Monday, January 25, 2010

Missing with a migraine, Craft room BEFORE pics, & LINKs for Organizing the craft room

Edited to add: Sorry guys. I feel like I was hit by a truck. Migraine's lasted so long... but I will be back with a post by tomorrow evening. Hope you're well. xox

Hey You fabulous crafty people You!
SO sorry to be missing the last coupla days. I'm battling the big bad hairy scary migraine beastie. It's been a doozy, but after 30-odd hours of hibernation, it's on its way out the door. :-)


Warning, these candid before pictures of my craft room
may shock your socks right off...




It's sort of comparable to my brain on migraine:
painfully messy!




The tidy (a.k.a non-sloppy) among you, might be relieved to know that it's MUCH better now (3/4 of the way clean) thanks to the inspiration of my lovely friend Dawn's
gorgeous newly organized space ... I actually have a floor now (ROFL <---because I can! heeheehee) In fact, recently, my neatnik best bud and I actually fit in here (both at the same time!) and worked for a few hours together with no major injuries at all. (Though she did try to pry something loose from one wee remaining pile and a mini avalanche ensued; she escaped unscathed, luckily!)

My excuses? (ummmm errrrr make that perfectly valid reasons for uncontrollable sloppiness... LOL) I am admittedly chaotic by nature, but not this chaotic! ;o) Being ill for so long, I just haven't had the energy to craft and clean. Plus, I am genetically a Hoardosaurus rex. I could give "depression mentality" a run for it's money... and dress up my hoarding to boot: in nice fancy green words like reuse, recycling, resourcefulness! (it's Reeeee-diculous, you might say, heeheehee ) ;O)

Here's what I'd rather be doing than sleeping...

Organizing the craft room!
(scrap room, stamp room, studio...)

These are a couple links I got together recently;
I'll keep adding to this list as I find new organize-y things. And hopefully eventually be able to show the after or my own crafty room--sooner rather than later. ;o)

Most recent additions will be linked at the top of the list:


  1. DIY fabric boxes tutorial by Erin (WOW! uses old cardboard boxes)
  2. Great craft storage idea: magnetic spice rack by Garett
  3. Brilliant affordable paper storage tutorial from Darcy
  4. my scraproom wants to be this when it grows up (and I'm sure it wants Jennifer McGuire to stamp in it too! That would ROCK!)
  5. My makeshift furniture harbors design envy towards this incredible table
  6. Maria's fab craft room organizing posts
  7. Craft spaces for small apartments Article by Lish
  8. DIY magnetic storage by Brookelynn
  9. Sticker gripper tutorial by Natalie (COOL!)
  10. Awesome clip it up with page protectors & paper towel holder
  11. Scraphappy's DIY clip it up with supply list
  12. Martha's best ever craft organization by Laura
  13. Paper storage by Patter
  14. Hanging clip paper storage (martha)
  15. paper storage tips from scrapjazz
  16. Uses for 12x12 Iris paper holders (paper plus) Article by Kristine
  17. Making-Memories Desktop carousel review by Julia
  18. Clip it up review by Stephanie
  19. Wall paper magazine holders (martha)
  20. Craftzine's Making space for crafting series
  21. Thrifty storage ideas from Michele
  22. Thread storage (less than $5.00) from BurdaStyle
  23. LOTs of Craft room flickr photos
  24. Image search results for Craft Room ideas
  25. Karen's sensible tips for your craft/sewing room
  26. Craft Room & studio ideas (pics)
  27. Cathy's great Craftzine interview on making space for crafting
  28. Misc. craft room articles
  29. Cool paper storage idea by Latisha
my old organizing posts:

Misc. storage ideas
Magnetic/dry erase corkboard calendar
Framed stamp storage
Nestabilities corkboard no-hands storage
Punch storage links Ribbon storage & ideas

Hope you're having a great day,

46 comments:

MichelleB said...

Thanks for these pictures. It's nice to know that it's not just me! Mine is about the same as your before and it's just overwhelming to even start. Good for you for attacking your room and making it nice!

leslie said...

I see nothing wrong with this picture. ... ...

Holly Young said...

Well I have to say that with all you do I truly expected your craft room to look much messier! Looks like you have a great space to craft in and lots of stuff to craft with!
I hope you feel better soon Mel - I hate that you get these nasty headaches!

Tiffany said...

OH MEL!!!
I always wondered what your room would look like!! I bet you know where everything is though?? =)
I'm sorry you've been feeling bad.. But better soon, right? =)
Talk soon!

Suzi said...

No wonder you had a migraine. Being all THAT organized isn't natural, so don't get carried away. A little clutter is good for the soul! :o)

Deb Neerman said...

Oh, I love your room, Mel-a-Licious! It has personality and flair ... and holds the promise of unrestrained, giddy craftin' joy! White-glove clean and strictly organized are highly overrated ...

Dawnll said...

Well I am really feeling better about my cave now, it hasn't got to this yet. I find that a lot of the really creative people I know tend to have VERY messy areas they work in.You must be even more talented then I know! LOL
Hope your taking care of yourself because I always worry about you and your migranes.
Sending you hugz

Anonymous said...

I hope you feel better...they say the most creative people have rooms like that!

liannallama said...

thanks sooooo much for posting these! I feel like such a disaster because my area is just like that! Now I feel a little better!

I'm sorry you have been suffering so much with migraines. I used to get them so bad in my teens and twenties and they were just AWFUL! I truly sympathize. (((HUGS)))

Dawn said...

Oooh, sweetie, I'm sorry that BAD BAD M-Monster came back! Wondered where ya been!

Hoardosaurus rex...BWAHAHAHAHAHA! you're too funny, and you know I feel your pain! ROFL... because WE can!!! Whoop!!!

So glad Kim could get IN the room and actually work... how fun! Wish we were closer=(
xoxo

Dawn said...

lol..oh yeah... thanks for linking, I wondered WHY all of a sudden I was getting some comments on my room (which BTW... still looks 99% like it did then!! whoop!)

Shawna said...

Love your blog! I am so sorry about the migraine, though. Ouch. I have a great idea (at least I think so!!!) for storing Spellbinder's dies. Here's the link if you think you might be interested in sharing it.
http://www.paperkissesandinkywishes.com/2010/01/more-organization_19.html

Carol<>< said...

sorry to hear about your migraine,
I have had them weekly for years, and they have tapered down to maybe 6 a year. so I know what they are like!
and about your room...I have seen worse!
Carol<><

Priscilla said...

I truely understand having a craft room that looks like that but still it gives me a much more intense respect for the beautiful projects you create....and in that room! I would spend days just finding what I needed and perhaps forget what I was going to create!
Hope you feel better soon.
Priscilla

cristinoel said...

The mess goes with being creative! I can never seem to get away from creating a mess to go along iwth whatever creation I am making....why should you? {chuckle}

Carla said...

I'm so glad you are feeling better! Plus, your room doesn't shock me at all! Mine is almost always almost as bad!! I've cleaned it before, and it is trashed within two days. I'm just a mess!

Jane, at Thepaperaffair said...

Funny comments everyone!! I was 'alittle' freaked when I first pulled your blog up but I adjusted!! Hope you are better now!! Take care, Jane

Val said...

No shocks there - I have enough room for the chair and that is about it. Having said that, I am also in the middle of a clear up!
Hugs
Val

katemade designs said...

Thank you for posting the pics of your craft space. I feel so much better about myself now. Not that I'm so much neater than you but I am just like you and so I am not alone. When it comes to crafting I am a permanent resident of SLOBovia.

Unknown said...

I love it - so glad to know my mess isn't the only mess.........working in a motorhome has it's challenges.......and we have no dining area since I took it over.......
it's fun finding things tho - I'm sure.....like getting something new to play with :)

MichelleMc said...

The closet actually looks quite organized! Might as well focus on the positive, right?

You are very brave to post your photos! I'm sure most of us have similar workspaces. It seems to me that it's almost a necessity of being creative to have your tools and ingredients out where you can see them. Otherwise you may forget that you have the PERFECT embellishment for your project, neatly filed away somewhere. Lately, I've been buying mason jars for storing my goodies, just so everything is more visible. They are so cheap and look kinda neat!

I LOVE seeing pictures of other people's studios, I'm not really sure why .. but I can't get enough of it. Thank you for sharing these. I can't wait to see the transformation!

I'm a big fan of your blog. It's always the first thing I click on when I see your newsletter in my inbox.

Michelle

Louise Fox said...

I cleaned and organized and organized some more and it looked great, however, two days later you couldn't tell I had cleaned. I think it has to do with my own personal creative process and what I need to get there. So don't let it make you crazy - be happy, don't worry.

Sue from Oregon said...

Great post Mel...I feel better with "safety in numbers" if you know what I mean. I linked your nestie storage solution on a post I made with lots of examples of nestie storage solutions. All I know is...it doesnt take long for a tornado to hit my room!

Marfa (Crafting Marfa) said...

Messy or not, you're so lucky to have a craftroom! I have a craft-closet :-( Well, at least I can dream about having a craftrooom someday, while I read your posts on how to organize them...lol

Janet said...

Ah, a woman after my own heart! LOL I thought I was the ONLY stamp/scrap/craft room slob. Is there a 12 step program for us out there?

CFLanger said...

Oh my goodness - I think we might be sisters!

Anonymous said...

I feel so much better knowing there are other crafty people who struggle with chaos! You are excused because you produce such lovely art! Glad your migraine is better! Mary

Meda said...

Mel, your studio is perfect! I would love to create there. Do you know why, because I am a visual designer so with all those things around me I would be able to mix and match a lot easier.

Unfortunately I don't have a room just for my crafts because we haven't built the separation walls yet so I have to continuously struggle with cleaning my half of the apartment which sometimes is bad for my creativity.

And, speaking of soul sisters, I have been dreaming of a magnetic board for a few months and now I see yours!

Sorry to hear about your migraines. I have discovered a medicine that works for me when I have them. Have you managed to give up coffee yet? I feel so sorry for you with all those giving ups.

Gabriele said...

Hehe, don`t get me wrong, but: I am so happy to see that there are desks/ rooms outside in the world which are similar to mine ;)

And hey: you have something better than Jennifer McGuire: she has only ONE drawer with "Things to put away", we have a WHOLE room *gg*

Hope you`ll soon be better... take care!

Hugs
Gabriele

Debbie Pamment said...

YAY someone else who has a creative space that looks like mine - LOL. Mine has been nick named the disaster zone!!!! Thanx for the "real life" look at your space!
Hope that migraine stays away - sounds like it was a shocker!!!
xXx

Carol P said...

Oh my, I laughed out loud at that first picture. Hate to say it, but large swathes of my house look like that all the time!

Carol

Elena said...

Hope you feel better soon, Mel! Really sorry you have been ill for so long...
My room look just like this after hours of crafting! :)

Dotty Jo said...

Poor you hope you're feeling better soon as migraines really suck! Thanks for sharing the picture of your room - made me feel a whole lot better about mine!!!!! ;), Jo x

DeniseB said...

I love that you posted these pics! I called my hubby in to look at them as proof that my two rooms of paper arts goodies are more the norm than the exception. Are we sisters????
DeniseB

Kate said...

Hi Mel, I thought this was hilarious. I am going to show my hubbie!!!!

I do hope you are feeling better now.

Tracey said...

Hi Mel I hope your migraine is much better now. I must say that photo looks very familiar lol my craft room is looking much like that at the moment. Thanks for all the links, I will check them out later.

There is an award for you on my blog I hope you will accept it.

Hugs
Tracey
x

Marcia said...

Don't change a thing! that room is perfect for creating! (i.e., looks just like mine! LOL)

Lorelie Kim said...

I can totally relate!! I just got done organzing my craft room :)

Dealbaida said...

Oh Mel! You cannot imagine how relieved and delighted I was to discover someone else shares my idea of the perfect craft room. Life's too short to keep a tidy desk. Or floor. Or drawers. Or shelves. In fact, life's too short full stop.

Off to show your wonderful room to my OH. Uber neat, tidy and orderly Howard has long since despaired of ever seeing the carpet again in our third bedroom!!

Well done Mel; you made my day!

Marion

Vladuška said...

Because I just love your blog and your creativity I give you some award on my blog. It is waiting for you :-)

Anonymous said...

Oooh man............Its a good thing you warned before I saw the pics....ppfffffewwww, my ticker went off rithm...........;-) LOL
I am glad its not me alone that makes a mess sometimes!! Hope you'll be soon better from that migraine!!!!!
Greetings from the Netherlands
Marja Rolfes

mE said...

WOWZA!

Thank you for posting REAL pics of a REAL studio. I revamped my studio last year. It took forevvvvver to go through all the crap. I think we all (at some point) feel like poodoo when we see all those fabulatastic "designer studios" and then have our own mess to deal with. Can't wait to see what you do with the space when it's all spic n span tidy!

Inky Smiles!
Erin G.

Etha said...

LOL, your craft room chaos is very comforting to me! Creative genius NEEDS this. I often have to laugh loudly when I enter my room after a few days off from the last burst of fun, IF I can get in there....
Sometimes it is disturbing, but slowly putting away stuff reminds me of the process, and its all about that :)
Ruling the chaos is a good thing, it may look messy to others, but we know better LOL

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness Mel, that's hilarious!! My room doesn't look much better :) Hope the migrain eases off soon, nothing worse xxx

Willeke said...

well we have it not as bad as yours ..........but my hubby and i both have lots of hobbies soooo :*)

a subtitle of a friend is

" creative people have no mess, they have idea´s ...everywhere !"

think that say enough ;)

Anonymous said...

Mel, you are woman after my own heart. Thanks for sharing the picture of your room. I hope that you are better by now and making more creative clutter!