My New Creative Space

I've gotten alot, and I mean ALOT, of visitors to my blog post "Where I Create" found here: http://scrapmomsmusings.blogspot.com/2010/06/where-i-create.html---

and I appreciate all the wonderful comments I've received.  But.....this isn't my creative haven any more.  We moved a little over a year ago and, although I miss my old creative space, I have a new one.  This one is in the basement.  It's not as "fancy" as the other space, but it's much bigger and I'm able to have everything in one room, not in 2 rooms as I had before (my bedroom and basement in the other house).    I do love my space:

 Here are some pics to share:

Here's the view when the basement door is opened:

My husband put up an old sheet to cover the wood and wires, etc above my head.  Plus it reflects the light and makes it so much brighter.  The work table is lined with a table skirt that I created using up yards of old fabric that's been in my sewing stash for YEARS!  I finally had a good use for it.  I'll share more pics of the work desk later. 

This is the view walking from the door to the left to give you an idea of the entire room.

Turning towards the door slightly to view the paper stacks.

 

Still moving to the left and back a little.  Unfortunately the ugly metal post cannot be removed.  Oh Well.  The wicker chest is a very old storage unit bought at a yard sale.  The concrete floor had been painted red by the previous owner and I hated it.  For now, hubby put down a white carpet on the other side.  Someday, the floor will be painted.

To the left are the shelving units my hubby built that holds all my storage containers.

Turning just a bit to my left to show you how far out the shelves extend.  The small table is covered in batternburg lace table cover and the box is a yard sale find that holds all my laces.  The jar in front is a fairy jar received in a swap.

A shoe bag organizer (or whatever you call it), that I cut in half and attached to this 'wall' which was made using foamboard and covered with contact paper.  This organizer holds my heat guns, glue guns, and drill.

Just a few of my photo boxes.

I covered the inside of all my containers with paper using the colors pinks, blues and greens (the colors in my room).  I then labeled them with tags bought at the dollar bin at Michael's. 

Okay, so picture yourself on the other side of my work table, standing in the middle of the carpet and looking around going from right to left:

This is standing in the middle of my room looking toward the cellar door (right of the photo).  The small white bookcase displays alot of mini albums that I've received in various swaps and some that I've made as well.  The brown bookcase stores paper packs, and alot of other items that is too long to list here.  Beside that are 3 paper stackers. 

This is looking directly at the bookcases mentioned above.  To the left are two tall units that came from an old entertainment center which was dismantled.  These units hold photo albums, tons of books and magazines, and boxes full of goodies!

Here's the view standing by the cellar door looking to the back.  These are the two units mentioned above.  To the left is a small table that my daughter gave to me which houses my Cuttlebug, my sewing machine, my Cricut, a mini sewing machine, the Slice,  a sewing basket and my Cinch.  Two very large cutters stand between the table and the tall unit.  You'll see to the left of the little black table is another table which is covered in a white flat sheet.  On top of that is my homemade 'clip it up' shown below: 

Here's a close up of the bookcase holding all the mini albums (at least some of them):

Another view of the table:

 

Here's a better view of the table holding my clip it up.  I also keep my punches in a small suitcase and an old strainer.  This table was supposed to be used for my machines, but not yet!  Beneath the table, hidden by the sheet is a box storing tools and a Rubbermaid 3 drawer unit holding Sizzix dies, Cuttlebug folders, etc.

Here's my Inspiration Board above the table (above).  I've put up tags received from swaps and pictures, etc that inspire me.

This is what's hiding under the table.

The suitcase and strainer holding my punches.  I don't own many.

This is the view standing by my work table.  The tall white book case was given to us from a neighbor and it stores CD albums of my photos, buttons, lace, and baskets and boxes of more goodies.  To the left of the bookcase is a smaller one displaying my favorite (and unused) stamps as well as a wooden house and another wooden unit with doors that displays little bears and other mementos.

 

 

 

Even the smaller boxes are covered!  I find that it gives the room a cleaner look.  I like seeing what I have, but I don't like the 'cluttered' look of so many containers holding so many items.  So, I covered them with the same papers I used for the bigger containers.

This is how I store my bigger flowers.  I do have one more box that's been added that stores all my handmade flowers that I've received from various swaps.

 Here's a look from the middle of the room showing a very big white bookcase (another yard sale find) that hold all my smaller storage units.  Most are labeled.  If there isn't a label, then the container is empty. 

Continuing to move to the left, these are all the '3 drawer' containers (Sterilite, I think) with the wheels and frames removed.  I just stacked them.  When my husband made the shelves he measured these containers by height and width, giving me the room I need.  They are snug and can't move at all.  No worries at all that they'll tip.

Now we turn and viola'!  My desk/work table.  This is where I sit and create.  I covered my ugly black chair with a sheet, a king-sized pillow sham and a chair pad.  Someday I'll make a better chair cover, but that's it for now.  Let me show you around the desk:

This unit is at the right of me when I'm sitting there.  There are containers holding everything I need to use from pens, glues, stamps, inks, sponges, staplers, small tools, etc. Loads of little things.

This is the top of that unit.  There's a family of turtles all lined up that were given to me from my oldest daughter.  Of course, these turtles represent all of us in the family--LOL!  I have two spinners on the top--one came from Marshall's and is supposed to be used for jewelry, but I always repurpose items for my scrapping use anyway.  This spinner holds some nice ephemera that  I love to look at.  In the middle is a box that holds every card I've received in a swap.  And the black spinner on the right holds Ranger Inks, daubers and alcohol inks.

 

 This is on my desk.  The gnome I've had since I was very young and is supposed to bring good luck.  The ceramic 'purse' in front of the gnome is filled with assorted hand tools from scissors to piercers.  The item next to it is a lazy susan holding jars of colored pencils, paint brushes, glue sticks, and another jar holding blades.   I altered two tin cans and store pins, and other loose items.

 

To the left on the table is an antique bed tray that I bought at a yard sale and is perfect for displaying two vintage sewing baskets that hold lace and ribbon goodness.  In the front is an altered cigar box received from a swap last year.  There are also two altered tea cups holding some beautiful stick pins.  These were also from a swap.  I love to have swap items around me!

Another angle of the jewelry boxes and one of the tea cups.

This vintage sewing box holds some of my favorite laces and trims.  The two bracelets are made by a good friend of mine-Sandra Knapp who creates these from vintage typewriters. 

This is the back of the bed table.  A terra cotta pot holds foam brushes and beside that are a couple of old baking pans that I use for heat embossing.

Sitting on the table against the wall is my DIY clip it up. 

 

This little piece is a vintage jewelry box--another yard sale find!  The drawers hold business cards, clips for my clip it up and Cricut blades.  Sitting on top of the box are more altered items I've received from assorted swaps! 

Around the room, I've placed lots of items from yard sales, thrift stores and flea markets because..well....they make me happy.  Above is a vintage suitcase filled with stencils (that I never use!), sitting on top of the suitcase is a metal birdhouse-an iron anvil (I think it was a door knocker at one time), and a 'cake slice' made from paper.

These birdhouses and bird cage sit on top of one of the book case towers.  Again--yard sale finds!   I just LOVE birdhouses!

 

That ends the tour of my basement scraproom--better known as my "Happy Place".  Thanks for stopping by and I hope I might have inspired you.