Crafty Sort Out

Well what a busy weekend and I've not even had chance to have a crafty play BUT I do have loads of new stuff :o) If any of you are anything like me you have to use the dining table as a craft space and this means that a lot of things are not to hand but instead I waste a lot of time up and down getting what I need as I play and idea's are going through my mind. This is a bit of a pain to say the least as this doesn't only involve rummaging through a very overcrowded stair cupboard but also trips up and down the kitchen to the utility room as that is where I keep all my card, stickers, paper etc. Anyway with the help of my lovely and very understanding hubby I have had a mega sort out and tidy. First was a visit to Hobbycraft and two tall sets of drawers on wheels, then a mega empty out of under the stairs then hubby removed the shelves and gave it a fresh lick of paint. While he was doing that I sorted out all my cards and papers (lots of stroking and drooling as I discovered forgotten gems) and placed them by colour into the drawers, then did the same with my stamps, inks, embossing powders, punches etc. The end result of this weekends work is that all my stash is sorted and organised, the majority of it is all in one place, I once more know what I have and more importantly haven't got lol. The under stairs cupboard (which by the way just in case you were wondering is of the large walk in variety not the little pokey on your hands and knees sort) is tidy with plenty of shelving all at a good height for vertically challenged me and I am really chuffed if slightly knackered (I keep opening the door and staring at it). On top of this hubby paid for me to have a stash spending spree yesterday so I have some new stamps, distress inks. essentials such as glue & tape, some lovely embellishment's, a load of ProMarkers (nearly have a complete set now), ribbon and yet more paper (note to self - I really do not need any more papers).

There is a reason behind all of this and that is that I am going to reduce my working hours very shortly (partly due to a health scare last summer which although is mostly resolved does let itself be known that it hasn't gone away completely, things like that make you re-evaluate what is important). This means that as well as a reduced income that I will have a day off in the week, my plans for that day is that I use it to make cards to sell to my work colleagues, family and friends so as to generate a little money to either replace or increase my stash. I have made cards for sale in the past or people have asked me to make cards for them but I stopped doing this as I found I was getting stressed about meeting the deadlines when also working full time, working strange shifts and felt that by crafting when I was tired I wasn't producing cards that I was proud to put my name to and it made me lose the pleasure and had become a chore.
So this weekend was my final blow out, I already have a few orders from people at work and am looking forward to the challenge of producing the kind of cards they have asked for, as well as the extra time at home and the extra crafty time it will give me.

I have some cards to share with everyone later in the week just haven't got round to scanning and posting them yet, hope you all had a good weekend and have a good week whatever you may be doing.

Kietha xx