Monday 16 July 2012

How do you store yours??? The results!

Hello friends,
So I've finally put together all the info from my post asking about die storage.
I do eventually get to all these things... :)

You may recall that my storage is simply applying some magnetic tape to the inside of the Spellbinders packaging and popping the dies on to them.
Now to lots of brilliant ideas.

Firstly Michelle - she uses magnets too.
Michelle says: "It's a photo album (pages measure 8inch square) which I've put magnetic paper in -cut down from A4 sheets. I have little tabs on the right hand side with a picture on so I know where to find each die.  Its handy if you go to friends or craft club as its easy to move around."

Next Linda who has sent along a few photos with a superb details.
 Linda says: "I find this way so much easier as it is space saving, each pocket is easily identifiable and it's really inexpensive.  The pockets were under £3 for 50 and the box was £3.  The label card was from my offcuts stash and the only real expense was the magnetic sheets, but even these I can stretch out to save money.   I usually manage to cut EACH sheet up to accommodate at least 9sets of label dies or 6-7 sets of Motif or Accents.  The other big benefit to this storage is that I can also store a card cut-out of each of the dies in the pocket too.  First this allows me to see the actual shape and size of each of the dies but also it allows me to play with mixing and matching different dies together.  Now I can pull out a few different styles and sizes and see which ones look good together or fit together perfectly before actually cutting and possible wasting my good card.

 I identify my dies in two ways: the first is to put a label with the manufacturers number and name on it (you can always hand write this if you don't have a labelling machine) and the second is to group together similar dies.  For instance on the left I have Ovals, Circles, Squares and Rectangles (these will include all the simple Label shapes and the fancy filigree ones).  On the right I have all the foliage and flowers together,  then Tags, buckles etc and next will be the Motifs and coordinating Accents and so on.  I can now find any die I want in seconds without having to flick through them all or having to look through a list to find their position.

Next is Norma.
 Norma says: "I put them on a magnetic sheet and store them in a plastic wallet.  Which does make this easy when I take them to the crop I go."
 I can see how convenient these wallets are, great idea.
Next is Joanna. Wow look at this!
 Joanna says:  "Some time ago my brother-in-law changed the name of his videography business and therefore had a couple of those magnetic advertising signs you put on your car doors going spare. You know as a crafter that you can’t let anything be thrown away and nor can you resist a bargain. 
Also, a sister of mine was re-vamping her kitchen and she had all this wire racking which she no longer wanted so that arrived in my craft room too. My DH mounted the racking on what bit of wall was free of cupboards and shelving and I hung the magnetic sheets on there with cable ties 
(my crop-a-dile punched holes in them like they were butter!)"
What a brilliant way to see all your dies and just grab them as and when you need to.

Thank you so much for sending across your photos.
I'm about to reorganise my dies in the studio so this has been truly helpful.
Back tomorrow friends.  Take care.

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Christine, what great ideas on storing dies, some food for thought there. Will have to think on best way to store my dies as I seem to always see one I want and my collection is growing.

Wilma

Carole Z said...

Hi Christine, I can't believe I missed the request for storage photos when reading your blog on a daily basis! I store mine on magnetic sheets in CD wallets, with the picture from the packaging & keep them in CD boxes labelled by type of die, e.g. floral, Christmas..Grand dies are in magnetic sheets in wallets in a ring binder,
Carole Z X

Elizabeth said...

Morning Christine, yes some great ideas there and has got me thinking.
Thank you for sharing.
Have a great Monday, bet you will as you won't be at work today - well not in the city - but will in your little studio I guess.
Elizabeth x

melanie said...

Some great Ideas for storing dies must really get mine sorted .Melanie

Bea said...

HI Christine - I am just in the process of re ordeing mine after watching Julia describe how she does it on C&C as i previously had them in magnetic folders but ran out of space - -some great ideas on your post

Lucycat said...

Hi Christine Some really good ideas for storing the dies it's really got me thinking. x.

Sue Yorkshire said...

Some great ideas for storing dies.

I keep mine in cd or video cases for the larger dies I use magnetic card inside and I put the picture from the packaging in the case

It's the grand dies that I have a problem with storage

Xxxx

lydia jordan said...

Morning Christine.
Boy! wish I had that many dies to store but I do add when I can.
I now keep mine in magnetic sheets in the original package and in a lock & lock box, got them organised just recently.
Have a good day everyone.
Lydia
X

nattyboots said...

Hi Christine two heads are better than one so they say and these great ideas prove it ,

Hope you have a good day
Take Care Elaine H X

Redanne said...

Hi Christine, wow, there are some great hints and tips in today's post. Some people are so well organised! I must get a wiggle on and do something with mine, I get so cross when I can't find something I want.........this has given me the kick start that I needed. Thank you so much. Enjoy your day at your lovely studio. Crafty hugs, Anne x

hazel young said...

Morning Christine some great ideas on here xx hazel

hazel young said...

Morning Christine some great ideas on here xx hazel

Sarah said...

Some amazing ideas on here Christine!

Sarah x

AnneRD said...

Great ideas, must get my small collection sorted. Thanks to all who sent in pictures of their storage solutions. Anne x

Cazann49 said...

Hi Christine, spoilt for choice now! I keep mine in original packing on strips of magnetic sheet, but all kept in a plymsol bag..will have to organize them better cos have to sift through them all when want something! Thanks for some great ideas from everyone..:)..xx

Planetsusie said...

Hi Christine from a soggy Nottingham. I thought I had let you know how I stored my dies - I did say 'thought' cos I think I put it on another blog! That's me for you!! I store mine on magnetic sheets, then put them in A5 binders in plastic wallets. Each page is numbered and so is each binder. There are 20 wallets to a binder and I have 12 binders - think I am obsessive. I also cut a sample of each die and keep them in cello bags in a shoe box - each one is labelled with the binder number and sheet number. This means I can try the diecut on a card to see whether it 'fits'.

Hugs Sue P xx

Craftychris said...

What fab ideas! Thank you for sharing xx

lritchie said...

Great ideas ladies! I'm so jealous, I only have a few dies at this point!

nmty said...

Hi christine, sorry for the late post, some really great ideas here, linda looks to be a suberbly organised crafter, I still have a way to go for that. I am now thinking on how best to store my small collections of grand dies.
lv norma

Diane said...

I just came from a fun Friday at Joan's Gardens, and her designer and friend Selma was there, she showed us the neatest way she stres her dies....I went out and bought it all, came right home and did it..it uses the Martha Stewart sheet protectors from Staples and the $12.99 binder also, they buys magnetic vent covers from Home Depot and cuts them to fit inside....the sheet protectors have pockets, one has 4, one has 2 and one is one page for the bigger dies, and the protectors have little flaps so everything stays put...its the best I have seen yet...I LOVE it!!

Pauline99 said...

I really love Linda's idea and would love to know what those pockets are called.
I did start to organise my dies by doing kind of what you are doing but I covered the insides with black paper to cover the writing and give a neat finsh then cut the shape in white copy paper and stuck to one side of the folder then laminated the folder open and then folded it and run it back thought the laminator to give a crisp fold and applied my magnetic sheet to one size. It works very well but it took ages if you have the amount of die I have. I even bought a low rolling trolly to store them in. But I buy them to fast so i cant keep up.lol

Loving your work studio it's so crisp and clean and not messy like my room.lol
Hope you get everything in there soon.

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