New Year's Resolution

MY SCRAP SPACE

I feel that having posted this on my blog, I will feel much more inclined and responsible to carry out my 2012 plans for my scrap space.

This is an especially long post for me, and I thank anyone who makes it through the entire thing!

I am very fortunate to have a large area (well, actually 3 areas) in which to extend my passion and express myself.

My main space is my Scrap Room (AKA, the upstairs den)

It gets a lot of natural light during the day, and we installed an overhead ceiling fan/light fixture with great bulbs for evening work.  As you can see, I decided to hang most of my cards that have NOT been mailed out, on twine that hangs from one corner to the other. I found that if I SEE the cards on regular basis, I am more inclined to send them to people as hear someone is sick, or has a birthday, or just because....  I'm going to need more twine! (lol)  The storage cubes from Michael's holds all of my papers and a lot of my company stamps. Love those little drawers!  Oh yes, and I have a little TV in the corner for those evenings I can't miss CSI, or the Mentalist!

This space also has my computer (desk is IKEA), printer, and scanner tucked in the corner. I've found that the pegboard is pretty useless for what I need. It's slated to be removed.  The wipe-off board is priceless!  If I didn't write all my bill-pay  and DT deadlines on that, I would be lost! 

The last wall in my room holds my IKEA Expedit unit.  The boxes and spaces have been labeled and re-arranged so many times, but it holds all of my little embellishments, Copics, paints, and Xyron adhesive machines. (Which I will admit, I do not use as often as I should)

Note the corner paper storage rack...

I bought that at the Bazzill sale several years ago for $40!!!

I think "someone" needs to go back for another!

My table is a 6 foot antique library table that came out of St. Genevieve, Missouri, a long time ago. It has seen many dining rooms along the way, but has finally found it's way into my scrap space.  The top is always cluttered and messy, but I truly know what's on there! And since I've kept my sewing machine out, I use it!

Now I know you're saying, "Where's her Cricut and Cuttlebug kept? "  Well, what does a person really use a "master retreat" for anyway?  In our house, it houses the TV at one end for watching our shows at night (yes, we are one of those couples who watches tv in the bedroom!  Shame, oh shame...) and the treadmill.  On the opposite wall, I have the walnut storage that is from a large local grocery store chain that sells about everything (Fry's Marketplace)  The white bookcases hold all of my back issues of scrapbook/card making magazines from the last 4-5 years. I keep them arranged by month so that I can pull 10-12 issues from a particular month at a time.  Where the photographs are on the wall will be some shelves I just purchased and need to paint. They will hold the many jars of Prima flowers that a friend (Thanks, Jenn) just recycled to me!  If I see them out, I will use them more!

Last, but probably most important, is my little niche in my master bath that I refer to as my "Photo Studio"...lol!  It is tucked under the window at the far end of the bathroom where I get tons of natural light, and what would I use that counter top for anyway?  I hear many bloggers asking about taking their pictures and needing a space.  This works perfectly for me. As long as the sun is shining (and in Arizona, that's most of the time) I can usually get a fairly good photo of a card.  For me, layouts work better outside, laying flat on a posterboard, in the light.  You can see I have black cardstock ready for a dark background, if needed.  And props come from all over our home.  I have "borrowed" western/cowboy items from my husband's den, and Southwest decor from the loft. I've even nabbed Tuscan decor from downstairs! 

If you haved made it this far, you have a very good idea of where I spend much of my day. (well, when I'm not doing housework or cooking, Larry!)  I'm very lucky to have the time and space these days to play. 

My New Year's resolution is to get better organized and to learn to sit back and appreciate what I DO have. Many changes have happened over the last 2 years, but we are in a better place than some and looking forward to retirement. It may not look as great as it did 5 years ago, but we'll figure it out.  And for now, these rooms are my refuge and I am glad to have friends both in my daily life and online, my health, and my very understanding and enabling husband.

Happy 2012 to everyone!