Where do yuo keep your ideas

[Seahorse]

Some people have mentioned that they jot down their crafty ideas.
I also do this.
I just wondered what the best form of sketchbook/jotter/scrap paper was preferable to people.

Ive always been keen to have a hardback notebook, half A4 size(cant work out what that is)that has one page blank for drawings and the next page lined to write notes on.
Ive never been able to find one.

So, I have my second notebook(same as the first)its black, hardbacked, half A4(there I go again) with all blank pages(froma well known high street stationers)and I love it!!.
Im about half way through it so I get the thrill of going to buy a new one, maybe in the new year.

What do you use?

[Funkyhand]

Half A4 is A5! I have an A5 note pad too..It started off being where I noted down ideas I had for designs..then where I wrote down notes to myself about stuff I need to do for the business. Now I can't go anywhere without it, it is my Funkyhand bible.. well it's not jusy one pad now it's about 3! I get them from Wilkinsons. They have thick plastic covers which I can wipe clean if they get in a mess in my craft room and they are funky colours..only about £1.00 each as well!
Anice x :)

[Seahorse]

A5, I shall do my best to remmeber that.
Dont think Ive heard of Wilkinsons.

Now I have more than 1 book I have placed swarovski flatbacks(im so posh) on the spine, 1 for the first book and (take a guess)2 for the second, just so I know which is which.
Soon Il be like Kenneth Williams sat infront of all his diaries.

I tend to just jot important stuff down willy nilly, all in the same colour pen, its a nightmare to find again if i need it.

I like to think of it as a Bible, good idea.

[swirlyarts]

For all my wedding ideas I have an A4 book where I've cut all the bits I like out of wedding mags with notes next to them as to why I like them and how I would adapt them. Also if I have something in my craft room that would do nicely for that kind of card then I write that down too. I hasten to add - I didn't buy the wedding mags - I got them from my friend who I designed the wedding stationery for!
For all my other cards I have another book where I write down the ideas - mines from Wilkinsons too. Seahorse - I don't think they have many Wilkinsons down south although there were plans to build one in Canterbury after I'd left uni there - typical! I love Wilkinsons - not as much as I love the Pound shop though!

[Seahorse]

Ahh. the pound shop, many a time have I been tempted to buy stationery from there, especially when they lure me with there holgram covered notepads, they are so cruel.

[Sommerwood]

Would love to say I am as organised as you lot, but am afraid my ideas etc and are scribbled on scraps of paper which I find lying about all over the place!! Am embarrassed now and must get myself one of these notebooks and get myself organised!!!:o

[jenig12]

Hi
i just have a box file, which I keep scraps of paper, jewellery photo's from the internet, bits from magazines. I have only just recently put it in order, sections for earrings etcit was a real mess
Jen

[Seahorse]

A box file is a good idea!

[beadsbydesign]

I am a sucker for bead covered A5 note books I have a large pile of them!
I am a serious horder. I always have a note book in my bag and when I see inteesting bits and pieces out and about I can sketch them or pick leaves and flowers to press, or bits of rubbish like wrappers etc. I often look through them and have loads of fun with them. I've started my daughter doing the same now and she's having loads of fun too. Her is full of pictures of famous people like van gough and roald dahl.

[Seahorse]

When i was into fashion I used to keep scrapbooks of great outfits/costumes, I have about 5 of them.I use them to try to get inspiration but Its amazing how im just not into fashion anymore.Tho recently a folm has inspired a couple of necklaces.

Van Gogh and Roald Dahl!!Thats a classy way to start a scrapbook collection!

[Suchaco]

I must try and get more organized I have lots of notes and pictures in a drawer in my desk, (message to self must tidy drawer) Every so often I tidy drawer and look through them all then stick them into the A4 book I brought to put them in in the first place. I then do it all over again till drawer is full up.

If I did it every day or at least once a week wouldn't take me so long:rolleyes: and would then have more times for my creations.

~Su~

[Seahorse]

Ive only a few pages left of my 2nd ideas book, soooo exciting to move onto my 3rd(which Ive already purchased, I like to get the same type so bought it when I saw it).
Odd to think how Ive gone from working with wood to beads to dabbling with wooden beads!Kind of a full circle!!

[Apple Tree Crafts]

.....I can't resist notebooks and such.

I've amassed a huge collection, as I'm a constant scribbler. Anything floral grabs my eye, as do suede bound books. TKMaxx is a great place for unusual ones....

I've got one for folk art style/ american things, one for retro stuff, a special one just for my aprons. I've started one for my totebags, but I don't think I'll ever make half the stuff as the tote bags drive me insane. I have such wonderful ideas, I just hate making the dang things.

There are notebooks in both the loo and the bathroom...well, you never know when inspiration might strike. And always there's one in my handbag and one in the car in case an idea hits when Himself is chauffeuring me about.

My desk has a stack of them, most of which are empty, but look very business like in a bohemian sort of way......when you can see through the crud that gathers on the desk.

Actually, I have to wander past TKMaxx today on my way to the PO.....I may pop in. Just to browse. Not to buy anything of course....

Jules

[JBJB]

Notebooks? Notebooks?

Mine's all in my head !! :mf:

[Seahorse]

TKMAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bought THE most beauuutiful dress from there the other week.
Saw it originally on its own in a size 10(which I am not)luckily found one other in a size 16!!
Its the first time Ive said to myself 'Im having that' without looking at the price.
Walked around with my hands firmly on it for 10 minutes, then looked at the price,only £25 so I treated myself.

[Apple Tree Crafts]

......lovely things in there today. I had a bimble.

Really wanted this scrummy sundress, but lemon is not me. They didn't have a belt to go with my Hanger Dance dress though...boo.

Had a wander through the tangle they call the Home section....very weirdy things there...loved them all, but Himself would have been less than impressed should I have purchased them.

Bought a cotton duck table cloth and a set of woven table mats that I will use for the fabrics. The table mats are hughmungus...I'll get two good size apron pockets out of each one. The table cloth looks very Kidston...yummy.

I seriously wanted some oven to table ware in duck egg blue, but resisted as carrying them home would be a problem, and I don't need them.....not really, well I could use them...they were very pretty. Might go across get them when Himself is better....he's poorly sick.

Jules

[PerkyPigs]

Oooh, others with a love of notebooks :mf: i'm glad I'm not alone. If it's bright, with stripes, spots or florals, I must have it :sm:

I try to keep ideas I have written in a notebook, but more often than not I scribble things down on a scrap of paper and it gets lost.

I do have a lovely striped notebook that has pictures of the cards I have made in it. I have not long started it but am already enjoying looking at my old designs and seeing what I would do differently now.

Jules x

[Peter]

I'm still using watercolour paper left over from when I used to be a proper artist! I've also, twenty years behind the times, just bought my first ever Filofax! The 'to do' bit is full already. :D

[candles by lisa]

Well I am pretty boring, I have a few Lisa's Little Books of Candles but they are the cheap Pukka notepads. I love these, nice size, spiral bound and you can tear the pages out neatly (why I would tear them out I have no idea). I just really like them.

Lisa

:D

[chocolate Girl]

Hi I've been keeping all my ideas in my head - not the best place I see now! I will rush to Wilkinsons & buy an A5 note pad. No secret receipes in there though:mf:

[JBJB]

Hi I've been keeping all my ideas in my head - not the best place I see now! I will rush to Wilkinsons & buy an A5 note pad. No secret receipes in there though:mf:

Don't worry Chocolate Girl - it's a sign of a true genius keeping your ideas in your head :

Notebooks? Notebooks?

Mine's all in my head !! :mf:

[icecreamgirl]

I bought myself a lovely A5 notebook last week, from WHS. I bought one as a pressie for my niece and thought to myself 'iwant one of those!' and it's really helped me get on with things.
I've always had a love of note books, fancied myself as a bit of a writter when i was at school.
I'm using it as a kind of daily diary, but also writting down 'things to do'
it's great i've got loads done already and i love being able to write down what i've achieved that day, and thoughts about how it's all going,
I've got more done in the past week than i have in the last few months!!!

[Seahorse]

Ilooked through my current ideas book the other day, looking for inspiration and maybe a bundle of cash id accidently misplaced.
Every now and again I put a date in the book just as a basic timeline to see when I thought of things.
The date at the beginning of the book is 13th Jan 06, thats nearly a year and a half!!And Im a big waffler evn with drawings, I need to speed up an have more ideas.Cant believe its taken me so long to get through a notebook.

[swirlyarts]

Stop chatting on here then!! ;)

[Katianne]

I keep my ideas in my head too. I usually look at colours and imagine how they would look. Plus I have been commissioned to do a few mosaic mirrors to the buyers choice of colour and these have worked well - it's good to get other people's perspectives as sometimes you can't imagine how something will look or don't think about it until someone else suggests it.

[missypixie]

My trouble is i have a few ideas books on the go at one time lol i should just focus on one at a time or does anyone else do the same as me? I also can't resist note books etc and buy them and hord them lol for future use but craft room ends up looking like a stationers aswell lol.

Heather

[cant_stop_stampin]

you made me realise that keeping my ideas on scraps of paper and then losing them etc is not a good idea.

I too love books - drawing, writing, colourful and plain etc - but havne't really bought any for a while.

I made a 'Birthday List' book yesterday and embellished it, like a scrapbook page - so I thought I shall now make a book for 'my ideas' and scrapbook it too.

thanks for the inspiration.

Rosie.

[Tip Top]

When I was doing my A levels (did art & design) and then went to art college I used to have the A5 spiral bound art books to do all my jottings. I think I took it a little far when I stuck all the skin off my feet after a hiking trip which resulted in huge blisters.......:D

It was a talking point for a long time.

And I was sick of doing little sketches with charcoal and wanted to do something different. Hahah!

Nowadays, everything is in my head and it stays there for a while, being knocked about until I'm happy with where the idea is going and then it gets made!

[Solitaire]

I photograph everything I do and put it on the pc where I have a folder with the photo listing the materials used

[missypixie]

I think someone mentioned for they're ideas books one page plain paer and the other ruled. Well i got a note book from Paperchase for 2.25 and it wasn't until i opened it that i found out the book is split into one half ruled pages and the other plain pages :)

Heather

[lizard]

I save my ideas by category in relationship to the magazine they came in. That way if I ever need ideas on a baby layout or a card or what not--I just go to that category and find the things i liked in the past.