I have a plan...

Well, I seem to be done with PT on my hand. It isn't back to normal yet, but the therapist said to take it a couple weeks at a time. As long as it is making progress we're good. She said if I notice that progress plateaus then I should call my doctor and make another appointment.

But my hand is getting to where I can do some things again. (just not heavy pushing, lifting, and the like). However before i can do any crafting I need to clean my desk. You know a new baby, closely followed by Christmas, followed by a broken wrist that put me out of commision for most of 5 months will really cause a mess! You don't want to see my desk! I got part of it cleaned up so I could use my Cricut to work on Bug's birthday party invitations, decor, and activities. But the rest...OH MY!!! :shock:

Yesterday I started cleaning it. Well actually, I started by purging some files from the filing cabinet so as to make way for some of the things on my desk that will need filed. My goal is to get the laundry caught up and back on schedule and to get my desk cleaned up. After that the plan is to spend at least 1 hour a day cleaning the basement. We need to get it cleaned before we can start prepping for a renovation project--finishing the basement. But one hour a day will leave me time to play too. And I do need to restock my cards. The broken wrist period did take a toll on my stockpile.

Back to the basement though...

I was wondering: Does anyone have their craft area in the basement? If so, suggestions? We're going to need our current office/craft area as a bedroom for Little Blue before we know it. Currently he is sharing a room with Bug. But as he gets bigger we'll need to separate them. So....finishing the basement is the plan. Well...It was a plan from the beginning we just haven't gotten to start it yet. You know those pesky student loans, etc that suck up all the $$. :lol:

But one of the 2 remaining student loans was paid off a few months ago and the last one will be paid off within the next year. So that will free up some income for the project and also increase the square footage of our house.
My big concern with paper crafting in the basement is humidity. That's why I wondered if any of you have such a set up. I'd appreciate hearing of your experiences.

I look forward to being back on. It won't be as often as before of course with the little man to take care of. Bug did get a card crafting kit for her birthday. (Washable ink stamp pads, some stamps, and some card bases.) So i imagine I'll be joined!

I don't have a basement, but your plan of breaking down the project 1 hour at a time is doable! I normally try for 15 uninterrupted minutes at a time...sometimes multiple of them on some days, depending on the kids!

Main thing I would do to improve my crafting area is more LIGHT, and not all of it on the switch (task light for extra illumination for the night time crafting).

Good luck!

It will be fun to have Bug joining in on the fun.

I live in AZ where it's mostly dry and few people have basements, as the ground is so hard. So, I'm no help in that regard. Good luck with the cleaning, organizing and remodeling/finishing.

Wow, big plans for you! I would suggest buying a dehumidifier for your craft room and even then, might try keeping a small amount of paper there before bringing your whole stash just in case. Depending on your basement and your humidity, it may not be a problem at all. Good luck and how exciting!

Well, I've worked most of the afternoon on it. I don't really feel like I've made a ton of progress. It kind of looks like things have mostly been shuffled around! Not entirely the case. Some of the "to file" things have been moved from a massive stack into smaller categorized stacks. :lol:

So it still looks a mess. However PS did say I'd made progress, so it is at least noticeable that I've gotten somewhere.

My wrist is sore though, so I'm thinking I might be done for tonight.
Well, I gotta go feed the boy! He's starting to get annoyed. But he's still too cute!

How exciting for you (because you'll soon get to play again) and for us (because we've missed you!)

Sheri, our basement has been finished for about 30 years. By finished I mean it has sheetrock walls. We store photos there and Larry has filing cabinets full of papers down there. We have never had a problem with humidity even though it can be quite humid in our neck of the woods. When I redid my studio I put all my supplies in the basement for about 6 weeks with no issues. i think you should be fine.
I agree that the bigger concern will be light. Keep in mind that the type of light bulbs you install (like fluorescents) will affect the way you perceive colors. I have can lights with color correct bulbs above my workspace. I also have an Ott light on my desk right where I sit. It is worth its weight in gold when I am matching papers. Make sure your space is bright and cheerful so that you enjoy being there.

Thanks for the info Ellie! We haven't even discussed lighting yet. We've had other things to think on first. (The floor being the "big" one--it has two sloped areas that go to drains that the previous owner capped off. Obviously a concern because the drains are still there below. We need to talk to someone who knows something about that. We're hoping to "pick" my friend's husband's brain, he's a retired contractor. Hopefully he can help.

There are florescent down there currently--they were there when we moved in (and it is actually well lit for a basement in terms of the sheer amount of light). It does have a couple windows, but they are small. They are in the west wall though and get a "fair" amount of light through them in the afternoons. That is another thing that will need done though--those windows will need replaced.

So much to do and think on--I should start a list!

You can get "natural" light bulbs (also called lamps). They may have some that fit your fluorescent fixtures. They are a bit more expensive, but it is amazing the difference in light.

http://www.homedepot.com/s/natural+light+bulbs?NCNI-5