It is finished. Almost.

I wasn't sure I was going to finish the dining room/studio/workroom this weekend. I had a meeting cancelled and gave up my nap to get it done, and I'm so glad I did. I was on such a creative streak, I wanted to continue on with the kitchen, but I had to leave for church. The kitchen will be this week's evening projects.

This is the finished project. It takes some explanation. I agonized over where to put the table, because I wanted it up against the wall, but the light fixture is centered in the room. I went with my instinct, because the only time someone would notice it was off center would be if they came over, and if I have people over I fully intend to convert this back to a dining room. So there.

Now, there is the fun element of playing duck and dodge with the hanging fixture. So far, it's won by a landslide. I've bonked my head a multitude of times. I also left part of the table for the computer, since some of my "art" is produced technologically. I can also close up the laptop and eat here if I decide to get fancy. If you look closely at the picture you'll see I've already pulled out my Project 365 stuff (I'm so behind it's not even funny. Does the date "January 29th" give you any indication?!)

One of the main reasons I wanted the table against the wall is because I needed room to sit on the floor and spread out. All of my supplies are kept here, and until now if I wanted to spread them all out and look at them, I'd have to do it at the table on top of my project, or in the living room, thus spilling my project into the other areas of the house. Now, I have a big open space on the floor to throw down my tools and figure out how it's gonna get done. This cabinet is by no means completely organized, but it's a start, and things are easily accessible.

My favorite part by far is the two buckets. One holds all of my alphabet stickers, which I'm much more prone to use than other stickers. The other holds all of my stickers and the rub-ons I swore I'd never use because it took me a long time to master them, and I kept messing up. I have since come to love them, just as my keeper said I would.

Don't look at what's hanging from the bee hangers. I put those up there for a second to get them out of the way, and forgot to take them down. You may also notice that I added to one of the frames. That was a stroke of genius this afternoon. I thought I was completely finished, but walked past my store of special special papers. I got the print at the Dallas Museum of Art this winter. It's a city map of the monuments of Paris, on parchment-type paper. Instead of framing it, I tacked it up inside the big frame, so a little of the wall shows through. It's not perfect by any means, but then, neither am I. I love love love this. The bottom frame will hold a sign that has yet to be made, and probably other goodies. Then, I have one more sign to hang up really high above the Paris map. I normally wouldn't hang something up that high, but it does have meaning and I want it shown there. I think. We'll see.

Oh, how I wish I had about 16 more hours to put everything else in the house together. I just have to remind myself to take it one step at a time, and "Keep moving forward." (25 bonus points if you can tell me the movie reference. It almost made me late to church this morning!)