How we made my island for my scrap sudio

Hello Friends! I wanted show you how we made the island that sits in the middle of my scrap studio. I'm just going to give you a brief description, because we actually followed this tutorial http://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/how_to_build_a_kitchen_island

and it explains it better than I ever could!

We started with the top. I was very fortunate to be able to find a beautiful beveled edge black quartz island top on craigslist for $250.00! This retails for at least $1500.00 and would've totally been out of my budget if I had to pay that.  You can purchase counter top  fairy inepensively at Lowes or Home Depot.

Then we purchased 4 24 inch stock cabinets (Also from Home depot) W bought the unfinished wood ones and painted them ourselves. We used 2 drawer cabinets and 2 regular cabinets. We screwed these together and set them in place. I chose bead board to cover the back and sides. I like the look and it coordinates with the bead board on the walls in the adjoining dining room. (directions are on the video) . My wonderful hubby added trim at the bottom and corner piece to finish it off.

My Fabulous husband screwing the cabinets together!

I love this island.....but I wish I had left some space for legs...I'm adjusting to it though and have found that I'm up and down so much grabbing supplies, that I stand up most of the time anyway (Plus, you burn more calories standing than sitting lol)

So, that's how we made the island...it was actually pretty easy peasy!

Large storage "armoirs" in my Scrap studio / room

 Hello Friends!
   Hope you all are getting in on the free digi collages! Feel free to share my link on your Facebook, Pinterest etc....I would really appreciate it!

Anyway, some of you were asking about my Tall Armoire type cabinets in my studio.    

These are actually 4 of the unfinished Utility cabinets from Home Depot. We used 2 on each side...my hubby put trim around the bottom of them to make them look like 1 unit. I love these! They have soooooooo much room, and the 2 drawers are a great feature. The adjustable shelves are super sturdy and can hold a lot of weight.

  We bought the hardware at Lowes....they look black in the picture, but they are aactually an oiled bronze.

Here's my hubby taking the staples out of the cabinets so i can paint.

                              

I primed it with Glidden Gripper. I've found you get a much nicer finish if you use the little foam rollers....not the fuzzy ones...leaves the surface nice and smooth with no brush marks.

lol....had to include a pic of my little buddies keeping me company!

Hampton Bay 24x84 in. Unfinished Utility Cabinet

Model # DDUC2418OHD

Store SKU # 385370

 They cost $199.00 each, but I got them on sale for 20% off....which is still a little pricey at $160.00 each, but I think they turned out nice.....

  Thanks for peeking and make sure you subscribe (upper right hand side...click the button that says posts with the little orange icon....then click on the choice "Atom"...you should be able to follow the directions from there...if you do this you'll receive email notifications when a new post is made)  because I'll be telling you guys how we made the island in a couple of days.

 One more thing! I just listed one of my mini's on Ebay if anyone is interested!  http://www.ebay.com/itm/230843535814?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Free collage sheet a week for my followers who subscribe

 Hello Friends!
  I have a new little give away I'm doing! This is how it works....
 You must be a Follower AND subscribe to my blog. To subscribe, you just click the little button on the right that says "posts" and has the little orange box. When you subscribe you will receive an email notification when I a post.
 Once you do that, when you get the email that I'm offering a free collage sheet, just hop over and click my email link (this will be in the post) and type free collage sheet in the email. That's it!
  I know a lot of you are already followers, so just subscribe (it's easy, it will walk you through it...just pick the email option, I believe it's at the bottom of the box. You'll understand when you see it!
 Sooooooo, if you have done all that, email me at kmchristensen1@gmail.com to receive a collage sheet with this adorable vintage Thanksgiving image.

....the cute card shape will be available in my Zibbet store this evening...

                                                Thanks so much! I appreciate you all!

My shabby chic new studio

 Hello Friends! Well, we finally finished my studio and I looooooove it! For those of you who don't know, my awesome family allowed me to claim our rarely used formal living room. It's a nice big open space with windows, on our main floor........I know what you're thinking,,,main floor? She can't possibly keep that presentable looking! Lol....I was a little nervous about this too. After all, it is an open floor plan and I am NOT the tidiest of people. (I think creative people rarely are) Anyway, my solution was cabinets, cabinets and more cabinets!  I'll try to walk you through what we did and where certain things came from, please feel free to ask questions etc. Thanks!
 
You can see a video tour here.....but consider yourself warned....you may get motion sickness watching it! http://youtu.be/1KLz89-v45Y

 The cabinets on the back wall are actually 4 of the home depot unfinished utility cabinets. I painted them and my hubby put trim across the bottom to make them look like one cabinet. Then we added the oiled brass pulls. I loove these, there's a ton of space in them!

 ...comfy chair and blanket so my peeps can come hang out with me.

 The buffet and china cabinet were originally in this room and I just couldn't part with them...plus, they are great storage.

 My wonderful husband built this island for me with 4 ~ 24 inch stock base cabinets and bead board. I got the beautiful Quartz top on craigslist for $250!!!! It would have cost me well over $1500 to purchase at Home Depot.

 My buffet and TV....I'll be selling my mini's that are on top if anyone is interested. There are individual videos of all of them on my Youtube. You can invoice me an offer if you like.

 This antique dresser is my shipping center. My scale, padded envelopes, tape etc...live in the drawers

 .....oops...a little Sassy hiney made it's way into the pictures. That's their little doggie bed they lay on while I work.

 Did I mention I love my island? Sugar bowls hold my pens, markers, tweezers etc.

 View of my studio from the dining room (Spike is smiling pretty for the camera)

 China cabinet with my vintage laces, buttons and seam binding. I have all these goodies stored in vintage crystal and glass punch bowls and serving bowls.

 My die cut center!

 Accucut dies

 Grande Mark and Sizzix Pro

 12 x 12 papers and misc

 More accucut dies

 Distress Inks, reinkers and sponges

 More 12 x 12 papers and dies

 Punches and bling

 Paints, brushes, and other embellies, tap runners etc

 Prima flowers. the clear jars are from Uline...love them!

 Rectangle containers are from Target

 Itty Bitty Prima flowers

 Stampin up scraps

 Card stock scraps

 Chipboard scraps

 ribbon

 More sizzix dies

 More misc embellies (Cabinets above the die cut center)

 8.5 x 11 paper stored above the Grand Mark die cutter

 Spectrum Noirs and tattered Angels. i don't use these that often so they live in the hardest cabinet for me to get too.

 Inside the china cabinet

 Vintage jewelry

 Lace and buttons

 More vintage lace and buttons

 Twill tape

 Vintage lace and seam binding

 Sizzix dies in island drawer

 2~ 12 x 12 drawer stacks in island cabinet. This holds my metal embellies: clock hands, brads, charms etc

 Stack in other cabinet

 All the things that are stored in the island are things I use on a regular basis.

 Die cut mats

 Misc embellies

 misc tiny embellies (also known as the junk drawer....I can't be bothered with putting away these tiny embellishments...so if i grab too many the extras get thrown in here lol)

 Accucut Grand Mark

  Thanks so much for taking a peek! Warmly, misty