Let's Get it Started! (Craft Closet--Part 2)

 So when I last left you, I mentioned that I had scoured the world wide web for some crafty inspiration and greeted the hubby with those four dangerous words (at least in our house they are dangerous), "I have an idea!"

You see, we have a bit of DIY ADD around here.  We have a big brainstorm and get a great idea for a little home improvement project and "BAM!" we jump right in.  Halfway through, more inspiration hits (or we hit a snag) and we are opening up a whole new can of worms (or tearing up floors) all while *trying* to finish the first project.

I knew what the hubby was thinking, "How many other projects do we have going on around here?  Why do we need to start one more?"  But this time, I had a plan. . .this would be my birthday gift from the hubby!  No shopping required (besides Home Improvement stores, and what guy is going to turn THAT down?), no guessing at what I might want (I had inspiration pictures, remember?), no tedious wrapping paper involved--it was a win-win for everyone!  Well, until we looked at our schedules around January (my birthday month).  We were swamped with other obligations!  No time for DIYing here.  So I agreed to wait a bit. . .

Valentine's Day rolled around and the hubby asked for gift suggestions.  "The Craft Closet," I quickly answered.  No flowers, no chocolate, no jewelry, just a little demolition and construction in the living room closet--too much to ask?  I think not.

The weekend after Valentine's Day, I began to realize that Step One of this project was contingent upon ME cleaning out the closet to make way for the facelift.  So. . . while the hubby was away at a weekend training session, I emptied the contents of the crap craft-closet right in the middle of the living room floor, completely blocking access to his the bike trainer and creating a major hazard and eyesore in the most used room in the house. There was no getting out of it now.  We were committed to making this change happen.  Remember all of this?

Well, you can just imagine the hubby's excitement when he came home and witnessed my work!  

All that was left once I removed all of the  craft supplies. . .

Not only had I emptied the contents of the closet into the living room floor and surrounded it with a baby fence to keep the little people from pilfering through the goods, but I had also drawn out plans for the shelving and desk that I envisioned inside the now-empty space.  

The hubby completed what I started by removing what was left of the doors and shelving. . .

Doors removed and "shelves" ready to come down.

Ready for a New Look!!

After we corrected confirmed my plans and measurements, we set off to the big box Home Improvement store to pick out and price wood and accessories.  

Supplies were purchased and the transformation began. . .

I started by priming the back wall of the closet.  The sides were knotty pine, so I left those untouched.  Since we knew the back would be covered by shelving, we didn't worry about that ugly seam on the back wall.

The hubby spent the next weekend measuring, cutting, and installing the shelving and desk that I, um, we designed.

Project Supervisor!

Pretty soon it looked something like this. . .

(note the baby gate "holding pen" for the closet contents)

A closer look. . .

Shelves!  Storage!  Work space!

While the hubby was busy working his magic, I had been shopping for accessories. . .

Storage units from Habitat for Humanity $8 each (there were two more in the garage)

Thrift Shop Chair $5
(I spied it first, the hubby wasn't crazy about it, but after thinking about it, I sent my daddy back to snag it!)

So, we went from a total disaster to a closet full of shelves. . . What next?  Why priming and painting, of course!

Stay tuned!

Friday Finds--Personal Space

Wow!  Has it really been a MONTH since I last posted on this blog?
 Yep.
In a word, we have been busy.
 Doing what?  I'm not sure.

The last few weeks have felt a little like "Groundhog Day", if you know what I mean--Get up, get ready for work, pack lunches, hustle children out the door, go to work, sit in meetings, work in a training run (marathon/half update soon!), pick up kids, cook dinner, give kids baths, collapse in front of bad reality TV, wash. . . rinse. . . repeat. . . everyday.  Honestly, that kind of monotony wears me out.  You would think that I could get into a groove, get on a schedule, whatever . . .  When every minute is packed with the same old same old, I get bored.
And unmotivated.
And my creative juices dry right up.

Creativity has been sadly lacking around here lately.  Our current schedule hasn't left much time for fun extras (knitting, sewing, etc. . .)

But that is all about to change.  Not only is Spring Break right around the corner (4.5 days with kids and a much-needed teacher workday--it's not like I'm not counting or anything), but I have a fantastic new space to create in!  Well, not quite yet. . . but it is coming along quite nicely, and I can't wait to share it with you!

As I have mentioned countless times before, we live in an old house that was started in 1948 and then built in chunks and modified when things needed a change.  Bigger bathroom?  Bump out this wall!  Need another bedroom?  Attach it to this one!  Not enough closet space?  Add one to the living room!  Yep. That's right.  We have a closet in our "formal" living room.  Not a "coat closet" as you walk in the door.  No, a full-fledged closet with sliding doors, tucked away in the corner.

Doors closed. . .
(Please ignore the crooked picture and glare-filled photography)

When we moved into the house, I laid claim on this little corner and declared it "mine".  In our first house (pre-baby), I had a "craft room"--a place for my sewing machine, a bookcase, my cutting table, gift wrapping supplies, etc. . .  it also became a catch-all for things without a home.  Our cat loved to go in and climb around the room and it affectionately became known as "cat's junkyard".  As we transitioned from a home with 2 adults and 2 pets into a home with a small child, my craft room suddenly became a nursery and all of my supplies (junk) were forced into a small hall closet. When we moved to our current home in 2005, I decided that this odd living room closet would be a perfect space to house my craft supplies.  However, I never had a great storage system in place.  Things often got tossed in and set aside.  Projects went unfinished because I had no real "workspace" besides the breakfast table--and cleaning that baby off for every summertime meal is a real pain.  Alas, works in progress stayed "in progress" and buried in the abyss. . .

Prepare yourself. . .

It was bad.  Very bad.  

I am not proud, but this was the reality of my craft closet. 

A few months ago, I got the wild idea (was inspired by a few blogs found via pinterest) to turn this closet into a workstation--a sewing nook, a creation station, whatever you want to call it, I was craving organization and a fresh look.  

So, here are FIVE Friday Finds that inspired me (and my wonderful hubby) to gut the old "craft closet" and create a little personal space for myself!

This was my first find.  It is from Gwenny Penny and it reminded me the most of my own space.

Yellow Song Bird created this gorgeous space. LOVE the bunting!

Seven Pretty converted her closet, too!

Lovely design created this beauty.

Ana-white is an incredible craftswoman who designed this space.

I had NO idea that there were so many closet crafters out there!  (Pun intended)  I grabbed the inspiration and ran with it. . . straight to the hubby.  

You can imagine his excitement when I said, "Hey, I have an idea. . ."

Wanna see what happened to the abyss, the crap  craft-closet?  Well, you will just have to stay tuned. . .  and I promise it won't be an entire month before I post again!  I am super excited to share our project with you and the finished sewing nook!

Time to apply another coat of paint. . .