Turned Another Corner

I have managed to turn another corner in my fight against the craft supply clutter that has oozed out into the rest of the house.  I am getting the hang of this "if you want to keep it, it must have a proper place"  idea.  I just need to stick to it.  I have thrown bits and pieces of paper out I was saving for that elusive future project.  I may regret throwing out all of the German newspapers, but I kept two pages neatly folded so that will have to do.  I have to remind myself I have a copier!

Read about the first clean corner here.

This is another corner in our dining room which is only used about four times a year so most of the time I use it for my guillotines (paper cutters).

Somehow when I was not looking, the ribbons, paper scraps, torn cottons, crates, and stamping supplies crept into this space.

I am whipping them back into storage bins neatly organized.   I will admit that a stack of cloth was not placed in a proper place, but was dumped  was stacked in a living room chair.  I promise I will get to that this weekend.  I need to wind it on some cardboard bolts.  


What do you mean where will I get bolts?  They are in the craft room.  I always have cardboard!

 Yes, this is the same corner.  No magic tricks - no sleight of hand.  This is the corner naked.  Just one of my favorite pieces of furniture.  He was hiding in shame under all that clutter.  He is the Monseigneur - an oak bar.  

The Monseigneur was an anniversary present from Chucks who almost ruined it.  The present part, not the bar.

We had gone to a preview of an estate sale in the eighties - mainly just to see what a "cottage" with 30 rooms looks like - the furniture was great and overwhelming.  It was the home of a Monseigneur (hence the name!).  The only thing small enough to fit in the house we lived in then was this small bar.

Also, we could afford it.

I had school the next day so the plan was for Chucks to get in line early and buy that bar for our anniversary.

He overslept.

He had to walk half a mile to the house.

Some man was carrying the bar out of the house.

He knew trouble when he saw it.

He offered the guy more than the price and explained it was my present.  That guy must have had either a soft heart or a hard-hearted wife because not only did he accept the money, he helped Chucks carry the thing all the way to the car.

I know I am way off the cleaning story, but I like this one better.  


Remember he has been covered up since spring.  It is like discovering him all over again.

The Monseigneur, not Chucks.

 As you can see the doors open after turning a tiny key in a tiny lock.  The top lifts to reveal a milk glass surface for preparing drinks.  The glaring white thing above is the zinc ice box.

How many times has it been used as a bar?  Twice, then someone spilled a drink on him so I did not use him again. 

He keeps my collection of twenty-four The Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans Scotch bottles safe!

We do not drink any more because of medications.  

There is a bottle of rum in there, but it is used to clean my paint brushes.

So if you ever stop by, don't drink any rum drinks!

I know, I know, I am not talking about the cleaning.

Just look at that darling ice box!

 Each door can hold glasses of several sizes.

I hang my little individual Scotch bottles here.

Okay, okay, here are some shots of how my corner looks now.

Cleaned of all clutter.

How much of that stuff is hidden in the Monseigneur?

NONE!!!

Just the rum and the Scotch bottles.

Nothing else.

I respect him too, too much for junk, er, craft supplies.

 Yes, I am still putting out my Fall decor.

This is when I usually decorate.

Whatever goes up, stays until the weekend after Thanksgiving.

I know some of you are dying to get your hands on the Monseigneur and PAINT him.

Keep your hands off.

You will see that as much furniture as I paint, I have numerous pieces that are left wood.  Real wood. I have a soft spot in my heart for oak.

Yes, even the floor is made of thin red oak slats from the late forties.  I crawled on my hands and knees for three weeks refinishing these after pulling up yards of carpet. 

 Forty year-old carpet.  

Should have worn a Haz-mat suit.



Protective gear may be in order for the next section I will be working on.  

Oh, and I have changed my mind again about the official craft room furniture.  I may be using some color instead of all creamy white.  We will have to see.

As I was writing this post at midnight, Willie decided not to wait for me to put him in his bed.  He found a better, bigger bed and a better pillow.  Goodnight to all of you who will not read this until tomorrow.  Enjoy it while I sleep late.  Dreaming of that perfect craft room that is somewhere in this house!  I am determined to find it so please come back.

See y'all!





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