Monday Organizing

So, today's project was to organize all the stuff that had been piled on the table that became the mailing/shipping station.

First, I replaced the table with this set of shelves. One of the plastic drawer units was used in the mail/ship station, but you can still see the other one in the photo below.

This is what I got accomplished. I'm very pleased with the result. Had some lunch, and now it's off to reward myself with some sewing for a few hours. Once the sun is off the patio, I have some backyard stuff to do. I could use another day off work!

I also managed to empty all the totebags on the floor in the second picture.

Here's a final photo of the big open space I managed to create this weekend. Yay!

Birds

This is my third summer in this house, and every year, a bird family nests in this same place (where my house joins the one next door). Every winter, I take down that year's nest. I live in a new development, and there aren't many trees.... so the birds nest all sorts of places. I have another nest in one of my front ornamental trees.

This nest grows daily and there are birds actively tending it. So, I'm hopeful for bird babies :). I do have to wonder where they got the quilt batting :).

The window you see in the second photo is my master bedroom.... which means that Biloxi "stalks" the nest from my bedroom. It's his summer entertainment. 

Quilting projects

I went on retreat with my Four County Quilt Guild sisters last weekend and got a ton done.

I sewed up blocks I won in About.com lottos. I finished 4 tops (2 from each set of blocks) and actually finished two quilts.

I also finally finished a kit I've had for a while. I completed the top while on retreat in AZ and quilted it at this retreat.

I also finished the quilting and bound the Canal Street Tiles quilt. This is a pattern by Gyleen Fitzgerald (http://www.colourfulstitches.com/) that I pattern tested for her. I'm thrilled with this quilt. I think it's my favorite of recent ones I've made.

I also made my Doll Quilt for this month's About.com swap. It's an Amish theme this time. I did not hand piece or quilt it (the binding was not quite sewn on when I took this picture).

Finally, I also finished 6 blocks for the About.com lotto for May.





Organizing

I have been busy, busy today. It's amazing what I found buried! LOL

My sewing room itself is not THAT bad... there are a couple of bad places. I hired a professional organizer about a year ago, and we took care of some things. I took "before" pictures then.

Here is what some of the organized spaces in that room look like today.

My books, magazines, and tote bags. (I need another hook for the additional totes.)

My light table (on left) and sink on right.

Magazines and TV.

Current projects.



But there is still work to do. Some of the mess still there as of yesterday....



Today, I tackled part of the unfinished portion of the basement ("before" pictures posted), which is filled with some craft supplies, some sewing stuff, and LOTS of other stuff.

Today, I cleaned up one corner of the room.....

... and created an awesome gift wrapping/shipping station.

The gift wrap is on the wall now, hanging on cafe curtain rods (an idea I got from a blog just this week). The plastic drawers hold scissors, Scotch tape, and packing tape in the first drawer, labels (shipping and return address) in the second drawer, flat-rate envelopes in the third drawer, and gift bags and small boxes in the last drawer. I hung a shop light above the whole set up. I also put down an old rug on the concrete floor. My boyfriend and I do a lot of eBay selling, so there is a scale and writing instruments on the table. The box to the left holds flat-rate tubes that he uses to ship fishing rods.

I'm also including a photo of my batting, which is FINALLY (4 years later) off the floor. I buy it by the roll, and I have long wanted to hang it.

Finally, there are photos of my system for organizing my quilting rulers and my painting supplies. There are no "before" pictures of those because those items were scattered everywhere.

I have found it's a joy to work in the unfinished space... easy to find the studs! And, I love my cordless electric drill/screwdriver :).