studio

One of the main attractions of moving into this place, was of course the studio...Amazing would be a good way to describe my favorite work space, to date. There is built in shelves, stairs enough work space and storage space, with a bit of room to dance, should I feel motivated. There is natural light, an airy glow in the afternoon and it is quiet, unless I blast some music. Anyhow there was a little problem with the production part of the studio, I needed a little more room on work tables for sewing and spreading out. So here is what I did...

Upstairs stayed much the same. I have my tower of thread, and notions... Overlooking the bottom of the studio.


My wall of inspirational photos, that goes around the studio in bunches. Along with my trunks full of finished works or large pieces of fabric. One day I may convert those trunks to something with drawers.... Still torn on the idea because they just work well. (even though I do not like to match everything I often wish the trunks matched...)


My old desk is now a work table, just for sewing, or laying whatever I am working on out.


My second work table, all my fabric, stamps and other goodies are stored underneath, and on top another work space to spread out on. This way I can have two projects at a time, or one large one.


An update, on my alphabet project, not abandoned, just a small holiday sabbatical, so that I could wrap and finish all the holiday events.


The nook under the stairs, houses my reproduction card catalogue, one of my favorite things! Along with a few of my quilts that I have made and collected underneath.


My shelves have remained the same, and now that is the view from my desk. Lovely, I get to look at all my collections, trinkets, and inspiring materials while I type away now.


Finally my new desk area, that houses the lab top, a few needed items, such as bill payments etc. and my new wireless photo printer....Which I love! I can print from anywhere in the home, or from my i-pod touch, and it comes out here. Also the photo aspect of it is fantastic so I can play around with my photos without leaving the house.


So there it is my fresh work space. I have to admit it has been easier to work with more space to spread out, and I have been in here more and more since I re-worked it. Now to finish the alphabet and the t-shirt quilt I am working on.

looking around.

I have spoken to the notion of time so much on this blog that I am sure you are all finished hearing about my obsession. However no matter how many times I sit and think or make around the notion of time I am fascinated. It is the one thing that always moves, can't be taken or brought back.
This year has proven to be one of the busiest for me, but also one of the most fulfilling. I have done my fair share of traveling, exploring and trying new things. I moved into a new place that I love with an amazing person, I never expected to meet. I have made a few odds and ends and stored enough ideas in sketchbooks, and journals for the year to come. I have learned to compromise certain things, without compromising myself. (Maybe the most difficult thing to do when it comes to living with someone again.)
So here I am sitting by my tree, and enjoying the first snow fall of the season. It has that quiet, that snow brings and it has me thinking of all the things I have done in 2010 and all the things I want to do in 2011. I realize that I have everything I have ever wanted right now. I have dreamt of the holidays at my home with family, and friends and they are coming. I have wanted love, not a young, learning love, but a mature, grown love, and I have it. I have wanted friends that are like family, that can bring me to reality and be there when needed, and they are around. I have a close relationship with my family and it is great. All of these connections are what make me whole, you can only live in yourself so much, before you need others. I don't need a great deal of people, but instead a handful that truly get me, and appreciate me just the way I am. The ones that do not fear giving me a challenge every once in a while. That is a true relationship, whether it be a friend, lover, family, sibling, someone that can confront you when needed, bring you back to reality, that is a true relationship.
So I am thankful for every single one of them and all the moments spent this year. As far as 2011 goes my goals mostly involve taking ideas and making them realities. Hiding in my studio until the magic that is making happens. Enjoying every moment, using every frustration as a means to learn how to improve upon myself, or the creative process. I am also challenging myself to learn how to say "no" more, and use my limited time to make, and be in my studio.
I hope that everyone is enjoying the preparations for the holiday, I have a few more gifts to wrap and dazzle and I am almost ready to start roasting. The tree above is the first I have ever put up in my own home. It is real and smells wonderful, I stuck to a color pallet that is limited and "vintage inspired". The rest of the house has touches of Christmas too, but the mantle is the true joy. Happy holidays everyone- may there be peace, light, love, and creativity in your celebrations!

travels

For as long as I can remember every time that I go somewhere different or even a day trip sometimes, I take a picture of my feet as proof that I was there. It has become a way to track where I am and what I am doing and its almost expected now that I have pictures of my feet everywhere. I think that one of these days I would like to gather these photos and make a collage of them, there must be at least 100 at this point.
Recently I took a wonderful vacation that included a stop at Hogwarts, and then a cruise in the Caribbean, not that nightmare out west... It was beautiful, romantic, and adventurous... Coming home always feels good when I have been gone for a little while but nothing beats standing on white sand with the best person, looking out onto a gorgeous view.











This is what has happened since the return the 1000 plus photos and "stuff" we collected while traveling have taken over the living room, with all the stuff it takes to put it in a photo album. I love a real Scrapbook, I am not talking the new ones where they sell all the paper that matches and the pre-planned pages and all that... No I am talking of the ones where you actually keep all the ticket stubs and postcards etc. from travels and add them with the photos for a visual remembrance of a nice trip. So that is what I am doing- and re-fusing to call it a scrapbook because of all the ugly associations that come with it.

a silly trial

A few weeks ago a friend of mine asked if I could make a dress for his daughter based on one a friend had given them... about an hour later i was delighted with a smile on my face with the little one I made for my little P.R. It turned out pretty cute, and being a dress that I made a pattern from not too bad for a first trial. I am going to make a few more for P.R. and Gigi, seeing as how these are being sold for a pretty penny, I think having an original is always nice.





It is a busy time of the year and I am reminded that the holidays are only a few months away. I am going on a long needed vacation next week that includes a stop at Harry Potter in Orlando and then setting sail in the Caribbean. I am really excited. Upon my return I have a new project I want to begin that goes along with a few things I have been dipping into... Can't wait. Hope everyone enjoys the fall and all that comes with this time of the year.

old and new.

-Modern sampler

This summer has been filled with change, experience, and moments shared with some very important people in my life. There was a big move (almost sent me over the edge), a wedding, two new babies, some trips to the ocean, some laughs, some tears, and some room for growth. Through this time my mind has been making what my hands have not had time to do. Finally things calmed down a bit and I started playing with some thread and needles. I have been fascinated by traditional embroidery samplers as long as I can remember. It is an organized way to show different stitches and embroider something as simple as a letter or a number.
With one of the new babies that came I made a quilt, back in the winter, under 3 feet of snow! For the newest little one added to my circle of friends, I decided to make an alphabet sampler. This baby already has two brothers, so she had everything she needed including some quilts, I thought the alphabet sampler would be a fun piece to hang on the wall that the brothers could learn from too. I am using all different fonts, stitches and colors, on a piece of feed sack I have lying around. I am about half way through it and it looks like it belongs in a nursery already.
Sometimes making for me is about a concept, that has many layers and meaning, and others it is about people and the idea of giving a handmade object as a keepsake. After all that is what history is made of.
Some other things have been brewing in this studio as well. A new collection of quilt "fragments" has appeared and when the sampler is done, a new "quilt" project will be tackled.


-Traditional sampler



This is with the letter layed out, not yet embroidered. I am about half way through- photos to come!

Lady gaga

Last week I went to my second Lady gaga concert. I think she is an amazing artist with an open mind, that is not afraid to put out into the world the fantasies that exist in her mind. I enjoyed seeing the show again, the costume changes alone, are worth the ticket. Like most modern artist she pulls from all aspects of pop culture new, and old. There were influences from Madonna, clearly one of the best artists of all times. Even some influences from the wizard of oz, with the trees and tin person. A show worth seeing!

a room of one's own.

You see that light creeping in, the fabric settling down, the thoughts forming... What comes next?? What will these hands make, where does one start?



The move is complete, and the studio is set. Yes these are photos of my new studio, perhaps one of the most beautiful spaces I can imagine to create in. The shelves that line a whole wall were already built in and ready for all my collections. The loft area was already complete with enough light to make any artist weak at the knees. Every single box in this new place has been opened, unpacked, and put away. Every item from two households has been merged into one space. The start of a new way of life. It has been years since I have lived with anyone, and it was not without some compromise, and growing pains. However here we are almost 2 months later and I have to admit that I have never been so delighted to come home at the end of the day. To open the door to a place that is "home". Home can be so many different things depending on what is going on around you, for me home means a place where I feel safe, a place where I can turn off the rest of the world. Home has always been in making and expressing myself. I feel most like myself in that place where I am creative and inspired. In the past months I have learned there is another addition to that place that one calls "home" in my world. It rests in the arms of love. The safest place, even more so than in making. Complete with the two I can move ahead, feeling complete.



It has been difficult for me to adjust, change is hard for me as with so many people. However this change was welcomed and I am so happy to be here now. I have not been able to pick up a needle or thread or anything in a couple of months, first there was the packing and the moving then the unpacking and putting away... Now that everything is in it's place. The need to make the need to move my hands across something and create is killing me. So where does one start... One stitch at a time I suppose. One pull of a needle after another.



So here I go, a new adventure, complete with love, and open mind and compromise. One stitch at a time. Back to making, enjoying life and being proud each day to be where I am.