My Work Areas...

I'm taking part in a sewing and de-cluttering challenge on the Sense and Sensibility message board this month. This challenge involves cleaning up my workroom (workrooms for me), finishing half-finished projects, and just generally cleaning up (and taking pictures along the way). No one likes a mess... :) Originally, this challenge is for the month of February and we should be posting pictures on March 1st, but as we are anticipating some busy-ness in our family in early March, I'll just post throughout the month.

So, here are the 'before' pictures of my several work areas. Please pardon the messiness of those areas in which I actually do have current projects going.

Repair...Painting...Refurbishing...My painting drop-cloth on the basement floor next door is for all those projects too big and messy for the bar counters. My current project, as you see it here, is Singer 2. After that, we have a cute little 3-drawer chest we picked up at Goodwill which needs a sanding and repainting.
~Update on Singer 2 ~ I administered a second dose of sewing machine oil and the "catch" appears to be gone as I can't feel anything now when I turn the wheel. It runs beautifully. This week, I need to order a new metal feed dog to replace the awful black rubber one it came with that is so old it's chipping apart, and a foot and presser foot screw, and then I can use the machine!

My craft area (the dry bar area) in the basement of Meme and Pepe's house next door. I do scrapbooking, cardmaking, painting, polymer clay, beading and jewelry, and packaging orders for the Shoppe (and most other 'crafty' things) down here. It is so lovely to have an area where I can work, do messy things, and leave it out of reach of little hands. Not that I don't love all my little brothers, but sometimes, I think their eyes are on their fingertips. :)

My packing area for the Shoppe. I was recently blessing with a huge amount of boxes, bubble mailers, and other packing supplies from families at church.

More packing supplies - the three black bags and two boxes to the far left - , gift wrapping supplies in the four sweet potato boxes, and extra fabric, felt, and sewing supplies in the three black-lidded bins. As I was recently brought to realize the unacceptable messiness of my sewing room, I sorted into bins the items I don't use regularly. Those labels on the front of the bins are numbered and bear a detailed list of the contents of that bin and I have a master copy back here at the house for my reference - my most humble attempt at being organized.

And my sewing area in Mommy and Daddy's bedroom. Yes, I do realize it looks like a tornado just swept through, and that is what I am hoping to tackle with the encouragement of the sewing and de-cluttering challenge.

The new table we purchased at the thrift store at the same time as my sewing machines. It has been wonderful for encouraging further organization. :) That pile of fabric on the right of the middle shelf is my pile for projects I'd like to make in the months of February and March.

Another of my recent attempts at organization. Rather than throwing all this stuff in a jumble into a box, I availed myself of the boxes of small plastic shoe bins we buy at Costco, labeled them with decorated index cards, and sorted my sewing notions. So far, they've stayed neat and very handy!

And the current tornado area. :) This needs some work, but I have some ideas for this next month.