I am writing a series of three posts this week for Scrapbook Update (first can be found here: http://www.scrapbookupdate.com/2010/05/31/organization-talk-the-big-picture/ ) about organization.
Who am I to talk about it? What are my qualifications?
none.
Well, except that I’m a lifelong crafter and have tried a load of things and spent more hours cleaning than I care to think about.
So I’m going to talk about storage/organization this week over there, and I’ll do some posts here (in addition to some project posts) over here on my blog.
The #1 “why May, why?” question I get pertains to my non-craft materials in here. WHY do I take up valuable space with random bits that aren’t craft materials?
Answer: They make me happy.
That’s the bottom line. This studio is my “batcave”, my place where I can retreat and where anything I say goes. I choose to fill it with items I’ve still got from childhood, I hang my necklaces around in here, I leave books, flowers, containers, silly things… anything that makes me smile and that I want in here, stays.
Above a number of items in a cool framed shelf thing from Target – including the bell I bought as a kid in memory of my (passed away) pony.
I think what I love most is the mix of supplies, visually inspiring bits, and pieces of my history. In a way, this room is a scrapbook of my life. Trophies from my days of competing on horse show circuits, pictures, ephemera, and anything else I want…
Jason on my horse Amigo – in a frame I’d decorated at the time (age 18 or 19).
Even a name badge from my days working at the bank…
Things get moved around, things get thrown out sometimes too. It’s a work in progress, but I always enjoy spending time in here.
above: Princess Giselle and prince charming, separately saved from a 2 year old Elizabeth (broken) and welcomed into a peaceful life in the studio.
below: the Dukes of Hazzard cars I got as a teenager (maybe in my Christmas stocking?) that I never wanted to take out of the package.
I will be sharing more thoughts (and craft-relevant) details of my space (dojo, batcave, studio, whatever you want to call it!) all week. If you have any questions, or if you can think of anything you’d like me to cover I’d be happy to hear from you.
Great article over that Scrapbook Update. I think all the fun and funky stuff in a studio give it personality. It makes it different from every other creative space. Thanks for sharing the fun stuff. I am looking around at my space and laughing at my silly stuff. My room makes me happy! Thanks for sharing yours!
I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, your space, May!!! That is the way I am with my Scrapbook/Stamping room. I tend to buy more according to budget than using the latest products. One of my Best Buys is my desk. It was from Target.com and it is a desktop with bookshelves on each end as the legs. The desktop is massive and I love that it is. I can spread out my project like I need! I love what you said about the plastic tables. That is what I orginally bought as my “desk” but I can’t use it when I am stamping because of the bumpy texture and it isn’t ridgid enough. Anyway, sorry this is soooo long! Thank you for such a wonderful, well-written article! Can’t wait to see the next 2 articles.
I love all the funky goodness in your scrap space and I have my share in mine. It is inspiring and helps define who we are and how we got to this happy place. FYI, my childhood trophies serve as hat stands in my space.
Thank you, thank you!
May that’s awesome. I don’t feel so oddly about my recent actions. Last weekend, as I was going through the packed boxes stored in what will now be my first baby’s nursery closet, I found a box of beanie babies that I had packed when I moved. These were packed in the plastic display cubes that beanie collectors used to use when the toys were first hot. I removed most of them from the cubes, trashed the cubes and packed the beanies more efficiently. (I’m unable to get rid of stuffed animals yet.) But I took the Princess Bear…the bright purple one that was in honor of the death of Princess Diana. It was really hard to find at first, and I had one. I put it on my scrapbooking desk, to be used as decoration, and I felt odd when hubby was like “why do you want to do that?” Now…I don’t feel so odd. After all, I love stuffed animals, this one is part of my history, and she’s pretty purple. So, nah. It’s my desk, I’ll decorate it how I want. 😉
“In a way, this room is a scrapbook of my life.”
This is a wonderful statement. Scrapbook is becoming a broader term everyday. Scrapbooking is NOT just a layout anymore. It’s blogs, digital frames, Flickr, Facebook, cards and love notes and displays in your home.
Thank you!
Along with Tracy, I thank you for the “this room is a scrapbook” phrase.
My “scrapbook room” is actually my computer room and I will no longer feel odd about any of the memorabilia here, especially as I realized I know the reason each item is here. To others, the items on the front edge of the book shelves may look random (a glass unicorn, Star Wars Lego characters, troll doll, a ’70s era ceramic cat, for a start), but I know the story & memory of each one.
i noticed the dukes of hazzard cars in one of your other posts about your scraproom! i searched toy stores all over town years ago to find those for my brother for christmas. we loved that show… still do!!!!
Love it all…so much love everywhere!
I love that you have that cool childhood stuff in your space!