Many Uses for a Large Rolling Craft Cart

Large rolling craft carts are a big part of my time crafting. And they have many uses, not only in my
craft organizing, but also around the house. Yep, you heard me right. I make use of them all over the house. My first and foremost use in my craft room, and there are plenty of uses there.

Organizing Craft Supplies

In the craft room large rolling carts have many uses. If you have a dedicated craft room, or space, then you know the value of having all your supplies organized and handy. I'm one of those people who love many different crafts. Besides my main love of quilting, I also enjoy needlepoint and cross stitch, knitting and crocheting, jewelry making and lots of paper crafts, like card making and scrapbooking. These are quite different crafts that require many different supplies and tools.

That's where my large rolling carts come in the most handy. With plenty of space for all the equipment and more space for supplies, I have everything I need to work which ever craft catches my fancy at the time.

Granted, my quilting uses up plenty of other space - shelves for fabric, table for sewing machine - but there are lots of other things that go in my Honey-Can-Do cart. The variety of threads, needles and bobbins that my machine needs, fabric scraps that may someday be part of an applique design, Handles and zipper for my quilted purses. Ribbons, buttons and google-eyes for my quilted dolls.

For your craft organizing, the joy of having everything you need organized and handy just makes life so much easier when you start your crafting time.

Around the House Organizing

I'm sure you can think of plenty of uses around your own house for a large rolling craft cart. Think of the kids projects that you may to help your little ones with. Glue, scissors, tape, colored pencils and markers, extra paper, all can be organized for the kids.

The Gramma Cart is popular with my grandkids. Not only are there coloring books and crayons, but one drawer is devoted to cars and trucks, another to Lego sets, one to doll clothes and furniture. You get the idea. Kids always seem to have an area of small things and you want to easily keep them together.

Get yourself several varieties of large rolling craft carts. Not just for your crafting needs but for other needs around your house. You'll thank yourself later.

Crafting and Traveling for the Holidays

Many of us will be traveling for the holidays in some ways. Whether we are making a long vacation out of the holidays, or just visiting relatives for a holiday dinner. Of course, many of us crafters want to make use of that time to work on our latest project.

That means carrying along craft supplies. And it means keeping them organized during travels as well. As a long term crafter, I have my solution to this.

Travel Craft Supply Organizers

Personally, I make use of travel craft supply organizers. I use tote bags that have plenty of extra pockets to keep all the tools and extra supplies that I might need.

In fact, I have several craft supply tote bags. Each one I chose just for it's perfect organization for different crafts.

I have one that is smaller, chosen just for it's ability to hold and organize my cross-stitch and needlepoint projects. Typically, when I travel, I don't take my biggest craft project with me. I take a smaller one. One that can be easily handled in the confines of a car or plane.

Also, I have a larger tote bag chosen just for my yarn craft project. Again, I don't tend to take a full sized afghan that I'm knitting or crocheting. Instead, I take along a smaller project. Maybe a baby blanket or wrap scarf that I'm working on. Crafting on the go is an important part of my own world.

Different Features for Different Projects

One of the things that I look for in choosing my craft supply tote bags is the features that it has to match my particular project or craft. For a cross-stitch or needlepoint project, the pockets that I want are small. I have little needles, small scissors and beads to carry along. I don't want them getting lost in a big pocket.

With craft projects like knitting, I want to have a very large center space for the yarn and the project in process. But, I also want a few extra pockets to hold things like stitch counters, scissors and extra needles or hooks.

Keeping Everything Together for Craft Supplies

Now is the time to think about what craft projects you want to work on while traveling during the holidays. Plan for what you want to take with you and gather all the supplies you will need into one tote bag.

In other words, have your craft supply tote bag ready to go. As you pack the car for your trip, all you need to do is grab your craft project and go.

Gift Ideas for Moms - Crafty Things

Raise your hands. How many of you have no idea what kind of gifts to get your moms? Whether for Mother's Day, birthdays, any occasion. Yep, my hand would have been raised, too. I was one of those people who was always at a loss for gift ideas for mom.

But, I began to realize she has a passion. It's a passion for crafting. A passion she passed on to me. Something we share. And something I can support with gifts for her.

It's become a tradition now. She looks forward to what craft supply organizer or tote bag I'll be giving her. That's for her birthday every year. Plus, I tend to choose some fun interesting things to add in to it.

Like unusual yarns for her crochet crafting, and ribbons for her to use in tying up her own handcrafted gifts. The little extra or unusual supplies that I can include in her craft supply organizers or tote bags are things she loves and uses in her crafting.

Many times, I have made her something handcrafted myself. Last year, I made an insert for a basket that she had. The basket was large and round. She never quite knew what to do with it. So she tended to leave it sit empty on a side table in her hall. The insert I made for it was something of an organizer. It had a bunch of inside pockets and two outside pockets that hung over the side.

That basket, that she never knew what to do with, became an organizer for her crafting projects. She now keeps that basket by her family room chair. It holds her current project and she loves it.

To tell you the truth, I have no idea what she put on that hall side table. But my own handcrafted gift turned into a treasured item for my mom. It was a great gift idea.

Getting Your Craft Supplies Organized

So you're staring at a mess of craft supplies, all jumbled together in a closet, box, or drawer. Where do you begin? That's a big part of what we are helping you with today. How to Organize Craft Supplies is just for that getting started business.

My favorite tip for organizing anything from craft supplies to photos is piles. Yes, I said piles. 3 to 5 basic piles.

1. To trash. All that stuff that I know I don't want anymore. That stuff that is broken, ripped, useless anymore. Stuff that I will never fix or use in anyway. Get it out of the whole load immediately.
2. Not sure whether to save or not. This pile holds all junk that I think I may, at some day in the future, like to have. Maybe it's broken, but I think I can repair it pretty easily. Usually, it's a load of stuff that I just don't think is worth tossing away quite yet.
3. Stuff that I know I want to keep, but will need to find a place to store. Ok, this pile gets a little big with my craft supplies. But, it's a great beginning pile. It's also the pile that I will spend plenty of time on later. 
4. Stuff that I know where I will put it when I get to that step. The craft supplies in this pile already have a good place to go. But, I don't yet take away the time to put them there. That's another step in my organizing craft supplies process. First, I want to get them out of the whole big pile.

For some of you, there will be a 5th pile. Maybe stuff that doesn't even belong in your craft supplies. Who knows what this will be, but it's a way to get through the whole mess of craft supplies.

Once you have your basic piles put together, and everything from your mess of craft supplies has been assigned a pile, you tackle one pile at a time.

Take that trash pile and dump it immediately! Get it in the trash and don't think about it again. You made the decision to trash those craft supplies, stick with it.

For me, the next step is to put away all the things that I have a place for already. It's just a matter of putting them away. Now is when I put them away.

Take each of the remaining piles and go through each craft supply item. Make a decision about it right then and there. You will have a well-organized craft supply storage in no time.

Funny Craft Totebags Perfect for Organizing

Yes, humor is an important part of my crafting world. It would be too if you could see my craft room and all the supplies I have! I have been teased about liking craft supplies more than I like crafting. That could be true. But for me, you can just never have too much yarn, fabric or beads.

But, that's also why I like my crafters tote bags so much. I start lots of projects. Most I do end up finishing eventually. For each project that I have ongoing, like my knitted or crocheted afghans or baby blankets, I keep them in separate tote bag.

There are times when I need to put those projects aside to get something else completed. Like a gift for someone or a holiday decorating item. When I come back to one of my on-going projects, all is still together. My crafters tote bag still has all the supplies and craft tools that I need to finish. Talk about convenience!

Plus, I feel like as long as I'm using crafters tote bags, why not make them funny. Humor is just too important. Especially when I have loads of unfinished projects. Keeping all those craft supplies organized and ready to continue working is great for me. After all, when you have so much yarn, fabric or beads, you gotta keep them organized.

Crafting for Profit Series

Ah, yes. We at Organize Craft Supplies heard your pleas. How to make money being a crafter! And kicked off the whole series: Crafting for Profit.

Oddly enough, we aren't advocating any one craft over another. In fact, the buying world is hungry for handmade, hand-crafted items. Of many, many different types. So, it matters not what you craft. It matters more that you craft you items to the best of your ability and get them in front of the buying world.

The Crafting for Profit series will address many aspects of the business of crafting. Some will involve how to store your crafted items once you make them. Others will involve how to photograph those items to their best light.

We will also spread the focus between selling crafts online and selling crafts via festivals, art fairs and booth space. Either way you want to sell, you will need to understand the business of selling. That will another topic covered in the series.

Since we are all about organizing, that will be a huge aspect interwoven throughout many of the articles. Keeping your tools, supplies and finished products organized is just one part. Keeping your records and information organized is another. But, let's not forget organizing your promotional material and activities. All of these will be part of the series.

Crafting for profit is a business. As such, it will need good business practices. Keep a watch on our series as we continue to help you make a business of your crafting. You asked and we are busy answering.

Create Your Own Unique Scrapbook Calendar

As crafters, we are just plain ole creative. The fun of taking that creativity into our calendars for 2014 is something we can all enjoy. How many times I have wanted to design my own calendar to work the way I like to work. With scrapbook calendars, that becomes easy.

Since crafters are typically visually creative, we like to add little extra colors and designs into most parts of our world. I'm one of those who tends to add stickers to special days of the year and highlight events and activities in bright colors. My usual calendars are colorful.

With a scrapbook calendar, I can set up everything I want with ease. Use special papers that are a delight to my eyes, include fun stickers, stampings and even photos.

I am also working on a gift idea with my scrapbook calendars. Every member of the family is going to get calendar with all the birthdays, anniversaries and special family dates marked for them. I'm even customizing the calendars for each of my family's needs. For example, my oldest daughter likes smaller calendars, so I'm making hers from the Smash Book supplies, while my youngest always hangs a large wall calendar in her kitchen. Yep, hers will be a nice big size.

Scrapbook calendars are so flexible that you can create one just for yourself and your crafty needs, then go on to create great gifts for your family and friends.