It's the end of October and, in some parts of the world, the gardens are coming to an end. Some of you may use plant or row markers in your gardens. Plant markers can be made out of anything, but I found this package at the Dollar Tree.
Five plant markers and the erasable pen came with it...all for $1.00.
Well, you know I won't be using these in the garden. So, let's see how they can help in the craft room.
We all have projects that are "works in progress", because we steal our crafting time in bits and pieces. Most of us don't work on just one project either. We keep our minds busy with different creations. If we are bored, we move on to the next...leaving behind the UFO or Un-Finished Object.
We take out our craft, sewing, quilting, scrap booking projects and work on them for a short time. When our time is up, where do we put them until we can steal those few minutes again? Some store them in piles on the table or shelf. Some store them in bags, boxes or baskets. No matter how you keep them until the next time, labeling them is important. If you know what's inside, they won't get left behind.
In my sewing room I have a shelf, in the picture below, that has the black and white polka dot boxes. These boxes are my "Works in Progress".
The boxes are just cardboard containers that water bottles come in. You can use anything though. I covered mine with fabric strips. I used spray glue for the fabric, but found that hot glue on the edges worked great.
The shelf is high and I'm a shorty, so I can't see in the boxes. Lol
Here's where the plant markers come in...
One marker per box to mark what's inside.
I just taped mine to the inside. You can hot glue or tie your marker to your storage system.
Plant markers are usually erasable, so this is perfect for the ever changing array of projects we go through!!!
You can use anything to mark your "Works in Progress", if you can't find these plant markers.
- tongue depressors
- popsicle sticks
- clothespins
Here's a quick picture of the clothespin idea to label a box, bag or basket.
Write on the stick and then it clamps onto the box.
Just use anything that will help you stay organized. When you are organized, you can accomplish anything.
Happy Tuesday,
~Karen~
Hmmm...interesting idea. I packed all my UFO's into a black trash bag this summer when we had a prairie fire going on in anticipation of an evacuation notice coming our way. I didn't work on any of them all summer and just went to retrieve them from the RV this evening. I have stacks all over my sewing room now with no where for them to go. Perhaps I need to start with a shelving unit or a chest of drawers or something first. Truly, until I read this my plan was just to get busy sewing and get them all out of my way as fast as possible. LOL!
ReplyDeleteOrganise , organise something my other half is always saying to me. What a brilliant idea your peg markers are. Got the pegs, now I just need to get him to fix me some shelves and cover all my shoe boxes I've kept, knowing one day I'd find a use for them. Yes I'm a hoarder, so when I get organised I will be able to find all the bits & pieces I keep. Thanks Karen.. love your blog & your blogging tips have been a great help to me as a fairly new blogger.
ReplyDeleteYour just so organised, I try but never quite get there.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your blog I will make a determined effort
Hi Karen, thanks for these ideas.
ReplyDeleteI do visit every week or so, although I usually lurk and try and hit google+1 to show I've been, but I thought I'd mention that my iPad only shows two posts at a time, to entice occassional visitors to check more posts, could you change it to show 5 or 10 per screen? It might be (is) laziness on my behalf but I get a :-( feeling when I scroll down and find ivereached the end really quickly
Oh and I meant to say, I use food type ziplock bags for my UFO and planned projects while they are inthe per-flimsy stage
ReplyDeleteHi Karen...
ReplyDeleteI love the Plant Marker idea !
I use the clothespin method and glue a small piece of cardstock onto the front of the clothespin, where you have the writing...
Works like a charm !
Rose
Karen and Rose (the replier above)
ReplyDeleteWhat if you use Roses idea above and instead of using card stock you used a piece of plastic that you could use a dry erase marker on? Haven't thought out the idea. Just came to me when I read the comments to this post.
Jo
PS I do so look forward to your great ideas Karen. I am an organized wannna be. I start out organized and fall into disarray so easily....
Enjoy your little projects each week. Thanks for sharing them with us! I wish my sewing room was as pulled together and attractive as yours is. I have a hodge podge of different book cases, storage, shelves, etc.
ReplyDeleteLove visiting your Blog, you have so many great ideas, I just need to put a few into practice.
ReplyDeleteI love all your ideas. We just moved and into a temporary space that is soooooo small. I feel like all I'm doing is organizing. Do you ever feel like you spend more time organizing than creating? Is this a sickness? ha, ha....
ReplyDeleteDo you find a good amount of time to create? and, how do you do that? I can't seem to get there. It's been years since I have really sat down and focused on creating.
Help!
;)
Kathleen
I love this idea! The task of organizing my fabrics, yarns, etc. is just about to the top of my to-do list, so this tip came at a great time for me.
ReplyDeleteI have about 50 of those plant markers which I found do not work well in my garden now you've given me a new idea for them. Thanks a bunch Karen as usual your creativity is amazing. Why didn't I think of that??? :)
ReplyDeleteThis is just brilliant! Now, to make room on my shelves...
ReplyDeleteI haven't read through all the comments so maybe someone already suggested this....but, instead of taping the marker on the inside of the box, couldn't you just poke the ends directly into the corrugated cardboard? Maybe there is a reason you can't, but as I was reading your post that is where I thought you were going w/ it. :) Anyway, just a suggestion, maybe it'd work, maybe it wouldn't. ;)
ReplyDeleteAlways love your posts, Karen. You have such great ideas, and a wonderful friendly way of conveying them. I hope you and your family are dry and safe. I especially enjoy your posts about technical blogging things, because I am so clueless about it, and you can explain things so well. I have a short attention span so it has to seem easy or I give up before I start. Recently I made the change on my Google plus to where I think my e-mail address with show up for you. See, I can't even explain that right, but I think I followed the instructions correctly!
ReplyDeleteYou really should have your own "Martha Stewart" type TV show. This is so smart.
ReplyDeleteAre you ok after the storm?
My craft room is an utter tip right now. Every time I visit your blog I feel a little more inspired to be organised!
ReplyDeleteYou are sooooo inventive! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteglen: although you will never be able to organize me unless you come to live with me.
Great ideas. I was going to suggest with the clothes pins to just clip your card stock under the clip. You could also use the large paper clamps too.
ReplyDeleteI love Tool Time Tuesdays!!! pam
Mine are all lumped together in a box and when feeling inspired (or guilty) enough to work on them I pull out the box and go through it, except the act of going through it all often is discouraging instead of encouraging. I think I will try to change this up a bit with this idea.
ReplyDeleteYou could also paint the markers or clothespins with chalkboard paint! I love all your great ideas!!
ReplyDeletebrilliant! I just saved 4 small boxes that were used as packaging for a larger package. They were the perfect size for storage, but kinda ugly. Now I know what I'm going to do to dress them up. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI like the peg idea except I will paint mine with chalk board paint and then I can easily change when I have finally finished my UFO (Un Finished Object)
ReplyDeleteThanks.
I might fially get inspired to do some craft work. I have put everything in the too hard basket as I am in the middle of moving my whole craft room and it is so daunting a task I have put it on hold
http://inkspirationaldesigns.blogspot.com/
This is a great idea! i am wondering if the marker stems could just be stuck into the boxes inside the corrugated tops of the boxes instead of taped?? that's how those Realtor signs are designed - they have corrugated edges and you stick them into the wire stands that go into the ground. Just sayin' it's worth a try. One less step.
ReplyDelete