...{...I'm A Mess...}...

Saw this post on Kristina Werner's blog today and LOVED it...haha.  I'm such a mess when I craft!  Okay, I'm a bit of a mess all the time ;-)  I try to be organized and neat...I really do LOVE organization.  But somehow it still gets messy really quick!  So here you go, a look at my mess...

Oh, how about a little info first about the setup. So I still live with my parents - yes, I'm 27 (almost 28) but it's cool...and way cheaper :-) Anywho, the only space I have is my room. Luckily it had two closets. So I just converted the smallest closet to be my craft space. It works surprisingly well. Although I have been thinking about getting a small folding table to use too as I have to use my paper trimmer on the floor or my bed.

So first, a look at my crafting space (closet) when I first set it up about 3-1/2 years ago.  It's amazing how clear it looks compared to now.

Okay, now on to the space today...

Space between closets.  Ribbon, wood-mounted stamps, paper stacks, cuttlebug dies...and other stuff

Had to share this stamp I got today at Michaels on clearance for $1.09!  See next pic to see size.

I soooo need to organize my ribbon.

Okay, moving on to the closet space.

Yes, I store all my belts on the back of the chair...See my clip-it-up behind the chair...LOVE it! The shelf holds some of my buttons (more on the wall clip-it-up) and all my papertrey stamps.

The storage cube to the left holds all my current cardstock I use, my newest paper stacks, all my 6x6 or 8x8 stacks, recent cards I've made. The cute little decorative box on top of the storage cube holds some of my die-cuts and stickers.

The box in the chair is from a pair of boots I bought this winter. I thought it would be perfect to use when I spray glimmer mist. All the things in it are from a project I worked on the first day I had my cast on. I kept knocking into things so I never put the things away, waiting until my cast came off...and yes, it's been off for a week, but I've not quite got everything back in order yet ;-) It also has some new items I recently purchased.

The floor leading into the closet space.

See that brown bag (top right corner)...that's a bunch of new stuff I've bought over the past month...check out the last pic to see the contents of that bag.

This box (sitting on floor in above pic) came from TJMaxx. Thought it was pretty cool. Still not quite sure what I'm going to store in it.

Okay, now on to the actual closet... The top shelf holds all my jewelry making products. There's also some odds-n-ends products. Next shelf holds a few books, some old cardstock, pre-made card bases, chipboard, lots of thickers and my albums.

Next shelf has all my glitters, copic markers, prismacolor markers, acrylic paints, pens, pencils, some inks, a few buttons...other stuff...

And this is my working space...ugh...over-run with all kinds of product. It definitely needs a good cleaning/organizing before I can do anything in there!

And the bottom space is those storage cubes...holds paper, paper and more paper...books, cuttlebug, stickers, rub-ons, die-cuts...below the pink atg is the rest of my adhesives in a small plastic container. In those binders my clear stamps. I've got a couple pulled out to put new stamps in...although as many as I've bought lately I might need to buy more.

And this is all the product that was in that brown bag in the floor...

Wow...yep, it's a mess :-( But I'm having serious crafty withdraw, so I MUST get it back in working order...Oh yeah, I have a big purchase coming from Two Peas that I've got to make room for too!

Well, happy crafting...try not to judge my space too harshly ;-)

...{...spring nails...}...

Wanted to have a little fun with the manicure this week.  After having the cast on for a month and totally giving up on keeping polish on, I'm enjoying being able to have it on again.  I was inspired by this post over at A Beautiful Mess.

OPI - Strawberry Margarita • Essie - Mint Candy Apple and Tart Deco

I ran into Ulta yesterday to look for the perfect blue-green and lovely peach. Usually I am an OPI girl, but they just didn't have the perfect shade. So I picked up the two colors in Essie. Now, I've heard mixed reviews about their polish and this was the first time I've every used it. So far I like OPI better. The Essie seems a lot thicker, streaked a bit and looks a bit flatter. But the true test is which wears the best. Typically I have chips the next day.

So, what is your favorite nail polish brand? And do you have a favorite shade to welcome in Spring?

...{...I Was Broken...}...

So, have you noticed I've been gone for a little bit now...well for over a month now!  I've missed you...the whole 3 or 4 of you who read my blog, lol.  Seriously though, I have a good reason.

Back in October I started having this pain on the side of my right hand. It started in my pinkie and radiated down to my wrist. It was especially sore if I hit my pinkie or did a lot of work with my hand. Did I mention I'm right handed? So obviously I'm using my hand all the time. It seemed a bit silly to go to the doctor for such a small thing as the pinkie, so I just put up with the pain.

Finally at the beginning of Feb. I call the doctor's office and made an appointment.  Went in and he looked it over and diagnosed it as tendonitis, but said just for kicks he'd send me for an x-ray.  Well I had to go to another location for the x-ray and within an hour they called back and asked what orthopedic surgeon I wanted to see and that the bone was fractured and had a bone cyst.  FUN <-- dripping in sarcasm.  It was about a week between the x-rays and appointment w/ the surgeon and in the mean time they told me to just wrap my fingers (pinkie and ring) together.  And I assumed that the surgeon would say the same.  Wrong!  The surgeon came into the room and says I have to get a cast!  WHAT!...Are you kidding me!

So long story short - I got the cast.  Wore it for a month.  Went back and had another x-ray and it was healed!  I do have to go back this summer for a follow-up for another x-ray as the bone is still very weak and could easily fracture again.

I know there are way worse things that could happen.  But it was just so irritating having the cast on.  It seemed like everything I tried to do became a complicated task.  I am sooooo thankful it is off again and I can get back to my creative hobbies that I have OH SO MISSED!

So just wanted to let you guys know I'm back...and share a few pics of the past 4 weeks!

Right after leaving the surgeon's office and having cast put on.

Sitting in the surgeon's office and soooo excited that they had taken the cast off!

PS. I've got a few crafty things I made before the cast was put on that I'll be posting soon.