Thursday, August 12, 2010

"MY NAME IS JAN AND I'M A HOARDER"

My sweet and precious fellow hoarder, Shell, of Bungalow Bling, is hosting this Hoarder's Event.
There's a second part to this party (party??) for
Crafts Gone Bad.
Yeppers, she covered just about everything.

She and I are recent blog buddies.
She's the sweetest thing and we hit it off right away.
Though a bit skeptical at first,
I believe she was sincere when she told me that,
no, this event was not created to mortify me
in front of my fellow bloggers and dear friends.

*Anyone know different??*

So, it is with a wee bit of trepidation that I show you the photos of my studio, aka "the crack house".
Won't it be nice to finally understand why I would nickname my studio "the crack house"??

The photos tell the story.
I just have to tell you first that none of this is any of my fault.

The main area of my work space where I work.
This is to the right of my work area. I try really hard to keep things
out of the front of my sewing machine so I'll actually use it.
 Darlene on the floor. Horrors.
And, she's under foot. My foot; feet.
Right where my chair is
supposed to slide under the table.
Dar' thinks she's pretty hot and can land where ever.
Ahhh, yes, everyone needs an orderly jewelry making area.
See the stamps?? I have about 750 more.
NO, I'm not kidding.
Look at the good use I make of my second work table.
Makes you wanna come and take a class doesn't it?
The Sizzix area on the left and the soldering station on the right.
It's great to have all this room to spread out.
The corner to the left of the second work table.
The paper??
Oh, it's okay, don't feel sorry for me.
I have at least 700 more sheets of printed paper 
and I'd guess about 150 pieces of card stock.
I have a bit of a weakness for Paper Whimsy collage sheets.
I have hundreds of them and her newer digi sheets.
The overflow into the "workroom" of our house.
I like tall paper and messes a lot.
I have tons of the best fabric and lace.
You're seeing about a third of my stash.
OMG, this is so cool.
So I was at this estate sale and I bought a king size
chenille bedspread for 25.00 - a steal in itself.
I cut all of the really large poms off of the edges
and I still have all of that fabulous chenille fabric.
I adore trims.
One could say I collect it,
but that would be snippy.
And though I have a really lot of trims,
it's the fancy, elegant ones that I treasure the most.
If I was sitting at my work table and looked to my right,
this is what I would see.
Oh, hush. I'm talking about Baxter,
dumbest dog on the planet.
If you came for a visit tomorrow
when you walked through the door into my studio
and looked to your right, this is what would greet you....
an amazing dressmaker form that I just bought at a flea market.
If I'm busy or sick and can't work
I make piles.
Lots and lots of piles.
Walking into the studio from the garage
you would look to your left and see treasures.
Bottles.
I've been sick and haven't been able to work.
I'm doing so much better now that
I'm going to get these bottles
and the rest in another big box,
all fixed up so beautifully that you're going to
buy at least two.
That's what I told the Tank would happen.
Blah, blah, blah....but look at those vintage clocks.
The rest of them are scattered throughout the house.
I love, love, love collections of vintage clocks.
More crap.
Oh, come on!
 It's crap.
I'm way past the "stuff" phase.
I have three isles in the studio.
This is the one that runs in front of the built-ins.
We haven't been using this isle; just Maytag.
I still buy Scrabble games at garage sales for the pieces.
I want more.
The neatly stacked ribbon is a lie.
The rest of my ribbon is.....here somewhere.....
Oh, yeah, my sister reminded me that I have
boxes full of ribbon in the built-ins. *sigh*
After being forced to photograph and validate my hoarding
I have come up with some wonderful ideas how to
make groupings of supplies that you haven't even seen
and vintage pieces for you to purchase in my Etsy shop.
Except, I am going to have to give some real thought
about sharing my vintage jewelry.
I'm just sayin'.
We're working our way up to the best vintage jewelry box;
my favorite pieces.
My best vintage rhinestone pieces...
They're even more spectacular in person
and I love each one of them
as much as I love my children.
Oh, good grief, wipe that look of horror off of your face.
I'm just sorta kidding.
Mmmmm, pearl wanna bee's and vintage pearls
living in harmony in the crack house.
The garage takes care of the overflow.
Keep scrolling.
Oops. Turn your computer or your head sideways
to check out this pile.
Junking, the art of it, is what drives me.
......and drives me.

Oh, for heaven's sake!
I am exhausted after taking all of these pictures
and I have to admit that you really haven't gotten a realistic
look at the Crack House.
I have much more that I'm too worn out to share with you....
my creepy baby doll head collection, all of my trims, vintage flowers,
millinery pieces, ephemera, embellishments;
oh, the stacks of boxes full of my jewelry makings
............I'm sure I know there's more.

So, here's what I'm going to do.
In between helping my son set up his classroom for his first teaching job,
and helping Brat set up hers,
and Craig's wedding *rehearsal dinner* invitations, place cards, center pieces
and gifts I'm making for everyone that attends,
and spending two days at the Round Top Antique show,
and out of town company,
I'm going to get organized, take pictures of all that will be listed in my Etsy shop,
get it listed *gagging*
and I'll post pictures of that process and show you what a
decent Crack House should look like.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog!
I appreciate my readers so much - please let me know you were here
by leaving a comment (don't be mean).

XXXOOO, Jan
Baxter - spook

34 comments:

vintage girl at heart said...

I think we were separated at birth!!! Glad to know that there are "others" out there!!! I have been feeling bad about my many crack addictions..ha ha now I feel normal!!! Love love love you girl!!!

Kathy said...

Ok, you win...you are way worse than me. lol
LOVE THIS! A few things on my mind, how do you know where the dog is, have you ever lost it? (tell the truth)
The swiffer duster box, priceless…good luck dusting in there!
Love your pen holder with the bow, so many things to see…
Be still my heart, for the jewelry boxes and the box of bottles. I am beyond jealous! And the paper whimsy sheets, no one should be able to have so many and NOT share with others....
This must have taken you all day, to write and photograph, you are to much.
You are so flippin funny, I love to come to visit you!
Big old hug from me…

Robin said...

WOW! That's all I can say after looking at all your gorgeous supplies! I bet it took you a while to take the pics and do this post....bless your heart! Thanks for sharing your crafty space!!

Hugs,
Robin

Robin said...

BAXTER!!!!!! Sigh. You know I tell him to keep an eye on you--FREAK!!!

Love the crack house and wish I had the time to come help you sort your crap... my fee would be just a few (handfulls) of the scrabble tiles.... and maybe some trims.... I have enough bottles God knows, they're stashed in a closet. Along with the vintage rusted and delicious metal tiles that came off something or other and I just had to have because the woman selling them was making roofs for birds houses out of them--THE NERVE!!!

Besides, without your crack house looking like a crack house, what would the neighbors talk about??

xoxoxoxox

just me... jan said...

Jan...I'm sittin' here with the biggest gobsmacked look on my face...WHAT IN BLAZES IS WRONG WITH YOU?!!?? ROFLOL How you had the nerve to tell me to get my butt down there to help you "organize" that crappola is beyond me! I now FULLY understand how a woman can drive around with an empty vehicle and find "treasures" alongside the road! GAWD!!! I suspect that just about anything someone would cast away in a heap on the berm could be classed in the "treasure" category to you. By the time I scrolled through five photos I was laughing so hard I had to get toilet tissue for the tears rollin' down my cheeks...now I know you probably have a roll of it floatin' around somewhere on one of your worktables...I had to go into the room where it logically resides! Sweetie,listen to me...you don't need an anal retentive from Mansfield comin' down there to sort and purge through your crappola...you're not ready to get rid of any of it anyway...you love it as much (or more) than your offspring...you need some serious counseling darlin'!!! LOL When I got to the photo of poor Baxter I practically fell off my chair. He almost looks like a fox ensnared with no idea of how to escape...poor baby!!! I'm wonderin' how YOU find your way out of that cave! And as for that whackadoodle head thingee under your main worktable...GAWD! THAT is the FIRST thing you need to toss out! Sheesh! Come on Jan...that abomination has NO business being on ANY planet...dump her...dump her fast...dump her NOW! If she were human they wouldn't even take her in the circus geek show! ROFLOL But I have to say your post inspired me...I'm fixin' to write an installment on my blog...I'll take photos of MY studio and MY garage...we'll call it the "flipside" of the two jans...holeeee crappola!!! This time YOUR eyeballs are gonna pop darlin'!!!
just me...STILL lovin' you...the other jan

she dreams big! said...

Okay, I thought I had many, many (many!) piles of precious treasures but I'm thinking you are going to win! Why is it that we can't put anything away because we might forget we have it and then when it is time to use it, we can't give it up? I'd love to come to your crack house for a class or just to sit and drool over all of your fantastic stuff!

And Jan - you are not alone in the affliction of hoarding! My name is Connie, and I'm a hoarder too!

Unknown said...

Jan...holy c..., that is a lot of stuff. I will take going to your house and thru your mess rather than a trip to Disney. I think I will have the most fun. You need to contract an organizer that will work for stuff. If I was near you I will work for lace. Yes, you qualify for the show. I have some rooms that look like that, actually, did you notice the mess in my check out? I could never be part of the elite crowd that have their studios feature in the magazines. I qualify for the show. Do they pay the hoarders that do the show? Shameless. Blessings, Marta.
PD:Come see me soon, I will probably be in my new location.

Shell said...

Jan,

First of all,,I LOVE you, my new blog friend!

Look at all your goodies! You just need someone to help you sort through,and I think you SHOULD get someone.

I have a coworker, Jill, at Joyworks, the shop I work in here,,,,and she is SO organized and neat,,,well, come on! She makes YOU and me ILL! But I love her dearly! But let someone I KNOW come and help organize/straighten/clean? No way Jose'!

I'd come help,,,but I'm way TOO ADD myself! I'd look at, say your box of GORGEOUS rhinestone jewelry,,,and probably be LOST in looking and thinking about THAT for a DAY!

But I'd look for a helper that would work for say, some supplies, or a percentage of listing SOME of your goodies on Etsy! Sort/price/keep/sell.......

You're a woman after my own heart....and my dogs don't mind the mess in my studio either.

Thanks for sharing,,,,,and if you read my post ( a bit late, because well, I also have a "procrastinators annonymous meeting" -tonights meeting is at 8:00,,,,but I'll be late! J/K! But I am!

Again, Love you, warts and all!

Hugs,
Shell

Lisalulu said...

That was SO much fun!! I HAVE to show this to my husband because he thinks my craft room is awful, and my craftroom is as small as a closet... oh so much fun stuff there, it would take me days to just walk through it because it is all so yummmmmmmy.. I came over from Shelly's blog. You are a brave and CReaTIve woman!

Bettyann said...

oh mercy me i need depends...omg your crack housse looks like my friend lynda's place before i became a taser to help her separate her from her stuff...lololo lmg i can hardly wait to see your after pics...for heavens sake don't fall over any of the pikes and hurt your other leg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

Anne Lorys said...

Oh now, it's not THAT bad in person!

Lynn Stevens said...

O.K I thought I was bad. Not even close!!! I WILL be sharing this with my DH who says I have to much stuff. Question is Do you use it???
If so I say Good for you. Keep on junking!! If not I know lots of us bloggers out here who would gladly take it off your hands.
Love your post Brave girl!!

Unknown said...

Oh, my honest, funny and kind friend...
I think they call all of that "creative genius". We would have a blast sorting through everything, 'cause I would want to take it all home with me. Hey! That's it!!! I'll fly out and drive back in a U-haul. Save money on a plane ticket, right?
Really, though. WHEN in the last almost year would you have had the ability to sort? You might have hurt your foot in the process and that would so not be good.
love you!!!
lynn

The Charm House said...

Thank goodness, I am not crazy! My studio looks really bad and I can't seem to organize it. I get side tracked on creating! LOL Anyways thanks for sharing so that many of us will feel better!
Yvette

Debby said...

Gasp!!! You are cracking me up. When you say you got stash, you mean it!!!! A girl can never have too many whimsy kids, glad to see that I am not alone. Enjoyed seeing all your fun stuff.
Debby

Lucy - By the Hill said...

You are so sweet and brave to share this with us.
Oh, to be organized! I gave up years ago. Every time I try to get there I end up with more mess than I started with and no time to get at it! Then I can't find anything!
....so it just grows!

just me said...

I LOVE IT!!!! Looks so close to mine! Now i have to follow your blog, so glad i found it today!!

Pretty Things said...

Oh gosh, honey! That's some PILES!

But you know, it's also arty. I love the pearls in the vase, for instance. And do you know how much ANY of us would love to rummage? And I'll bet when you go through your stuff, you find things you forgot you had. I do that all the time with my beads (oh how did THAT get there?).

Loved this post!

terri said...

I am so thinking you photographed some of that from my own worktable!! I resemble too much of that conversation. After picking myself up off the floor laughing, I had to respond and say "You Go Girl!!"

CEDAR JUNCTION said...

You have so many FUN things! I'm really jonesing over all those awesome bottles. I'm hoping to pick up more when I go up to Warrenton next month.

Love your crackhouse,
Teresa

Ann said...

just stopped in from Etsy Rosary Guild shop. I saw you had entered the same contest as me and thought I stop in and say hello and here I find out your an artist and fellow hoarder. boy do I feel better today. I enjoyed your site and look forward to looking around a bit more.

JeanJeanTheRealEstateQueen said...

Jan,

This is Jean. Your favorite sister. The one who MAILS you gifts. In the mail. Often. For no reason. Remember me?

This is the first time in the history of your blog I have felt compelled to comment. That's saying something...though I'm not sure it's good. ;-)

First of all, you said if we leave a comment to be nice. Therefore I wasn't going to be able to comment. But I've since changed my mind. Lucky you.

First, just copy "The Other Jan's" comment into my spot (dated Aug 13th). I agree with all that she said. And she said it so well.

Second, here are my initial thoughts, nice or not. I'll TRY to be kind, but I'm a bit damaged after reading your blog and I can't be sure what I'll say....

"OMG! Now I KNOW I'm never visiting the ranch in the next decade!"

"You must have TONS of stress just living with all that crap"

and then....
"Where does Frank live?"

"Do you even have an empty guest room should I decide to visit?"

"Oh crap, my head hurts just looking at all of this!!!"

"Let the goats loose in there and problem solved"

"And I actually LET YOU raid my antique jewelry thinking you NEEDED THOSE PRECIOUS ITEMS!!!"

"No wonder Mom's never had her hearing aids fixed while with you for 5 months this last winter. I wouldn't want to hear you say 'Hey Mom, lets go make piles' either!"

"Don't plan on your boys moving home any time soon"

"The one thing I would really want to see....the gross baby doll heads....and she doesn't put them in her blog!"

Schwew! I'm exhausted. I need to go back to work and concentrate but you've sucked the life right out of me. I need a drink. Got a jar for my whiskey???? heh heh heh.

Love ya you twisted sister,

Jean

just me said...

hello jan thanks for visiting my blog, try www.just-me-just-me.blogspot.com. im still trying to figure out all this blog stuff!! yet to get links and such on the sidebar, working on getting the 14 yo to figure it out for me lol!

Pandora said...

Jan, Jan, Jan,

Your photos warm the cockles of my cold hoarding heart. I cannot wait until you reopen your Etsy store so I can add to "my precious" piles.

Vicki Boster said...

Hilarious! Your photos are my vindication for my collections. All I can say is that you not only win the "collections" award but you have a ton of nerve to show those photos and not run screaming into the night!!! You are amazing and I would give anything to spend a day just browsing through your treasures! I loved every photo and I just gotta say that we "love" the same stuff! A fabulous, fabulous post!
Vicki

Cindy said...

OH my Jan. I don't know what to say. It's just what a "crack house" should look like. I would just love to spend the day perusing all of your incredible vintage treasures and art supplies...it's like a fun museum to me! Can't wait til you DO list some of your goodies in your Etsy shop, that is if you can part with them. Thanks for taking us on a tour. :-)
Cindy
www.sweetbeadstudio.com

Charlene said...

If Karen Valentine had not FORCED me to participate in Where Bloggers Create II there may have never been the "BIG CLEAN UP" in my studio. It looked just like yours! Really associate with the piles of sacks (purchases you NEEDED so badly yet have left in the bags for weeks/months). And I did clean it up. And it did stay clean for AWHILE & then... & now... You have urged me on to straighten it up again before it goes out of wack to the no return zone! HUGS! Charlene

Angela Rae Barribeau said...

Vintage Girl took the words right out of my mouth!!! I think we were separated at birth!!!!!!! Our family was having a discussion recently (in front of some friends or acquaintance) and I said something about having my art room, and Ronnie piped up and said, "No, you have 4 rooms of the house... your art room, your bedroom, the dining room and the front office..."... big sigh. He's right.

Jann said...

Wow--didn't know there was someone just like me out there! You wouldn't believe (well, I guess you would) how much art and craft stuff (junk) I've acquired over the past few years! I love your stash, though!!!! You have a wonderful collection of everything!

Unknown said...

Hi Jan...it has been awhile! Love all your wonderful supplies. So many great goodies.

Smart Living Today said...

....and I thought it was only me! I could look at the pictures with yearning all day long!

Keep up the good collections!

deb did it said...

Jan...I LOVE YOUR CRAP! Come see me next time you are in my neighborhood....7 miles from Round Top

Sweetina said...

I'm still alive after de cluttering my place and getting it (ok next week) on the market. Almost killed me. Your crack house studio is Heavenly...I could roll in that stuff! Especially the vintage jewellery...yummy!!! (not sure I'd roll in the doll heads though Lol!)
Az Tina xox

The Rusty Teapot said...

Hi Jan,
Im finally in blog land :) I so love this post & Pictures!! It's so good to know there are others out there.....thank god I am not alone! xx

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