Well about ever 2-3 years I usually need a total reorg/clean up of my studio and that time has come obviously, lol. I will be sharing tons of tips, tricks, recycle hacks and explanations as to why I did what I did. I do hope that something can work for you, too.

***I am also running a GIVEAWAY! Now until Tuesday 3/31/2020 11:59 EST Subscribe to any of my social media platforms —-> over there 🙂 , leave a comment to confirm following AND private message me with the answer to either one; 1.) ‘Where does one of my kids attend University’ or 2. ‘What quote do I have on my lightboard’? Located somewhere in the photos below. This is a private giveaway not endorsed by anyone but me. The prize will be a gift pack worth $25.oo. Please only US residents only, thank you. Have fun and good luck! 

Let’s get started ……….

This shot is standing in the doorway, my studio is a 12 x 12 bedroom on the first floor of our rural ranch house. For some this type of creative environment is just to overwhelming. For me, i love when stuff is all around me but when it takes longer to create something because i can no longer find it that is when it becomes a problem. I am thrilled with the addition of the mobile island. I utilized a TV stand that I do believe every person in my household has used due to it being the VERY first piece of furniture, if you can call it that, bought back 30 years ago. Too sentimental to toss :), The packaging cardboard came from a shipment of handmade paper~ measures 2’5″ x 3’8″and is 1/2″ thick, so stable that I knew I could not through it out. I covered it in the backside of quality wrapping paper that can be replaced at anytime for pennies. The easel can be placed upright or horizontal and will keep my canvases raised in case of any mishaps while working. I usually prefer working horizontal but like the option to do both.  As you can see, I have a ton of canvases and miscellaneous pieces that need to be finished. Keep an eye out, I have a few ideas and endeavors that I will be getting going real soon. Anyway back to the job at hand ………………………

 

 

This is the looking at the East wall of the room, where a lot of stuff usually ends up behind me if to big to keep in my work space. It was comical to see me try to die cut something, pretty odd position, let me tell you. So happy to have a quick view of my steel rule die collection, I wasn’t using them enough especially the over sized ones due to sitting on top of the shelving unit. The inexpensive(during sale of course) photo boxes fit embossing folders perfectly. I use to completely pack up seasonal items but really utilize them more throughout the year. Be sure to ALWAYS save odd shaped boxes, you never know when you can use them. They can always get a layer of paper or paint and will hopefully do that soon. The magnetic sheets attached to a wall or a perfect solution to have most used thinlits with in a quick view and grab as long as they don’t get overloaded. Mine kept falling each time I tried to use a die. The blue/red polka dot painted MDF epoxy board is actually up-cycled. It’s previous job a few reorgs ago was to as my desk top that I did. Not wanting to throw it away, I attached it to the wall and glued the sheets to it. not only decorative but funky, too.

I love being able to drop down the panels and cover up, especially if I am on my pc skyping, zooming, video chat etc with friends. This was really easy to do. Just a easy straight stitch along your favorite fabric folded over giving about a 1″ hem, be sure to leave ends open. Use a dowel rod (here I have used 1/2″) with 3M removable hooks in upper corners of shelves. leave enough dowel rod after trimming, depending on size of your selves (these were at Target many years ago and started out in my daughters nursery who is now 22 :0) to hold up fabric when you need to look at supplies. I have also added lights to help with the ambiance and light up supplies. I also learned from the last reorganization that I need to leave void areas when I am purging and cleaning, along with NOT placing things to high. I don’t use them because it is a hassle trying to get them down. I was a Girl Scout Troop leader and donated a lot of my supplies to my local troop but keep those items that I like to have on hand along an upper ceiling shelf with labels. But these are items I would only access 1-2 a year (thank you Wendy L. I stole this from her years ago xo). I also absolutely LOVE my mobile cart from Michael’s that houses my acrylic paints, most used stamps and stamp platform. This is usually always within hands reach but love that it has a spot to go if I need room space 🙂

Notice my little string there on the side of my paint cart~ that is perfect for allowing large scale stencils to dry and I also keep a couple of my most used ones there for quick grabs. I purchased these ~ clear J hooks and attach them to my large stencils. Previously, I hung them all but found that doesn’t work for me. So I have 1 drawer in my cart for wonky, snag type 9 x12’s and store the others in a box vertically. My water bin is always ready to go,  it is a 3 pound ground turkey container and for stamps (when using acrylic or non-permanent ink) I spritz with water and let dry face down on a meat tray that has a paper towel on it. So never do I have to get up and run to the kitchen to clean stuff in the middle of a project. I will be honest I have numerous little bins of scraps but do like having an ongoing bin always on my desk. I do occasionally go through them and use. I also like to thumb through the scraps, too, if I need inspiration or want to revisit a techniques. I have also found for me, I need a spot to have stamps that I use all the time so there is a mix match sheet and also a spot for others to be when neck deep in a make.

Dave built this tower using scrap wood and turn mechanism from one of the trendy tabletop travel scrap bags like this one . I no longer used mine so I recycled the spinner. My blending tools and pads are held up by hook and loop circle fasteners that you can find at the dollar store. Be on the lookout for directions for the tower soon, Dave is drawing it up as I type. Will be available for download for FREE 🙂

I love the upcycled work belt (from Habitat for Humanity $6) for holding my heat tool and embossing gun. It also holds my glue gun w/extra sticks and hair dryer when working with Alcohol Inks. I just removed the the main belt and stapled onto the horizontal surface on my desk top. perfect and heavy duty~ already vintage broken in state 🙂 Right Picture~ I really love the addition of a vintage cake decorating spin froster thingy.

I could not really sew with 2 stools deep of stuff on the floor! This is a hard area for me, I want it open and uncluttered but it is a lot of real estate (south wall of room) which has a tendency to be another catch all spot, obviously. So to help with this, I added a wall length shelf right under the cabinets. this way items can be up off of the areas behind my machine and serger to have the room to do larger projects like quilts, etc. Looks pretty anyway, awesome piece of chippy wood my FIL gifted me 🙂 Dressed it up with a bench cover I had made long ago that was taking up space in my textile closet.

I needed a spot to keep the seasonal items that I did not want fully packed away, here more boxes were handy. Also my office supply kind of spot. So nice to have an area for some of my projects and hang pics of the family. My hubby was so kind to hang the upcycled window for me because I tried using industrial velcro to do it and it was to heavy. Lasted for a while but needed a more permanent solution. xo xo Dave! Also going to enjoy filling up the clip lights that were gifted to me with favorite cards and other items.

I don’t really have a before shot of my textile closet but I could not walk in here which I like to do because I love what I did in here. I used liquid starch and vintage patterns to ‘wallpaper’ in here. isn’t it so cool! And if this was every to be changed into a usable bedroom all I would have to do is wet it and it would come right down 🙂 Perfect spot to hang my great grandmother’s embroidery. Always remember, too, that when you buy bedding keep the clear zipper bags. That is what I have used to house my embarrassing, obsession of vintage trims. The box housing my tall skinny items like large rulers, rods, dowels etc was also done with liquid starch except this is fabric. Although my textiles need a little TLC and straightening, this is a HUGE improvement. Can always do that another day, lol.

Here is a quick 1:23 minute video also. I am standing pretty much in the center of the room ….

Thank you for visiting today and don’t forget about the GIVEAWAY (details at the top).

Have a blessed day,

Wendy xo