Re-Framing Your Dreams

On Saturday, I had the honor of being part of a remarkable event:
Launch Your Creativity.

If you were one of the guests in attendance,
I would like to thank you from my heart for your warm reception, your trust, your attention, 

and your grateful responses to the message I shared.
(more about my message later in this post...)

This inspiring gathering is held each Spring in a gorgeous Parisian-themed tearoom, 

and attended by 45 women who are seeking guidance, support, and encouragement 

as they pursue their own creative dreams. 

Most dream of launching a new business – a store, a fashion line, a business service – 

and there are women who attend as a 'jump start' to a new life.

I am one of those women, too.

My friend and LYC founder Sharon Hughes had been asking me to speak at her events for two years. 

My background in retail visual styling and store design 

was a great addition to the other subjects covered by the experienced and successful speakers, 

and I was honored to be asked to participate. 

Yet because the events are held in Southern California, and I was based in the Seattle area, 

the logistics just never worked out. 

I was busy running two businesses, and couldn't get away from them.

Well, all that changed in the fall of 2011.

Everything about my life changed then...

Without sharing the 'Lifetime Movie' details of what happened,

I'll say that the result is that I am single (separated, then widowed) after 32 years of marriage,

 live in Southern California again, and am rediscovering who I am and what I want to do.

I attended this beautiful event last April as a guest.

I went because my life had undergone radical changes over the preceding seven months. 

I needed to be surrounded by positive energy to assist me in shifting my own perspective, and to heal. 

And my friend Sharon knew that I would find what I needed there. I did.

This year, I was able to finally accept her request to speak at the event!

But I didn't talk about retail visual concepts or displays or stores or brands...

In the 19 months since the awful day that everything changed for me, 

I have been on a journey of release, recovery, healing, rediscovery and rebirth. 

And it is from that journey that I learned some valuable lessons...
those are the lessons that I shared in my presentation on Saturday.

Titled 'Re-Framing Your Dream', my presentation asked this question:
“What do you DO when your dreams don't work out the way you planned?”

Because I have been an artist all of my life, I presented my subject wrapped in a metaphor:

'Dreams as a Masterpiece'. A one-of-a-kind Masterpiece that only WE can bring to life.

Just as an artist begins with a vision in his head 

then transforms a blank canvas with color and brushstrokes, light and shadow, depth and perspective, 

our lives give us the opportunity to create something from our vision:

Our Dream.

And as we do, that 'canvas' finds itself in many different 'frames'...

With the visual aid of eight very different picture frames, 

I talked about the process that a Dream takes as it is being created

and how situations affect it - and us.
Not every journey is the same, but the cycle is similar and most people can relate...

 dream a little dream

This is your secret 'hidden in my heart' dream.

The one that begins as a thought like 'what if...'
(there's a WORLD of possibility in those two little words!)

The frame is tiny, but valuable and beautiful.

We cherish it, hide it away, and keep on dreamin'...

 a growing dream

 This is the phase when your dream begins to grow.

You think about it constantly, you doodle and make lists, 

you start your research, and you can't sleep at night

Because the dream has you SO excited!
The frame is more detailed, a little bit bigger, more clear.

At right about this point, you want to tell everyone about it.
DON'T!!!!!!

Tell your mom, tell your BFF, tell your sister. maybe your husband/partner.

Do NOT tell the neighbors and the gals at church or work, 

and definitely not the lady behind you in line at Target!

Protect this little dream! It's like a baby bump...

because once you start showing, it seems like everyone on Earth has questions and advice for you.
All of that will overwhelm you and confuse you. It will make you question every choice and decision.

Only the people that can support you and help you need to know about it right now...
Don't let strangers touch the baby!

 a grand dream

You've spent time researching and preparing, making a business plan and lists,

finding resources and continuing to add to your 'idea files'.

You have people you trust around you to give advice and answer questions.

The more you grow it,

your dream becomes the GRAND dream:
Your way to share what you value with others, with the world.
The frame is larger, very detailed, elegant, beautiful, and ready to be revealed.

Whether it's a product or a service, small or large,

will impact five people or five million people, 

it is a worthwhile dream

because it comes from your heart, your passion, your own unique talents and skills. 

It is your heart on display!

When you reach this point, you're sharing your dream with everyone.
But now, it's strong enough to hold up under the questions and doubts and opinions of others.

Sometimes, other people even share it FOR you...

 a spotlight on your dream

Sometimes this happens, and sometimes it doesn't:

 You become 'noticed'. You get media attention.

the frame for this is large - but plain. 
because the focus of any spotlight needs to be what it is SHINING ON.

Here's what happens:
Your facebook LIKES and Twitter followers are growing astronomically.

Your photos are shared all over facebook and Pinterest and Instagram.

Bloggers are talking about you, linking to you, and asking you to write guest posts.
Popular magazines start calling and want to run feature stories on your or your business or your home.
Ellen wants you on her show!

Yes, the spotlight is FUN! It can be a great experience,

and it CAN help you grow your business awareness and reputation.

...But it should never be the POINT of your dream.

It should be a by-product of your dream growing and moving forward according to your plans.

Never exhaust yourself pursuing the spotlight.
Never let reaching or being in the spotlight be the focus of your dream.
(unless your dream involves acting!)

 a messy dream

This happens to everyone, to every dream, so get ready...

At some point, something is going to go wrong and get VERY messy.

The frame that I used here has a great story:
It was gold when I bought it at a thrift store.
I brought it home and spray painted it white, so it would match the other white frames I already had.

I don't know if you can tell from the photo above, but that frame is not white.

It's ivory. And the paint is drippy, runny, separated from the base coat in cissed spots

and it looks like it's got smoke damage from a fire.

After my momentary frustration over the dismal results,
I realized that it was the perfect visual for this part of the presentation...

Because that frame is a HOT MESS.

Life, business, and dreams can  - WILL - get that way, too.

Things won't always go according to plan.

You are going to face some whopper messes along the path to your dreams.

Bad marketing campaigns, products that are ill-timed (or copied!), 

supplies that don't arrive, clients that don't pay, 

illness that causes you to miss a huge opportunity...

Need I say more?

What do you do? You clean up the mess the best you can.
You fix it, spin it, recall it, refund it, repair it...
eat crow if you have to.

and then move on to the next step.
live, learn, apply, go forward.

forward to the next phase:
Have you ever heard of an 'underpainting'?
That's when an artist paints OVER an existing work with gesso
to create a clean canvas.

And then they start over...

a revised dream

There are points in the growth of a dream and business

that force you to stop, take notice, and then take action.

Perhaps you've spread yourself too thin and are overwhelmed.
Maybe your sales are down and you don't know why.
Maybe this dream just doesn't reflect your vision anymore.

what do you DO?

STOP.
Get those trusted advisors together for a pow-wow.
Look objectively and honestly at what's happened and why.
Then make hard choices and necessary changes...

Usually, that means scaling back. Cutting things away. Slowing down.
A step back or a step sideways is NOT FAILURE! It's EXPERIENCE!

The frame is smaller than the frame around your Grand dream, but it's more valuable.
You can see the swirls and curves that reflect the Grand dream frame, even though it is smaller.
What you can't really see is that it's made from a far more valuable material!

Redefining and restructuring your dream may just make it more valuable.

 a destroyed dream

Sometimes, due to something that comes out of nowhere,
our dreams are destroyed...

A natural or other disaster. A pile-up of factors that just can't be cleaned up.
The choices and actions of others who impact our lives and our dreams.

Unbidden, those things come like missiles from out of nowhere, and destroy our dream.
(And sometimes US in the process.)

The frame is broken, cracked, damaged,

and the dream is torn, dirty, and unrepairable...
There comes a point, my friends, that you have to stop fighting for it.
A point where you have to accept that the dream is no longer breathing.
It's gone.

And that is the point when you have to release it. Let go.
Grieve the loss, celebrate the memories, learn from the experience, 

heal from the hurt, and move forward in a new direction. 

My own story is that my cracked, broken, and unrepairable frame

held not only my dreams, but my whole life.
Moving on is hard work... but you can do it.

and when you do, you have to remain open and ready for the arrival of

 a NEW dream

It may just turn out that the new dream you dream -

another one that is born out of your heart, your passion, and your purpose -

will be even BETTER than the one you had in the beginning...

the frame is larger, more beautiful, more detailed, and more substantial

than the Grand dream frame that seemed so perfect before.

At the end of my presentation, I shared this: 
Although I have grieved and released my former dream and my former life,
though I have learned so much that has allowed me to understand why much of it happened 

and why it ended the way it did,
and though I am ready for and excited about the new life that lies in front of me now...

I have NO IDEA yet what my NEXT dream will be!

I truly don't. I have ideas, I have some things I am going to pursue and see how they 'pan out',
but I don't have a huge vision and goal in mind. YET.

But I know that I WILL have another Dream. It's just not time yet.

I know without doubt that my new dream will grow from my true passion
for finding simple ways to make spaces and environments beautiful and enjoyable,
and from my desire to share that with others to enrich their lives.

Whether it becomes creating sets for an entertainment giant,
or creating displays for a well-known retailer,
or opening a store of my own or starting another vintage show,

or simply continuing with my consulting and writing and speaking,
I know that the 'big picture' will come into focus soon.

I'm just going to keep on taking one step forward – 

or at the very least, on those days when it's SO hard to be starting completely over at 51 – 

I'll just keep FACING forward. Because even that is progress.

A masterpiece is made one brush stroke at a time.  

And then the perfect frame is found.

I will never lose faith again – not in me, not in good, not in God.
And not in the fact that I am here to share my unique gifts and abilities and vision with the world – 

however it is framed, my dream is one that the world needs. 

And so is YOURS!

So I find myself smiling a bit wryly as I share this unusual post on my blog...

This blog is where I have shared ideas, information, and inspiration that is all about how things LOOK. 

Your store, your displays, your brand image. 

And for many years, I focused on exactly that in my own life: how it all looked from the outside. 

This journey I am on has taught me to deal with the reality of how it really looks – inside and out. 

It has taught me to be authentic, and to follow my own advice and 'Tell My Own Story'. 

As I continue to write and speak and consult with retail businesses, I will stress this to my clients. 

Open your eyes, see the situation for what it truly is, and then get to work. 

Re-define your business, and be authentic. 

The canvas of your dream may be 'framed' in a brick and mortar store, 

or an online boutique, or a space in a vintage mall or show. 

No one else is you, no one else offers what you do the way you do. 

Tell Your Own Story. Create your dream. The world needs you, and your dream!

_______________________________________________________

I find myself smiling a bit wryly as I share this unusual post on my blog...
homewardFOUND is where I share ideas about 

re-thinking, re-imagining and re-defining 'found objects' into décor. 

Now it's my turn to re-think, re-imagine, re-define my life and my dream...
maybe it's your time for that, too. 
so I thought that sharing this post here was appropriate...


The same principles apply to a dream as to found decor:
* Use what you have NOW - Look around you and see what's been overlooked that you can use.
* Work from your strengths, purpose, and passion - Use the skill set you have!
* Stay true to yourself and your style - Be Authentic.

I might just make my own frame out of reclaimed lumber 

and paint over a canvas from the thrift store 

as a visual reminder to myself that we can always make things new... 

even our dreams. Even our lives.

Photo Finish

I love capturing scenes, light, nature, and settings in photos.

Wherever I go, I have a camera with me. Even if it's just my iPhone.
And I take a LOT of photos!

But it took me YEARS to realize that my own photos would be 'worthy' of being displayed in my home.

I'm not a trained photographer, I just photograph what I LOVE - 

and what better images to display in my own rooms than that?

Each season, I try to capture new images of natural colors and settings 
to add to my collection, and to display on my inspiration boards and in frames.

continue reading for more tips!

get organized - on the cheap!

 

here's the story of how I created my absolute dream office / design studio... 
using reclaimed + thrifted items + what I already had, without spending much! 

In winter of 2011, I moved into my dream house,
and enjoyed the opportunity to design a whole new studio/office for myself. 
I undertook this project exactly as I would one for a client: 
start with what you have and look at it in a fresh way.

continue reading to see how i get organized!

creatively speaking...

.

for the past few months, i have posted a quote on social media every Sunday.

the quotes are always about creativity, 

these words of wisdom have been helpful to me while wrestling with some facets of my own creativity...

you see, a while back, i lost my joy in creating. 
oh there was still the undertaking of projects and posting about them online, 
but really it was pretty much just a lot of going through the motions 
and hoping that my mojo would return.
nothing about my creative process was easy or flowing or remotely satisfying.
add in the pressure of keeping up with what's happening on social media,
and the result was complete overwhelm and a shutdown of the creative cycle.

something had to change.
i began to journal and read and spend time in nature, getting away from screens 
that were filled with the results of other people's imagination and creativity, 
taking time to consider what my aching heart was trying to teach me.

and then... an epiphany....

(continue reading)

Welcome, Fall! Wait.... WHAT????!

Yeah, it's FALL, Y'all.... and I'm just not ready for summer to end!

Before we jump into ideas and inspiration for Autumn decorating here at homewardFOUND,

I thought I'd share what I was up to over my two-month 'break' from social media.

Yes, friends, I'm going to answer the eternal September question
that we all remember (fondly??) from those first-day-of-school assignments:

'What did you do on your summer vacation?' 

You had to either write about it or stand up in front of the class and talk about it.
(How many of you, like me, immediately thought 'KILL.ME.NOW.' when the teacher informed you
that you had to speak instead of write because she knew you LOVED writing??

Fortunately, I finally overcame my fear of public speaking!)

Just as I planned, I spent my 'summer vacation' doing things I love:
walking at the beach, going to flea markets and vintage shows and thrift stores,
reading books from the library, swimming in the pool, sitting on the porch swing,
seeing friends and family, and of course working at the Happiest Place on Earth!

 But the BIG thing, the ONE thing that made this summer totally awesome was that

We had a Family Reunion!
Four generations of my family - my parents, siblings, our kids AND my grandkids -

gathered in California to celebrate my Mom's 70th Birthday

and to celebrate that we are one AWESOME family - 

not 'despite' the difficulties we have faced, but in part BECAUSE of those challenges.
Love is stronger than anything - even distance that spans the continent.


26 of us spent five days together at my parent's home,

splashing in the pool, making a lot of noise, talking, laughing, 

and eating SO much good food... 

(my brother brought 100 pounds of fresh fish and King Crab with him from Alaska,

and that fish fry dinner was utterly decadent!)

It was such a joy to be in the same place with all four of my 'kids' and their families,

including my four grandchildren, 

enjoying the smiles and hugs and stories and laughter.

It's a bona fide miracle, folks,
and I could not feel more blessed to have had this time with them.

And then, on the last day....
We went to Disneyland!

We posed with my BOSS! (and isn't he the CUTEST boss ever?!) 

We posed by the Castle!

and we posed in front of the attraction that is VERY important to our family,

'It's A Small World'

We have family ties to the history of this wonderful place:
My Mom's Dad and brother, my Uncle Don, were electricians

who helped build many of the attractions at Disneyland...
Grandpa Ward worked on It's A Small World, Tiki Room, and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
Uncle Don Ward worked on the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.

All of my life, I have had such pride that they worked to bring Walt's dream to life,

to make the magic real
(that's a HUGE part of why I have always wanted to work there!)
and since the day my first grandson was born,

I have dreamed of riding the little boats of It's A Small World with my grandchildren.
Just like my grandpa rode it with me when I was a Little Debby.

I got that wish ;) That weekend was the best part of my summer!

I created the graphic that you see at the top of this post, 

and had it made into buttons at PureButtons.com.
My sweet friend Julia Chow, who is my fellow cast member at Disneyland,

captured our dream of a day in photos.
(See more of her fabulous work on her Julia Lisa Photography facebook page)

OK, now it's YOUR turn...

"What did YOU do on YOUR summer vacation?"
Leave a comment and share!

I promise I won't make you stand up in front of anyone :)

'as seen in BHG!'

 A few weeks ago, I received a very nice message from LuLu Tapp,

owner and photographer extraordinaire from DustyLu Interiors & Photography in Los Angeles.
She let me know that my little pumpkins were going to appear

in the feature on her lovely home

in the Better Homes & Gardens Halloween Tricks & Treats 2013!

After I picked myself up off the floor, I thanked her. Profusely!
And I've been on the lookout for the issue ever since.

Monday, she messaged me "Hey Deb!!! Its out its out!!! On newsstands now!!!Woot woot!"

At nearly the same time, a friend sent me the cover shot shown above,

then another friend sent me an interior image that includes my 2012 Harvest pumpkins:

This is one of Lulu's photos of her gorgeous home from the magazine... LOVE!

Being able to use the words 'As Seen in BHG' is just a dream come true -

I am so very thankful for the opportunity.
I originated this design, and have been making and selling them for many years,
and it's nice to finally be 'noticed' this way.

I saw a comment that Lulu made on Instagram and it made me do backflips:
"Better Homes and Gardens editor was flipping over the pumpkins and botanicals  -
I think she wanted to take them!!! Lolol"

Lulu discovered my original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins last fall, at Kymberley Fraser's store 'A Beautiful Mess'.

They looked like this in her display:

Thank you again, Kymberley, for your support!

Sweet Summertime Front Porch

it's time to start thinking about SUMMER!
To me, summer brings to mind front porches...

I love front porches, and dreamed all my life of having a home with one.
The swing was my favorite spot to sit on the front porch
of my island home in Washington state...

smelling the field grass and the sea air, all at once.
Watching the birds and eagles and deer and horses.
Enjoying the sunshine - and the rain - from this safe little perch.
Looking out across the fields where my antique show was held...

 I was lucky enough to have this one for just a while.
It really, truly was my Retreat ;0)
[My friend Elise of Elise Marie Photography took these two photos and I am SO GLAD she did]
 

I don't live in this beautiful farmhouse on five acres 
on Camano Island, Washington anymore...
but I still love the memory of it. 

 No, I didn't prop and style the heck outta' my porch for these photos - 

this is how it looked every day, all summer long. Simple.

 You may find that really funny, coming from a decorator, stylist, and writer

who is photographing her porch for a magazine story, 
but my thing is I just wanna' be REAL.

That's why I loved writing for FOLK Magazine back then...
It was all about Real. American. Living. Not photo sets.
[ then I found out more about what was going on, 
and quickly stopped writing for that publication ]

You can create a simple front porch setting, too:
* Gather up a bench or a few chairs
[check craigslist, thrift shops, and of course curbs on trash day!] 
* Add a table to hold a drink 
[what about an upside-down crate, or plant pot?]
* Finish with a few pillows and colorful decor accents.

Whether it's sprawled across the whole front of your house or is a small covered entry,
your porch can become an oasis of relaxation this summer.

I had another small covered porch on the back of this house, just off the dining room.
I tucked a vintage metal folding bed out there, positioned like a lounge chair
(with the back up at an angle) piled it with pillows,
and hung curtains on the porch posts to enclose the space a bit.
It was a lovely, private place to greet the morning sunrise...

I love this photo!

If I do a decor book, this will be the cover.

The quilt on the swing was a family heirloom. 

The flags popped into a Coke bottle were a last-minute thought -
see more easy summer decor ideas like this in this post!

To change the look of the porch,
it was easy to replace these simple colorful accents with something else.

 Since we are working with a Red, White and Blue theme here today,
I thought I'd share a 'Fast, Cheap & Easy' party tip:

A refreshing and very patriotic version of flavored water

Just put layers of frozen blueberries, ice cubes, and fresh strawberries 

in an old glass jar, then fill the jar with water.

They flavor the water ever so subtly - SO refreshing on a hot day!

Below is a shot of my 'Sweet Retreats' column
that appeared in Issue V of FOLK Magazine in 2012,

using some of the images I am sharing here...

 My post is also featured in a hometalk e-newsletter!

What about you? Where is YOUR favorite place to relax and while away the summer?

EDITED 6/15 TO ADD:

In Spring, 2015, three and a half years after I moved out of my dream house
and even after I stopped posting new content here on my blog,
I came across a piece of art that I quite simply HAD to buy: 

This piece is called 'Shore House', by artist Zhen Huan Lu.

Do you see why I had to get it?
 It's very nearly the exact same setting as my own front porch,
right down to the 'stop sign'-shaped window beside the front door.

Amazing.

Garden House ReVisited

Remember my Garden House Makeover Project?

The photo above is what it looked like after my whirlwind two-day flurry of activity.

This is what it looked like BEFORE I got started:

See the entire transformation - that took place in one weekend - here.

It's always fun to see how spaces change over time...

Two days ago, my friend Todd shared this photo on social media:

He's decorating this tiny space for some fall picnics and enjoyment...

and yes, that's the same garden house!

You see, Todd built that garden house many years ago. 
He owns the house and the yard that it sits in.

I lived in that little bungalow for a few short months back in 2011,

after life collapsed and I had to leave my dream farmhouse & life on an island.

Todd allowed me to make over his little garden house, and I am forever grateful to him for that. 

Not only was a lot of fun and a creative gold mine -
giving me content for my blog here and many great photos - 

but it was a distraction from stressful situations at a time in my life when I really needed it. 

It gave me space and time to think. 

And now, he lives in that bungalow and enjoys that garden.

Seeing Todd out there decorating and loving that sweet little space just makes my heart happy. 

My screen door is still there, some of those tiny pots on the wall are mine, and those white shelf units were mine, too - 

though I used them in the laundry area of the house, not where they are now. 
But I LOVE them in this location!

I love that Todd was a generous friend who saw my sorrow,

and helped to turn it into a measure of joy by letting me create in this special space.

It is a gift I will never forget.

More Office Organization Ideas!

 WOW! I can't begin to tell you how much traffic my office organization post
has generated!

it seems EVERYONE is looking for ideas and inspiration

to make their creative spaces work for them...

i want to thank you ALL so very much for coming to visit me from hometalk and pinterest!

I've located MORE ideas & images to share from my archives!

In that post shown above,

you saw images of my neutral color vintage-style office/studio space in dream house C.

the images i found are of farmhouse B, and cottage house A.

[i know that's confusing - i moved a lot! imagine how i felt!]

the great thing about moving a lot is that i discovered many ways 

for the fixtures and accessories that i had 

to work in ALL of those rooms, in ALL of those houses:

the IKEA shelf unit, the tall work table, the old shutters, the shallow IKEA drawers

were workhorses that i could fit into almost every one of my offices.

by using inexpensive paper from dollar tree and target, or thrift stores, 

i could create a whole new look in each room... sometimes in the SAME ROOM

[what can i say? i'm a decorator. stuff HAS to change! that's why i like doing it on the CHEAP!]

here's how my office in house B looked for awhile:

 the dollar store is a terrific place for cheap supplies to spiff up your office!

from wrapping paper and gift bags to file folders, stickers, scrapbook paper and tote bags,

there are a lot of paper and fabric items there that can be used to 

contain, separate, organize, cover, and decorate your office supplies...

it's also the easiest, cheapest way to take a bunch of old things like  boxes, tins, and clipboards

and make them beautifully usable again!

 by coordinating the color and patterns of the components, 
you'll instantly add a visual update AND a cleaner look to your office!

the selection of paper and fabric goods was gathered up at Dollar Tree stores 

[and also from the 'sale'-item aisle endcaps in the stationery department of Target]

the common theme here is black and white glamour, and every item has many uses...

[granted, items shown were not found there this year...
but the selection is always good this time of year]

*shown in the first photo above, i took the wrapping papers from Target 

and covered small boxes with them.

they hold post-it notes, pencils, and other small items on my desk and worktable.

*i also covered the drawers on two slim drawer sections from IKEA (had those already)

my mouse pad, and several composition books for notes - all it takes is a gluestick!

*several pieces of corkboard were covered with scrapbook & wrapping papers

for my inspiration board backgrounds [not shown],

and the waterproofed totes from the Dollar Tree store hold craft supplies, trims, etc.

elsewhere in the office, other black and white accessories add more interest:

*clear jars hold vintage bobbins, bingo cards, and white flowers

*paper-covered shoe boxes stack up to hold craft supplies or project components

of course, you can also use vintage sheet music and book pages

to cover everything in an office to coordinate the decor...
I've done that, too!

let's take a look at a few details from my House B office/studio space 
in a whole new color palette and style :

above is the office/studio in house B
[which was also shown in the black & white decor images in the other post]

only instead of being black and white, now it's filled with cozy neutrals.

it's simply a change of the paper that is covering containers & inspiration boards,

a wardrobe change for the mannequin, new paint on the chandelier,

and a few small accessory switches to make the room look completely different!

things that i really liked about that office:

* it felt bright all the time because of the mirrored closet doors (see in reflection)

and because i put MORE mirrors on the opposite wall.  

light bounced EVERYWHERE

[and in Seattle, you need all the light you can GET]

* this was the first time i had the tall work table and high barstools in an office,

and they worked SO well for me.

i stand up a lot and move around when i am working, making everything more accessible.

* you can see the dictionary-page-covered file cabinet 

[shown below in an image from the other post]

under the work table. i LOVED this piece!

below is the office/studio in house A

it's one you haven't seen yet...

[though other posts have shown the beautiful huge white mantel in this tiny cottage!]

tiny would be the operative word here - this room was only 11X9.

nevertheless, i fit a LOT of storage in here [used the vertical space!]

and even took the closet doors off so that built-ins could be used in there, too. 

and, okay, you may notice that at the time, i was heavily into chartreuse green. and pink.

[i am not preppy. i swear i didn't know that was 'the uniform' for Lilly Pulitzer fans!]

 but even though now i think i would go bonkers in that room, 

the happy, bright pink and green papers [yes, dollar tree and target!]

really went a long way in coordinating a bunch of haphazard elements in here.

it's REALLY important to reduce the LOOK of clutter as well as the ACTUAL clutter

when your space is only a hundred square feet

 things that i really liked about that office:

* the green damask paper was FLOCKED. uh huh! 

target. that was in 2007 - i think it's all gone now, girls!
it covered pinboards that were nothing more than simple squares cut from 4X8 sheets of rigid insulation! yes, building supplies!

* the glass jars holding colorful crafting supplies... and yes, candy. 

* the hot pink cards hanging from the wire mobile? 

tearsheets from O magazine, with encouraging quotes on them.

* the wonderful enamel-top farm table.

i used that table in dozens of ways for over 18 years!

* did you see the chandelier?! it's green in this room.

it was about twelve colors in the twenty years that i owned it!

i hope these ideas inspire you to see what you can do 

with what you already have on hand and can get inexpensively!