Friday, February 29, 2008

c'est fini!!!

{I apologize for the shaky cam.}

I am shocked that I was able to finish this mammoth project in just over a week! I had been so overwhelmed by the piles and boxes and general mess, I thought I would need much longer to get it under control. I guess my months-long efforts at cleaning out the closet, giving away fabric, and general purging paid off! Last week I took a load of things to D.I., gave tons of stuff to my cute neighbor's girls, and took out about 6 bags of trash. Phew!

the stamp shelves that Randy built -- and the ledge is free of all piles!

Card holder/bulletin board made by Marc, and filled with favorite cards from my creative friends. Another view of the tins by Jill. Monogram shadowbox by Jenn.

So many fun things my friends have made for me: Paris frame by Collette, mini book by Jessie, framed collages by Jill and Jessie, canvas collage by Jill, Paris photo book by Jill, personalized box of tins by Jill. So so happy. (Denise gave me the cool chandelier collage for Christmas.)

the bookshelf I painted black and filled with boxes of photos and good mail stuff (is it crazy that I'm tempted to replace all the photo boxes with solid black or red so they're all the same?)

My second desk, stocked with sewing supplies and kids' art supplies. Where Eva makes her art.

12x12 paper, ribbon, paint, foam stamps, adhesives, flowers, many tiny drawers of embellishments -- all happy.

I should have cleared off this desk first! Eva loves doing projects here, so now we both enjoy spending time in here!

The essentials on my wonderfully clear desk: pens/pencils, scissors, hole punches, paintbrushes, etc. Also a vintage container from my mom with odds & ends I want to use in projects and a little compote filled with favorite Paris flea market finds and Parisian buttons that Jenn and I hand-picked together.

I was so happy for Jill to come over today and see the amazing progress, because she knows just how bad it was before and she was gratifyingly excited. After years of mess, I feel like I have my studio back, and it's a place where I want to be again -- I find myself wandering down just to sit at my desk and look around. So satisfying.

26 comments:

carlo said...

stunning! of course i expected now less with your michelle style but it is FANTASTIC!!!!!!

what a creative and wonderful space.

congrats on your big accomplishment. i hope you celebrate

Anonymous said...

Woohoo!!! Can I come and take a tour?

This is just amazing- the room was so full before- and it still looks full but this time of organized happiness! I would never want to leave. Ever.

Congrats on all your hard work!

Kim Sue said...

Wow - what an amazing space. I know you are so excited to have reclaimed it. I love that it is full of not only all those wonderful crafting supplies but more than that all the special things - gifts from friends, favorite items, sovieners. If it was mine I would never leave. My family would think I had run away with the circus :)

Quelly said...

Oh my goodness! I just love it - I don't blame you for wanting to just sit in your studio and look around.
You have given me so many great ideas for my own studio.
What a magical place you have created --

Jill said...

Congratulations!! This result has been about 5 years in the making and yet ended up only taking you one week to do! I'm impressed about this project on so many levels and think it's such a significant accomplishment, especially since it goes so well with your word for the year!! You are FREE of the mess, FREE of the guilt, FREE of the burden of having such a big project looming, FREE of creative chaos, FREE of a lot of unwanted items, and now FREE to move around, FREE to see all the surrounding goodness, FREE to create wonderful projects, FREE to have people in the basement, FREE to share it with the world. I'm definitely excited about this.

Amy said...

Oh my! What a place of happiness! I can't believe it only took you a week, though. I never make good progress on my rooms in only a week! It must have been Marc's trip. . .

Happy crafting to you!

patsy said...

Oh my gosh! That is down right amazing- I am green with envy... & so happy for you!

You have such style- WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT

Like carlo I hope you celebrate!

Natasha said...

Cool to hear you but for some reason I thought it was Jill at 1st. I love your stamp shelves and the ribbon embellishment area. . . like Patsy I am GREEN! At this point I'm just wanting a new house, but oh, a room of my OWN. . . .

Great work.

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!This is a wonder to behold!! It is one of the most satisfying things in the world, to get organized after such chaos!!

I have been motivated to have some late nights in my office at work to do a similar task!

Thanks for the encouragement!

YEA!!

rebecca said...

Astonishing!
and...

"a little compote filled with favorite Paris flea market finds and Parisian buttons"

...be still my heart.

Amie said...

Very awesome! I don't think it is crazy at all that you want all the photo boxes to match. I had a little black spray painting party today myself. (Hey, I have spray painted boxes before and it works great. You just can't beat 98 cent cans of spray paint!)

The room looks great. Enjoy!

charlotte said...

That looks great! And I love it that Eva likes to create with you in your studio!

melanie said...

Big time satisfying! I love when I get to the end of a huge project like this and want to sit in awe of the end result. I would find myself in your studio any free moment. There is lots of happiness in there. Congrats on pushing through till the end!

Marla said...

Congratulations! What a huge accomplishment, and a beautiful space!

Barb said...

That is a thrill. I've been doing general purging, and it makes me want to start a project because there is room in my house for one.
Your studio is spectacular!

Marie said...

That is an amazing creative space. Wow. Good work getting so organized! I bet that is a relief.

Oh, and I love that you call it a 'studio' rather than a craft room. So much better.

April said...

Congratulations! I wish I had so much progress to show for my week.

Your studio is completely inspiring...oh, and I wouldn't replace all the photo boxes to be the same color...they look so charming, a bit eclectic, so fun.

(Well, truthfully, I might replace them but I am so OCD it is ridiculous. I definitely think you shouldn't...they really are sooo darling.)

Liz said...

Wow! You have a great Studio filled with lots of great things! How exciting! I wish I had a space like this! Maybe some day!

wende said...

what a fantastic space! you have done a beautiful job with all the black furniture - and no you're not crazy to want to replace the photo boxes to be matching, i have the same urge whenever i look at my own. my office is hard to keep clean too so i know the work you must've put into this beautiful creative space! good job!

Heather said...

Beautiful! Lindsey loved it too...she kept asking for a video of Eva. She said "she is so cute". Which is so true!

Congratulations on finishing that project. I bet you feel so much more relaxed now that you have.

Doodle Bugs said...

HEAVEN! I love it! I would never leave! Honestly, it is amazing and I am really really glad you shared. Thank you!!

everything pink! said...

amazing!
thanks for sharing, this will be inspiring to me to do the same, i hope. can't wait to see your march banner.

Bond Girl 007 said...

wow michelle c'est magnifique...and free to go in there and find creativitiness knowing where everything is.

Anonymous said...

Love it! Wow, it's really a thing of beauty. It must feel so great to have it finished!

Alisa said...

The hard work payed off!
It looks great- So wonderful for you to be "free"

jenny said...

How heavenly. I LOVE how stocked your shelfs are full of goodness and papers. It looks like a personal scrapbook store. Congrats!!

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