Wednesday, May 14, 2008

My Happy Place

Well, I did it. It took far longer than I would've hoped but..... I finally have my happy place unpacked. I still have a few projects to get the room totally complete, but I am happy for now. I have to say the final stretch was the most difficult. I purged lots of stuff, organized, re-organized and organized again. I still have some labeling to do which I actually enjoy so I look forward to that. I just purchased some Provocraft Vinyl, so I plan to add some quotes to a couple walls when I figure out what to say. So this room is definitely a work in progress. My goal is to host my club and downline meetings in my Happy Place, so I don't have to disrupt my family and dining room so much. Many people post pictures of their crafting spaces, so here are lots of mine. It's a large space so there are lots of photos. I have tried to take some close ups of a few things that I get asked about a lot. I look forward to sharing my space with you.

Before I start my tour I should say I LOVE my space and look forward to spending time here. The pluses of the space are: it's size, storage, light, 10ft ceilings, greenbelt view, locale in my house (next to the playroom), and piped in music from house surround sound. The only downside is that there is no closet, so there is no where to store big awkward things like my large collection of SU bags, rollings totes, display boards and other non-pretty things.


Enter my room here, through the double doors. A quote will be added above the door very soon.







Once through the doors turn left and see my main desk and computer area. My husband will use this space on the nights we decide to hang out together. (Normally he is down the hall in his office). To accommodate this arrangement, I had to add another crafting area.

Once through the door, if you look the other way (right) you see my alternate stamping space, paper storage, ribbon storage and additional built in shelves and cabinets. (Yikes a light bulb is out, just spotted that.)


Here is a closer look at the main desk. I have broken down some the elements of this space into smaller pieces to show. Keep scrolling down. :)



I plan to add another white shelf here and put something pretty on it. The Stack and Store Caddies hold my Stampin' Up! embellishments. The big jars hold glitters, acrylic letters and other cute small embellishments. I have my desk top Ott Lite here as well. Can't live without it.

This is my heat tool holder. I always get lots of questions about this. My husband built it for me a few years ago. Isn't he awesome :) It stays plugged in, so all I have to do is grab and heat.







Scraps- What to do. I get asked this question A LOT!! Here is how I organize mine. I create a pile on the corner of my desk. When it gets too big to handle, I file by color. The files are grouped by color family. Neutral colors have drawers on the shelves, so they don't go here. I also have a basket that sorts the 1/2 sheets by color and a box that hold 1/4 sheets. Hope that makes sense.

Here is the other half of the desk. My non-SU (gasp, I know. I do have quite an assortment of non SU things) embellishments go in the tool box. The card holder on the wall is from Pottery barn. I plan to add a metal bar to hold my favorite punches as well. Just need a trip south to get one.

Next to my desk are some built in shelves and cabinets. They are up-lit which is really nice. Here I store my current SU stamps, Primas, Pretties, etc. The blue boxes all store specific supplies. i.e. Envelopes, Cello Bags, Fibers, Wheel Cartridges, etc. The plastic drawers, store the ink refills, watercoloring tools, beads, neutral scraps etc. In the cabinets I store my alphabet stamps, background stamps, unmounted hostess/SAB/Mini catalog stamps, adhesive refills, tidy trays etc. On the end of the cabinet I have hung my small punch storage system.

This is my business supply area. The printers reside her as well as my office supplies, workshop folders, forms etc. I was also able to fit my ink pad caddy on the end right next to my alternate crafting table.


This is my alternate crafting table. For now it is a folding table we got at Costco. If I end up using this space often, I plan to replace it with a more permanent desk. It stores my Carl cutter, 1/4 & 1/2 sheets of cardstock and a tool holder that spins (by Creating Keepsakes). Next to my table is my two Show on the Go boards. I find these hard to store since I don't have a closet to hide them in.

Next to my craft table I have two sets of shelves I got at Ikea years ago. They happen to match my desk. Here is where I store my cardstock and papers. The literature sorter has all my SU 8.5" x 11" cardstocks sorted by color. Two colors per slot except the neutrals. I am also a big supporter and user of vertical storage. All my 12"x12" papers are sorted in these. I have tons of them. They all store different things and are labelled accordingly. Up above is also where I store my "keep forever" retired SU stamps. I sell off the ones I am no longer in love with. These are the few survivors of 10 years of collecting. I sell about 100 sets a year to make room for new. The cabinets below store all the items I have purchased over the years to alter. Someday I will. :)
Here is my ribbon storage and wheel storage. I have had these for years. My husband made them for me. I get a lot of requests for these as well as my heat tool holder. I store my ribbon by type and status. Current and Retired, SU and Non. The wheel rack is my design that he executed for me. I like it because I can grab, go, and put away without moving anything else. Plus I like that I can see what I have. (This rack also serves as overflow ribbon roll storage at times)

Next to my ribbon rack is another window and set of built-ins. This is where I store my bigger tools and scrapbooking supplies. My Cricuts both reside here along side my Cuttlebug, Xyron, Zutters, and scissor sharpener. My reference books and old catalogs live here as well. I have a gazillion packages of chipboard that take up a whole shelf. Each blue box has things like cutting tools, adhesives, coasters, powders, eyelets etc. The one small cupboard and the left is what is left of my non-paper crafting art supplies. My candle making, soap making, cross stitch, bead making etc. The other cupboard hold miscellaneous stuff. I have hung my large punch holder on the end facing the door. One fun fact, I have two secret cupboard in the room. The corners of both my built in shelves have false fronts. So, I can store my wrapping paper and other small things I don't want people to see or find in here.

So that's it. I apologize if I don't schedule a stamp camp this quarter. I really needed to do this for me. Now, hopefully my creative juices will start flowing and I can bring you new and exciting ideas and samples. Please contact me if you have any questions about how I store something.

20 comments:

loretta said...

Hey sign me up, I'll come play!

I love your new room. Maybeone day I'll get a nice room all to myself!

Thanks for sharing, i know you will enjoy the space!

Loretta
www.msrhetta.blogspot.com

katiesniche said...

You have a great new room!!! Thanks for showing us all the pics! enjoy

Anonymous said...

Awesome looking craft room

Anonymous said...

I saw the one pic at Splitcoast and just had to come and see the whole room! WOW WOW WOW. I am so happy for you (and more than a little jealous for me;-) )

Thanks for sharing your space and do enjoy! Think of me in my dark basement the next time you stamp!

best regards!
heather

Lisa said...

The pictures are great! I got some ideas on what I can do in my new studio space. TFS

Lisa
http://flatfishpaperarts.blogspot.com/

Kim said...

That is awesome!!! Thanks for sharing the pics! I'm always looking for new ideas.

Anonymous said...

I think your stamp room wins the prize for the most elaborate and fabulous room I've seen to date! It would be hard to top. I am so jealous!

On a side note, please don't leave your heat tool plugged in. I know someone whose house burned down doing that. I don't think it was a SU heat tool, but nonetheless...

Enjoy your beautiful space and thanks for the tour!

Anonymous said...

WOW! I stumbled across your site after seeing a picture on SCS. Your space is amazing! Were the built ins designed by someone to fit the space or did you purchase them? I'll have to get my not-so-handy husband to try to make me a heat gun holder. That's an awesome little thing!

You must love your space. Enjoy!
Andra

Tandra said...

Wonderful! So organized!! I love it!!
What is the size of your room?
Thanks!
Tandra

Lori Barnett said...

It looks TOO CLEAN! ha ha ha ha Awesome job on the craft room! LOVE IT!

Lastel said...

Awesome space , and so well organized , I must say I am jealous !

Cindy Coutts @ Cindy B Designs said...

I love, love, love your room! Wow. What a great place and you gave me some ideas. I just subscribed to your blog. You have some fantastic work on here! Nice to "meet" you. Please visit me at www.cindycoutts.com. I'd like to add you to my Friends List. Thank you so much for sharing.

MamaSheg said...

Wow, I love your new room!! It looks like a wonderful place to be crafty. I hope to get a tour at the next stamp camp.

XOOXO

Anonymous said...

I love your cabinets. Do you mind if I ask where they are from? Beautiful room! Thanks!

Mellie
qismagsd@shaw.ca

Lesly said...

WOW! WOW! WOW! I dream of organizing my room this summer while my boys are at camp. Your room is truly an inspiration.

The Crafty Chik said...

Great looking room! I need to take notes So I can get mine to look that good! Thanks for sharing=o]!

Godelieve said...

Fantastic room! Wow!!!

bensarmom said...

Wow, this is a fantastic room!

Joy said...

I'm jealous!

Anonymous said...

I like your room! I am redoing my room and really love your desk, I am looking for a L-shaped desk. could you tell where you purchased it? Thanks
julieac60@att.net