Seeing Is Creating

My creative friend Deena Rutter, a brilliant graphic designer, gave me a great new use for a set of Ikea drawers that I have had for years.  I have been using it as my tool chest.

Kinda like the big red metal Sears Craftsmen jobber that the boys use out in the garage.

  I bought it to go under my work desk in my studio but when I got it put together, it didn't fit under the desk (Im not so strong with the measuring tape).  So It has been behind me while I work since.

Finally Ikea started making the drawers narrow enough to fit under a desk, so I bought one.

Funny thing is, once again it was too tall to fit under the desk, Drat, I swear to you I measured in the store.  So my very handy honey put that darn desk on high heeled casters and Viola!  However, then my chair was too short and I felt like I was at the kids table at my mom's family dinners.  Soooo I had to order a different chair that totally fits and now everything is right with the world again.

So after all that here is Deena's idea that I was talking about 20 sentances ago.

Deena is a very smart designer and knows that when you can see what you have you tend to be so much more creative, so she organized all of her beautiful bits and lovelies into these drawers.

I love copying really great ideas so...   I totally copied her!

and here is a close up

Opening these drawers gives me an immediate flood of ideas.  I can switch my little 

Dollar Store bins around any way I like and sometimes two things sitting together you never considered, POW!!!

Thanks Deena!!!

Jewelry Storage-Boxes, hangers and ballerinas

Still Storing your jewelry in this?  Its time to find a real place for all of your pretty jewels.

After scouring some catalogs, I found these jewelry storage ideas from Pottery Barn and the Container Store.

My 13 year old daughter could fill 2 of the storage chests- and by the way they are $349 each, Yikes!

As for the trees my house would look like a forest with all the trees we would need.  Instead look around for some nontraditional solutions.  We found this wrought iron rack and spray painted it a fun pink, and now all my necklaces are out where I can see them- Can you hear them screaming "Pick Me, Pick Me".  

Ikea has the greatest little kitchen racks with hooks sold separately that you can add and add and add.  This is  rack is in my studio but imagine it painted turquoise and hanging in your room.

Caitlin Creer at CCInteriors found these fabulous bowls for me at ZGallerie for $19.95 and $7.95 and they easily fit my stacks of bracelets.  Look around your cupboards for an unused salad bowl or deep serving tray.  Or perhaps just an orphaned little saucer for all of your rings.

The important thing is that your jewelry is out where you can see it, and hear it calling to you "Hey pretty lady, I would look amazing with your creamy sweater".