Tuesday, January 18, 2011

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

23 comments:

judy anderson said...

Wow oh wow!!!!

Rick and Kori said...

Love your studio! Somehow I think it may have cost you more than $500 :) I may have believed you if I weren't becoming more and more addicted to "stocking up on supplies" as well :) By the way, I am also "gaga" over that robin egg blue color!

Lisa Stenz said...

Holy mother of.... (I just need to stop right there! LOL!)

Tracey, you have quite the set up there my friend! What an AMAZING studio! I am soooo jealous! I love your story about the $500. You are quite the bargain shopper. LOL! Your poor hubby has no clue. But ya know...it's probably better for his health that he don't know that you really spent $650 on all the stuff! LOL!

Thanks for sharing your awesome studio with us! *Ü*

Sonya said...

Wow Tracey, I love your $500 studio! Thanks for sharing.

Tracy Valure said...

Beautiful Studio! I miss having basements (I live in fl)....the are perfect craft areas!! I did luck out and our office is my craft room and we still have a spare room. But it needs to be about double the size! Thanks for sharing.
Tracy V

Unknown said...

Girlfriend, you have got to hook me up with your personal bargain shopper. ROFL! Poor Maine Man who doesn't have a clue. I am beginning to feel it is a NEED to come and visit, stay in your guest room (which I am still waiting to see) craft in your bargain basement, and spend some time laughing while we create. GREAT post.

Jessica said...

Wowee that is one fabtabulous scrap space and all filled up with only$500.00 worth of supplies. You are good and that hubby of yours he is a keeper. This post is so funny, I'll be laughing all day!

Lorrinda said...

I was WAITING to see your studio!!! You did not disappoint my friend! Amazing how far you can stretch $500...
The take away tip for me is the curtain rod with the rolled up photo backgrounds. Genious.
Thank you so much for sharing your space with us at H2H!

Gloria said...

Oh my dearie me, where do I begin. I was laughing so hard at your story that I nearly peed before I saw your yellow wall color. lol! I too covet the blue color...someday maybe. I wish my husband had no concept of the cost, but he bought me my cricut so that ship has sunk. I love your idea for the roll away photo background! Thank you so much for sharing.

Sheila H said...

Your studio is super fantastic and super organized! I can only wish...

Unknown said...

Oh, Tracey, I am SO jealous!!! It is gorgeous, amazing, and CLEAN!!! I am in the process of turning one of my rooms into a studio. Thanks for the inspiration!! (BTW, I have a couple of those IKEA shelves, and they ROCK!)

Stampin n da Hood said...

hey Maine Man I got news for you….oh never mind…he'll never get to read this!
Great room, Tracey!
Since I can only sleep on couches for the most part..You're on notice…that couch is sooo mine!

Corina said...

Hi Tracey!
O.K... Now I know where the product goes when CTMH sells out of something!! LOL!
Fabulous space, organized (packed) nice and tight. Love your window. Thanks for sharing with us at H2H!

Melanie said...

I really love how your space is part of the living area... yet has it's own space. its the best of both world

Anonymous said...

i busted laughing when I read the $500 part- i didn't even need to see the pics to know there is going to be more than $500, just from your description and you sell close to my heart. I can that in no time with a new catalog! Anywho - I LOVE the pics of your studio. WOnderful and so jealous! Thanks for sharing the story

Paper doll said...

AHH HAA finally we see where great minds think of FABULOUS things to create and where all the creating goes down!! Great space, I need that much space.

Paper doll said...

Okay I looked first and then went back to read. Your story sounds like mine. My husband visit my studio often, on one of those visits he looks around and says WOW you have alot of stuff. How much do you think all this cost and I said a couple of house payments. He said OH!, he has never asked again!

Wendy Taylor said...

LOL - Oh your Dear Sweet Husband - God Love him! ;-)
I often travel to crops and think to myself oh man if I had an accident and had to claim my scrap tool bags to insurance they would NEVER believe me! ;-)
Gorgeous space!
TFS
Wendy in Tucson

Jenifer said...

WOW!!! I'm laughing at the story!! Love it!!

Thank you for letting us peek in your craft room!! :)

Amy Moore said...

What a fabulous studio. It is so neat and organized, what I would do for a basement space!! I love the story too. My MAN was also my UPS delivery guy until we switched to FedEx. I was very spoiled to get my package whenever I wanted it. Now FedEx arrives at 9pm or later. I must be last on the route or perhaps its some rivalry between the two of them.

Nancy Ball said...

Wow Tracey, what a neat and tidy space. I can see how your man accepted the value, maybe if I had more storage for mine it wouldn't look like the $750 or so it really is - wink, wink, nudge, nudge!

The daughter's room is robin's egg blue and I find it is very serene. My studio is bright orange to invigorate me!

Melinda Everitt said...

Great story! Love your scrapbook room. Also enjoyed the peak at your swap items. Someone is going to be very lucky to receive them!

NancyK said...

Love this post-thanks for sharing your studio - I had coffee in my mouth when I read the $500 investment! Too funny! My 2011 project is getting rid of a ton of my stuff (hopefully there is someone else out there who wants it as badly as I did!)- I can't even take pictures yet - way too messy! Great inspiration too!

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Who is Tracey?

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I live in Maine with my husband and two kids while my oldest is in San Fran attending college. I am happiest with my camera attached to my face or making something crafty with paper. I am going on 9 years as a CTMH consultant, I am a Stamping Royalty Contest Winner and have been published many times in Papercrafts & Stamp It.

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