TA DA #2, The Guest Bedroom

Previously this room was a MESS!  Part guest bedroom, part storage and part craft "pile" (and everything else).  Here it is now ... a GUEST could actually sleep in here now, imagine that!  Let's start with the closet:

Since I moved my yarn upstairs, more stuff could fit into the closet.  I have my gift bags on the top shelf and my canning jars under that.

 On the other side, my canning stock pots, goodies still in the package from Sur La Table (cool ceramic bakers that I got on clearance), deep fryers, a snowcone machine (doesn't everyone need one of those?).  At the back, extra pillows and blankies.

 Gift wrap, additional craft supplies (stamping stuff).  At the back on the shelf, "to be ebay'd."

 I have converted the chest of drawers into my gift storage -- through-out the year I buy cool stuff and save it for birthdays, Christmas, and just because.  FRIENDS - don't look too close here!

 More gifts.

 Also in here, jeans -- "to be crafted."

 Along with extra bathing suits and Addison's school tshirts that I save.

And the bed ... all cleared off!  Just need some more art on the wall.  Suggestions?

Ta Da - The New and Improved Craft Area

If you don't recall what the BEFORE looked like, just take a look.  Also, you might recall what I refer to as the transition phase.  Yes, I had quite a mess going on around here.  But, that is all in the past now ... TA DA:

 My "new" armoire - purchased from a really nice couple (expecting their first baby) on Craig's List.  Mahogany, love it!  Lots of thanks to my sweet hubby and the boys for getting this upstairs ... I heard it was a bit heavy.

 Overview.  I really down sized my book collection.  I purchased these cool baskets from Michael's (during their 50% off sale, of course).   They now hold yarn ... beautiful, soft yarn.  Yes, I am aware that I have a slight yarn addiction.

 Close-up.  Check out the clear "scrapbook" containers (again 50% off at Michael's).  Great to organize crafts "by project."  You can also see the cool wood cigar boxes on the shelf ... not sure what I'll do with those.

 View from downstairs.  Looks much better than before.

 Close-up of some of my yummy yarn!

Photo printer, yes more yarn plus these cool blocks that I purchased for a whopping $0.25 each at Saks when they were selling off their fixtures after the store closed.  I plan to wrap these in batting and fabric for Addison's "den."  I think this awful blank wall may become my new cross wall.

Inside my new sewing cabinet - room for my machine (which I can put on the pull-out tray/desk area when in use), more storage boxes (yep, Michael's again), fabric, batting and a box that contains glue gun and glue.

My Craft Area: THE TRANSITION

When we left off last time I was showing you my horrible craft trail through the whole house - I had stuff everywhere.  Well, things tend to get worse before the get better, right?  Here's some pics of the transition phase.

Pool table room:  this became the holding spot for a lot of items in transition.

Pool table room cont'd - against the shutters is the growing pile of giveaway stuff.  Yay!  Things movin' out!

The pile of clothes from Addison's room - now part of the "to sell on ebay" pile.

Guest bedroom - yes, just threw everything on the bed until it found a home.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

My Craft Area: BEFORE

My craft "area" was a disaster ... it was spread out in the guest bedroom closet, the guest bedroom, my bedroom and upstairs:

I had originally planned to set up tables in the guest bedroom and sew and craft in there.  In this pic:  sewing machine, yarn in the tub and the canvas bag, empty boxes and extra gift items in the blue bag (I buy gifts ahead and stash them).

That never happened, the piles just grew.  In this pic:  fabric in the gold tub and blue bin, yarn in the trash bag, canning supplies and goodies from my latest shopping trip to Sur La Table.

Guest bedroom closet.  In this pic:  electric fryer, extra pillows, and the "to be sold on ebay" pile.

The closet continued:  baskets, extra leaf to my table, and shipping boxes.

In my bedroom:  shoes from my latest trip to DSW, books from my latest trip to Half Priced Books, and yarn and ebay stuff on the ottoman.

Upstairs:  sofa table, extra reusable shopping bags, and lots of etc. (you can see the play-doh).

Upstairs bookshelves:  encyclopedias (can you believee that?), books, wireless printer and more etc.

The other side of the sofa table:  fax machine, computer and files.

TO BE CONTINUED ...