When we first moved into this house, the boys were little and shared a bedroom. The "spare" room was used for the computer, Chris' gun stuff and my scrapbook things, which were few.
Then Austin hit his teenage years and Aaron was just a 2nd grader. It wasn't working to have them share a space anymore. Someone was gonna get bounced off the walls, which I'm sure wasn't in my plan when I "moved" them in together. So, Aaron was hastily moved into the "spare" room. Been there ever since. Problem was, how to disperse all the "crap" from that room. We had to figure out how to fit everything into space we didn't have. Chris graciously took the back porch, which is a nice size but isn't heated or cooled. He and his boys worked for hours setting things up. They still spend quite a bit of time out there whether it is to clean a gun, reload shells or ready their paint ball necessities. The porch works ok for now. The computer's in the kitchen.
I inherited a "wall" in our bedroom at the end of the bed, by the closet for scrapbooking. Chris went to Lowe's with me one afternoon and we had boards cut for the wall. He hung the shelves. This winter, however, he had to replace the small brackets holding the shelves to the jumbo sized, industrial strength ones. What patience that man has!!!!
The only scrapbook stuff I had when I moved out of the spare room was a desk and three small plastic "drawer" containers. That's it. Honest. My addiction has grown out of control. Yes, I will admit...I am a COLLECTOR!! This scrappy chic greatly appreciates the latest in paper, stamps, tools, did I mention paper??! I LOOOOOOOVE paper. Plain paper. Shiny paper. Bright paper. Subdued paper. Patterned paper. Double sided paper. Mulberry paper. Vellum. If it is "paper" you can bet I have it....somewhere. I have paper in containers that are not visible on this picture.
To be able to scrapbook, create a card or just go in and sit at the desk, well, it somehow just relieves some of the stress of the day. I can get lost in my imagination, let my creativity absolutely take over.
I have inherited some of my mother's crazy creative genius. I am grateful she took the time out to teach and let me try as a child. I'm sure she had more in mind than "paper" when we were being crafty!! She taught me to tole paint, which I can do pretty well. She taught me how to arrange flowers, which I will totally let HER continue to do as mine aren't as "put together" as hers end up being. Hers are gorgeous, mine are average. I did teach her how to cross stitch, she taught me to embroidery. That's as far as the sewing goes though. My mom desperately tried to teach me to sew, I mean with a machine. She had the patience of Job. Seriously, this woman gave it 200 percent. This daughter had and has a defective gene when it comes to machine sewing! Heck, if it weren't for Robin, my best friend, I would NEVER have passed my senior year of Home Economics. She would help me after school and finally gave up on me and sewed it herself...bless you Robin!!
My dear, sweet mama didn't give up on me. She purchased a mini sewing machine as Christmas gift. This was a "special" sewing machine...it was specifically for paper!! When she gave it to me she said "Honey, I may not have been able to teach you on cloth but I WILL get you to sew on paper". How creative to think I could now sew designs on paper...so cool!! I was totally psyched...then I set down to this pint sized machine (it is about the size of a 32 oz mayo jar) to create my masterpiece.
Mom had set the machine up, sewed a few things with it in order to "teach" me first. I was READY!! I thought I was. The stupid thing rejected me. Literally. REJECTED. I have seriously tried. I could see the disappointment on her face...again. We have mutually agreed that sewing is her thing and not mine. From now on if I have some kind of project that requires a stitch, she graciously takes on the task. What a woman! Thanks, Mom!!!
Hindsight is 20/20. Who would've thought that in Kindergarten as the scissors were cutting, papers were flying and glue being globbed that I would see those fine motor skills in a new light, when in my 30's.
