Catchup from the Holidays ...

Hi everybody!  It's been a while ...

Since the new job, I hadn't been making too much jewelry as of late, which has really been taking its toll on me recently.  It's all been a focus of clearing out stuff I'm not using, being more organized with my supplies and setting up a workspace that can be packed away a little more easily.  I have lofty ideas, but they're attainable.  I have come a little ways since my last purge; sometimes it takes more than one!

My flakiness might also be an affect of the closing of my Etsy shop.  I will say that I've learned quite a bit from my Etsy experience that I can take to further pursuits.  I may open up shop again!  All in due time ...

My recent posts may have given you a bit of a toothache; my modest kitchen turned into a badass cookie machine over the holidays, as I had opted to bake some delicious treats for family and friends.  As much as I didn't want to see another cookie between Christmas and New Years, I've got loads of ideas for Valentines Day ... as well as branching out on some other nifty baking ventures.

And with all that cookie karma that I gave out, Nick and I got something really nifty this year.  My Dad and stepmum had made us a set of stackable wood 'book cubes' made from knotty pine.  We've got a rather large book collection, and it was nice to see it from stacks on the floor to a unique bookcase that is easily moveable if we move or decide to change things around.  We made even add to it with our own cubes, if we're feeling ambitious!  Thank you, thank you, Dad and M - they're beautiful!

A Peek at the Workspace ...

I thought I'd give you a peek at my workspace/dining room!

I've taken over the dining room in our modest two-bedroom apartment.  My stuff is spread out everywhere, I hope to reign it in a little with a larger unit that will house everything.  The view that you see is if you were standing on my couch in the living room, looking over its back to the dining room.  The round table is something that's been in the family for years - I have pictures from my first birthday and beyond blowing out candles at this table!  Eventually, I will find a gorgeous storage unit that will fit just about everything and reclaim the dining room  into something that will become a pleasant eating atmosphere without a tower of beads or some other crafting project that's about to topple over you.  In the meantime, I've made good use out of lots of recycled, reclaimed and reused materials for unique storage solutions - with a little flair!

Because Naked Tin Cans Are Just Indecent ...

A wonderful thing about being a repurposing DIYer is the handy stuff around the home that can be transformed into some pretty cool stuff.  All you need is imagination!  Of course, the flipside of that problem is the potential hording it can cause.  Yikes.  Well, I've been hanging onto these empty soup cans for a little while, I think it's about time I start this project I've had in mind - decoupage soup tins!

These handy - and uniquely decorated - items can serve many purposes on their own.  I keep various containers of miscellaneous items that are too random to be sorted with regular bead supplies and whatnot, as well as holders for paintbrushes, rulers, pens, pencils, Sharpies, pliers and other tools I need within an arms reach.  Another idea I've had would be candle holders - drilling holes in patterns with either a small votive or a tea light inside.  I'd like to make them for our balcony when the renovations are finished for our apartment building.  Armed with lots of paper ephemera, and with the help of my friendly neighbour, Dejah, we've done some pretty awesome work!

I had made a 'book safe' from a hardcover vintage textbook about the history of Nevada for Nick, and used the cutout pages to decoupage these two cans.  One features text with a 1864 map of the State of Nevada, the other features various images from the history of this great state.  I've started to brush a gloss over the cans, but I think it'll need another coat.

Where To Start When Playing Catch-Up ...

Oh my goodness, I couldn't believe how long it had been since I'd posted anything here, and I have so much to tell you all!

We last left with the news that Nick and I have moved into our own humble abode, unpacking slowly but surely.  The 'moving' part is almost over - we still have some things in storage we need to pull out - and the exciting part - well, for me - is beginning: organizing!

Surprise! WE'RE MOVING!!

Nick and I have found ourselves on a lightning-fast search for a place for us to really settle some roots, and our good karma has landed right back in our lap - we've found ourselves a beautiful 2-bedroom open-concept apartment, just outside of downtown Brampton!  Hardwood floors throughout the entire apartment, kitchen with new appliances, and closet space galore!   (Plenty of room for all those shoes, my father would say!)   We'll be setting up the second bedroom as a workspace/music studio that both Nick and I can share, where I can be surrounded and inspired by a menagerie of musical instruments, and Nick can finally have the space he's always wanted to make his music flourish!  

I haven't any pictures right now of this beautiful space, but certainly will very soon!  My 365-Make n' Tell Challenges will mostly be revolved around decorating our little piece of planet Earth we call home, as well as organizing my jewelry workspace, while incorporating a shared space with Nick and his home studio for music recording.

Oh man, is he good.  I might be slightly biased, and I don't care; I know talent when I see it!  I know I show off enough with my own stuff all over this blog, so here's a chance to show off the love of my life doing what he loves to do in life!  This is Nick in his former band, Dali Circus, and a little taste of his guitar prowess. 




'Butterfly fingers', no?

See you in the new place!