Humble beginnings

WARNING - LONG POST WITH LOTS OF PICTURES!!

When I started I first moved to Ipswich, I got BIG TIME interested in crafting! 

I had just resigned from a very good job with Ford to become a full time Mum & housewife in a new area. 
As my addiction to making cards, scrapbooking, diecutting & everything crafty grew, so did my stash!! 

This is what I used to store a lot of my tools and papers in, to take to my craft groups.  I also had a lovely craft table built by my fantastic husband for the spare room.  We were able to sit together in the evenings, at least in the same room!  Then Molly came along, so I was moved into the box room, then Aimee came along & I was forced into the dining room (I think most of us have been there) 

After a while Rob had had enough and planned to build me an external room to escape to!!

                                                                 

MAY 2005

 

MARCH 2009

What a great job he made of it too!! It's triangular in shape as we have a corner plot, but it has used up a waste piece of our land and made it into something useful!!  The girls love to use it too, so it could be classed as a family room I suppose!! Rob also escapes there for some piece and quiet and occasionally if he has to work from home, he will go in there!

So here's the bit you all want to see.. It's taken ages to come together, and still needs a damn good tidy up as I've retrieved hidden bags of crafting items from the house over the last year.. but you can get an idea of where I love to hide away from the children and create......

Here is a view as you walk in, you can see the shape of the room now, but having a corner computer desk at the back really makes the most of it!

The original desk that Rob made for me .                                   

Some brilliant storage I got from a DIY shop thats now closed.  They're meant to be shoe cupboards and you can still buy them from ARGOS for about £65.. I bought 2 for £25 each!! BARGAIN!  The great thing is that I used to store my bits and bobs in old shoeboxes/DVD boxes, which now fit perfectly in there!! I was going to put another workbench on top of these 2 units, but I didn't want the desk to dark as I like to do my scrapbooking there.

The great Ikea kitchen cabinets which store (read 'hide') a lot of my stash.  I was going to get the obligitory EXPEDIT unit, but with the room being so exposed to the light, I felt that it was important for everything to be in the cupboards.  I could also store A LOT more this way too. 

This is where I spend the majority of my time!! We were given the worktop which fitted PERFECTLY!!  Rob trimmed down the worktop so that it was more ergonomic.  Now I have loads of space to spread out and stamp!!

Hope that you enjoyed looking, I know it's not as nice as these US craft rooms in the basements, but I love my space and look forward to putting the children to bed so that I can have a play!!

I've been waiting very patiently for this room.  We've always called it the craft shed, I know it's far from it.. but it's stuck!! 

After I've cleared my space up a bit more, I'll show you more of how I organise my space - BELIEVE me.. it keeps changing!!

Bye for now,

Hugs,

Emma xxx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!!!

My Gorgeous first born is 14 years old today!!!

I can't believe how time has flown by...
Last night I entered a challenge on the Stamp With Us Birthday Bash , we had to use

1. 3 coloured papers
2. 2 patterned papers
3. 1 stamp

of our choice..  So here's my take on this challenge

I used Going Gray 12 x 12 cardstock, with Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper and the newly introduced colours Rich Razzleberry & Soft Suede.  The stamped images were from Frames with a Flourish.
And I'm quite proud to say, with working in timed conditions, that Monica's hubby chose my layout as the winner!! I'm looking forward to seeing what arrives in the post!!

HOWEVER.....
I wasn't overly impressed with the layout.. so I had to add some bits to it as I wanted to make it into a gift for Sarah - what do you think of the newer version??

I added some inked up chipboard (On Board Loads of Letters) In Rich Razzleberry OF COURSE!! versamarked them and added heat and stick glue (HEATED) then Dazzling Diamonds.  When that had dried, I added some Crystal Effects.  Added a polka dot ribbon accent and then a journal box with a similar mount to the photo and inked up the level 2 hostess kit Itty Bitty Buds in the NEW colours too..

I made a lovely flower using the 5 petal punch, ran it through a crimper a couple of times, split the cardstock (it does this naturally), inked around the edges and added a lovely pink rhinestone brad.

So.. that just about dried and I left it on the dining table for Sarah to see it this morning when she came downstairs... bless her she cried...

I really enjoyed making this and look forward to putting on the wall for a couple of weeks before it goes into the album.

Hope you like!!
Hugs,
Emma xx