Paper and Ribbons and Mess...oh, my!

So today we have to write about ... nothing! ?

More specifically, we have to find something to write about, that may seem mundane, but see if we can find an interesting angle for a blog post.

Okay, I can try that... 

So, THIS is my work-space! No, really! It is supposed to be a dining room table... half is covered with J's Warhammer models, in various states of assembly. The other half is my work-space.  Great, isn't it?

My stuff is stored on shelves, in boxes and heaps in the laundry room! I used to work in there, but we had a new boiler, which stole 1/3 of my shelf space, then I got involved in book-binding and scrapping, neither of which would fit on the tiny piece of worktop available.  So for about a year now, I have been bringing things out in boxes, lining them up on the dining room shelf - sorry, sofa - and taking over the table.

It's amazing that I can create anything at all in this mess, but somehow I do.  Stuff that makes me really proud of myself at times too! 

So this morning's delights... a cute little chip-covered mini scrapbook, with 8 double-sided pages, all covered with Christmas papers. I love it. It's fastened with a book-ring, embellished with ribbons and a little dangly-thing made from punched circles, glossy accents and glittery silver embroidery thread.  I cut some Christmas words from the same papers and have put them in a little bag, to be used inside the book. 

I'd love to put this in my shop, but it's destined for something rather special - a Christmas promotion by my Team on Etsy.  The Bookbinding Etsy Street Team (BEST) are having an event from 27th November, where purchases over $10 are rewarded with a "ticket" for a draw to win a goodie basket, to which BEST team members are contributing.  Each $10 will get a ticket, with an extra ticket for a mention of the team at the time of purchase.

Seems like a good deal to me, so I've made the little mini-album and also a pack of my ribbon flowers:-

So you get a sneak preview, as I've only finished these this morning and they're about to be posted off...
I think I will make another of the mini-albums, or even two - one with different papers. It was fun to make, though I could do with a die-cutter - all those circles were cut by hand... as were the pieces I used to make some "patchwork" style pages. A lot of work, which a die-cutter could have saved time on. Must start my Christmas list.... but that's for another day!

To return to the MESS! As I mentioned yesterday, we're in the middle of a Project, to  move round various rooms, since we got a nice new bedroom extension for me and D. J will have our old bedroom and his Warhammer mess will go there with him - yay!  So, his old bedroom will be empty... how nice, we can have a "spare room". 

Ah, but my wonderful husband suggested I should have it as a work room. Of course, he has had to tolerate regular table-takeovers in the last year (and sometimes before) and I should think he is pretty tired of the mess downstairs. Still, it is very nice of him to suggest it.  We will put a sofa-bed in there, for guests, but after all, what is the point of a "spare room" that gets used just a handful of times a year, while we struggle for space downstairs?

So just now I am poring over the Ikea catalogue and sneaking in there with the tape measure... we still have to move J out of there, so I can't start yet, but when I do, it will be my very own Project and I will be happy, happy!

So, you see, soon it will all be organised into storage and I will have my very own desk.  So the Paper and Ribbons will remain, but the Mess will be no more!