My Studio, An H2H Challenge & a little funny for the day!

Hi Ya'll. I am going to start out with a little something funny for you today. I've told this story before to just about anyone who has been to my studio- But seriously it's worth telling to anyone who papercrafts, stamps, scrapbooks, has a hobby, is a part-time hoarder, etc.

I've been papercrafting/all of the above for over 10 years now. From the moment I had to stop hiding stuff under the sofa to having a studio, I've been having a grande O time! 

Way back some years ago in Ohio, my dear husband. Seriously has to be the smartest man I've met. He truly is blessed with knowledge and common sense (remember this) Well this caring man decided to have me a studio built in the house we were currently building. An oasis of paper & stamps, perfectly organized, room for classes full of great girlfriends and lastly, in the basement where he NEVER GOES. It was AWESOME (except for the lighting but that is another story). 

What does this mean? It means Mama collected herself a huge amount of supplies! Let me tell ya. That UPS man was so often present at my house that my man thought we were having an affair! All it took was one day our little boy said "Hey Pops, Mr. Brown Hands was here AGAIN!" Girls. I still here about "Mr. Brown Hands" even after CTMH switched to FedEx. Thank goodness he never found out that I had his cell phone #. The story behind that is: This guy always got an earful from me for delivering my stuff late in the day. Turns out his wife is a scrapbooker so he understood my need for supplies! lol Just in case I needed something for a customer & just couldn't wait- I could call him & meet him along his business route in the morning. Now that is service. Only had to use this once. My BFF was with me & we laughed about it the whole time. 

Ok, here is the funny part. I've got supplies to last me a couple hundred years. I could get a cash register & open shop sisters! But one day, out of the blue comes my man down the stairs. (I know his foot steps like I know the sound of a delivery truck 5 blocks away- don't laugh, you know that sound too!). He comes into my oasis, puts his hands on his hips, does a 360 and looks at me and says "Well you got quite the set up don't ya?". I said proudly, "Yes, thanks to you!" Ps. always compliment your man. He won't be that hard on you. Then the smartest man that I know says, "What you got wrapped up in all this, about 500 bucks?" And for the first time in our married life, I bowed my head and confessed. "Yes. Honey that's about right. You caught me." Then he went on to say that I should go out and buy a cash register from Costco so I could make a killing selling this stuff to my girlfriends. Silly Rabbit, those trix are for me! And before I knew it, he disappeared to another part of the house. All was forgotten to him. But I have one heck of a story don't I?

Now that I've told you that story, I'm going to show you my studio. Want to see what 500 bucks will get ya? I've been wanting to show you my studio and have been putting it off but I can't now because H2H has "show off your studio" I mean "show how you organize your supplies" I mean "show me your Hoarding Problem" as a challenge. I am getting a kick out of the responses! I love to see others with the same disease as me. So without further ado, My Studio...

Note: I currently share my space in our walkout basement with the kid's entertainment room & through the french doors is the most beautiful guest room I've ever laid eyes on. That is no joke. I will do a post on that someday. It's the reason we always have guests & can't get rid of them. This space needs a paint job. That yellow makes me want to cry or pee depending on the time of day and I have this piano that is the biggest freaking waste of space that also has two broken legs that I've taped together. Sadly it is the only thing Whitney has of her father who passed away when she was 10 months old. So we schlep that damn thing everywhere for her. When she moves into a place of her own. I will pay to have that thing moved first. Ok sorry for all that- That smashing piece of decor now holds all my Cricut stuff & it's all hidden with my black tablecloth! (thank goodness the smart man doesn't know how much Cricut carts cost cause I have 47, but whose counting). Ok, enough about needing a paint job & a piano mover. Here it is...

This is the view after coming down the stairs. Behind me is the kid's TV & their bookshelves off to the right.

This view is from right inside the door way to the guest bedroom. Dbl doors leading outside. Part of that beautiful piano on the right. 

View is facing the guest bedroom. Look at the top of the door way there. I hung a curtain rod that holds my seamless backdrop paper & a purdy damask fabric for photography. The bookshelf is IKEA & it houses everything I have concerning albums, stuff to make albums, finished & started albums, how to books, card making kits & printed/sorted photos. Off to the left is another dazzling view of that piano. Off to the right at the edge of the photo is a Harry Potter Closet. I store things here like stuff I'm selling or stuff I really need to hide. bwaaaa!

I absolutely love this window ledge. It makes for a mean display and is ever changing. BTW, that sign says

Too much of a good thing is wonderful  I conquer. 

Think I've got enough paper? These IKEA shelves were the best investment. Only $125 each & the strongest things on earth. Just think of the weight on those shelves! The left unit is solid cardstocks with 2 boxes at the top full of paper mache & schtuff. Right unit is specialty papers, kits and more kits and more specialty papers...

Bring on the embellishments! This unit & the plastic towers are nothing but embellishments. Stamps and more stamps, chipboard and more. The white boxes also from IKEA & Walmart are labeled, buttons, brads, flowers, gems, etc. One plastic tower is ribbon, another is punches & scissors. The black one is color mediums such as embossing powders, liquid pearls, flower soft, glitters, reinker bottles, sponges, chalks, watercolor, etc. 

The black tables I have are IKEA. I own 3, one is stored unless I have friends over to play. Under my tall one I have a steel cart that I got at Sam's Club. This has been the handiest bugger. I have a bunch of necessities in here & it can be wheeled right out of the way if need be. A couple other things that I have worth noting are Pampered Chef Table top organizers. I have two. One is full of my scissors, hole punches, styluses, rulers, pens, knives, etc. The other holds colored pencils & drawing mediums not used much. 

Then of course I have a computer station with printer, scanner & larger monitor for working with photos. I love my space & have plenty of room for parties, crops & classes. I can't wait to paint it that Khaki color that's already picked out and I will do that half wall under my window ledge the same robin's egg or turquoise blue that I am ga ga over. 

Well you made it to the end. What did you think of my studio & my whopping $500? 

Ya'll come back now ya hear?

Tracey