Framelits and Edgelits and Thinlits rock! These thin metal tools (with the help of the Big Shot) cut your paper in no time!

But I have been wanting a better storage system for these tools for a LONG time. When you get them from Stampin' Up!, they come in these great little plastic envelopes. But over time, it gets cumbersome to pull them all out and go through all these slippery storage cases to find the framelit/edgelit/thinlit you are looking for.

I originally tried storing them in the clear-mount stamp set cases with magnetic sheets. I even put the labels on the side of the containers, so I could just glance and pull out the one I needed. And I LOVED the idea of he magnet because the tools didn't move around inside the boxes.

But as my collection increased, I realized this method would take up MUCH more room than the plastic folders they came in. As you can see in this photo below, I have my envelopes and plastic cases taking up a whole compartment, AND I have even more sets that I can't fit in that space!

This
was where I was at until my friend Karen showed me her 6×6 album. I was
ready to start searching for a 6×6 size album in my retired products bin
(since we don't carry them anymore) when all of a sudden the framelit sets starting showing up in larger
plastic envelopes.

Ta-da! The new Envelope Liners and Thinlit Card Dies!

Hmm… now what to do?

Oh! The 8×8
album would be a much better choice. So I got one off the clearance rack (right now there is a yellow one still available)…

…and then purchased and cut
to size some magnetic sheets that I got from Amazon.com to fit in the sleeves. I thought this was my dream come true.

I set to work cutting out 8×8 magnet sheets from this large roll.

Unfortunately I had to put 2 sheets in per sleeve because the back side (white side) of the sheet wasn't magnetic. AND it was hard to get the pieces out because some items really clung well and I had to reach my hand down in and try to shimmy them out. TOO MUCH MAGNET.

They looked great, but this system wasn't functional at all. Plus it was a work-out just to lift the album up and look through it. Those magnets are heavy!

 I didn't want to get rid of the magnet idea, though. So I kept asking
around to see what other demonstrator friends did for their storage. And
I came up with this idea next…

…Less magnet! – I can pull the strip out and easily access the
framelit, edgelit or thinlit I am looking for.  Yea!! I also still have the
labels in each sleeve, so I can keep them identified.

Then a NEW problem showed up. 🙁

The strips kept tilting over causing the framelits to fall off the magnetic strips. So I changed the magnet to a triangle shape so it had a wider base. This put a little more weight back into the album, but not too much. And now there is WAY less tipping!

Some of the sets needed a slightly bigger magnet. But one larger magnet
here or there didn't add too much weight, so that worked just fine.

I think I finally came up with what will work for me!!!

I can just pull out the album and I have them all at my fingertips. And look at how much less room it takes up! I'm a happy crafter!

Stamp Your Art Out! ~Rachel