So I have this handy file box that is black with white polka dots!  It fits perfectly in the studio and I love polka dots…it actually came in a organizer for bath products!  Re- purpose , Re-use, that’s my motto!  It has nice little compartments to hold things up.  In this case I have everything I use often.  My Stamp a ma Jig with all the plastic pieces, a scissors, white cardstock, 3-d-dots, a perfectly random template…just those things I use regularly.

Today in my world… it consists of LAUNDRY!  yikes, I’m a little behind due to the weather being so raining last week and then going to MN to move Karissa. I have a couple loads already on the line so we are getting there.

Finished all the stamps yesterday so moving on to Make N Takes…

I think the one things I love most about the studio is the fact that the mess is not in my kitchen.  I used to stuff MNT’s on the kitchen counter and since it is usually a 2-3 all day affair it was very inconvenient !  So I have lots of counter space out here and can come and go and leave the mess!

I did buy this fabulous clock at Hobby Lobby that I really want Kevin to get up today!  I purchased it for the kitchen but it didn’t work in there because I couldn’t see it at any angle.  I think the kitchen too small.  It was too awesome to take back so I just held on to it thinking that with all the remodeling we were doing I would find a spot for it.  Glad I kept it!  Off to keep the laundry moving…paying a few bills…and get those Make n Take stuffed!  Have a great weekend!

 

 

 

On to studio pics!  I got a little side tracked yesterday with the little gray case but we are back to the black drawers.  The top two were ribbon storage and now this is the third drawer that has my adhesive in it and a dyno labeler.  I got these plastic trays that you see in the drawer from Bed, Bath & Beyond.  They work nice and they are inexpensive.  I think I’m beginning to sound cheap but I’m really not.  There are times when it pays to buy expensive because you do get what you pay for.  But some things like storage, expensive or not expensive, they are going to work the same.

now a glimpse into our world…

I have this really old refrigerator .  I think maybe going on 25+ years and it continues to perform so why get rid of it?!  A few years ago I wanted a change so I painted it.  What else do I do when I want a change 🙂  I first primed it with metallic primer since you could never use magnets on it and then I used chalkboard paint.  It has become so useful!  We use it to keep track of what’s in the freezer and then all then things we need to do!  We started a new list today.  We’ll see how far we get!  We do spend the entire Wednesday mornings cleaning the house.  Kevin said this morning that he can tell we’ve been home because every week it goes faster and faster with cleaning because you don’t get behind!  We have a pool and so all the kids from church have a standing invitation to swim so some little girls were adding decoration to my fridge the other day!  Have a great Wednesday!

 

 

 

So on to Studio things!  This is a jewelry box that I got…three guess where I got it!  Yes,  goodwill and it works really nice for all the little things I use often.  It sits right where I stamp and is very helpful!

On to the Studio!  When I looked for cabinets to put under the counter I went looking specifically for drawers…and lots of them.  I like how they help organize and keep things together.  So the top two drawers here hold my ribbon.  I just use boxes and it makes it easy.  While the one drawer might look a little messy it’s really not.  The first box keeps ribbon that I cut off the spool but then didn’t use.  I go here first when looking for ribbon and if I don’t find what I want then I move to the spools.

You’ll also notice my stickles to the left of some of the ribbon.  I really like those stickle holders.  I bought them from Gary B. Burlin at one of the shows.  I can’t remember how much but not expensive.  I also use them for my re-inkers (that will come at a later date!)

Kevin put knobs on my drawers they other day and they really help!  They look nice too!

On a side note…I mentioned that our whole house needs updating and here is my latest project.  The master bathroom.  It needs a new floor, new counter tops, new sinks, new shower…well the whole things needs re-doing so I’m starting with the cabinets.  I have some quartz counters picked out and some 12×24 tile but wanted to paint the cabinets before they went in.  I’m not a fan of granite counters although I love how they look so I did a little research and found some quartz counters that actually have silver in them for a cleaning agent!  They also look like granite so I wanted to try them in the bathroom before I spent the money for the kitchen since I have a lot of counter space in the kitchen.

I went and got some sample paints at Home Depot and painted swatches on the four cabinets..then lined the paint up in order so I didn’t lose track of what was where.  I made a huge mistake though in not taking the paint sample to the counter and floor place to match.  There are a million shades of gray, well wait maybe there are only   50!  and no, I haven’t read the book. 🙂 so some of the samples didn’t match and I had to sand paint off and repaint samples!   I leaning towards the dark gray and then I’ll sand it so the white shows through distressed. Still contemplating!  No painting today…I want to finish making stamps for the Bloomington, MN show and we have a few orders that need to get made and shipped so all work today!  Have a good Monday.

 

 

So this is the file cabinet that I found at a goodwill to store my large embossing folders in.  It was an ugly army green and so I sanded it and painted it black to match the studio.    When you go to goodwill looking for things like this there is something to look for.  In the next picture look at the back of the embossing folders….

See the ugly green! 🙂 I didn’t paint the inside…that is too much work.  But at the end of the folders is a little mechanism for sliding back and forth.  These helps so when you only have a few like this they still stand up.  Then as you gather more you can slide it back.  If the slider doesn’t work really well which mine didn’t…I just took a bar of soap and slid it up and down the parts that should move good and now they move great.  So when you go looking always check what the inside looks like.  There is an art to goodwill shopping!

 

So I was able to get my back door painted yesterday!  Now I need to do something about that cement slab.  Home Depot has some new cement paint that I think I’ll try next week.  We are leaving today to help Karissa move from Minneapolis to St. Paul so work at home will come to a little stand still.

Now on the inside of the garage is what makes me smile!  I told you I’ve been painting lots of doors…so this is the inside of the garage.  Whenever I go in and out which is a lot since I use this door to go to the shop/studio to work!  Instead of looking at where the cat scratched and having that make me crabby…I see a really cool purple door and it makes me smile.  LIttle tricks in life to keep a positive attitude !