Weekend Inspiration: Memo Boards

On my cyber travels this week I came across some awesome memo boards for the home and craft spaces. And I figured I'd share the inspiration with you!

Quick note before we get started: check out the next post for BLOG CANDY and an exciting announcement.

Check out this budget friendly memo board - a repurposed drawer! A piece of galvanized metal was cut to fit the inside and it was covered with wall paper. I love how it creates a little shelf at the bottom too.

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

Who would think to use a baby's crib to create a memo board? Not me, but Ashley and Jamin over at The Handmade Home did. And they even created a tutorial to show how's it's done.


I love these elegant silver trays used to post reminders and artwork!

Source: Mechant Design

Ashley Ann from Under the Sycamore shows how to make this fun chicken wire memo board in a great tutorial on her blog.


Don't these burlap boards look like expensive pieces from Pottery Barn? They are in fact pieces of cork wrapped in burlap, stapled on the back, then decorated with nail heads.

Source: iVillage

I saved my favorite for last. Rebecca Sower uses the back of a vintage basket as memo or inspiration board in her studio - this makes me swoon :)

Source: Flickr

Happy weekend and remember to sign up for the blog candy in the next post!

Ali

Weekend Inspiration - Ribbon Storage

Happy weekend! I've got some more storage ideas to share with you - this week I've been looking at ribbon.


Personally, I store mine in the jars (above) and in vintage wooden boxes (below).


Here are some more ingenious ribbon and twine storage methods that caught my eye. Enjoy!

Cathe from Just Something I Made created this fantastic storage item from an old yard stick, cup hooks and drapery rings.

Check out this cool way to store a ball of twine - a sugar dispenser!

Source: Whisker Graphics

KraftyBuns wraps her ribbon around manila tags from the office supply store. What a great inexpensive storage method!

Michelle Allen from Close 2 My Heart created this great ribbon holder from an old crate. Check out the step-by-step instructions on her blog.

Here's my favorite: Mamie Jane uses paint sticks and rulers to organize her lace and trim. I love it!

Last but not least, how much fun is this straw dispenser?

Source: All People Quilt

Have you come across an unusual or neat way to store ribbon? Send me an email with a link or leave a comment and I'll include them in next inspiration week's post.

Ali

Weekend Inspiration - more storage ideas

Happy weekend everyone! We're waiting for hurricane Irene to hit us here on the East Coast. Lots of rain so far, no wind yet, but we're bracing ourselves! We've put away everything in the yard and are sitting it out at home. So while I'm stuck inside, I thought I'd share some more imaginative storage ideas I found this week.

Amy Powers created this adorable suitcase to house her craft supplies - isn't it just to die for! She shows how she made it step-by-step on her blog.



And another adorable suitcase was spotted over at Grey Likes Wedding. Now, I just need to find a cute vintage suitcase to repurpose!


This next item made me squeal - how much fun is it to store supplies in a brush like this? Better than cleaning with it!

Source: Fitzsu

And here's another one that left me speechless - why not put your pencils in a vintage cheese grater?

Source: Rae Rae Sisters

The glitter season will be upon us soon! Arlette at Polka Dot Pineapple stores hers in salt and pepper shakers - how clever and pretty is that?

Here's a way to use those cute ice cube trays that the kids make us buy at the store, then it's impossible to the ice cubes out of them. Instead of letting them gather dust in the cupboard, you could use them store little doodads on your desk. I bet your kids would love to use them too!

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

This last piece of inspiration isn't exactly a storage item, but it sure is pretty! Tina from Sweet Floweret decided to pretty up the trash cans in her home with this fun trash bag holder. She has a tutorial on her blog if you want to create some too.

Thanks for stopping by - have a wonderful weekend. Stay warm and dry if you're in the path of the hurricane!

Ali

Weekend Inspiration - Clever Storage

I've been looking at a lot of different craft spaces to get ideas for my new studio. Thank you to those of you sent me links to various sites - they were fab! On my internet travels I've come across some really fun, innovative storage solutions and I thought I'd share some with you today.

Here's my #1 favorite - using colorful colanders to store your bits and bobs. I bet you could spray paint some plain ones instead of paying a premium for colored ones.

Source: Ellesstudio

Jenny Harris uses this mug rack to store scissors and a cup cake holder for embellishments. I love it!

Source: Allsorts

This next idea is genius - Maureen Wong stores her Copic markers in plastic cups and a wine rack - seriously!

Source: My CASE Studies

Here's another real favorite of mine because it's from a flea market. Who would think to use a bird cage to store crafting supplies?

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

Soup cans and a cookie sheet were used to make this funky storage unit. I'd better start drinking more soup!

Source: HGTV

I hope you enjoyed this bit of weekend inspiration. Now to get organizing!

First Card from New Studio

I finally made a card today in my new studio. It still looks like a bomb site, so no pictures yet....but I did manage to clear a small space to make a thank you card for my buddy Sharon. She has the patience of saint putting up with me while I took a 6 month+ sabbatical from Gingersnaps.


I unearthed the current Technique Junkies newsletter and tried a technique called Back-to-Back. It involves stamping 3 different background stamps in various shades of ink. I used a background from Rogue Redhead's Relish Reading, a script from Hero Arts and finally a postmark stamped several times because I couldn't find quite the right large stamp for the final layer. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up!


My daughter and I are going on another field trip to Ikea tomorrow to get some final bits and pieces for my studio. Here's a sneak peek of how it's coming along:


Have a wonderful day!

Ali

Studio Madness

I've decided to move my studio to another room in the house - my daughter and I are switching rooms. We're at the stage where we looking at each other asking "what were we thinking?". But we know it's going to be worth it, we just need to live in chaos a little longer.

Here's a picture of about half of the contents of my studio on our sunroom. The other half is in our dining room - you can imagine how delightful our home looks right now :(


On a cheerier note - check out these awesome new stamps from Rogue Redhead - Beach Babes. I have them sitting amidst the chaos waiting to be mounted and inked - I can't wait.


As I redesign my studio, does anyone care to share some links to pictures of their studio or ones you may have come across on the web? Please leave any links in the comments - thanks!

Ali