I don’t have room to start stamping!

Get your Taggers here.

I got started on the idea of minimal stamping supplies with my Getting Started series. I wanted to prove that you don’t need tons of supplies. And it’s true. You can send lovely hand-stamped cards all year with one or two stamp sets, a few colors of ink, card stock, and envelopes. Add an embellishment and a punch and you are set!  I enjoyed the challenge to stamp all year with one or two stamp sets, but Stampin’ Up! has too many wonderful stamp sets and other supplies.

I have absolutely loved some of the aspects of the Getting Started series and they have changed the way I do my crafting.

I have fallen in love with my Basic Tool Kit. I don’t use it in my everyday crafting. I do craft most days, and I do have enough space to keep those basic supplies out ready to grab. But I invested in a second set of these supplies to grab when I go to crafting events and also when traveling. I have all the basics right there in one Wide Stamp Case.

Cut up your card stock so it’s ready to go. Better yet, take your card stock to your office supply store or Kinko’s/FedEx and they will cut it for you.

• Basic card bases are 1/2 sheet of card stock.
  • 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, scored at 4 1/4″ (the one I use most)
  • 4 1/4″ x 11″, scored at 5 1/2″
• Basic card layers
  • Colored Card stock 5 1/4″ x 4″ and 2 3/4″ x 4 1/4″
    • Here’s the cutting plan that gets you a card base, a layer, and two 2 3/4″ x 4 1/4″ pieces.
  • Whisper White and Very Vanilla 5″ x 3 3/4″ layers (4 per sheet),
    • Here’s the cutting plan that gets you the 2 1/2″ x 4″ layers (8 per sheet)

Sure, a Big Shot takes up some space, but not that much. And I own 26 dies, 11 embossing folders, and the die brush in one photo box and I have lots of room for the rest of my wish list.

I need my Stampin’ Trimmer, but that doesn’t take up much space at all.

If you want to feel like you have it all, but you don’t have anywhere for a designated stamping space, here’s my suggestion. You will keep basic supplies in 2-3 boxes photo boxes that you can pull out from under your bed or the top shelf of your closet when you’re ready to stamp. You will need a fourth photo box if you include a Big Shot in your plan. (How could you not?) You will also need another box for the stuff you won’t be pulling out for every project. I think I could use this system in one of those tiny houses I’ve seen on HGTV!

Basic supplies in one photo box.

• One card base plus one large layer and 2 small layers of card stock. This takes up 3 1/2″ of your box for all 50 colors.
• Card bases and two smaller layers each in Whisper White and Very Vanilla.
• Medium envelopes in Whisper White and Very Vanilla.
• Add the Basic Tool Kit in a Wide Stamp Case.
• Two 10 pens sets of Stampin’ Write Markers or 1 full set and 2 sets of In Colors in another Wide Stamp Case.
• Three versatile clear or photopolymer stamp sets
• Clear blocks: A, C, D, G, & E,
• Color Sampler
• You may have room for some 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper (that comes that way or cut down the 12″ x 12″
• You can tuck a bottle of Multipurpose Liquid Glue too.

Another box for stamp pads. You can fit 20 stamps in a photo box with room for another 3 stamp sets plus a couple of punches or other small tools..

Leave the remaining 8 1/2″ x 11″ card stock on the shelf to replenish your supplies. You can leave the ink refills on the shelf until you need it. You will want to keep your extra Stampin’ Dimensionals® and Mini Glue Dots in this box too.

Keep a picture of any stamp sets you have in storage so you don’ t have to go searching through those boxes every time. Write on your photo where you have stored that stamp set. Or better yet, use Evernote to search through your supplies on your phone, or computer.

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