Well, that was fun --

I had an entire blog post completed 

[with photos! - And THAT always takes the longest for me - ] 

and then,

poof.

It was gone 

[even after saving it, scheduled to post, for over a week -]

 

That's fun. - Ha.

Sooooo, since I really want to share with you all my updated studio space, 

I guess I'll start over ---  

Y'all know I always say my space is ever-evolving, according to how I create - 

and what I'm focusing on at the time -- 

Well a few months ago I went to a several weekend retreats 
and crops and got lazy 
and didn't put things away when I got home...

Do you do this too?
It was a mess...

There was stuff everywhere!
 In the floor - 
stacked on the futon...
everywhere!

All over the desk[s] where I create -
-all over the floor -- It was awful.
 It ended up

DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!

So I knew it was time for a change.

I knew I wanted to replace the wire shelves and stacking bins with something a little more sturdy - so I armed my self with my trusty tape measure and got to work --- 

after a couple of thrift store stops I found this book shelf [a store display, I think] for $12!!!

I quickly measured my car and had them tuck it in for me...I needed help from my sweetie and the youngest to get it up the stairs.

Love that the stacking drawers fit in there, as well as a wire basket for books, and the train case and basket I got in the Bahamas for storage. I have a dividing file [for completed pages] on top along with the big shot and my cutting board [making memories]

LOVE that it fits nicely under my hanging shelf, and is the same height as my scrapbook desk [counter height] - since I measured it well and knew what I needed. 

To the right of that is my desk -  basically clean with my carry-on bag with fishing lure boxes inside to the left and ready to use [embellishments are sorted by color in the boxes], the stacking drawers  are on the shelf above / behind, and a basket to the right holds all my page kits [I'm LOVING my kit from Noel Mignon these days!] Above the drawers is a box of tags, a bowling bag for storage [$5, hello? with the ball that I gave away --] and my roladex scripture tags. I have shop light overhead for extra light.

Underneath I have bins with additional paper kits sorted by
 holiday and bags with mini albums supplies, etc. 

 On the right wall I have a shoe bag for favorite punches, a couple of bulletin boards and hanging files for ideas and my aprons from various events I've attended,

 Under the alcove is my ode to Disney - I have my first pair of mouse ears that I got in... hmmm.... 1967 or 68? And various other ears I've gotten throughout the years - including the year of a million dreams and fiftieth anniversary. I may [or may not] talk about it much - but we pretty much LOVE Disney. And we go at least every three years...

 Circling on around the room - I straightened up the book shelf and futon a bit and tucked this stool in a niche with another favorite train case [it carries my paint when I do art out / town] with a favorite painting on top. 

The next wall has the door to the hallway and my painting area tucked behind it -- it looks a little messy - but this is basically as clean as it gets. HA. My desk is a door on two filing cabinets covered with a cheap shower curtain [can be changed as needed.]

Things I LOVE - the ikea cart that I finally ordered on-line. I love that it has wheels and can be moved around as needed, I love that it holds so much more than I had there before - and, of course, I love the happy color!

I love the coke crate that I've had since I was a kid and am now using to hold my basic art supplies so that it's all portable and easy to use upstairs or down... I love the work-shop bins at the back of my desk that hold all the little bits of STUFF that makes mixed media fun... I love the screen behind that holds works in progress... I love the bike basket to the right that holds old book, handy to use...

To the right of that is the closet [I took off the doors and tucked them in the back for easy access, should we ever want to put them back on -] I have a computer desk in there with more shelving, I love the shoe boxes with drawers, the train case that holds my acrylic stamps, the ikea boxes... and of course, my old scrapbooks from high school and college. Fun. 

But THIS is probably my favorite area of all -- 

I know I've told y'all my sweetie is the BEST shopper ever! He found these lockers and brought them home for me [and we got them upstairs with help from the oldest - love my guys!] It replaces the huge computer cabinet with a ton more storage...

And then we picked up this little computer desk and book shelf [that my sweetie re-purposed to go vertical instead of horizontal] for $20!!! I put the last set of paper drawers underneath and the printer sets on top of that - I have a file holder from one of my first co-workers to the left of the screen and it holds a favorite piece of art that is a compilation of work from me and two sweet friends when we met in Chattanooga back in the spring - LOVE IT.

Overall, it's a much less cluttered space. I still have a few stacks of paintings that I need to sell and bags of stuff that needs to be put away [mostly layouts that need to be placed in albums - but I have a plan for those...

I'll share that with you soon -]
Hope you've enjoyed looking around my room a bit - I have some close-up photos I'll share in a day or two - until then, I'd love to see what your space looks like -