Label, Label, Label...

 We adore chaos because we love to produce order. 

--M. C. Escher

I cannot say that my studio is very neat, but I do feel it is organized.  I learned (the hard way) to mark everything in my studio. Below are the lessons I learned and how I changed things.


I love to experiment with anything new and different in the mixed media world; I have learned that what a absolutely needed one day, I have no idea what it is a few months down the road.  To remedy this I now put the following things with items that I may question at a later date:

• Instructions that came with the item
• The cardboard packaging 
• Any good information that I read about the product on a newsgroup
• The page from the catalog that I purchased the product from

Backside of the Perfect Pearls package with instructions

My bottle of Paverpol has a baggy taped to it with  a print-out from a newsgroup regarding the use of the product.

Sewing Machine Feet

I have the original card that was packaged with each foot

There are times that  when I need to reorder an item; the lesson I learned is that it is much easier if I know what I purchased previously and where the item was bought. 

Again, I keep packaging or just note on the item the details of the purchase.  

For every embroidery thread that I own, I have the cut the original tag down  to make sure  I retain the name of the company and the color of the thread.  I fold and tuck it in the edge of the card that the thread is on.

I know this picture is tough to see, but when I buy beads, I label where they were purchased, brand, color and size on the storage container.

Closer view of storage container.  The beads in the top container  were purchased at the store, Little Bohemia, whereas the ones on the bottom are a mixed called Margarita.

The last lesson that I learned was about how time flies.  I will often purchase something to find that it is dried up.  In reality, I do not remember how long I have owned the item.  Now I mark everything that could dry-up with the date that I puchased it.

Above: I date all paints

Below: My paint box with dated jars.  I also put a dollop of paint on the top of the container to help identify the color.

Above: Pens marked and though these are older, they are still good!
Below: Stamp pads dry out so fast, the dates are helpful

What are your favorite studio tips?