My Creative Space....

AKA My still new & shiny, smells like varnish in a good way, pretty, pretty, pretty crafty cabinet creative space...!

I am joining in with kootoyoo's "My Creative Space"! First of all I have to say that a) I can't believe I actually remembered to do this on the right day (or at all), and b) I actually have something going on in my 'Creative Space' to document in the first place!

So I guess the first thing to note about the week that was is the whole "new" creative space - as I mentioned earlier, this was intended as an occasional craft area but I just can't leave it alone. Yesterday I moved my machines in here & everything, so I've effectively made two completely separate areas, this one for crafting & my old one for painting. It is probably for the best - I kept using fabric to wipe my dirty paintbrushes on for a start....

The other thing going on in my nifty new space is a rare Work In Progress. I don't have many WIPs - I either finish what I start in a feverish can't eat ('cept for chocolate... have to keep the energy levels up), can't clean up (woohoo!) sort of way, or give up completely, but this I have started and it is a rather big, prominent piece of furniture that I'm not even half way through so I am committed whether I like it or not.

I don't know whether I want to reveal the exact details (that is a lie, of course I know... I don't want to), as I like the whole "reveal" of a before & after shot without the dodgey in between stuff, but you can draw your own conclusions from my Creative Space this week and whatever else I have already mentioned... you sneaky Sherlock Holmes types....

Why is a raven like a writing desk? (Or, my latest furniture refurb...)

I am SO excited to be showing you this... I could pretty much only be prouder if I had built the thing myself.....

Before:

After:

What I did:

Scraped off the old varnish & sanded (by hand!!!!), painted interior shelves, stained & varnished outside with 3 separate coats, waiting 8 hours between coats, replaced handles, decoupaged desk top (whatever that green stuff is would not be painted...).

Filled with crafty goodness.

This was intended to be my 'little projects' craft spot in the lounge room, but I love it so much I think I may be spending a lot more time using it than previously anticipated.

You can probably tell I am pretty damn chuffed with my efforts - first time I have really got into the nitty gritty what with the sanding and everything - it was a test of my patience and my need for I.C.G (Instant Craft Gratification) but I got there in the end!