Today’s What’s on Your Workdesk Wednesday finds me reorganizing my organizing. (Read on, it will make perfect sense. *** grin***)
You can click on any of the photos to make them bigger, by the way.
Once upon a time a while back when I realized I had amassed a pretty good collection of dies, it seemed to important to find a way to catalog them so, a) I would know what I had when I went to work on a project, and be) so I wouldn’t buy duplicates.
Here’s the system I developed: In order to keep your dies and embossing folders straight, first cut each one out of white cardstock. (This is a great way to use the white inserts that come with your page protectors.) Then mount them on 12″ x 12″ sheets of black cardstock. The embossed pieces are colored with a little ink to make the design more clear. These are then slipped into page protectors and clipped together for easy reference.
When I first started this system, my goal was to fit as many samples as possible on each sheet. Like this:
However, I’ve found it can be hard to really see what’s there. So now not only am I giving each die more space of its own, but I’m visually separating them with 1/4″ strips of cardstock.
Also, keeping the different types of dies on different sheets is helpful. So each of the Tim Holtz Alterations dies has its very own quarter sheet. All the long strip dies (like the film strip) are on their own sheet and all the embossing folders are together. The Spellbinders are all on one sheet, too.
The final step in keeping track of your dies & embossing folders is to photograph the sheets and make a print out to keep in your purse. Here are six sheets all together which prints nicely on a standard 8.5″ x 11″ sheet.
(The red, green and yellow strips let me know which size of Sizzix die to look for, as their large are red, medium are yellow and small ones are green.)
So, whaddya think? Do I need to buy more?
Happy creating (and organizing!)
Btw, this week’s (and every week’s) What’s on Your Workdesk Wednesday is brought to you by the wonderful Julia. Through her blog you can visit the workdesks of other creative people from around the world. You just might find yourself inspired.
I can see why you have to catalogue your dies having that many. I just rely on memory. Goodness knows what will happen if I lose that!!!
Hugs Joanne #50
Lovely way to organise your dies – my friend uses this system too – I have mine in a similar fashion but all on tags on a large book ring – saying that its really out of date so I should get round to adding my new ones on it. Lovely tidy desk you have there too! Thanks for sharing. Sunshine Girl – No 4
Lovely way to organise your dies – my friend uses this system too – I have mine in a similar fashion but all on tags on a large book ring – saying that its really out of date so I should get round to adding my new ones on it. Lovely tidy desk you have there too! Thanks for sharing.
That’s my big problem, not bothering to record new purchases. Maybe I just shouldn’t buy any more, but use what I’ve got, eh? 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
thank you for the tip, that is a great idea, I am always forgetting what I have, probably more with stamps than dies though! Although the rate I am buying them it will no doubt happen with those too!
happy WOYWW! Debxx #92
Hi Deb, I’ve got a system for organizing my stamps, too. I’ll share that soon. 😉
Well, colour you organised! What a lot of work! I’m still in memory mode…I can’t tell you what I’ve got, but I can stand in a shop and tell you what I haven’t!! ANd yes, I guess you do NEED more!!
That’s pretty good, Julia. I can’t remember if it’s one I wanted, or if I really did finally buy it.
Hi there and thanks for the peek into your creative zone. It looks like there is loads going on so thanks for sharing. Hope you have a brilliant week and have plenty of creative time!
Neil #23
Now that’s what I call organised! It’s brilliant. It also looks extremely decorative! You could make artwork out of your catalogue pages! Well done indeed! Happy belated WOYWW, Shoshi #61