Joyful Abode

Tell us about what we see in your photos. (Give us the tour!)

I’ve claimed the guest room/office in our house, and skillfully stowed at least 10 years of scrapbooking, stamping, jewelry making and painting supplies. My craft magazines have taken over the living room book shelves, although they’re carefully and secretly arranged in Ikea magazine holders. Not pictured are the four huge plastic bins in the garage that hold my quilting fabric and yarn.

What do you create in your space?

You name it, I’ve made it. My current favorites are quilting, sewing of all kinds, and crochet. I also do a lot of blogging, (bad) picture taking, and I dabble in graphic and web design.

What advice do you have for others who are trying to put together their own creative space?

Don’t buy organizing receptacles willy-nilly. Know exactly what you want to store and how much space you need for your current supplies and some new supplies – because you know you’re going to buy more. Go cheap on some stuff – magazine holders and shoebox-sized cardboard boxes from Ikea are really inexpensive (under $5) and work well for lots of things. I use the cardboard boxes (pictured on top of my bookshelves) to hold all of my fat quarters, notions and patterns.

If you go up the walls (for storage), make sure you can still reach what you need, or you’re just going to get frustrated. If you’re like me, you’ll just not use whatever it is that you can’t immediately get to. This is why I have 10 years worth of supplies.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

This is also my home office, so I spend a lot of time in here. Although sometimes it makes me feel a little guilty because I have so many supplies that I don’t use nearly enough, it mostly makes me feel like I could make anything I want to whenever I want. I have a good system worked out, so I can really get to whatever I need pretty quickly – it makes me feel peaceful.

What has your biggest challenge been in creating and maintaining your creative space?

Same as everyone else – storage. Not only storing, but organizing so I know what I have and USE what I have. This is particularly a problem with scrapbooking paper. I finally gave up on trying to separate the printed cardstock by color, and just put it all in two big bins. It takes time to go through, but it’s kind of fun also. The other problem is that I feel a lot of guilt for the space my hobbies take up. My husband has two golf bags in one corner of the garage. I’ve got almost two rooms full of crafting stuff. But he’s supportive, so it’s okay.

What is your favorite quote?

“Every thought is a possibility” from the song Mystery by the Indigo Girls

What do you do when you’re NOT creating? (Tell us about yourself!)

I’m a work-at-home-mom of a 2 year old boy. I’ve been married for 7.5 years. I was a Sergeant in the Army. I’ve had a million crazy jobs, lived all over the country, have no allergies and love to read. I write the newsletter for my quilting guild and I try to give blood every eight weeks. My husband has five cats that drive me crazy. They’re always sitting on my stuff. I’m a crazy letter writer – to politicians, companies, newspaper editors, etc., and like to get letters back – even if they’re mean.

What one piece of furniture or organizational equipment could you not live without?

The dining room table! #1 sewing/stamping/crafting spot in the house!

What is your next “move” for your creative space? Do you have plans for its future?

In my dream world, I’d have a normal size bedroom, and I’d install cabinets with counter tops all around the room. The cabinets would have rolling shelves that can be pulled out, and all of my supplies would fit. In the center would be a cutting/sewing/crafting island. We’re still renters, so I’m more than happy for now. But one day, that room will be mine!

Do you have a website we could visit?

I’ve got a few blogs, but the best one is MoxyIdeas. It’s very random (read: opinionated), but I always post my current crafting project and book review. I set up an Etsy store, MoxyWares Originals, but haven’t put anything up for sale yet. Now that the holidays are over, perhaps I can start making things for strangers.

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