The Scrap Room 2.0

Okay, so I have to design and plan for an entirely new scrapbook room. This gives me an interesting and rare opportunity to coordinate all the little things that go with it, including my furniture, magnet boards, and accessories. Being the thinker that I am, I thought about colors for a long time, took in what the shape of the room is and what kind of architectural details I have to work with. After a lot of sketches and even more rough drafts, I finally ended up with the picture you see above. With some interesting painted stripes, crown molding under the extended shelves that sit on the existing half walls, and the addition of my wonderful embellishment centers, the plan I've created is perfect. Flawless. Without a doubt, every single element of this room will be dripping with Caitlin creativity. (Yes, I drew that. And didn't ruin another kitchen table. I've learned my lesson. Sorry, Mom)
In the planning, I've started painting magnet boards, hanging items and a slough of other items getting ready for the color scheme. We haven't signed the papers yet, and after we do, it will be a hurricane of work. I won't have my craft room until June. In the meantime, I will do all that I can to be prepared.

Lovely rubber stamps... properly mounted

Unity Stamp Co is one of my favorite stamp companies (second to Stampin Up!). Though I love their products, their stamps are NOT mounted on wood blocks. There is nothing I love more than having a wall full of mounted stamps, happy and darling, winking their little designs. Not only that, but having to mount the stamp on an acrylic block, then stamping, cleaning the stamp and storing all the supplies afterword is a little too much work for me. And to add to the dislike, when stamps are not mounted and not out in the open, how on earth am I going to know what I have?!
I've joined in Unity's Kit of the Month. This is a great program to obtain their product at a great price and it's a fun surprise to see what the kit looks like at the beginning of the month. But again, I don't like that the stamps are not mounted on wood. For a purist like myself, I want the look of the mounted stamp but the designs from Unity. Being the smart woman that I am, I did some research and found a great company that will send you a box of wood blocks on which you can mount unmounted rubber stamps. I bought my first box and within a few days the heavy (10 lbs of little wood blocks!) box was waiting for me. I've spent a few evenings, matching, stamping, gluing and then covering the stamped image with contact paper to create a great looking stamp collection that was not originally intended to be mounted.
The overall project is a time consuming adventure but I enjoy the finished product... rows upon rows of wood mounted stamps, all pristine and divine, smiling down on me from my embellishment center. Now only if I had more room for all of them.....

Etsy- the ebay for handmade!

Etsy is a website that I had heard about a few times from people but I had never tried it out until this week. I was looking to purchase a new set of stamps and a seller on Etsy was the only one that was selling this particular set. I signed up, bought the product and then started browsing. There are so many cute things available from sellers all around the world, and most are handmade goods! I've been special ordering items, talking with sellers about custom pieces that they make and really enjoying the ride! If you haven't looked there, I would!