Not a Collections Collector....

Years ago, when home stamp parties were popular, companies would sell their collections - ink pads with matching markers, with matching card stocks, with matching ribbons.... and so it goes. But once I began card making using only one company products was not for me... I found over the years I would buy ink pads from different companies, embossing powders from different companies, etc.. But when it came to storing them .... keep like brands together?? keep like colours together?? So for me it made sense to keep these things from the same manufacturer together... Great idea until you needed to look for a certain ink pad in a certain colour or whatever...

Just saw the new craft room reveal on YouTube from Lisa Mensing on her channel "Confetti and Cards".  I watched her video and when she showed her ink pad storage - CLICK - this system would definitely work for me in my craft room! I ordered the eye shadow holders she uses from Amazon and they arrived today and I went right to work..... In her video she also uses the three section clear trays from Dollar Tree in her drawers - with me recently reorganizing my craft room I had two of those trays that I could use in my drawers but I also had lots of plastic white baskets I could put to use. Happily I had one roll left of the non slip foam liner for drawers so I was able to use what I already had on hand to line the drawers. 

To start with I took everything out of the drawers and wiped them down and cut my foam liner to size. The drawers I am using for this new organization are not all the same size as you will see in the photos - but they worked and I love this new system -- Lisa keeps her ink pads and embossing powders and such of same colours in her drawers. For my drawers I have my greens and blues -- ink pads and embossing powders:

Reds and pinks:

Yellows and oranges:

Purples and browns:

Blacks and grays:

For my gold embossing powders I put those in with the yellows and for the silver embossing powders I put those in with the blacks and grays. I have one holder and dish in that drawer for my metallic silver and gold inks by Delicata and I also have those re-inkers in there with sponges I use for those inks as well. 

For my white and clear embossing powders I am still working on that drawer - needing to gather up more smaller baskets for that drawer so that should be finished tomorrow I hope. A BIG thanks to Lisa Mensing for her sharing this idea -- it is a game changer for me for sure -- the other inks I have are Close To My Heart and SU but I have holders I bought for those. In the drawers are ink pads from Simon Says, Memento, Simon Hurley, (just bought a few of those on sale), Catherine Pooler, and other random companies. I could have used this system when I was stenciling all the backgrounds on my Easter cards to help locate all the colours I have available to use -- so happy this came together and can't wait to put it to good use!! (Simon Hurley has done a video in the past talking about storing ink pads on their sides rather than flat and he suggests checking with a manufacturer if you are concerned about the side storing - as for his ink pads he stores his brand and all the distress inks he owns on their sides as well with no problems). 

Glad I saw her video and hope to finish this project up tomorrow after work for weekend crafting ahead!