It's all about the little things.
Starting in the design studio . . .
I've spent quite a bit of time this month clearing away clutter that has built up over the past few months, including moving my pin basting pool noodles off this counter top to make the space more functional.
The noodles have dowel rods inside to keep them straight when in use and I realized (at long last) that if I used painters tape over the ends, I could stand those noodles in a corner of the closet instead of needing to store them flat on the counter.
I also updated my storage system for the various paper types I use in my journals - again, more space efficient and far easier to access.
There's a fourth wire mesh file box on order that will go in the corner (where the rolodex is now) that I'll use to keep notes and papers for active and pending projects. I'm tired of keeping all those details in my head - they're much too noisy.
(and through all of this, I tossed a lot of stuff I saved thinking I would use it -- as I've learned more about how I prefer to work with papers/books, I've realized I don't need nearly as much "raw paper" as I thought back at the beginning)
Another splurge was this - a poster reproduction of mixed media collage artwork by illustrator Eulalia Mejia purchased through Etsy seller Happy Chinchilla.
The colors just make me happy.
DH Christmas-gifted me this new light for my art table - it is amazing.
I especially like that I can rotate/pivot the whole arm/light out of the way when I'm draping fabric or taming a newly-finished quilt over the drafting table.
(light is turned off in this photo)
Can you see/feel the difference when it is turned on at full power?
From the other side of the room -- looking at the design wall across the top of the drafting/cutting table, you can see the top of the lamp and the back of my art table chair.
You can also see the new tassel garlands I've added along the top of my design wall (I can't reach that high to pin anything so I decided to fill that boring void with some happy colors).
I also framed and hung this greeting card by artist Jennifer Lambein who sells her work via Textured Home on Etsy.
Moving from the design studio to the sewing studio . . .
I spent a morning and cleaned up my "waiting to be quilted" closet.
If you locate the wood rod hanging down amongst the hanging fabric -- the hangers on the left hold tops and backs ready for FMQ action. The hangers on the right are holding backing fabrics for quilt tops that are waiting in the wings. (and yes, go ahead and laugh, I have tags on each one to remind me what belongs to which project -- but no, Lynne, they are not in alphabetical order)
Turning to the right in the closet, these are the top two shelves.
Again, I've arranged things that make me happy on the top shelf (watercolor done by elder son in high school).
On the other side of the room, I added this "door hanging" much like those often found next to the doors in homes in India.
It adds just a flash of color between the edge of Someday is Now and the window by my sewing machine.
And finally, here are photos of two finished projects.
Who doesn't like a finish?!
I added this wrap tie to my January Journal and the book is now on the bookshelf instead of my work table.
I've also finished my December journal, added its wrap tie (two pieces of silk sari yarn), and put it away in the Christmas closet.
Done and dusted.
* * *
Schools here are still closed due to the bitter cold (particularly for those who walk, bike, or stand and wait for the bus) so LM has spent a little time late afternoons sledding in the big park along the Mississippi.
They've been there at sunset the past two days -- and you can tell by the number of footprints, they haven't been the only ones.
Our temps will stay very cold through the weekend but by the middle of next week, they'll be in the sixties.
(talk about sinus whiplash!!)
Quiltdivajulie
-----------------------------------------------"It's impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren't feeling twinkly yourself."
Roald Dahl
8 comments:
You've done a lovely job on your room!! It's looking great--ready to work in for sure. You are so organized...
We're due for our colder than cold blast tonight into tomorrow...not much snow--maybe 2"
Hugs, Julierose
Your sewing studios look like happy places.
I'm envious of your coming 60s, we will only be getting 40s.
For some reason, I thought the dowels were of a size that they wouldn't slip around in the pool noodles. Would it work to pack the ends of the noodles with those "too small to use, to big to toss" scraps of fabric to hold the dowels in place?
Nice work on the room cleanup/reorganizing. A task my room (whole house truthfully!) is long overdue for.
From Julie - to clarify the pool noodle question asked by Gail -- I put the painter's tape over the ends of the pool noodles to protect the hardwood floor. The dowels are a snug fit, they don't slip - but I figured better safe than sorry (and one noodle has a piece of conduit pipe instead of a dowel - so that one definitely needs its end capped.)
I have serious space envy, both of your wonderful organized and tidy rooms awaiting your creative joys and your energy to do it all.
Can it be that I, too, can let go of stuff I've had for decades and haven't used yet? I've SO outgrown my wee sewing room. Sigh!
How marvelous that LM and family have taken time to go sledding - a rarity in Memphis!
Our high today is 31*F and the low tonight will be 14*F but by next weekend, we'll be near 70*F for the high. Good grief!
Hugs!
Oh my, a clean and gorgeous studio- enough to make one swoon. Mine is neither at the moment. The floor is fairly clear and no big piles, but other than that, not great. The grandkids lost all but one day of school last week, so this week is going to be a heavy lift. It has been very cold and lots of snow, but I dodged the snow bands that gave parts of my area up to 5', like the Bills stadium.
Wow, when you clean up you clean up good! Thanks for showing us around your studio -- such a bright a colorful place to create.
Fantastic organization of your tops in the closet! I hang my tops the same way. I used to quilt my own, but now they head out to the quilter as soon as they are done.
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