Organizing without a Scrap "Room"

Hey everyone!  This week over at Bitten by the Bug 2, we are sharing our scrap spaces or scrap rooms.  Well, for me, I only have a "space" and that is basically the dining room!  It works though, and I'll show you some ways I try to stay organized even without a room devoted to my hobby.  We also invite you to link up with us and share your scrap space!

We built our house in 2011, and I was so excited because I had an extra room.  It was going to be a hobby/play room.  Finally!  Well about one month later, I found out I was pregnant with our third child.  So I had my hobby room for about 9 months, and then it became Macy Paige's room.  And now that number 4 is on his/her way, it looks like I'll be staying in the dining room.  So here are some ways I stay organized.  Warning:  LOTS OF PICTURES and LINKS!

This is my dining room where all my crafting happens.  Don't let this neat picture fool you!  If I'm in the middle of a project, it looks like a tornado went through it.  But oh how I love when it looks nice and clean like this!

Now this little cabinet right here is one of the most helpful ways I stay organized.  It is awesome.  I found it at Walmart online. They still have it! It is not too costly and it has really held up well.  It has wheels and a table top that folds down and extends out.  I'll show you the inside later in this post.

In my living room, I've devoted an entire cabinet to scrapbooking supplies.  They are very deep cabinets.

So here is what is in there:

I still keep all of my cartridges in their original boxes.  I recently sold my Imagine and got rid of all those cartridges.

This is where I keep most of my paper.  The top shelf is for solids and the pattern paper packs are towards the bottom.  I'm slowly running out of room as I buy more paper pads.  I just love them!  I also love these clear 12 x 12 shelves from Scrapbook.com.  I had trouble finding something that would not be too tall once stacked in my cabinet.  These are perfect.  I ordered one set of 10 shelves, and I was able to split them between my two shelves.  Now they were kind of pricey, but I really think they were worth it. 

Now this next 12 x 12 folder is for all those miscellaneous pattern papers I pick up in bulk sections.  I bought it a while back ago at Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

I try to keep the papers organized for scrapbooking by having a girl section, boy section, baby section, gingham/polka dot section, and holiday section.

This little basket holds all of my ribbon and twine.  Over the summer, I organized all of my twine by putting it on tags I cut from Plantin Schoolbook.

A basket full of punches

Now for my little brown cabinet that really stores so much stuff.  I can store my cricut inside on the bottom shelf, although I usually have it out on my table.  I just bought a Sillouette, which I haven't used just yet.  I just need to have some time to read everything.  I downloaded the software for free before I ever purchased it to make sure I liked it.

I keep all of my tools on the top shelf and my stamp sets on the bottom shelf.

Now here's a look at the inside shelves:

I keep tons of stuff in here!  Trimmers, ATG gun, Gypsy, stamp pads, embossing powders, stickles, glitter, baby wipes, embellishments, heat gun, etc.  I use rectangular plastic tubs/baskets that I can easily stack and remove when I need them.

My stamp pads and embossing powders...

Chalks...

Buttons and brads are in this container I found at JoAnn's.

I keep all the sparkly stuff in the pink basket.

I also keep all my sequin and flower embellishments in this cabinet too.  It's amazing what I can get in there.

Lastly, here is my favorite tip to stay organized.  This is how I store my paper scraps.

I have this accordian folder.  It is not 12 x 12.  I found it quite some time ago in the office supply section at Walmart.  In each section, I keep sheet protectors filled with scraps according to their color.  This is for any small piece I think I can use again whether it be pattern or solid.  I keep similar colors together.  I also have a sheet protector section for black, white, gray, and brown together.  I find that this really works for me.  I go right to it first when I need to cut something smaller.  I save so much paper by doing this.

Well I hope you enjoyed all the tips I shared with you for staying organized even without a room.  As you can see, I try to put stuff away and out of sight for the most part.  This helps me feel a little better about not having too much clutter seen and keeps little hands from getting into it all the time.

So we look forward to you linking up to share your scrap spaces this week!  Have a good one!

Valentine Heart Challenge

Hey Everyone!  Jayne has selected a fun challenge over at Bitten by the Bug.  It is a Valentine heart challenge, and for me, this was right on time.  I needed to get started on treats for my kids' classes.  Now that they are in elementary school, their class sizes are much bigger.  I have to make 50 of these babies!

All you have to do to join in on the challenge this week is create a card or project with a Cricut heart cut.

This cute angel heart cut comes from Create-a-Critter 2 and is sized at 2.5 in.  

 To make these, I just trimmed and stapled two 1x8 clear bags from Jaded Blossoms to the shadow layer.  Then I glued the top layer over it.

I think they came out pretty cute so far.  So we hope to see you link up your heart project this week!  In the meantime, I'll be working on the other 40 something of these!

I'm also linking up this week with:

Fantabulous Cricut-Seeing Red

My Craft Spot-Valentines for Kids

Decorate to Celebrate-Valentine Treat Bags

Craftin Desert Diva's Linky Party #24

And if you need another Valentine treat idea, these are the treats I made last year using My Craft Spot stamps and Create-a-Critter 2:

Valentine Candy Cards

Sweet Baby Girl Layout

Hello!  Well I finished a layout!  This is huge considering the fact that I've been very out of the swing of things lately.  If you missed out on why, visit this post.  It is my turn to host over at Bitten by the Bug.  This week's theme is "baby."  All you have to do to join in is to create a project with a baby theme.  I needed a little motivation to get going on my baby girl's first year album.  She'll be two next month.  This layout will go in her album as the first page.  I really love how it came out!

Her birth announcement I ordered from Shutterfly was my inspiration for this whole layout.  I found it, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the layout.  I love it when that happens.  I need all the creative help I can get lately.  This new baby is draining me.  I'm looking forward to that so-called return of energy that is supposed to come along with the 2nd trimester.  I'm still waiting on it!

The word cuts came from Gypsy Wanderings.  Aren't they so beautiful and elegant?  The scalloped circle is cut from Elegant Edges.

The pacifier is cut from Baby Steps.

I love the announcement, and it already has all her birth information on it.

The pattern paper is Teresa Collins Chic Bebe Girl.  Gorgeous!

The solid cardstock is Recollections.

I'm also entering this layout in this week's Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #195 Mix and Match and My Craft Spot #124 Polka Dots.

In other EXCITING NEWS...

Friday we had a "Snow Day!"  I think it was more like an ice/sleet day, but hey when you are 50 miles from the Gulf coast, this is a big deal!  I haven't seen it where the ice lasted all day since I was 17.  My kids were so excited.  Now we have had it where it actually snowed and lightly covered all the ground before, but that doesn't usually last long.  It was so strange to look out my window and see "white" collections all over our flower beds and on the rooftops all day long.  My poor plants aren't doing so well. Here are some pictures:

Eating snow...

Some News and Survival Mode

Well it has been about 7 weeks since I was really active on my blog!  Why the long absence? 

Well, my life changed dramatically right before Thanksgiving...in a good way with a little setback along the way.  My husband and I found out we are expecting our FOURTH child.  Saying that still shocks me.  If someone would have told me 8 years ago that I would have four children, I would have never believed it.  We feel blessed beyond measure!  It was such a struggle to get pregnant the first time.  We went through 2 miscarriages and months of nightmare fertility medicine.  But we finally had our first baby girl in February 2007.  It has been a wild ride since with no other fertility issues.  Again, we are blessed!!!
However, with pregnancy for me comes horrible morning, noon, and night sickness.  My poor husband has had to do mostly everything the last 7 weeks.  Sometimes I literally could not sit up because I would have to run to the bathroom or the nearest trash can.  If it wasn't sick, then I was passed out from exhaustion like no other pregnancy before.  I did manage to work; however, I am fortunate to have an easy job working for my husband.  It is not demanding, and I was late and sick on most days.  Looking back, I'm glad I had that to try to get my mind on something other than I how I felt.  
My kids have been such great sports.  They know that with a new baby Mommy sometimes gets very sick.  Our little one, who is almost 2, is such a daddy's girl anyway, so she has really been fine with him doing everything for her.  
So needless to say, this has been a time of survival mode for me.  I have been able to do the essentials in day to day life to get by and take care of my family, but I'm pretty ready to start feeling like myself again.  I am 13 weeks right now, and I usually start feeling better around 14 weeks.  
Crafting, obviously, was put on the very very back burner of life.  When you don't feel good, there are no creative juices flowing!  I slowly feel myself having more of a desire to get back at it though.  My hubby got me such awesome crafty things for Christmas, and I have a brand new Silhouette still sitting in a box!  I know...how could I?  I just have to feel really good to learn something new.
I hope to be posting new projects soon for Bitten by the Bug 2.  Thank you design team ladies for being patient with me and giving me the time I needed to get better!
Until then here's a little picture to share:

Birthday Card with a Number

Hey everybody!  Long time, no blog right?  Well I have a pretty good explanation for my 7 week hiatus, which I will share with you tomorrow.  But before I get to that, I wanted to share with you a project I made for the latest Bitten by the Bug 2 challenge.  A card was an easy way for me to get back into the swing of things.  I must admit flipping through my stacks of paper was enough to get me motivated again.  

For this week's challenge, all you have to do is create a birthday card with a number on it.  Just make sure you tell us what Cricut cartridge you used.  

This card is for my oldest daughter's 7th birthday coming up in February.  

That cute polka dot paper is from an 8.5 x 11 Recollections stack at Michaels.  It is called Rainbow.  It has tons of cute and colorful girly patterns.

Supplies/Details:

Card Base:  Papertrey Ink Plum Pudding cut to make a 5 x 5 card

Recollections Rainbow Pattern Paper Stack

Cupcake cut-Sweet Treats-4 in.

"7"-Cricut Craft Room Basics-cut to fit inside of heart

Sentiment-My Pink Stamper Simply Sweet Occasions

Recollections glitter-Fairy Dust

So I hope you'll join us for the challenge!!