Office Cleaning Progress

 Since I last posted about my disaster of an office, I have made some progress. The weather here has been so hot that I haven't really been able to do as much baking as usual - even with the a/c on it is still warm in the house - so I have tried valiantly to make some headway into the scary world that is my office space when I'm not fighting the weeds, exhaustion and house mess. Oh my gosh, can I tell you how much the Wonder Dog is shedding right now?? CHUNKS of fur are falling off this dog every time I look at her, and despite attacking her with the Fur Buster brush every day, at least once per day. I still end up with little fur balls tumbling over my floors. Thank God I have hardwood floors and not carpet, or I would have a black carpet now! I am feeling better day by day so I am starting to have more energy to get things done. Slowly, but they are getting done :)

Anyway... I vacuumed the areas that I could see to get rid of dust and debris (I start my plants in here in the winter and had some dried leaves stuck behind the shelving), and have now started setting up what will be my torching station. You can see the white firebricks next to the mini torch and the quenching bowl. Beside that I have my safety glasses in their case and my breathing mask. Even if you're just doing a little bit of torching, you NEED breathing protection, especially if you have ventilation set up, which I don't (yet). I will also put an oscillating fan in front of the open window to draw out any noxious fumes when I torch. Underneath that shelf is a collection of some of my other necessities - my bracelet measuring tool, paintbrushes for applying various solutions to metals, chalk for keeping metal files working properly, an extra bench pin, my copper sheets and some of my inspiration photos and drawings for new pieces. Eventually, the paper will go on to my bookshelf or my desk, as I don't want anything flammable near my torch.
I still have to get a few more pieces of equipment (not the least important will be a fire extinguisher - safety first!), and then that should be set. I still need to tidy the shelves beside these ones so that I can find and reach everything easily and quickly. That should take another half hour or so.

And, well, the workbench is coming along. I can now actually see the desk, so that is good! I have a few works in progress (WIP's) that will have to get boxed and organized so that I can finish them in a timely manner, reorganize my bead and findings cabinets so that I can see what I need to reorder, what I should destash, etc, and then I'll have everything clear to do my sawing, filing and general beading and jewellery-making. My regular desk is almost clear too, which is great, as I've been using my laptop in the living room and it is killing my neck and shoulders, crunched up all the time. I'm hoping to move my laptop back onto my desk today or tomorrow.

Whew! Finally things are coming together. I really have to thank you all for giving me the inspiration and kick that I really needed to get this moving. I feel so much better about my office already!

We are now getting some much needed rain and it is so much cooler now that I think I'll go and bake some cookies. On today's agenda: peanut butter cookies, some plain and some with chocolate chips, and then oatmeal cookies, some plain, some with raisins, and some with chocolate chips. Yum!

Until next time,

Monday's Methods: The Office is Almost Done!

It's Here! It's Finally Here! I got my workbench on Friday and though it isn't exactly as advertised (and don't you worry, I am still good an annoyed at that), it is together and holding my jewelry making supplies. It was advertised as a "steel workbench" and the photo showed it with a stainless steel top, but when I got it, surprise, the item number was the same, but no stainless steel worktop! However, Brennan says we can get a sheet of steel and screw it down onto the top.
Here is the worktop with my supplies on it (you can barely see the anvil and vise on the top shelf). Even better: there is a light on the underside of the shelf so that I have my workspace lit up! There is even a power bar on one side so that I can plug things into it when I get my torch, kiln and other power tools up here. I still have to get the proper extension cord to plug the power bar into the wall, but that is not essential at this point.
Here are the two giant drawers that I managed to fit most of my regularly-used tools and supplies into. One side is for tools, the other for wire, stringing materials and so forth.
Here is the bottom shelf, where I have room for my polymer clay oven, paper shredder and empty storage boxes. When I get my last set of shelves, the empty boxes will go on them so that I have my feet free to rest on the shelf when I sit to work at the bench.
Here is my office now - I have my desk and workbench snug against each other so that I can work on one side and still see (and more importantly, reach) the other. Now I can work on jewelry and my laptop at the same time, Hallelujah!

Until tomorrow, we got our first dusting of snow this morning, I'm off to try and ignore it (with many a "Humbug!", lol).

That Was Fun...Part 3

Well here is the last installment of my office redo until I get my new workbench and last set of shelves. At that point I'll move our giant laser printer onto the shelves and transfer my jewelry making supplies to the new workbench, move my cork board above my reading area (see below), and then relax! Here are my shelves, totally organized! I was able to fit all of my jewelry books and magazines, business books, painting inspiration photos, frames, sewing machine, general office supplies and junk, board games and some of my favorite Etsy artists' artwork.
Here is my beautiful new desk! I got it from Ikea and it is fabulous! I was able to fit one of my filing cabinets right under the desk, with room for a storage box full of old computer stuff behind it (old hard drives, etc.). It is wide and deep enough to hold my laptop, stereo, water glass, to-do binder, scrap paper binder (I told you I'm into the 3 R's, lol), my pen pots (recycled from old tea-leaf cans covered in scrapbook paper), and my "freebie box" - all of my materials that go into making freebies for you when you order more than $10 from my shops. I like to keep it in front of me so that if I have a little extra time I can fill it by making gifties for you! Even better is that my desk is in front of my window so that I can see outside when it is light and be inspired by my forest. The desk is also over my heating vent, which has turned out to be quite handy in keeping my perennially cold toes nice and toasty!
Here is my temporary work desk. It is clean! I have my tools in the storage drawers to the left, with my vice and anvil in front. Then I have my 2 bead and finding storage drawer sets (they are overflowing, so the next time Canadian Tire has a sale on these "Parts Drawers", I'll be getting ANOTHER one, LOL! I also have room to work, which is great, as well as being able to store my various-sized plastic baggies (in the white boxes next to the bead storage) and my photography light is on top of a box to better light up my light box, which I now have room for! See the last photo for my new light box.
Here is what will be my reading corner. I have Arwen's bed so that we can be near each other, I have my tall bookshelves with some books, and many pieces of Etsy Artisans' art - from Epic Farms, Crazy Bliss, Art By Marilyn, Visual Smiles Gallery, Bunnies and Hares by Dragon House of Yuen (not pictured, but I now have them on my small bookshelf), and more! I'm going to put more of my books on the smaller shelf and eventually find a comfy armchair/reading chair to put right beside it that I can curl up in to read a good book for hours on end. I also had room for one of my yoga mats and light hand weights, so that I am able to get in a few good vinyasas or arm curls when waiting for things to load :)
Here is my fabulous light box! Constructed from a standard cardboard filing box, I lined it with plain white paper to bounce the light around in it. I have a white background for dark pieces, and for lighter pieces I have this grey background (it looks brown here, but that is from all of the different light sources hitting it in the photo). This allows me to have more even lighting and get more consistent photos of my jewelry. I finally have room for it, and room to store it when not in use, so I am very excited about this!

Well, that is all for now, I'll keep you updated on the new workbench and shelves as they become available. I'm also starting to (slowly) purchase metalsmithing equipment to expand my jewelry knowledge and techniques, so I will be sure to show you the new tools as I get them :)

For those interested, the heavy duty shelving units (Spacemaker Brand) are from Canadian Tire and cost $45.99 each. They are 36inches wide, 70inches tall and 16inches deep. The desk is from Ikea and is Mikael model in beech/white and was $69.99. It is approximately 55inches wide, 29inches deep and 29inches high. The filing cabinets were fromZellers, on sale for $39.99 each (I got 2) and are for standard, letter sized documents. The black storage boxes were also from Ikea and were the Kassett series, both the CD boxes and Magazine boxes. They came in sets of 2 per kind and were $6.99-$17.99. The parts drawers and storage drawers on my work desk are from Canadian Tire and ranged from $13.99-$29.99 at regular price, but I waited until they were on super-sale. The workbench (still to come) is a stainless steel-topped workbench from Canadian Tire and is regularly $199.99 but I got it on sale for $89.99. The total office overhaul (7 years overdue), cost about $550. Prices are in Canadian Dollars, not including taxes.

Have a great day, I am off to enjoy my nearly finished, and SO much better, art space!

That Was Fun, Let's Never Do That Again, Part 2

Putting Shelves Together

Continuing from yesterday's post, here are some more photos from my office refurbishing. Here I am putting together the shelves, which are great, but take a million tiny screws that need to be mainly hand tightened before being tightened with a screwdriver. The result is that I have beautiful shelves, and torn up fingers. They have healed on the outside, I don't know that I've healed on the inside. Well, actually, I have...

Starting to Get Organized

Just look at this! I LOVE my new shelves! All injuries are forgotten in my new joy at seeing my office finally start to get organized. On the right side on the floor is a Bateman Print (Limited edition, "Twilight Siberian Tiger") that I have to hang up, but until I do, it is staying safe right there :)

Assembling Storage Boxes

We got to Ikea on Friday (can I just tell you how in love I am with that store??) and I got some great storage boxes and a NEW desk! The storage boxes are cardboard, but also need screws to be put together. It was worth the work though, they look fabulous and hold all of my small, messy-looking items easily!

Interim Office From Door

Here is my office in the interim, until I get my workbench and one more set of shelves. I am so happy with how it is turning out, it is so easy to use my laptop on one desk and do my jewelry making on the other. I now have room for each and that is such a blessing. I am also able to now have a light box, which I made last night and will show you tomorrow, when I show you part 3 of this series. Of course, part 4 is waiting on the last bit of furniture, but we'll have that whenever it it comes in. While I am not fond of buying new furniture where old will suffice, I have been using the old furniture for about 8 years, and it was used when I got it! The old furniture is also going to its new home when friend takes my old desk and my parents take the old bookshelves, so no garbage dumps were added to in this redecoration. Reduce, reuse, recycle is my motto, I just needed specific items to make my workspace more efficient and workable for my business :)
Stay tuned, you don't want to miss the transformation :)

That Was Fun, Let's Never Do That Again, Part 1

Office Starting Point, View 1

I am not dead, though I am sorry I have been away for so long! I have, as I stated on Friday, been redoing my office and though I am still alive, I am wondering how that is, as I have been run over by tables, leaned against by heavy bookshelves, nicked by screws and just generally beaten up by stuff over the last few days. I did get out to see the new "A Christmas Carol" in IMAX 3D on Saturday, which was AMAZING! and so restful, but that will be a story for another day...

Office Starting Point, View 2

Although it looks okay in photos, my office did not have the storage or versatility I need to run my business effectively. Aside from the amount of dust collected in various nooks and crannies, the bookshelves were just that: bookshelves, and not meant to hold heavy amounts of books or equipment without bowing to their weight. It was also too cluttered and messy-looking - not conducive to my creativity at ALL!

Office Starting Point, View 3

Here, though roomy, the table was really just wasted space, and ended up holding junk. I needed a place to do photography, but it was too low to stand and take photos, and too high to sit and take them also. Frustrating! I also needed better organized storage, a better work surface for making jewelry and a surface just for my laptop and general paperwork.

Making Room

After 6 months of planning, whining, and general malcontent, I finally saw that the workbench I wanted was going on sale for 60% off and jumped. Of course, I jumped too late and by the time I got there (the day after the sale started) they were sold out and I now have a rain check for them to call me "Whenever it comes in", as the sales lady so helpfully told me. I did, however, get 2 sets of shelves, which I am very happy about. These are heavy duty shelves, and they are supposed to hold up to 200 lbs per shelf. Now, while I doubt they would hold that much, they are much stronger than my bookshelves and they have better depth. My only regret is that I only got 2 sets...I thought they would come in a huge box, being that they are 6 feet high, but no, the shelves bolt together and the uprights are 3 feet each, being bolted together in the middle to make a very strong join, and the total box only 3 feet long also. I am going to go and get 1 more set of those shelves. Here I am making room for them, with my ever-helpful snoopervisor, Arwen...

And I'll get more shelves...right after I finish dealing with my disaster! It doesn't look like this now, but I still shudder at the memory. With much-appreciated help from Brennan, I did manage to get the two massive old bookshelves downstairs (my parents are taking them in the spring when the weather is better and they have the insurance back on the truck), and I've moved some things around (many things, actually).
Stay tuned tomorrow for the next installment...

Fabulous Friday Features: 2 Blog Mentions!

Today's Fabulous Friday Feature is a bit of a surprise...I'm mentioned on 2 blogs! I even have a feature on Eccentric Pastiche's blog! For those of you that don't know Eccentric Pastiche, I did a feature on Anne a while back, and she makes the most amazing teas. Please stop by to see my feature and see her great blog!!
I also got a pleasant surprise when I found that my Jeweled Celtic Spiral Ring is on Beaded Tail's Friday Features Blog! Every Friday Sharla and her amazing animals feature great artists and I am so tickled to be among them this week! Please stop by and check out the other amazing artists on the blog.

That is all for now, tune in tomorrow for a few photos of the disaster I am calling my office...I'm currently refurnishing and reorganizing and it looks like a crafter exploded!
See you tomorrow, if I survive :)

Sweet Saturday: I Can See My Desk!

For those of you that wanted to see my work space, you're in for a shock, not a treat. This is the first time I've seen my desk in about 4 months. No Joke. I have had so many papers, projects, and miscellaneous junk on it that I just about had a meltdown the other day and decided to clean it. It's not that I'm a messy or disorganized person, it's just that I have so much stuff and so little storage. Not for long: I have decided how I am going to redo my office, and when the store restocks the shelving that I want, I am taking the plunge. No more waiting, I can't stand to be so crammed that I can't fit a jewelry project and my laptop on my desk. I don't even have a large laptop, or large projects, it's just that I have, as I said, so much stuff to store on my desk that I can't do much more than pick out my materials and get out of there as fast as I can!

I will admit to one cardinal sin, though: I LOVE bookkeeping. I love it so much that I will let it pile up so that I have at least a few solid hours of sitting in front of my laptop, entering numbers into spreadsheets and doing calculations. That, for me at least, is like a yogi sitting and meditating to relax. It clears my mind and lets me have some fun with numbers (I know, I know, but I never said I wasn't a nerd, quite the opposite really!).
Now that the papers are cleared away, I have found that, not only am I caught up on all my bookkeeping for the year, but I have some space that might need filling on my desk! This is the start of a new project that I will keep you up to date on. It is similar to the Victoria's Bangle Bracelet that is currently for sale in my Etsy store, but will be done in dark, lapis lazuli-colored blue and amber-colored seed beads, inspired by Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. It will take the better part of a week (my hands cramp up so that slows me down a bit), so I'll try to update you often without boring you. It is using a bead weaving or stitching technique that is very fun and relaxing.

Arwen, meanwhile, is fast asleep, her paws making little twitching, running movements - I think she is dreaming of the deer we saw on our last walk!

Have a great Saturday,
and Arwen