Did ya ever?

Did you ever have an ephinany about the perfect embellishment for a card after you'd posted it for a challenge? You realize that the perfect flower was actually a die cut rather than a ready-made? Do you have flower embellishments in drawers and shoe boxes and jars? Do you have dies and punches and digi-art in flower form? I'm actually not a girly girl. I prefer my flowers in my garden or in vases. But Anary has changed my mind. Anary of the Magnolia Stamp Lovers design team sponsored by ScrappingStamping.com is a true girly girl. She of the flowers, ribbons and bling has changed the way I do cards. Who says one person can't make a difference?

If you look at my early work you will see that I tend toward simple and plain. I haven't typically used flowers, buttons, or bows (although I have a ton of each lol). Since I've approached card making in a new way, I've had to reorganize my craft room which, in a round-about way, brings me to my subject. I had flowers scattered everywhere in one form or another. Last week I spent some time just looking at my supplies and thinking about the new way I design. I think one of the reasons I didn't use all of my embellishments is that they were so scattered that when I wanted a flower, I didn't want to have to tear my room apart so I either didn't use one or I used what was to hand. So, one day last week, I took a little trip to Office Depot and purchased several Really Useful Boxes - Plastic Storage Box, 17 Liters, 7"H x 14"W x 19"D, Clear (0659275).

These boxes are really rugged, you can stand on them. One box holds all of my flowers. It holds all of my Sizzix dies that have flowers on them, all of my cuttlebug dies, all of my Spellbinder dies. It holds all of my Prima, Michaels, and crocheted flowers. It holds all of my punches (except border punches) - my Nellie Smellen, Martha Stewart, and Marvy Uchida. It holds flowers I made that I didn't use, it holds flower centers that I've purchased as wells as pearl sprays. If it's flower related, it's in my box. I also have all the punches and dies that have leaves on them; what's a flower without a leaf?



Now, when I want a flower, I know where they all are. It's an inspiration box. Instead of just seeing one flower, I'm seeing all the possibilities for flowers. These boxes are stackable and take up very little floor space. They have excellent handles for carrying and I don't think bugs could get into them if you want them for attic or basement storage. And, no, I don't work for Home Depot, I just recognize a good product. If you have unusual storage ideas or a different way of organizing, please leave a comment and share. We all love new ways of doing things, eh?

This card is for the Kraftin' Kimmie 'One for the Boys' Challenge.



Paper: Mind's Eye Home; Stamp: Kraftin' Kimmie Babette; Diamond Glaze; Spica: Clear, Mint; Buckle, Ribbon: Stash; Copics: (Skin R20, E11, E00, E000, E0000, RV13) (Clothes G82, C3, C5, G40, BG11, BG000, BG0000) (Hair E43, E53, E51, E50)