Long Weekend: Clean, Organize, Create!

The studio gets disorganized when I don't spend enough time tidying between projects.  I am happy to have a space where I can close the door and not have to see the mess I have created.  HOWEVER, I am much more creative and productive when my workspace is orderly.  I admire artists and crafters who can make beautiful things in messy spaces.  I am not one of those people.  I am looking forward to the long Labor Day weekend ahead.  I have taken Friday as a vacation day and the agency is closed Monday.  That means I have four days to clean and re-organize the studio...and to CREATE some new projects.  Pictures above:  Rubber stamps and some wonderful Jaquard favbric paints stored in nick-nack shelves.

This is my sewing table, bought at the Habitat Re-Store (they always have great sewing cabinets and tables!).  The lifting mechanism was rusted shut, but the wood of the cabinet (Teak, I think) is gorgeous.  My sweetie put a shelf in it to hold my sewing machine.  It has lots of storage inside (did I mention you can never have enough studio storage), and a drop-down extension leaf.  Best feature?  It is a lovely mid-century piece that looks great in my home. Above the table is a rubber stamp storage piece made from some slat wall that the previous homeowners left behind in the basement.  

The wire grid wall was also left behind by the previous homeowners.  They were using it as a pot rack in the kitchen.  With a few s-hooks, it holds tons of things.  The bulletin board on the right side of the picture was given to me by a girlfriend who was throwing it away.  Her dad made it for her when she was in high school.  It is VERY heavy and very nicely made.  Makes a great design/inspiration board.

These are mostly CD storage boxes (and a few other sizes) from Ikea.  They fit perfectly into cloth hanging closet organizers and hold all kinds of things.  They are labeled to make it easy to find my stuff.

These are inexpensive ($14), assemble-them-yourself bookshelves from Garden Ridge.  I stacked them on each other to give me a whole wall of storage...which is currently abysmally messy...and a major focus of the re-organizing I'll be doing.