Ready, Get set, DESTASH! Art Journal Page: Funnel

If you don't have leftover letter stickers raise your hands! No one?! we all have them. I have sheets of letter stickers from years ago just taking up space. I can't spell any words because I'm only left with Z, X and maybe a D or two and it really annoys me. So I challenged myself to come up with using some of them!

I used them as masks! Stuck them randomly on an art journal spread in a funnel shape, covered them with some gesso and Gelatos and created an amazing background. Then I added some more letters and sentences with a black pen. I wrote my journaling on the bottom of the page in an upside funnel shape.

This art journal page is a representation of what's going on in my brain. This is how I feel when everything is turning up there and concentrates to one amazing creative idea! It's a funny process that works like a funnel leading all my ideas, thoughts, fears and imagination into one point of inspiration. It's a weird process...but it is what it is :)

How do your ideas pop into your head? Try telling this story in a visual way...it's fun!

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5 Ways to Maximizw Space in your Craft Room

We all have too much supplies and not enough space for it. It doesn't matter if you have a craft room, a corner in the house or just a closet. These tips will help you get more space for all the supplies you need to store.

1. Stack
I have a thing about boxes.Most boxes have lids on the top which means you can put anything on top of them because youneed to open them up right? WRONG! Stack your boxes. Put one on top of the other. In a perfect world you would put the boxes one next to the other but in real life we have to make compromises. Use coordinating boxes in size and in pattern or color soit will look nice as well as being practical. And if you need something from the bottom box just move the boxes on top, alittle exsercise for the hands.

2. Adjustable Shelves
I baught shelf units in IKEA so I can adjust the space between the shelves according to the space I need. Unlike on a pre built shelf unit I don't waste space when things are smaller and I can fit tall stuff as well as more shelves.

3. Use the walls
If we all had huge craft rooms we could fill the walls with our creations but unfortunately that is not the case. If there is no room in drawers, shelves or cabinets move to the walls. I found some great ideas in the kitchen section in IKEA (again...I know it's affordable) that I could hang on the wall. It's a great solution for supplies that can be stored in containers and don't take a lot of room.

4. Under the Table
There is a huge space thatis usually missed...the space under the table. Your legs onlyneed somuch room to move...so why not utilize this space for storage. I have some large boxes with all kinds of supplies, as wellas my Etsy shop packing materials and allthe stuff I sell at the store. It's all carefully wrapped and organized.

5. Remove Packages
Packages can be complicating things. They're not flexible and usually much bigger than the product they hold inside. I took all the supplies out of their packages and put them in little containers I arranged in a drawer. If the manufacturer or product name is important add a little note on the bottom of the container.

Bonus Tip
Purge Often - between you and me...I'm sure there are some supplies you don't need or want. So purge, donate, sell, give...less supplies need less room :)

Even small spaces can have plenty of room for all our supplies if only we organize them in a creative way. I hope you'll try some of these ideasor come up with some ideas of your own.

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My Favorite Pens List

I love pens! I unwillingly have a collection of them. I don't want to but somehow they find their way to my bag, studio and desk drawers :)

Before specifying the list of my favorite pens I want to share with you how I know it's a good pen.
* Has to write on dry acrylic paint without skipping, jumping or getting all gunked up!
* Lasts a long time and doesn't dry the minute you open the cap.
* I don't mind if it has odor but I don't want it to be toxic.
These criteria works for me and might not work for you...

Uniball Signo White Gel Pen
I love this pen and how crisp and vibrant it looks even after drying and it's cheap too. It writes beautifully on acrylic paints and colorful pages in my art journals. It also writes on canvas with no trouble.

Uni Posca Paint Pen
Great pen that comes in different tip sizes and a variety of colors. It is water based and permanent and writes on ANYTHING. It has an odor but I don't mind it. The only downside is that they are not waterproof so I can't paint over them. It dries quickly and lasts for a long time. I especially use the black ones.

Sakura Micron Pens
Great for illustrations and writing on paper. They come in many colors but I love black and are permanent, crisp and intense with color. I like the tiny tips, although it can be hard to write on acrylic paint.  I love how they are also waterproof so I can paint over them. So when I use them in my art journals or mixed media projects I use a wide tip.

Pitt Pens from Faber Castell
They are a nice crisp, permanent, vibrant color and the variety of colors is amazing. My preferred tip is the "brush" pen which is like a paint brush. Love how you can paint over them once dry, too. The best thing about them is you can use your fingers to blur the color before it dries so it's almost like using paint.

Check out the Guide for using your pens correctly that will be posted on Tuesday!

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Ready, Get set, De-stash! Paper Embellishments Tutorial

As you probably already know my resolution for this year is to use my stash and try not to buy so much supplies. it's already the middle of the year and i don't think I've done that enough. So today we're DE-STASHING!
We all have scraps of paper that are cut, have holes in them, are either too big or too small. We don't throw them away because we are sure we're going to use them. Well...today is the day! Take out all your scraps and join me!

First pick out papers that are in the same style and/or colors. I wanted a steampunk look so I've used brown, dark colors with script and numbers patterns.

Cut or punch shapes like circles, squares, stars, hearts or any other shape you want. I limited myself to 2" to 3" size but you can cut larger shapes. Then cut or punch smaller shapes from the papers and even cut out patterns. i cut out a few keys from a pattern paper piece that I had in my stash. Create combinations with all your shapes. Start with the larger shapes as the base and then layer the smaller shapes on them and create clusters. Finally add words or letters, but only if you have a partialy used sticker sheet! We're de-stashing remember?

Now you have your own paper embellishments to use in your projects, cards, scrapbook layouts or canvases. if they are big enough you can use them as cards, placement cards or even add a magnet on the back and put on your fridge.

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Use Your Stash! Using Forgotten & Unwanted Supplies

I love buying new craft supplies! Exciting, new products, new paper designs, new tools are introduced all the time and fill the shelves in the craft store. Who can resist it? So we buy...
But what about what we already have?
Those supplies suddenly look updated, old and that is if we even remember that we have them and can find them! Well...I think we have a TREASURE of supplies hidden in our stash and we can use it all! Even what looks old and we don't really want anymore.
Here are a few ideas I created over the years on how to use your supplies:

Use old letter stickers or chipboard letters

Use those leftover letters that we never use but don't have the heart to throw away as a background element. Look at the shape of the letter instead of its meaning. You'll find out that letters are beautiful and can be used as embellishments or texture elements. It doesn't matter what letters you have because you don't need to spell anything!

You can find a full tutorial on how to create this letters background here.

Create a Mini Album

If you're like me you probably have journaling tags, paper scraps, cut outs, tags that are just waiting in a box or a drawer. I decided to challenge myself to use them. The problem was that they didn't match. They had different design, color, shape and were all completely different. I couldn't use them on a layout because it would be too noisy and confusing for the eye. This was the perfect collection of supplies to create a mini album. Each tag or paper will stand alone as a page but as part of a larger project which is a mini album! It would be like a junk journal or a homemade smash book.

Check out the inner pages and the tutorial how to create this mini here.

Use supplies of the same theme

Another good way to use old supplies is to gather them according to a theme. This is what I did with this mini album. I used all the papers, stickers and supplies I had with a house/home theme and created an interactive mini album. You can do this with any theme you want: boy/girl, holidays, school, pets, love and the list can go on as long as your imagination can stretch it!

Photos of all the inner pages and ideas how to use scraps find here

Use supplies in a different way

Sometimes if you don't like supplies that you have try looking at them in a different way. I had some fabric that was too boring and not colorful enough. It was in my fabric drawer forever! Then I started thinking maybe I can use it in another way...like paper for example. So I cut it into squares and used the squares to create a 12x12 "paper"   for a layout. Another supply I had a lot of and didn't use was white buttons. I had so many of them so i used them as "fruit/leafs on the tree I added to the layout!

I hope these ideas sparked you imagination to use your stash.

Share your "use your stash" ideas in the comments.

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Frugal Crafting - Tips and Tricks!

We all need new creative ways to think about our stash and crafting. Our craft spaces are bursting with supplies and yet we buy more. Let's use what we have and stop buying!!
We can shop for supplies in our own drawers and shelves and create amazing projects without spending a dime!

I asked fellow crafters and artists in the crafting industry to share some tips and tricks on how they do it. Here's a roundup of their projects. For more photos of each project, detailed content and material list please click the link attached to each tip.

Keren Tamir: How to make a layout look expensive yet spend under 5$

Here are Keren's tips on how to do that:
1. Save your scraps. Use them to build the layout.
2. Buy reusable items like masks and stamps.
3. Fussy cut elements from your pages to use as layers and embellishments on your layouts.
4. Buy products that contain numerous items that would last for numerous projects.
5. Use your packaging.

Read more on Keren Tamir's blog...

Jennifer Priest: How to change the color of your paper

If you don't like the color or pattern of the paper you have, change it by using stencils and paint or stamps and ink. Check out this project where I used stencils, ink, and paint to make a graffiti background on a piece of cardstock for a sports themed scrapbook page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ndEUHVb4CA

Read more on Jennifer Priest's blog...

Terri Burson: Upcycled shoe box storage

Need to organize your craft space? How about utilizing something you probably already have; shoe boxes AND use your stash to do it?

Terri tells you how to recycle, use your paper supplies to create new storage without buying anything!

Read more on Terri Burson's blog...

Sara Naumann: Frugal Crafting Tips

• The biggest thing that's helped me craft on a budget is being organized. When I'm not organized, I forget I have certain supplies, and don't use them, or forget I have them and buy new ones. So at the beginning of every month, I do a basic studio clean and put stuff away. 
• Each month I also check the levels of my always-use supplies like white cardstock, glue, etc. If I need to get more, then I put it on a list and do that as soon as possible.
• I really make my supplies work to do double, triple, quadruple duty. I like using Faber-Castell Gelatos because I can use them in lots of different techniques, and in combination with lots of other products (stencils, stamps, etc). Same thing with Spectrum Noir pens, embossing powders, paint...I really push myself to see what I can do with what I have. 
• I never buy anything that I don't have some inkling of how to use it. I've made this mistake before, buying things and then getting home and being totally clueless as to how to use it. Guess where it goes? In a drawer, where I forget about it. :)

Watch the video on Sara's YouTube channel

Marjolaine Walker: how to turn a recycled tin and outdated chipboard into a beautiful and useful decorative work of art.

I don't like to waste so I’m always trying to find ways to avoid it. I have always loved chipboard but am forever left with unused pieces from every collection. My solution is to transform the chipboard with Gesso and other medias and make a larger scale project to use a considerable amount at the same time thus noticeably diminishing the pile!

Read the full tutorial here

Lisa Fulmer: Vacation Summer Box

You can turn any sturdy box into a shadow box just by cutting a window in the lid. The gift boxes containing holiday candy or cologne sets are usually perfect for altering. Save some of that hard, clear plastic packaging too, especially if it has a large flat section. Trim it out with a craft knife into the largest square or rectangle you can. These pieces are great for making the windows in your box lids. 

If you find the box you want to use before you go on vacation, you can stash all your bits of ephemera inside it while you're traveling (or right when you get home), until you're ready to make your shadow box. Consider collecting several of the same size boxes to create a shadow box series - one for each vacation, special party or weekend road trip. Coordinate your paint colors so all the boxes will look great together on the wall.

Find out more about Lisa's book Craft Your Stash which is all about frugal crafting here

Birgit Koopsen: Mini Album

THRIFTY TIPS:

1. Cardboard cover - Using cardboard cut from any cardboard box to create a mini album cover is a

great way to give your little book a more sturdy look. If you want it even more chunky you can also use cardboard as a base for your pages.
2. Household item stamps - Household items are great to stamp on pieces of wrapping paper to create your own background paper. I used bottle tops, bottle caps and bubble wrap to stamp with black ink. Acrylic paint works great too, it gives a different feel, a bit less detailed maybe, but also lovely.
3. Hand carved stamps - I like to use my own custom made stamps. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on carving blocks. Cheap erasers from the children’s drawing sections are perfect to carve.
4. Spiral paper flowers – A little square piece of wrapping paper or book paper can easily be turned into a lovely flower. Free hand cut a spiral, about 1,5-2 cm wide and role the spiral from the outside in, keeping the bottom tight together. At the end let the role unwind a little bit and turn it upside down. Add some hot glue at the bottom to keep it all together.
5. Kraft journal spots – Don’t you just love kraft and black journaling spots? Several manufacturers sell then ready made but it is so easy to make them your self. Simply stamp with a frame stamp and black ink on the wrapping paper and cut them out. Easy, quick and you never run out of them.

So many tips and tricks on how to create amazing projects with little spending if any! I hope you were inspired as much as I was and got some ideas on how to frugal craft!

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Maximize Your Supplies: How to Craft More and Pay Less

We all have TOO many craft supplies!

We can't help ourselves…when we go into a craft store we're like a kid in a candy store. We just can't get enough! Everything looks so pretty and exciting and all kind of creative ideas starts flying in our heads. We just know we'll have time for all those projects and we just know that we NEED all those supplies!

DO WE? Really?

I think not! I’m here to tell you we all have a craft store in our house!! We just need to use it wisely! There are so many projects hiding among those papers, fabric squares, paints and craft supplies. We just need to get smart! Craft More and Buy Less!

We can all save our money and still enjoy crafting if we do two things:

1. Shop for crafting supplies in our own stash!

2. Find more affordable ways to buy supplies or get them IF we really need them!


Shop for crafting supplies in your own stash

New Organization

How many of you have so much stuff you don't even know what you have and don’t have. Once I bought something I was so happy I found only to discover I had the same thing in my studio. I have a new way of organization to offer you in order to avoid that. Organize your supplies according to their “age”. Move all your old supplies to the front so you will not overlook them. I can hear what you're all saying…”all my supplies are organized by color”, “I arrange my supplies according to themes”. You can continue to do that, just rearrange those piles/drawers/shelves. Keep your papers according to each color but move all your old red papers for example to the front or the top.

Challenge yourself

Once you have identified all your old supplies challenge yourself to use them! Get one or two items for each project and use them. Once they'll be used in a project with newer supplies they'll look much better!

Altar Supplies

Many times we don't use supplies because they don't have the right size, color or shape. Alter your supplies. If you have a green chipboard flower and you need a red one, paint it! Instead of buying it create it!

Create a Kit

Pull coordinating supplies from your stash and create a kit. Assemble kits with color coordinating and/or theme coordinated supplies. Next time you want to create something use a kit! It'll be much easier to create something when everything is coordinated and matching!

Be Creative

Find new ways to use old supplies. Let’s face it…we don't use much of what we buy because after a while we get newer more popular stuff, that looks nicer. Let’s find creative ways to use old supplies so they'd still look fresh!


Manage your Stash

Destash

Even after creating lots of projects from old supplies there are still supplies we don't need. Maybe we do different kind of craft now, maybe we just bought too much or maybe we just couldn’t find how to use it. Don't keep it! Donate it, give it to someone who will use it instead of it cluttering your space. Schools and kindergartens, children hospital wards, old age homes, youth groups…the list goes on

and on.

Limit yourself

Decide on how you want to store everything and if the bin/shelf/drawer is full don't buy/get any more. This will make you plan ahead and only get what you really need and not what you want. It will also help you avoid clutter and help you be motivated to finish projects so you'll have room for new stuff.


Find more affordable ways to buy supplies or get them IF we really need them

BUT only if you really need them! At some point you need to make a decision and take responsibility. We are all adults and can decide if we need or just want something. The point is not to replace the supplies you’ve given with new ones…

Ask for Gift Cards

When people ask you what you want for your birthday or Christmas ask for gift cards to a craft store. This way they'll buy you something you like and you'll save money. They have to get you something anyway right?

Hit Thrift Stores 

Yard Sales, Craigslist, etc. Almost every town has a quilt guild or a flea market. Don't miss a yard sale that advertises “years of craft supply accumulation” or “fabric, books, and craft supplies” and always hit the fabric/craft sections of the thrift stores. Also use e-bay, craigslist, and freecycle for crafting supplies. The dollar store can also be a source of surprising craft supplies.

Use found items 

Found items don't cost anything. I get cogwheels and mechanical parts at the industrial area in my town. I just go to garages or little factories and ask for stuff they don't need. You'll be amazed what they give me. For them 10 rusted cogwheels are trash for me it’s gold! Use old books and atlases as a base for an art journal or scrapbook or cut the pages to use in other projects.

Trade 

Trade unwanted supplies with friends or other groups. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!

Tune in tomorrow for the special round-up post and get frugal crafting tips from fellow crafters and artists in the crafting industry!


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Have fun creating!

Ready, Get Set, DESTASH! Love Story Mini Album

Every now and then I believe we must go into our stash pick up a few things and use them in a project. Half finished sticker sheets, rhinestones, rub-ons etc. use old stuff to make room for the new. Sometimes we don't even remember what we have and we buy new products because we don't realize we already have what we need.
This mini album is made entirely with leftovers from my stash and one 12X12 double sided cardstock.

Here are the steps you need to follow to create a project from leftovers:
1. Decide on the project you want to do. It can be a mini album, layout, home decor piece etc. You can create it for yourself or as a gift.
2.  Pick a theme and a color palette. Deciding that will help you pick out different products that match together and will look great on your project.
3. Go to your stash and take out everything that fits the theme and colors you decided.
4. work on your project with as many products as possible. Be creative and try to think of new ways to incorporate embellishments, papers and other products in your projects.
5. Works in stages. Create layers, Starting from paper and stickers and moving on to the smaller embellishments like flowers and rhinestones.

Purging your stash from old half used supplies is not only fun it decluttering your work space and your mind. It's like going to the craft store and getting new stuff! You will find things you didn't know or forgot you had.

Check out the video tutorial for step by step instructions to create this mini album.


What will be your destash project this weekend?
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Have fun creating!
Einat