Tuesday 28 May 2013

Scrapbooking Tuesday - Tutorial - Storing Thin Dies - 500th Post!

Hello Friends

Blinkin' 'eck Peeps!  When I went to write yesterday's post up I realised that my next post (i.e. today's) was going to be my 500th post on this here Blog!  Wow!  I cannot believe that so many of you have tuned in to my Blog (that is an old saying isn't it!) and read my waffles.  So Thank You to everyone who visits me.  Also, a huge Thank You to my Followers, including my very newest one, Karen.  If you didn't follow me, then I would not post here!  Hmmn!  Not sure that quite sounds right!

Well, it is Tuesday today and as most of you know, I usually do a scrapbooking post today.  However, I thought I would kinda twist this slightly and show you how I am have now turned an old safety deposit box into a storage box for my thin dies.


I don't know how you store all your thin dies, but mine were growing quite rapidly and because of the different boxes they all come in, I had them dotted around my room in various boxes, drawers and baskets, which was not good.  If I wanted to take them anywhere I had to remember where they all were and then try and pack them carefully.  I needed a good solution.  




So I emptied this tin of the lace it was holding, bought some magnetic sheets (A4) and cut them in half and popped them into the said tin.  Eureka I thought!!  However, when trying to lift the sheets they would bend and then some dies would come loose.  I needed them to be stiffened! (Don't be rude now! No viagra involved here!)







So then my album making skills came into use.  I cut some chipboard to the required size (taking into account the lock at the front of the tin!!  







Covered them with scrapbooking papers that have lain in drawers for a loooooong time and/or were in my Snippets box.  Then rounded the corners off with my corner rounderer.

I made some tags with my Memory Keepers tag punch, scoring and folding the card and cutting them out with the punch just below the top blade so they would be folded.




This way they would fold over the top of the "page" instead of having to adhere two separate tags together.  Then using the clear stickers that came with the punch I adhered the tags to the top of the "pages".  Red is Sizzix, Black if Paperartsy, Purple is Spellbinders, Turquoise is Memory Box and Blue is Quickutz.  Other dies also available!

I rounded off the magnetic sheets, again using the corner rounderer.

Then using hi tac redline adhesive I adhered the magnetic sheet to the "page.SHINY SIDE UP!

Tee Hee.  This sheet is so shiny I can see my reflection!













Then the task of placing my dies to the pages.  



And here are the pages in the box.  The tape you can see in the top is also magnetic and came out of the DVD type boxes I bought as a potential solution.  By adhering these to the top of the tin, I can just place the dies on there as I am using them ready to be put back once I have finished which means I don't play that "where did that die go" game in amongst the papers as you are using them!

You will notice that I have placed tags on the top left with the die numbers on for easy reference (and avoiding duplicate buying).  Next time I get my dies out and use them, I will cut extras and place on the pages for easy reference too.

All I need to do now is to decorate the box.  That is another project for the future!

I do hope this has given you an idea for your die storage.  I will share with you the fact that before I went to the trouble of covering the pages, I did cut the chipboard and place between the sheets a few weeks ago to check I was going to be happy with this idea first!  Having bought DVD cases and magnetic tape which did not work for me (they kept coming unstuck and flipping to the opposite page) I wanted to make sure I was happy with my idea first!

Thank you for calling by.  I shall pop this over to the Playground as there are lots of Snippets used here (and I am desperate for the SD stamps on offer this week in the draw), as well as recycling the tin which was destined for the bin in work, so is a kinda Snippet!  I keep hoping I can find more of these tins, but a load were binned not long before I started!  Typical!

Hugs

Hettie






10 comments:

Mrs A. said...

Most ingenious. Had a good rummage amongst your dies . Snaffled a few for myself. Hugs mrs A.

Karen Petitt said...

A fabulous dedicated die storage - the boxes would have been great for all types of storage - embellishments, lace, ribbon etc but I love how you've used them for your dies. I will have to decorate my empty washing tablets box. Thank you for welcoming me to your blog - very happy to be here lol! Karen x

Sarn said...

GREAT idea Sam. I use magnetic knife racks from IKEA for my dies. Got 3 of them but need more!

I KNEW you'd be after those Sheena Douglas stamps over at the Playground . . . .better get snippeting then and make 3 posts! xxxx

Kyla said...

Love the box. I store mine in a similar way, I made a folder with rings and mount board covered with cheap magnetic sheets.....takes up very little room and seems to work.
Looking forward to Saturday.

Kyla

lisa said...

Happy 500th birthday Hettie, you are looking good on it!!!
Love the die storage idea. I have something similar. They need to be all in one place otherwise you never use them do you?
Hope you had a great Bank Holiday.
Hugs Lisax

scrappymo! said...

Congrats on reaching 500!

Great storage idea...I do something quite similar...and i agree that it is so nice to just grab the box and go.
Makes packing for a crop so much easier. One day i didn't have any projects packed up so I grabbed some 6 x 6 card stock pads. my dies and bigshot and kept busy all day, cutting dies.

Best part of your idea is that the box didn't cost you anything and you can decorate it up as you please!
Will be waiting for that post.

Hey better make 3 cards soon cuz I think you will like this weeks prize in the playground!

MaryH said...

Great idea here. And thanks for showing the bit about the tag tops. I'm currently changing mine from CD/DVD cases (yes, the dies would fall about!) that I had to hunt through. I'm trying to combine 'like' dies in a specific bin, label the bin, etc. I really did like your idea of colored labels for the mfg though. Might be a good thing to try with catalog EF's too. Another chore to be done. Can't wait to see your storage box when you get it all decorated. I'm not that ambitious...so my artbins will stay plain ole plastic boxes! Hmm, maybe I can offer all the empty cd/dvd cases as giveaways????You think???LOL. Hugs & TFS

Words and Pictures said...

Very clever and very orderly... look forward to seeing how the outside ends up! You'll spot a familiar biscuit tin if you're round my way any time soon... thank you for the tip.
Alison x

Di said...

Brilliant Sam! I don't know how I managed before I did similar with A4 magnetic sheets, punched heavy duty plastic pouches and a sturdy four ring binder.

I guess I have a lot less dies than you - mine are listed on a sheet in the front of the binder - with the little images from the packets glued beside them!

And you used snippets! Yay!

Hugs, Di xx

Di said...

Meant to say - have a fabulous time tomorrow honey!! Did you know I can't be there? SIGH.

Say hi to one and all for me please - and a cupcake would be nice too, you choose :)

Hugs, Di xx