WIP: craft desk & sewing nook makeover

I can't believe I'm about to show this mess up in here, but I keep it real... so here is the "before" shot of my sewing desk...

In all fairness, this was still unpacking from the move and at a moment that I remembered to whip out my iPhone to snap a "before" shot.

My husband picked up this desk, AND that white desk chair, AND a second, very similar desk AND a matching headboard for $10 at a yard sale. Not $10 each, not "like, ten bucks"... $10 for the whole she-bang. I was so glad he thought of my sewing desk when he saw the dueling desks-- I LOVE the one I picked out! And it fits just right in our bedroom nook.

The prob: that corkboard behind the work area is completely useless. The tacks won't stick all the way in before hitting the back of the hutch, and everything falls out.

So, rather than leave a discolored, useless corkboard, I decided to cover it up.

Behold, the "after"... kinda.

Yeah, yeah, there's still a LOT of organizing to go. I went back and forth one whether to label this postt "WIP" or "Before & After" before settling on the former. Because SRSLY, I still have some spots to paints and some hardware to change out and LOTS of overall organization projects for this area. But I'll keep you posted with the various updates.

This particular "Before & After" was what I was hinting at here, and instead of wallpaper, I used Modge Podge and scrapbook paper.

Ugh, I NEVER thought I would be saying I used Modge Podge OR scrapbook paper, let alone the two together. It's just so... mombloggery.

OK, well maybe Modge Podge, especially after this project. You've won me over, Modge Podge! You do, indeed, "rock".

As for the scrapbook paper, I got a huuuuuge tablet of it at Ross for $9.99, and there's still the majority of it left over. I thought it would achieve the look I wanted without me having to order a wallpaper sample book off eBay... and I was right! I LOVE the color this adds not only to my sewing nook, but to our whole bedroom!

What about you, do you have desk or an entire room to craft and sew in? Do you have any tips for organzing my notions and supplies? So far, I've put my patterns in that Costco chicken stock box pictured above (that'll get Modge Podged too), and used old spaghetti sauce jars to put my spools of thread into (much cheaper and handier than hunting for antique mason jars).