More than a few Boomdeeadda visitors have commented or wondered where I manage to store what seems like an endless supply of scrapbook ‘stuff’. Mr B sometimes wonders too. Heck, he may even think I have too much 😀 I don’t know about you, but I prefer to have all the little bits and bobs hidden out of view. Small box’s from The Dollar Store or something I find on sale, like these aqua shoe box’s ($3.99 each) are useful. Even better, a pretty decorative keepsake box like this one. It contained fab gifts from Alys. Bonus, it’s not only functional, I’m reminded of her generous and lovely nature every time I use it.
If you’re a regular visitor here (BTW, thanks so much), you’ve probably come with me to the Antique Mall more than once. It’s easy to pickup a pretty sugar bowl on the cheap when the creamer has been broken by some ‘butter-fingered’ klutz (GUILTY) or a vintage planter, once celebrating the arrival of a baby. Vintage vases, candy dishes and even the odd glass egg cup all beg to come home with me and join the hodgepodge party. I simply fancy working around pretty things when I’m working on pretty things :D. I’m just silly-happy and I think, more creative in this environment. It’s like baking in a fabulous kitchen, it just tastes better. Do you find that too?
Hey now, I’ve gotta be honest or as Dr Phil says, “let’s get real people”. Sometimes things go off the rails. It might even get right out of control (Martha wanna-be’s, overt your eyes). Yowzer, not so pretty hey? Nor functional.
Then I spotted an item on Pinterest. A ‘RASKOG‘ !!!! A RASK-what (said Petals) ??? Well, I quickly got ‘The B Team’ together to develop a plan of attack.
Blossum demanded the Instructions, pointed out the important parts and supervised.
Blossum is a little bossy at times, but I love her 😀
Then she got sidetracked when Petals went to her new office.
Why the RASKOG you ask? Or, “Varför Raskog?” As they say in the homeland. Do any of you regulars know the answer to this ancient Swedish mystery?
Because it’s a colour to die for !!! Right? I mean, it matches EVERYTHING in my craft room right down to my custom painted craft room chair !! Wait, am I using too many exclamations !?
Besides that, it’s got three levels and easily moves around your workspace. Look at all the gear it holds right at my crafty finger tips.
I love it so much but hey, I’m not always an organizing ‘Diva’. This is how I corral all the crafty bits I’m using on a current project. A recycled piece of cardboard moves around my workspace easily too.
Either way, if you find your creative space is getting a wee bit out-of-control there’s a ton of inexpensive or free solutions to get you right back on track. ((( Alys ))) made me this little lantern, I think it says it well.
Good Job Team ! Team?
Boomdeeadda 
Love your set-up and cart! Great post!
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Thanks so much Miss Marzipan! It’s absolutely awesome really. I’m thinking of getting a second one. They don’t take up much room. I saw someone on Pinterest was using it as a bar…really cute. It’s fun to be organized but even more fun to use stuff you really love to do it. Cheers!
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Congratulations on your Good Neighbor nomination! 🙂 I’m glad I found your blog, it’s fantastic! 🙂
~Jen
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Thanks so much for the cheer, and you as well. So nice of Katherine to make introductions 😀 Looking forward to popping over.
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Hi neighbor, congratulations on your nomination. Enjoy the first week of Autumn.
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Well hello there DeDivah, thanks for coming over to Boomtown. I love the weather we’re having. Sunny days but cool nights. My favourite.
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Wow. Beautiful. Don’t let my hubby see this. He’ll expect far more from me! ;o)
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Thanks for your cheer. My hubby wouldn’t say if it’s not tidy but he does make a nice comment when the house is spit-spot, so I know he appreciates it. I’m a bit addicted to tidiness and The Container store is like crack for me. LOL
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I’m glad the cats helped you so much. It does all look very pretty. I agree, it’s easier to be creative if you feel comfortable with how things are – otherwise it’s distracting and you can’t focus.
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Snort…. helpful cats…..those aren’t two words you hear together often, LOL. I like to make-believe they are anyways 😀 I do actually love it in the craft room, even if I lose focus often. I’ll pass a journal and pop it open to read or update. Then, “oh, ya bought this magazine last week, better read it”. No worries though, I’m usually not rushed. It’s like being on perpetual recess, HA!
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You are beautifully organized! I’m more utilitarian, put bags of stuff under the bed. File cabinets, etc.
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Oh hey, this is ‘Day 1’, LOL 😀 Eventually, all the efforts go out the window and I start again. I don’t store anything under the bed though, it’d be covered in cat hair toot-sweet. 😀
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Now that makes more sense! I organize my heart out, and soon, its is beyond repair and I have to start over again. 🙂
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Very cute and funny!! : )))
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Thank you, they make for easy entertainment these Diva’s HA. Hey, BTW I came by way of Pauline at ‘The Contented Crafter’. She’s so adorable.
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Totally agree! : )))
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Wow just let the moggie in five minutes and you will not be organised 🙂 looks lovely x
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LOL, I have two fur balls and that’s all I can manage for now thanks a bunch!
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Even your orgainzing is scrapbook amazing looking! I just got some scrap book stickers form the dollar store as I am gonna take a crack at it again soon, could definetly learn something from you! 🙂
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You’re the sweetest Lea. Thanks for your message. I bet your scrapbook will be adorable. Look at all the cuteness you’re starting with, little Kirby is irresistible. Good luck. I’ll watch for something 😀
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Your craft room is the stuff dreams are made of. I have a craft cupboard… and everything is jammed in. Organized for me, boobie-trapped for everyone else! I love how Blossum lent you a helping paw, you really couldn’t have done it without her right!
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HA, bobbie-trapped….made me laugh Kathryn. Thanks for your message. Now I need to lock myself in there and get-et-done. Blossum would rather you give her tummy rubs and attention all and some days are just that. She’s actually adorable and chubby too..bad mom.
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Hi Boomdee- I have cool things stashed all over my house! Many inherited from my Aunt Thelma, a woman of fabulous taste. Unfortunately for me, my creative impulse only works when I can SEE all the bits and pieces…much to my hubby’s sadness. I’m thinking of buying 3 or 4 work tables on casters, that I can move around to different configurations – of course I need to build the house that they go in first. Could be a while! I think for now I will just go buy some more boxes 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!
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I wish I had an Aunt Thelma, we didn’t inherit a thing. I guess in a way that’s ok, I can collect what I like. Your table idea sounds handy. I like the idea of reconfiguring the workspace when desired. I saw an idea on Pinterest for a portable island. They took two dressers, painted to compliment the kitchen, put on casters and then put them back to back. Then it had one common countertop of granite installed. I’m going to put ‘everything’ on castors when we have a house. Thanks for cheering me on. Re: more boxes……Ikea had some nice clear ones that came in different sizes and all stacked neatly together….caught my eye. But you probably need an OLD wooden Cola Box or Orange Crate to fit in with all your awesome decor 😀
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Boomie, I have a whole closet full from top to bottom of supplies. I am going to be selling it all very cheap probably in the next week or so…how sad is that. I can’t go into the why right now but a necessity.
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Good Luck with your sale. Sounds like a big deal. I’ve been to a couple of ‘Garage Sales’ at scrap stores. They’re a big hit, so you might do well. Thanks for coming by 😀
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So apparently I composed a response to this delightful post entirely in my head.
What? You don’t read minds?
90909090909090
Oh those 9090..s are from Slinky walking across my keyboard. She wanted to say hello to the other black kitties on this post.
Where do I start. I L.O.V.E. that cart. You’ve assembled it well and lived to tell the tale. How thoughtful of them to create a functional, adorable cart in your favorite color. I love your craft room. Every little detail is lovingly placed (even Petals and Blossum on their hand made bed). Those two are the cutest.
So I have a special favor to ask. Will you give us a virtual tour of your room? I would love to see how it all flows together. It is a work of art in itself.
Perfectly lovely in every way, just like you.
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😀 Hi cousin Slinky (Blossum is waving, Petals meowed something then ran away) ! Your typing skills are superb with those cute little toes dancing across the keyboard 😀 xoxox
The cart seemed to come together pretty well. I did have to get out the drill my dad gave me 20 years ago and make one of the holes slightly bigger as it wouldn’t accept a screw. Call me handy 😀 but don’t call me late for Ellen, LOL
A virtual tour you say? Can do, can do. I’ll wait till our bed is out of the way. We’re in there now because of the A/C. I don’t know about ‘flow’…LOL. I just have to ‘make due’ here until I can really have my very own place with drawers, an Island I hope and shelving.
Thanks for all your generous comments……<3 feeling loved in every way! xoK
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Call me handy but don’t call me late for Ellen…LOL!
Okay, I’ll wait for the tour. I’m excited…
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Well … I don’t have a craft room … and I’m not real crafty anymore (guess that’s why I don’t have a room – ha!!). BUT I used to be and if I get back into it, I’ll have you to guide me. I do have an office that needs organization … maybe I’ll work on that! Oh who am I kidding? I’ve had that on my to do list for 2 years! love the colors in your room and I’d love to explore it!
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I think crafting could be a number of things that are creative, like your photographs. Every composition is carefully crafted by your artistic eye. The beauty is, you don’t need a ton of stuff to create something to share, just a little ol’ camera or these days your phone.
I never made time for it when I was working either. I’ve always loved organizing stuff. We rent a storage locker and honestly, I can pretty easily find stuff. One day the next locker was open and they were adding stuff and OMGosh…what a disaster. That would make me crazy. I can spend an hour in the container store on a holiday..LOL. They aren’t in Canada but I’d totally work there. They have great office stuff if you ever do get the urge to attack your office. Then again, I worked with a Lawyer who’s office was pretty insane ‘looking’, with stacks of stuff everywhere. He knew exactly where things were when he wanted it. Maybe that’s OK too.
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I love all of it!! I love that ikea cart. I was eyeing one at homesense this summer but it was wayyy overpriced. I am sure it is gone now. I love that you have a table cloth over your work table. Details, details!! it is so much better to work in a space that is pretty I agree!! I should go take a picture of my craftroom its clean for the next five minutes and the next 5 minutes only.
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Carpe Diem no doubt. The only time my craftroom is this spotless is when I buy something new, ha. It’s a financial conundrum being organized 😀 I think I saw those at Homesense too…99.99 or something there’s about? This one is 1/2 of that. I found someone on Pinterest that’s using it as a bar….awesome! We could have Martini’s and craft…hehe. Thanks for your delightful visit, do take some photo’s and include those kitties of yours……if infact they weren’t hired actors for that post…LOL 😀
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That’s so true of any room in the house for me!! Terrible! What a steel for that cart. The one at homesense was more than 200$. I didn’t think there was much in there more than that. Whoa! Just talking about homesense makes me want to go there. *sigh* haha
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My sweet Petals!! I miss you and I am so excited that you will be here again soon! I can’t wait to see you. I love seeing all the photos of your crafting room-you know how jealous I am that you have one! Everything is so cute, and organized (or hidden away) I have been working hard organizing my office and other spaces around the house to try and find more room for more crafting stuff (I have a ton-shh, Don’t tell my Mr. B!) You inspire me and I can’t wait to shop with you again soon. Love your team-they are the cutest!!! Love and hugs!!!!!!!!!!XOXOXOXOXOXO
Betsy
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Betsy xoox! I’m counting the days and can’t wait to spend some time together brunching and/or shopping. Lucky, lucky me to be invited back. It’s not a big space but it’s just for me and I just love hanging there with ‘The Team’. They are kinda cute, hey…hehe. Although Petals is a wacko sometimes, she’s cute too when she sleeps LOL. Thanks for your BE-autiful message, good luck with your organizing project! Hit the antique mall for something fun and unique, it gets me in the mood. xoxo ❤ K see you soon!
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Those colors just make me smile! 🙂
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Thanks Katherine, it’s like being at the beach everyday! 😀
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Oh I love love love your craftiness playroom! All that aqua and all those bits and pieces of fun finery everywhere! I bet you know where EVERYTHING is all the time too. Your new little rolling trays – VERY nice and VERY handy. I would think that when the cats get access to your domain it could be a bit – well – SCARY with little paws reaching into little containers of treasures!!!! Wonderful world you have there – I’d be crafty to the max just like you are with all those fun things around me.
Hugs, Pam
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Thanks for visiting the newly ‘organized’ crafty zone Pam and no while I don’t always KNOW where everything is, I do know where everything GO’s..LOL
Everything gets back together sooner or later. The kitties usually hang on their giant pillow when I’m crafting. Petals likes to set way up high on my pile of vintage luggage too…I think she’s half goat. It’s a fun place to hang and spend the day 😀
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Glad you had your team on hand to help you with the instructions. We find ours jolly helpful in those situations too. How do we keep a tidy office? We don’t! Archeology practice every day 😀
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HA, “Archeology practice”. Been there, done that. I spent the good part of an hour looking for a die cut I had just put down right in front of me. Or my phone rings and I can’t find it fast enough 😀
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Wow, the hooman is super jealous! Whee think you would get nowhere without your kitty helpers though, so high paws for them!
Nacho, Buddy & Basil
xxxx
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Those kitty helpers are intricate to the whole kit-and-cabootle that’s for darn sure. We couldn’t manage without them. PS. I spied darling little Noah this morning and fell in love. Congratulations on his arrival. xK
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xo 😀
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🙂
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Oh so cute! Petals and Blossom are so adorable and obviously very helpful! Kitty does that ‘my work here is done’ stuff too. That Ikea storage unit looks like a great idea! I have all kinds of storage boxes I use. And shelves. Always shelves!
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Hello lovely GJ, Petals and Blossum are ever so grateful for all your charming comments =^O^= x 2 ===>>> U ❤ (two kitties sending you love)
Your Kitty is a genius at photo shoots. Always entertaining and certainly irresistible. I should ensure 'The B Team' reviews those posts thoroughly 😀 As soon as their extended break is done. I have some fabrics I tried to organize by colour in a giant box. It was tricky because there's snips of this and that, big pieces and little pieces not to mention stray string. Lots and lots of string. We would love to see inside your magic sewing castle sometimes 😀
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Magic sewing castle, lol! And no pretty sure you don’t (messy)
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Oh Boomie…..I can’t tell you enough on how much I want to come play in your craft room! Yowza, you’ve got a lot of fun stuff. Men don’t understand why we NEED more craft supplies. It’s just like the same reason us girls need yet another pair of shoes! I love the lantern that Alys made for you too! {{huggies}}
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Lovely, Lovely message. Thanks Val ! I can honestly say I seldom buy shoes. Only on Vacation. Shopping her is the pits. I never see anything I like. But that’s never the case at the scrap store so I indulge. I girl needs at least one vice 😀 Oh wait, there’s also my Starbuck thing….well, I’m still a cheap date 😀
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I am a cheap date too! LOL
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I try to have a “home” for all of my supplies. . . and then I try to pick-up at least once a week.
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It sure does make for a easy and quick clean up if everything has a place. I can tidy up pretty fast when I absolutely have too, but once in a while…..it goes completely sideways and I have to put on the brakes, park, rev the engines and head out again…full speed of course. 😀
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You are just to organized!!!!!! Great article – LUL
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Is it even possible? HA, I should take new pictures two weeks from now…hehe. Thanks for reading my posts Aunty. LUL 2 xo K
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Oh, I love how even your supply storage is cute. I’m about half and half, really—it’s all organized but some of it is more sleek utilitarian (thank you, Pittsburgh IKEA) than pretty like yours! Though I do keep my sewing thread & machine needles & buttons in a set of pretty kitchen tins I couldn’t leave behind at our favourite antique mall, and they look quite pretty ranged along the shelves above my sewing desk! There really is much to be said for beauty combined with function.
Your new IKEA Raksog…Rack…um, turquoise cart is wonderful! I’m sure you’ll find it useful, and I loooooooove the colour! To say nothing of the construction team. 😉
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Sounds like the perfect mix. I don’t generally like to buy vintage unless it can be used for something or worn frequently. I’m a big advocated of mixing trendy with vintage too. I think it’s a way to personalize and making it ‘one-of-a-kind’. Vintage helps me do that.
The display rooms at IKEA are so tempting but I don’t find their furniture very durable. Given the minimal investment though, you can afford to update in a few years I guess. Thanks so much for hanging out. Petals and Blossum are ‘thumbs up’…honest ! 😉
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I don’t stay very organized for long…but then, I don’t have the team you do!!! Once in awhile I take an hour or so to toss, rearrange and putter around in there, when it gets to looking far worse than the photo of your “mess” (which is still pretty!) but I have to say that having a dedicated craft room did not solve all my problems as I hoped it would. I surely do like having it, though.
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It’s a challenge to stay organized for long, it almost goes against the grain of creativity. Picaso, Rembrandt, yep total slobs…hehe. Honestly, Team B is hit or miss. It’s possible they have a short attention span…just saying.
Saddly, I didn’t have a dedicated craft room this summer. This is the only room with A/C so we moved the bed in there. I ended up piling ‘stuff’ everywhere…hence the mess. Winter’s not too far off though….long, cold, dark spell….Bring it on 😀
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That is it exactly. Creativity and neatness do not go hand in hand. Great cooks have messy kitchens, inspired crafters have chaotic craft rooms. We need to come up with some clever slogans.
‘Excuse the mess, creativity in process.’ or ‘Creative minds at work here.’
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‘Crafty Life, Happy Wife’
‘Been there, Scrapped that’
‘Dream it, Live it, Scrap it’
‘Scrap Happens’
‘Warning Crafter on Duty’
Your so cute Alys, always thinking of something fun to challenge with. I have to go make supper but I’ll think some on it…might lube up with a glass of wine too 😀
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That is an impressive list! I like all of them. In fact, each of them could be the name of a blog. You’re so creative.
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😀 No YOU!
ANYONE looking to be a Blogger is welcome to them. The more the merrier I say xo
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xox
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Oh I love that IKEA cart. I too have been swooning over it since last year. Your kitty is adorable!
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Go ahead and treat yourself M.C.G. It wasn’t too much really. They have lots in right now because the new IKEA catalogue just came out. I tried to get one last year too but they were all sold out. Blossum says, “enchante” 😀 Thanks so much for you message !
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Just love your craft room. I used an old nail tech or hairdressers cart in my craft room. It’s in the garage now, patiently waiting for a home with room to work. Next summer for sure. The drawers to the rolling cart are in boxes with my acrylic paints or I’d take a picture. But nothing I had was a pretty and girly as your sweet room. I will definitely make some changes when it all comes out of storage.
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Thanks a bunch Marlene. I think a Hair Dresser rolling tray is the perfect thing. How did you come by that? Of course I’d be changing the colour to ‘you know what’ 😀 You might already have some girly things tucked into closets or cupboards, bring the into the sunshine and let them sparkle. Recycle and reuse, it’s very hip (like you). xo
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Great post Boomdee – made greater by the pingback !! [Smile, smirk, blush and curtsey all at same time – oops, fell over!] Guess what? Nope, no Ikea in this country [people write whole blog posts on that one fact!] so no rakscog [ratscog? ratkog? – whatever, very pretty colour!] But I do have a tea trolley currently being spray painted [by the kind and lovely YD] to hold ‘all the items in use currently’ thusly freeing up more usuable desk space whilst playing. Great things take time however and my trolley is still a way off due to YD’s work schedule………….. but I am SO looking forward to it!
I shall have to post about it when it finally arrives ….. 🙂 I also love that white metal thingy – is it a fruit stand? that holds some pretties [photos just before Blossum and Petals get in on the act]. Such a pretty craft room!! And pretty kitties too !!!! 🙂
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LOL, you really make me laugh. Welcome and thanks for all the cheer. NO IKEA? What’s with that? I don’t honestly shop there too often, but I made an exception for the Raskog. I can’t wait to see your tea trolly. Mr B bought me one for Xmas last, it was pretty wobbly so I took it apart to refurbish. It’s currently being stripped of mega varnish, made by Nasa Space Program I think as it would withstand re-entry on the shuttle, LOL. I’ve used two cans of stripper so far.
The metal thingy is a 3 tier pastry tray. I got it at an ‘End Of Christmas’ sale. At Christmas I fill it with Snow Babies. Since I have no storage here, then I make use of it the rest of the year in the crafty room. I don’t want to hang anything on the walls so it’s great vertical space.
Petals and Blossum have no idea how helpful they are…..NOT ! HA.
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I have no idea why we don’t have an Ikea – we have everything else and that is one of the few chains I might enjoy to have a hunt around in – judging by that trolley! I very much covet your 3 tier pastry tray and am going to have to keep my eyes open next time I venture out …..!! I don’t think Blossum and Petals mean to be helpful – they look to me like they are intent on supervising and recording your progress. I know this because Orlando keeps notes when I am moving things about and unpacking etc – because there may be an empty box or an interesting bag or even a new space opened that needs looking at. If none of those things appear it is noted and recorded and I am informed of his dissatisfaction with the process. I think you did rather well with this event – they got ‘an office’ out of it which, I am led to believe, is generally most satisfying! I assume they gave you 10/10?
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These two numskulls are a laugh a minute. Petals insisted on sitting on the box. Blossum on the instructions b4 I slipped them out from under her. Which she was indignant about. LOL
I could find out how much it would be to send you one of these if you’re very keen. There is a post office near by. Let me know 😀
I think they would give me a 10/10 for the ‘Team Snuggle Fest Break during the process. This is what takes me so long to do anything. Orlando’s so darn cute, I’m sure a great companion too.
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That is a very kind and thoughtful offer – thank you! Let me look about here and if I have no luck then we might investigate the [probably exorbitant] cost of getting one sent half way across the world 🙂
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You got it babe. 😀
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I love that Ikea cart! Was looking at it myself last Saturday while there! The post is hilarious!
Xx,
Z
http://beingzhenya.com
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I totally think you’ll love it too. The colour is down right gorgeous. How were you planning to use it? Thanks for your nice message too.
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