happy pansy faces

i couldn't stand it anymore...seeing sunny daffodils and happy pansy faces all over the place...I had to have some of my own. so finally broke down and bought just enough plants to fill two containers. my normal tendency is to buy WAY more plants than I EVER get around to planting, and I'm trying VERY hard in this smaller space to control that. the little yard is way too small to allow to get messy and cluttered.

anyway. here is before and after of this morning... (click on images for more detail)

the messy bits

okay. phew. today i bare myself to you. usually i just show the pretty parts, but today i will share the messy bits.

this is supposed to be my "dining area." i envision a narrow farm-type table, with a shallow credenza against the wall w open shelving on top for my transferware collection. in reality, this has become my ebay packing/photo shoot accessory storage area. sigh.

the desk has never totally been organized since I got it. i need to get through the piles (see shelves and next picture) and really file things properly. plus I wish I'd had it made 6' wide instead of 5', AND the desktop is like an electromagnet for dust and animal hair.

the bedroom vanity is *really* not the place for piles of papers and magazines. this is supposed to be the one area that's always neat and pretty and girly for when i have just a moment to sit by the window...

this poor chair is always piled with STUFF. this is the start of me prematurely pulling stuff out for an in-apartment CraigsList vintage clothing sale. this is the "as is" section. nice things that need a little tlc. the cat can stay where he likes.

I get that by REALLY MESSY standards this is all probably not too bad. But it's such a small space that Everything Is In View All the Time and I get claustrophobic feeling and a little depressed when I always have mess and disorganization around me.

Today's project is The Desk (which includes the pile on the vanity). Wish me luck!

Day 12

Some of you know that in addition to my day job at a school for children and adults with autism, I also sell vintage clothing. I turn my living room into a studio for photo shoots....so, this is my living room "before" ...

I push all the furniture into the dining room, pull down the paper background, add lights, and voila! A photo studio!

And here's the result. This was the model who was out yesterday, in The Pretty Woman dress.