WOYWW 356--Good Afternoon from a Busy Craft Desk!

Happy Wednesday, the day we deskers celebrate What's-On-Your-Workdesk-Wednesday! And...I'm late. What a morning I've had. Let's not even talk about it. Let's get right to the desk. I was searching for some tapestry needles, and remembered I had put a fresh pack in this handy dandy craft supply keeper/organizer by The Paper Studio. I love this thing, it's great for travel, or just organizing lots of your bits and bobs--it has sooo many compartments. Also out is some washi tape and some fabric washi tape--I love both. And watching over my desk is my dark chocolate Easter Bunny. That's right...I still get an Easter basket.

 And, what's not on my desk, but in my lap, is my cross-stitching. I am right on schedule with room no. 3 of my big dollhouse. My goal is to just get one room a month stitched so I'll have the entire dollhouse done by December. I think the sewing room is my favorite, but there are lots of cute rooms in here.

So, in the interest of somehow being last on the list but getting to participate today--I better get this one posted. See you at your desk!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

Craft Store Haul - Spring Fever at JoAnns

Happy spring lovelies! Although I like to keep things frugal, upcycled, and no-spend...a few coupons drove me to my neighborhood JoAnns store. *Sigh*

It's all good though. I used four coupons at checkout--three were on my phone, and one was from a JoAnns calendar that has a great coupon every single month of 2016.

I thought I'd share my haul because I was definitely shopping with a purpose...not just mindlessly out spending my hard-earned. I always have a list I've kept in my Midori about what I would buy and definitely use the next time I go to JoAnns or Michaels. Everything that didn't use a coupon was a sale item, and then the calendar coupon took off another fifteen bucks, so I  got almost $100 worth of craftyliscious merchandise for $31. Cha-ching!

 My first stop was the floral department in the front of the store. I love to have flowers on my desk. My desk is a big ole vintage wooden desk, painted white, and it's where I work on the computer sometimes, craft, work in my planner, and I even put my makeup on at the desk in the mornings. Making it a pretty, happy place lifts my spirits, so all winter I've had a big vase of silk flowers. I've decided that changing them out once a month would be even more fun, and when they are on sale, why not--it costs pennies.

Next on my list was beads and findings. My adorable nephew bought a special cross necklace for me--but it was hanging on some rough jute. So I found a silky cord I had, and then I bought pretend pandora beads, on sale big time, and now my necklace is gorgeous and sparkly. I also got some lobster claws to go with the pompom maker. How does that work you ask? I'm making pompoms from sparkly yarn to hang on tote bags--so cute! And the lobster claws help hook that up perfectly, and I got the ones on sale. I bought the Clover pompom maker with another coupon, and I already am using it and loving it--this is after trying to make pompoms with a piece of cardboard. It works, but the pompom maker gives you a fluffier, better pompom!

Next department--paper crafting! Before I even reached the wonderful scrapbook pads, I stopped at the Project Life display. Now I am not a Project Lifer. Doing Project Life is wonderful, and looks like it's so much fun, but it also seems a little too time consuming for me--someone who likes to do too many things--so I stayed away. But then, the cards got more beautiful, with even more meaningful sentiments, and I love that. Since I started making Midori notebooks, I realized how many ways I could use Project Life cards beyond having a Project Life book: planner booklets, list booklets, scrapbook pages, cards, planner pages, dashboards, art journaling...it doesn't end. So I took a deep breath and got the big box! I didn't just get the big box either, I got an extra little pack too. I'm going to have so much fun with this supply. And yes, these had been on my craft shopping list for quite some time--I just needed a good frugal way to get them, and found it! Aren't they pretty? I can't believe they're mine.

And then, of course, when the beautiful patterned paper pads are 50% off, you get yourself one! There's the rub. I only got one. Old me would have gotten four or five. I just chose one. I have two great paper storage caddies in my crafty corner, and they are almost completely full. This is why it's good to have limits!

Also, I was excited to find this Delightful Stack with glitter pages included. Ahhh...glitter!

On the way home, I stopped at our local wine center, which is a gorgeous store, to refill my olive oil. That's how I do. I want the good EVOO, so I use this refillable bottle from the wine center, and the refills are only ten bucks. While there though, I gave myself a spring treat and got this lavendar floral vegetable soap. I can't even tell you how good it smells, and how that lingers after doing something so simple as washing your hands. It lives on my bathroom sink, and makes me happy. Spring is here!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

WOYWW 355--Desker Love

I love being a desker. That's all. As I've said in the past, I've had a desk since I was four years old and demanded that mommy give me one of her old nightstands to convert into my color-all-day-and-play-with-Mrs.-Beasley headquarters. Actually, I don't think I got Mrs. Beasley until I was six, but I remember storing dollies in that desk, stickers, paper doll sets, art supplies and of course my play phone. It was home headquarters for years.

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Anyhoo, I read Julia's post yesterday because I missed last week, and now all I want is for our Julia to have that surgery and find some relief, and I know we are all thinking of her and praying for comfort and recovery! Now, onto the business of a desker--I am making pompoms with my new clover pompom maker. I think I'm the last yarn lover on the planet to get one. My listbook and Midori (my Dolldori) are laying there, not very pretty, piled up with some stickers. (see, much hasn't changed since I was little) There's some stencils I was using, my heart coffee mug full of creamy morning coffee, and look at that. My compact is laying there! I got some L'Oreal Infallible powder at Ulta, and I love that compact because it keeps the powderpuff in a separate compartment with the mirror. And, the powder is just the best. And let's not even talk about how much I love Ulta...I'm going to marry it later.

In the meantime, I refreshed my desktop silk flowers thanks to a huge haul from JoAnns, complete with sales and four coupons they let me use all at once. I love that place too. But this floral photo is for Julia! Don't they look kinda real? I love having pretty flowers on my desk at all times, real or silk, my desk looks good that way, messy or not. And next to the flowers is my clear acrylic caboodles cosmetic tray--it holds everything for my face! And since I got that great mirror on Amazon, I do my face at the craft desk!

So I'm off for some visits, and Julia I know you are getting showers of blessings, prayers, good thoughts, and so good things are on the way queen of deskers!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

WOYWW 353--Oh Yeh...I'm Liking This White Desk!

The planet's most creative desk party starts here.

Hi lovely desker, how are you? Last week I shared my freshly painted desk and cubby shelves, and I'm happy to report, I'm still over the moon about my new white crafty corner. I'm thinking I need to do a whole special post about my crazy ole vintage desk and homemade mailbox shelves.
Anyhoo...I'm quickly popping into the desk party here with my planner open in my Midori, and my knitting laying around. I've got cross-stitch in my lap, but some of the floss is laying there. I'm knitting with two balls of yarn to make a cute, thick coaster for my freshly painted desktop! So...I'm going visiting and I'll see you soon.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

Happiness In the Bag and It's Charming--Designer Vs. Affordable Bag

Do you love a good bag? I do! I really have a thing about my bags. I've always been that way, even when I was a little girl. But as a crafter, I like large bags because I always have something with me to work on, and don't even get me started on cute tote bags!

I think my favorite character on TV whom I consider queen of the art of a beautiful bag is Olivia Pope on Scandal. However, I don't choose to have a Tom Ford or Prada budget--but that didn't keep me from wanting a gorgeous structured black bag to go with everything and everywhere. So I got one! My way.

My turnlock black bag has this wonderful huge pocket in the front.

I know, when it comes to the bag that truly makes you happy, sometimes we convince ourselves that it has to be the ultra expensive designer bag, or at least a Michael Kors satchel. But why? The number one reason seems to be, because it will last a lifetime. The thing is though, that either it won't, or trust me, you'll still get tired of it. So why worry about what will last forever? And keep in mind, if you really broke the bank and bought something like an

Hermès bag as an investment, wouldn't you need to keep it in a vault?

I love the zipper pocket on the bag and the part-chain shoulder strap

It is, though, important to know what you like and exactly what you're looking for. It's fun to have a bag wardrobe you love, and it's fun to have one you don't feel guilty about spending money for. So when you see it, and it's a great price, it's made of pebbled vegan leather, and that vegan leather actually smells good...those are important things to know in your purse-suit of purse happiness. I'm describing my new black turnlock bag from Charming Charlies. I'm not a CC spokesperson, but lately I've really enjoyed the kind of bags they make.

For my black designer bag dupe I was looking for:
1. A serious black bag
2. A large bag that could hold my planner, purse essentials, stitching I'm working on and possibly documents. Maybe my lunch too.
3. Beautiful, shiny gold hardware.
4. Completely zips up for this one.
5. A large bag, but not a tote. An actual purse.
6. Vegan leather that looks and feels like real leather, and smells good!

I proved to myself I could find exactly what I wanted. In this price range the longevity of the hardware has concerned me, but I've had expensive bags in the past with hardware that completely tarnished. I do have another CC bag from last summer, the coral crush satchel, and I have to say the hardware on that one is still shiny, gold and gorgeous so it will be ready to come out again in the spring.

Here's my little comparison to the designer bags that inspired me, and I'm still so happy with my vegan bag.
  

Givenchy - Charming Charlies - Michael Kors

   Click here to see how I spiced up my vintage Coach bag.

Wouldn't it be fun to go bag shopping with Olivia Pope? Although I doubt she ever has time to shop--maybe Huck does it for her.

Click here to see this bag on the Charming site.

Now that I've got the structured black bag I wanted for everyday--plus I got a rose beige bag that day on sale that is sooo cute--I just need one of the color crush bags for spring.

Spoken like a true bag lady..."Now, I just need..." See, it wouldn't matter what I spent! I'd still need another bag. Especially if the Birkin Bag was in the vault!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch  

 
 

A Fresh White Space to be Creative - WOYWW 352

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I had been looking at my green cubby shelves on my craft desk for so long I wasn't really seeing them anymore. Even worse, although I was periodically cleaning them out, I let rarely and never-used things take up too much of that precious real estate. Space that you access daily should not become warehouse storage! So it was time for a change. Thanks to my hubby, and seven cans of spray paint, the cubbies are refreshed, white, and ready to be both functional and pretty which equals inspiring. The desktop got fresh coats of white paint too. 

The whole thing involved a lot of cleaning out and agonizing editing-of-my-stuff, but it had to be done, and I'm so happy with it now!

A view to the left with some newly found knitting needles laying  there by my Midori. This kind of clean-out meant discovering brand new things I had put away somewhere! Now on the shelves are the things I use daily and weekly, and a few things I just want to look at. When I get tired of them, I'll change them out!

Everyone decided I should use the initial mug for pens, so I am!

A view to the right. A new edition to the craft desk is my makeup organizer. I'm one of those who always did the makeup in the bathroom. Storing your makeup in the bathroom is not really a great idea, especially if you have some nice makeup! (I love my Too Faced Love Flush blush wardrobe I got for Valentines and want it to last and last.) With this painting party I realized my craft desk can also be a vanity any time of day or night. While my desk doesn't get a paint job often, I need a paint job daily - tee hee..at least a little! Since my makeup lives in a Caboodles clear acrylic makeup organizer, I can easily move my mirror and makeup if I really need to spread out a project.

Those are silk flowers - my solution until my summer cutting garden gets going.

And on the desk is a doodle stitching I had started and had stored it in another box, so I've pulled it back out to be in the stitching queue again! The laptop stays on a pullout on the right, and my Orla Kiely (diaper) bag stuffed with my daily crafting (where things in the queue also go) is on the left pullout. It was so funny while I was doing this revamping, the room began to look like "Hoarders" when I unloaded this craft desk. It made me realize how much this desk can hold! It's a vintage wooden office desk, and I can just paint it all I want and I still love it. Then, I started watching "Hoarders" while I was cleaning--talk about inspiration. I just didn't want to load the cubbies back up again like they were before. By the way, hubby originally made these mailbox cubbies years ago, and he's so kind to have painted them for me again!

Happy Wednesday lovelies.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch