A site for my handmade cards, accompanied by my photos and written meanderings which are occasionally witty, often tongue-in-cheek, and rarely profound. Beginning in June 2013, you'll also see lots of NBUS, which is an acronym I coined for Never-Before-Used-Schtuff. Note: my Privacy Policy can be found at a tab below and you can find my NBUS Challenge online. I hope you'll join in the fun there! Thanks for coming by! Have a beverage and enjoy!

January 8, 2013

WOYWW ~ Playhouse Evolution And a Bit of a Snit

The Wednesday WOYWW Edition.  (No. 188)

I missed you all last week!  I wished you a Happy New Year the week before, but I'll do it again, in case you missed it.  HPYYNWYR!  (That's for LLJ!)

Here's my desk.  I remembered to take a picture before I habitually cleared it all up, as I am wanton to do!
 
 
I've undergone another evolution in the Playhouse.  This is a photo heavy post, but I thought you might like to see the change. 

It all began with clear stamps which began to multiply like wittle bunnies this past year.  You may remember that I am blessed to have these wonderful deep storage cabinets for my woodens.  There are lots of photos on the "Playhouse" tab at the top, but I copied these to remind you:
 



 
That's all fine and good, but these new-fangled clear stamps, they come in nice cases.  They can be damaged and need to stay in nice cases.  Nice cases that don't lend themselves to horizontal stacking in drawers.  What to do?  The cases lived for a while on top of the above cabinet, with their froggie bookends, but they outgrew that.  I looked around the room.  Hmmm.
 
Ah Ha, I declared!  Now there's a wall that is becoming obsoleted.  Since all those fancy-edged scissors were the rage, dies are now living in the opposite corner and fancy-edged scissors don't often get used any more.  Ah Ha!
 
Oh, Mister . . . !
 
Mister very nicely hung a cabinet there instead.
 
And now I have my clear stamps (alphabetically, of course) all in a row, with room to grow!
Not only that, but my punches came out of drawers to be hung, which cleared up more drawer space!  Winner, winner, chicken dinner!  Where is that "Wish List" binder?
 
I love evolutions!
 
Following is a totally self-satisfying snit about Blogger.  Feel free to skip it and enjoy your WOYWW tour of desks in all shapes and sizes and stages of evolution all over the world.  Click your mouselet here to join in all the fun!!
 
~~~
 
I wrote the following earlier this evening, before I was able to post the above ...

Well, here's the deal.  I have a picture of my desk.  I had a whole post planned telling you about the latest Playhouse evolution, with pictures.  Only Blogger is a Bword.  First it wouldn't let a lot of us insert photos in "compose" (the normal way), so we were doing it with "HTML" and now I've discovered that the little picture icon in HTML doesn't work anymore either. 

Some say this is all to get us to switch over to Google Chrome.  If that's true I resent the "playing games" aspect of it.  Just flipping be honest about it and tell us you aren't supporting Internet Explorer any longer and be done with it.  Don't list it as a "known issue" on your so-called help page.  Big snort that is.  And, oh by the way, if this problem is not because you want to force us to use Google Chrome, then I'm just saying that it's taking a software company an insubordinate amount of time to fix their own software!!

It's not nice to frustrate and stress people out and make them wonder if they've done something wrong and what they should do.  Especially nice people who make pretty cards and other beautiful crafts that can only be shared via photos.
~~~

Mister loaded Firefox and outfoxed the fox and I no trouble loading photos, so there!  I'm leaving my little snit anyway because it felt good to write it and I thank you for indulging me!  You're the best and I'm happy I got to play with you today after all!  I have to leave with a happy nugget from a few years ago!

Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy your day.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by to visit the Playhouse. Special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower or leave a comment!

54 comments:

Jenny Marples said...

LOVE your playhouse, am equally annoyed with Blogger at the moment. Your level of organisation leaves me astounded/impressed. Happy New Year and happy WOYWW, hugs Jenny #35

Anonymous said...

Happy WOYWW. Firstly, I feel your pain re. Blogger. My issues with it are now, I think, due to the new security software on my new computer - and generally Blogger is working for me, with regular refreshing of pages (and strangely visiting Facebook will get my internet connection working well again?!) and being patient when inserting photos (can take a few attempts). Secondly, wow, wow, wow over your Playhouse reorganisation. We will be moving to the farmhouse this year - and will show my hubby the piccies of your wonderful craft space. Perhaps he can put in storage like your's - probably not, but I can dream! Ali x #40

Di said...

Hi Darnell - sigh, I do so love your Playhouse. Sitting in bed here Len looked over at the screen and wondered where you keep the kettle and coffee - and do you have to trot back to the main house for, err, personal reasons.

So funny too, I just sent my fancy scissors up to the craft club in the Care Home where my step-mum lives :)

Happy WOYWW! Di xx #32

Helen said...

Love the Playhouse, and we thought Julia herself had loads of scissors.... have a great week. Helen #7

Ustvarjalni utrinki Tamara P. said...

Your Playhouse is big and so organized. Love it. I don't have such place.
Have a nice day
Tamara

Vicky Hayes said...

How adorable is that twinkie photo Darnell?! Definitely worthy of scrapbooking that precious moment! Love the sightseeing in your Playhouse too. Ice cream coloured drawers - YUM! Mister sounds like a bit of a treasure in his own right - you might have to scrapbook him too! Vicky x

Redanne said...

Loving the new addition of the cupboard for your clear stamps - your Mister is one good guy! Your storage always fascinates me, you are always so organised but it was nice to see your desk in a bit of a state today - mine looks like that most of the time. I share your frustration with Blogger, it is getting me down..... Have a happy WOYWW Darnell, Hugs, Annie xx

Ps - will it or won't it let me leave this message.........

Andrea said...

I LOVE your organisation and your playhouse it is amazing ...I would gladly look ta tons more photos and drool . I dont get the blogger problem but that's because im too new to this and no IT expert! have a wonderful week and happy new year to you too.good to see you back thanks for visiting last week hugs Andrea x

Michelle said...

Darnell, I'm still envious of your gorgeous playhouse! I need a solution for my clear stamps that no longer go into CD cases... the CD rack is almost obsolete! Wah!

As to the conspiracy to turn us all over to Google Chrome - I went over to the dark side when I couldn't even POST on my blog using IE, that was probably over 12 months ago - IE wouldn't work, Firefox wouldn't work, so Chrome it was, sigh!

Sandy said...

Oh look at all those new cupboards.. Lucky you isn't it always the way though that we get something new and have to organise them into something bigger and better.. I have never bought all the different scissors got into this after that trend.. Just have punches and most of mine are the skinny grey ones that fold up.. Isn't it funny how it all changes all the time, so we have to too.
i love your card with the little red heart so cute.. Picture of the twinks another cutie one.
Happy WOYWW
Sandy :)#15

shirley-bee said...

I've just been licking the monitor with Playhouse envy....

Tertia said...

I am so with you on the Blogger issue, I too. have outfoxed them, but it is still very frustrating.
Love your playroon, almost as much as I love mine. Isn't it nice to sometimes just sit there and look at all the pretty things?
Happy WOYWW.
Tertia #17

CraftygasheadZo said...

Oh wow looks fab! Super storage you have there. Take care Zo xx 43

Sandi McLean said...

Oh you do play well in your "playhouse" LOL Not in WOYWW this week but wanted to say hello and offer warm crafty wishes for 2013.

Blogger..bad! I switched over to both FireFox and Google Chrome 18 months ago as the ning site I was designing for wasn't working with IE. Found that Google Chrome worked best :( and I have had few issues other than learning things anew! Hugs,

Lori said...

Absolutely LOVE the playhouse. Thanks for sharing. My workdesk is currently upstairs while we are in the never ending process of designing and building me a studio all by ourselves in the basement. Ugh. It may be 2015 before I get to post real pictures from that space.

I am friends with Sandee and new to WYOWW. Hope you have a chance to check out my blog and desk.
Lori #81

PS
I tried Chrome for one day until I figured out it was a pain in the butt for my blog. Went back to Firefox and did not look back.

Emily Keaton said...

Hey, Darnell, could wanton yourself on over to my place to habitually clear up *my* desk, as you are wanton to do, you know? {wink}

I've used Firefox for years and never ran into the photo problems everyone has been talking about this week. Hopefully everything will work out grandly for you!

Neet said...

Oh, so that's why I am having problems on my iPad! Drat!
Love your photos, those pastel coloured drawers look so pretty. Love all the white around.
Great photo at the end, a real smile moment to share.
Hugs, Neet xx11

Tracey McNeely said...

The organization in the playhouse is amazing Darnell. I am sure you want to be there all the time. Blogger gave me so much grief, but it did all stop when I moved to Chrome. My current grief is with inLinkz. Favourite part of your post is the last picture. :)

Carole said...

Evolution is fantastic, improvements that help create order - priceless... I believe in a good snit, there's something self satisfying about it.
I too suffer playhouse envy, yet I'm pleased to have the space I do. I can't imagine working on a dining room table or the ironing board I use to work on.

Anonymous said...

I like evolution, mine has evolved from a single plastic box to almost a whole room, and now the knitting stash is threatening to do the same! Where will it all end I ask myself?? Do I really care comes back the reply!!! Ha ha! And you have "room to grow" that sounds ominous indeed! Not to feel superior but I discounted blogger as a blog host very, very quickly and picked wordpress instead, boy am I glad I did! One problem in 3 1/2 years. Yes, really, just one!! Oh, and I've used FF for years and years too!! Life is good, lol!

Hugs
Brenda 94

SandeeNC said...

OMG, thank you for clearing up what happened to my normal way of uploading pictures! I have been wondering why and what happened! I have been going through Picassa and uploading from there, lol So they didn't get a Goggle Chrome customer out of me either! lol waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

ria gall said...

Hi
You must have the craft house of all our dreams and a man that just keeps getting it right for you.
Ria

Ali H said...

Oh I do love your posts - rants & all ! You are so scarily well organised - are all your craft projects symmetrical !!!!
Mind you, you are talking to the girl who in my quilting days just couldn't do random to save my life !!!
And I file all MY unmounted stamps in ring binders (gulp 22 of them !!!) filed by subject!!
Do you think we need a self help group !!
Great you can see those punches now - think things get used so much more when they are on view & to hand !

505whimsygirl said...

Hi Darnell,

Haaa. I actually use Google Chrome because it came already loaded on my netbook. It works for me just fine. But I can imagine your frustration.

Your new cabinet looks great in the playroom. As does your punches, all lined up in a row! Very nice indeed.

Hugs,
Kay

Lunch Lady Jan said...

You made me laugh so much!!! the lack of vowels,was very much appreciated, made me feel all loved and warm fuzzy! Thnk y vry mch!

Did you know I love little drawers....and I don't mean G strings! Those cupboards of yours with the narrow pastel drawers are fab. I could keep all sorts of sewing accoutrements in there :) Your craft playhouse is just amazing! I think it's the desk that we all lust after...sigh...
Hugs, LLJ 38 xx

Allisa said...

Mister did a fabulous job hanging the cabinet! I have my punches hung in a similar fashion on Ikea rails. They get much more use out in the open, than stored away in a drawer. Sorry you were having blogger issues...I have seen numerous people mentioning problems this past week. I was just thankful not to be one of them, but did not realize it was IE related. I gave up on IE years ago for Firefox. Fingers crossed that everything keeps working smoothly!

Apryl said...

Your space and organization is really fabulous! And so is the "mister"! love it!

Apryl H #9

Carol L said...

Your craft house looks fabulous, and you're SO fortunate to have such a beautiful place to play :) Love that pic of the twins!! Too cute!

Kim Heggins said...

Hi Darnell...I get to brag a little and say that I did get to personally see the playhouse in it's now state of fabulous organization. You have to be one of my most organized ladies I know and your playhouse is just simply amazing.

Marybeth said...

Love the new organization and it was great before. Sorry but your dest does not look messy. Lucky Kim with bragging rights! My son told me a long time ago to use firefox … I did listen.
Love the picture too cute . I love pictures of people not looking at the camera. Enjoy your week Darnell.

Joyce said...

Oh, my goodness. You craft in such an incredible showroom of craftiness. I like your new organization. I remember those scissors, too. Mine have gone to the kids playroom.

The-crafty-corner said...

I do love your Playhouse Darnell ! What a fabulous bit of re-arranging there (with a little help from the "Mister" !
I too am having serious clear stamp storage issues at the moment-not all of ours here in the UK come in nice "cases" so i am trying to find a way to store them and still see them...coooo eeee Mister fancy popping over for a bit of cabinet hanging tee hee !! Hugs,Nessa xx

Bonnie said...

The only thing better than being organized is being better organized! Fantastic! I have been using Google Chrome on my laptop mainly because the Geeks loaded it when I bought my computer. I hadn't tried to load in IE since that computer is soooo sloooow! Glad you found a way around and can now post. What a sweet picture of the twinks!

Queenie Jeannie said...

Your playhouse got even more fabulous!!! Once I got into clear stamps, I never went back to wood! Enjoy!!!

Jeannie #60

Geri said...

OK, so Shirley's post is hilarious. I didn't have a mouthful of coffee...apparently, you did :)

Love the changes to the playhouse! That Mister is a handy little gadget to have around the house!

Blogger, blogger, blogger, bugger (oops typo!). Good luck with their customer support team!

The picture of the twinks is like something you would see on a TV commercial. You really should submit it somewhere!

Unknown said...

Hi Dippy - ahha, were you getting fed up with the wait for my pics? What a nice Mister to put up your cupboard.........did he install a ladder as well? Seems mighty high up to me! I've got all my punches on rails - such a good way to store them. Don't blame you getting in a snit - I've been sure that Google are trying to put obstacles in everyones way to "persuade" them to move to Chrome. Must admit I've been lucky in not having problems (got everything crossed as I speak.....) but I've used Firefox for ages as we had such problems with IE. Hope it won't be too long a wait for the pics........ I'm trying my best!

Hugs.

Karen x

Craftychris said...

ooh I so love your Playhouse! You are so organised and your clear stamps look right at home in your new cupboard. Technology, it can be such a blooming pain!! xx

Bobby said...

Thanks for the heads up on switching to another browser. I've been trying to upload my pictures for a challenge that's due tomorrow. I'll switch to Chrome and see it it works. Then later I can post what I did with my clear stamps.

Unknown said...

Hi Darnell, I thought I used to be a follower of yours but realised just recently that somehow I wasn't anymore...?? So I've just clicked the click and here I am again!

I always loved your very tidy practical way of storage, like you I cannot work in chaos so we are like-minded.

As for Blogger, well I've been saying for well over a week now that I was having no luck posting pics - I generally use IE but yonks ago my daughter suggested/installed for me Firefox and again, like you I have outfoxed Blogger. The html things didn't work for me either so I just don't know what's doin! Anyway as long as we can post pics with the ol' Firefox we're laughin hey!
Cheers,
Elaine
ps re my sewing machine, I had to laugh when you asked if my daughters would use it...helloooo....they are worse than me if that's possible lol.

JoZart Designs said...

Hi Darnell
Thanks for popping in on me and for your lovely comment! Your post really gave me a chuckle and I love your attitude! Your new cupboard is a great solution but as a shortie, I'd get altitude sickness getting those stamps out!
Great you sorted out blogger and it might help lots of others who are being hit by them.
Big Aaaaahhh for the twin's pic! I'm missing my family already after they went home 2nd Jan after our first ever get together since the last (3rd) grandee was born.... 3 years!
Love Jo x

Elizabeth said...

Hi Darnell, love your post, I'm still chuckling at your snit against Blogger. As I am already using Google Chrome I don't have any problems uploading photos ... yet! Your changes in the playhouse are great but like Jo, I'm short, so that high cupboard wouldn't do for me ... you should hear me grumbling about the height of the wall cupboards in the kitchen!!! Seriously, you have found the perfect solution for you. And that has just got to be the sweetest photo to end with :) Thanks for sharing - I so enjoyed your post. Elizabeth x #69

Princess Judy Palmer said...

Oh! I didn't know the Blogger issue was to get us to use Google Chrome. That never even crossed my wee little mind. I figured it was one of those glitches and just went to straight to Firefox and never you mind. But if this is one of those manipulation things, then I DO mind! Love the evolution of the playhouse. I know what you mean that things need to change. Like those scissors! Indeed I have a nice big drawer full of them but only one or two ever get used. Think of all the other things that could go in that lovely drawer! And clear and cling stamps... I'm still working out where to keep them. The ones in the nice cases are finding places but the ones in just the clear packaging (like Hero Arts) where to keep them? And it isn't like I have room to add storage. Like you, I would have to give something up to get something new in. Love your new punch rack by the way.

Deborah Frings said...

I have enjoyed this post - love your room!!

Sorry to hear you've been having issues with Blogger - been okay here - says she crossing her fingers :)

Hettie said...

Wow! Can I borrow your Man for a week or two as I have a long list of jobbies but mine wont play and threatening to tell Santa on him does not work on him.
Love all your organisation of your Playhouse.
As for my inks, they have been kept on their sides in closed tins for some time and come to no harm I only keep DIs like that and ensure the tin is shut when I am not using them!
Hugs
xx

Unknown said...

I love these solutions. I struggle to contain my clear stamp situation...I have them sorted in bins...kinda lol! Truth is I'm horrible at putting things away when I'm done with them, then the piles starting piling up! You think I'd learn, but I don't ;)

Karen M said...

Hi Darnell - I love all the updates to your playhouse it looks great! It really inspires me when I clean up my craft room and find all the supplies that I forgot I bought - oops:) Hugs x x

Ann B said...

Hi Darnel and thanks for visiting my desk this week. Must admit I haven't been able to get round as' many desks as I would like but I always return calls. Love rhos drawers you have for your wooden stamps and so pretty as well. John Ruskin the Victorian designer said you should have nothing around you that wasn't useful and beautiful - your drawers hit both buttons.
Was going to play with my journal today but took the dog for a walk instead - just starting to snow a little on the way home.
Ann B
51 (I think)

April said...

I just love your Craft House. What a great hubby - putting up a new cabinet. :-) I am afraid to get rid of my scissors because 20 years from now - they may come back - just like the manual typewriters. lol
April #136

Queen Lightwell said...

Love the new addition to your craft cottage! How fab your dear Mister was to hang it for you. :) Thanks for making it by my desk already and leaving me a sweet comment...as you can see I am running even later at my return visits! :) Well, that pantry had to get finished, right? It's almost done, at any rate...I've already started filling it up! lol
And I've been using firefox for many years myself, love it so much more than IE, and I would pitch a giant hissy fit if I ever *had* to use Chrome! Well, have a good week! Deeyll #142

Cardarian said...

Isn't it just great when you suddenly find that you can make more space for your crafty stuff??? Love your solutions ! A very good start to 2013!
Hugs,
Cardarian

MaryH said...

Darnell, this was a GREAT post. Almost - not quite- as good as Onions! (which I'm still sending out links to folks, BTW). You totally hit the nail with the blogger thing-y. I'm doing IE & GOOGLE, whichever one works at the time. Got 'fox installed, still trying to figger out some things. We'll see. And abso-tively loved your room. Mr. not only looks good (still!) but he's handy too. I ask you: what more can a gal ask for? And as always, enjoyed the Twinkies. Really cute little fellas. (Must be the gene pool???) Whatever! TFS & HUGS

Tamika said...

I always get a good drool by looking at your space. I really love that stamp storage. I used to say I wouldn't make cards and I wouldn't collect stamps. Now I am in need of one of your storage solutions as my collection of widdle bunnies is multiplying rapidly!!!!!#108

Unknown said...

WOW!! I too LOVE to organize. I just got a new (old) cabinet that I gave to my sister years ago and it is finding its home in my scrap area. So my scraproom is not complete but I love to reorganize so that things look beautiful AND are easy to find. I sold CTMH for years and always kept all my stampsets together as they came. I would separate according to what dominated the set (sentiments, flowers, holiday...) I wish I could say they are all getting used but they are not. Your blog inspires me to consider a small building for myself some day. But since I live in NW Wi. I might not like leaving the comforts of my home to go out to my craft area. So for now, its in the finished basement. We are considering moving and my own space is a requirement in the new home. I dont know what I would do if I did not have a space that I could leave a mess after a creation. I dont think I feel I would be able to create at all if I always had to put everything away after. Sometimes it is a mess for a week or two till I get to it. Sometimes I clean and reorganize and that is my inspiration for the day. Sounds weird I know but organizing allows that creative desire out and I feel satisfied after. Look forward to more posts from you. ps we met through StationaryStyles. Patti and I are good friends.

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