RIBBONS, RIBBONS & MORE RIBBONS!

Craft supplies organization seems to be THE hot topic every new year.  I am always looking for a better way to store my tools and sort my pretties.  I want them out of the way until I need them but I don't want to forget what I have.  If you've ever made an unintended duplicate purchase, you know exactly what I mean!   

Ribbon storage has been a problem ever since I started using it to adorn my projects.  First I had it stacked on a shelf and that worked great for the wide ribbon that I use for floral bows and such.  When I started purchasing thinner ribbon for paper crafting, I threw that in a plastic bin.  Look at the mess I created!  Boxed ribbon, carded ribbon, loose ribbon and spooled ribbon--just thrown in the bin or stacked on the shelf. 

I had to do something because I couldn't find the ribbon that I wanted and was spending way too much time digging and putting back.  Plus, I was running out of room and I love ribbon!   So this is my solution, at least until I come up with something better.  I've been using this system for a few days and it works for me, right now.

Six stacking Sterilite shoe drawers came to the rescue.  The ribbon is sort of organized by color--one for black, white & nuetral ribbons, one for red to yellow ribbons, one for blues and greens, one for holiday and special occasions/sentiments, and one for lace and the miscellaneous stuff that didn't quite fit in the other categories.  The sixth drawer was empty so it provided a home for my paints.  I left most of the ribbon on the cards and spools that they came on.  I picked up a couple of packages of old timey clothes pins to wrap the loose ribbon around and will wrap the carded and spooled ribbon when it becomes necessary.  The cardboard spools waste space so I'm balancing a wrap time vs space issue.  Most of the 3 inch wide ribbon is now in the original, before, plastic bin in the closet with all my other floral supplies.

Once the ribbon was organized, I needed to do a layout with ribbon!  So here's one that I did for my Fiskateer's Liftateer circle of friends.  The title is "busted!"  and the journaling reads "C. found the best hiding place ever.  Well it was the best until he was . . ."

Products used include:  Plain Kraft and yellow cardstock, DCWV orange textured cardstock, Imagine That patterned paper, Heidi Grace chipboard hearts, Cloud 9 Raindot alphas, ColorBox yellow and orange pigment ink, Sakura Gelly Roll white journaling pen, Offray ribbon and JoAnn's rik rak, Zots glue dots and Tombo adhesive tape runner.

Tools used include the XL Round and Round squeeze punch, Hearts and Threading Waters border punches, paper crimper, #5 microtip scissors, 12 inch desktop trimmer--all Fiskars. Plus a little sandpaper to rough up the edges of the large circle so the white journaling ink wouldn't look so stark.

Do you use ribbon?  How do you store it?  Until next time, have a wonderful crafty week!

 

IT'S NATIONAL SEWING MONTH! DO YOU SEW?

Looking back, I realize that I sew in fits and spurts!  My mother actually sewed that way, too.  As a child I remember my mom sewing me clothes that I absolutely hated and wouldn't wear!  She eventually stopped and kept her sewing skills well honed with mending and the odd home decor or gift piece.  My mother actually cursed at her sewing machine, so I didn't want to go anywhere near the evil thing!

My school system didn't offer home ec classes until high school but I decided to brave the evil sewing machine thing and take Sewing 1 as a freshman.  I loved it!  Even after the thread take up arm bonked me in the forehead, and left a giant, zit like, red mark that lasted for days (don't ask me how because I still don't know what happened), I signed up for Sewing 2!

My original sewing fit continued until I moved away from home after college.  My mother's evil machine and I had become friends but she wasn't going to let me take it.  My mother acted like she hated her machine but she really loved it.  So, I ended up making a few things on weekends here and there until the rest of life got in the way.

About 20 years ago, I bought my own machine.  Well, my machine hated me and I finally understood my mother's love/hate relationship with her machine.  Most of the time, my machine hung out in the closet but it helped produce curtains, a few dresses and got me through the mending.

Not long ago, I bought a Singer Futura--a late Christmas present. So far, we've collaborated on an apron, some mending and the valance shown here.

It's a simple rod pocket valance.  All straight lines, no pattern required.  I lined it with unbleached muslin because I just happened to have some on hand.

Please note the finials.  They are Styrofoam balls that I painted with Modge Podge and wrapped yarn around.  I stabbed the balls with a bamboo skewer first to make them easier to work on.  Then I used straight pins to keep the yarn in place until the adhesive set.  Most of us have paper scissors and fabric shears?  I now have fabric pins and craft pins (complete with dried glue blobs!)  I finished the finials with bits of blue silk flowers.  I nailed a long thin brad into each end of the rod (actually a closet rod, $0.68/foot) and stuck the finials onto the brad, flush against the end of the rod.  There's probably a "right" way, but this worked for me.

I like my new machine and it seems to like me.  I have several new projects lined up and I still need to try out the embroidery function.  I think the two of us can go places!

Happy National Sewing Month!  Thanks for stopping by Traveling Down a Crafty Road.  

A TEENY HOME DÉCOR ITEM

Like many crafters, I started out on my kitchen table. For scrapbooking, I had a Rubbermaid open tote and a shirt sized gift box of “stuff”. The sewing machine, sewing box, and a few other baskets and boxes for other crafts were stuck in closets here and there. I was so unorganized!

The room that started out as a home office, but evolved into a junk/storage room, became my crafty space.  For the last few years it was an okay space but wasn't very pretty or inspiring.  Last month, we started a redo of my craft room. It has new paint, carpet and a new window valance. I’m still working on a few storage and decorative things and will share all when complete. Until then, this is my switch plate cover.

It's wooden; painted with antique white Krylon spray paint follwed by Krylon matte sealer.  I dipped blue yarn into Modge Podge and shaped into flourishes.  The yarn dried hard and fast but a bit darker.  The flowers are from an ancient arrangement that I'm slowly deconstructing.  I must have had that one for at least 25 years but the colors worked for this room.

The birthday RAK winner will be announced sometime tomorrow, 9/13/2009!  Thanks for your participation and best of luck!  Contest rules listed in 9/5/2009 post.

Thank you for visiting Traveling Down a Crafty Road and for celebrating with me!