Showing posts with label organization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organization. Show all posts

Friday, July 11, 2014

Where Bloggers Create Party



This is my second year of participating in Where Bloggers Create at My Desert Cottage.


Last year, my creative space was in the garage, but it was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.


In January, we changed our guest room into a space for me to play and I spent the next few months organizing my supplies.


A lot of fun goes on within these 4 walls.


An old dresser updated with a coat of Miss Mustard Seed, Eulalie's Sky holds supplies and also stands in as a work surface when my main table is messy.


I love the wall above the dresser -


because of all the inspiration - cards from friends, hands, numbers . . .


My worktable, which I hope to paint white soon, holds my sewing machine and Sizzix Big Shot -  both are used multiple times each week.


The wall above the sewing machine holds wire baskets.


The content of the baskets changes depending on what projects are on my plate at the time.


I love this wall too because it holds inspiring bits and pieces


and is full of color.


 The wall opposite my work table has a little rolling cupboard which can be easily moved to access the pull down stairs to the attic.


One of Steve's paintings titled, "Carol's Garden", 4" x 6", takes up nearly the entire wall and it does not matter what time of day I photograph it, I always get a glare.


The vintage Coats and Clark thread box belonged to my grandmother and I debated for years about painting it, but I have never regretted my decision to paint it green.


The wall opposite the dresser has two 6 foot tall bookshelves FILLED with supplies, books and inspiration.


These shelves are the most organized my creative space has ever been and it is so nice to just go right to the spot to find something.


Labeled drawers, baskets, glass jars, etc. hold a myriad of supplies that I didn't remember I had until I organized the space.


I absolutely LOVE my creative space and the fact that I can start a project and leave it out for days if necessary.


Needless to say, my creative space is not usually this clean.


But, joining the Where Bloggers Create party certainly got me more organized.


I organized my fabrics and began cutting out squares for a quilt or two.


A year ago I wrote letters on a Dollar Store plate with a Sharpie - because I was getting organized, I finally did the baking in the oven to set the ink.


I found this wooden frame stretched with netting in a cupboard and used up wooden letters and starfish to make a sign for the bathroom.


I'm so organized now


that I can sneak in a create a project or two while Steve makes dinner.


Since my workroom is clean and organized, I am headed over to My Desert Cottage to check out the creative spaces of the other bloggers at Karen's party.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Four Hours . . .


Moving everything to the my new workspace in the garage left my Ikea Expedit in total disarray.


The alphabetical organization was fun - guests usually end up in the guest room looking at all the little bits and pieces and even questioning my placement of items.

But, it is time for a crisp and clean look.

None of my alphabet collection was moved to the garage since they are used for vignettes rather than creating.


I sat on the sofa in the guest room staring at the Expedit waiting for inspiration.

Aha!


Letters are scattered along the top of the cabinet.


To fill the boxes, I gathered books from all over the house.


I decided this was the space to showcase some of my collections -


hands . . . blocks . . . clocks . . .


and a few favorite family treasures.


The ceramic tobacco canister was my father's and I can picture it sitting on a similar shelf in my childhood living room.


The glass container holding my number collection was my grandmother's.

You can faintly make out the raised letters of PLANTERS PEANUTS.

 I broke a corner of the glass several years ago, but I could not bear to part with it so I used clear packing tape to mend it.


This worn out little school slate was what my grandmother carried to school everyday in the 1880s.      

It took 4 hours to achieve this look.


All my large letters are in one place when I want to create a vignette.


I'd like to say that I was done.

The guest room cabinet is organized, but I created havoc on shelves in our bedroom.

I have several baskets full of odds and ends I removed from the shelves - where am I going to put them?

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

Vintage on a Dime - Welcome Home Wednesday

A Delightsome Life - Home and Garden Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup Thursday

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Green Willow Pond - What We Accomplished Wednesday

Creative Cain Cabin - Budget Decorating Party

No Minimalist Here  - Open House Party

The Busy Bees

Thursday, April 18, 2013

In the garage . . .



 I need a place to create.

I need that place to hold all of my supplies so I don't have to go in search of things in the middle of a creative streak.

I have moved into the garage.

Don't feel sorry for me that I have been relegated to the garage- I'm happy with the arrangement.

The doghouse would be another story.

Actually, I wouldn't mind a little house in the backyard to escape.

But, I digress.

I took all my supplies out of Steve's studio,


the Ikea Expedit in the guest room,



the armoire in the living room,


and put everything in the garage.


This organization is the result of 2 weeks of searching, sorting, and tossing.

It would have taken less time had I not found little projects to create along the way.

Last night I stayed up late, way too late!

And, finished putting things away.

These black drawers from TJ Maxx are the only item I purchased to get organized - I had everything else in different spots.


These books by Jo Packham were my inspiration.


She is amazing - I think I own every book she has written.


The first thing I made when I started putting everything away was the dream banner.

You can see that our garage is cinderblock circa 1928.  

I want to paint the entire interior white, but that won't happen soon.


I want to paint the cabinets white, but I have a volleyball tournament this weekend. 

Maybe next week.

The doors were removed from the cabinet by Steve, accidentally.

The other night he was putting his car away and didn't notice that one of the doors was not quite shut.

He hit it (Black Beauty is fine) and took the door right off.

He apologized profusely, but I actually am glad it happened.

I would never have thought to take the doors off, but the supplies inside the cabinet are much more accessible now.


My sewing machine is pushed back, but when it is pulled to the edge, it is a perfect height for me to stand up and sew.

That might not sound comfortable, but my back aches less when I stand up to sew.

I see a baby quilt and some pillows in my future now that my machine is at hand.


 Ribbon, tape and baker's twine are hanging on string from an old plate rack.


Wire . . . ribbon . . . envelopes . . . trinkets . . . all are close at hand.

All my supplies are in one place, I have discovered duplicates and triplicates of things, and will probably never have to buy supplies again - not going to happen!

Across from the workbench I found room in our tiny garage (a tiny  1928 cottage means a one car garage) for more supplies.


I moved lots of things around so I need to make new labels and organize each drawer better.


I have space to create on the workbench and I can find everything.


Two projects are ready for the weekend - a little wooden crate will become a colorful napkin holder.

And the little boat doorstop needs repair and paint.

The doorstop is special - my sister painted it for my mother in kindergarten - the letter D stands for my mother Dorothy.

All in all, it has held up pretty well since it was painted 61 years ago!

One last photo that should get you wondering.


When Steve sold images of his paintings to Firestone for wine labels, they added into the contract that they would give him 2 cases of wine for each new bottling.

Today he picked up 12 cases of wine.

Everyone on the lane was quite happy today.

As they drove down the lane, they stopped to see what we were doing with all the boxes and everyone left with a couple of bottles.

I told Steve he has to deplete the bottles in the white box first.

I had planned to store paper on those shelves.

Our garage is now officially the home of Black Beauty, my creative space, and a wine cellar.

Anyone want to come over and create with me?

We can crack open a bottle of wine!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

You can find me partying at

Simple Home Life - Simply Creations Link Party

Beyond the Picket Fence - Under $100 Linky Party

Savvy Southern Style - Wow us Wednesdays

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup Thursday