Workroom |

Updates & Wrapping Station in the Craft Room

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Amy

So last summer, with help from Terry, I made over a room in my parent’s basement as a birthday gift for my Mother.

This is her new craft/sewing/project/wrapping room.

{Read the full “after” post HERE}

Up until a few weeks ago, the ‘wrapping’ part wasn’t working so well for her since I never finished that part of the project! My sweet Dad has been hard at work building her a custom wrapping paper holder for her special room. He designed and built it all himself and I was able to take some pictures during my last visit.

I didn’t get any in progress pictures so I can’t offer a tutorial, but he worked off my very clear– I am sure– instructions to just “build a square the size of the wrapping paper rolls then drill holes so we can run dowels across it. (The dowels I had purchased at Michael’s).

He ran with it and even added the beadboard to the back and finished everything off nicely. One trick he came up with was cutting the dowels down to about 6 inches for each side so they don’t actually run the full length of the roll. They still hold the wrapping level, but if she needs to replace a roll she just pulls from one side rather then threading the dowel through the whole roll, they say it’s much easier.

He also hung a new ironing board for her. I purchased the fun cover for her HERE last summer.

We are still working on covering a separate table to wrap on to go under the wrapping station but I think she is still enjoying her room, and that makes me so happy

Thanks for stopping by!

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Posted in Home Inspiration, Organization, Projects & Printables, Real Spaces | Tagged beadboard, Craft Room, diy, gift wrap, organization, projects, workroom, wrapping station | 1 Comment

DIY Wall/Project Stencil

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Amy

There are tons of fabulous stenciled wall ideas out there right now, and an abundance of wall stencils available for purchase. I searched everywhere for a stencil to match a vision in my head for this nook in my Mom’s workroom {see the whole room HERE}, but just couldn’t see paying $40+ (with shipping) for such a small space.

So, I decided I didn’t have much to lose, and figured I could at least try to make my own. While I was waiting for the workroom paint to be mixed at Benjamin Moore, I saw these heavy duty sheets of paper (I think they are designed for sampling paint?). They were like a plastic poster board and cost just $3.95. I grabbed one, thinking at that price it couldn’t hurt to try it. And, I figured if it worked, I wouldn’t have to wait for a stencil to be shipped as our time in town to work on the project was getting tight.

It worked out GREAT.

First I printed an image off my computer. To make it the size I wanted, I drew beyond what printed out on 8.5×11 paper freehand, which worked out fine. FYI: You will want to chose a very simple design if you try to make your own, or you will drive yourself nuts cutting it out.

Using an exacto knife, I cut the image out with the print as a guide on the top of the plastic posterboard. I found I had to turn it over are re-cut from the bottom in order to cut all the way through the thick vinyl. I found it cut best if you used the knife at an angle instead of straight on. Go slowly, and be very, very careful.

Then I (or I should say Terry) stenciled the space just as you would with a ready-made stencil.

Because I only used half the posterboard (so actually the cost is about $2 a stencil! bargain I used the leftover to create a design for this little pot I have had forever, and to use as a second example.

I used the same technique, printing off a design, then overlaying it on the plastic/paper and cutting it out.

While this isn’t 100% perfect, the little pot is so much more interesting now? And the design possiblities are endless.

Have you stenciled anything creative lately?

Thanks for stopping by!

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Posted in Crafts, DIY, Projects & Printables | Tagged Craft, Craft Room, diy, paint, stencil, workroom | 11 Comments

Workroom/Craft Room Reveal!

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Amy

After another quick two day trip to my Mom’s, her birthday present workroom makeover (click to view the back story) is complete! Well, almost complete–the wrapping station was finished up after I headed home, as well as the installation of the ironing area, but its come a long way. I will photograph those final additions on my next trip and hopefully show you next week.

Here is the "in progress" picture

This is by far my favorite room makeover I have ever done, the hardest part was keeping my Mom away from the room the last few days so she could enjoy the surprise of the final reveal.

Seeing this look on her face was worth all the work that went into her room.

I could never have done this without Terry’s help, she was my partner in hauling bookcases from IKEA, figuring out furniture placement, and tirelessly stenciling the inset wall. Not to mention her cute photostyling ideas and photography. My Dad was a trooper through all this, I am not sure he expected this would be this elaborate of a makeover when my Mom and I started talking about it! While he managed to disappear during “Stage One” on a fishing trip, when he returned he built her the wrapping station, and hired an electrician to install a fixture and hang her new chandelier.

Just as a reminder, here are the BEFORE’s of the work/craft/storage/sewing/ironing room.

And…BIG DRUMROLL…. here are the AFTER’s….

These sillouettes were done when my brother and I were in preschool (they are just the “trace-the-shadow-on-the -paper” using an overhead projector kind!) and I found them in the room and had to use them. Terry helped me cover an artist’s canvas and just glued them on. Despite their age, I love that they have sentimental value to my Mom, and her grown kids are still on display!

The room is filled with repurposed favorites, the white chair was part of my grandmother’s dining set. With a little paint, new matching fabric and a vinyl monogram it took on a whole new life. The fabric covering on the table once was my daughter’s window treatment in her baby nursery.

Inexpensive IKEA storage boxes and baskets hide all the decor, sewing materials and other supplies she keeps in the room. My Mom has an entire collection (dating from the early 90′s) of Victoria Magazine, it’s now neatly organized in IKEA magazine holders.

The stenciled wall is probably my favorite thing. The DIY stencil {instructions HERE} cost $3.95 to make and was exactly the look I wanted in the niche.