I've been meaning to thank you for the tip on stencil binders. FINALLY, a great system that keeps them handy and easy to access. Hugs from Maine from another crafting USAF vet (but only 6 years - not 23!).
Oh thank you so much Donna! I really appreciate you telling me the tip was useful; it's my fave! And don't you say only 6 years! That's more than a lot of people can devote. THANK YOU for your service! Hugs back from Maryland
have the ohuhu markers didn't really like because never knew the colors but I will do the swatch so it will be easier to match I love my copics with my chart but like the price of the ohuhu! thanks for all the great idea's.
I have a little hack. I was in Hobby Lobby recently and I always check out clearance first, and found a very nice pastry roller with a silicon roller. It’s made for rolling out pastries and has a beautiful design on it. Makes a beautiful back ground and a very low cost.
I have many different brands of alcohol markers, so in addition to doing a swatch chart in brand, I do a color family chart across brands so I know which colors go together. I have much smaller sets than you, so finding 3 shades in one color to give the dimensional look can be tricky. All my dies and my embossing folders are in notebooks as well. Mostly organized by alphabet, then I have one "Frequently Used" die notebook that has basic shapes and words, and a Christmas notebook that has dies, stamps, and folders that are strictly Christmas theme. That works well since I also have papers and embellishments that are strictly Christmas stored together as well.
WOW! The alphabet dies was awesome. I have sooo many of them & never use them because they're a pain! I use the binder system for my stencils, another hack I learned from you. I absolutely 💯 ♥️ these videos!!!
I hope this conversation can accommodate a different perspective. If you only make one or two sizes of cards, precutting bases and panels makes a lot of sense. I regularly make about half a dozen sizes of cards and fairly frequently end up making non-standard sizes, usually larger, which make pre-cutting problematic because it reduces flexibility. I do make mostly A2 cards, so I do have bases (left over from cutting a full sheet) and panels (from cutting those left over sheets in half) on hand, but in my situation, it's a lot of mental overhead to decide what to cut down and what to leave that I'd rather apply to designing the cards. I'm clearly less about organizing things for quick makes (which is not a bad way to be, just different from me) and more about flexibility. To pre-stamp images, I'd need to know how I expected to color them (watercolor? water-based marker? alcohol marker? colored pencil?), which I don't know in advance. I don't even know what color I want to stamp them, as sometimes I want black, but often I want gray or brown or even navy, green, or purple-and there's always wanting to do no-line. I have similar concerns about pre-stamping sentiments, which I usually color-match to my design and sometimes shadow, sometimes build up for dimension, sometimes would want cut to shape, others would want to use a decorative die to create a panel. Even if I were very consistent in how I use sentiments and how I stamp and color, organizing so many small pieces would be a nightmare for me (much like creating a database of dies after you have several hundred of them). The overhead wouldn't benefit me. Again, it might well be useful for many people, but it makes sense to think about how you create before undertaking organizational projects. I'm curious what you do with your swatch table when they come out with another dozen markers? Individual swatches in pockets in a binder or on rings is more flexible for supplies that you're apt to get more of (inks, paper, paint/media). Swatching would sometimes be helpful and I do recommend it for people getting started or who have limited supplies. Swatching on the types of papers you use is useful as well, as colors can look quite different on different papers.
Hi Candy, Thanks for your comment- you have some very good points you brought up! Especially about the type of cardstock & inks you would use to pre-stamp images, I hadn't thought of that. I suppose I could Ink/stamp on both watercolor & alcohol ink cardstock w/ appropriate inks to have the flexibility. :)
I love all this! Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective. Makes a lot of sense for your type of crafting. I definitely agree that you have to figure out how you craft and then develop systems based around that. Thanks again
Some excellent ideas that I'll definitely use, thanks! For storing pre-cut card blanks, maybe have a look at acrylic or wood or cardboard fold-and-tuck card display stands as they're designed for greeting card sizes, or you can get ones which'll take cards of any width. I use the cardboard ones (various colours available, I use white) as they can be disassembled if wished.
These are some GREAT suggestions that I will actually use! Thank you so much for these tips and for demonstrating how easy it can be!!! I enjoyed your video! :)
I do most of the things you show, it works great. I did keep all the stamped sets aside, but I've decided a week orso ago I should put them back with the set they belong to, cos I pull out the sets when I need a set or brand or an idea and then I can see if there's stamped images in the pouch already
What great timing Mary, I'm in the process of cleaning - organizing my craft room. Didn't know what to do with my different alphabet die cuts. Thank you for sharing your ideas with me.
Hi. I dream of having a craft room but I am grateful for the small area I have in our sitting room, cramped as it is. I'm in the midst of a sorting, tidying and organising mission and I couldn't agree with you more, that idea of the alphabet die cut boxes is a sure winner in my book!
Harbor Freight is a good place to find divided boxes in different sizes. I also got the same scrubber at Dollar Tree (pre-markup) and I love it for cleaning brushes and even my 6 x 6 rubber stamps. I put my stencils in a binder and it makes them so much easier to find but I’m getting a 2nd binder so I can move all layering stencils into their own binder. Great tips!
Awesome tips and hacks, Mary! And thank you for sharing your swatch binder too! Always a joy to watch your videos and learn something new! Wishing you a wonderful day!
Great tips Mary. I don't precut my card bases or backs because nearly every card I make is interactive or has special folds so for me that would just be a waste of cardstock. It is still a good tip for those that use standard card bases.
Too funny. I've been feeling like coloring recently, so I just stamped out a TON of images to work on (probably more than I will want to color, in fact 😅)
Thank you soooo much from a newbie crafter at 72 !!. All I seem to have been doing is watching RU-vid to learn, BUT, now have found your fab tips etc. You so so inspire me, thank you 😊😊x. Now into my craft room I go. 😊
Fantastic tips, tricks and hacks Mary 🥰 some of these I already use 😉 I would like to see a tutorial using some of your images etc ❤ thanks for sharing and happy crafting Hugs xx
Loved the idea about stamping some of the small stamp sets that need to be colored and setting aside….there are many times when I feel like doing a “little” coloring but don’t feel like getting out my stamps inks etc.. this will definitely help my productivity. Thanks so much for all of your idea’s that not only help us be organized but also saving money!!
Awesome tips, Mary, & I love that Dollar Tree scrubber thing. I have a similar one that I got at The Container Store some years ago, that is orange & shaped like a hedgehog. I have not seen anything like that since, so it's good to know such things still exist. I use mine to scrub (gently) my stencils when I use anything besides ink (e.g. paste, paint, etc.). I just keep the stencil on the bottom of the kitchen sink to support it so none of the little bits bends. Works really well, & doesn't damage the stencil! I also like the tip about categorizing leftover die cuts, images, etc. I have a plastic shoebox that I keep such things in, and they're mostly just jumbled in there. I may have to go through and sort them into baggies to keep in the box. Good thing to do when the crafty mojo is more like nojo. LOL Anyway, thanks for all this great advice. Take care, & have a wonderful day! :)
Love your hacks video- always fun to see how someone else does it or ideas that I have not heard of. Happy Thursday. Tomorrow will be a card day for me.
Hi. Your timing is perfect! I'm going to be using your alphabet die cut boxes idea for certain, we don't have Dollar Tree stores in the UK but sometimes on rare occasions the local Pound Land gets a few suitable items in. Thank you for sharing your insights and advice, I find it so helpful and I love the timesavers. Thank you once again.
Great tips. I have a container for small letters/numbers. Never thought about the larger ones. I saw your “robe” video on stencils and copied using a old notebook that was on its way to goodwill! Going to try idea of stamping entire stamp at once. I have an inventory book for stamps that I am way behind on!
Thank you for sharing this with us. I always love your tips and tricks videos. I keep my stencils in a binder (thanks to you!) and I find it so helpful to just be able to flip through to see what I have. I do the same with my swatches. It's been such a time saver for me :)
Great video. For the die cut letters. You put them in the acrylic boxes by letter. Could you just put them in a clear envelope with the die set? Like the stencils are in sheet protectors in a binder, do that with the extra letters & dies?
Love your videos Mary! Some great organizational tips too! Now to organize my card bases and stamped critters! Your Ohuhu blending chart has been a godsend and I use it every time I color. (Are you going to do one for the 320 set?) I also have and love that ladybug vacuum!) Thanks for taking the time to share your crafty hacks with us-much appreciated! Hugs!
Thanks, Mary :) I have the Ohuhu markers too and love them. I'm looking forward to when the hubs finally gets the wiring done in my new studio so I can move and keep things within reach. I'm gonna get your rack system for them.
Lots of good ideas, thank you. I’ve been collecting die cuts and always struggle finding the best storage solution so I will try some of what you are currently using. Thank you again.
Hi Mary, I saw the system you use with the alphabet dies in one of your other videos just yesterday - and have already copied it today (having spend a good hour or so a few days ago sorting through all my leftover letters I had out in ONE big box to organise them into sentiments)! GREAT TIP. I have just discovered your videos and I love that you are not one of the „sales shows“ (which many crafting channels seem to be) as well as your pleasant voice and conversational style of narrating the videos! I also saw the video where you talked about the problems you were facing and how you have gone about resolving them: although it should no longer take being brave to be honest about these things in this day and age, I know it does, so good for you, this kind of honesty and being brave helps everyone! Thank you for doing this! Take care of yourself and keep up the great, inspirational videos. Kind regards from Germany, Nicola
Wow, Nicola...I can't tell you how much I appreciate this message to me. Thank you so so much!!! You used your kindness superpower on me today and I'm so grateful
I loved having my stencils in a binder but I have overgrown that option so they are in a bin so I can flip thru them. I have them organized on my cart with my embossing folders as well.
I really enjoy your videos and you’ve mentioned Accent paper in the past. I purchased it in 80lb but I can’t find a ream of 100lb (or something close) anywhere. Have you found any lately?
Here's a link to a bunch of my favorites but if you asked me to pick I'd narrow it down to Tall Skinny and Bold Basic. Total opposites and get a wide range. shrsl.com/3hm5g
Your videos are always very helpful and delightful to watch. I was wondering if you or your viewers have trouble with their gel pens. I find after using them for a short time they develop an air bubble with a 1/2 to 1 inch gap. It's frustrating because they are expensive and I feel like I'm wasting money. Is there a way to move the ink up through the tube and into the point? Thanks so much.
Hi Rosemary, thanks for the sweet message., I really appreciate that. I dont' have a good solution for this so I'm hoping someone else will know. I can also add that to a future inquiry!
@@marypolancodesigns Thank you so much for getting back to me Mary. I'm stumped also. Hopefully one of your followers will have a suggestion. In the meantime...keep on crafting and eating chocolates. 😃🌺
Geez, Mary -- turn off the water while you're scrubbing -- doesn't take much to turn it back on for rinsing but is incredibly wasteful to leave it running. Otherwise, I've always appreciated your videos.
