My Secret Lair

So, I've been working on transforming my secret lair. It's been kind of a big project really. It's taken me about a week or so. What is my secret lair? It's a spot in one corner of my home where I create- stamped stuff and scrapbooked stuff and now even sewn stuff. That was actually the inspiration for the lair overhaul. After browsing all those sewing blogs, I felt it was time to set up the sewing machine in a permanent location. I had worked hard to do this in the opposite corner of our basement, but I found it was too difficult to keep clean and I needed more light. So, as I thought about it more, I realized I had the perfect spot. I'd add it to my lair!

You might take a peek at the original post regarding my lair, but in summary the lair was a gift from my family for completing my masters degree way back in 1999- just before moving to New York State. It's a delightful little corner on the unfinished side of our basement. My company includes Dan (his computer is behind me when I sit there) and lots of spiders.

I debated whether to give up devoted paper crafting space to our sewing, but in the end I figure the machine and the subsequent use of it will prevent the dreadful piles from getting too big. I think this is a great solution. Enjoy the tour!

This is it. My Secret Lair.

This is a close up shot of the new drawers that hold a lot of the stuff that would just sit on my work surface or on this same shelf. I needed a more efficient way to store those things I work with a lot. I used my label maker. This always brings joy to my life. Notice also the tilt bins against the wall. You just pull on the handle and the door leans out.

The sewing end of the lair- this side used to have a xyron machine which has been moved and a set of drawers that were easy for me to reach. I cleared it all out to place my machine there. Above it I put one large drawer which has my sewing notions in it, a little set of drawers for R8's notions and anything new we acquire, and a our little sewing library. Fabric will be stored in our craft corner on the other side of the room.

Underneath the counter is a set of Elfa drawers and a rolling Elfa cart. The cart holds papers and will roll out when we pull up a chair to sew.

On this side I have some of the tools of the trade at the ready. I thought about cleaning up for the picture but seriously? I am, after all, entrenched in a weekly challenge with a friend from back home (Maryland). We check in with five pages complete each week. If we've kept up with things, then on April 1st we will exchange a fun little gift of scrapbooking stuff of course.

This is the cutting counter. I put the xyron here and it's where pages and works in progress are stored. The big drawer on the bottom holds the bags I take places. I have the shelf down there holding the xyron cartridges. To the left on the floor is the problem I have left to clean up. On the floor next to the Cropper Hopper are some boxes. Mostly full of memorabilia - college and some other stuff. I'll be working on that...

The southern corner. You can see how I store a lot of single stamps in antique printer's drawers. How fun is that? Not so fun to keep clean in a basement, but that's cool. Above my boxed stamps on the top shelf are stamping accessories like embossing powder and rollers- things like that. How did I get all these stamps? By hosting stamping shows with Stampin' Up. They have a great hostess program. I'm just sayin'.

I had to include this shot of my label maker. I found a snug spot for it in its magnetic holder. In all its glory. All ready to go. Happy Sigh.

There you have it. My Secret Lair. A place of seclusion. And creativity. In the midst of busyness.