my stamp studio

Welcome to my studio! It is on the second floor of our house in an extra bedroom. It gets lots of light! There's a big oak tree in front that blocks a little of the light, but I don't mind at all because I get to see and hear birds while I'm playing around!

I share the room with my husband Jason -- one half is all mine, and the other half has two desks put together that hold our computers. A note on the size -- the part of the room with my studio is 12.5 feet by 4 feet, not counting the rack of ribbon that's hanging on another wall.

I love being up here when he's using the computer and I'm stamping. We talk and listen to music -- and I bug him to give me opinions on things. Such as -- do you like this ribbon better or that one? He's pretty good at helping me make up my mind! :-)

Everything is from IKEA in Houston, Texas, unless noted otherwise. I love that store -- wish they would put one closer to Austin, it's a 3.5 hour journey for us!

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	We'll start the tour with my desk and what's on it -- since it's the center of my studio universe! I love this desk! I don't think they make it anymore, but they may have similar ones. I put 5 coats of polyurethane on it, but the area where I use it the most has worn through! The desk is sitting right in front of a bay window. I usually have the blinds up, but it was too bright for the camera.
	The hutch part of the desk is one of my favorite parts. The left side actually spins around, so I have 4 times the storage space there! First side has all my adhisive type things -- glue, tape, staples, etc. Second side has shrink plastic. Third side has stipple brushes. One drawer has pop dots, and the other is crammed with raffia. You know how unruly that stuff can be! Fourth side is a magnetic whiteboard! It has works in progress, tests, scraps, etc. The magnets are made from coins from travels around the world -- some are from friends. Right now I have coins from France, Italy (both before the Euro), Belize, Mexico, Canada and New Zealand. Also have the state quarters from Ohio and Pennsylvania. Here's how I make the coin magnets -- I got this roll of magnetic tape at Michael's -- it has adhesive on one side and a magnet on the other. I cut the magnet to fit the coin, and stick the adhisve side to it -- and viola, a magnet!
	I love having these paper trays right on my desk.
	Scissors, colored pencils, etc. These wooden boxes were in a shelf unit, I use the shelf to store punches -- you can see them in the bookshelf picture below!
	On top of the hutch I have storage for all the little things! The wooden drawers hold eyelets, stickers, fibers, brads, quilling paper, buttons, glitter, and more! The labels are actually for those cardboard magazine holders, but I glued them on. Stamped the contents using a Hero Arts alphabet set. The metal drawers have ribbon, tags, neat strings, etc. Got it in the garden section -- it's really meant to hold seed packages.
	Under my desk is an Iris cart with all of my ink -- pretty handy! Top drawer has Colorbox, second one has Memories, next one has Brilliance and Fresco, then misc! I put the re-inkers in the same drawer as the ink.
	I love to use old clementine boxes to hold scraps of paper. (If you've never had a clementine, you're missing out! They're kinda like a cross between a tangerine and an orange. Mmmm!) I have one that holds colored cardstock, one for white cardstock, and a third one for patterned paper.
	This is my main stamp collection -- it's right by my desk for easy access! I have them grouped by categories -- flowers, leaves, background stamps, alphabet sets, sayings, critters, and misc! The storage containers are from Rubbermaid, got them at Target.
	Here's my other set of Rubbermaid storage containers. Top has holiday stamps -- mostly Christmas, but there's also Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, etc. Other drawers have embroidery floss/sewing supplies, Microfleur for drying flowers, acrylic paints, watercolor paints in tubes, etc. The basket on the floor holds works in progress, and my Fiskars cutter is propped up against the storage containers. I usually use it while sitting on the floor. :-)
	Racks of ribbon! These are made from dowel rods and curtain rod holders. Underneath is a mini-clothesline for holding finished cards or cards that need to dry.
	Bookshelf -- warning, this is a large picture, but there's lots going on here! Top has boxes with cards that people sent me/swaps. Top shelf has magazines and idea books. Then there's paper, paper and more paper -- some in clementine boxes. Third shelf has my Xyron machine. Then underneath are punches. Baskets on bottom hold more works in progress.

Thanks for visiting my studio!