Monday, September 28, 2009

My Pretty Letter Tray




I need an overwhelming amount of paper-sized stuff (printer paper, card stock, felt) for all my crafts and craft kits. Trying to keep it organized is really, really hard work. Especially when my kids try to steal the fifth shade down in the mountainous pile of orange card stock.
Really, child? You can't use a light orange piece of card stock that's on the very top of the pile? No? Your jack-o-lantern requires the shade of orange that will inevitably cause a paper cut avalanche when you pull it out? Awesome.

Really, I don't care about that. What it comes down to is this: I freakin' LOVE containers.

So a few months ago my local Red Cross advertised an office supply giveaway on Freecycle. And you know how I love The Free. It was supposed to start at 8:00 a.m. I got there at 7:55 a.m. and no joke, there were about two things left. Some people really like free stuff and they really don't feel the need to follow the rules. Follow the rules, people! 8:00! Dang!

Anyway, they were giving away this hideous HIDEOUS! metal letter tray. I looked at this ugly thing and visions of paint and Mod Podge danced in my head. And I might have fantasized just a little about the organization that would follow after I prettied it. So I grabbed it and held it in my loving arms as fast as I could. As if I believed someone else would want it. No one wanted it. No one! Sad, sad, little paper tray.

"I will conquer you, Ugly!"


Anything that is hideous and made of metal needs Spray Paint! Right away! So James painted it white for me (Thanks, Honey!):


It's almost as if your eyes can rest a little easier now, isn't it?

And then I went to JoAnn's Fabric Store and found this paper:


And I cut it up and Mod Podged it on the sides of my letter tray:


And then I Tacky Glued on some pretty brown ribbon:


And with all my other paper containers, you can't really see it, but I love it anyway.


It just makes me happy. Because I'm totally the person who throws my body to the floor and rolls around like a dog in absolute heaven after the carpet has been professionally cleaned. Same kind of thing. I go downstairs for no other reason than to gaze at the organizational beauty.


And it matches my file cabinet and my bulletin board. I love it!

8 comments:

Ali Richardson said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

sassypackrat said...

I have one just like that in the garage. Now I can finally see the loveliness in it and will bring it into my studio after I transform it. Thanks for the idea!

Unknown said...

NICE! :)

I liked it at white, but then you put the paper on it and made it beautiful. :)

plaidbunny said...

Just posted at Recycled Crafts at Craft Gossip!
Thanks For sharing
Stef
http://tinyurl.com/TheCardAlbum
http://sweatersurgery.blogspot.com/
http://craftside.typepad.com/
http://recycledcrafts.craftgossip.com/
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(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste Bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination.

Anonymous said...

You are just the bomb!! I love the way you tell your "stories" of repurposing, redecorating and reoganizing, just enjoy it so much. And your projects, wow, you give me goosebumps (ok, slight exageration here but...) u rock girl!

scrapnurse xx

Anonymous said...

I'm a crafter & a professional organizer, and have been trying in vain to find an "unusual" letter tray for a new client. What a perfect idea this is, plus I LOVE to decoupage! Great ideas & I love your site--thanks so much!

da halls said...

You crack me up how you are able to turn what-would-be-mundane into funny (I just read a couple of your most recent posts, as well). Thanks.
80)
Mary Beth

desk tray said...

Wow! That was really pretty letter tray! I love that idea. I will do this on my trays on my office. Can't wait to see my letter trays. Thanks for sharing.

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