welcome to my open house

C'mon in...

Sunday is a perfect day for an Open House so thanks for dropping by! Here is my space all cleaned up and shiny for you. Not picture perfect but the best it's going to be.

It probably wont be this clean again for some time. I usually work in a form of organized chaos. OK, I admit...usually surrounded by piles clutter.

So feel free to take a look around.

The photo mobile is from my shop and I attached glittered butterflies. Same with the Inspire sign, its from work, and I couldn't resist. I don't buy too much from the shop because I can look at it there so why bother taking it home? The ribbon is just a sampling of the trims. There is a whole pile in the closet waiting to be "filed". We wont be looking at the closet today. Too much junk, ribbon, skeletons and such hidden away.

I recently redid my studio with elfa shelving and drawers. It works so much better for me because now I can actually find stuff. Amazing.

All the shiny pretties are on display. Embellishments, supplies, ephemera in drawers.

It took me 3 evenings to sort my letters up into these little drawers. Oh, how we spend our time sorting, touching and filing our collections. I'm not crazy? You get me,right?

On the shelves are things I like to look at because they make me happy.  Little trinkets given to me by friends, things Alex has made, things I've made, things I like to collect, things found at estate sales or picked up along the way...your basic odds and ends.

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful” ~William Morris

Inside some of the drawers...a baking tin to organize some shiny pretties. Got that idea from my friend Michelle. A drawer full of chipboard, filled to the brim which is screaming to be used. Trims and ephemera, God I love ephemera. My new motto for supplies ~ use it/don't collect it.

Stamps, stamps and more stamps. I organize my stamps like this. The first drawer you see is for acrylics so I can keep them in their original packages. There are about 4 drawers that the good ol wood mounted are chucked into.

The binders are were I keep my unmounted rubber. I use EZ Mount and these storage panels to organize them and it works for me. 

My favorite drawer...the bling drawer ~ glitter, stickles and assorted gems, ahhh. Claudine inspired me with the paint drawer. She organizes hers upside down like this.

Paper is my nemesis. I don't want to have it on top of the table looming high over my head. Bad for the creative feng shui and all. So I keep it under the table which is highly inconvenient but it is what it is. I have yet to go through and sort the paper. At least the kits are in the wicker baskets but everything else is currently just shoved down there.

Why all the white walls and decor you ask? Call me boring but white with birch accent is my color theme. Initially I wanted all white because, well..I'm a girl and in a house with all boys you cant have much white. So I have white walls, cream shades with white sheer curtains, white rug, white wicker chair and boys must take their shoes off and play nice before entering my domain. But the white works for me. I think is shows off my collections, it feels clean, open and airy since the room is quite small. It feels good to be in here and when the house is quiet I sit in my room and happily look around, work on stuff or just be. And I like that. Now if my room was a little bigger I would have the ottoman and table to match my white wicker chair and you would find me kicking back with my feet up quite often.

Whats missing in here though? hmnnn...a plant! Maybe a few more pictures on the wall. No more supplies thats for sure. My resolution this New Years was to not buy any more stuff for 6 months. I can buy things I need but not stuff. I've fallen off the wagon once or twice...Hello, my name is Andrea and I'm an addict. It takes time to recover but I keep jumping back on the wagon.

So instead of shopping for things to fill my space I've been rediscovering the things I do have. And instead of spending time shopping I've been spending time creating. And that feels good.

Thanks for stopping by my open house today. It was nice having you over and you've been a great guest! Come back soon!

Comments

[jen]

ohhh! it is all so beautiful, makes me want to scrap :)

[m i c h e l l e]

Oh my. This is one of the most beautiful posts in all of blogland...EVER!!! Each and every morsel, tidbit, geegaw, what not, and tchotcke are absolute HEAVEN!!! What a gorgeous and mesmerizing studio!!!!

[Maria]

oh Andrea, your studio is beautimous!!!
My work area---cannot currently be called a studio---is hidden under a thick layer of dust.

Someone once told me this fascination so many of us have with organizing and reorganizing our pretty things (myself included) can be traced to the days of the barbie doll wardrobes. Oh how I loved to take out and organize all my barbie shoes and other accessories? Did you partake in this as well???

[Jenna]

ahhhhhh. i want to come to your house and rummage through all your drawers and and look at all your goodies and scrap with you. (that didn't sound creepy did it?) its beautiful, and organized, and inspiring. you must love creating in there. and aren't wagons meant to be fallen off of anyways? i mean why ARE they so far off the ground? ;)

[~*~ Patty]

What a fantastic studio Andrea! Gosh, you ARE so organized, puts me to shame shame shame. I operate in creative chaos, saying it doesn't bother me, but oh it would be divine to have more clear space and to be able to put my hands on things instantly like you must be able to! What an inspiration!

[Littlehands]

Dear Andrea,
Do you believe it? I always visit your blog as I also like stamping.
Thanks for your visit to my blog and leave me a message.
Welcome, and always come to visit me, please.
Thank you.
Your crafting place is really great!

[Claudine]

amazing! can't wait to see the finished project in person....

[Denise Mares]

I need to hire you to organize my workspace. My craft room/studio is ALWAYS a disaster and I can't stand it! I wish my space looked like yours!

[Lay Hoon]

Wow ! Your scrap room really compact like a shop in my area here.
I'm really drool all over and over.

[Amber Lee]

This is awesome! I love seeing everyone's creative spaces. I also really like the idea of those metal bin/drawer things. So that you can see through, hmmm good idea.

[elizabeth]

mmmm...can i come over? love your room and all your goodies. i am so stealing the scrabble tile idea. all over it :)

[greta adams]

love your open house!! now if you ever want to have a "garage sale" make sure you invite us...bwhhahahaha