Joyful Abode

Tell us about what we see in your photos.

What started out as a few plastic boxes of crafting supplies and an untapped artistic streak has turned
into a nicely sized, well-equipped jewelry studio. Formerly known as an unused extra bedroom and large
walk-in closet, this room was transformed into the perfect place to create.

I’ve got plenty of task-oriented space for computer work and design, soldering and joining, cutting and
shaping and, of course, tons of storage.

I even have a nice area of well-lit displays for when I hold open house for local clients. Unfortunately,
they are mostly empty at this time because between the holidays and consignments, my stock is pretty depleted right now.

What do you create in your space?

I make jewelry of many types in my space. My favorite materials are any type of metal. Gold, silver, copper, brass, titanium…all have inspired me at one time or another, but combining different types of metals is what has me currently hooked.
I also have an obsession with chainmaille jewelry. I think the geometry and mathematics involved with that particular genre is what captivates me most about it.

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

I don’t care what your medium is or what type of art you create, you need excellent light for creating any art. You can get by with a very small area, you can get by with very little in the way of sophisticated equipment, but you can’t skimp on your light.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

The name of my business is Missouri Ocean Design. I am renewed by proximity to large bodies of salt water. I love anything to do with the ocean and have been an avid scuba diver for about 13 years. Living in the middle of the continent isn’t conducive to getting much beach time, so my studio is meant to be my ocean substitute. I go there to renew, relax and revive.

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

I think the hardest thing is to not let my space become too cluttered. I have a lot of equipment and supplies to keep track of, so I try my best to keep everything where I know where to find it. Sometimes I just fail miserably at that and pull my hair out trying to find something.

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

I’ve been married for 15 years to a wonderful man, Jeff. He is retired from the US Army and now stays home to take care of me, our home and our two Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs. We travel as often as my schedule will permit, usually to someplace warm where we can dive and relax. Jeff is an accomplished underwater photographer.

Although I started my professional life as an accountant, for almost 19 years my “real” job has been as an air traffic controller. I’m very active in our union and serve on a national committee to promote aviation safety in our and other aviation-related fields. My studio is where I get completely away from the stresses of that job. I can just “disappear” into creating and time literally flies away.

I participate in several “street teams” on Etsy, a shopping venue for handcrafted items where I offer my jewelry for sale. I’m especially proud be founder and team leader for a group of Etsy shop owners who are spouses of members of the uniformed services.

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

My plastic organizing bins on the walls of my studio closet. Jewelry-making involves a dizzying number of small pieces and parts. Without all my bins and cubbies, it would be impossible to find anything!

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

For once, I think my space is just about perfect. For the time being I’m very satisfied with it just as it is. I wouldn’t “mind” acquiring a small kiln someday to use for firing precious metal clay, annealing metal or doing enamels. But there’s no rush, as I’ve got plenty on my plate as it is!

Do you have a website we could visit?

My items are for sale at my etsy shop. I maintain a Flickr account which has some photos of my work, including some of custom work I’ve done. I also have many other photos there of family, life, work, home and more photos of my studio as well.

My handsome husband has some of my jewelry photos on his Zenfolio site, which is where some of his fabulous underwater photography can be found.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time or know-how to come up with a blog yet. I’m not sure I’d be able to keep anyone’s interest like Joyful Abode does. I’m very much a perfectionist, so if I can’t do it well, I won’t do it at all.

Any Joyful Abode reader who purchases from my Etsy shop between now and the 31st of March will receive 10% off and free shipping. Just mention “Joyful Abode” in remarks at checkout and wait for a revised invoice.

If you’d like to keep up with these inspiring features, you can subscribe to Joyful Abode using your favorite subscription application, or add the feed as a friend on Livejournal. If you’re interested in having your creative space featured on Joyful Abode, let me know by commenting here (and be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch).

Tell us about what we see in your photos.

What you see here is my little sanctuary that I close myself off to whenever I can quietly back away from the demands of the day to day (particularly the demands of a three year-old and a thirty-eight year old) and dive into my need for creative digestition. We have moved into this strawbale house we have been dreaming of for the past five years just this fall so to be hugged by these thick uber-insulating walls while I’m crafting is pretty much the epititomy of bliss to say the least.

What do you create in your space?

I challenged myself last year to not purchase any new clothes other than the occasional second hand item, but to try to sew everything in my wardrobe. I think my friends are starting to notice that I wear a lot of the same outfits but that’s because I have so many other vying creative pursuits that take place here; I felt (hats, scarves, purses, slippers, puppets), spin yarn and surf the web (that’s where a lot of creative inspiration occurs).

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

Make it a priority to attain it the first place. My friend was complaining that her husband wanted to build their laundry area before he finished her sewing room and I told her to put her foot down. Crafting before housework is what I always say.

Once you have called dibs on a designated nook, treat yourself then to at least one special piece of artwork to celebrate the fact that this room, or corner or little tiny area, is yours and yours alone and to honor that miracles occur here. Something is created by almost nothing; just like us. One of the first pieces I bought for this purpose is a bird cage from Alicia Paulson of Posie Gets Cozy which hangs over the big window sill over the letter “K”. And since then, I love finding prints and collages from Etsy in particular for this purpose. No one else’s tastes to consider.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

Being in here makes me feel like I have achieved some balance in my life. After sharing myself to my daughter’s and husband’s needs all day I am practicing self-love to draw some attention to my own needs for a few moments. I feel immense gratitude. Living in a strawbale house in this blessed valley has been a dream of ours for long time. I look out the tell-tale window sills and remember how truly fortunate we are.

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

My newest crafting obsession is spinning and the fiber collection is really exploding I notice. So, keeping that organized and tidy-looking I find challenging. I recite this quote I read in an organizing catalog over and over again when tidying; “a place for everything and everything in its place”. But it’s annoying and easier typed than done.

I definitely need more surface space, so I’m trying to convince my husband that we need a new dining table so I can hoard our current one in my room. It’s the perfect size. That, and I’m sick of eating on it (my sweater sleeves are starting to snag on the fraying edges).

What is your favorite quote?

A place for everything and everything in its place.

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

I feel like I’m always creating. Either creating the next meal or the next drama. When I’m not creating, I’m attempting to surround Edie with a dependable rythm to her day. Three meals (I love cooking by the way so everything’s from scratch), snacks, outside time and that in turn entails a lot of dishwashing.

Because of a next-door fourteen-year-old babysitter, my husband and I can now revisit some more together time. For instance, we are taking a two week long Permaculture Intensive in the spring. From wiki, “permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements, in particular the development of perennial agricultural systems that mimic the structure and interrelationship found in natural ecologies.”

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

I think it would be my big blue desk. I’ve been lugging it around with me ever since my first job in a small advertising firm after University. It’s massive and my husband hates it because we’ve had to dismantle and put it back together again with each move. It’s now being held together with packing tape and wood splints but I love it. It symbolizes for me the integration of creative process and livelihood and claiming my own personal sphere to allow it flow. That and I like the pretty blue top.

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

Oh, yeah. Big plans. As soon as my husband builds his strawbale office out somewhere on our seven acres of forest, I want to move our bedrooms from the upstair loft into our current offices downstairs and move my space to the big open loft that houses the master bedroom right now. Much more space and light. That and I love the idea that both my “offices” (one being the kitchen) will be at the center, or heart, of the house.

Do you have a website we could visit?

My blog and etsy shop are both called While Tangerine Dreams because my crafting usually occurs when my daughter is finally down for her nap or sleeping in in the morning. I’ve had my blog for a few years now, which really reveals my growth as a fiber artist and mother over the years. Originally we were to build our dream house from scratch on our land, but fate had different plans for us. I love how my blog was able to capture the idealism we had at the beginning of our strawbale adventures (which, I suppose aren’t over yet!).

My Etsy shop is brand new. I sold my hemp soap company in December, and coming from a family of entrepreneurs (my mother is a professional seamstress) I couldn’t not have a venture (hope that doesn’t sound too double negative) to finance/justify/instigate my creative pursuits.

Get free shipping if you email or convo the password “Joyful Adobe Walls”! Get it? Forgot to mention I’m a punny girl.

If you’d like to keep up with these inspiring features, you can subscribe to Joyful Abode using your favorite subscription application, or add the feed as a friend on Livejournal. If you’re interested in having your creative space featured on Joyful Abode, let me know by commenting here (and be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch).

So, here at my Joyful Abode, we’ve dipped cherries and clementines in chocolate.

And we’ve made chocolate Ritz sandwiches.

So I guess this is the third edition of the chocolate-dipping extravaganza.

First, I gathered my materials:

Chocolate for melting, pretzel rods, crushed Oreos, sprinkles, and marshmallows (regular and cocoa).

I actually used milk chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate.

First, melt your chocolate in the microwave by setting the power to 50% and microwaving 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each zap. Then, add some non-heated chocolate and stir it in until it melts (don’t microwave again). If I’m doing it right, this is to temper the chocolate so it doesn’t end up tacky and gross when it “dries”… it’ll be like a hard shell.

Set up a couple cookie sheets with waxed paper, and start dippipng! Read the rest of this entry »

Tell us about what we see in your photos.

My creative space is - for the most part - tucked into the closet in our fourth bedroom. The room also serves as our tv-watching space and guest room on the rare occasion we have overnight visitors.

I hired electricians to install a ceiling light in the closet, a switch (obviously!) and two outlets. Painted it a cheery aqua and then bribed my husband into helping me build a work desk using 2×4s topped with a piece of pre-cut 6′x2′ melamine shelving from a home improvement store. We drilled a hole in the top for the sewing machine cord. After that, I was on my own (the husband is NOT handy). I installed brackets and three rows of shelving against the wall above the desk, once again using pre-cut melamine shelving.

THEN came the fun part! Organizing and decorating my space with little treasures I’d been collecting over the years. Fabric scraps, buttons, trims and ribbon are stored in cracker jars from Target, sewing pins in a vintage red tulip bowl, machine feet and other miscellaneous sewing notions live in a vintage sewing basket I picked up at a thrift store, paintbrushes and pencils in an old duckling planter, patterns in decorative storage boxes … you get the picture. I pinned up some old doilies on the wall and use the space behind my sewing machine as an inspiration board of sorts. And I love having my fabric stash on display. It helps keep my fabric addiction in check and is pretty to look at. A free-standing three-drawer unit on the desk holds paper goods and rubber stamps. I don’t do much paper crafting anymore, but it’s nice to have materials on hand when the mood strikes.

Of course, the closet doesn’t hold the ironing board or my dress form, so I’ve incorporated these into the room decor. Okay, just the dress form. There’s no good way to decorate with an ironing board! I’ve included a picture of my dress form and the embroidery hoops behind it that display some favorite fabric remnants. Oh, and a view of my sewing closet from the ironing board’s point of view.

And because this is also our tv room, there’s the mod-style chaise lounge in the corner, featuring pillows made by moi.

What do you create in your space?

Aprons, purses, tote bags, spring and summer dresses for myself …

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

If you sew, try to at least find a spot where your machine can be set up all the time. It really helps keep the momentum going.

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

Keeping things neat. In preparation for taking these photos, I lugged out a garbage bag of fabric scraps. I tend to just throw them in a corner when I’m sewing and cutting. Baaaaaad.

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

Although I have a degree in journalism and worked in the field for several years, I’m currently at home with my two boys, 6 and 3. In the end, I didn’t much like the journalism field, but I liked the creative outlet it provided and have always enjoyed making things. Recently I decided to sell my stuff. It’s been a challenge building up a shop with the distractions of kids and all, but I’m patient. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not looking to be an overnight sensation! I just like having my “thing” that’s unrelated to Star Wars, Legos, kung-fu fighting and time-outs.

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

The entire room needs to be pulled together more. I need an interesting way to store my finished items. I guess Rubbermaid totes do the trick, but they’re not pretty to look at.

Do you have a website we could visit?

I have a website that also directs shoppers back to my etsy shop.

Mention Joyful Abode and receive 20% off your total purchase until April 1, 2008.

If you’d like to keep up with these inspiring features, you can subscribe to Joyful Abode using your favorite subscription application, or add the feed as a friend on Livejournal. If you’re interested in having your creative space featured on Joyful Abode, let me know by commenting here (and be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch).

Enigma Chck has all sorts of things in her shop, from supplies, note cards, and ACEOs to knit scarves, sewn bags, and “Snatchels.” Despite the variety of media she uses, a definite (quite beautiful) common aesthetic links everything in her shop.

I especially love these manly note cards she has.

Check out her shop on etsy.com!

Tell us about what we see in your photos.
The first photo is of my fabric stash cabinet which houses my sewing machine and everything else I need to start a sewing project. There is also my painting table that holds my supplies. Then there’s a picture of my make shift office that I made from an extra table leaf and 2 iron stands. There’s one photo of a large cabinet piece that stocks all my ribbons and art papers and beads. Then there’s a shot of my easel and a center table that I use to paint and make jewelry on. I do just about everything on that table.

What do you create in your space?
Paint, jewelry, sew, paper work, just about everything except my candles which I make in the garage that was converted into my candle factory.

What advice do you have for others who are trying to put together their own creative space?
My advise to others would be to take everything out that doesn’t belong, These rooms need to be super functional with is hard when it’s become a catch all space for the rest of the houses. I used to have an iron bed in here that swallowed up half my room.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?
It feels like it totally reflects who I am. I tell my friends, if your could climb inside my head, it would look like this room. So much color and eye candy it just makes me so happy.

What has your biggest challenge been in creating and maintaining your creative space?
It’s always a challenge. I definitely know how to make a mess, but I force myself to put it all away when I finish something so that it’s easier to start the next project. If I only made one thing I’d be able to leave it out all the time, but that’s just not the case.

What is your favorite quote?
Because we’ve been remodeling our house, my favorite quote has been “I can pay anybody to do a half ass job” (the guys really love this one)

My words I try to live by are, “keep the best, get rid of the rest” and “clutter in the home is clutter in the mind”

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?
I’m either fixing up my (B&M) shop here in San Diego, or having coffee with my sisters and adorable little nephew. Being a full time pet parent, I love walking my dogs along the beach. My husband and I both work from home, so we like to take breaks and hang out with the dogs whenever possible.

What one piece of furniture or organizational equipment could you not live without?
I need them all! They all have very important jobs to do.

What is your next “move” for your creative space? Do you have plans for its future?
No plans right now. I’d like my studio to be bigger, but I can’t complain.

Do you have a website we could visit?
I have my etsy shop, and just opened a flickr account which I’m trying to get the hang of.

The first 25 customers in Karin’s etsy shop will receive a free candle with their order.

If you’d like to keep up with these inspiring features, you can subscribe to Joyful Abode using your favorite subscription application, or add the feed as a friend on Livejournal. If you’re interested in having your creative space featured on Joyful Abode, let me know by commenting here (and be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch).

I’ll admit it needs a shorter name… seriously. Any suggestions?

I threw this together one night on a whim… and it was so fantastically delicious, I just had to share my recipe.

So here’s the recipe:

You will need…

• a bunch of broccoli, cut into florets and steamed
• 2 onions
• 1 package of mushrooms (a couple cups), sliced
• 2 large chicken breasts, boneless skinless… cooked and cubed
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• about 1/2 cup of milk
• shredded cheddar cheese
• French’s fried onions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sautee the onions and mushrooms. When I do this, I put the onions (chopped) into a pan with a couple tablespoons of water, and cover it to let it steam for a while. Then, when the onions are a little bit softer, I uncover the pan, let the water evaporate, and throw in a couple tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Then I toss everything around till the onions are browning. Then I add the mushrooms and let them cook… I like my onions really really cooked.

In a casserole dish, combine the broccoli, onions, mushrooms, chicken, soup, and milk. Mix everything. Top with cheese and fried onions.

Bake covered for 10 minutes, then uncover and let the onions on top get crispy (about 5 more minutes).

Delicious. Unless you hate onions. Listen to “secret onions” and laugh like crazy. Then go listen to the rest of the album. (My older sister Jessica, her guy Ryan, and their roomie Stephen made it.)

Tell us about what we see in your photos.

The main part of my work space is the shelving – it holds everything I use and need and has to really work for me in the way I utilize every inch of its space!

It houses fabric, which I try to group into loose color piles, notions and trims, BUTTONS, thread, machine accessories, patterns, embroidery hoops, wool, hooks, needles and anything you care to think of. It’s there. It’s a limited space and I’m continually assessing what I need and what I don’t because I can’t afford to waste the space.

Then there’s The Table. That’s right. The Table. We have only one and it’s the Everything Table – the dinner, the study, the art table, the work bench, the home-school table – and my time is limited on it. If I am very lucky and the planets are aligned just so I may get both my machine AND serger on it at the same time and then we really have a party on our hands… if my serger isn’t being hormonal that is.

What do you create in your space?

ANYTHING that grabs my fancy! I make clothes for the children (and shop), I embroider and knit there when the kids are eating or working, I make quilts, pillow covers, bags, curtains, things for the house, gifts, dolls and stuffies - really anything that has got my mojo. I love quilting and patchwork and embroidery but I seem to make a lot of scrap stuffies at the moment too. I like to try new things and rise to a creative challenge and currently I’m in love with felt.

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

It doesn’t have to be a studio – your work space is a good space so long as you get it working for YOU. I worked out of a shoe box at one time and fabric was all over the house. What it must be is organised – everything must be something you will use and need and it is good for every thing to have it’s own place. Nothing kills creativity more than having to stop to look for a tool for three hours. Plus surround yourself with beauty for inspiration. Being surrounded by mess and ugly things does nothing but create stress.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

When I am here I feel connected. Any boredom I might feel quickly gets replaced by a creative surge and I feel quite at harmony with the people around me.

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

Space and money. Our house is not so big (two up two down) and finding a place to put shelves was a creative challenge in itself. Plus money for materials – if I had money I would love more fabric and notions – as it is I buy sparingly and make use of everything I have.

What is your favorite quote?

“I didn’t do it; nobody saw me do it; you can’t prove anything” Bart Simpson

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

I am a stay at home homeschooling mother of two boys. We live and learn and create together every day. We are continuously creating! We try to get outdoors as much as possible and we try to find and create beauty in our lives.

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

Shelving!

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

Obviously one day I would love to have an entire ROOM to myself but I don’t see it happening anytime soon. But realistically I would like to create a better inspirational area for myself. So far things are stuck on my fridge with magnets – I’d like to create something that works better, and LOOKS better, perhaps an inspiration board or some kind of rail for me to hook things up over. I’m still scooting around looking for the best thing right now and inspiration for my inspiration area! Plus more artwork for the muse

Do you have a website we could visit?

Sure! My main blog, Sew Q is mainly about me and the stuff I make and what have you. I have a store at bigcartel which is a make-do place for me until Etsy can sort a sellers scheme with Paypal (for religious reasons I don’t own a credit card) and our homeschool journal if that floats your boat.

If you’d like to keep up with these inspiring features, you can subscribe to Joyful Abode using your favorite subscription application, or add the feed as a friend on Livejournal. If you’re interested in having your creative space featured on Joyful Abode, let me know by commenting here (and be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch).

The last time I tried to make homemade pizza, it resulted in a sad looking product that had my husband saying, “Well, it’s not totally disgusting.”

This time, emboldened by my bread machine (thanks yayanana) and armed with your advice, my trials were successful!

I used whole milk mozzarella (next time, I’ll probably slice it thinner) for the cheese.

For the sauce, I used a can of tomatoes mixed with a few tablespoons of regular spaghetti sauce and seasoned with garlic salt and Italian herbs.

The crust was this recipe:

Throw in the bread machine:
A little less than a cup of lukewarm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (my machine has a separate compartment for this)

Set it on the dough cycle and wait till it beeps.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Read the rest of this entry »

Tell us about what we see in your photos.  

Most of my work begins in my backyard.  I am lucky enough to have a half acre of land that I can plant flowers on all over!!  And I do!   I also like to jump in my car and find wildflowers growing naturally.  I only pick them if there are a LOT of them around, but I find great variety this way. Once I have my flowers, they are put in presses to dry.   After a couple of weeks, I move them to my storage closet.  You may be able to see a bunch of phone books in the closet, that is where I store my flowers that are already dry.  This way, they stay flat and away from moisture.  The next step for my flowers is out of the books and onto a piece of art!  I had a nice little student desk for years, and it was just *too* small.  One day I realized that we had a door sitting in our garage unused.  That nice large desk you see is actually that door propped up on a pair of filing cabinets.  It has been a lifesaver!  I could never have afforded a desk that large, nor would I like the job of moving a desk that big around.  This “desk” is huge and can be disassembled at any given time if needed.  This is where all my creative work happens.  I create artwork to be framed, cards, candles, soaps, necklace pendants and more.  All right here.  A few pieces of art that turn out really well, I scan into my computer.  So my last workspace picture is all my electronics.  I have a great scanner, computer and 2 printers.  I’m so blessed.    I also have my own website, so I spend a lot of time at the computer updating that as well.

What do you create in your space?

I mentioned some of the items, but lets try to list them:  artwork, cards, bookmarks, candles, pendants, journals, soaps, gift tags, and prints.  I think that sums it up.

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

Get creative about your space.  The room I am in is very small.  I got the storage closet to give more storage room because I filled up the closet so quickly.  I have used every inch of wall space in the room!  I have my crafting desk, a book case, my computer desk, my storage closet and my card display.  The other wall is the actual closet.  I’ve added shelving above my desk for more storage and I had to find a specific size computer desk that could fit into the corner.  Using the door for my desk was the greatest help to my space.  I can keep a lot more of my tools close at hand.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

I love my creative space.  I spend as much time there as any other place in my home.  I love the pictures I have on and near my desk, and always surround myself with inspiration pictures as I am working.  Despite the messes that I create, I am happy to have all my tools close at hand when I am in the middle of a project.

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

Figuring out how to fit all my tools and supplies in my tiny little room.  I actually had to start by kicking my husband out of the room!  He was using the space for his office, but I am home crafting more than he is home needing an office.  Once I had the room, it was just a matter of figuring out what I needed and wanted.  I wanted a bigger desk, so I found a door.  I needed more storage, so I bought a storage closet.  It has been a work in progress for years, and I anticipate it will always be a work in progress.

What is your favorite quote?

I have 2 favorite quotes, and they are very different from each other.  The first is “kwitchurbelyakin”.  I used to have a beautiful piece of art with this quote hanging in front of my workspace.  When I start to get frustrated or feeling a creative block, I just remember to quit my belly achin’ and take a break. 

The second quote is “In all of living, find much joy and laughter.  Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured”  Gordon B. Hinckley.  I have to admit to enduring some days, but I strive to live by this creed.

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

I have a LOT of hats I wear.  My very first priority is Mom of my 3 kids.  I have a 7 year old, 5 year old and a 3 year old.  I am also expecting a new baby in May!  So, as all you mom’s know, this means that when I am not creating, I am cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, reading to kids, policing homework and the like.  I also work part time out of my home as a medical assistant in a doctors office.  I am also in charge of providing activities for a group of 12 girls two nights each month.  The real question is how I find time TO create!  I have no explanation for that except that I love it so much I make it a priority, even at the expense of sleep!

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

My storage closet has really been a lifesaver.  The tiny closet in this room couldn’t fit one more thing in it, and I just really needed more space to put my flowers, my presses, frames and tools. 

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

The next step is very likely more shelving over my computer space.  I think that’s about all I can fit in there.  I do need to keep some wall space to hang pictures I have finished. 

If I were to suddenly come into a million dollars, well, ok if I had a million dollars I would move into a bigger house.  Lets try that again. . . if I were suddenly to come into a free makeover of my creative workspace, I would LOVE to have everything built in.  Shelves, cabinets, counters, storage. . . 

 Do you have a website we could visit?

My main website is Designs in Floral.  I have a shop there, as well as a gallery of items I have sold.  I am also a seller on etsy.  It is a very friendly online marketplace for handmade items.  I have a blog I started late last year, which I use for personal items as well as my business.

Those are my main sites though I am also on flickr, myspace, indiepublic and a few others. 

Mention Joyful Abode in the comments at checkout on my website, or etsy, and I’ll send you a free gift!

  If you’d like to keep up with these inspiring features, you can subscribe to Joyful Abode using your favorite subscription application, or add the feed as a friend on Livejournal. If you’re interested in having your creative space featured on Joyful Abode, let me know by commenting here (and be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch).