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So, background, two years ago this July my husband and I moved into our new home in South Florida. I finally had my craftroom on the main level and organized it with new Ikea units. Love my happy place. Skip forward and we are going to be grandparents in June. Our house in upstate NY needs attention and I want to be back there for birth our daughters. But....I hate leaving my craft space. I will be able to take some stuff back to NY but will want to leave stuff here are well. Trying to decided what comes and what stays is making me so depressed.
How would you handle it? I am trying to consolidate my stamps into sleeves like Jennifer McGuire so I can transport them easier. But punches....dies, embossing folders, inks, cardstock, DSP. I am overwhelmed.
if not what is on your need list? ( birthdays anniversary's etc) I am guessing the house and the new grand babies will take up the bulk of your time so, if its not a needed thing. I doubt if you are going to be doing stash projects right?
Me, I'd probably stamp images to color and pack my pencils and maybe a handful of copic's for skin tone bases.
if there are things you love to do, like I seem to die cut all the images on stitched rectangles more than anything else maybe cut some of the images or panels before you go? (are you driving up or flying?)
Maybe you can mail a box of bulky things ahead of the flight if flying.
I agree that driving/flying and the duration of your stay will play a major role in determining what to take and what to leave behind. If it was me, I'd select my favorites from each category - dies, stamps, embossing folders - for a decent variety of card styles/occasions, and colored pencils (more portable than markers). Inks can double as watercolors, so that's covered, as well. I'd probably leave almost all punches behind - only take a few that I knew I used regularly and didn't have a die that was similar. As far as paper/cardstock, it might be less stress and easier to just buy some when you get there. There's almost always a sale going on somewhere (upstate NY has AC Moore in addition to Michael's, Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's) and that could be a fun diversion, too...
I totally understand what you are going through. I�m a snowbird with a house in Michigan and a townhome in Florida.
The first year in Florida I brought down quite a bit of stuff. The second year a little less and this year hardly anything. The reason is in Florida I have no designated space to craft. I craft in my kitchen. This means I must bring everything I need Downstairs and clean it all up and put it away every time I use it. It�s a lot of work!!
In Michigan I have a craftroom and can make a big mess ( forgot to mention I am very messy) and close the door and walk away till the next time. In Florida my Husband and I do everything together ( good thing I really like him). This means
I have very little time to make cards.
Next year I�m going to make card kits. I plan to make a sample card and 3 kits.
All the paper will be cut images stamped and all I�ll have to color and assemble.
Thanks for your input. I will be fly up next week and will check a bag that will carry most of my summer clothes and shoes. I will fly back south the 11th and then drive up north the beginning of June. We have a truck so i can pack a fair amount but still want to leave stuff here fore when I get to spend time with DH down here. Fortunately for
me I have a mini misty, Tim Holtz platform and blocks. so that's not an issue. It's really more my stamps. dies and card stock.
Heather what about looking into digital stamps? That way you could have them in both places. I suppose the downside would be you'd have to have access to a printer in both places.
Don't forget shipping stuff too. I think I'd do that to ensure I had stuff.
Heather, when I traveled from FL to DC for about three months, I packed several boxes of crafting stuff and shipped it to the address where I would be staying. When I headed by, I shipped it back to FL. It worked out great for me. Just a suggestion!
I was also going to say ship a Box or two, but if you'll be driving up you won't need to. Years ago for a week-long non-crafty seminar that required lots of supplies, I shipped a box of supplies, personal items and even food (!) to the hotel. (The rooms had mini kitchens.)
Question: how many stamps/dies do you need to happily play for as long as you'll be there? 25 or even 50 wouldn't take up much room if stamps are in pockets, and you could pick 5-10 faves from each of your most-used categories. If space was at a minimum and I was in your shoes I'd bring some Container Store shoe/accessory/etc. boxes which are very inexpensive, clear and stackable, and I might label them so supplies could be easily sorted and grabbed. The Container Store shows them in multiple sizes in closets but there's no reason they can't stack neatly and compactly in a corner.
I was just looking at a floral stamp set and thinking I should challenge myself to make 10 completely different cards from that one set: for backgrounds, borders, focal points, using light or dark or neutral inks, heat embossing, watercoloring for backgrounds or over heat embossing, etc. So many sentiments would fit it. We/I think we need so much but sometimes less is more when it comes to wanting to stretch and be creative? IOW, lemon or lemonade? I'm no Pollyanna, but could this be a surprising opportunity?
Laura Bassen has done a tour of her craft space, which is just one large buffet off of her kitchen. That's it, and she's a master of wonderful graphic and rainbow designs.
After the overwhelmingness dissipates, you've got this. : )
Beth
you know how those companies make those packs of sentiments in type fonts that cover a lot of landscape. ( like I think maybe its called many messages from Hero Arts)
( If you have something like that sets of words that cover a lot of occasions that is one way to narrow it down.) then you could focus on the images you think you may want to use while you are gone.
but, my other thought is. ( there is new things coming out all the time)
so, if you are like me and cave on good sales or new things... save some room for online happy mail?
What about making a few project kits? Gather all the supplies (stamps, inks, embellishments, cardstock) into kits. I do this when I go to a crop. It really helps to cut down on taking "all the things". I don't know about you, but I always seem to have a few stamp sets laying around that I had a great idea for, and haven't done anything with them yet. I put them together in kits and bring them along.
I posted as well looking for an inexpensive source for uninked mini felt inkpads. I am thinking then I can ink up a few of my favorite colors. SU's are just a little bit too pricey for the number I'd like to do.
I posted as well looking for an inexpensive source for uninked mini felt inkpads. I am thinking then I can ink up a few of my favorite colors. SU's are just a little bit too pricey for the number I'd like to do.
I just searched Google and found them a couple places, but they were $1.89 one place and $1.90 the other. So SU's are not bad at $1.80 each (5 for $9).
I posted as well looking for an inexpensive source for uninked mini felt inkpads. I am thinking then I can ink up a few of my favorite colors. SU's are just a little bit too pricey for the number I'd like to do.
I found them to be too pricey, as well, so I used Ranger Cut 'n Dry Felt and some small plastic boxes with hinged lids to make my own. I put the felt on the lid so it would be upside down when closed, and exposed when open. I've been using these for several years now, and they work very well for me. I used these:
Well, I feel your pain and thanks for posting. I am in cardmaking withdrawal as we are staying away from home while our apt. is being renovated.
I had hopes of bringing over stuff to the place we are living at but in the end it just felt like too much to try to narrow down what I needed. I am not far enough along in this hobby to have it all together in my head, lol......I feared that there would most likely be something I was still missing when going to make a card, and that would have driven me nuts, I feared.
But I if I had to do it over again, I guess I would stamp images in memento ink and bring my copics with me. But I like to get a card made to completion, not just have some images to color I guess.
So, I just left it. But I see your depression and I raise you my depression lol......Except it is not very funny!
I just searched Google and found them a couple places, but they were $1.89 one place and $1.90 the other. So SU's are not bad at $1.80 each (5 for $9).
That's pretty much what I've seen. I was hoping I'd missed a good deal somewhere.
I found them to be too pricey, as well, so I used Ranger Cut 'n Dry Felt and some small plastic boxes with hinged lids to make my own. I put the felt on the lid so it would be upside down when closed, and exposed when open. I've been using these for several years now, and they work very well for me. I used these:
I could find these they seem to be either connected in groups of four or tic tac type boxes. Round ones as well but I'm not sure about that.
Sue is talking about something different from what you're thinking. Here is the organizer: Robot Check
Here is the cut & dry felt which she cuts to go into all those little containers in the organizer: Robot Check
She uses reinkers to ink the felt; if I've missed anything, correct me, Sue!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Sue is talking about something different from what you're thinking. Here is the organizer: Robot Check
Here is the cut & dry felt which she cuts to go into all those little containers in the organizer: Robot Check
She uses reinkers to ink the felt; if I've missed anything, correct me, Sue!
Those are, indeed, what I was referring to. I use plain old Scotch double-sided tape to hold the felt to the lid. Holds up just fine. I did a blog post back in February 2014 when I originally made these. I have since given all the minis to my daughter and used the slightly larger boxes in the set to make a new collection for myself. That post is here: http://www.susanculotti.com/ink-spots-and-storage.html. Obviously, the measurements may be slightly different, depending on which containers you use, but it'll give you a better idea of the step-by-step...
__________________ ~ Sue Happy for no reason...
Last edited by gregzgurl; 04-23-2018 at 06:55 PM..
Reason: more info
I am liking the idea of card kits - card bases, pattern papers and then take a set of sentiments and your favorite stamps. Once that baby arrives, you won't want to be card making...
I am liking the idea of card kits - card bases, pattern papers and then take a set of sentiments and your favorite stamps. Once that baby arrives, you won't want to be card making...
Exactly this! Frankly, I was having trouble understanding your depression when I read that you will soon be a grandma.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Exactly this! Frankly, I was having trouble understanding your depression when I read that you will soon be a grandma.
No, very excited about being a grandma. Just not feeling great about moving back up north and splitting my supplies between Florida and New York. I know I won't be stamping all the time but I know when I do invariably what I want will be in the other location, it's just "Murphy's Law".
I just thought of something else. Maybe you could find an SU demo that hosts workshops. I have found that this is a fun way to get my card making fix while meeting new people. The workshops I have been to either charge a fee, or the workshop is free with an order. Another Demo charged by the card.
It worked out greats for me no Mess and cards for my stash>
__________________ Bev
Organized People are just too lazy to hunt for things!!!
Where in NY will you be? I live in Rome and there are a bunch of us locally who share our supplies really well and are happy to have someone to stamp with. Because we are "stamping supplies collectors" I'm sure we have whatever stamp set or dies you might need to get a little cardmaking fix.
Where in NY will you be? I live in Rome and there are a bunch of us locally who share our supplies really well and are happy to have someone to stamp with. Because we are "stamping supplies collectors" I'm sure we have whatever stamp set or dies you might need to get a little cardmaking fix.
Thanks, a little town called Sand Lake, just east of Albany.
So depressed don't know where to start.
