Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Organizing with Materials Pages

As part of Moira’s Craft Cleanse eCourse, she challenged us to not only inventory our crafts stash, but also to create materials pages as a way to make art during the process.  Mind you, she’s on Mission Thirteen for the course, and here I am blogging about Mission Two!  (That’s what happens when I decide not to “pressure myself.”)
Materials pages show you a small labeled example of everything you have in your stash—the colors of your pens and pencils, or small swatches of fabric or washi tape, for example.

These pages can help you make sure that you don’t purchase materials you already have, and they also help you plan projects, because you are able to see what colors look like together or on the page.  It takes your inventory beyond a list, and becomes a visual reminder of your materials and supplies.
Shortly after Moira posted this Challenge, I read this fantastic post by Lori Vliegen at Elvie Studio.  She turned watercolor paint splotches into adorable chickadees (and pigs and mice and bunnies).  It occurred to me that I could use this great idea to add some interest to my materials page for some new markers I had purchased. 

Markers notoriously look completely different on paper than the color of their lids, so I am able to look at my Marker Materials Page to see the true colors of these marker sets.

I also made a materials page for my decorative edge scissors, and discovered patterns that I really like that I had no idea I own!
Even though I haven't given 100% to the Craft Cleanse course, it has helped me greatly reduce my buying/spending tendencies, and I no longer feel a sense of obligation to use every craft coupon that shows up in my inbox and my mailbox!  I am also continuing to organize and streamline my craft spaces. 

Check out Moira's free Craft Cleanse missions to bring some order to the chaos of YOUR art and crafting life!

Happy art-making!

7 comments:

laurie said...

what a great idea to use your materials to create a reference for future projects! plus, your colorful creatures are so very cute. :-)

Janet said...

This is such a great idea! I like your little long-legged bird critters showing all the colors of your art supplies.

Parabolic Muse said...

I think these are great ideas for helping to organize projects. I think I may like organizing more than completing! The working up to things and envisioning is always a joy! And what kind of markers did you get? It's true about curbing spending after assessing what we have. Whenever I organize my studio, my buying goes way down. HA!

Carin Winkelman said...

It's always good to look at what you have (and isn't it always way more than you expected?). I love how you catalogue your things in a journal. Nice!

Joyfulploys said...

That's a good idea about doing the materials page for your markers and scissors. I know I sometimes buy duplicates of art supplies that I already have and had forgotten about buying them. Take care,
Mary

lori vliegen said...

hi andria! boy, could i ever use a craft cleanse!! you've really created some clever ways to document all the supplies you have! i love your page with all of the decorative edged scissors.....brilliant! and you found a super cute way to record your marker colors using those birdies!! thanks SO much for mentioning your inspiration for it......i REALLY appreciate your kindness with the link to my blog!!

continue having fun with your course! xox

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