To be Jozzie . . .
Jozzie is MyScrapworks’ cardologist. She has carved a career out of designing greeting cards and creating custom made scrapbook albums. She also holds card-making and scrapbooking classes. And as her “hobby turned business” grew, so did her collection of tools and materials.
Come and take a peek at Jozzie’s scrap haven and pick up some notable organization tips and tricks along the way.
In the beginning. . .
It all started in 2001. Jozzie got into scrapbooking around the same time she got into stamping. This was followed by mural painting and other artistic hobbies. Thus, from a small shoebox Rubbermaid container she had to move all her collections to a bedroom closet after a month. Six months later, the closet wouldn’t do anymore. She took over the whole bedroom. The following month, she had to move to the basement.
The basement was pretty big. It measured about 17’ x 22’ and was just perfect. But her family started to miss her a lot because she spent too much time there. So her husband suggested that she move her stuff to the living room.
The Big Move . . .
In the Wilhelm household the living room is hardly used for what it was originally intended for. And so converting it to a scrap studio was not an issue. Her craft room’s proximity to the areas where she is needed to perform her daily duties enables her to multi-task.
The living room measures about 20’x25.’ It is surrounded by windows so she gets a lot of natural light. “I love this room! And my family loves that they can see me. We hang around here a lot and more often than not, you’ll find me here with my kids creating! I sometimes even find my husband using my cutting tools!” she said.
The Plan . . .
Jozzie’s advise when planning your scraproom? She says: “It is your workspace. So arrange it in a manner that makes sense to you. You want it to be functional according to how you will work in it. You want to be happy in it. So make it yours!” With those words in mind, here’s a brief description of how Jozzie arranged her scrap studio:
Basic Scrapping’ Tools / Necessities
A peg board is attached to one of the walls. Hanging from the board are basic tools like paper trimmers, punchers, and scissors etc. for easy accessibility. Rolls and rolls of ribbon hang around a wire that can also be attached to the peg board. This kind of organization system removes clutter and frees up space on the work table.
Stamps
Jozzie loves stamping and uses this technique in almost all of her works. Plastic drawers held by sturdy metal frames serve as protective containers for her ever growing stamp collection. Her stamps are arranged by theme for easier identification.
Craft Table
Her craft table is one of her most prized possessions not only because it was a gift from her husband but also for its size. It’s big enough to accommodate her students when she’s holding a class. It’s also high enough to give her the option to work either standing up or sitting down. The dimensions of the table enable her to place additional storage containers underneath without sacrificing leg room.
Paper & Embellishments
There’s a sturdy cabinet located in a corner of the room. This is where she stores her cardstock papers that are placed in vertical holders. Clear cookie jars containing fibers and additional ribbons and a rotating ink caddy sit atop the cabinet.
In another area of the room, additional cardstocks are kept in horizontal stackable trays. These trays are then placed on top of an antique library card file. The antique library card file houses some of her embellishments. Each drawer is labeled to make it easier for Jozzie to find which embellishment she needs.
The Scraps
Every scrapbooker owns tons of scrap papers and Jozzie is no different. Her solution is to put them in several Sterilite transparent stackable drawers. She also suggests purging unwanted scraps every so often so it doesn’t take up too much space in your craft room.
Finished Works of Art
Her finished cards are showcased on a rotating card rack caddy. It can hold several rows of cards. She bought the caddy (at a steal!) from a store that was having a closing out sale.
Additional Shopping Tips for your scraproom
Here are some of Jozzie’s shopping tips when buying storage materials for your scrap space:
- First, look at what you have.
Make a list of what you need to get yourself organized.
- Distinguish which items can be kept inside cabinets or drawers versus items that need to be visible and within reach.
- Look for existing containers/materials at home that you can use.
- Ask friends and relatives for storage containers they are willing to sell or part with before going out to buy new ones.
- Go to garage sales for some great finds.
- Visit stores that are closing out. They usually have storage racks and the like that you can purchase at a very reasonable price.
- Most of all enjoy the process – enjoy the hunt.
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