Hi there,
Since my previous post on the new cubby storage unit in my studio, I've received quite a few emails and blog comments with questions.....most of the questions being duplicates. I figured the most efficient thing to do, would be to answer your questions here, all at once. If you have any other questions, just leave a comment on this post and if I can answer it, I'll come back and edit this post with my answers. Sound good?
Let's start with the most popular question.... ;)
Q: Where did you get the button jars you're using to store your buttons in?
A: The jars are 1/2 pint (8oz.) Ball canning jars. They can be purchased in packs of four at Walmart. I usually pay just under $5 per 4-pack of jars. They are the perfect size to hold one full bag of Papertrey's buttons. As you can see in the photo, each jar holds a different color of the buttons. Not only are they just the right amount of space for all of the buttons in one bag, but the wide mouth on the jar is also perfect for digging thru the buttons when you're searching for just the right one to use on a project!
Q: Besides your new cubby where else are you storing all your stamps? In particular wood ones.
A: The majority of my Papertrey stamps are stored on the bookshelves opposite my desk (click link below to see previous studio tour, including the bookshelves I'm referring to). All of my Hero Arts stamps are either out on a display shelf (they're so pretty to look at), or they're in a drawer just to conserve space. As for my Stampin' Up! stamps, I'm in the process of moving them out of the studio because I just haven't been using them and the "real estate" in this room is just too valuable. If it's in here, I'd like it to be something I use often or something pretty that inspires me. I haven't decided for sure yet, what I'll do with all of those Stampin' Up! stamps, however I'm considering selling them here. If that's the route I take, I'll be sure to let you all know.
With the moving of the button jars to their new home and shuffling things around in the studio, as well as purging out some supplies that I'm not currently using, I've still got a few more areas of the studio to get organized. Once I finish all of that, I'll likely do another studio tour blog post. This post shows you the last studio tour. All of the furniture/shelving is still the same in here now, but quite a bit of the crafty supplies have been reorganized since these photos.
Q: Where do you find those little canning jars? I've never seen any quite like that and they look perfect. Also where did you find the candy jars too?
A: Regarding the canning jars, see above. As for the vintage-style "penny candy jars", those were also purchased at Wal-mart. They're made by Anchor Hocking and were about $5 or $6 each. I also have a smaller variety (same jar, just smaller) that I have 3 of, but I don't remember where I got those. The large jars are perfect for storing all of my Papertrey felt. I just leave the rolls of felt in the bags they come in (along with any scraps I generate while creating, and then pop the bags right in the penny candy jars.
Just like the new Pottery Barn cubby, I love storage that is not only functional, but also pretty and inspiring!
Q: Is there an inexpensive sewing machine that you can recommend?
A: I bought my Singer sewing machine maybe 7 or 8 years ago when I couldn't find ready-made curtains for our home that I loved. I decided to make my own and a friend of mine whose mother is quite a good seamstress came over and taught both her daughter and me how to sew curtains in the style I wanted and with fabric I loved. That being said, when I initially bought the sewing machine, I needed something that would actually do a good job sewing fabric. (So I wasn't shopping for a small machine to only sew on paper for cards) However, we ended up buying this Singer (regularly priced at about $400) on clearance at Wal-mart for $99 or so. It's Model-2638, though I don't believe they make this exact model anymore. It was a GREAT deal and it's served me well over the years. I mostly just use it to sew on cards/paper these days, but I know that it could handle any fabric project I threw at it, with just the addition of a sharp new needle. All that being said, my advice if you're looking for a sewing machine to use in paper crafting, is to look for "more machine than you might initially need", that is on clearance or a crazy sale. This way, you're prepared if a fabric project ever comes up, plus, you're likely to be better off in the long run with a quality machine that isn't likely to give you a lot of problems. Just my two cents. :)
All righty, Crew.....
Hope your week is off to a great start!!
xo,
