More in the studio ...

What a weekend! I thought I was going to get so much done -- and I guess I did, but not even close to what I had on my list. Trying to finish thank-you notes for baby gifts and baby announcements and  ... I'm 41 and still making totally unrealistic lists -- oh well. LOVED having my boys home. I can't believe how they have changed and grown since summer -- it can be soo loud at my house. Started the Christmas decor thing -- so excited about my new color scheme. Just wait until you see my stockings. Pics coming soon -- adding more color to Christmas this year. Speaking of color, here's some pics with my sister Darci (Grandma Addie, Aunt Shirley, Mom, Darci and Chanda were all in town the weekend before Thanksgiving -- so fun. Came to hang out with Addie and to see my big boy, Geof and Clark and Trey in our church production of Scrooge -- gotta post pics of that too. My husband was on stage, singing and dancing and he blew everyone away, including me. Trey now thinks he's Hollywood material and is working on a home video for the Reflections contest at school.) Anyway, as I was saying, color and Darci ...

Just cause she is so cute.

Ok, this is the top drawer of my island (there are two of these btw and each is a double drawer -- in other words there is a shallow slider nested inside each drawer that slides in to reveal a deeper drawer below it. In preparing to move into my studio, I tried to pay really close attention to how I work -- what I do and what I don't do. I realized I DON'T put things away -- I especially don't put things away if I have to take out a box/compartment and open up a lid (it just doesn't happen, which means my workspace can get pretty messy) So ... my solution, which btw, I am LOVING is this -- little tin buckets from Oriental Trading Company with brads and other little doo-dads organized by color (of course) sitting inside my shallow drawer and kept in place with a magnet! Now, I know that if there is an earthquake, my drawer is going to be a big mess. But ... if there is an earthquake, my drawer will probably be the least of my problems, and in the meantime, I now have a grab and go and put away system for little stuff.

I also have one of those pill counter sorter-things that I can dump a bucket into -- sort easily through the selection and then pour quickly back into my buckets. When I'm working on a page  that is *PINK* (which I've been doing lately!) I just grab my pink color drawer from my back storage area and my little pink bucket and I pretty much have what I need. LOVE IT!!

shallow drawer on the other side is where I store my paint bottles, brushes, mixing palettes and string, jute and some ribbon (on spools) -- you could easily store oversized photos or specialty paper too.

Ok, the big drawer on each side of my island is for PAPER. Now, a girl like me (editor) has a LOT of paper. One side is organized by manufacturer with a few theme files thrown in and the other side is by (you guessed it) COLOR. I use two big 12x12 files and one old-fashioned green legal sized file folder for each color, for example -- PINK. You will find a 12 x12 PINK file (for pink monochromatic pattern paper) and a PINK COMBO file (for pattern paper where pink is the dominant color,) followed by a legal folder with PINK cardstock scraps.

In the front of the PINK folder is where I keep my PINK letter stickers and rub-ons.

Love having this selection of stuff together by color -- pattern papers, cardstock scraps and letters.

Just in case you are wondering, my black and white letters DO NOT go in the paper files. I use them so much that they are ...

in a big yellow tin on top of my cardstock directly behind where I stand and work.

For me, it's all about easy access. The stuff I use most is within arms reach and the rest is a few steps away in my back storage area.

Thanks for your questions and inquiries about my island. I know I am very lucky to have such a nice piece of furniture -- I waited and saved a long time. It looks like two of you may also be getting one -- and that makes me so happy. There are still up to two available. I know it's not the best time of year for big purchases -- feel free to email Steve with any questions you have.

Can't wait to post who will be getting islands -- I think it will be fun to also post pictures of Steve's word working shop (in his basement) and keep you up to date on the progress.
You can request different types of wood in combinations different than mine. You can also choose your own cups (you will send him one and he will design your cup holders to fit) and number of cup holders. The islands comes with cutting mats, cut to fit the work-table side of the island. These are the super dense kind with rulers that can be used for measuring things.

If you have additional questions, you can email me and I'll try to post answers!