INSIDE MY COUNTY LOFT

I've had several questions about My Country Loft this past week.  One today (Hi Katie!) asked if I had any pictures on my blog.  Well, I really thought I did.  And those pictures were when the room was as it should be all the time:  neat and tidy.  That said, I took some fresh photos just now.  If your stamping area is never messy please don't read any further than this.  But if your work area gets as messy and cluttered as I read so often on line--and as I know mine does--then you're welcome to have a look inside my playpen.

Let me begin by saying that this room is over our garage and was once "the boys' bedroom".  When we decided to move to this house full time (it had been our 'cabin' for 15 years prior) and my son was married, it was a no-brainer to take over the room and make it MINE!  It is filled with mish-mash from many phases of my life.

Ready?????  Now trust me....it has not been tidied up for company this morning.  And I'm leaving town for a few days this afternoon so it's just going to have to stay the way it is till next week.  :)

This is where you walk in, across the deck from the house.  I wanted to get the view all the way through the room to the window and then outside.  Didn't really work.  My blog banner is a better photo.  If long-time demos look around they'll see some really 'old' SU! goodies in the room.  Like the tote, on the floor in the entryway to the room, that many of us purchased around 1996-7 when the DD Fruits and Flowers were so popular.  It now holds stampin' supplies for my 5 and 2-1/2 year old grandkidlets.

 

Just before the door.  Obviously.

Now a look across the room to the right.  There are 2 dormer windows in the room where dismantled bunk beds used to live.  The one under the SU! banner holds my cardstock now.  The one on the right, that you can't see right now, holds a small desk, my laptop, and my printer.  Yes, that's an in progress mess on the table!  :)  I'm going to use the Big Shot doctor's bag as my carry on tomorrow.  Think it'll start up any conversations?  That tall white cabinet with the mirror, to the left of the SU! banner, originally held my children's CLOTH diapers.  They're now 36 and 38!

 

And now here's a look toward the left.  In that little bookcase on the far left I have ALL of my old Stampin' Successes and Catalogs.  Second shelf holds a few Forget Me Not Keepers full of card fronts.  (I just sent over 300 card fronts to Cards for Heroes and still have more to sort through and send.)  The stove is propane and is really necessary in winter when it snows.

 

When the door is closed you can see where I hang my larger punches.  I also hang new cards on the criss-cross thing hanging on the wall on the right.  Again, I have to find a way to utilize that slanted wall.  Customers and class attendees go right to it to see fresh cards.  I just pulled everything off from the old catalog.  It's usually quite full.  See my ribbons on the rain gutter below?

Oh my gosh, this is a sight!!!  This is taken from the far end of the room toward the door end.  You can see the other dormer window and my printer to the middle left.  The cabinet under the TV came from Folsom Prison in California (via an old neighbor) and was used at the prison for sorting mail.  I keep my Craft pads, VersaMark, StazOn pads, reinkers, Art from the Heart CDs, and more 'stuff' there.  The closed cabinet to the right was from another neighbor's garage sale.  Perpetual birthday calendars (one old, one new) are on the doors.  Inside is 'stuff'.  :)

Here's my paper storage, the retired SU! holders for brads, eyelets, buttons, etc.  Does anyone have ONE to sell me?  I need one more to fill out the pattern.  These walls are slanted so the only way I can make use of them for storage is either magnet sheets (Ikea) or these retired SU! holders.

Opposite wall: these are the cabinets my husband and I built the summer before moving up here.  The interior of each one is painted a different color of left-over paint inside!  :)  The wall used to be solid but when we moved in we had 3 skylight windows installed---reason one: for light.  Reason two: for a view of the beautiful forest outside.

Back around again to the other wall with the magnet board.  Above is the "Creativity" Décor Element in its stretched out mode.  I have no other wall space to accommodate it!

UGH!  See all the stuff?  My stamp-a-ma-jig, tubs of embossing powder, extra Stampin' Mist, Crystal Effects, envelopes, and SU! bags for packaging up orders are the most important things in this cabinet.

Looks better with the doors closed.

And now you know!!!  I really shouldn't have shown you my mess, but........it's a reality.  Any volunteers to help me tidy it up?

Comments

[Janet Smith]

Hmmm...much better than my card table - it really fills up quickly!! Seriously, I have storage areas, although not nearly enough, but my stamping is only done on the little table. What I like is that it is SO easy to clean up! Everything has a home - stamp pads, markers, mono, stamps, paper....so it does clean up pretty quickly and it is so satisfying when it does! Seriously, I need to get rid of the bed in my room and replace it with a real table and do some real organizing.

[Annette Bogue]

Hi, Blythe! Your room makes me feel so much better, as I sit here surrounded by piles in my own room. And I have an open house tomorrow. Must get busy! I know I have one of those old accessories holder things around here somewhere- never been used. If I unearth it soon, I will let you know!

[Ilse Vargas]

I'll go... but you have to come help me too, you can visit the Niagara Falls while you're here :) Thanks for showing us!

[Cheryl M]

This looks wonderful! Just like a craft room should. If you find someone to help you with yours please let me know because I would like to have them come to my place.

[Jen K]

Er, I meant CA. :D

[Jen K]

I love your space!! And if I am ever in the mountains of NC, you can totally sign me up to help you tidy up! LOL! :D

[Katie Burke]

Oh, Blythe.... We are kindred spirits! Your area looks CLEAN compared to mine!! Thanks so much for sharing. You have such a cute space! I am contemplating what I need to do to set up my own space (versus having "scramping" supplies all over my house). Must focus.... LOL! :o) Have a safe trip! LMK how that doctor bag works out as a carry on... I am thinking about ordering an extra one just for that purpose.

[Margaret B]

I think this country loft stamp space is DIVINE! Not a mess at all. It looks productive as it should. Thanks for sharing.