Guest Blogger {Vanilla Bean}

First up on my special double guest blogger weekend is Ellie from Vanilla Bean Crafts!!!

I posted hers today because she is haveing her FIRST linky party tomorrow and I wanted make sure you all had enough notice to get something together to link up!

But back to her post...

I can't even believe her craft room, if it was possible to steal a room, I would. 

Gorgeous. 

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Thanks so much to Michelle for having me come visit today!  I'm so very excited to share with you all on this very blessed Father's Day Weekend!  But let's take a few minutes away from the stinky boys in our lives, shall we? 

I spent the last few weeks putting a craft room together in our extra room downstairs.  It started out as an office, but after the Mr. said I could "do whatever" I wanted with it, (words he'll likely regret!)  it quickly turned into a craft room for me and the girls!  I thought today while visiting you all, I could do the big reveal and give a couple helpful organization and decor tips!

First off, I just have to brag that everything in the room we already had, except for two major pieces. . . the craft table (garage sale finds for only 5 bucks each) and the shelves in the closet area, which we purchased pre-made at walmart.  We sanded, repainted and connected the tables and I mod podged some great fabric on top to unify them.  Everything else we stole from other rooms of the house, or pulled out from storage, so the whole room came together for under 100 bucks!

(don't mind the cable hanging in the corner!  That's where Mr. is hanging a TV for me and the girls!)

I feel like I finally have the "bones" of what I want it to be, but I definitely still have some big plans for the decor and wall art!  I have several things started, but I just need to finish painting them. The great thing about craft supplies is that they're usually so very colorful and make great decor!  Use it to your advantage!

These flowers are ones that I'm about to make bridal hair pieces out of, but why not use them to brighten up my room in the meantime?  Buttons, ribbons, craft scissors, and markers are so colorful and really brighten up the space!

Decorate with books!  So many have colorful colors, but nothing beats the classics in my opinion!  Stack them up, or simply lean!

Keep inspiration all around you!  I keep a quilted corkboard up above my desk so that I can keep cute ideas I see right in front of me for inspiration, as well as home decor magazines I can grab for ideas!

Surround yourself with things you love and that are meaningful!  The hat box on top was from my papa, but when it fell apart, I had to redo it so I could keep it close to me.  It's also great storage space!  The photos are of my mama around my age, and of a piece of quilt she hand sewed back in 1934!  She was the one who first taught me how to sew.  The antique sewing machine was her mother's and she passed it down to me.

 Organize, organize, organize!  I had crafty stuff stashed all over our house, (one the Mr's major complaints!) so I really had to take some time to get myself organized! The thing that was most frustrating to me when I was trying to do projects was that I had things spread all over and could never find what I needed!  Things took me five times longer to finish!  To begin organizing your stuff, honestly, the easiest way is to pull everything out and start separating.  Keep like with like...sewing with sewing, painting with painting, etc.  This way you'll have a good idea of how much space you'll need for certain supplies.  After you have your piles, start finding homes for everything and then get your labeling on!! 

 I'm sure a lot of you have labelmakers, and truly, I love them, but I prefer to use decorative labels that I don't have to really stick on there.   I dont' want any hassel later if I decide to change things up!  These ones are simple print outs from Tip Junkie and I stuck them on there with a little tape.  If I change containers, or decor color, I can simply pull them off and exchange!
The last little thing I have to finish is this amazing stencil I found at JoAnn's!  I started it a while ago, but got sidetracked by trying to put the rest of the room together.  It's definitlely on my list of things to do this week!  Sorry, but I'll just have to show you guys that later!  I plan to do the whole wall behind my desk where the window is!

I hope you all enjoyed the big reveal today!  Thanks so much for letting me share!  C'mon over to visit us anytime!  Today we're hosting our "Show off Sunday" Link party!  Why don't you link up and do a big reveal of your own!

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Seriously amazing right?!!

Here are some more awesome crafts!!!

{Adorable Cake Pops}

 

{Beach Cottage Shell Mirror}

 

{"Save my Dress" Pillow}

  

Make sure you go check out Vanilla Bean Girls and enter their first linky party!!! And become a follower!!