Beautiful Evening Stroll

A lovely evening in Benicia.  Took a stroll down towards the water.  This promenade is along West I between West 4th and West 5th where the road ends.  There is a new home that backs to this walkway.  They have this view right out their back porch.  It's a little odd though, because if they're sitting on their back porch they are right there where people walk by.  But no automobile traffic, so that's nice.  And it's the first LEED Certified home in the county.  Or in Northern California.  Or something like that, I can't remember which and they don't have the sign up anymore.  But it looks nice.  You can read about it here.

When we got home, Hugo was waiting on the front porch.  She chose to stay out there because that's her favorite place to be.  Just look at her little smile.  She's saying, "Ahhh."

ORGANIZATION: Craft Cubby

I wish I had a before picture.  But it was just too horrible.  I didn't want it documented.

For Christmas my favorite sister bought me a storage drawer cabinet.  How did she know that in the new year I was planning to organize my cozy Craft Cubby?  She knows me too well.  I wasn't feeling well over Christmas so I didn't get to this project for a few days.  I was planning to start the day after Christmas but first I had to catsit, which is my fourth favorite activity.  Then I had to come home and lay around for a day or two while I coughed and moaned.  Finally enough was enough and I went upstairs, opened the door under the eaves that leads to my Craft Cubby, sat down and had a think.

The next day I pulled out a few things and thought some more.  Gradually the thoughts I was thinking coordinated with the diminishing of the ill I was ailing and I was able to get to work.  I began by putting together this wonderful little drawer unit.  I needed a hammer and an allen wrench so I think I'm going to call myself "handy."

The whole project took me four and a half days, including thinking and ailing time.  The last two days were particularly productive and here is the end result.

This is the drawer unit, with labels.  These drawers are the perfect size for things like "sewing notions", "zippers/tapes", "knitting/crocheting", "rubber stamps", "stationery" and "paper."  To the right is a large plastic bin I got from the barn that used to have horse food in it but now houses my fluff, known also as stuffing.  On top of the drawer unit is a small three-drawer unit which is currently empty and a long box with long knitting needles in it.

 Here is the drawer unit with some open drawers.  Santa brought me a lot of organizers with compartments.

Here is a better pic of my sewing basket with bin beneath.  Behind the drawer unit I was able to fit all of my Christmas decorations, and there are a lot.  They include my two small trees, garland for the banister, Creepy Santa collection and glitter houses.  To the right back there are the two boxes of The Dot's books she asked me to save until she needs them back.  On top of that is a tin which is currently filled with smaller containers that are not in use at the moment.

Santa also brought me a spool rack.  To the left of that is a wine container I am saving for some reason.  It's really cute.

Inside the cubby to the right in back are my two bins of yarn.  On top of them is a plastic bag with the rest of my alpaca to finish my alpaca afghan I'm knitting.  (Next on the list of to dos:  finish knitting the afghan!  Pics to follow.)

To the right of the yarn I have two wire drawer units I got from Ikea a couple of years ago when I first started organizing my Craft Cubby.  That time the organization wasn't successful since it wasn't really complete and I just started shoving things in here.  But now there is a place for everything.

For instance:  In the bottom drawer on the left, and the one just above that, I have large pieces of fabric.  I have stapled swatches of each fabric to the front of the drawers so I don't have to go digging in there when I need a particular piece.  The third drawer up has some more large pieces of fabric along with various scraps.  The top drawer on the left has all of my Christmas felt.  On the right on the bottom I have all of my Purts©.  I believe there are about a dozen finished purses in there.  Above that I have large pieces for making purses and above that I have some smaller pieces I've saved, like pockets and zippers.  The top drawer has beading materials.

 Here is a view of the right-hand drawer unit.  On top of that I have a little drawer unit that Santa brought me.  It is full of beads and beading supplies.  Behind that I have a large tin with Christmas Craft Bits like baubles, glitters, sequins and teeny weeny gingerbread men.

Two more views of the Craft Cubby from the doorway.  You can also see the little step stool my brother in law gave me for Christmas.  It came in handy to sit on while I was working.  I can also go inside my little Craft Cubby under the eaves and just sit on this little stool and pull open a drawer.  I have done this a time or two and it's very rewarding after so many hours of organizing.  I recommend it to everyone.

 Time for a nap.