Studio Showcase: Maureen

This month’s Studio Showcase winner is a crafter extraordinaire! From card making and painting to fabric crafts, her creativity comes in many forms. Maureen, or Reen as her friends call her, began her crafting journey at a Stampin’ Up party. She has kept exploring different creative activities ever since.

“I’ve always enjoyed different forms of art but didn’t think I could draw, so when I was invited to a Stampin’ Up party 18 years ago, I fell in love with stamps. Hooray - I didn’t have to draw the flower and yet could still make a great-looking card with a stamp! And then there was the embossing powder magic. Oh my, I was hooked. So, my crafts are primarily cards using stencils, dies, inks, press plates, foils, and embossing folders. But I also play around with mixed media, gel plate mono printing, alcohol inks, acrylic paints, watercolors, colored pencils, and other media. I consider my room to be properly well-stocked!”

Stamp-n-Storage products shown: Distress Ink Pad Holder and Stamp Case Shelf

As Reen’s love for crafting grew, so did her need for a creative space to call her own! Moving into a new home was the blank canvas that she needed to bring her vision to life.

“When my husband and I moved into our home 4 years ago, the existing office became my craft room. In my family, my sisters and Mom all have had craft rooms in our homes and I can’t imagine a home without one. We grew up encouraged by Mom to be creative, whether it be sewing, fiber crafts, scrapbooking, paper crafts, or any other form of art.”

The space in her new home was set up as an office and guest room. Reen had to be creative and use some of the existing furniture for her crafts. Her use of the existing space shows you can make any space work for your crafts when you think creatively!

“The office already had a desk, cupboards, and a Murphy bed, so there wasn’t much I could do as far as changing the layout of the room. Some of the drawers and cupboards are used for the home office, but the rest I use for crafting. I found a sideboard for extra storage and horizontal space. I use the wine cubbies for coloring media, like Stickles, drops, crayons, powders, pastes, and stains. I also found a large, heavy-duty rolling cart (it’s not pretty, but very, very functional) for holding the Large Acrylic Crates. I can fit 5 Large Crates on one shelf to hold my ever-growing collection of dies, stamps, and embossing folders. Since it’s on wheels, it can be easily rolled when I need to access the office file drawers.”

As time continued and she designated a separate room for guests, Reen added a few more crafty upgrades to her space. She planned to create a functional multi-use space that she could use for paper, fabric, and mixed-media crafting. As her craft storage needs changed, Reen quickly adapted to maintain the flow of her space.

“Since we now have a separate guest room in this house and rarely use the Murphy bed, I found a fabric-cutting table to put in front of the bed. It’s behind me when I’m crafting at the desk and provides me with convenient, additional counter space. It’s on caster wheels and I can fold down the sides and move it out of the way if needed. I also do my paper cutting, foiling, and embossing on that table which is easier for me to do while standing up.”

Reen draws creative inspiration from color and other art pieces, so both are on display throughout her space. Surrounding herself with her past creations sparks creativity and joy!

“I love being surrounded by color and art while in my craft room, and on the walls, I have both my art and art I’ve acquired on travels. The Card Displays holding my current favorite cards are scattered around the room. Those cards are rotated from time to time as new ones are created. There’s a great sense of personal satisfaction in being surrounded by things I’ve created.”

Stamp-n-Storage Products Shown: Marker Stand and Acrylic Paint Holder

When asked about her favorite part of her craft room, Reen mentioned the craft organization and storage solutions. These features keep her space functional and easy to use.

“That’s a challenging question to pick just one! Since I don’t have much skinny drawer space for supplies, I have 3 rolling carts organized by card-making tools, mixed media tools, and gel plate tools. I can roll these next to me while working on a project and roll them back into the closet when done. I acquired an Empress die-cutting machine last year and put it on my desk next to my workspace which means I’m doing more die-cutting now. I have found that if something is within arm's reach, I’ll use it more. I swatch most everything and in the center cupboard, keep the swatches in 3-ring binders organized by topic with a reference to location. The swatching system has saved me from wondering where a particular stamp or stencil is to be found in the room. It also helps me pick our ink colors after using the Color Cubes for inspiration. I love the extra space provided by the fabric cutting table and that I can stand up for paper cutting and other activities. I’m one of those crafters who like her room to be neat and tidy when starting a new project and everything put away at the end of a completed project. Having easy, convenient storage is very important to me.”

Stamp-n-Storage products shown: Distress Ink Pad Holder, Stamp Case Shelf, Magnet Cards, Storage Pockets, Acrylic Crates

“…during our move to Florida four years ago, most of my craft supplies were destroyed in a fire. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to start over and rethink what I want in my craft space. Of course, the Stamp-n-Storage products were top of my list once I started to replenish my ink supplies and needed storage again. And now that they come in a white painted finish, it was an easy decision to get them for my new space.”

Stamp-n-Storage products shown: Distress Ink Pad Holder, Stamp Case Shelf, Card Display Holder Stands

Reen loves crafting for many reasons, and spreading joy is at the core of her craft.

“Color makes me happy and crafting lets me be surrounded by color! I love making cards and giving many of them away to family and friends. It’s totally satisfying to create something someone else can enjoy.”

Reen’s favorite project she has created is a painted puzzle box she created using stencils and acrylic paint.

“Every once in a while, I’ll take an online class and surprise myself with how a project turns out. I painted over an empty puzzle box using techniques learned during an online stencil technique class and I just love it!”

Thank you, Reen, for taking the time to show us your space and tell us about your creative journey! Here’s one last piece of advice from Reen on how to organize your space and unleash your creativity:

“Crafting tools and crafting interests evolve over time, so it’s important to know your space is going to evolve as well. Let go of the idea of a perfectly organized space. Be ready and flexible for the next big tool or trend. Take time to organize but also take time to be creative in your space and enjoy it as often as you can.”

Want to join our Studio Showcase series and win $75 in-store credit? Follow these tips:

1. Clean your space.

2. Take at least four photos from different angles.

3. Share what you love about your area and your Stamp-n-Storage products.

Then, we will enter you into our monthly drawing. Email your entry to: contact@stampnstorage.com.