The Original Scrap Box: Sponsorship Review

I just returned from a pleasant trip to St. Paul, Minnesota for The Creative Connection Event 2011. I had a wonderful time teaching and connecting with the best of the creative industry: designers, artists, authors, publishers, gift manufacturers, creative bloggers and more. I was especially fortunate to have my travel and lodging expenses sponsored by a company who’s products I am so proud to endorse, The Original ScrapBox. But more than a typical product review, I wanted to tell you how I happened upon on them and why I believe them to be so special.Last January when I attended the 2011 Craft & Hobby Association event, I had three things on my mind: (1) My own fabric and paper pattern designs, (connect with representatives of said companies to show them my work) (2) New craft products and tools to review and give away to my blog readers, and (3) Craft storage- I felt I was at a good place in my creative endeavors to start endorsing or even designing storage solutions for crafters, scrappers and artists. So I walked about the enormous room looking for those manufacturers. My goal was to find not only practical ways to organize supplies, but beautiful pieces I could align my own brand with in some way. There were many companies offering things from basic cubbies and portable containers to creative storage solutions involving store-like fixtures, but I’d yet to find any that really hit the mark.

I love the whole idea of craft storage. Not just for practical purposes which in itself is so important- stocking up (especially if you find a great deal on supplies,) and keeping organized so that when you are able to work you can find things easily without being overwhelmed by digging through piles. I am extremely fortunate to have an entire (though small) studio and a portion of our garage dedicated to craft storage. I’ve been collecting vintage storage pieces for years: file, watchmaker and library cabinets, an enormous amount of eye-candy cigar boxes with attached hardware, and traditional shelving and bins. So I wasn’t on the hunt for something for myself, but for my readers and all crafters & artists that more often than not work from their dining room or kitchen table. Many creatives just don’t have the space necessary to support their work and materials.

Making my way towards the back of the CHA trade showroom, I finally discovered The Original ScrapBox booth. Pottery Barn meets California Closets. Ballard Designs meets Hobart Cabinets. I was in love.Though I’ve seen ads for ScrapBox in many craft and creative publications for years, I’d never had an opportunity to see their storage furniture in real life. I spent the next few hours and even more the next day in the ScrapBox booth connecting with the company’s owner and sales staff/cabinet designers. The ScrapBox crew were so much fun. Here I am with owner Glenn Jankins.I learned all about their incredible cabinets that are strategically designed not only as beautiful wood furniture but with outstanding storage space and easy access to supplies for many types of crafters and their materials: scrapbooking, yarn, textile, beadwork, jewelry, fly fish tying, collage, sewing, model railroad design, millinary, paper crafts, bookbinding, rubber stamping, miniatures, dollmaking, cardmaking, quilting, and MORE!

I’m so impressed by the magic of ScrapBox cabinets and the way they work- effortlessly opening from a very attractive piece of furniture to reveal shelves upon shelves, nooks and more nooks of neatly stored and organized bins of supplies. Some cabinets even containing their own fold-down work surface.

Besides the obvious beauty and storage capabilities of their pieces, I was truly impressed with the quality of materials and craftsmanship, with so much attention paid to the details and engineering of each one. Though I don’t own or currently need a storage solution for myself, I am so proud to endorse the storage and work cabinets, brilliant sewing cabinets, innovative and beautiful desks and craft storage accessories of ScrapBox. Read what others who own a ScrapBox are saying HERE!

ScrapBox has many wood finishes to choose from for their collection of storage furniture. Here are my favorite pieces in each category:

The WorkBox in Distressed Black

The CraftBox in Vanilla Beadboard

The MiniBox in Vanilla Raised PanelThe PaperTower in Knotty Alder

EZ View Craft Desk in BlackThe SewingBox in BlackOn the ScrapBox website, you can find all the specifications of each piece along with some very cool 3D videos of how they work. On their Facebook page, they offer giveaways and special promotions often, so be sure to friend them to keep up with the latest, AND you can see photos from ScrapBox customers showing their pieces in use, those alone speak volumes on customer satisfaction!