My VERY messy craft studio and my attempts to clean it

 I know I’ve done a lot of tidying posts in the past. But let’s just say it doesn’t stay neat forever, especially when you are a “messy creative.” So this post contains lots of funny lists, humorous photos, and a few tips. 

Here are the before photos. (May effect photosensitive viewers, neat freaks, and most of humanity.)

So, not great. 

As always, I start by grabbing a drink and blaring some music. (Skillet for the win!) 

Let’s see. . . Where to start? Bedside table could use some work. 

Here’s the junk I found. (Keep in mind, this is only on the surface. I haven’t even opened that drawer!!) 

Lamp

Sign

Notebooks

Journals

Devotional

Necklace

Empty drink cans 

Scarily huge scissors (#life of the crafter)

Packs of dried flowers

Charm bracelet

Sparkly pop-poms

Ten balls of crumpled tape. 

I’m going to need a bigger trash bag. 

Ok, finally it’s all put away. Jewelry in their box, tape in the trash bag, scissors in my hand-painted mason jar. 

But I see a beast looming ahead. As terrifying as Grendel’s mother. Yet I am the victorious Beowulf, riding forth to face the foe! 

In other words, I should probably clean my desk. 

Guess what I found! (Cover the children’s ears.) 

A tape dispenser 

A painting 

Feathers 

Collage paper 

Sequins 

Unicorn craft gems (a present for my cousins for when I go to babysit!) 

Craft beads 

Ribbon 

An awesome (if I do say so myself) sketch of the Eiffel Tower 

Scraps of paper 

A hair covered stack of printer paper (where did the hair come from???)

Shakespeare’s Sonnets 

Clear beads 

A craft book 

About twenty notebooks 

Gem stickers (another part of the present for my cousins) 

A strand of crumpled tape

A short story I’m writing 

A book about the Beatles (my Grandma’s favorite) ooops I just dropped it behind the desk-clumsy me! I’ll just wait for some backup ❤️🤪👍

Another book (this time I managed not to drop it) 

 A CD and my headphones - yeah that would be bad to drop! 

A book I’m writing! (You might get a sneak preview later!) 

A cork from France 

All the pens ever created 

A Christmas gift 

Plastic wrap (you never know when you’re going to need plastic wrap!) 

A rat (just a sketch DON’T WORRY!) 

And for the grand finale - a ball of hair the size of my fist. No lie. 

Here’s a picture of the hairball for those of you who want to see it and who do not have a sensitive stomach. 

Yeah, that is not craftable. 

I don’t know how I did it. I must be magical. I must have crazy superhero powers. I must be my mom. Because I managed to clean that desk and not throw up at the sight of the hair ball. Yes, I really must be my mom. ‘Cause she is amazing. Seriously. Take this moment to thank your parents for being so amazing. 

Let’s tackle this corner of my floor. Keep in mind that this is only a corner. It is surprising how much stuff three feet can accumulate. 

20 or so Christmas Gifts I’ve wrapped for the family

Some airport tags 

A paper towel roll (they are extremely craftable)

A scarf (I’ve been looking for that!!)

A bag 

A gray plastic bag 

Some cat pictures (and I don’t have a cat, so what on earth?)

A homemade Christmas ornament (of course my ornaments are homemade! Take a look at the title of this blog again, ok?)

A jacket (hey, I like that jacket! 😉😉)

A garbage bag (I could use that!) 

And lastly, a Christmas tree. Yes. A Christmas tree. 

Now that that’s all tidied, I can move onto the next corner. Do you want another stuff list? I know you do. 

The Hobbit (a work of literature that belongs right where it is, on the floor. Sorry, not a Tolkien fan.) 

A craft box 

An encyclopedia

HG Wells (who definitely doesn’t belong on the floor. I love HG Wells, especially the Invisible Man. Relate?)

Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (how could I misplace a book that weighs a ton?)

Empty ziplock bags (what a waste. Don’t worry gals, I’ll craft you later.) 

A bag from Europe (a plastic bag, that is)

Another plastic bag from Europe (are you sensing a theme?)

Tissue paper 

A trash can, which would come in handy right about now if it wasn’t chock full of craft trash already! (Making a mental note to take it out later, that is, after I craft) 

A belt

A single flip flop 

A single sock (which would go great with my single flip flop. I can smell a trend!)

Wow, I didn’t realize how much of a workout tidying the floor while typing and drinking water is! 

Oh dear. Oh no. The dreaded craft table. Prepare for a list the likes of which you have never seen. I hope you have an hour or so on your hands to scroll aimlessly through my disjointed ramblings. Oh you do? Awesome, keep scrolling! 

Two permanent markers (I seriously can’t believe there’s only two🤣)

A visual art journal (that you shall soon see in a future post, if you stick around. Though by now you’re probably scared of me ‘cause of these lists. And the hair ball. Don’t forget the hair ball.)

A pen (more like a thousand pens) 

Ephemera from an Italian restaurant in Paris

Yayoi Kusama themed washi tapes (cause, I mean, Yayoi Kusama is awesome. Google her right now and you won’t be disappointed!) 

More airport ephemera 

Three pairs of scissors (not even a seasoned crafter needs three pairs of scissors!)

Paper towel

Homemade clay stamps 

Mini comb covered in metallic paints (# keeping it!) 

Glue stick 

Lozenge wrapper (hey, craft supplies!)

My plastic bag stamp 

Month old cup of water (might be useful!) 

Watercolors 

Crushed party hats 

Birthday candles (from a birthday that happened a month ago!)

Four birthday cards and envelopes 

Awesome tissue paper that I am 100 percent keeping. (I’m totally NOT a hoarder!) 

A dried rose petal (also keeping. This decluttering process is going great!) 

A note from a Church in Paris that we visited 

A Rodin postcard 

A plastic bag 

A plastic bag 

A plastic bag

By now, you’re probably thinking “there can’t possibly be more!” 

Everything is possible with God. 

Ahh just spilled the water need paper towel now!   

Ooof, all good. 

Anyway. . . 

A few more scissors 

Tickets 

Origami paper 

Hand painted Nativity Set 

And that’s one half cleared! 

There’s the collage paper I moved from my desk to my craft table (hehe) 

A picture of the Eiffel Tower that might be bigger than the actual thing 

A Batman postcard (as if the Tolkien wasn’t bad enough 

A huge bag of supplies I’m afraid to look in

And a pile of stuff I slowly slid under my bed 

Ok that’s enough for today. 

Are you still there? Really? And you’re not convulsing on the floor, jumping out with an ax yelling “here’s Johnny!” or pulling a Sixth Sense saying “I see dead people?” No? You’re one of the lucky ones.