My frames in someone else's home.

I got an email from my first frame purchaser yesterday. She included a photo of my frames up in her house, in her baby's room :). It's so exciting to see them hanging somewhere.


I wish every person who bought from me would send a picture, but I know that's an unreasonable thing to ask. It's just so fun to see where things end up.

The craft room tour

I figured it was time to give a tour of the space where I do all my work. This room used to be a porch and the previous owners of our house remodeled it into a sunroom. The idea of another room was nice, but it was really almost useless because you can't put furniture into it without blocking vital walkways or doors. So after 2 years of staring at an ugly empty room I decided to make it into something I could use.

My husband installed a regular kitchen counter from Lowes ($79) by screwing 2x2's into the studs on both sides and just setting the counter on top. If you look really closely in a couple pics you can see the 2x2 but I don't mind. Then we looked for something to support the center. I found that cabinet on the clearance at Lowe's because it was a special or kitchen wall cabinet that was sent in the wrong color. It was marked $25. The blinds also came from Lowes. The large window was $28 and the two smaller windows were $16. The chairs were found on clearance at Steinmart for $35 each. The wall shelves were $4 each. So the total amount spent in my room makeover was around $230. Everything else in the room from curtains to baskets and pictures were all old un-used items pulled from the garage or other rooms in my house.

I realize the papasan chair is old and outdated, but I LOVE that thing. I keep looking for a new one to replace it with, but i have yet to find a chair as comfy as that thing.
This is where I normally sit down and work. That desk light came from IKEA (thanks mom) and is AWESOME for evening and night work. I keep my favorite stamps, my embossing powders and a few punches handy on the shelves right over my workspace. I keep my favorite inspiration magazines handy and a little desk organizer with most used tools and supplies like hole poker, glue dots, tape, exacto knife, pencil and a few other small things. The jars of flowers in the window where a clearance buy that I haven't figured out where to store yet. I keep whatever paint colors I am currently working with in the window as well for easy touch up access.
Underneath my side of the desk I have lots of storage options. I realize none of them match but oh well :). This little caddy came from Brylane Home for $19. It's supposed to be a shoe caddy but holds all my embellishements, punches, inks and other tools handy. It has wheels so I can roll it out when I am working and then roll it away to clean up.
Also under my workspace side of the desk is a little 3 shelf closet organizer with baskets. Each basket holds more stuff. One holds all my dies, another one embossing folders and the top is misc junk :).
Onto the other side of the desk. I usually stand when I work over here. My cricut is used here, as is the cuttlebug and papercutter. I keep a few more stamps here, these are less used but still loved. I hope to fill up that middle shelf with lots of cricut cart boxes. :)
On the countertop I have my markers, paintbrushes, small pieces of ribbon and buttons. Scrapbooks I am currently working on are stored here and the basket holds small paper pads.
Underneath is mypaper storage and hidden behind paper storage is another little cabinets. It mostly holds paint supplies. Now, the center cabinet. I try really hard to keep this tidy and organized, but it's impossible. I keep all my eyelets, brads and tools in here. Ribbon is all on the second shelf, bottom shelf is odds and ends from gitter and beads to my mini paper sewing machine.
One thing I didn't take a photo of, is behind this cabinet I have a sterilite 3 drawer organizer that holds all my yarn and knitting/crocheting stuff. I don't do yarn work as much so I keep it hidden away and only pull it out as needed.

Here is the view behind the desk. That cabinet stores my envelops, mailing supplies, ready to start wood pieces and lots more.

Last but not least, my view. Part of the reason I love my room. Lots of natural light and good scenery. The only negative I have about my room is that is it very small (8x10) and is a major walkway. The dining room leads through here to go outside as does the living room, both by windowed patio doors. It's my dream one day to change the doorways into something else and remodel this room to be more useful and pretty but for now it's nice and serves it's purpose.

Thanks for visiting my room!

Baby Birdie Check in.

I left a cup of water and a little bird seed our for the mamma bird. It has just been so hot here, I want to make her food hunting as easy as possible for these little guys. I love peeking in on them each time I go in and out of the house. All I have to do is stand on my tiptoes on my welcome mat and I see them resting. I'm a little worried because I haven't see a forth beak since yesterday. Maybe he is just really smart and learned I'm human and not going to feed him.

Craftgawker.com

I finally got a couple of my items choosen for display at craftgawker.com,an awesome eye candy site.

Two view my entries, click on either photo (once you get to the craftgawker site feel free to click on either photo to see more).

While you there, a few friends of mine are also showing off their work. Click on either picture to view their items.

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!

And the winner is.....

Yesterday was the final day to enter the giveaway for this adorable pin cushion from etsy seller: francesca82 . I want to thank her for offering up an item to giveaway and I hope a few of my blog visitors will think of her for further shopping. I used 12 because one commenter left 2 comments and to be fair to all, only counted it as one entry.
#9 was....

swedish fishie said...
My favorite thing is the laundry organizer, but everything else is really cute too!

Thank you everyone for your entries. SwedishFishie, Francesca is out of town through thte 27th, but will contact you as soon as she returns to arrange shipping. I hope to do another giveway soon. If you are interested if offering something for a giveaway just let me know.

Birdie Update

For those who have been waiting, the bird eggs hatched. They are SO cute. We aren't sure if they hatched yesterday or Saturday but I got out there with my camera tonight.

(see previous photos of eggs here http://aliciasfavoritethings.blogspot.com/2009/07/update-on-birdies-and-new-ideas.html)

Sorry the photos aren't too clear. I didn't want to get any closer to the nest and my poor camera couldn't figure out what the heck to focus in on.

And, I'm going to extend my give away for one more day. Francesca is actually away helping do some volunteer work in an area hit by natural disaster so she will not be able to contact the winner about shipment until the 27th. SO why not extend the giveaway till tomorrow? Give a few more people the chance ot enter.

http://aliciasfavoritethings.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-have-giveaway.html

Inspiration Time!

I joined a paper team and wanted to show off some of the beautiful work they can do, I get filled with creative ideas looking at their work. Click on any photo to view the owners blog.

What do they all have in common? BUTTONS! I love buttons!

Happy Wednesday and don't forget to see Monday's post to enter the giveaway!

I have a GIVEAWAY

I love participating in giveaways on other blogs so I am excited to offer one on my own.

Fellow etsian francesca82 has offered one of her awesome items for my blog readers. She makes these cute little pin cushions. To me they look like perfect little hamster pillows (maybe cause I'm not a seamstress). The best part is that if you look around her shop there are several matching items from tote bags to pot holders.

To enter the giveaway you need to do 2 things.

1. be a follower of my blog.

2. go to francesca82's shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6411584. Come back here and leave a comment telling everyone what your favorite item from her shop is. If you like her stuff feel free to heart her shop :) Make sure to leave an email address in your comment so francesca can contact you about shipment if you are the winner.

I will accept entries for the drawing through Monday 7/20. A winner will be randomly selected and annouced on Tuesday 7/21.

Good Luck to everyone and HAPPY Monday.

Things that match.

I was browsing my shop today and kept looking at my current favorite photo frame. I decided to check out other sellers and see what I could find to match my frame. I think it made a pretty mini so here it is.

My framethe matching begins...
picked by:anycards