My Scrappy Space

I have been meaning to scrap my creative space for a very long time and there have been many reasons why I haven't managed to do it. Largely because I kept meaning to tidy it up first. However Merly Impressions have set the challenge and I must rise to it.

Here is my entry:

I have virtually toured many scrap rooms posted on blogs and have been in awe of all that I have seen. I have come to the conclusion that my scrap space is like scrapbooking in general ... there are no rules and there is no right or wrong.  I had intended to tidy it up and make it perfect before taking photos ... but that's never going to happen.  I'm not a tidy person, I keep thinking I'll change but I haven't in the last four decades so I guess I need to accept that this is me.

I started out with just one bag of scrap supplies and was pleased with the thought that where-ever I went I would have all of my supplies.  It was a good sized tote and I naively believed that this was all I would ever need.

As my addiction grew so did the space I needed.  I progressed from using a corner of the dining table and the lounge floor, to the spare bedroom which is grandly called the study. Storage now extended to a plastic drawer unit and then a purpose built paper stacker. Not content with one, that grew to two and my husband realised that this was more than just a passing phase. He kindly built me a desk unit along one wall and I was supposed to contain all of my crafting within this space.  Luckily it took him over 2 years to discover that the lovely carved boxes and wicker baskets that adorned corners around the house contained stamps, blooms and silk roses!

This is the 'study' and I am allocated the left hand side.  The right side is floor to ceiling bookcases.  There are shelves for work related stuff and printers. I'm hoping to extend over that side in time.  The floor is cluttered with stuff that needs to find another home.

My little space is a far cry from the dining table and although not a lot of working space I love being able to leave my 'work in progress' to return to whenever I can.

My space is not organised, tidy or colour co-ordinated but it allows me to escape the mundane.  Unfortunately it is getting much more disorganised and cluttered, and that is mainly due to television craft channels and the temptation of Project Life.  I have a full collection ready to use ... it's been ready to use for a year now and I have to step around it on the floor every time I look at any papers.  Perhaps I shall be shamed into using it now that the whole scrapping community has seen my mess. 

If anyone would like to come and categorise everything for me they are quite welcome! 

 I am starting to appreciate the appeal of washi tape and I really do need to extend my ink pad collection ... if only I could just pop in to Merly Impressions each time I needed something. It would be perfect to live on a permanent retreat!

I am glad to say that I have utilised my Kaisercraft beyond the page projects for   storage but when I compare my flower or ink collection with other people's it makes me realise that I still have a comparatively small stash collection.

And lastly my cat who thinks that the space under the radiator is just for him and if it's difficult for me to open my units ... then I shouldn't!

When embarking on this challenge I wasn't sure where to start with colour and layout so I decided to choose my favourite colours and embellishments. As the layout details my journey in scrapping I thought it apt to include my love of buttons, pearls and blooms. Without Kaisercraft products this layout would have been impossible. The blooms, rub-ons, pearls, brads, sentiments and paper are all Kaisercraft, and as my love of scrapping germinated in Australia it is especially pertinent to use their products. The title grew as I thought about my addiction which began as a Christmas gift from a friend, and has grown like that tiny acorn in to a spreading mighty oak tree. I recognise that it is still only a single tree and not the forest that I have witnessed else-where but it is still quite a transformation.

For anyone who has ploughed their way this far, here are a few close ups of the challenge entry:

I love these little kitties and my scrap room is rarely without a feline friend to keep me company

I have recently discovered that a little glitter can add that 'something' you were missing.

Thank you for touring my little space, feel free to drop in any time!