Miss Organization

While we were gone on our trip of 3 weeks and 3 days, our daughter-in-law Kristi embarked on a major organization of my craft studio.  I've talked about this space before and honestly called it my own version of "Hoarders".  I think a lot of you reading this can relate.  Crafty/artistic people are known to get interested in many crafts and tend to buy more supplies than they might need.  :-)  I had supplies for basketry, calligraphy, watercolors, embroidery, sewing, jewelry making (beads, wires, tools, etc.) The YARN I have purchased is in a whole another category of excess.  When we arrived home Kristi had a towel hung over the French doors so I could not see in the studio.  She wanted to see my face as she showed me what she'd accomplished.  Would you like to see?  OK, come on in.  There is my oak copper paneled pie safe - it used to hold a LOT of yarn.  Not any more!  The walkway is clear!  You can see the desktop!

K put some of my holiday decor on top and some dolls and shells.

She hung this on the door as you go in.. I got this for my Mom's apartment in the assisted living facility where she spent her last years.  It was sweet to see this on the door.

If you're new to reading my blog, our son Travis and Kristi and our two grandsons live with us while they save money for a home.  Kristi and Travis actually made this jewelry display organizer for me!  She hung up all the earrings, bracelets, necklaces and strands of beads here.  I made most of these for when I did craft shows.  Some are my own.  I am going to do a giveaway soon on my blog of some of this jewelry - and put many in my Etsy store at sale prices.  This organizer will really help me keep track of what I have.  Which is a LOT.. wouldn't you say?  :-)  Didn't they do an amazing job?

This is the studio from back in the corner - the desktop is a great and spacious work area.  I look forward to setting up my Singer Featherweight sewing machine there and do some sewing.  Kristi put some organizers under the desk and put all my jewelry making supplies in there!

This desk is huge and has a lot of organizational space.  Kristi put all my craft books in one place, there are drawers of papers and tablets, envelopes, etc.

This huge pine cabinet was my mother's.  She had it in her kitchen.  It's deep and big.  I had a lot of holiday decor items in it along with a mish-mash of a LOT of other things.  Kristi brilliantly decided to put all my YARN in here in bins!  Each bin has a label.  I've asked Dayle to oil the wood, it's a little rough looking.  I know a lot of people would paint this - but I cannot bear to cover the pine wood.  I'm a sucker for real wood grain.

And here is the cabinet contents.  Bins of yarn and fabric, etc.

I was telling my sister Roberta about how organized everything was and she asked how I would find everything and I told her.. she labeled EVERYTHING!  :-)

Buttons.

Kristi - the Label and Bin Queen!  She said she had to go out each day to buy more bins.  :-)

My vintage seamstress model looks nice in there now!

Kristi found all my pens, pencils, rulers and put them in Ball jars.

Kristi even found a new book and bought it for me.  

Caleb enjoying the tidy studio and me in my chair checking out everything.

Here is my pie safe open to show you the other bins.  Calligraphy supplies, watercolors things, fabric, basket supplies, candles, ribbons.. :-)

Standing outside the French doors looking in.. I have some ideas about some lace valances and some other decorative touches.. more crochet in here! :-)

I found a vintage folding wire laundry basket at the antique store we visited in Osage Beach, MO.. I told Dayle I'd been looking for one and he sent me back into the store to buy it.  :-)  I'm going to keep crochet projects in here and some yarn.

Here is Kristi the miracle organizer.  :-)

She also took good care of our dog Buddy, the chickens, the koi and pond fish and the flowers.  Look at this amazing mass of Stargazer lilies in a pot on the garden shed deck! 

These are the flowers that I love which smell divine.

The kids also got a fuchsia and a canna lily for the pond.

Some other flowers Kristi got while we were gone.

The unusual leafed Moss Rose is a gorgeous color and is doing well.

See how lush and lovely everything looked when we got home?

I want to pick a tiny posy of Sweet Peas.. I got these in honor of my blog friend Helen Phillips as I've admired hers each summer.

I'm happy that this pretty Dahlia is still producing blooms although the excessive heat we've had is not helping the flowers.

I wanted to show you the things I brought back from our trip.  The vintage oak splint baskets were very reasonable.. like $12 and $15!  I found a vintage canning jar by a different maker - Amazon!  A tiny cream bottle like they used to use in diners, this one in milk glass.  A hard to find pattern of Jadeite - Laurel.  And a funny sheep from the Grand Canyon.  The pot... more below.

The sheep was made by a Navajo Indian.  The pot is very special.  When doing archeological digs in the Grand Canyon of the native people that inhabited it dating back to the Ice Age - they found pottery shards with beautiful designs.  A potter is now making small pots using designs found on those ancient pots - isn't that cool?  I had to get a small one.

I wasn't sure who made the Jadeite cup and saucer that I bought.. but K googled it and it's McKee and the pattern is Laurel.  I love it!

A closeup of the Laurel design.

My blog friend Kathy from Running with Rocket asked how I could tell a basket's age from looking at the bottom.  So here you go.. for one it sold at one point for $1.50.  And see the stains and rough spots?  Also, the cracks in the oak splints.  This basket has had a long and useful life.  :-)

So, now you're at the BOTTOM (teehee) of my long post.  I will bid you adieu and hope you have a wonderful week.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)