, stunning.
    Have a nice day in the middle of the week.
    Tamara

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  4. Love this idea for the diecuts. It would be so neat to just hover them over anarea of your card to test the size etc. And what a great way to see if they fit the stamp.

    I am wondering if I can find some thin, see thru plastic lids (coffee tin lids maybe) that would die cut into circles and then punch into those...Off to check...you have inspired me!
    Maureen aka Scrappymo #59

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  5. Sorting, tidying and organising???? What have you done to Di? ;-)
    Hugs
    A x #55

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  6. You really have the tidying and sorting bug, Di. I never seem to have the time to do it properly. Do you hire yourself out and how much do you charge by the hour? I can do Greggs pasties!!
    Happy WOYWW
    Hugs Lisax #66

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  7. So tidy!! Have a good day, do you want to come and tidy my space?? helen, 2

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  8. Cripes . . . you really have come down with a bad case of SORTING & TIDYING . . . hope you make a speedy recovery. The Mini Egg medicine I sent should help!

    Hugs
    Sarn xxx

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  9. Ok, I have to admit, I can't scoff at this sort of organisation. I'm in awe..and love the idea of cutting corners - from 'lethal' craft products!! See, I've never encountered that problem with my glass mat. And then I realise...I rarely clean it..and I bet you polish yours to a nice slick shine, huh!!

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  10. Beautifully tidy and lots of great tips - Thank you x
    Happy WOYWW Heather # 62

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  11. Mmmm mini easter eggs.... Whoops sorry, supposed to be looking at the craft stuff. Mentions of chocolate makes our brains go mushy!

    The bears @#78 this week

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  12. I am all for things to make our lives easier and have started the indexing of my stamps.
    I index all my embossing folders and masks and all of my dies, have you done those?
    I use the die indexing like you are doing with your punch indexing great way of seeing what will fit
    Happy WOYWW I hope you have a great day
    Ria #47

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  13. Don't you just hate it when things keep slipping about. Great desk and fabulous tips... Happy WOYWW Gill x #64

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  14. Great tidying ideas - I do my tidying when I want to do something crafty but have got a total block on what to make!
    Kath x

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  15. Wow your organising really is in full swing, I love the idea of the punch swatches too, I've so many things that I forget about so perhaps I should do this. Could do with cataloguing my stamps too cos I forget what I have all the time. Yep I'm forgetful! Enjoy your week, take care Zo xx 93

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  16. Yes I'm aware of that neat and tidy virus, maybe with more great tips on organizing I'll catch it too! I have a basket full of cards that need inserts too! Your desk looks like everything is within reach...perfect for crafting. #105

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  17. Hello Di,

    It's so good to be back amongst my WOYWW friends! The weekend was very hard, physically and mentally.

    I love the idea of the punches! How very cool is that! Ah, organization. Once I think I figured out how I will organize something another idea pops into my head and off I go.

    No movement on the condo yet. The place I was really interested in is sold. There's a fixer upper that would have the BEST craft space (300 square feet) so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

    Thanks for visiting me.

    Hugs,
    Kay

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  18. hi Di great tidy space you have there. Sadly I'm no further forward with my stamp sorting. At moment can't even find my fancy labels to label drawers and paper trays. Have also somewhat lost the inclination. Hopefully it will come back!!!
    Happy WOYWW Anne #134

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  19. I think I need to catch your bug...virus, call it what you will, but anything that makes life easier must be good for you!

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  20. Back again to say that your idea is fab but mine to use the clear snap on lids from coffee tins is going to take 16 years to finish...Apparently I am the only person I know who buys the tine with a clear lid!
    Off to drink 9 zillion cups of coffee so I can buy a new tin when we rgrocery shop in America on Sunday! teeheehee

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  21. How lovely and tidy Di - perhaps you can come and stay with me and help me with my bloomin' cupboard that is still empty!!!!

    Hugs Sue Pxxx

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  22. A grand job you are doing there Di. I have a cut out of each of my punches in a catalogue to remind me of what I have, but the swatches for my die-cut frames would be very good for deciding which is the best fit for an image or sentiment. I'll have to think about that.
    I bet you are feeling very pleased with yourself. Kate x #126

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  23. I know that feeling cataloguing of stamps - a massive task if you are as much of a stampaholic as I am!

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  24. Excellent post today, Di! I very much enjoyed the tour and the useful tips that resulted from your S&T virus!!

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  25. My dear friend, I really think you need to see someone, urgently.
    Bet you missed the post, as it looks really dark there.

    Kath x

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  26. what did you do with the middles you cut out of the shrinky plastic die cuts huh? There is all sorts of things you can do with em you know!!! Like punch a hole one end and stamp on an image, colour, shrink and hey presto you got a key ring dangly or if you'd used clear shrinky you would have a nice ickle window for a card. hugs Mrs A.
    p.s. It's a great idea of yours to make a template up.

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  27. Di

    A woman after my own heart with all of your sorting out... that's what I've done more of since Christmas than any other time put together. Love the idea with the punches - makes total sense.

    I just bought one of those rubbers for removing adhesive and it's awesome - it removes the very unforgiving ATG gun tape off of silver miri - very impressed...

    big hugs

    Paula x x x

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  28. Hi Di, it could be the anticipation of spring, surely just around the corner, that has got us tidying and organising our crafty stuff. I've just sorted and filed my embossing folders - now I can actually see what I've got ... a lot more than I thought, too :) You've got some great ideas to make your life easier - like the punch swatches. I'm still cataloguing stamps too - it's taking me forever. I wonder what you'll get up to next :)) Elizabeth xx

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  29. WOW wish the Tidiuppers would hurry up and make their home here! I need to get busy but haven't felt like doing much so it just keeps piling up higher and deeper! Stampin Up had a punch template similar to that one and I almost bought it but...I know hindsight! Have a great week and thanks for sharing. Vickie #17

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  30. I love the idea of making the template for the punches! Super idea, thanks for the inspiration. Barb #101

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  31. The swatch idea is a fab one, but too lazy to do myself LOL!
    Linbyx

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  32. What a brilliant idea for the swatches and diecuts, punches. Gosh some people are smart. I laughed when I read about the slipping and thought you need just a little tape on the other side and bingo you were already there.

    Make sure those tidy faries dont get away, they are really handy to keep around. Trust me on that one, others I am sure would kill for some. LOL

    Belated WOYWW greetings.
    Eliza

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  33. You seem to have had lots of brainwaves as you are tidying up - do you think it would work for me?!! x Jo

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  34. I need to do the same thing - get organized. April #119

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