It's been awhile

I haven't been here in quite some time.... Life got in the way I guess.  I do think of my blogging days often and would like to get back to it maybe it is time.  So why not update you all (whoever even wants to read this, probably no one).  So I graduated graduate school with a Master's in Special Education and a certificate in Literacy, I am teaching full time at a private school, I gained another dog Stitch my giant clumsy German Shepherd (if I do in fact stick to this you will see him often), in my most recent and exciting (and frustrating at the same time) news I bought a house! A lot of big life moments have happened while I've gone.  A new house means a new work in progress craft room.  I'm pretty excited to share it, but it still needs a few things before I can post pictures.

So I guess I should give a little back story.  About 8 or so years ago my dad purchased him family's land from his sister it had 4 home on it, we moved on to it into one homes until another house was vacated so we moved into that one and rented the one we lived.  Then my aunt moved in with her kids so my brother and his family moved in and then last year the 4th home came to be empty and needing major repair (as it was the only original house on the property), so we opted to ripped it down and I started the process of looking at homes to put in its place.  At first I was going to buy a used home, but the cost and the headache of renovating I opted to just bite the bullet and buy new.  I found the perfect 3 bedroom home for myself and my herd of animals and went forward.  It was a long back breaking process and for all involved but especially my parents.  They put in long days in all the prep work.  I know it was especially hard on my Dad because the home that we tore down was he last remaining piece of my grandparents (it was his childhood home).  I found the process difficult because it wasn't the life I imagined for myself.  At 35 I found myself newly single and doing it on my own.  I went through the mourning process of my the life I planned.  I imagined myself getting married, buying home with a partner or moving in with them and building our life together.  But that wasn't in God's plan for me.  And at this very moment I'm completely okay with it.  I am learning to take each day as it comes.  There might not be a long term goal at the moment, but that's okay.  I get to watch my niece and nephew grow up, spend time with my sometimes frustrating herd ( I say that as Patches is licking a soup can clean she took out of the garbage...), enjoy lots of alone time (which means craft time or mindless tv time), no one to clean up after, and I can come and go as I please. Life is good! I hope to make more time for blogging, sharing inspiring things.  See you soon ( I hope)

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Life

More then anything I want this blog to be a priority, but life just gets in the way.  I have been crafting when I can but I typically only share it on my facebook page and instagram.  It takes way less time then writing about my creative process, supplies, etc.  At some point in life I might get back here to share, but if you would like to follow me/see what I'm up to you can find me on instagram: gingerhollner .  

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Room tour: where the magic happens

Here is where the magic happens, the craft table.  As you can see I have a craft mat I taped it down so it doesn't move around.  Then of course my tape runners need to be ready at the drop of a hat while I'm crafting.  And candy as you can tell is a must in the craft space. In the antique cream cheese box I have my washi tape.  I'm not sure if this is where they will stay because they have been moving around a bunch in my craft room because the box they were in broke. 

Next is my tool holder each section holds different tools. This first section is my scissors.  I think I have too many pairs.  

Then there is my pens and pencils.

Glues and ghettos 

My misc tops and markers.  In the center of the holder is my rulers, water color pencils and other random tools that just don't fit anywhere else. 

To my left is my stamp spinning rack.  I decided to stop hiding my retire close to my heart inks and ended up purchasing a couple extra ink holders that I screwed them into the wall between the Windows.  As you can see I organize my inks by ROYGBiV first with current colors then retired colors.  I marked all my retired colors with an R. As you can tell my iPad is a staple in my craft space.  I can watch Netflix while I'm crafting. M

Because I'm in a small space I use every inch of space so the window sill is also used for storage.  I have my Tim Holtz inks, my ink applicators, and then two antique tins the biggest one holds jewelry supplies, the smaller one holds Popsicles sticks.  

My newest furniture piece is this white cabinet from Michael's.  I purchased it on sale awhile ago.  It's suppose to have wheels on it but it wouldn't fit under the table.  

Between the top of the table and the cabinet I have my cutter, my scoring board and my close to my heart versa mat. 

The first drawer is all my glues and foam tape.  

The second drawer has my watercolor palettes, my close to my heart punches, my archival ink, scrap paper for stamping on.  

The third drawer has my pinkpaislee papers and embellishments. 

The fourth drawer holds all my extra retired close to my heart paper packs.

The last drawer has my 6x6 paper packs and project life cards. 

Apparently my camera got a little blurry at the end not sure why, but this is my close to my heart supplies. The medium box holds my embellishment and mini stamps.  And then I have two small boxes one holds my blocks and the other holds my pigment inks.  

Back the right of where I sit is my little garbage pail made for me by a nice friend.  It comes in very handy. 

Then there is Luka one of four cats that can be found hanging out on my craft table. 

That's all for today.  I'll be back soon with a more in depth look in my craft room.  What do you want to see next?  Do you want to see something specific?  Let me know. 

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Updates craft room tour: An overview

This is an overview of my current craft space.  It's taken a long time to get it to this point, so I could share it.  The downfall is that it is the first room off the front door, so that means a lot of the time it is a dumping ground for coats, mail, anything and everything that we bring into the house starts in my craft room, so most days when I want to craft it means cleaning first.  The first thing you see when you enter is that it kind of a tiny room.  It was originally the dining room of the house and considering how big our family is and it only gets bigger as time goes on it would never work as a dining room. So I claimed it as my craft room.  It being a tiny space I have to be creative in how I store my supplies.  The big China hutch was you see in the photo below was built by my great grandfather.  He was a genius in the wood shop and he also built the dry sink you will see later. The China hutch holds all my Close to my heart stamps which are housed in the plastic white baskets.  I will look closer at this stuff with you in future posts.  The hutch also holds my non close to my heart scrap paper, finished and unfinished scrapbook pages, my card collection and version other crafting items.  

Next to the hutch is an antique radio cabinet which has a brief case that my great grandfather turned into a camera case.  I repurposed it to hold a good chunk of my altered art supplies.  Inside the cabinet is my cuttle bug and dies, prima flowers, etc.  Next to the cabinet are two antique crates on their sides to store close to my heart scraps, my jewelry bag, my creative memories cutting system.  Then their is my paper rack which holds my cardstock.  Above that is a basket that holds glitter, sprays, etc.  

Of course in the center of my room is my craft table.  On my table is my ink storage , my tape guns, and my spinning organizer with all my tools I need at my finger tips. 

This corner is mom's side of the table.  Her cardstock is stored in the paper rack and my rubber stamp shelf.  Because I don't buy many rubber stamps I use the bottom to store my cricut cartridges.  

The dry sink has been converted to store my cricut on top as you can see.  I had my dad built a box to fit in the top so that the cricut can be above the lip.  Inside the dry sink are my pictures, extra picture frames etc.  

This little cabinet is one of favorite pieces it is great for hiding a lot of things.  I try to keep it neat, but it never stays that way. It has magazines, close to my heart catalogs etc. 

This little China hutch store my pretty things.  My precious moment collection and various antiques that inspire me.  The bottom part stores alterables and paint mediums among other things.  

Lastly is my double paper rack which holds both mom and my pattern paper collections.  Then there is the small basket which holds my non close to my heart stamps.  

That's all for now.  Be back soon with a more in depth look into my craft room. 

~Ginger 

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CTMH Hello life Pocket Scrapbook Set

I just received my September order from Close to my Heart and with it I got the 3 Hello Life sets from the national stamping month campaign.  The Welcome stamps screamed to me and said make beautiful baby cards with me!  So I pulled out a 6x6 paper pad (MY Baby by American Crafts) I purchased around when I was planing my Sister in law's baby shower.  I started cutting paper and finding embellishments and constructed these 5 cards so far.  

I used hollyhock and slate CTMH ink (piagement and water based), pink pearls, hollyhock and slate cardstock, ribbon and bakers twine, some clear emboss, and some buttons.  I think the came out adorable if I say so myself! Here are some close ups of the individual cards. 

This one is a lot different then the rest and used a fiskars set called Teeny Tiny. 

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Craft room update

 It's been years since I've done an updated craft room tour.  I think I have moved, painted and put down a new floor since the last one.  It's probably not

going to be the last time I will do any of those things.  So here you go.  At the moment I'm liking it.  I'm starting in my corner of the room this is behind where I sit.  I have my card stock paper rack which has been switched slowly over holding mostly close to my heart card stock.  I also have hung on the wall my dabber holder (from close to my heart). 

Next to the paper rack is two antique crates that I have stacked on top of one another.  On top I have my jewelry bag, smash book and my creative memory cutters.

The first crate has all my close to my heart cardstock scraps in my 12x12 close to my heart evelopes (I love these!).   I also store my 8 1/2x11 cardstock and patterned paper and my close to my heart paper packs. 

The bottom crate holds 3 photo boxes.

The top on holds my brads. 

The second holds my light box and embossing templates. 

The bottom box holds my melting pot and labeler. 

Directly behind me when I craft in antique radio cabinet.  I keep my brief case full of empherma and above that I recently added some new ribbon storage to what was already there.  I recently wrapped most of my ribbons on tongue depressors.  And put them into the metal and wood container that I decided to hang on the wall. I'm liking it so far.  Hopefully this will help me use it. 

Below is the existing ribbon storage.  You have probably seen this in the past.  It used to be a drawer in a cabinet my great grandfather made.  And he created it out of old WWII ammunition boxes.  I drilled some wholes in each side and ran dowels through to put spools of ribbon.  On top I store some misc items. 

Kinda above my paper rack is this cool storage piece I found at the Christmas tree shop.  It hold liquid glues, my hot glue gun, sprays, stains and my Julie nutting stamps. 

Hanging on tjthe side of my china hutch I have a closet hanger that hold more empherma.  

Old and new boxes hold all sorts of goodies for example this one holds my glossy paper for alcohol inks. 

Inside the radio cabinet is burlap canvases,m flower collection, my laminator, glitter glues and my cuttle bug and dies. 

Under the window on my side is my close to my heart boxes which hold my blocks, my pigment inks and my embellishments.  

Under the table on my side I have a cabinet that has 5 drawer.  These drawers have some things I feel I need to have close to hand.  The top drawer is my glues,foam dots, scissor sharpener.  

The second drawer has my heat gun, close to my heart punches and misc items. 

3rd drawer is my pinkypaislee supplies. 

The 4th drawer contains my project life cards and some scraps. 

The 5th drawer has all my 6x6 paper packs in it.  

I think this is going to be a be continued post.  Look for more tomorrow. 

-Ginger 

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