Finally! The big craft studio reveal!

I've been dragging my feet on revealing the new craft studio to you.  Mostly because I have lots left to do - but so many projects going on right now that I need to USE the space, not decorate it!  So, know that although (I think) it's a big improvement on before, there's still lots more to do!

If you are new to the craft studio re-do... head over HERE to get caught up!

So... are you ready?  Here goes...

(my apologies for the grainy photos - darn that basement and its bad lighting!)

So what do you think?  Wait - you want to see more?  One photo can't possibly give you an accurate idea of what the space looks like?  Oh, okay, I hear you, why don't you turn your volume up and take a tour for yourself?

Sneaks!

I kind of feel like I'm cheating on you!

You see, I've been incredibly crafty all week - I mean seriously, I've been crafting my little heart out over here!  BUT - I can't share with you the fruits of my labor... just these little sneaks...

I've been contracted to write an "Easter Crafts for Kids" article, and I've designed and crafted 12 original projects for it.  Lots of work and lots of fun!  BUT it's not been published online yet... so I can't yet share with you the Easter goodness.  Once it goes live you'll be the first to know about it I swear!

What I can show you though... is this... ('scuse the poor photo quality... all that late night basement crafting you know!)

I'm working on adorning the walls of the craft studio, and this is part of one wall.  Yes - the craft studio re-do is STILL finishing up!  Are you desperate to see it?  I can't wait to show you!

I saw these little bulletin boards over HERE and was excited to run to my local Dollar Tree and pick them up.  Since they're so tiny, I attached them together in groups of three with some ribbon...

Cute, no?  I'm digging them.  Perfect for notes, reminders, project ideas, supply lists, etc.  Lovely!

I've been so busy this week that I've hardly had time to read blogs.  I'm so out of the loop!  So if I usually visit you and haven't this week... or if you've stopped by here for the first time and I haven't responded to your comment... please forgive me!  I'm setting aside a little time this morning to get caught up, that's for sure!

And lastly... several of you have dropped me notes and e-mails lately with projects inspired by tutorials here at "Ready, Set, Craft!"  If you've tried anything I've done, or used one of my projects for a basis of one of your own, would you do me a little favor and send me some pictures?  I would love to share with everyone what you've come up with!

I'll be back tomorrow and back on form with some REAL projects to share.  Until then - Happy Hump Day!  Hope it's as sunny and lovely where you are as it is here!  Could Spring possibly be on its way?

Craftypod Project Keepers

 

I see lots and lots of projects on blogs that I "file away for later" because they are such wonderful ideas.  Some of them I know I'll never try, but I save them anyway.  Some I have every intention of trying, but for one reason or another I never do.  And then rarely, very rarely, there comes a project that I feel like I must drop everything I'm doing and try it right now!

When I saw Diane at Craftypod's post and tutorial on Project Keepers (I first posted about it HERE) I knew it was a must-do-now type of project.  After all, I had had some oil cloth in my stash for at least six months just waiting to be put to use!

  

I didn't make the tags like she did... I was in a bit of a hurry.  I used sticky labels to close my keepers... but when I have more time I am going to add some velcro I think.  Here's to keeping me at least a little bit more organized!  Yippee!

 

Craft Studio Update 4

New to my craft studio makeover?  Get caught up!

I think it's safe to say that I'm on the final stretch.  But why is it when I am so close to the finish line that the end seems so very far away!

I decided that the only way to get my butt into gear and start to wrap this project up was to set myself some aggressive goals.  I'm teaching a class tomorrow (today, by the time you read this!) and I made it my goal to have the studio ready to teach in!

Now, it's not going to be 100% finished by then.  But the bulk of the work will be done and it will be a usable space once more.  I hope!

So what's been going on?  Well, let me show you...

Once the space was finally cleared out, I moved the major pieces of furniture back in to see how they would fit and look.  Did I mention I'm a visual person?!  : )

My stamping supplies are (mostly) neatly organized in the bookshelf, although they still need labeling.

I have a designated sewing area with new small table...

And my work table set up in the center of the space with space to work (and move around!) on all four sides.

Next item on the to do list?  Painting!  Argh!  Painting always sounds like a fun, quick and easy project... until you start it!  Thanks to hubby who racked up the good-husband points by finishing the entire priming part for me while I ran out to a meeting...

As predicted... the nasty vinyl coated siding has been less than easy to paint.  Do you like the color?  I went with yellow, obviously!

Tomorrow I have to put a second coat on (soooo was not planning on needing two coats!  Boo!) and finish up the trim.  Then all that's left is to clean up all of the "stuff" that's exploded into the rest of the basement... which I think is 95% trash when all's said and done.

Next week I'll be putting the finishing touches (for this phase of the project) on the studio, and will have a big reveal for you next Friday!  Be sure to come back and see the changes!

Craft Studio Update 3

Joining us for the first time?  I'm making-over my craft studio space!  Head here to get caught up!

Welcome to the madness that is the making-over of my crafty-space.  Phew!  (I apologize in advance for the poor quality photos today -- it was getting late as I was working through the mess and natural light was long gone!)

What a project this is turning out to be!  Today I called in the reinforcements and had one of my closest friends Heather and her pre-teen daughter Mariah come over to help.  Heather went through an organized all things yarn and fabric while Mariah was patient enough to sort through, re-spool and pin ALL of my ribbon.  What troopers!  I appreciated it so much!


I found a home for all of the jars of markers today.  You remember that my yucky vinyl-sided walls can't handle much weight, so shelving isn't much of an option.  I put them up on the window ledge where they will be easy to see and access.

I moved some shelving into the closet.  And boy, is that closet jam packed!  I like it though - because I am really, really, REALLY trying to keep the actual room as free of "stuff" as possible.  As long as I can see and access everything in the closet, I'm fine with it being full!

That being said, the large tubs on the left may end up coming out of the closet eventually and just stack in a corner of the room if they are too hard to pull out when I need them.  We'll see...

After the closet was complete, I went ahead and cleared out the rest of the room...

 

Painting is obviously the next big thing on the agenda, but I'm a really visual person and needed to get a feel for how I was going to set up the space, so I brought in some of the major "furniture" elements to see how they will work... (you can see I still need to take some major chemicals to that table to get it clean... I'll get to it I swear!)

 

The small sewing table will go next to the ironing board with my machine and basic notions.  The table will fold down so that when I teach classes and workshops, I can put away the sewing stuff (in the overflowing closet?!) and add the table to the end of my long work table to create seating space for 10.

The darkness and angle of these photos make the room look teeny tiny, and it's not large by any means, but there's enough room to walk all the way around the table and that's what I'm looking for.

Not bad, eh?  I feel like I've made some significant progress.  This weekend is going to be a busy one for us... but I'm really hoping I can find time to paint the room.  Only question is... what color?  I'm thinking yellow, a coral-ish color, or a light pink.  What do you think?  Leave me color suggestions in the comments!

Oh, and while everything in craft studio is looking wonderful... I can barely bring myself to show you...

(wait for it)

THIS!!!

 

Argh!  The craft studio contents have spilled into the rest of the basement!  But no fear, I'm staying strong, and I will conquer the rest of this junk!  Have faith!

Stay tuned for another craft studio update next Friday... could I possibly finish it by then?  Wish me luck!!!

Craft Studio Update 2

Joining us for the first time?  I'm making-over my craft studio space.  Head HERE first, and then HERE to get caught up!

So it is DEFINITELY getting worse before it is getting better!  I mean, it's to the point where it's a little demoralizing at times!  I'm getting a clearer and clearer vision for what I want to space to be and how I want it to function when I'm done, but I'm getting sicker and sicker of the PROCESS to get there!  I'm hoping you all will recognize the progress being made more than I am right now, and can help me stay motivated to get this all done!

So the closet is completely emptied, as you can see.  It's not a bad storage space, and it's nice that it has its own light.

It IS a funny shape though, it kind of goes around a corner.  Do you think I can find some cheap shelving that's tall and skinny to fit in this little nook? (below)  I already have some shelving to use in the main part of the closet.

Both of these shelving units have been cleared completely and moved out of the room.  I won't be using either of them in the "new" studio space, so I've moved them to the storage area of our basement in hopes I can find use for them there!

The hardest part of this process is that there are sooooo many "homeless" items in my craft space that didn't belong there, but just got kind of dumped when we first moved in.  So now I am having to either find new homes for them where they will be used, or get rid of them.

The contents of the craft studio have spilled out into the "man room" area of the basement... well that's an understatement really... they haven't so much "spilled out" more that they've taken over.  Let's be honest here.

What's making these even more complicated is that since I have my Open House for Stampin' Up! this weekend, I need the long table (above) and lots of my stamping supplies and materials upstairs in the living room for make and takes, etc.  After this photo was taken I cleared it off the table and collapsed it, ready for Trav to carry upstairs.

I'm trying to organize and plan out what is going to end up where as I go along, even if that means finding homes for supplies on shelving that isn't yet back in the studio (I will wait until I paint to move it back in).  This is the shelving I'm going to use in the closet.  I like that the shelves are wide enough to fit multiple rubbermaids stacked on top of each other.  Not sure how I feel about all the small containers on the top shelf like this though.  And obviously there are lots more items to be added to this shelf.

This is the only unit I plan on being out of the closet and in the actual studio itself.  What I'm learning is that less is more.  In the old studio I had shelving units, etc. on all four walls of the room... it took up a lot of room and made it feel cramped.  I'm using this unit for all of my stamping supplies and materials since that's what I'll use most.

Back to the table for a sec... as you can see it's a bit of a mess... looks like it's seen better days.

I have NOT been good at covering this surface while working on projects, and consequently it looks like junk.  Anyone have a good idea as to what kind of cleaner will get off some of the paint, etc.?

Here's the half of the room (three quarters really) that has been cleared out.  Obviously there's still all kinds of UFO's hanging out on the floor there... those are a project for tomorrow.

And here is the other end of the room, still waiting to be sorted and purged.  Agh!  I feel like I'm on that show "Hoarders" -- it's embarrassing!  And yes, that is one of my kitties making a guest appearance.  She was "helping" me.

If you remember from before, the wooden table above was a sewing table.  Not only has it always been too high, but I think it's just TOO BIG.  Do I really need a large table for sewing?  Would something like this do???  It's a half-sized version of my long white table.  (It looks really tall in the picture, but it's not...)

Accompanied by a full backed adjustable office chair such as this?  What do you think, sewing friends?  Small table?  Big table?

Phew!  Did you get all that?  That's all I have for now (I know, you're breathing a huge sigh of relief!)  I was thinking earlier in the week then instead of having the room ready to go by the end of February, it would be AMAZING to get it done by January 29th, for a class I'm holding.  That leaves me just about two weeks.  Think I can do it?!

Hot Mess...

... and that's an understatement.

My craft studio has suffered some abuse over the holidays, and is a disaster area.  I'm taking this messy opportunity to go a step beyond cleaning and re-organizing.  I want to overhaul the space.

I'd like it to be brighter, cleaner, more organized, and I'd like to better use the space.  I'd like to have enough room to hold small stamping classes and workshops down there.

Now you have to know there are some limitations here...

1)  Since we live in an old house (circa 1920) and my craft studio is in the basement - it's pretty chilly down there in the winter time, and can get a little moist during the summertime. 

2)  The space is long and narrow. 

3)  A full-out entire basement overhaul is in the works sometime in the next few years, but not quite yet.  My craft studio overhaul needs to be a temporary, but functional fix.

4)  My budget is next to non-existent.  I don't want to spend much money on this project, especially since we'll be re-do-ing the entire basement at a later date.   

So here's a quick tour of the space...

View from the doorway as you enter the room... technically my sewing area.  Can you see the sewing machine in all that mess?  Barely!

So much mess!  Crooked shelving units with no backs so I lose stuff behind them... I love my long table, and want it centered in the room so I can use it for aformentioned stamping events...

 

 Check out all the wrapping paper I got 75% off at World Market!  And remember those tutus from the dance recital?  Oh, sorry, getting distracted...

More clutter... note the ugly (circa 1980) paneling on the walls.  Gag.

 

Boxes tumbling out of the closet!  I for sure need to use this closet for something other than boxes!

 

See?  I told you hot mess was an understatement!  So tell me, reader, how would you go about revitalizing this little bit of craft space?  What would you do if you were in my shoes?  What tips and tricks can you share from YOUR crafting and storage space?  How can I turn this (on a budget) into my little slice of crafting heaven? 

Leave me a note and lemme know what you're thinkin'!!!