Ready to create

So now that the room is 90% finished I'm ready to create in there.

My goal this year was to actually use my Studio Calico kits.  I'm really good about buying the main plus some add ons every month but I never use them.  Part of that has been time and lack of creativity.  And with CHA just past I have a very long shopping list.  As Stop and Scrap gets more items in for pre-order I'm over there placing orders.  Its nice to know I can spread it out and it will all just start trickling in.

I keep 6 months kits in a crop bag and then when my crate fills up, I break them apart and put them in with the rest of my supplies.  When that happens, I never see the stuff again until I purge.  Not good.

So I've challenged myself in 2012 to use my kits.  I've already killed off one kit and I'm very close to killing a second with a third kit in the works.  I've promised myself that if I can accomplish this, I'll allow myself to use the brand new, just arrived kit - Daydream Believer.

Remember those cool beach shots I took?  Well, I scrapped some of them.

 I used an old Page Maps sketch for this one.  (source)

For this one, I just let the paper guide me.  The shot isn't the greatest because of the glare and lighting but its one of the few I have of  myself with N.  I definitely need more of those and I've been trying to get in front of the camera more these days.

Trying to use up some scraps and more paper in the kit.  Using another Page Maps sketch (source).

And then there were those 23 cards I told you about.  More just trying to use what I have. so I don't have to keep it.

 Pink Paislee paper with Amy Tan chevron fabric paper

 Some older Echo Park.  Trying to use up the stickers I didn't use on layouts last year.

 Paper is from a Studio Calico postcard that came in a kit.

 Another one using a Studio Calico Postcard.

 More Echo Park and Pink Paislee.

 Saw a cute card on Pinterest last week.

I made a lot of cards like this.  I had an entire sheet of those Sassafras Lass Foldies.  I'm not a flower person so these were hard to use.  With the deadline for Mothers Day cards coming up at OWH I threw them on some paper and added a banner.  Done.  Nothing fancy.

Next up, Project Life update.  I've got 3, maybe 4 weeks to share.

Valentines Recap

N had his Valentines Party at school this week.  I'm the class photographer so I get to be there for all the fun stuff.

I used store bought valentines this year and then spiced them up with a treasure chest and goodies from Oriental Trading Company.  You can see that post here.

I had to beg and plead for him to wear the pink polo shirt.  He was with me when I bought it and said he liked it.  He won't wear it now.  But I somehow managed to get it on him for a few minutes today.

He got a special breakfast at McDonalds this morning and when we got to school, he wanted to finish his OJ with Mrs. Irma.

I ran over to the Bake Sale and dropped off my second round of cupcakes and whoopie pies for the second day of the sale.

Then the fun began.  The class did their usual morning thing and then the party started.  On Monday, they made sugar cookies.  Tuesday, they decorated them with whipped cream and sprinkles.

They did a little Valentines Art and made their Valentines bags.

Then it was time to exchange Valentines.  They are learning about the mail system this week and N's teacher is a mail carrier.  He let her borrow one of his shirts for the kids to wear.

Each one got a chance to be the mail person and deliver their Valentines.

Tuesday is also N's share day.  He brought in his Polar Express book - which is his current favorite book.

As soon as my duties in class were over, I rushed home and started making dinner.  I used my heart shaped cookie cutters to cut out heart shaped potatoes.  I used the negative space too.  I found a recipe on Pinterest for roasted potoatoes and modified it a little.  I slice the potatoes fairly thin and then bake them in the over with garlic salt and olive oil. 

Everyone had valentines plates and heart swirly straws.

Dessert were cupcakes (shocker!) and See's Candy.  The candy is a tradition thats been around for almost 60 years - maybe longer.  My grandfather started buying the 1 pound heart shaped boxes back in the 50's for my mom and grandma.  Every year, they got one.  We still get one, every year.

One year my grandparents went to Hawaii the week of Valentines and we didn't get our boxes.  That was the only year too.  He's made sure that if they go away, he buys ahead of time and leaves them for us to find.  Each year, Nick has received his heart shaped box and digs right in.

Now that the holiday and bake sale are over, I can focus on getting my layouts and cards photographed.  I've got a stack ready to go but haven't had the time (during daylight hours) to get pictures.

WOYDW

I keep seeing this post on Wednesdays.  Whats on your desk Wednesday.

So here's my desk.

Thats the remnants of the Glee Club kit from Studio Calico. Yes, I'm slow on killing kits these days but I'm proud to announce that after a weekend of crafting, its pretty much done.  I'll take what little is left and either donate it or put it in the stash.  I made 23 cards for Operation Write Home from the scraps and that feels good.

 On my side desk is my old camera that needs to be cleaned and sold.  My sons 'pet' snake who lost an eye this week.  I need to dig out the hot glue gun and fix that this week.

Finally able to share

My new space.  I used to have this great loft space in our old house.  I had storage units and shelving that would make even the most well stocked craft room weep.  I worked 70 hours a week, made lots of money and had no time or friends to share this hobby with.  I collected.  I'd hit up a local store on my way home at least once a week and pick up new product.

When we moved, I took a serious look at what I had and only packed things I knew I was going to need/want - the rest was given away or sold.  I had no idea what was left would be in storage for 2 long years.  Two years later, I get the chance to go through what I did bring and incorporate it into my newer stash.

I was also in a temporary space until everything figured itself out in late December.  So the past month has been a cleaning process.  A setting up of the new space.  I went for functionality this time instead of the perfect space.   You know those clean, cubicle spaces.  The one I used to have.  Don't get me wrong, I loved my old space but back then, I didn't have my little group to really share it with and it was so full of my stuff that there wasn't a lot of room to fit my family in there.  My new space has room for all 3 of us and  I really like that.  

I love that everything is within reach now.  I can sit in the middle of the table and reach both sides.

On the left I have my big rack.  I've got my cardstock, current projects, random bits stored here.

And then my two desks.  (yes thats a Twilight calendar.)  My computer desk with the Silhouette is by that black chair.  I will eventually replace the folding chair with my other executive chair but I need a floor mat.

Up close:
The Rack

 Top rack has my cardstock, Project Life binder, unfinished mini albums, extra adhesives (stored in the drawer unit) and on the end are all of my empty folders and Project Life page protectors.

The second shelf down has my Martha Stewart scoring tool.  The two blue binders are stamps.  One for smaller sets and the second one for backgrounds and larger sets.  Idea books are next to that.  My floss and twine boxes and then my card box.  I've been making more cards lately so I keep my envelopes, OWH Stamp and other card stuff in there.

 I found the blue canvas box at Target.  It holds my floss collection.  I have every color from the Twinery and Divine Twine.  Even some other manufacturers in there like Doodlebug and My Minds Eye.  You can see my latest obsession is the burlap string.

My embroidery floss.  I love hand stitching but I haven't been able to access my floss.  Now its all back in the organizer and within arms reach.

On My Desk:

 I got a Pottery Barn gift card for Christmas one year.  I wanted a lot of stuff from PB but with $25 everything was just too expensive.  I opted for this piece from my favorite line and I love it.  The top of it holds my acrylic blocks for stamping and my fan.  The top drawer is my most used adhesives.  When I run out, I replenish using my backstock on the rack.  Bottom drawer is full of flair.  Right now I'm loving Shelleys flair and Chic Tags flair.

 On top of my card catalog I have two file things I found at Michaels a long time ago.  The green one holds my tiny alphas.  I'm addicted.  I didn't take a side shot so you could really see how many of them I hoard.  I love the MME ones and my newest addiction are the Authentique tiny stickers.  The smaller file next to that holds my brown bags, file folders and mini kraft envelopes.

 And those are on top of this massive thing.  I've wanted a card catalog for a long time and my mom found one on ebay a while back.  It was local so she didn't have to deal with shipping because this thing is heavy!  And the previous owner cut down this sheets of wood to put in the bottom of each drawer so you could actually use them.  I used each drawer to house my inks and embossing powders.  Each drawer is a different color.  I sold some of my older stuff before the move so I have my four basics: Zing Embossing powders, Jenni Bowlin ink pads/reinkers and Tim Holtz Distress pads and Staz-on pads.  I'm sire more will be added over time.

On my side desk I have the rest of my stuff.  A jar of candy for the current holiday.

 My Clip It Up is back in action.  My poor alphas have been neglected.

 Underneath the desk is my box for kit storage.  This is an Ikea box for the Expedite.  Its perfect to hold my kits.  I am working on actually using my Studio Calico kits instead of just absorbing them into my outrageous stash.  I have about 7 months in there right now with room for 2 more.  I have one on my desk being used currently and its getting killed this week.  I just got the latest kit in the mail on Wednesday.  The front baggie is my 12x12 alphas.  I keep them in there because I don't have anywhere else right now.

 On top of the desk I have my Project Life file.  This is about 2/3rds of my journal card stash.  The rest I put up for sale last week.  It was ridiculous how many I have.  they are all in my file and brand.  So all of the Project Life cards are together, my Chic Tags are together etc.

 Another Target find.  It came with the hanging file folders.  Each one holds rubons, diecuts, border stickers etc.   I used to have drawers full of this stuff before the move.  I'm so proud that I can fit it all in one of these and my goal is to keep using so that I can always fit it in there.

 And my latest addition.  This is from Harbor Freight.  I painted it robins egg blue and I love it.  More items are stored in this thing instead of in closed up plastic totes.  I need to see it to use it.  So far, I've reached for the Washi tape twice since setting the room up last week.  Also stored on this sucker are my stickles, Mister Hueys, cat's eye chalks, bling/pearls.

 On the other side of the room I have the tower of punches.  Sadly, I have sizes and shapes missing and I'll be filling in the holes this year.  Having these within arms reach has made me use them more as well.

 One of the bottom shelves on the rack.  This is right next to me and is just below the level of the table.  I keep my paper trimmers right there.  Off my desk but within reach.   Right next to that is a box of ribbon and my sewing supplies.  Next to that is another box with mini albums.  I have more stuff on the bottom shelf like my camera bag, embossing tools, glitter/micro beads (anything I don't use enough to justify having them where I'd need them.)

I still have a few more things to organize and put in place but this is my main space.  Next to the punch tower will be my sons little table.  He likes my punches so he'll be able to reach over and get one.  He does 'work centers' at his table.  Thats what they call them at school.  I bought a bunch of books from the local teacher supply store and I work with him at home.

I'll take pictures of the rest of the room later.  What you see was my challenge.  I needed to get this set up so I wasn't sitting at the dining room table anymore.  It got to be a pain when holidays rolled around and I had to clean up some major mess.