I Died & Went to Heaven!

. . . and the sign over the Pearly Gates said "I-K-E-A". Hooray! It's finally here, and man, was it worth the wait! It is a crafter's paradise! A million different ways to store any of your wonderful stuff! My craft room is relatively new (finished last September) and I have been (im)patiently waiting for Ikea so I could get something to store my stamps in! I bought both of the cupboards in the corner, plus an awesome noticeboard (it's kinda like a white board, but it is made of tempered glass - I love it!).

I finally was motivated to organize my stamp sets and thought I would share my "system" . . .


I have 9 color-coded categories. Using my lovely SU cardstock and a Xyron machine, I created little "dots" to color code each stamp set:

Outdoors/Nature = Pumpkin Pie
Flowers = Garden Green
Holidays = Real Red
Alphabet Sets = Pretty in Pink
Words/Sentiments = Orchid Opulence
Baby/Juvenile = Bashful Blue
Shapes = YoYo Yellow
Backgrounds/Borders = Green Galore
All Occasion = Taken With Teal


It is nearly impossible to pigeonhole every stamp set into a specific category, so to make it easier for myself, I used the basic categories listed, then notated specific sets within each category by writing a letter on some of them. For example, in the Outdoors/Nature category, some sets are notated by Season with and "F" for "Fall", "W" for "Winter" and "Su" for Summer. Likewise, in the "Holiday" category, sets are marked with a "C" for "Christmas", "H" for "Halloween" or "V" for "Valentine's Day". Other subcategories are as follows:

Words/Sentiments marked with an asterisk mean that the set contains words or sentiments that are integrated into a shape, as in "Alphabet Soup" or "All in a Row."

All Occasions sets marked with the letter "T" indicate that the set can be used with a tag/punch made by SU. Sets like "Tags & More", "Little Pieces" and "Circle of Friendship" have a "T" on their sticker.

Also in All Occasions, I have noted "B" for any all-birthday set; "G" for "Get Well" sets; "Fd" for sets containing food images; "V" for vintage-type sets (think "Artifacts"); the number "4" when the set is a "four-season" set, such as "All Through the Year"; and the number "2" when the set has a "companion" set, as in "Loads of Love" and "Loads of Love Accessories".

Whew! That's a lot of info! I've tested myself a few times and seem to be able to find what I am looking for. I forgot to mention that the sets are arranged on the shelves by size, just because I find that more aesthetically pleasing. Each size contains sets from all of the categories.

The noticeboard is going to be so much fun to have in my room. I plan to add a list of things I "need" to order, plus I can use it to list upcoming classes, etc. for my stamp groups! Hooray!


Now I just need to go and stamp something!!

SCS Sketch Challenge Books are Here!!

I kind of have a love/hate relationship with my computer . . . can't live with it, can't live without it! I will not bore y'all with details, but needless to say I killed not one but TWO computers last weekend (veerrrryyy looonnng story!) I've been dying to share something with you, and now that I have at least one working computer, here it is . . .

Remember a few months back when the Color Challenges on SCS reached 100? The prize for the 100th challenge was a lovely book that contained all 100 of the Color Challenges in it. My friends and I "ooohhed" and "aaaahhhed" over how neat it was. Then we got to thinking . . . wouldn't it be great to have a sketch challenge book with the first 100 sketches in it??? We promptly set the idea aside, as it was a little too overwhelming. Well, Shellee, Cheryl and I finally decided to jump in with both feet and make them. We were so pleased with how they were turning out that we decided that they were worth sharing. So, thanks to the creative genius of my dear friends (and a little input from me) here they are!!!








We are offering these books for $49.95 (which includes shipping inside the US - rates for outside the US will be calculated on a order-by-order basis). You may pay with a check, money order or a Pay Pal (non-credit card funded) payment. Checks or money orders can be mailed to:

Wendy Weixler
313 "E" Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84103

Pay Pal payments can be sent via e-mail to ronandwendy85@smartfella.com. Any questions should also be directed to my e-mail.

The covers pictured above are the samples we have made thus far, but we're gonna get creative and switch them up and make new ones, 'cause that sounds more fun!!!

We may be nuts for trying this, but we definitely felt they were fun enough to share!

Just to prove we are witches . . .

This is my dd and I at Halloween when we were BOTH the Wicked Witch of the West back when she was in about 3rd grade! I wear that costume every year (but the wig is itchy!!). She has, unfortunately, outgrown hers . . .

A Little "Pick-Me-Up"

Yet another card for a friend who is having a hard time right now. Life is kinda like that, right? I was going to make chipboard squares to do WT112 on SCS, but then decided it didn't really qualify as using a coaster. The squares I had originally cut I used for this card, which fits in for Sketch Challenge #123. Kinda hard to tell the smaller squares are chipboard from this picture, but they kinda pop off the card . . .

Goofy Getwell

I did this for a friend on SCS (hi, Vicki!). Her son got his tonsils/adenoids out a couple of days ago. I discovered that you CAN run chipboard through the Cuttlebug! Hooray! I sponged the chipboard after it was embossed. I also got to use my new Cricut Disney cartridge! I love Goofy! He is one of my faves . . . This is

also for SCS's "Way to Use it Challenge" #112. I had to incorporate a coaster into my project. Only trouble is, my coasters are "goofy" because they are HUGE ovals! Got them real cheap at a local restaurant!

Whoops!

In all my excitement to get my first post uploaded, I goofed! The paper I used was NOT from the SAB Scrappin' Kit - it was from the Hostess Scrappin' Kit! My bad! That'll learn me to proofread and think, eh??

Blogging, blogging everywhere!

I can't believe I have finally taken the plunge! I am always amazed and in awe of the wonderful things I have seen/learned on the blogs of others. I hope to be able to reciprocate by putting in my 2 cents' worth! Tune in, as you never know what may show up!

This is a card I was inspired to do by a (gasp!) store-bought card my darling daughter gave to me a little early for Mother's Day (thanks, Amelia!). I did it for SCS Sketch Challenge #122. I used paper from SU's really great SAB "Friends and Flowers" Scrappin Kit. All of the little squares are 1". I then added a little "bling" using some stickles (don'tcha love those??). I also couldn't resist using my Cuttlebug (I used the
"Tiny Mosaics" ef). I may have to try this layout again, as it was really fun!