Mixed Media Material Storage – Other Stuff


As we get further into Mixed Media Arts we find it harder to throw things away, starting to see the potential in everyday objects, beautiful papers, shiny embellishments and other things. So we need to think about how to store them so they are easy to find when we need them and stored safely so they don’t get ruined.

Part 4 – Other stuff
I love boxes and always keep lots of little ones, in case I even need them. These are stored in bigger boxes, labelled Stuff. It also has photo frames, mini canvases and larger sticks and other found objects.

These boxes are stored on a shelf high up, so they are easy enough to reach when I need them but out of the way for everyday crafting.

mixed media art

I would love to hear about how you store your unusually shaped and bulky “other stuff” ~ please leave a comment!
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Mixed Media Material Storage – Embellishments

As we get further into Mixed Media Arts we find it harder to throw things away, starting to see the potential in everyday objects, beautiful papers, shiny embellishments and other things. So we need to think about how to store them so they are easy to find when we need them and stored safely so they don’t get ruined.

Part 3 Embellishments
My small collection of embellishments started in a box along with the smaller pieces of paper and in two small tackle boxes; small plastic containers with dividers which are ideal for small shiny things.  As my collection has grown, particular styles of embellishments have their own boxes (or 3).

mixed media art
For smaller shiny things, craft storage boxes or fishing tackle style boxes are good for separating different colours and shapes of beads and buttons.  As I got into more grungy found metallic things, these got their own box.

Mixed media embellishments

I would love to hear about how you store your embellishments ~ please leave a comment!
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Mixed Media Materials Storage – Small Papers

As we get further into Mixed Media Arts we find it harder to throw things away, starting to see the potential in everyday objects, beautiful papers, shiny embellishments and other things. So we need to think about how to store them so they are easy to find when we need them and stored safely so they don’t get ruined.

Part 2 – Small pieces of paper
If the paper is smaller than a quarter of a sheet (if it started as A4, then smaller than A6) I store these separately from the 12″x12″ and A4 papers [See Good Papers Storage]. As I began to collect more offcuts that were just too nice to throw away, I started a series of small boxes about shoe box size. These were divided into four colour families:
– cool colours; blues / greens / purples
– warm colours; pink / orange / red / maroon / yellow
– natural colours; browns / cream / naturals
– shades; black / white / metallics / grey

Mixed Media art

Sometimes these colour separations don’t quite work but most of the time I find it easy to pull out a box if I am looking for a particular colour. I can easily pull a few pieces out, find a matching stamp or sentiments and then put a card or two together.

I rarely make multiples (and admire those that do it on a regular basis) so keeping odds and ends of papers is okay because I’m not trying to make lots of the same.

Mixed Media Art

Every so often, I will still end up with a collection of paper pieces on my desk. then I will pull out all four boxes and sort the left overs out.

I would love to hear about how you store your small paper pieces ~ please leave a comment!
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Mixed Media Material Storage – Good Papers

 

As we get further into Mixed Media Arts we find it harder to throw things away, starting to see the potential in everyday objects, beautiful papers, shiny embellishments and other things. So we need to think about how to store them so they are easy to find when we need them and stored safely so they don’t get ruined.

Part 1 – Good Papers
I have collected gorgeous 12″x12″ and A4 papers for many years (sometimes I even use them). My best / favourite / most expensive pieces are stored in a display folder, grouped loosely in like types, rather than colours. The folders are stored flat.

Mixed Media Art
The groups of paper include:
– printed and plain vellum
– good stickers
– words and sentiments
– velvet papers
– metallic
– Japanese papers
– teabag folding preprints
– musi papers (fibreous)
– natural papers – with flower petals and leaves anthem
– embossed papers

If I use only half a sheet or even have a piece that is more than a quarter of the original size, I will return it to this folder. For pieces of paper smaller than this, stay turned to the next post.

Mixed Media Art.

I would love to hear about how you store your good papers ~ please leave a comment!
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