So it wasn't a great idea to decide to tear apart my studio the week I planned to link up with Where Bloggers Create 2011.
My studio is our 4th and smallest upstairs bedroom at only 9' x 10' but it is a nice bright space. Before the cabinets came out it was organized, but the upper cupboards were hard to reach and the lower drawers were too cramped with the large work table. I shared a few photos and inspiration in
this post.
DURING WITH CABINETS OUT:
My husband and oldest son took down the cupboards and I thought it would be a quick patch and touch up paint job. Wrong! No matching paint left and I used a mistint originally. Only 3 small areas to patch and paint and I ended up having to repaint the whole room, only a year and a half after the last time.
DURING WITH UPPER AND LOWER CABINETS OUT:
Emptying out the cupboards and drawers meant piles of stuff everywhere!
AND NOW FOR THE PROGRESS:
It was faster to just use the extra can of BM Snowfall White from our living room. One can was enough for two coats on 2/3 of the room (will be finished soon.) I liked the beige, but I'm really happy with the fresh white. Adding some interest to the walls with art should help.
My supplies are as plentiful as my hobbies (quilting, cross-stitch, crochet, knitting, painting signs, card making, scrapbooking, crafting Christmas ornaments, sewing for our home and mending clothes for my extended family) so I need lots of storage space. The closet holds a wire drawer organizer with the larger cuts of home dec fabric.
Our old dining room farmhouse table is large enough to spread projects out, but too large to have in the centre of the room (which would make more sides accessible.) Most of my supplies are in baskets and containers to easily carry to the table. The ruffled skirt chair is a hand me down from my brother that I recovered in black denim
here.
This pie cabinet holds cross stitch supplies in the bottom and quilting supplies on the open shelves. I don't have a huge quilting fabric stash but I enjoy seeing it.
Our boys are 12 and 14 now but I love using and displaying their school-crafted Christmas and Mother's and Father's Day gifts.
Old canning jars with zinc lids, simple galvanized buckets, wicker baskets and wooden cubbys make great storage containers and add the rustic farmhouse feel that I love.
I added light kits to three Crown canning jars for evening crafting (two are not shown in these photos.)
Grouping like items makes it easier to find things and sometimes it looks prettier too!
Storage doesn't have to cost a lot either, these wood cubbies were $1 each at a yard sale.
Keeping my tools grouped together and close at hand inspires me to be creative. I get more done when I am surrounded by things I love.
An old tool box keeps all my threads, scissors and rotary mats/rulers handy.
Textures make me happy! I love the chippy grey paint on the cubby too. I'm hoping to add even more texture with some fabrics and art.
This corner of the room near the window has space for a bookcase or tall cabinet for more storage.
I have a collection of Amish prints by Nancy Noel and my own stitched pieces that I may hang to add interest. Not very trendy, but certainly what I enjoy seeing.
Above the window is the point where the two coats of white ended. The topper was inspired by The Nester and is just strips of fabric and crocheted trims in creams and whites.
On the opposite wall between the closet and the window, I have a temporary storage shelf. This holds all my scrapbook, card making and Church catechism marking supplies. On the very top are baskets for quilt tops waiting to be finished. From the window around to the closet is the wall that still needs painted. I'll need help to move this big shelf out one day soon.
Scrapbooking stickers are stored in the not so attractive but functional drawers. Cardstock, glues, blank cards and boxes of photo corners/scrapbook adhesives are in baskets that can be brought to the table.
Again, no fancy storage system for the cardstock, but easily accessible until I find a better solution. When my nieces C and H come over tomorrow, they will most likely organize by ROYGBIV. They are a bit OCD, like me.
I had about 25 of these IKEA bins with the wall racks from our kitchen at one time, but sold most of them a few years ago. My sister had some extras when I decided to use them to store Fiskars paper scissors.
A few punches, some scrapbook/card decorations and markers in a son-made mug, all corraled on a tray.
For now my wrap essentials are in a 4-drawer organizer. Gift bags...
tissue paper...
and bows and extra ribbons.
Another organizer stores stamps for cardmaking. My studio feels fresher and more organized but there is still lots to be done. My goals are to finish the painting, find more tall storage, and soften things up a bit.
I shared a few before photos with the cabinets and some inspiration photos in
this post. Thanks so much for visiting and I hope you leave a comment to let me know you were here. Thanks to Karen for all the time organizing the party! I'm going to be busy seeing the other links and looking for even more inspiration.
I'm also linking up with:
