Updated - My Storage Method for my Die Cut Ephemera/Paper Die Cuts

I have updated the way I store my images that are already fussy cut as well as I how store the images that aren’t cut out yet. Because of the way my brain works, fussy cutting images as I need them doesn’t work for me. But I came up with a solution that does work for me and keeps everything easily accessible.

This will seem like a lot of work to some, but if you are a person that needs to see what you have easily, this might work for you too. Because I started doing this after I got a couple of books, it is not a big deal for me.

For me, after the first couple of books, flipping through all the books to find an image was frustrating because I couldn’t remember what book I seen an image in. I can’t even imagine what it would be like now by having all but 3 of her books!

When a new book arrives, I remove all the pages from the books and scan the book from cover to cover (more on that later). Then I sort them into categories – backgrounds, main images bits & bobs, words, etc. on pages that have multiple categories, I cut the pages apart. I grab some hanging file folders, label them and put the files in a rolling file cart.

I have two drawers – one of just images and the other of backgrounds. The backgrounds are sorted by size and put into ziplock bags within the main background folder for that book. In front of the drawer are folders of images that won’t fit the 8.75 x 6.25-inch bins. Behind those are folders sorted by book then by category. For instance, Autumn Stories – Faries/Kids, Autumn Stories – Bits & Bobs, Autumn Stories – Animals, etc.

Most of the time, I grab the folder that holds the people/fairies first and take it to my chair in the front room. Then as I am watching/listening to my TV shows, I fussy cut.

I have the bins sorted by category/book for the most part. Things like rocks, planets, etc that aren’t specific to book, are put in one bin. But using Moss Stories as an example, things moss covered rocks, moss covered animals, etc, they are in a bun labeled “B&B – Moss stories” – B&B meaning Bits & Bobs. Within that bin, the images are sorted into small snack sized ziplock bags.

Back to the scanning. One of the reasons I scan the books is so I can print out extra background if I am making greeting cards (to give to family/friends) if I want to use the same background again. The other is that I can’t do fine hand movements to draw lines around the images for my ScanNCut to easily see. So, I use a graphic program to put an outline around each image, then print it out and have my ScanNCut cut it out.

Link to photos of my storge method for images

I think the pictures will help explain what I am talking about, but I am more than happy to explain it more if you need additional info.

Judy

Sayings & Quotes I gathered

I create a lot of journal pages and art pieces for myself. I found that I hated to search the internet or books every time I started/completed a journal page or project to find the saying or quote that fit what I wanted.

So, I decided to search and gather up various quotes and sayings that "spoke" to me to have when I wanted one.

I took those quotes & sayings, but them in a database, then created word documents from them sorted my category.

Since I print out the sayings by category and I wanted them to easily fit on my pages, I put them in into tables to make it easier for me to format them.

A lot of the quotes didn't have the name of the person who made it, but since I don't sell my work, I figured that I didn't have to have their name.

Anyway, there are the word documents I created. You can download them if you would like from my Google Drive.

Quotes & Sayings

Hope this helps you in creating your journals & art pieces.

Judy

Flowers & Butterflies Multi-Media Piece

This this my first true Mixed Media piece. Created the background and added the texture with modeling paste. Then painted with acrylic paints and Glimmer Mist Sprays - I didn't like the result.

So, I wiped it all off (rubbing alcohol works great for getting most of the acrylic paint off, even when dry), and started again. Took painting it 3 times before I liked it.

Then added the painted swirly leaf chipboard, the flowers, and the saying. The upper right corner looked empty, so I added the 3D butterfly.

Detailed Photos

Suggestions and comments are always welcome.
See you soon!
Judy

Creativity Multi Media Piece

This my take on "Collage in Squares" as taught by Marta at Maremi Small Art Marta at Maremi Small Art. She used squares, but I decidfed to use circles.

This was made on a Canvas panel, with circles cut from assorted scrapbook papers.

I torn apart a sheet of Stamperia Decoupage Imagine LOVE ART Rice Paper to fit in the spaces between the circles.

Lastly, I shaded everything and added some Quote chips from the Tim Holtz - Advantus Quote Chips Idea-Olo Theories set.

Detailed Photos

Suggestions and comments are always welcome.
See you soon!
Judy

What is luck?

Luck, there is all sorts of luck, good and bad. I think, for the most part, we create our own luck, good or bad, by how we approach life.

Sometimes luck that at first seems bad, in the end turned out to be good luck. That is how I look at my stroke – It was bad luck that I had the stroke, but in the end it changed my life in so many positive ways.

Mike and I quit smoking the day I had the stroke, we had talked about wanting to quit, but we kept putting it off. Life said “You will quit NOW”. Who can argue with that?

It brought my family closer together – from my brothers to the extended family, we are closer now. It brought all the kids closer to each other and I think closer to me too. Heck, even Helen has come a bit closer to me too.

I think that the biggest positive change is how it brought Mike & me closer. I mean we were close, but we were sort of plodding along with no goals ahead of us. Now we have bought a house again, we are making plans for making improvements to it, and generally looking forward.

I’ve come to know that my “email buddies” are very important to me. They are one the reasons that the first thing I wanted to be able to do is use the computer again. Granted, I not only needed to learn to use the computer again, I had to re-learn where the specific letters were – nothing like having to hunt & peck & try to spell at the same time.

I now truly realize how much my “studio” and my “crafty stuff” means to me too. I thought that I lost the ability to create scrapbooks, and that really depressed me because I had not finished my Dad’s memorial album. But again, I wanted to get back my crafts, and a year after the stroke I finished the album and presented it to my Mom & the rest of the family.

I’ve learned just how strong and stubborn I am, how determined I can be to get my life back as close to what it was. Things have changed, I have changed. Some of the things that were important to me before my stroke have become less important. I didn’t think that having a cat and being responsible for it was important, now I have a furry friend that brightens up my day.

So Luck – it is what you make it to be, what you want it to be. Good, bad or indifferent, it exists and it affects our lives.

Suggestions and comments are always welcome.
See you soon!
Judy