Scrap your stash - 2011 January report

I'm participating in a neat challenge this year sponsored by Lala's World blog where we are all pledging to scrap our stash in 2011.  You can sign up month-by-month, so take a look if you're interested in participating.  How did I do this month?  Well, I made a dent in one of my card kits, and some of my Valentine's paper.

Here are some close-ups of some of my favorites.  This card base has a square punched in it, so I cut a hole in the card front using a craft knife and a grid ruler.  I used some of my favorite stamps and punches from Stampin' Up! and a variety of other elements from my stash.  The border punch is by Fiskars.  I designed the first one especially for my friend's birthday.  I liked how it turned out so much that I created a couple of close imitations.  That's one tip I have for using more stash - make duplicates!

On this card, I used a new stamp set, and some new dimensional paint that I am in love with.  On this card, I got some inspiration from a card showing this spray of flowers stamped off the edge.  I used that dimensional paint again to add little dots to the border. I also cut the loops off at either end so the border was clean all the way across.

This Valentine's Day card was a bit of a challenge for me for some reason.  I really wanted to use this paper, but wanted to make it brighter and more festive (while still using the black).  The word "love" was beneath the pop-dotted heart, so I added a punch to make the saying a bit jazzier, and put lots more pop-dotted hearts on the circle.  Some of the hearts are hand cut, while some are punched with Stampin' Up! punches.

Some of my tips for scrapping your stash from this month:

• Pick a kit or project to work on.  I had some papers I wanted to use, and a card kit I really wanted to make, so limiting my materials helped me focus on using a smaller set of paper.
• Make multiples!  Once I had a design I liked, I tweaked it slightly to make a few extra cards in the same general pattern.
• Have fun playing!  I really wanted to use my new stamps (well, I got them in August, but they're still new since I never used them) and the dimensional paint.

Did I buy anything this month?  Well... yes....    I found the snowflake edge die from Tim Holtz in a local scrapbook store, so that had to come home with me.  There was also a sale on some basics that I use a lot, so I wasn't going to pass that up.  Finally, I am a Club Scrap member, so I couldn't exactly cancel my subscription... 

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else did, and also toward more scrapping from my stash in February.

Tool Time: Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

OK, I have a confession to make.  I love office supplies.  If scrapbooking supplies even look like office supplies, I have to have them.

It's even better if they're a gadget or super geeky.  That's just the kind of crafter I am.

So, when I saw the Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, I lusted for one.

I kept thinking, "Do I really need this?" (After all, I have been through a major purge in my scraproom!)

I also thought, "Is this really different than my other staplers?"

My biggest fear was that I was succumbing to my love for all things Tim Holtz, and that it wouldn't really be any better or different than my other staplers.  I was wrong - I really need this, and it's different than my other staplers.  So, here's a look at another tool I can't live without.

Why I love this tool:

1. It has Tim Holtz' name on it (not the most important reason, but I gotta be honest!)
2. It is so comfortable to hold, which makes it super easy to place the staple where you want them.
3. It works - it really works!  I've had several mini-staplers, but this one actually staples properly on the first try.
4. The staples are just so tiny and cute!  One-quarter inch, to be exact.

So far, I've used it on this cool card below.  You can see the ribbon has staples on either end - this is how the ribbon is attached.  To complete the "trio" of staples, you can also find some in the upper right of the card panel.  The ribbon is grosgrain, and the cardstock is a super heavy weight (Club Scrap), but this little stapler went through these thick materials with no problems.  Stamps are from Club Scrap and Stampin' Up! 

I'm excited to get out some alcohol inks to color these staples, and I'm really hoping that they release some colored options in the future (copper would be fabulous!).  So, if you lust after office supplies, but think this is just another stapler, think again and go pick one up.  It's even included as an Amazon prime item, which is my favorite way to shop. (It would be yours, too, if the largest store in town was Walmart!)

  

Start the new year with an organized craft space

Happy New Year!

Is one of your resolutions to clean up your craft area?  If so, you might be interested in a series of posts I did last fall where I showed how I...

• Got rid of stuff - if there isn't room for it, it won't be organized! (And, I made money in the process - about $100 from my local scrapbook store's rummage sale!)

• Organized what was left - think creatively about new places for old things.

• Store my rubber stamps - maybe some new ideas for you.

• Store my spellbinders dies - I have a tutorial here to show you how to make this cute little book to store your spellbinders dies.

• Keep it clean - and I have!  My biggest tip here is to clean up after you complete a project.  That 10 minute pickup has really helped.

Hope your new year is off to a crafty start!  What are you doing to be more creative this year?

Come back soon for some exciting news and a giveaway.  I have some great ideas to share in the new year!