It's Reveal Time!

 Before I show you my new and MUCH improved scrap room, let me just remind you of the third-world conditions in which I used to create:

That's right.  It was a closet.  An un-ventilated, completely cramped space.  Comparing it to what I have now, I have NO IDEA how I was able to feel creative in that tiny workspace. 

So, what does my new workspace look like?  Let me show you!!

This is my crafty corner and I am in LOVE with it!!  I have lots more to show you, so grab a drink and get comfy.  :)

I made these shelves to 1) do the obvious and hold stuff on top of, but also 2) to hold things UNDERNEATH!  As you can see, I have what you might call a slight washi tap addiction.  This shelf originally had one bar attached, but that would have been full before I even painted the thing, so I added the second bar behind it.  That one is almost full, too, and now I am on a STRICT no-washi-buying diet!  The small shelf at the top left holds all of my glitter glues and the longer shelf next to it holds all of my smaller, lighter twine and ribbon spools.  I have to tell you, adding those rods is the best thing I could have ever come up with!  Saves me extra trips to search in a bin for my washi/twine and I can see each and every color right from my comfy chair.  I'm a genious!  (If I do say so myself.)  :)

These cabinets are just closet organizers from Target.  They were both supposed to have a shoe shelf on top of them, but if I had done that I wouldn't have been able to flip the light switch, so I compromised.  My spice rack holds all of my Twinery twine sampler packs (which I wrapped around cut cardboard from a dry clean pants hanger).  The two binders to the left hold all of the stamps that I use frequently.  Mostly Paper Smooches, Lawn Fawn, Market Street Stamps, among others.  The baskets on the shelves hold various ribbon, twine, seam binding, WRMK tools (corner chompers, etc) and flowers.  This is also where I keep my loose cardstock and my 12 x 12 paper pads.  Here is a close-up of where I keep some of my 6 x 6 paper pads:

I found this wooden box at Michaels.  I had found a pin on Pinterest which showed how to crackle finish wood using regular Elmer's glue and decided to give it a try.  The results were hit and miss (mostly because where I "missed," I didn't use thick enough glue), but I am in love with the results!  It looks weathered and distressed all in one.  And it's a super convenient place to keep some of my 6 x 6 pads (yes, some...I guess you could say I have 6 x 6 issues as well).  :)

This is what it looks like inside of the cabinets.  The binders on the top left shelf hold more (yes, MORE) stamps.  The bin next to them hold all of my punches.  Below are all of my Scrapbooks Etc, Creating Keepsakes and Scrapbook Trends/Cards magazines.  Along with some sketch/inspiration books.  In the other cabinet, I have my ink bin, my wooden stamp bin, bigger tools (embossing machine and sticker maker) and storage for cards I've made and die cuts.

Back over by my desk, this is how I am using the table that I showed you all yesterday.  It works perfectly for holding my spinning storage thingie (I need to trademark that) and I don't have to worry about any drawers getting stuck from the weight.  Now all I need to worry about is keeping small hands away from all of the things that will stain the heck out of the carpet in there. 

Here is a close-up picture of some of the decor in my room.  I thought it would be fun to display some of my favorite cards that I've made, as well as some cute Michaels finds.  All of the turquoise colored items that I've used in this room seem to go better in person than they do in pictures, but I wasn't trying to go all matchy-matchy, either. 

One of the BEST things about getting my own craft space is that I was able to pull my neglected sewing machine out of the box and set it up so I could actually use it.  Getting it out of the box and dragging that heavy thing around the house is what kept me from using it very much.  Now that I have it set up, I've hemmed curtains, created an easier way to make my girls' beds (sewing one side of the flat sheet to the fitted sheet, so I don't have to worry about the wall side of the sheets coming untucked all the time - again, GENIUS!!), and sewn on a couple layouts.  I'm so excited to have this out of storage!

Below is another decor picture, but this is on the opposite side of the window from where the other decor picture was taken.  Yes, I have empty frames, but I just got them a couple days ago, so no pointing fingers.  :)  The chevron frame used to be painted pink to match the nursery, but I painted it turquoise and used my chevron Mr. Huey's mask again to make it go with my room better.  (Side note:  I got the frame on the wall to hang over my light switch cover, but it was just slightly too small.  Wouldn't that have looked cute, though?)

Below is the wall opposite from my workspace.  This is why my husband won't call this the "craft room" but rather the "hobby room."  (He enjoys playing computer games.)  In the blank space on the wall above the desk, I am either going to create some vinyl artwork to hang up or create some canvases to decorate the space with.  Either way, it will have turquoise accents.  :)

Well, that is my new scrap room!  I hope you enjoyed seeing it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!  Here's to hoping this new space renews my crafty soul and I start cranking out new projects soon!  :)

Until next time...