Crafty-stash storage ideas: using hoops

Hi again.

Last week, before I even had chance to tell you I had some storage hoops for sale in the shop, they sold out! But I've had a large re-stock today:

In fact, I've had so many of them delivered [along with an equal amount of book rings] ... that, for the foreseeable future I'm thinking of insisting I'm addressed as the 'Lord of the Rings' or, better still ...'The Ring Master' ...

[BTW: if you want to keep up-to-date with The Ring Master [mmm, yes, I think I'm starting to get used to that] in 'real'-ish time then you might want to keep in touch via my Facebook page 'With Julie Kirk'. It's there that generally post any new additions to the shop long before I get round to a full blown blog post here.]

Anyway ... these hinged metal hoops are exactly the same as ones I've actually been using for several years now to help me store, organise and move all kinds of crafty stash in my work room ... and beyond. And over that time, as people often ask where to get them from, it's often been suggested I start selling them. And now finally I am!

If you've bought some from me already, or if you're wondering how you could put them to use, I'm sure that there are endless organisational possibilities for but for now I thought I'd share with you how I currently put mine to use ...

Most of the people who bought one so far plan to use them to store their ever expanding washi-tape addiction collection. And here's mine being tested to capacity ...

That's the majority of my washi tapes on the first one - organised in colour order ... naturally!

 

Meanwhile the second photo shows all of those tapes you find in the DIY shop [mesh / foil etc] but which there's an equally interesting crafty use for! They're also pretty heavy which is where the screw-thread fastening of the hoops comes in handy [book rings always tend to pop open on me when I overload them!]

 

And here's more of my tapes - more 'sticky' than 'washi' this time - ... plus a look at how they all line up on my under-desk hanging storage rail:



This set up is perfect for me because if I can't readily see my supplies ... I forget I've got them!

 

Once I add something to the hinged hoops I then clip them up on to the rails - out of the way - using book rings.  This makes it really easy for me to unclip them when I want to either just browse through what's on the hoop to use it OR when I want to take it somewhere  - like a crop or a crafting retreat or when I just want to take a bundle of supplies downstairs when I want to get crafty in front of the TV!

 

This is how my washi hoop travels to the monthly crafty crop I go to - clipped on to my crafting trolley:  



Note: the hoops in the shop aren't quite as large as this. But still they do hold approx. 30 tapes!

[Trust me ... after I've done my usual 'I don't know what to take so I'll just take everything' style of packing there's no room left inside to take anything else!]

And if you're not a great tape collector then the hoops can still come in handy for your crafty storage. I keep lots of other things on them too such as packets of stamps, alphabet sheets plus ...

Well now ... that's what I do with them ...

• have you got any ideas on what else they could be used for? Then let me know!
• or if you've bought one, I'd love to see how yours is shaping up / groaning under a small mountain of washi!

So ...

• The hoops are available here - in my Etsy shop
• meanwhile the Ring Master [oh OK then 'I / Julie'] am available here on my blog . Hello.
• Or here on Twitter ...
• And here on Facebook

Get in touch. Show me things. Tell me stuff!

Julie :-)