Organization Love

This past Saturday was a day that I have been waiting for since December! My custom built-in cabinet was installed and can I just say how much I love it?!?!?!

Let me tell you though, I almost didn't think they were going to get it into the space. As with any old construction, nothing is square or straight. Custom builder said he took that into account and "left" a 1/2 inch clearance when he built the cabinet. Hah I say! At least that's what my honey and I said to ourselves in our heads as we watched him and his worker try to get it to fit.

Attempt #1:

Fail!

Attempt #2 (After chiseling our wall away in one corner inside the space where cabinet is going.):

Fail!

Attempt #3 (After chiseling another part of our wall away.):

Fail!

Attempt #100 (After taking the cabinet outside and sanding the heck out of it.):

Success!

I have never been so freaking happy to have this cabinet. I am so in love with it. It completely changes the space. Well really anything would of improved this space even if it was a shower curtain. But, I am truly thrilled with the way it turned out.

The doors are perfect! They tried to match the paneling on our closet doors and came pretty close.

And look at the inside...

I need a step ladder to reach the top two shelves, but that's ok. It's worth it!

On Sunday morning my honey drove me over to IKEA, so I could get a couple of items to add to my crafting space to make it truly complete. Then, I spent my entire afternoon organizing all my beloved crap crafting items.

Here's a before picture of the cabinet space:

Here's the after picture with almost all of my stuff organized inside:

From top shelf to bottom shelf, I have them organized as such:

Shelf 1: Holds all my stash yarn and miscellaneous knitting tools (i.e. swift and winder)
Shelf 2: Will hold all my sewing stuff (i.e. fabrics, bin with tools, etc.)
Shelf 3: Scrapbooking shelf that houses my photos to be scrapped, die cuts, stamping stuff
Shelf 4: More scrapbooking stuff which are all my papers and stickers
Shelf 5: Sewing machine, die cut machines and miscellaneous scrapbooking tools live here

I bought this Raskog Kitchen Cart from IKEA:

I chose the charcoal color and am very happy with the choice. They also have it in a cream and turquoise color.

The cart is where I am organizing all scrapbooking items that I want at the ready for when I sit at my desk to scrapbook. I love that it is on wheels and I can store it by my desk in front of the cabinet when I am not using it.

I also purchased from IKEA two Antonius plastic insert trays to use on the cart. Love them! They are perfect to hold my Project Life cards and other miscellaneous odds and ends items.

My final purchase from IKEA was a Kallax shelving unit.

I knew I wanted a short bookshelf by my desk as I didn't want to block the beautiful natural light from the window. I also REALLY wanted a shelf that would fit on the same wall as my desk and let me tell you, this one was a close call. My honey and I measured the space twice before we left for the store and when we got it home I held my breath while we shifted the desk down towards the cabinet and made space for the shelf. I let out a huge sigh of relief when it just fit!

The organizing of the shelf is still a work in progress. Right now the shelves hold my scrapbooks along with some books, magazines and a container filled with 8.5x11 solid cardstock paper. On top I placed my recently purchased Epson Picturemate Charm printer as my older printer died, couldn't be revived and being a scrapbooker, I want to have the ability to print pictures at home. Over time the shelving unit will be organized to my liking. Right now, I am just seeing what works and what doesn't.

From a distance this is what my little crafting nook looks like. Please excuse the stuff in the foreground that I must still go through.

Eventually I will put up my gallery wall. We framed all of our purchased artwork from our trips to Europe and San Francisco last Fall and I have reserved a few pieces to place on my wall.

When I was going through all my stuff, I found a couple of prints that I had purchased during one of my trips to the NY Sheep and Wool Festival that need to be framed. They will also make it up on the wall. I mean, seriously aren't they adorable?

So while I have been in organization heaven since Sunday, my knitting has taken a back seat. I do have a new pair of socks on the needles. I also recently purchased some yarny goodness from Eat.Sleep.Knit to make a Color Affection shawl and an Edith Hat. One item is a gift and the other will be for myself. And lawd help me, I am foraging back into color work knitting!!!!

What have ya'll been up to? Any new projects on the needles? Any projects finished? Any projects that have been remanded to time out for bad behavior? Tell me tell me.