Several thousand dollars later ( including those dollar item sales) I was equipped beyond control. From a craft room that was organized to a craft room that is now stuffed and jammed packed with so many supplies that I have only a 2 foot area to walk in and out of ion order to get to my craft table.
Here is how the story goes....After researching project after project, I would order the supplies I needed to create the projects. By the time the supplies got to me in the mail, I had not only forgotten what project they went to, but I had also researched more projects, ordering more supplies. This had gone on for sometime until it has reached the point that I no longer have room to put another supply in and I have forgotten everything I wanted to create.
I'm sure I'm the only one this has ever happened to.. who else in their right mind would ever do such a thing!! When a person asks me if I have such and such supply, I almost have to laugh and reply with, "yes, of course I have it and most likely I have it in triplicate" lol I really want to meet the people who I have made wealthy and who are traveling to fun exotic places and cruising on fantastic boats from all the supplies I have bought. Maybe they will pity me and take me along with them!
Why do I embarrass myself and put myself out here like this, you may ask? Two reasons, 1, If this has ever happened to you, or you think it could happen to you, there is a community to reach out to that can help, I know you are out there and will have empathy on me and come to my rescue. 2, I am STUCK!! I can no longer focus on my projects due to the fact I have forgotten about most of my supplies that are jammed under something or tucked away where I can't even see them any longer. I am without creativity right now because I am so focused on all these supplies that are piled up around my craft table. I have ran out of shelving, obviously, and I cannot even think as to how to reorganize this mess.
I am sure somewhere there is an Organize this craft room mess reality show. I am a great candidate for this show! Did I happen to mention that now I am creating piles in the garage because there is no more room in my crafting studio? OIIIIII!!!
Here is my plea to all of you... please help me come up with organizing strategies and crafting ideas to rid some of these materials. In turn, I will not order any more crafting supplies until I have depleted some of the PILES and PILES of supplies I already have. You don't have to ask me if I have a certain supply, because I can pretty much guarantee I do. I have everything from textured wall paper for crafts to metal to.. well just about everything.. I could make a list that would take me a year to create. I look like a mini Micheal's art and craft supply store.
Below are some pictures of my craft room. Please inhale first before you look at them and then exhale slowly.. it's the only way you will not faint! lol I yearn to hear from ALL of you.. I know you are out there and are willing to step up and help me! Come forward, show the love and help a girl out!
Ok ready, set, go... Breathe slowly, here are the pictures.
I love this idea, go Annie go!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Martiel, I hope to! lol
ReplyDeleteLove this blog post Annie! I should take pics of my crafty mess -- you would see we're in the same boat. I am so not a candidate for Somerset Studios beautiful studios magazine! I got a (terrific) roommate last year but I had to move my craft room because I was renting it. I couldn't find anything for the longest time. It made me extremely grumpy & I had a creative block. I like to spread out, and see all kinds of wonderful materials calling to me. If they are put away ... I just don't feel so inspired. What works for me 1) a make a huge mess 2) then create 3) straighten up 4) repeat this process.
ReplyDeleteLOL Patti... we sound like a Wash, Rinse and Repeat Shampoo commercial. hehe I like to see all my supplies too.. it's like being able to see beyond the box they are stashed in to create a wonderful piece of art. I hope you find the perfect space for all your materials and supplies soon :) Ty so much for posting!!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately my room looks similar. Here's what I'm doing...I went out and got a bunch of cardboard boxes and empty totes I had stashed away in the garage. I'm using them to do a first sort of everything I have lying around...one for rolls of paper, one for adhesives, one for paints, one for brushes, etc. I also have one for donating supplies to friends (like the duplicates of stamps I forgot I had), and one for things I will probably never use but can't bring myself to throw away. When things are sorted and a portion of space is cleared, then I can work on storage for that area. I have a bookshelf, Iris carts, and even old VHS storage cabinets (I bought clear plastic VHS tape boxes and put all of my tiny stuff in them and plan to label the boxes). It's working but it's a process...I have a stack of boxes lining the hallway outside of my craft room, which is just a small bedroom, until I can clear the floor space. Most of my storage items are repurposed from things I already had (plastic shoe boxes, Tupperware I never use) or were purchased at yard sales or on Craigslist (an old Sauder storage cabinet with adjustable shelves cost $30 and holds a massive amount of plastic storage boxes for 12x12 paper if you put them on their sides). I also have one of those plastic hanging jewelry organizers hanging on the back of the door to hold fibers and twine and string, layered on top of a clear plastic over-the-door shoe organizer that holds my tools...pliers, hammer, glue gun, etc. Don't rule out the ceiling either. The previous owner of my house had a plant hook in the corner...now it's holding one of those three-tier wire fruit baskets I found at a yard sale, and is full of string and twine and spools of ribbon.
ReplyDeleteFor your grand ideas that you order stuff for, keep a notebook or journal on your desk. Write down what you plan to make and sketch it out. When you get some of your supplies organized it will probably bring back some of your ideas, and you will have a little space to work on them as well. Plus you can go "shopping" in your own stash.
Good luck...you're not alone!
Oh Deb, I could just hug the daylights out of ya!!! Thank you SO very much allowing me to know I am not alone!!! You sure offered some fantastic advise, I will take them and apply them to my list of organize this space NOW list..lol Again, ty kindly, many blessings!! Ann
ReplyDeleteOkay Annie, This is the third time I'm trying to comment, Last night I read this in bed on the phone. I had a cute, but long reply all ready to send and it disappeared!! So frustrating. This morning something similar happened, but it was much shorter.
ReplyDeleteI've stopped going to craft stores and saying, "I'd like to try this someday, lets buy the ingredients for this recipe." If I'm not going home to do it right away, it doesn't come home. Maybe I should take a journal in to the store and jot down future projects... That's a good idea.
Anyway, This was very entertaining. I think I like the hunting and gathering aspect of all this (dare I say) maybe more than the creating!! Deb's suggestions are great. I did the shoe box idea for paints, glues, and other stuff I could organize. I also found it helps to label your stuff. For some reason it's easy to shove things anywhere if there's no label on the box. I wonder if we could take pics of our areas that bother us most and others could offer suggestions, like Deb. It's probably easier to help someone else organize THEIR space because it isn't our own and we aren't attached.
I've just moved my art room. One kid is coming home for the summer and wants HIS bed (the nerve of him). I've moved into my other son's room that quadruples as his room, guest room, my husband's office and now my art room. This should be interesting- I hope my husband can share his physical space in the evenings.
Anyway, now that I've rambled on (this looks like my first blog post!). If we could figure out a way to show our shame and offer help to others, I'm in. Sorry this was so long!! LindaK
Hi Annie,
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone.
Some people have retail therapy, I believe in craft store therapy.
There must be some kind of endorphin that comes with finding a really awesome new paper or a new stamp or embossing folder or powder or ink or a new polymer clay gadget or gizmo. . .
I am all a twitter just thinking about it. . .
Hmmm, Where is that Michaels coupon?
I also appreciate your storage solution dilemma..
I enjoy scrapbooking and card making(stamping embossing etc.), polymer clay and pyrography and if having the tools and supplies makes you a master I would be the guru of these 3 crafts.
Fortunately I am a self aware enough to know that it is more about the getting than it is about the having.
I have no illusions or should that be delusions. . . Hmmmm. . .
I have had some success with selling my work, however I craft for my own enjoyment. Having said that I will admit I feel perfectly justified when I find a bargain or my kids will tell you that there is not much that makes me happier than a 50% off coupon for the new gizmo or whatzit that will add that perfect something to my next project.
I also have to admit that I am in awe of the people that are so thrifty and repurpose everything to make amazing crafts. One of my crafting cohorts showed my how she repurposes cereal boxes for card stock. Amazing! As you can imagine I now have at least a years worth of cereal box cardstock
I also love seeing my craft supplies. My obsession with crafting and the accompanying supplies has carried over into storage solutions for same.
I love jars and vintage metal tins and paper boxes, you know the ones with the pretty printed patterns – drool worthy!
I keep beads, baubles, buttons and what-nots in pretty jars.
My polymer clay is stored in pint and half pint mason jars on an old spinning CD rack which makes it very accessible.
I keep papers and such (chipboard albums, stickers, ephemera, scraps etc.) in those 5 for 10$ photo boxes they sell at the craft stores. I made tags to label them. :-) I also store my ink pads and paints in the same type of boxes.
My glitter is stored in a repurposed spinning spice rack with the glass jars. Embossing powders and such are stored in a couple of vintage tins. I have a basket for my embossing folders so they are within easy reach since that is my newest mini obsession. I love texture and embossing is so very cool!
I have all my 12x12 paper pads stored in 2 wooden boxes that wine came in (goodwill find) and my loose 12x12 paper is all stored in those 12x12 plastic (see-through) boxes you see at the craft stores. I use an old dresser for storage of some of my stamps, punches and the like.
The pretty boxes and jars are stored on 2 wire shelving units and in 2 glass front cabinets. Since we moved and I took over the 10 x 16 Florida room as my studio/craft room I have also added a wooden book shelf for additional storage.
Overall it is organized chaos but it works for me.
Candy
LOL Candy, I felt like I was reading a duplicate of myself... of course I had to giggle here and there as I was nodding my head up and down saying to myself, "yes yes yes yes!!" Sometimes I get to the point that I feel like starting off an introduction, "Hi, my name is Ann and I'm a Craftaholic!"
ReplyDeleteYou offered me some wonderful tips for storage, which it just so happens, I have a few of the storage items you mentioned. I will have to unleash the dust off of them ( after I find them) and use them for storage cases.
I usually tell people who ask me, are you religious.. my reply.. yes on the 7th day God chilled out and created crafts. I just follow in those footsteps..lol That always warrants an interesting look from their faces. :)
Thank you so very much Candy for responding to my plea for help. It was kind of you to take the time out to share your world with me! I feel I have friends all over this amazing world who really "GET IT"! :)
respectfully,
Ann
Amen Sister!
Delete:-)
Candy