Hi, everyone!
Just a quick post to remind you that Christmas Card Camp is tonight at 9:00 PM Eastern USA time over on my USTREAM channel: Kathryn Scraps. Christmas Card Camp is permanently moving to Mondays nights at 9:00 p.m. To convert Eastern USA time to your time zone, click here: Time Zone Converter.
Tonight we'll be working with the Impression Obsession "Lamb Awaiting" stamp. We'll be making at least two projects ~ one more labor intensive and one designed for mass production. I hope to have enough time to make some cute gift cards with this little guy as well, since he is so adorable!
If you're interested in purchasing this adorable little lamb stamp, you can find him in the shop on my new website: Shop.
Last week we were talking about ways to store solid steel dies (these are the wafer thin steel dies like Spellbinders, Lifestyle Crafts, Cottage Cutz, Memory Box, etc.), and there was a gal in the chat who mentioned she stored her Spellbinders Nestabilities in DVD cases lined with magnetic sheets. It sounded like a good idea to me, so I did some research today on DVD cases and found a site with a good solution: Tape Online.
On their site, I found empty DVD cases designed for rubber stamp storage (they have no DVD holders to be removed): Rubber Stamp Case.
They also have adhesive-faced magnetic sheets designed to fit inside the Rubber Stamp Case to convert it into a die storage case: Magnetic Sheets.
I haven't purchased or tested either of these products yet, so they are not "Kathryn Approved" at this time. I have read through the reviews of both items on the site and they are overwhelmingly positive. The only reason I haven't checked out with three dozen of each to hold my Spellbinders and other steel dies is because I am unsure how I will store the cases. I originally wanted them to store them in one of the drawers of my VIKA ALEX table leg, but the cases are 14cm deep and the drawer is 13cm deep. So close! While I could still fit bunches of cases in one of my VIKA ALEX drawers, I couldn't store them in rows with their spines (and therefore labels with the die names) showing. So that was a bummer.
Then I thought about storing them in one of my EXPEDIT cubes. I could get 32 or 33 cases across the front of one cube by my measurements. But then there's not much else that I can store in the cube, and that seems like a waste of storage space. I thought about designing a box to go across the front of one cube that they could all sit in together. Then they could be easily removed to access something stored behind the dies. As long as I stored an item behind them that I don't use all that often, I'm sure it would be fine.
The other problem is I still have no solution for my longer Lifestyle Crafts dies like my border strips, envelopes and even some of the larger nesting dies. I have a couple border dies from other manufacturers as well. Of course, even if I just got the bulk of the dies sorted into these cases, I could store any stragglers in one VIKA ALEX drawer instead of having dies in a binder and an ArtBin and a VIKA drawer and a box on the floor and ... well, you get the idea!
What do you guys think? I love the idea of the cases with the magnets, but am still hung up on the case storage aspect. Plus, I always wonder if I will eventually find a way to store all my thin dies together in one place and then have to completely redo my storage. I realize this may be an unachievable goal.
So how do you guys store your thin dies? Do you do something similar? If so, how do you store the cases? If not, what do you do?
Also, am I over thinking this?
See you tonight!
~Kathryn :D
Hmm, since I've already started with the art bins, I'm going to stick to those and I think they would be easier to take to a crop then several cases? Definitely, need to find a solution for the longer ones?
ReplyDeleteHugz, Z
Oh, that's a good point! I didn't even think about crops yet. There are so many factors to consider, it's making my tiny brain hurt.
DeleteI agree that the long ones are a problem. They're really the ones that make it tricky to have just one kind of storage.
This doesn't work for a crop, but I store all my dies on magnetic sheets (floor vent covers which are very inexpensive) that I've attached to the sides of my tall bookcases (I have 3 in my craft room)....this way I can easily see all my dies at a glance.....the respective paperwork I keep in a binder in the event I need to know the name of each one...
ReplyDeleteThat's very similar to what I used to do. I had the wall over my BigShot covered with magnetic sheeting & I hung all my Spellbinders up there. I really liked being able to see all of them at a glance, too. And that solves the long die problem, but not the crop problem.
DeleteOf course, that's not something I can do while I'm here, but it's a thought for down the road. You know, if I ever go back to living above ground! :D
I may be able to help a speck Kathryn. These are on Amazon so many people were asking sizes. Responses... thickness 1/3", 3/8", think the other was 5/8. Then one reply was thick enough to hold spellbinders'dies, other I will just list what I remember thick enough to hold cling stamps, thick enugh to hold cling stamp and one very thin slice of foam, not thick enugh to hold more than one stamp set. These are the replies that were consistantly repeted when qestions asked. I think tape online replied 3/16....not positive though. Amazon 10mm.thickness. When asked what is the size, many times,the rest of the replies were as big as acd case. I have yet to see a response any better than that. I was looking for them or the same things.
DeleteThee was a website that had sme acryllic ones that are a speck larger than 5x7s. The problem s twofold. 1. The name was something like Hallmark Scrapbooking or vise versa. Not positive on the name. 2. They have sold out. The thickness was big eniugh for a flat or cling stamp, a 3mm thick piece of foam. To make them stick they used a,,"b" sheet with a grid, and double ahesive. I hope this helps! NOW...I just found your site, by blitsy when I was asking about the cases. They referred me. Can anyone go to your online class tonight? Is there a charge? I know that I do not have your adorable stamp yet, but I could watch. Bless you! Lisa
I use the "Scrap Rack." they sell different storage pages? I put allllll my embellishments, stamps, and dies in these pages. I don't store the pages in the Rack I put them in 12 x 12 photo albums. I think it looks prettier. So if I need Xmas stuff, all my stuff is in one binder. I cut magnet sheets to fit in the storage slots. I can put small and long dies I the same place. Check out their website for more storage ideas.
ReplyDeleteI've looked at the ScrapRack before, but I never thought about putting their storage pages in something other than their system! What a good idea to separate the elements into 12"x12" albums. That could definitely be an option for the longer dies, especially. I will have to look into that more closely.
DeleteI bought the DVD cases and magnetic sheets from Tape Online about 6 months ago. The magnet sheets are too long to fit inside the cases. You have to trim them about 1/8 or 1/4 inch. BUMMER!!! They still sit on my desk unused. I do have the Artbin cases and like them so far. I still haven't found a solution for the longer borders though. Was hoping you had a good idea. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a bummer! I didn't even check the dimensions ~ I just assumed they would fit right in. I have a few coming to me to test so I can post a more in depth review, and I will definitely be looking to see how they fit.
DeleteHi Kathryn, can you tell me where you found the empty DVD cases? I am working on packaging for our companies product and dearly need to find some! ;)
Deletehttp://www.tapeonline.com/products/super-jewel-box-cd-dvd-cases-king-size-one-two-jewel-box
DeleteHopefully, over these last 6 months, they got enough complaints that they made some adjustments. It almost seems they cut the magnets at the outside dimemsions of the DVD case and not the inside.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathryn,
ReplyDeleteDon't know if this will be of any help.
If You do decide on using the dvd cases, a good storage idea for them is the Benno Cd/Dvd tower from ikea.
It takes up very little room.
I actually use them lying on their sides on my desk as shelves and they fit sizzix dies perfectly and lots of other stuff, inks, sprays etc.
I really like them! :-)
Hugs,
Michelle xx
Thanks for the idea, Michelle! I have to go to IKEA this week to get another 2x2 EXPEDIT so I will definitely check those out while I am there. Something that held Sizzix dies + the thin dies would be great!
DeleteI put up a quick video lastnight of my craftroom and it shows the cd tower the way I use them.
DeleteHere is the link if you want to have a look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmy7Yk_LFJ8&feature=plcp
I think it would work for both the sizzix and the dvd cases with the thin dies.
Hugs,
Michelle xx
Wow, Michelle, what a great space! It must be so nice creating in there. It looked very peaceful and well organized with tons of great storage. Very cool!
DeleteThose boxes look great lying down like that and they do hold a ton of stuff! I'll be sure to check them out at IKEA. Thanks so much for mentioning them. :D
Hello Kathryn, okay so I guess I need to learn to look at the dates. Just forget about the previous post. Sorry, I was thnking that it was written today. Do you still have classes? I sure am interested. I am still insterested in the cute sheep. I think he can be used for anything. Bless you and Merry Christmas.
ReplyDelete