Relaxing in the Rainforest-Ecuador

Relaxing in the Rainforest-Ecuador
Natalie and Grandma

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Messy Blog hop

This blog is all about my messy craft room.  It is for B'sue Boutiques blog hop.  I will have a listing of other blogs to hop to that are all about messy craft rooms.
I have added notes on the photos to guide you through the mess.  Hopefully you won't get lost!
Here is the opening shot of my craft room.  As you can see it is very messy and crowded.  I have shelves and shelves of stuff. 
 This is one corner of my craft room.  I found that if I take the wheels off the stacking drawers I can stack them up.  I can't move them, but there really isn't anywhere for them to go.  They are filled with craft supplies, sewing thread and scrapbook paper.  My shelves are mostly taken up with scrapbook paper and supplies.





I had to put shelves up this fall to hold more things.  I saved the sugar and flour bins from my grandmother and also found one at a thrift store.  The boxes that look like books have the die cut pieces for my Sissix machine.  They fit pretty nicely inside them.  I inherited tons of ribbon and braid from my grandmother and mom and they are stored in drawer bins all over the top of things.

 This is what is under the shelves.  I have a small folding table under the shelves.  I want to use it for scrapbooking, but right now it is stacked with stuff.  I have more storage drawers on each side of the table and some under the table.  I keep everything from blank journal books to my printer ink in the drawers.  The 3 tiered piece Cliff got me to take to shows to help display my jewelry on.  My sign says "I am a material girl.  Want to see my fabric collection?"  My fabric is stored in 2 hallway closets outside of this room.  I inherited my fabric from my mom and grandmother.  I have my Dracula memorabilia hanging on my wall.  Some friends of my parents brought them back from their trip to Romania. My gargoyle collection is finally in the living room where it should be.  My ex hated my gargoyles and made me keep them out of the living room.  I have lots of extras of everything, because when my mom and grandmother passed away I got double and triple of everything. 
 As you can see I am not only a jewelry maker, but I love scrapbooking.  That has taken a sideline for a bit while I make jewelry but I can't seem to stop buying paper.  What I usually do is buy the big pads of paper and split it with my daughter and daugher-in-law so all three of us get to have some of the paper and I don't need 3 copies of each pattern! 
 I ran out of shelf space of course.  I do plan to purge and clean this summer.  My favorite thing in my craft room are my new wireless speakers that Cliff gave me for Christmas.  I plug in a device in the living room and my music is wirelessly broadcast back to my speakers in the craft room.  This way I don't have to tune up my stereo in the living room and blast out the neighbors.  I need to stack and re-stack some of the things in front of my shelves.  I have about 3 or 4 regular sewing machines and 2 sergers.  I inherited them from gram and my mom.  I also have tons of photos to scrapbook.  Cliff also bought me a negative scanner so that I can scan my old negatives and print the photos to scrapbook. 
 I finally found something that works for my finished jewelry.  I bought the peg boards at Michael's at 50% off and I hang my finished products on them.  This way I can see them at a glance and they aren't just laying around somewhere.  I do have a lot of stock.  I plan to reorganize some of the drawers this summer so that they are more efficient. 
 Now for my jewelry making stuff!  This is all between the 2 tables that I use.  I have a rolling chair that I use that sits in this area.  Unfortunately there is carpet in this room so I put down those plastic office mats.  They help some, but want to have wood floors eventually.  I found these large bins in Joann's on sale and put more of my scrapbook paper in them and stack them against the wall.  Cliff gave me some tupperware containers for some of my jewelry supplies.  I separated my different colors of chain and put them each in bins that I got very cheap at Walmart.
 This is my working area on my table.  I got a large acrylic cutting board to do my jewelry work on.  You can find them used at the thrift store and then throw them away when they get trashed.  I also find large ceramic floor tiles at the thrift store for 50 cents and I solder on them and do some gluing on them as well.  I love the thrift store and get teacups and sugar/creamer pieces that are vintage pieces and put things in them on my table.  They are handy, pretty and usually cost 50 cents there.  I got the white lazy susan at Michael's on sale and I keep my scissors and things in it on my table.  T. S. Eliot has decided that I work best while he lays on his blanket on my table.  The only thing I hate is the cat hair. 
More of my table:
I have my heat tool and dremel tool on my table all the time ready to use.  I also re-purposed an old spice holder and containers from Tupperware.  The lazy susan has all the containers neatly contained on it and they are semi transparent.  They are great and can probably be found at yard sales and thrift stores.  I found some pretty glass bottles that were missing the tops at Real Deals one day.  They were 75% off and I put my paint brushes in them.


 My "extra" table that I planned to do scrapbooking on.  Right now is piled with boxes of jewelry making stuff.  I buy the pretty boxes at Michaels when they are 60% off and put small containers inside them to store my beads and findings.  A note about Michael's  They offer a discount for teachers that is for your entire purchase.  Teachers just have to show some sort of ID.  Joann's does an educator discount as well as Barnes and Noble.   I also bought a small suitcase at Real Deals with a coupon and use it to take my jewelry to shows.  I decorated the outside and when not in use at the show I use it for containing some of the jewelry I'm selling.  I turn it up on end so it looks like a steamer trunk and hang necklaces down from the end of the suitcase.  This is one of the areas I plan to redo and make more accessible in the future.  I used to have my sewing machine cabinet here, but it was way too hard to sew there.

Here are my current favs for listening to while I work.  I'm pretty much a rebel without a clue and I love hard rock.  Ozzy is my favorite singer.  That is why I have to have the wireless speakers, the neighbors would complain if I had to tune them up to hear my music in the back of the house. :)
 And here is my constant companion Mr. T. S. Eliot.  He is my big black cat (with orange toes).  He thinks he is such a help.  The gets bored and will reach over and knock things off the table.  So far he has not been scared off by the heat tool running nor the Dremel tool.  The vacuum cleaner is another story.  He hisses at it and runs.  He also takes up a lot of room when he lays down on the table and stretches out.

 Crafts Are Cheaper Than Therapy!
This is my collection area.  I collect Ozzy Osbourne stuff.  So I have one shelf just for that stuff.  I also Love the pictures of Lady of Shallot and that is why she is on my business cards and my Etsy page.  My daughter Rachel gave me this print of the Lady one year for Christmas.  The drawers all have beads in them separated by color.  I keep my resin and inks in the brown drawers in little baskets to pull out when I need them.  
 This is a cabinet/shelf that I found at a yard sale last summer.  I LOVE it.  I put it at the end of my table and it fit perfectly.  I also have old bottles that I have found over time.  I have mason jars of old wooden spools of thread that my grandmother and mom had.  This is also where I use teacups and sugar bowls for odds and ends.  My pencils are on the window sill in cups and other containers.  I found the little suitcase at the thrift store and decoupaged over the outside and have my shipping/packaging supplies in it.

 I got these three drawer things at Office Max on sale.  I put my beads in them sorted by color.  Some of the beads are in baggies some are in containers.
 This is my Super Uber fancy resin station.  It is an old cookie sheet with wax paper over it.  It is sitting on top of my 3 drawer bead holder.  Not fancy but cheap!  The cookie sheets can be purchased at the dollar store and than recycled!






 I found these big containers on sale at Office Max.  They had matching little boxes that fit inside the bigger boxes.  I put a lot of my metal findings and specific pieces in the little boxes with labels on top.  For example one containers has sun, stars, moons.  One has keys, etc.  The little square ones have transparent covers on them.  The big boxes stack really well on top of each other.


The square containers are pretty handy.  I can move them around and stack them up on each other.  They were not expensive at Office Max and I used a coupon to buy them.
Some of the containers inside are Tupperware, some are bought at the dollar store and others are from the same company that the big boxes are from.  They snap closed and the lids lock on very nicely.


I store a lot of stuff under this table.  It is against the wall and I have crates with my magazines and books in them.  I have one shelf in the closet that has books on it.  It is full.  I bought some closet hangers that hang on the rods and put them in the closet.  They are like mini shelves inside the closet.  Now, if I could get the closet doors opened......
The little rolling cart can be pulled out (on a good day) and it has my glass tiles, scrabble tiles, stamp pads, microscope slides etc. in the drawers.  I have my stamps in a bag on the floor for the time being.  I need to re-arrange and find somewhere else to store them.
I bought one of these white see into drawers at Michael's when they had their storage stuff on sale.  They are really easy to put together and store a lot.  They have see into fronts and are deep drawers.  I bought several different types of little containers to store beads in.  These are all beads in these 2 drawers.

This is another set of drawers that stack that are from Michael's.  I have my glitter, resin and Alcohol inks in these drawers.  There is a shelf at the top of the first one and it has some paints and other things on it.







I found the magnetic strips things at the dollar store and hung them on the wall.  I went to Cost Plus and found the spice holders with magnetic pieces on the bottom.  They work great as long as I don't knock them off the wall.  The silver ones are from Michael's, again on sale.  The are divided into 4 parts and hold on the strips as well.

These are the peg boards that I bought to hang my finished pieces on.  They help me keep track of my stock.
This is the end of my work table.  The drawers fit under without the wheels on it.  The drawers are nice and deep and hold a lot of scrapbook stuff, my Dremel tool (when I put it away), Soldering gun, and some of my rubber stamps.  My newer magazines are on the top as well.  This summer I plan to get everything up off the floor and find some place to put it all.

Well, this is my Messy Work Space and I would love to hear any ideas of what I could do differently.  I don't want to get rid of stuff, just find a way to store it all better.  I love my craft room, it is well lit (it was an office for the previous owner) and has florescent lights and a large window.  I love spending time in there even when it is as messy as it is right now.  When school gets out I plan to do some work on re-arranging and picking up.  Let me know what you all think!

MESSY WORKSHOP BLOG PARTICIPANTS
Brenda Sue Lansdowne
http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/
Robin Delargy:
http://looloosbox.blogspot.com/
Kim at Cianci Blue
http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Jazwick-Smith
http://hudathoughts-jennifer.blogspot.com/
Mary Shannon Hicks
http://www.uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/
Tracy Swartz
http://tracyswartz.com/category/blog
Jacqueline Marchant
http://jaacquelinesjewels.blogspot.com/
Lynnea Perry Bennett
http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com/
Terry Matusyk
http://pinkchapeau.wordpress.com/
Laurel Steven
http://laurelsteven.blogspot.com/
Dr. Brassy Steamington
http://drbrassysteampunk.blogspot.com/
Pamela Takeshige
http://www.crittersandthings.blogspot.com/
Kris Lanae Binsfeld
http://www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com/
Outre Art
http://theartistspaintbox.wordpress.com/
Linzi Alford
http://www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com/
Deb Davis
http://naturaltreasuresbydeb.blogspot.com/
Tamara Jones
http://irrysistablejewels.wordpress.com/
Harry Wood
http://www.oscarcrow.blogspot.com
Gerry Nickerson
http://gersgems1.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth Owens-Dwy
http://www.thepolymergeek.blogspot.com/
Georgene Lockwood
http://sylvanavintagedesigns.wordpress.com/
Charisa Sloper
http://www.blog.obsidiansoda.com/
Jennifer Justman
http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/
Beanzie
http://the-vintage-heart.blogspot.com/
Mary Deis
http://mdeis.blogspot.com/
Cheri Reed
http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/
Sondra Kolner
http://scrappybydesign.weebly.com/index.html
Sonya Ingersoll-Stille
http://www.dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/
Lori Anderson
http://www.prettythingsblog.com/
Sandra McGriff
http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca/
Shelly Joyce
http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/
Joan Williams
http://www.lilrubyjewelry.wordpress.com/
Kashmira Patel
http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/
Deb Beechy
http://beetique56.blogspot.com/
Ginger Bishop
http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/
Kelli Jacobson
http://creativemoonjewelryandthings.com/
Natalie McKenna
http://www.grubbi.co.uk/
Andrew Thornton
http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/
Mary Govaars
http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/
Kate Mulligan
http://mulliganstewjewelry.blogspot.com/
Lisa Lodge
http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com/
Tami Luchini
http://ssprocketsmetal.blogspot.com/
Monique Lula
http://www.moniquelula.com/blog/
Lee Koopman
http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com/
Jayne Capps
http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com/
Susan Lloyd
http://designsbysusan-dbs.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Wainscott
http://www.exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com/
Stephanie Amanti
http://www.stephaniesjewelrybox.blogspot.com/
Alicia Marinache
http://www.allprettythings.ca/
Sam Hamp
http://hampgirl59.blogspot.com/
Lennis Carrier
http://www.windbent.net/

49 comments:

  1. You get the Dr Brassy seal of approval for the best "Messy Workshop" blog. I love T.S.'s orange toes. Are those caps or nail polish?

    Love your blog!

    Dr Brassy aka Kimberlee

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Big Congrats on winning the Muse box! Take photos of what you get and post on facebook so we can all drool over what we didn't win! :)

      Delete
  2. Your work space is much more organized than mine...!!! You have lots of nice storage space!! I will have to take a page from your book!! This is so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
  3. well, you have more stuff than I do but, I think you are much more organzied, let me know what you think after you look at my stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have to say you have several good organizational systems going & some great pieces. The sheer volume of supplies you have is overwhelming.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow I can't believe all the stuff you have! That is soooo awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow what a fab room stuffed with cool things! Great blog post too- love how you labelled your photos :) Also like the cats claws! From Linzi of www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. wow LOTS of comments already! GREAT POST! there's a whole lot of creativity going on in that room, Jennifer! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I am happy to see your black mascot there---the kitty. Meep wouldn't co-operate for me this time but perhaps he will have to have his own blog post of apology for that one day soon, the little brat.

    ReplyDelete
  8. WOWSER! You do it all! I am impressed with all of your great stuff, and your many, many skills! Love T.S. Elliots orange nails. He is very "Pantone".

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow you labeled all your photos thats so cool. What a great space.

    ReplyDelete
  10. OH MY..you beat my mess by miles! You've got a lot going on in that space...and I'd bet your brain is pretty crowded with creative ideas as well.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Controlled chaos is a creative environment. Lots to see in your workshop.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Now THIS is a great workspace! Love the pegboard idea and I'm stealing it. As of this moment, my finished work sits atop the entertainment center in the living room (so Nosey can't jump up there). Love T.S. also. I know he is a big help!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I LOVE those cookie/candy bins your ribbon is in! And even though your workspace is "messy", you are organized!!!! And another sweet studio kitty -- I should have included mine in my post!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Yes, Craft is cheaper than Therapy! Awesome mess and Mr. Eliot is s cutie.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Best blog yet. And you have the mandatory Cat T.S. Eliot. Love this and all your creativity! ~ Brassy

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow, you've maximized the space so well. I'll have to come back and get some ideas from you soon. Loved the post and the kitty is so cute too!

    ReplyDelete
  17. That is pretty amazing! Love how you labeled your photos too.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is making me feel so good to know I'm know the only messy hoarder out there! Thanks for sharing it with us.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow, you have a lot of organization to your messiness! I'm impressed and a little jealous. I don't have an organizational gene in my body. Lord knows, I try, but all I can ever think of is to put things in boxes by color. I never see out of the box things like pegs or hanging things or little storage pods. You are great at this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found that going up was the only way to go, it leaves more space around. Also, hanging on the wall worked best for me. I don't have it all on the pegs. I have a lot that I haven't sold. I just can't seem to stop making the stuff!

      Delete
  20. Hmmmmmmmmmmm....I am seeing the themes emerge. . .big boxes filled with little boxes and kitties. . . you really are more organized than you give even yourself credit for. Thanks for letting us in to take a look!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My living room is full of cats. For a long time I wasn't allowed to have a cat, so I collected cats. My living room shelves are full of cats, gargoyles, and books. I was married for 30 years to a guy that hated cats. I have only had 4 cats during that time. Eliot is my 4th one. He is a great cat. My guy Cliff is so fond of him and that is a blessing.

      Delete
  21. This is great inspiration. I think I'll organize my studio & leave the house work to everyone else...lol! I wouldn't want to ever be thought of as dull!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love that saying. My guy Cliff is the best. He does laundry, cooks and cleans much better than I ever could. He is a blessing. He WANTS me to work in my craft room while he does the laundry or is cooking. He is the best. I think I'll keep him around :)

      Delete
  22. wow... this would totally be what my room would end up like.. if I ever ended up with a dedicated craft room >.< lol I think you have more scrap booking paper, ribbon and storage drawers than most stores I've been in ...:) I keep wondering if you'd have room to line one entire wall with floor to ceiling book shelves, then about three feet out from it, have a second shelving unit... like library stacks... a little hallway of storage with your room.Things might be more accessible.. if you had the room to do it.. and someone woodcrafty enough to build it ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bookshelves....My guy Cliff bought me 4 floor to ceiling bookcases to add to the already 3 bookcases that I already had. I LOVE books. He also bought me a Nook to help keep the flood of books down. I think that he would have a heart attack if I asked for more book shelves. Also, book shelves don't tend to be deep enough for storage containers. :)

      Delete
  23. You are a collector of sorts...love it! Wow...all those tupperware and plastic containers, would love to have all those! Love your saying on the wall, so true. Thanks for sharing your creative space!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Ah another cat :) You have lots of creative space and nooks and crannies in there. Love it! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  25. You sure know how to make a space COUNT! And I agree, making something that pleases me is better than therapy any day. To get lost in my studio is a pleasure beyond pleasures. Nice to see where your pleasures are...

    ReplyDelete
  26. I am so envious of all the space you have to keep your various crafty items in. I love that you labeled all your photos, very cool! Thanks so much for sharing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. You have given me some great ideas for organizing and storing. I love how you labeled everything in your pics and all the pics you share at the creative group. Gerry

    ReplyDelete
  28. Forgot to say Cliff sounds like the perfect husband and it sounds like you have a wonderful family

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I'll keep Cliffo. He is a wonderful companion. He is so supportive. If it weren't for him I never would have started making jewelry. He made a huge initial investment in beads and such to get me started after seeing me make some jewelry for my granddaughter for Halloween. He took me right to Michael's and got out his credit card. I also have great kids that support me as well.

      Delete
  29. Hi Thank you so much for sharing your blog...I love your Guard Kitty Mr. Eliot he is beautiful...He looks like he is guarding your crafty stuff...I really like your storage containers...bye for now and Happy crafting

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love your messy space. I have a paper addiction as well and stamps and anything scrapbooking/card making. I do have a paper rack (hobby lobby has them), and that has helped - I am thinking of getting another one. Your Mr. Elliot looks like my Ninja, and they sound a lot alike.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I so love that there are so many of us with cats! I'm especially fond of my big black monster. He is huge and takes up a lot of space on the table. He is the best tho, gotta love him.

      Delete
  31. WOW!!! That is a lot of stuff and it is so well organized in your messy room, I love it! Thanks for sharing.
    Sonya

    ReplyDelete
  32. WOW!!! You are a master of storage! I'm in envy!!! And all at a bargain! You do it up right!!! =) I think you have an awesome messy space to work in and I loved seeing it all! =) You've given me lots of ideas for different storage! I had forgotten about the thrift stores! Need to check those out! =) Right now, there is just so much laying around here, still in bags, etc... I need storage bad! LOL Enjoy creating!!! =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have found some fun jewelry at the thrift stores that I can re-purpose. I know that it isn't vintage stuff because they have experts that check all the jewelry before pricing it. I get old watches that are pretty beat up and tear them up for the bits and pieces inside. I'm also a bookaholic and buy most of my books for the classroom there.

      Delete
  33. You don't need to go to the bead store!! Wow!! Nicely organized and I am glad your cat has a sleeping spot right in the best spot!! I feel right at home!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I love your workshop. I feel better now. :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Your organization system is great! I love all the little dollar store and flea market containers....and I too, am a scrapbooking hoarder as well as a bead hoarder. Thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have to go cheap! My para educator salary is VERY tiny so I have to make the $$$ stretch. I hit garage sales as well and use a lot of coupons. I recycle my ink cartridges at Office Max and get $$ for spending at the store. That saves me money too. Using any and all discounts that stores offer help tons. Especially at Michael's.

      Delete
  36. I will say you are far more organized than me. I also like to collect items for storage that were not originally designed for the craft room. My trouble is things that fit into more than one category or label.
    What counts is that you know where to begin looking for it.
    What I love most is that you treasure fabric and craft supplies from your mother and grandmother. I also appreciate that you hunt down good deals and use coupons and sales to get what you need.
    You made me smile when you shared that you display your Dracula memorabilia and that now your gargoyles have a proper home. Sounds so much like me!
    My cats also like to "help" on the table, but then I never seem to get anything finished.
    Thanks for sharing your crafty workshop.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was so excited this week. I used some of my sales money and found 3 more gargoyles some for my house and more for my garden. I love my gargoyles! My two kids have each bought me one that I have in the house. One is even a cat gargoyle. I carried one from Paris in my carry on luggage all the way back to Idaho. My daughter and her husband took me to Paris and we climbed up to the top of Notre Dame so I could photograph the gargoyles. My kids are the best!

      Delete
  37. What a wonderful work space :) It seems to overflow with your creative energy! I love all of your ideas for storage, thank you so much for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Your room actually looks pretty organized!

    Love your super uber fancy resin station :)
    (I use a 12x12 piece of cardboard and cover with wax paper). I think I will keep an eye out for an old cookie sheet.
    Are those dominoes I see?

    ReplyDelete
  39. I loved the tour of your studio and your humor cracks me up! LOL... Fun to see our sweet cats helping! :-) I am loving this hop for all I have learned!

    Kris :-)

    ReplyDelete