Happiness is a clean studio

A little, blurry shot of my newly organized studio, complete with buddies.

Steadily working

Slowly finishing, adding final touches, sealing, snapping, photographing.

How about a messy working desk shot?  It's kind of like "I spy"! 

Sunday in the studio

I finished painting the studio walls today*, drank tea as I reorganized, placing everything where it belongs. This room is starting to feel more and more like the sanctuary I need.  The closet is next.

I took a break to work on a secret-for-now project.

Enjoyed my plants, appreciating their greenness, celebrating that I have kept them alive. 

Tried, and failed to resist tickling these toes.

*ran out of paint, but the shelf covers the one section of unpainted wall... I'm calling it done.

On squirreling away

My studio is nearly painted, and right now it is very clean and even organized! While all the shuffling of things and shelves happened, something came to light. I've noticed that when I begin a new technique or craft a certain urge comes over me. I keep every. last. bit. of whatever the material may be.  Let's go through some things I found while cleaning out...

Bits of yarn stuffed in to bags? 

Check! 

Are they too small to do anything with?

I don't know what you mean by this.   In English, please.

A drawer full of leather pieces?

Check! 

The little skinny strips MUST be good for something, right? 

I can always use the itty bitty squares and shapes to make pendents, right?

...right?

BAGS of embroidery floss

I'll get to them someday, really! It's quite handy to have around!

Fabric scraps

Let's not talk about those...

OK?

Oh! Don't forget the paper collection!

And the beads!

And the everything elses! 

It felt good to go through these collections of mine, thin them out, get realistic about what can be used, what needs to get tossed.  

This box, for instance, is only mostly full now!

I went through everything, tossing the crumbs and putting things into craft bags for friends. It felt good, lightening the load.

Well, everything except the embroidery floss. That's supposed to be in small bits, and you need every color, and in triplicate.  Am I right, or am I right?!?

A studio needs...

Good, sturdy, functional pieces of furniture. 

Not just metal shelves, mind you.  I was beginning to get frustrated with my storage in the studio room... The shelves were functional, but not pretty, not inspiring. The bags and baskets my yarn lived in weren't conducive to finding things easily.  The crap was literally piling up on the other shelves.  I wish I had taken a before photo, but trust me, it wasn't pretty! 

May I now introduce to you, in his shining glory, 

Gustav, the curio cabinet of yarny wonder. 

 Now, when I want to start something new, I need only to walk into the studio, open the doors and breath in the warm sent of wool. Ah, yes, this makes me quite happy! Though I now realize I need a new pretty shelf to go with him.  And Dearie DEAR does this poor room need to be repainted!!!  

Any suggestions? What colors inspire you?

Isn't he glorious?  (In case you're wondering, no, I don't usually name furniture, but this is a special piece who demanded extra accolades.)