Craft Space Re-Do Part 3

As I've mentioned before...my craft space is not technically a room because it doesn't have 4 walls and a door. (We've called it The Loft since we bought the house in 2004.)  We got really lucky when we found furniture to fit in here at a garage sale, especially since the one side of the space only has a half a wall.

The furniture was originally for a bedroom, so I've re-purposed the dresser as a desk.  The small folding stool fits under it nicely though if I'm going to be doing computer work for a long time, I move the laptop to The Table in the middle of the room where I can sit more comfortably.  The ottoman to the right was my original desk chair but it was a tad too short so now I just use it for storage.

Two chests also line this half wall.  There are lots of drawers and it's a nice long, flat space to keep my printer, (some of my) die-cutting machines and Cuttlebug:

I also came up with a way to hide all the cords from said machines:

A power strip, label maker and 15 minutes and I no longer have to guess what is plugged in where.  The best part is that I ran all the cords behind the machines and then down between the furniture and the wall, then thru a hole in the one chest next to my desk and into the power strip.  I can close the door and  I don't see - or trip - over any of the cords.

I still have a couple more parts to share....are you enjoying the tour???

Craft Space Re-Do Part 2

This post is all about... The Table.

The amount of flat space - or Real Estate -  that I have to work on is really, really, really important to me.  Really.  For some reason, if I can't spread out...I can't create.  So before The Table came into my life, I used any space I could find in my scrap area, including the floor.  Or the bed in the spare room.  And the floor next to the bed.  Or if I really got going on a project, I'd load up a laundry basket with supplies and haul it all downstairs so I could spread out on the dining room table...which really baffled my husband.

So when I decided it was time for a re-do, I had to have the perfect table.  And I was picky.   I wanted it to be counter-height so I could stand and work if I wanted to and so I could put storage underneath if I needed it.  I wanted enough space for two people to crop comfortably.  I wanted it to be big, but I also wanted to be able to move easily around it.  I wanted it to match the rest of my furniture.  Oh... and I didn't want to spend more than $75 on it.  Not THAT tall of an order....ummm....right??


Once again, my husband - the King of Craig's List - comes through...

It definitely didn't start out like what you see above.  But my husband saw potential is this $55 steal that looked like this when we went to pick it up:

As you can see it was painted a dark, dark cherry and it was pretty beat up.  But it was solidly built and my husband was convinced that I could strip off the old paint and re-do it to match the rest of my furniture.  (He made it sound like I was going to have to do the re-finishing but the man has never met a project he didn't like, so before I could say "Hey Honey...do you think you could....?" , he had out the belt sander and was going to town.  He'll use any excuse to use a power tool).  Off came the old paint and under was a beautiful solid piece of cherry furniture.  He stained and sealed and ta-dah - The Table was born.

It was high enough to put one of the end tables I already had underneath it and the counter stools are from Target:

Now...I'm sure you are wondering about that awesome organizational thingy I've got on top, right?  Here's a closer look at it:

The bottom is from an earring display rack that I picked up at a garage sale forever ago.  I had it in the "to be pitched" pile when I was cleaning out my scrap space....until I took a closer look at it.  I can't find the actual picture of it, but it looked something like this:

I unscrewed the top part and threw it out, so all I had left was the bottom part that spins...kinda like a lazy susan.  (Ikea has wood lazy susan's for $8 if you don't have an old earring display laying around....)

The baskets are from the dollar bins at Target (I have such a love/hate relationship with that part of the store) 3 for a buck.  I bought 3 sets because I used them in my closet too (more on that later).  I hot glued 4 of the baskets to my lazy susan in a circle but left enough room in the middle for a glass baby food jar.  I didn't glue down the middle jar...I wanted to be able to put water or mineral spirits in it, so it just lifts right out.

Ahhh yes...I love my spinning organizational thing almost as much as the table itself....

The tour isn't over just yet....check back on Monday to see the rest...

Now...Go Scrap Something!

Craft Space Re-Do Part 1

A few months ago, I decided I wanted to re-do my craft space.  While I am extremely grateful that I have a dedicated area for my obsession...errr...I mean "hobby"...and all the goodies that go along with it, I needed to make some adjustments...  

*I wanted more shelves for organization.

*I wanted a counter-height table - (with a spinning organizer in the middle.)

*I wanted dedicated space for my die-cutting machines, laptop, printer and the ability to hide all the cords.

*I wanted to make better use of my closet.

*I really wanted a door.  With a lock.

At first I thought about getting rid of the furniture that I had in there and starting over.  My friend Darlene and I spent an entire morning in Ikea trying to figure out exactly what I needed.  But then I came home, looked at the furniture I already had in there and ditched the whole Ikea idea.  Starting over was going to be expensive and besides, my style tends to run more traditional anyway so Ikea's more modern look wasn't going to exactly fit with everything else I had in my house.  

My husband had been on board with this re-do from the beginning, and even started watching YouTube videos on how to frame and dry wall in attempt to give me my much longed for Door With Lock.  While I do have the utmost faith in his handy man abilities, I kinda hate to wait.  I wanted my new room and I wanted it yesterday.  So I gave up on my door dream and let him loose on Craig's List instead.  Just days later, he found me the perfect cabinet AND table.  (My husband is pretty much the King of Craig's List.)  

Before and after pics are my fav, so here is what the wall to the right of the closet looked like BEFORE:

And here is it AFTER:

I now have all of my Cricut cartridges, punches, stamps and Stampin' Up inks in one, well-organized spot.

The drawers are the perfect depth for my punches. I have so many different kinds and by different manufacturers and it always bugged me that I couldn't fit them all in one place... so this was a perfect solution.

I used to have my Cricut carts in a drawer, but they were stacked in a way that I had to dig for them.  Having them on these shelves works beautifully for me.

The bottom shelf is dedicated to just my SU and CTMH stamps:

In the top drawers to the right and left of the punch drawers are my wood mounted stamps.  And in the cabinets below those are all my SU inks and the binders containing all of my other acrylic stamps:

There was even space left near the corner to put up this double hook so I had somewhere to hang my ribbon and the shirt I throw on if I think I'm going to make a crafty-mess (which means I wear it all the time).  The black vinyl on the right is actually a chalkboard and just below that is a hook where I hang up my Cricut mats:

Well... that's all for Part 1 of my Craft Space Re-Do Tour.  Be sure to check back later this week to see the rest of the room...

Now...Go Scrap Something!

PS
I now have Facebook page dedicated to all of my scrappy adventures.  Come like my page so you don't miss anything...  http://www.facebook.com/BrittenLinn

PSS
I'm updating my blog, so excuse the dust while I demonstrate just how much better I am at making stuff with paper rather than doing anything on the computer...

Published!

Look what came in the mail the other day:

And inside (on page 45) was THIS:

That's a necklace that I designed using Paper Layerz by Megan Elizabeth.  I wore it to the CHA Summer show last July and then submitted it to Crafts n' Things magazine for publication.  I'm always so surprised when something I submit is actually accepted.

If you want to find out exactly what Paper Layerz is all about, click on the blinkie on the right.

Now...go scrap something!

Yes Actually I Do Still Scrapbook

I thought I'd share a layout with you today that I never got around to posting.   I made this layout using the Club Ruby January Kit.  This kit (and some others) is now on MEGA SALE at Craft-e-Corner for only $23.99 - which is a total steal - so get yours now before they are sold out.

Here's a pic of the goodies in the kit which is called Fun for Boys & Girls:

Since I have two girls, it was pretty easy to come up with some awesome girly stuff with this kit.  Like these letters I made for their room:

And this super cute owl frame - also for their room:

And I even had enough left over to make this card too:

So as you can see, I had no trouble with the girl stuff.  But what should I do with the boy supplies?  How about a layout for one of my male children - one of the ones with fur....

This is Boomer and I know it's hard to see his face.  He is the blackest of black dogs and no matter what, I have trouble getting detailed photographs of him.  He's a miniature schnauzer - a really small one at only 10 pounds but he is full of energy and he is very much my loyal and devoted companion.  I snapped this pic with my phone right after bringing him home from the groomers.  My girls would prefer a bow, but the bandana seems more appropriate, don't you think??

Anyway...

Here's my favorite part of the layout:

I love making my own embellishments for my papercrafts and that's what I did here with this mini-doggy treat dish made from a smooshed bottle cap (in the kit), some plastic bones that I've had in my stash forever and Glossy Accents.

First you have to smoosh the bottle cap - I use my Cuttlebug.  Put them face up on the A plate:

Then place one of your metal dies on top of the caps and cover with the B plate:

Run it through your Cuttlebug and TA-DA!  smooth, flat caps:

Then I placed a few of the bones in the cap and arranged them how I wanted:

And then I carefully added some Glossy Accents.  Set aside and let dry.  It's going to take awhile, so leave it overnight if you can.  (Otherwise you will be tempted to keep sticking your finger in it to see if it's dry.  Trust me on this one).

Here's your totally unique, super quick and easy, dog-gone cute handmade embellishment:

So what did you think?  Will you try smooshing your own bottle caps?  What will YOU put inside?  Leave me a comment and let me know what you are going to make.

Now...
Go Scrap Something!


Britten

It's Been Awhile

Me & Megan - CHA Winter 2012

I was seriously shocked to see that I haven't posted since November.  NOVEMBER?!?!

So much has happened in the last few months...some devastating and life-altering, some truly wonderful.  I guess that's how it always goes.

But this is (mostly) a crafty kinda blog and I need to get back into posting about what I do outside of the Mom and Wife thing...and that's CREATE!!

With hubby's help, I re-did my scrap room recently and I can't wait to share it.  But I gotta clean it up first.....

Bedroom Re-dos

My girls.  They never really had a finished room.  Not even a nursery.  We started to do it while I was pregnant and then I was put in the hospital for the second half of the pregnancy.  Hubby did the best he could, but we ended up just settling for some mis-matched furniture and no real theme.  I thought I would re-do it when they moved into toddler beds at 3, but nope....still didn't.

I'm not sure how this all got started.  I think it had something to do with my friend Nancy and I at last month's Fishhawk Garage Sale.  I told her we were thinking of bunk beds for the girls, but they had to be the ones with the stairs (the ladder ones just made me nervous).  So we looked at several that day but didn't find exactly what I had in mind.   But about a week later, Nancy sent an email with the exact bunk beds I was looking for....on Craig's List. In excellent condition.  At a ridiculously good price.  Sold.

I always told BP that I thought - when the time was right - we would give the girls our bedroom furniture and buy new stuff for us.  We paid $200 for our bedroom set at an estate sale in 2002.  It's from 1963 (there's a stamp on the back of the mirror that says so).  It just made more sense to give 4-year-olds furniture that was still nice...but not brand new.  So that meant we had to buy new furniture for us.  (See how I did that??)

Here's some pics of the girls' new room.  I found the bedding and accessories at Target.  It's called Love n' Nature Collection and it's just the cutest.  I was worried Breena wouldn't like it because it wasn't purple, but she actually loves it.

BP really wanted to keep the papasan because he sits there with them at night before bed to read.  I agreed but said I wanted a new cushion.  Then I looked up how much new cushions for those things were.  Yikes.  So I found a DIY papasan cushion slipcover tutorial and I'm going to attempt to make a cover that coordinates with their room much better... and at about a 1/3 of the price of a brand new one.

I still have decorating to do.  I want to frame some pictures to put up and I want to put their names on the wall somehow.  But they love their new room.

And I love mine!

Here's the sage-y green color it was before:

And here's what it looks like now:

The furniture isn't white...it's more of an off-white with a dark wood top.  It's also a distressed, shabby-chic   (BP had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that we bought brand new furniture that looks old and used on purpose.)  I wanted an iron bed.  He wanted wood.  This was our compromise.

Here's some more pics:

We got rid of the awful vertical blinds over the slider and replaced them with grommet topped panels in a deep red to match the bedding. (not sure why this pic is so dark)

The mirror that goes on this dresser was broken during delivery.  We should have the replacement by Friday.

I still have some decorating to do in here, but I love how peaceful and light it now is.  Unlike a lot of homes in Florida, all of our trim and doors are a cherry instead of the usual white.  Putting light colored furniture in this room really brightened it up.

Now....what can I re-do next....????