Clever Doris's Nerve Centre - A Brief History

It's taken a long time. However I can now call the little 2m square box room in our home (formerly nursery to Clever Maurice age 12, Clever Norris age 7, Guest Room, Computer Room and  'You're Drunk-Go-And-Sleep-In-The-Spare-Room' Room) the domain of Clever Doris. I think I deserve it don't you, having waited 12 years? 12 years of being hunched over a sewing machine on the coffee table. 12 years of stripping furniture on the breakfast bar. 12 years of having to clear away after every project whether finished or not.

It is now known as  Clever Doris's Nerve Centre -slash- Craft Lab.

 For I am that Craft Test Dummy.

It started with a big 'orrible orange wardrobe (25 quid - Ebay):
"Honest love all I need is one little cupboard to put all my stuff in so its not scattered all around the house and getting in your way. It'll fit in the spareroom. You'll hardly know it's there. Oh and can you put some shelves in it for me?"
Well of course I underestimated what a lifetime of collecting fabrics, paints and general craft nonsense can amount to. So of course 1 little old cupboard wasn't going to suffice...



All painted and everything. For the outer I just used bogstandard white emulsion tinted with a tiny bit of red acrylic paint, mixing in a couple of spoons of white powdered grout to give it a lovely chalky finish. For the inner I used some kitchen wall paint (which is quite hard wearing) left over from a recent refurb. The outer should really be waxed but I had bigger crafty fish to fry...


I needed a table (7 quid - local junkshop):
But the table was spectacularly smelly and stained and looked as though it had previously resided in a student house whereby heaven knows what had gone on under and on top of it. In fact it was so bad I walked away from it, despite it's 7 quidness. Problem is afterwards I just couldn't help thinking about  its potential.  So next day I schlepped back to said junkshop and took purchase of said grimy table which, luckily, was still there (although I don't think there was any danger of there being a mad rush for it). Armed with rubber gloves, face mask and enough cleaning fluids to declare chemical warfare, I set about making good said smelly table. The now shiny table sits proudly in the corner of the 2m square room opposite the craft cupboard.
Like being attracted to an unsuitable man, I had to have it because I relished the challenge of changing it.

My lovely 7 year old assistant Clever Norris working on an exceedingly important project at said formerly-smelly table. After being scrubbed to within in inch of its life (table not child) I painted the top and underside in waterbased undercoat. The legs were painted in Farrow & Ball 'Strong White' eggshell. I finally glued a piece of oilcloth (using PVA glue of course) to the top and stapled it tautly on the underside. The oilcloth is perfect due to its wipe clean properties. Why can't children be made from oilcloth?

Now I couldn't possibly put all my books and pens on the table could I?
I needed a shelf. So up went the shelf which Mr Doris thought he could use for his maps. Hell no. Well, possession is 9/10ths and all...
 
Then along came a chair. And the chair needed a cushion.

I make no apologies for being really enthusuastic about having things categorised into pots. Or does therein lie madness?!

 
I have to say the 'drunk bed' is still there but is now draped with a handmade patchwork quilt and its primary use is for languishing on when creative inspiration is required.
And of course we girls like a cushion or two don't we...?
 
And that's how the Craft Room was born. And the world is good...

 

 

Clever Norris's extremely important Painted Pebble Penguin Project