Scrapbook room

My husband and I recently moved from a 3-bedroom, 1800-square-foot home to a 2-bedroom, 800-square-foot home. To say we downsized, would be an extreme understatement and finding places to put everything has been a challenge.

Many friends have asked me about my crafting space. Well, I can say, where there is a will, there is a way.

My space is important to me and I’ve managed to carve out some in each home we have lived in. But, with this move, it was a priority. Space for my studio was carved out first and we fit the rest of the furniture around it. Fortunately, we found enough space that my husband was able to get his couch, too!

Anyhow, I wanted to show you how a small area can still offer everything you need for crafting — with a little imagination. (click on the photos for a larger picture)

I couldn’t resist these beautiful windows, so I set up my space in the living room of the house — right next to the front door.

Since it is the first thing people see when they come in, I wanted it to look as neat as possible. I find that I keep it cleaner than I used to — just in case. Of course, old habits are hard to break, so I still have a pile of paper and embellishments (I hid it for this photo), but I’m doing better …

The cabinets are from IKEA. They are modular and you add whichever features you want — like doors, shelves, drawers, etc. So far, they seem to be working well. The counter space on top allows me space to set die cut machines, my computer or stamp sets while I’m working. And the cats love to look out the windows, too. I keep my ribbon, in a variety of jars, on top, along with my Cricut, QuicKutz dies (in the little pink tins) and two Pampered Chef utensil holders that now hold my Copic markers, paint brushes, files, piercing tool, knives and other tools.

The open shelves hold die cuts, fibers, stamps, embellishments and more.

The doors hide paper, paint, beads, more stamps, Xyron machines and other products that don’t look so pretty out in the open.

This drawer holds my wood-mounted stamps and the other holds miscellaneous items, like embossing powder, Coluzzle templates, Flower Soft and other stuff.

The little pink box holds most of my Stickles (15 bottles) — upside down. I bought it at Staples for a few dollars. It’s a great space saver.

On the edge of my desk (facing the IKEA cabinets), my husband glued a metal sheet to hold my magnetic containers of flowers. I also put up a couple of 3M hooks to hold templates, my heat gun, air compressor handle and other items.

My desk looks over flowerbeds, bird & squirrel feeders, and a wooded area. I can also watch my niece and nephew jump on the trampoline or play football.

I keep my laptop, ATG and paper trimmer on the shelf underneath. I keep my ink pads, chipboard letters and large paper trimmer on top. Additional supplies are stored in the little cubbies built into the back of the desk.

I have carts underneath that hold papers and embellishments, punches, photos, tools, ribbon and more.

I made this using a kit from KaiserCraft and Tim Holtz papers, ink, paint and embellishments. The drawers hold all sorts of little things I have nowhere else to put and I keep rulers, adhesives, spritzes and other bottles in it as well.

My studio has very little wall space, but I had a few little shelves that I had collected over the years that I still wanted to use, so they all hang in the corner. The corner shelf holds CTMH and Stampin’ Up stamp sets, a few of my favorite wooden stamps and jars of buttons, flowers, brads and more.

The checkerboard shelf I bought at Joann’s for a few dollars in the clearance section. It was red and white. I covered the red in K&Company paper and removed the three bottom drawers. It holds extra blades, ink applicators and other tiny things. The tin at the bottom holds my gems.

And, finally, this little shelf is another KaiserCraft Creation. I covered it with K&Company paper, Studio 490 stamps, Prima flowers and Tim Holtz embellishments. I keep the rest of my tiny bottles of things on it.

So that’s my room … I still need one more IKEA cabinet for the other side of my desk, but everything else is at my fingertips and ready to go!

I love to look at other’s scrapbook rooms. It’s fun to see how people decorate, store products, etc.

I have been asked to share mine, but since it is ALWAYS messy because I am always in the middle of multiple projects, have to unpack from a crop or bought new stuff and then threw it in my room, taking photos isn’t easy.

On this day, I decided it was clean enough and photographed it …

Welcome to my room …

It’s a small room — about 10×12 — but it has everything I need — including two large windows to let in the sunlight. (click on the photos to see a larger version)

It’s put together with repurposed and second-hand stuff — the armoire was part of my son’s bedroom furniture; the desk was purchased when a scrapbook store went out of business; the computer desk was put in here when my husband got a different one …

The animals on top of the TV are some of my favorites … I never have outgrown dolls and stuffed animals! The teddy is dressed in a track outfit. He was bought to remind me of my son. The moose I bought on my honeymoon and then proceeded to take photos of him visiting all over the UP!

This little shelf came with my house. It fits perfect above the window and holds my Tim Holtz dies.

I hung a shelf by 3M to hold my Robin’s Nest Dew Drops. I like the way they look and I use them all the time, so it works better to keep them in view.

The Kaiser binders hold my larger thin metal dies by QuicKutz and Dies Direct. I covered the inside with QuicKutz magnetic adhesive sheets to hold some dies. The 4×4″ dies fit perfectly in the zipper holders that KaiserCraft rub-ons come in. I love the system since it is easy to find exactly what I want.

My cling/acrylic stamps, catalogs and idea books are also stored here.

What used to be a rack for CDs is the shelf I keep my buttons, flowers and other embellishments on.

My Big Shot, Cricut, photos waiting to be scrapped, Copic markers (obviously I don’t have it all!) and other stuff all lives on the desk.

The basket is where I put stuff that I don’t feel like putting away or don’t know where to put until I use it. It’s messy, but it works for me.

The white shelf was here when we bought the house and seems to be permanently attached, so I just work around it.

The closet doesn’t open all the way, but the door holds my punches, extra adhesives and other stuff …

I bought this wooden cabinet at a craft show years ago. It holds my wood mounted stamps — well, at least the ones I don’t leave out to enjoy looking at!

I’ve had this little shelf for a long time, too. I got it for about a dollar on clearance. I covered the red drawers with paper and took the bottom three drawers out to hold some of my ink pads. I keep bottle caps, extra screw posts, rings, extra blades, staples and other “spare parts” in the drawers.

This is my favorite storage container. It’s a spice rack that mounts to the wall. I covered the jar lids with the color of the brads that I keep inside.

The KaiserCraft box I covered with Tim Holtz paper and a Ranger Paint Dabber sits prominently where I can enjoy it. It holds my Texture Fades Embossing Plates, Adirondack Color Washes and a few dies. I haven’t filled the drawers yet.

Also in this photo, although you can only see an edge, is my pink bag. I keep the tools I use all of the time — rulers, scissors, journaling pen, adhesive, piercing tool, knife, stapler, etc., in this bag. It’s easy to grab and go for a class or crop, too.

I have storage under my desk on both sides. This one holds paper and stuff to scrapbook (I have one for each kid, one for Christmas, etc.). The one of the other side of my chair holds tools, templates, stamp blocks, adhesives and other things I use all of the time.

My Ranger Craft Mat and heat gun stay on top, since I use them on almost every project.

I even stash stuff on top of the armoire!

Inside the armoire, I store cardstock, papers from my favorite companies, specialty papers, stickers/die cuts, page protectors, etc. My glitter and embossing powders are in the tackle box. Paints and reinkers are in the container in front. There is room for a shelf up top. I’ve been waiting for about 10 years for someone to make me one.

And, finally, my scrapbook companion. She thinks my room is her room, too. She gets mad every time my husband comes in the room and she sleeps in my chair every day. Often times when I get up, she’ll cry at me and get me to follow and she’ll take me from bedroom (at one end of the house) to my room (at the other end of the house). She thinks it is my job to crop! Someday, Winnie, someday!And, just to be fair …