Sunday, August 19, 2007

Back in business

Hi! Finally, something craft-related to blog about!

Yes, I know it’s still summer, and there’s paddling and camping to be done, and hot traffic to be sat in, and sweaty brows to be mopped. But lately I’ve realized that the only piles of homeless stuff still sitting around cluttering up our new condo are my craft supplies. And damn it, they need a home! I have boxes of tiles and glass and tools, and they’re just sitting there TAUNTING me! And I’ve waited a long time for a permanent home for my craft stuff, and a user-friendly craft station that doesn’t have to be disassembled whenever we want to eat a meal. So damn it, I’m saying “screw you” to the 15,000-word essay I’m supposed to be copy editing on Conrad Black right now and putting the finishing touches on my new CRAFT STATION!!!!! Yay! Screw Conrad!




So, last week I did a weeknight run to IKEA and bought two simple little pine bedside tables for $20 each and stacked them on top of each other and screwed them together. They make for lots of perfect storage, with a little drawer area and three shelves for tools and tiles. And I bought a desk tabletop that matches our bookcases for $30. So one end of the desk is supported by the stacked bedside tables and one end is supported by our inset front windowsill, with another little shelf that used to be our bathroom medicine cabinet. Reduce, reuse, baby, so I sawed about 8 inches off it, screwed it back together, laid it on its side in the windowsill, and lo and behold if it wasn’t the PERFECT size and height to support the other end of the desktop. So there’s even storage underneath the desk in the windowsill—perfect little nooks for paper and crafty scissors. EEEEEEE!! Can you feel my excitement?!

And what did I do next? I went to MacFab, a great fabric store, and bought a piece of gorgeous fabric I’ve been lusting after for months. And I sewed a nice little double-sided panel to cover the craft shelves. It looks great with the colours in the living room, and when we get the new beautiful hardwood floor, omigod I think I’m going to pass out it will look so good.

Oh, and there’s more! Then I went to Canadian Tire and bought some little hooks, screwed them to the outside of the shelves and hung my most-used mosaic tools on them. Geez, can you tell I’ve been reading a lot of Blueprint and ReadyMade magazines? Ack! I love it, and it’s so adorable! Can’t wait to make something!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah! i love your new craft nook! It makes me want to craft on it too! Great job! thank you ikea!

and of course, there's Grammar....
"i've got a toy on the outskirts of the craft nook...what are you gonna to do about it?! oh, you're going to throw it, oh well then...ok.....hhwwowwww"

Lisa said...

wow! that looks so good! i've never seen anyone actually make one of those craft spaces you see in magazines. can't wait to see what comes out of your new workshop! (maybe grammar will be inspired to make something while you're away.)

Claire Louise Milne said...

you are so clever! I love the you put it all together with repurposed bits of furniture and stuff. I also love the fabric panel - that fabric is gorgeous. p.s. I love Blueprint too of course

Anonymous said...

Well it's about time you posted something, you summer slacker you! Every time I checked for an update I was reminded of how much paddling you were doing and what a big nerd I am for always being on my computer.

Love the crafty station, especially the fantastic piece of fabric that you chose. Now there's going to be a flurry of activity in that corner! And I don't just mean Gram climbing up the fabric wall of orange and green beauticiousness.

movita said...

I want a craft station. Will you and Chad come to Halifax and build me one?