My Office

Friday, I decided it was time to get off my duff and get something done. My office had become very cluttery, and I was anxious to change it a little bit. I told Louie I didn't know what changes I was going to be making, but I was going to do something. He looked at me kind of funny, and I said, 'I dont' know, it just needs SOMETHING.' He said, 'Well, if you need my help, I will be here, but I don't see that much needs to be changed. It IS close, and cozy, but very functional.' It ended up, I didn't change much, but I did make a few changes. The first thing I did was take off the back panels of the curtains so the windows were bare below the valance. Wow! What a difference! I love sunshine! I added the glass globe with potpouri, silk greenery, and a fuscia bow to the window sill with a white doily. I also pinned a big pink silk flower to the valances just above the teapot.

I know some of you have seen my office before, but I want to take those who have not, on a tour, and then show all of you some of the changes that I made. They are very subtle, but made a HUGE difference TO ME. As you enter my office, to your direct left, is my Raggedy Ann/Andy Pinwheel quilt. This was made before I ever started using my quilting setup. Below the quilt are two wooden file cabinets used to store 'stuff', and in the middle, is actually an 'Iowa made' waste basket container, with a door that opens out. I have boxes in it, and copy paper sits on top of the boxes at my fingertips for making copies with my copy machine that sits on top of it. To the left of the copy machine is an car Louie made to run in a 'big boy' pine car derby a few years ago, in which he won Best Appearance. To the right is my digital scale for when I am preparing packages to be mailed, and a couple bears holding Raggedy Ann and Andy on a bench.
Next thing you see are my mirror fronted closet doors which house more 'stuff'. I put a rack system in there so it has lots of shelves for holding my 'necessary stuff'. Hey, treasures are necessary, aren't they? At the end of the table, underneath are three old vintage suitcases. Two of them sit on end, and the third one is a cosmetic case with a doily and silk greenery that sits inside. Don't ask me why I am attracted to vintage suitcases, but I am, and they too hold a variety of 'stuff'. If I were to count my old vintage suitcases all around the house, I would probably keel over from shock. Next is an 8 foot banquet table set up, covered with a tablecloth to hold my second (old) computer. It is hooked up because we have a wireless router and it doesn't cost to have it hooked up, so why not? I also added an old vintage cosmetic case, put a silk fern in it, and stuffed some flowers in just for eye candy. Underneath, I have a couple sets of plastic storage drawers, and they come in handy for storing more 'stuff'The quilt behind this table is another pinwheel quilt, also done before I ever used my quilting setup, and I believe my first pinwheel quilt. It was made from 5" squares I had cut previous, from scrap, and from a couple of Goodwill valances I had picked up. On the table you can also see my Gritzner Durlach hand crank sewing machine, and a television I rarely use, but it's there if I want it.Between the table and file cabinet, is a wooden suitcase holder like they use at hotels, with a vintage suitcase on top, covered with a huge doily (can you tell I love doilies?) filled with big ziplock bags and some baskets full of 'stuff' sitting on top. Next in line is my file cabinet and $2 Goodwill bookcase, with my shredder in front of the bookcase. My GraybaR sewing machine sits on top of my file cabinet.I wasn't going to, but I finally did decide to screw my old pencil sharpener to the file cabinet. It sharpens pencils wonderfully, and I wanted to be able to use it, so I gave in. I figured if someday I needed to remove it, I would fill the holes with wood putty. The file cabinet is not an antique or anything, it is from Oak Express.
This bookcase was one thing I spent a lot of time on. It was not pretty, or organized at all, and I wanted it to be pleasant to look at, so I moved some things off of it, and some things onto it, and tried to make it pleasant to the eye. The first shelf holds a wooden drawer in which I throw things like cards, notes, etc. Also my small postal letter scale, and my electronic dictionary. Also, just a cute little pitcher from Goodwill which holds things like coins, etc, and my Goodwill find of a little metal cosmetic case, which I added foam to, and I store my Canon Powershot SD400 camera and charger in. It is very small, but works to protect my camera. On the second shelf, I put my quilt story books, my garage sale quilt clock, my kleenex, so they are within easy reach from my computer chair, and some knick knacks. The third shelf holds a few more books, a picture of myself at 13 years old with my 4 sisters, and a picture of Louie and I taken a few years ago, a few more knick knacks, and a teapot I picked up yesterday. The bottom shelf hold about the first 13 photo albums of Louie's and my life together, and school yearbooks given to me by my sweet friend Mrs. D for every year but one of my years in school. Mrs. D was a teacher of mine, and she gave these to me from her personal collection. Bless her heart. I love her so. I am only missing one, and I hope some day to find that one to make my collection complete.

Next, is a sofa table, which I put up against the walls holding my letter holder, pens, pencils, stamps, tape dispenser, stapler, tv and dvd player. Above the table is a mirror, which I have pictures, gift certificates, appointment cards, prescriptions, and special notes within my eyes and hand's reach. On the wall is a frame with a picture of my sissypoo and I, with little flowers, words and pictures all about love, friends, and sisters. On the wall above the television is a plate with an ink drawing of Jesus and a little child, and a couple of pictures above the plate. On the wall behind the tv is a calendar in a wooden holder made by my sweet husband. Under the sofa table and my desk are more plastic storage drawers. I didn't have any trouble finding things to put in them. In fact, all that 'stuff' used to be in my closet in here! My desktop is occupied by my monitor, (with a little lace 'curtain' hung above my monitor to fill in the space gap, my printer/scanner/copier, cds, and my bookshelf stereo.
Next in line is another oak file cabinet. My laminator lives on top, and I love the picture behind it of 5 little girls all dressed up with sunglasses, beads, and colorful clothing proclaiming, 'Girls just want to have fun!' (one of my favorite thrift store finds)
So now, we are back around the room, and it actually 2 hours later from when I started this post, but the door leads back out into the hallway. Thank you for joining me on my Office tour.