Three Things : On My Table

Threethings

My work table is a total disaster right now (not to mention the floor around my table).

Piles of things I have pulled out from the lockers; pieces of paper with notes jotted on the front and back of concepts and ideas I want to implement (these notes are currently keeping me sane); punches; adhesive; paint. Projects in progress.

Messydesk

Yes, it could be more of a mess. I've seen worse around here. But for someone like me who was really getting the hang of cleaning up everything after completing a project this feels like one big mess that just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

These days those longer chunks of time are harder to come by (hence the very messy table) yet the ideas and the passion is definitely still there. I am relearning how to get things done & how to work in minutes rather than hours. In between feeding and changing and playing with Anna I am scanning and uploading and printing and adhering and painting. Less concerned with the mess than attempting to get some creative work done in the moments I have available.

Luckily, in the midst of all those piles, I have been inspired by a bunch of new-to-me products including the three shown above. All found on my table this week:

1. Martha Stewart Scallop Dot Edge Punch. I noticed last week that Scrapbook.com now carries some of the Martha Stewart craft products. I ordered this one last week and am really excited to put it to good use.

2. Tim Holtz Mini Paper Clips. Looking forward to using these to attach some real life ephemera. The size is just right: not too big + not too small.

3. Jenni Bowlin Pearl Flowers. These little gems have made their way on to a couple of my projects for the magazine recently including the layout featuring the Anna's playlist. It's a great little touch.

What's on your desk or table today? Are you working in the midst of a mess too?

Dottedline

[ Three Things is a weekly product series : check out the archives here. ]

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131 thoughts

  1. hedwig says…
    04/14/2009

    Hi Ali
    my working table is ok. Has been better, has been worse. I am happy with my sewing machine on hand immediatly, like i saw on your blog. I put a taylormade shelf on a ikea dresser and montaged it myself with skrews and a skrewdriver! Working on a lot (couple of swaps) but NEED to finish the scrapbooking of 2008 (i want to make an annual of the non festival / holiday happenings. But i started, made 4 pages in January and still did not progress. OK of to make the progress!!!
    Hedwig

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  2. ms.cheryl says…
    04/14/2009

    Right now I am into beaded trims so I have a few of those on my desk. There is some Ten Seconds Studio metal and some paint also on my desk. I have tried my hand at collage.I'm kinda liking it.My desk is an absolute mess at all times. I always have at least three things going at one time. It's nice to know even the pros are messy too. Thanks, ms.cheryl

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  3. Michelle says…
    04/14/2009

    Messy table here. I like to pull things out and see if they might work with whatever I am working on. Problem is, I don't put them back after I am done. Oh well!
    Not working on anything this minute, but thinking about doing some Easter lo's.

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  4. Aimee says…
    04/14/2009

    Um, totally have the movie "Singles" for the next time I scrap and lots of Studio Calico goodness that I haven't had a chance to break into yet. Four cut-out aprons ready to be sewn and an iron :)
    I better get going!

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  5. ashley m says…
    04/14/2009

    oh goodness am i ever!!! my scrap table is a disaster right now! i have bills and projects galore for my 3 DTs that im working on!!! They tend to spread out onto my office desk and the guest bed and any other surface i can find until i have the time to go and clean up!

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  6. COEngrGirl says…
    04/14/2009

    Ali, have you seen the latest on the proposed new FTC rules regarding product endorsements and reviews? The 3 things post reminded me about the reading I did yesterday over on Scrapbook Update. Here's a link:
    http://www.scrapbookupdate.com/scrapnancy/2009/04/proposed-ftc-regulation-change-could-affect-scrapbook-marketing.html
    This is my 1st comment on your blog - You inspire me with your creativity and realistic approach to all parts of your life! Thanks so much for sharing with us.

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Amanda N. says…
    04/14/2009

    Both of my scrapping desks are currently in a state of dismay, but I did get some creative things done last week in there! BTW, you will love the scalloped MS punch! My favorite way to use it is to take vintage flashcards and punch the edge.

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  8. Stephanie says…
    04/14/2009

    My craft room is in a shambles as we are peeling wallpaper and preparing to roll on primer to paint my craft room! I can envision what it will look like when it's done, but right now I have my "must haves" in a rolling cart so that I can still create while we are re-doing my room!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. Jenell says…
    04/14/2009

    Ali - I have been working in something I call "scrapbook bytes" - on the same realm as "sound bytes" - just little minutes here and there to work on a project or create a card or two. I'm working on about 1/8 of the table because of the mess. I'm stepping over piles of paper, my scraps aren't hitting the trashcan, and it's getting out of hand!!! I plan to really clean my room this weekend and I'll probably find a lot of things that I'll be able to use soon!!!
    Jenell

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  10. Janelle Shultz says…
    04/14/2009

    my scrapbook area is normally in our unfinished basement- however, the winters in MT are cold & so i move my stuff up to our dining room. it's a mess right now...trying to get class samples ready...going to start teaching again. feels good to have new stuff to play with.

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  11. Kimberly says…
    04/14/2009

    My husband and I share a space and if I go too long without cleaning up he starts telling me that going into the "office" makes him depressed. So, he was feeling mighty depressed last weekend, so I spent almost all of Saturday sorting, purging and reorganizing! I'm just waiting for those clear paper trays to come from scrapbook.com and my area will be completely reorganized!
    But yes, I know about the mess. It's hard to keep on top of it. The other problem I have is with mail. Even with reducing the number of catalogs and stuff I receive, the volume of mail we get seems ridiculous.

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  12. wendy G says…
    04/14/2009

    My work table is filled with things I've been working on for my scrappin' retreat this weekend. I have table numbers that I made, menus for our guests to choose from, welcome gifts, welcome packets, rooming lists, massage schedule, door prizes, scraps of paper from the welcome sign I made and the start of class kits for both of the classes I'll be teaching. I hope to be able to see the actual table again after the event is over!
    escapetocreate.com

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  13. Casey Maupin says…
    04/14/2009

    My desk is never really clean, except for the time company is coming and I throw everything on top into a box to store in the garage! Tim Holtz said he always puts everything away, every night, but if I did, I'd never finish anything. When you have little kids, you find moments to steal away to the desk to put a little paint here, or a little item there. If everything were put away, I would lose those moments, and thus lose art time!

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  14. Carrie P says…
    04/14/2009

    Someone once told me to take a look at the teacher's desk when making the choice of whom to choose as a teacher. If it was neat and tidy, were they spending more time being neat and tidy or more time teaching? So, glad you are spending more time with Anna!

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  15. Lora B says…
    04/14/2009

    OH! I love the MS punch. I just bought that last week. LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Leslie says…
    04/14/2009

    So, this is probably a silly question...how do I get a photo of myself in the little square like many of you have? Thanks for the help!!:)

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. [Sue] says…
    04/14/2009

    My area is definitely a mess. My word for the year is simplify and therefore I'm thinking organizing and purging would help me do that. It's amazing what we find when we start digging.

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. KazT says…
    04/14/2009

    okay i admit it, my desk is always a mess! I'm usually surrounded by paper, paints, inks and pens, with a small square do actually do the work on. Time is so precious when you have four-year-old twin boys that tidying up always seems to be a want to rather than a do!

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  19. KazT says…
    04/14/2009

    Ali I know I just left a comment, but whenever someone complains about a messy desk I'm always reminded of the quote:
    "If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is an empty desk a sign of . . .?"
    KazT

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. julieann says…
    04/14/2009

    The bigger the mess, the better the project;) I am in the middle of a creative mess right now too! I have had time in the past few days to sit down and actually scrapbook:) It has been great, but the mess is a bit out of control right now - I want to leave it as is so I can just jump right back in later!! Love todays 3 things, especially the Martha punch!!!

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  21. Michelle Giaimo says…
    04/14/2009

    Try a I may I alway seem to be working in a mess. On my desk everyday are pens, post it notes, scrapbooking books and magazines, photographs and my computer and wacom pad and pen.

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  22. Linda says…
    04/14/2009

    On my desk is one of my 3 up albums that I store photos in--I put more pictures in last night while watching a little TV; some picture coasters that I got for Christmas that I actually want to put pictures in and use; and finally my gratitude spinner! I started mine like yours--have a section for each of us and now I am adding twice a month a challenge I am doing called His Holy Name 09 challenge and I am making my pages 4x6 and adding them to my spinner--I am slightly behind so I have it here so I can get these done!! Oh and by the way your desk is NOT a mess!! Mine was on Saturday when my youngest daughter surprised me and came home from college and needed to sleep in my scraproom!! :)

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  23. Francesca Di Leo says…
    04/14/2009

    hey Mel, let me tell you, you're not the only one. I create, and create, and create until my scrap space (aka hole in the wall basement - smile) is overflowing with stuff, and piles and ribbon, and what seems like trillions of little itty bits of paper strewn all over the place. Then I visit the two peas gallery and seem some pretty awesome, snazzy and TIDY scrapspaces and think, my gawd, I'm awful... but you know what, I think there's more of 'us' than 'them'. Laugh. I've learned to just let it all go and clean it all up when my brain can't take it anymore, I call it messy chaos creative block. Geesh, if it were tidy all the time, I'm sure we wouldn't be having as much fun as we do creating. Right?
    Have a great night.
    Francesca

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  24. Sheila says…
    04/14/2009

    I just got done cleaning up my mess so that I can start making a mess all over again. What a fun and wonderful cycle.

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  25. Goddess Leonie | GoddessGuidebook.com says…
    04/14/2009

    I know that feeling of "studio heaps" so well :)
    And when the time is right, it feels so ding dang good to go through the heaps. You will find little treasures in there! :)

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