Today I am thankful for Pinterest.....

I'm not showing you one of completed 30 Days of Thankful pages today as I wanted to show you how I took a Pinterest pin and created washi tape and journaling card storage and organization.

The pin below is from the blog "A Bowl Full of Lemons".  If you are into organization, planners, office supplies, etc then you need to check out this blog.

I thought this was a really clever idea to use dowels and 3M Command hooks to create washi storage.  I then took it a step further......

 Office supplies you may already have on hand.

 3M Command Center General Purpose Wire Hooks

3 hooks per package

Holds 1/2 pound

(Disclaimer:  I am not a paid spokesperson for 3M/Command products)

 I already had the dowels so it was just a matter of attaching the hooks to the wall so that the dowel fit on the hooks properly.  Super easy.  Totally my style!  My washi tape looks really pitiful.  I have more. Somewhere. I have to track it down.  I had two rolls that were much bigger that did not fit on the dowel.

 Since I knew I would not need the second dowel for washi tape I came up with this idea.  I put the clips on the rings and slid them onto the dowels.

 I've got six on there to start with.

I plan to add more after I use this for awhile.  I 

find it helpful to live with something to see how it

works first and then add to it over time.  As you can

see I have a package of buttons clipped on, several different types of journaling cards and 2 stamp

sets that are an odd size and don't fit with the rest of my stamp storage.  I use them for my Project Life pages.

This dowel is next to the table where I work on my Project Life album and I think this will be a great way to put items out on display and  actually put them into my albums.

I also have to give credit to Big Picture Classes and their Organizing FUNdamentals class that I took earlier this year.  Thanks to that class (and Wendy & Aly, the instructors) I have an organized, albeit messy, craft room that I enjoy being in.  I think about space differently and how to use/repurpose things for organizational purposes.  If I hadn't taken Organizing FUNdamentals I probably would not have paid attention to the Pinterest pin at the top of this post.  

Do you enjoy Pinterest?  Have you made or completed projects that you have pinned?

Keeping things organized

I struggle with this every week!  This is about as good as my tables get when I'm actively working on projects.  If you look at the top photo of the previous post you'll see what it looked like after I finished the Organizing FUNdamentals class at Big Picture Classes in the spring.
Since then I've completed a Pinterest project - the yellow stand that my adhesives and corner rounders are sitting on.  Not sure yet if this is how I'm going to use these piece long term - getting a feel for how to use it best.  I love the extra yellow accent color it brings to my room.
I've also added the long divided piece I found at an antique store for all my ProjectLlife cards, washi tape, date stamps, etc.  All it needed was some cleaning up as it was already black on the outside and grey on the inside.  My walls are grey, furniture is white or black and storage containers and baskets are yellow.  I feel so happy when I walk into this room!
The yellow plastic bin on the right in the photo is where I keep my photos and memorabilia ready to go into my Project Life album which is laid out.  This is working pretty well for me.  I'm not current with my album (rarely am) because I'm out enjoying summer life and doing the things on my Summer Bucket List.  This happens every year and I'll get caught up in the fall and winter.
What are your tips for staying organized andkeeping projects moving along?
Watch for my next post...I'll be sharing some exciting news!

What I've been up to in 2013

So here is a peek at what I've been up to in 2013!

After Finding Photo Freedom began in February I took Organizing FUNdamentals at Big Picture Classes (BPC).  I thought that I would just clean out a few things and get my craft room in shape for the rest of the year.  We ended up removing EVERYTHING from the room, repairing & painting the walls and woodwork, and washing the floors!  That was a crazy few weeks as all my craft stuff and furniture resided in other areas of the house.  But it was so worth it - I have a craft room that I really, really love and enjoy - although its not as neat and tidy as the top photo suggests.

Being a coach for Stacy Julian's Finding Photo Freedom (FPF) class was an amazing experience but left little time for anything else.  I'm hoping to be asked to coach again later this year for either FPF or another class that Stacy is developing.  More on that once I hear.

The third photo is my Summer Bucket List.

Fourth photo shows canvases of an art class I was able to take as part of a research project at University of Buffalo.  I'll talk more about this in a future post.

A 3 day stay in Erie, PA at the Bayfront.  In the distance is Presque Isle.  I love being on the water - ANYWHERE!

Next 2 photos are Pinterest projects I completed this summer.

Another trip to Presque Isle.

Next three photos are three different events in Bemus Point on Chautauqua Lake including one of three art shows (in various places) we've been to so far this summer.

I started this blog post with the intention of updating my small but loyal group of readers with what I have been up to but two other results have occurred:

1) I am pleasantly reminded that I've had a very busy and fun summer so far.  I almost always feel like all I do is work so this was a great reminder that I do lots of fun things to!

2)  I've got some great layout ideas as I created this blog post!

I hope you take the time to review your year to date and remember all the good things in your life!

What have they been?