Cleaning Up is Hard to Do!
Cleaning Up is Hard to Do
January is an all around clean up and organize month for so many. I am not usually one of them but my studio cottage had gotten to a point it really needed a good going over and I have had requests for interior photos.
After viewing the gorgeous outdoor photos of my fabulous Studio cottage / She Shed everyone probably thinks it is a wonderfully decorated space (and it really deserves to be) instead of the fully packed work space it actually is.
I usually keep it relatively organized but life has been so crazy that I am rushing out to the studio when I get a chance and painting then rushing to do whatever else is on my plate.
It has just gotten out of control.
I like an organized and clean work space but I have not stopped long enough to do the job right.
Well that ended when I got a request by a production company for photos for their new program they are creating about She Sheds. They already have exterior shots but then they wanted interior.
YIKES! I could not send them these. I am sure you will agree once you see it.
As I walk you around I will talk about some ideas I have to change it up.
This back corner I want to use for staging so I eventually need to either shorten my workbench table or remove it completely. It is 6 feet or more long and just takes up more space than I wish now. It has been a great workhorse for me but I shall find somewhere for it around here. I may wish to use it again in studio so I don’t want to just get rid of it.
All these photos are not particularly good as it was a dark, rainy day and I took them with my iPad so please bear with me.
My DSLR was buried somewhere in this mess.
The armoire also is bulky but it holds so much stuff for me that I hesitate to remove it. Though if I had a spot in the garage I would place it in there and make myself walk to get any supplies I needed from it.
Inconvenient? Yes, but worth it to have more open floor space in the studio.
Here is the other side…
I ran out this morning and took these photos for you and I used my better camera.
I had gotten a box full of enamel paints to try out and it had been sitting in its box. I would dig thru the box when looking for a particular color. I decided to corral them in my little Rustic Box/Crate. It works great and is much more pleasing to the eye than that cardboard box.
I am placing my painted vases up on the shelf above the French Doors for now. I need to make some little curtains to hang around the sink base in the corner, it will hide the mess stacked underneath. I place my little hand vac and other tools under there.
All the plants in the windows I keep in the greenhouse in warmer weather, they just need a heated space when the temps drop to freezing in the winter.
Though getting this all cleaned up is a lot of hard work it will be worth it in the long run. I will be working up on the mountain all week and next week so painting will take a back seat. But if I get a chance to paint at least the space will be easier to work in. And hopefully I will be able to find what I need more easily.
I did paint a bit on my work table. I couldn’t resist, it just looked like it needed a rose…
I hope your weekend has been productive and enjoyable.
In our home we burn wood and love it for heat, despite the mess it makes, it is worth the effort. You loft studio sounds lovely. The only reason I would like something a bit larger than I have is to work on furniture more. I seem to prefer painting on things or wood more than canvas. But in all honestly have not done much on canvas so I suppose I cannot really compare. I love that my studio is out amongst my garden. In the summer I can have the French doors flung wide to enjoy the birds singing, the bugs buzzing and all that nature serenades me with. Plus the sweet perfume of flowers that drifts in as I paint.
Yes, I went back to work on the mountain during their busy time. It is busy because of all the snow we have been getting. Snow starved skiers that have endured the drought for the past 4 years are trying to make it up this season and are flocking up to the mountain in droves. That is okay, I can deal with it, but it does whoop me I will admit. Safe is relative, if everybody minds their manners when driving in it it is safe enough, it is when people think they can drive regular speeds in these conditions that it gets hairy. My husband does join me to help when he can but not always. 🙂
I know, it did too and kept me motivated when I would get tired of doing it and just wanted to paint! But now it is done and I can get back to painting and with it all straightened up I can enjoy it even more.
That is a good point Dot and something I have thought about but I have a shelf unit by the doors that I am going to keep what I use most often and what I keep in the armoire is stuff I only need now and again, and only really think about when I need it. I would like to hold painting lessons in my studio but to do that I need to remove most of the furnishing and just have a table in the center for my students. It is a pipe dream but I would like to give it a whirl. Winter is a no go as with all the snow access is hard and can be treacherous. So I am thinking ahead to Spring and Summer. Or I find somewhere in town that is inexpensive to rent now and again.
Thank you, Michele. I enjoy sharing so much and helping others learn to paint, even if I am kind of all over the place at times. I do have more to come and I am going to share the inside of my studio this week sometime.
I would love to learn to do ribbions, that would be great. love your website
Pamela , My craft room is a back room in my home and it was getting overwhelming with all the stuff. I start a project and get side tracked to have to do something else so I leave it out to be finished, sometime I have more than one thing out and it is cluttered, My daughter helped me organize my room and eliminate some of the storage cabinets and we put up a big shelf, It makes it less cluttered and more open to work. I use to have everything within hands reach Now I have to move to get things. I like the clean work area I don’t like that things I had within reach are now up high and not in reach. Over all it is much nicer now. I guess what I am trying to say if you move things to your garage out of site (for me) I forget about them.
There’s nothing like company coming to motivate one, right??? Pure inspiration!!!
Pamela when the weather warms around here I will take some pics of things I have painted from your instructions on here. I have truly learned a lot from you. I am getting ready to paint snowmen for a welcome winter sign on my front porch. I am switching it to have cream colored magnolias on it as that is what my front porch is done in. So, I have my work cut out for me. Thanks again.
Good Morning, Gloria! I do have to restrain myself from painting roses on every little thing. I agree, we would have a grand ol’ time in the studio. I am trying to get things together to start in person painting classes. I find I am really enjoying sharing with others and I want to do it in a more personal way. So I have been a little distracted. I hope soon to bring a ‘how I paint ribbon’ tutorial and the strawberries to the blog soon. Thank you for chiming in here, it does encourage me so much.
Good Morning Pamela, oh I love the impulsive rose on the table. Wish I was there in that little She Shed to help you out…. I think we would have a very, very, good time. We would probably have roses on every surface there, I am like you with the roses.. I solved that issue by creating a guest Shabby Chic bedroom. Now I can put roses (pink) on everything and anything. Have a great day and I so look forward to your blog. Thank you for the education and entertainment that I receive from you. Gloria