Oh. My. Ga.

Feast your eyes my peeps. That's right. And as soon as you've picked yourself up off the floor like I had to and/or wiped up the drool from your keyboard, get into the lotus position, take very deep breaths, and pray to the Goddess of Divine Simplicity Yet Color-Coordinated and Totally Inspiring Arts and Crafts Supplies. Kind of a long title for a Goddess, I know. You may be so moved as to make a sacrificial offering such as an unopened bag of Ruffles, but of course that remains up to you. Have a few tissues handy though, because no doubt this image will bring a few tears to your eyes. It's seriously so simple and beautiful, it's almost artwork in itself.

I found this image on Apartment Therapy (main site). It was originally part of a cool and funky home tour, which you can see if you click here. You can take the whole tour by rooms or you can see it by thumbnails (there are 36) - the arts & crafts displays are toward the end, and they are all amazingly impeccable. *photo credits Kristen Lubbe

Back to the real world. The world I happen to live in. It's a great world most of the time, don't get me wrong. The above armoire is where I keep most of my arts & craft supplies (in my tiny dining room). And I love my armoire, but I get frustrated having to share the inside space with other things such as kitchen linens, large pillows I've yet to make covers for, my bulky canvases, mailing boxes, blah, blah, blah.

See what I mean? Nuff said.

And my desk with all my Prismacolors sits exactly across the room from the armoire, in the living room. Not too bad really, but still spread apart. Not to mention all the rest of my craft boxes, and all my wrapping paper, is in the garage (yes, my black widow-infested garage which I've spoken of so lovingly in past posts). That, I admit, throws a wrench in the works a lot of times. I've been known to have some whine with my cheese over it.

So let's review. This is nirvana.

This is my life.

Nirvana.

Me.

But enough of that! I almost can't stand it, because I have something else to show you. A really neat surprise you're going to LOVE. Something WAY COOL.

Okay get ready for your eyeballs to pop out Roger Rabbit style. This is Japanese masking tape now available in the U.S. It's from a company called Happytape. This photo here features Apricot Bubbles, but look in the freaking background! And that's not even remotely all the colors and patterns they offer either! Not even close!
So stick your eyeballs back into your head. Now if that wasn't enough to blow your mind, look at this too-cool-for-words 2-pack of decorative packing tape from TapeSwell! STOP IT ALREADY! UNCLE! And this is just the tip of the iceberg - you seriously have to go to the site yourself just to see all their way cool stuff. No, seriously. SERIOUSLY.

Well, I hope you've been inspired. Happy Friday!

Bedroom Bookshelves Project

Remember a teaser a few posts ago? About a project I had coming up? Well, the time has come. And if I don't post these pictures now for everyone to see (oh the shame!), I'll never get this project finished. It has me completely paralyzed. I don't even know why, but it does. So......

This is my bedroom wall, opposite the Red Bed. I have this lovely little armoire, you see. It has glass panes all down the front and even on both sides, so you can see my quilts and textiles. 
Bright Mexican blankets, Pendelton trade blankets, wedding quilts from my mother and my mother-in-law, cherished baby blankets of our own boys - some stitched lovingly by hand from dear friends, cheerful old quilts and textiles I have collected and kept over the years, even my grade school sleeping bag that I cannot part with. Favorite fabrics, sweet embroidery pieces stitched by inexperienced hands... all of it is here in my lovely little armoire. 
I love waking up each morning and seeing all the cheerful color peeking out at me. It's one of the first things I see every day. It makes me so very happy. The problem is........
THIS IS THE REST OF WHAT I WAKE UP TO! WHAT A MESS!

My poor armoire is being drowned on both sides by looming bookshelves gone wrong! Seeing all this first thing as I wake up makes me want to hide from the day. I am an "everything in it's place" person, not a "just throw it on the shelf" person. Metal initials, leather boxes, a sewing box that lost it's twin, magazines hanging around that haven't even been cataloged(!). It's enough to make my brain explode. And I'm glad you can't see the half inch of dust on top of everything.
My backpack from Europe, stashed up there when we arrived home SEVEN MONTHS AGO. Bags of linens from Europe that are still sitting there. Linens! And underneath them are books my sly college son no longer needed and tried to hide while home during Christmas break. Let's see... pants I need to donate, a lone frisbee (?), some CD's, room freshener, years & years of photo albums no one even realizes are there, kitchen counter spray that somehow ended up in my bedroom (?)... blah, blah, blah. You get the idea. Say it! The "C" word! CLUTTER! UGH! 

(Moment of silence please. I'm still grieving the folding of Country Home Magazine) 

All my magazines need to be re-labled so the tops can be kept clean. Yes, you heard me correctly. No, I'm not freaking insane. I just like things how I like things. I went to Ikea and purchased new holders for them too. These have served me well for years, but it's finally time to recycle them. Especially after the time our ceiling leaked and it rained INSIDE the house and soaked them all... they never quite recovered. I haven't either. 

As you can see... I've got my work cut out for me. I will have to save the world another time.