My Dream Scrapbooking Space...Coming Soon

When I recently left for a weekend scrapbooking retreat with friends, my husband innocently asked why I don't scrapbook at home. Why? Where would I scrapbook at home?

We don't have a particularly small house, but there's nowhere for me to spread out with my pictures, albums, Cricut, scissors, cardstock, tape runners, paper cutters, punches, ribbons, and embellishments. And once that stuff is out, you can't put it away til you're done. And then... you may as well keep it out for good so that you can work on it during those rare, unexpected moments when nobody else is home and you can work in peace. It's a hassle to put the stuff away and get it all out again. You really need a space that it can all be left out and left alone. And ideally, out of sight!

I didn't want to work in the basement. I wanted to be near my family and close to a TV. My husband drew up a plan on graph paper. He would convert a built-in bookcase to a scrapbooking closet. I didn't want a closet. I wanted to face into the room, not into a closet. So, he continued to design my ideal space. Bifold doors that slide to one side. Overhead shelves for organization of supplies. Electricity for a lamp and my Cricut. And a built-in desktop AND a drop-down desktop, creating an L-shaped horizontal workspace. Wow! I was impressed.

So, last week I primed the interior of my dream scrapbooking space. And this morning I decided to paint. I'd finish off a can of paint we had used in the hallway a few years ago. Color: Wells Beach. That'll be nice! Especially if I paint the shelves bright white! But, fail. The paint was too old. The lid rusted shut. Fortunately, my knight in shining armour was able to pry it open. But fail, again. Even after stirring, it was just too chunky. Partially because of the old paint, but also because of the rust falling in. Yuck! I tried to roll it on anyway, but didn't get very far (see picture above). So, I drove to the store where we had bought it before. And fail, again. They no longer mix paint. Three strikes. I'm out for the day. This dream scrapbooking space will have to wait til tomorrow.