Has Anyone Seen the Scissors?
by Teresa Van Liew 

It never fails. 

You find a fabulous craft project in a parenting magazine and you are finally going to do this one! The kids gather around you at the dining room table, listening to your in-depth description of the wonderful idea. 

You search for the various items needed and find a few things in the junk drawer and a few more in the wash room. Suddenly you remember that there’s an empty milk carton in the recycle box that you might be able to wash out, and if you put the last three eggs into a bowl you could use the egg carton, too. There is red glitter left over from Christmas, and a bottle of glue that is so dried closed that you give it to your son to work on while you keep gathering. Everyone is searching, but no one can find the big blue-handled scissors. After twenty minutes of frustrated supply gathering (and only finding half of what you need) the inspiration that you had in the beginning is wavering and you suddenly remember that you need to put a load of clothes into the dryer. The kids have gone back to their video game and the moment is lost. 

What if you had one area for all of your art supplies? And what if you simply had to open a door and gather everything in a matter of three to five minutes? Let’s work on this together and get it done. We’ve all wanted to do this for a long time! 

Follow these steps to a creative space of your very own:

1. Gather all of those stray arts and crafts items from all around your house and garage, your garden sheds and your attics, your walk in closets and from under your sinks. Get it all out where you can see it. (I would use boxes or storage containers to hold everything.) 

2. Examine your items. If anything is broken, outdated or dried up, toss it out. 

3. If you are lucky enough to have clear plastic containers to fill, great! If not, go to the local dollar store. You’ll need Jars, baskets, trays and boxes… get the clear ones for easy viewing.

4. If you have a closet or large cabinet that is away from any heat or dampness that you can designate strictly to art, then you are ahead of the game. If not, consider purchasing a ready-to-assemble cabinet. Mine are free-standing and each is approx 5’ high by 3’ wide, with two doors and five shelves each. Don’t get one that is too deep. Things just get lost in the back.

Now, fill up your new cabinet in a useable fashion.

· Store all paint brushes, brush end up, in heavy weight plastic jars without lids. Lightweight jars can tip over.

· Store pencils in shallow trays. Separate your regular pencils and your colored pencils in different trays.

· Crayons, chalk and oil pastels should be kept in their original boxes. If it’s too late for that, use baskets or boxes. Store only like-items together. 

· Rulers, scissors, hole punches and die cuts fit neatly into trays or baskets. Separate the kids from the adult scissors. 

· Tape and ribbon spools can hang inside the door on hooks you install.

· Glue bottles and glue sticks should be separated into two containers.

· White paper and construction paper should always be stored flat. Store paper between two pieces of cardboard to help keep it nice.

· Paints should be stored in containers with tight fitting lids. Keep them in their original containers if at all possible.

· Pasta, dried beans, pom poms, yarn and the like stores great in zipper bags. Some markets carry large 2 gallon size and they are perfect! 

· Get two big wash tubs or boxes for each bottom shelf to fill with recycled items. 

· You want things to be somewhat visible. You might even consider labeling the shelves. But don’t label the shelves until you have lived with your new cabinet for a while. Make sure everything works out before you permanently label it there.

· A good idea: Purchase heavy weight plastic sheeting from the fabric department to use as a work place cover. I throw it down before the kids make dough, paint or build collages. The $5.00 investment makes for super easy clean up, and you don’t have to be so restrictive with the kid’s creative processes. You just protect everything! 

If you wish, have one container (shoe box with lid or a small tool box would work great) with various items that is for ‘free use’ for the kids. Meaning, they can go get it even when you are too busy to help them. Put age appropriate basics and some fun items in the box. Very young children should never explore the art cabinet alone. Consider a cabinet lock just as you would under your kitchen sink if you have very little curious ones. Use your own judgment.

This gives you a general idea about supplies that would be considered common basics to have in your art closet. Keep a running shopping list, and restock with fun items and needed things often. ‘Back-to-school’ sales are the best time to restock your supplies. 

Recyclables to keep:

Glossy color magazines, newspapers, paper towel and bathroom tissue tubes, thoroughly washed and dried milk cartons and cottage cheese containers, and pie pans. (Keep a good stack. They are great for painting and mixing.) Interesting shaped glass bottles. Spice, Wine, mustard, olives, artichokes… some of them come in great shapes and can become works of art. Remove labels by soaking in hot water and liquid dish soap. Scrape off glue residue. Baby food jars are always good for mixing paint and for storing small nails and tacks and glitter/sequins/beads etc. 

You know those little bagged buttons that come on every shirt you buy? Save them for art! Toss them all into a jar. Someday, you’ll be glad you did. Whether it’s a lost button on a not-so-new shirt, or a fabulous buttoned picture frame, you’ll always need buttons…and the big blue-handled scissors.