Day #2 ~ Getting Organized Challenge

Today’s A Bowl Full of Lemons’ organization challenge was to clean up our computer desks (top only).  Since our home computer resides on what is technically my husband Dave’s desk (I get a drawer), I’m going to take this opportunity to organize my sewing desk top – which badly needs it:

I recently organized most of the drawer contents, so I’m in good shape there.  Wouldn’t you know it but the top looks like a craft/sewing/upholstery/office/random junk explosion?  Leftovers and in-progress work from several projects are on top:

• Refinished ReStore Chairs – leftover foam from the seats
• Scarflette knitting
• Dave’s pants that need a hem redone
• Scraps from the first Project Toddler Runway challenge – The Shirt Off Your Back (I swapped these out for a different fabric before taking a picture so there’s no spoilers!!)
• Rag doll bunny – Sophie chewed on one of it’s poor ears and I need to repair it.
• Molly dolly – she’s getting a makeover

Adding to the clutter, but in a really good way, are Jane and Nina.  Jane is my Janome Memory Craft 9700 sewing maching that I got earlier this year after selling my motorcycle.  Nina is the new girl in school – a Bernina 8700DL serger that my wonderful husband got me for Christmas.  Jane usually gets slid to the back under her cover, but she’s been in nearly constant use of late so she’s up front and center.  Nina still hasn’t found a permanent placement, but she definitely needs to be ready for action ‘cuz she’s a workhorse!  Thinking I might add a small side table for her, but it can’t interfere with the drawers below – we’ll have to work on that.

So, I cleared everything off, cleaned the surface, and swapped out the lamp for the one in my husband’s office.  This is a bit of a catch-22 decision because I like the warm light of the old one, but it was horrible for task lighting and the base and shade took up a lot of space.  Jane’s cover got stashed behind one of the drawer bases.

The little drawer organizer was at the top of my linen closet with only a couple of things in it, so it made the trip to the dining room my craft room.  You’ll notice one of the drawers is labled “Jennuine Design” – that’s my Etsy shop which is still in the works.  Inside are my business card bookmarks, fabric labels and some paper stuff.  Still need to work on products for the shop – some of that is in the next section.

This photo shows my “To Do Bin”, or “In Progress Bin”.  The dolls on top all need repair or overhaul of some form, there are some bibs slated for my Jennuine Design Etsy shop, and the pair of pants for Dave that need to be rehemmed.   The dolly in the middle was my Baby Beans doll that Arden LOVES, but she’s spilling the beans everywhere.  I think I’m going to try to just make her a whole new body.

The final bin is a little galvanized pail stuffed with yarn and other knitting stuff.  These were part of our wedding decor, and they sure have come in handy over the years.  We have dog stuff, flowers, bathroom stuff, etc. organized in them.

Definitely a whole lot better, and I really did put away all the rest of the junk that shouldn’t have been on there with the exception of the foam.  I think I can use that in another project, but I’m not sure.  So it’ll probably hang out on the dining room table until inspiration strikes, or I get tired of looking at it.