Where Bloggers Create Studio Tour 2016

My heart is overflowing with gratitude and excitement today, as I share with you my humble craft space.  As many of you know, I recently merged all of my mother's craft supplies with my own into this tiny 8x9' space.  I worked for countless hours getting things organized.  I thought I was finished until I saw the release date for the 2016 Where Bloggers Create party and looked around and thought of photographing it...  I truly did not think I could finish the process.  But just like hosting a party at your home gets you motivated to clean up, this online party has motivated me to tidy every loose end in my very favorite place on earth, my studio!

Every single detail in this room is a budget buy!  My solid hardwood table was a resale purchase for $50, an upgrade from a folding table several years ago.  The jars are all recycled and the lamp is a vintage thrifty score, with a new shade.

I was so lucky to find this bin at Sam's Club for $20.  It stores my Color Bloom sprays by Prima and other small art jars.

I picked up these shelves on clearance to display my stamps seasonally.  I change them out, depending on my mood.  The wire man was a gift, made by my eldest daughter.  He is now my muse!  Thank you Ainsley!!!  <3  My mom gave me the utensil holder for my birthday.  :)

One more shot because this is truly one of my favorite details...

I was able to squeeze in two stamp towers behind the door as you come in.  This wasn't my original design, but was the only way I could fit all of my mom's stamps in my small space.  I don't think it looks so bad at all.

Of course, I had to have one of these rolling carts.  I keep my must have supplies in the bag on top, then when I go to an art day with friends I don't have to pack/unpack.  I have clear containers of inks, embossing powders, art mediums, baby wipes, a glue gun, stacks of books for text pages, plastic lids to use as disposable palettes, and more paints!  This booger weighs a ton, but thankfully is on wheels!  I keep my pads of watercolor paper, all of my stencils, and a folder of collage images tucked between the trash can.  What I love about having a small space is having everything within reach.

I had a couple of inches left on top of this cabinet and used it to store my nail polish.  My table is the perfect place to do my nails!  LOL!

Making my way across the room, I have a small folding table beside where I sit that I use as a die cutting station.  If I have a guest, I can move the machine and basket so they can have more table space, or I can put it out of the room all together.

My flower and Christmas dies are on the left and everyday dies in the basket.  I tuck the plates between the machine.  It all works very well for me.

I know everyone has their own system, but my organizational method is to house similar items together in one container.  All embellishments are in the plastic sorting trays in the middle.  Each tin has the same kind of paints.  Two of the bins hold all of my unmounted stamps.  One holds alterable items, or substrates.  The little clear containers hold glitter/microbeads, vintage lace trim, vintage seam binding, and Glimmer Mists.  The bright blue container in the middle is a repurposed Swiffer mop container that just happened to fit perfectly in the gap.  It holds all of my chipboard die cuts.

The striped accent wall is the main source of color.  I really love having an all white space.  In a tiny room, it helps keep it bright and airy.  I purposely didn't put tall shelves on the left when you walk in the door because I wanted to walk in and the space "feel" open, even if it is not.

I was able to tuck these three stamp storage units under the table.  I will roll them out of the way when I have a guest.

I picked up this tall bookcase at Walmart for $30.  I have tons stored in it, handmade cards, magazines, journals, and more.

On top of the bookcase is a basket filled with art from friends.

Beside that is our computer, where the blogging happens!  The desk was about $20 at a resale shop.  It had one broken drawer, so I made a fabric covered box to fill that space.  It is filled with vintage lace.  The shelf gives me a display space that I can change any time I want.

I don't really mind the bottom drawer missing, the fabric is pretty to look at.

I have finally maximized almost every inch of space in the closet.  I have two stamp drawer units, and one filing cabinet for 8 1/2 x 11" paper, topped with a 12x12" tower.  The two wooden towers hold bins of supplies.  I created the labels with a Sizzix die using chalkboard vinyl.  In the floor you see a few SU! sets that I just haven't found a place for yet.  I usually break down my sets and store them in themed drawers.

I had a wee gap between the wall and hung a shoe rack for even more storage.

The top of the closet holds bins of supplies that I don't use quite as regularly.  Many of these are duplicates that both my mom and I had.

The right side has a bin of canvas art, tons of manila X-ray folders a friend gave me and I use regularly, and then my two older sewing machines (which you can't see for the small things in front.)

My favorite detail of my room would be the chair my grandfather made for my dad to get around the house when he could not walk.  My dad had hemophilia and died at a very young age, so having this chair is very special to me.  It reminds me to take life's lemons and make lemonade.

Today, be thankful for all that you have and how far you've come.  Determine yourself to work with what you have and make it into what you love.  Most of all, don't spend all of your time working on your space.  Spend it living in and enjoying your space.  Now, go on!  Make something! 

A very special shoutout to my mom for contributing to our joint success in creativity, to my BFF Trish for helping me with the grunt work (including painting those pretty white walls) and listening to me work out my ideas until it was annoying even to me, and to my daughters Ainsley and Sydney for helping me organize and carry supplies up and down the stairs in this process.  And last, but not least, to my friend Barbara who shared with me when I had so little and encouraged me every step of the way.  I love you girls!

Yours truly,

Autumn <3

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