Hello everyone! It's so good to be back to share a little tip on how I store my die-cuts. Each month after going through at the GraceBox kit I received, I will try to arrange all the products in one corner so I can keep grabbing them when I'm doing my projects. I enjoy having all the products I will be working for that particular month right in front of me.
It is true that when I look at them, not only inspiration will pour but I'll actually use them on my project. Once that month is done, I'll put all aside and prepare for the new kit to arrive.
I love die cuts so much - I even have some collections I have been hoarding that I'm finally putting to use! I interchange using the word "ephemera" and "die cuts" since they fall into the same category for me. I like to have all of my die cuts in one place so they are easily accessible. I use a small container to house plastic CD sleeves I purchased online. To keep them organized, I cut off the back part of the packaging and place it in the sleeve to help me quickly see what pieces are in the collection.
I love this system because it limits how many die cuts I can store at a time (although I do have one more of these containers but it doesn't have anything in it yet!). I also love that I can grab one or even a few of the CD sleeves to pack up with me if I want to craft on the go.
Xxo, Tara
Hey This is Jennie! My Die Cut Storage system is pretty simple. For my Citrus Twist Kits Die Cuts I use a plastic organizer I got at Dollar Tree. Every month I get my kit and divide the die cuts into labels, words and phrases, little sprinkle shapes like hearts or stars, tags and other not so common shapes. This way I can find the die cut I want easily!
Once I am done with my kit that month I move my leftovers to a bigger organizer. In that box, I have more specific categories. I have 3 spaces for words: fancier words, single words or small phrases and regular size phrases. I also have 3 spaces for labels: CTK style label, small labels and long labels. In that bigger box I have tags, script words, circles, stars and other shapes. For collection die cuts I use CD plastic sleeves. I have some random die cuts that go into my embellishments drawers that are divided by colors. I hope this helps you get organized!
When it comes to die cut or ephemera storage my approach is a bit scattered! Typically I like to keep sets together—not organize them by design, theme or color. Most time die cuts come in nice resealable baggies that I can just label, if not, I just put them in one.
I tend to have a paper kit or collection that I am working with for the week. I leave that out on my desk so I can find everything easily. I love putting the ephemera in trays so I can see what I have. For example, the Grace Box kit for June is bursting with bright colors, florals and the cutest flamingos!
I have a few ceramic containers in different sizes. I love using the colored trays as props for photos too. The pink tray is a cupcake pan that I found at a garage sale for .25 cents and spray painted it pink! The heart tin is vintage from my antique kitchen collection. Finding fun pieces at thrift stores & auctions is one of my things to do!
Many times I have one or two pieces left from a collection or set and they don’t have a home—they end up in here. A little box that I can quickly pull something out random and use. If I write a little thank you note or need to make a card quick– I look here. You never know what treasures are still hiding. My crafty five year old also loves to dig through it. She knows not to touch any other supplies, but the box is fair game!
I used to keep the sets of
ephemera in a binder but it was too full and hard to pull out. I have recently
switched to putting them in this 2 foot tall organizer from Hobby Lobby. It has
12 sections that I can stack packets of die cuts and have some loose too. I
love it. I just spin it around and find what I need. It is helpful to have the
pieces out so you don’t forget what you have. I do need to purge it soon, I
have tooooo many!
I recently saw a sign that
said, “I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually
using them are two separate hobbies.” I love
that! My goal this summer should be to be better organized and start using more
of my beautiful papers & pieces. I hope this has given you an idea or two
that you could use. Try different things and find the perfect thing for you
space & your style of crafting!
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It's always so fun setting how the Design Team stores all their goodies! How do your store your die-cuts? We would love to see/hear (leave a post on the Facebook Fanpage!).
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Helpful tips. Thank you!
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