Joyful Abode

So, there’s no creative space to feature today. Several people have sent me partial entries, or entries that need to be formatted differently in order for me to work with them. At the moment though, I’m “fresh out” of complete features!

Fortunately, there’s a bright side to this. The features this month have been amazing, and really inspiring. I hope you’ve been as engrossed in them as I have! I’ve made some new “blog friends” and subscribed to a lot of new websites, and “hearted” a lot of etsy shops.

I’ve also learned some things about how to host a feature:

1. Figure out what you want to do, completely, before you throw it out there. If I had had the interview totally prepared and ready to send, complete with directions for attaching photos (how many, what size, etc) BEFORE I asked for contributors, it would’ve been a lot simpler.
2. Make a deadline for submissions. That way I’ll know exactly how many contributions I have. I had hoped to make “creative spaces” a month-long feature, and I had over 60 people contact me about featuring their spaces. Unfortunately though, not all of them have followed through (and it’s very possible that some of that may be my fault, like if I’ve lost emails!) and I ended up with many fewer than I had hoped for.
3. Maybe not make interviews so long… the editing takes a very long time. A word/picture limit might be good, if it’s going to be a daily thing.

Does anyone else have any advice for me, or ideas, that could possibly make future features run more smoothly? I’ve had a blast with this, and I’d love to do it again, but not if it’s going to be so exhausting every time (I don’t know if you’ve noticed that my “personal” posts have dwindled in the last week or so…).

I’m also open to ideas for future features. Of course, anything domestic is fair-game. Don’t let this feature box you into a “crafty” mindset. I have a couple floating around in my head… and I’d love to add to my mental idea pool. No promises though!

PS If I have a partial feature from you, like only the interview, or only photos, or if you needed to change the format of your submission, go ahead and send me the rest! I’ll still feature your space when you get it to me (I’ll give you until March 3, which is a Monday, so you’ll have two weekends).

Meanwhile, check out one of my all-time favorite craft spaces.

This gorgeous space belongs to Tricia Royal of bitsandbobbins. I especially love (and have coveted for years) her card-catalog, which she uses to store … bits. You know, and bobbins. (Well, and zippers and buttons and such.)

Tell us about what we see in your photos.

This is my corner in our basement. My husband picked up the table for $10 at a thrift store, and it’s been great. I have my papers standing up in napkin holders, small drawers on the table for things like stickers, adhesives, pens and small tools. The drawers on the floor hold things like my paper cutters, boxes of ribbon, buttons and other embellishments, and software for my die cut machine that you see on the table (Cricut)

What do you create in your space?

I make greeting cards of all sorts, mini albums, decorated wood letters, and do my own scrapbooking too.

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

That it doesn’t have to be perfect at the beginning. Most of us don’t have the luxury of building a whole space from the ground up (like when the house is under construction) so you can work at it over time, and rearrange or add things as your craft expands.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

It makes me feel like I actually get some time to myself.

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

The basement is shared with everyone. It’s where we have our tv and all our games, so if company is coming, or the girls are going to be down there playing, I have to make sure things are cleaned up.

What is your favorite quote?

When you do not know what you are doing and what you are doing is the best — that is inspiration.
Author: Robert Bresson

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

I’m a stay-at-home mom to my two girls, so that keeps me pretty busy of course. I’m also involved with my church, love the piano and guitar, and occasionally do some fun baking.

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

My aforementioned table. It’s sturdy enough that I can hammer my eyelets on it, and beat up enough that I don’t feel bad about it.

What is your next “move” for your creative space? Do you have plans for its future?
I need more paper storage. So nothing too exciting, but at least some more folders.

Do you have a website we could visit?
–my Etsy store where I sell my creations.
–my Gallery, so to speak, where I have pictures of many things that I have sold or for sale in my store, plus a few other things I’ve made.
–a social networking site where I have made a meager attempt at keeping a blog, that also includes links to many other Etsy sellers.

Put “Joyful 10″ in notes to seller upon checkout, and I will send a revised paypal invoice with 10% off your order (before shipping)

Tell us about what we see in your photos. 

This is where I create and design everything. From the idea to choosing the fabric to cutting and sewing and the final touches and sometimes big crisis when something doesn’t turn out how I want it to…A lot of laughs and tears happen in my little studio.

What do you create in your space?

I make clothes and jewelry for women and shirts for men. But I also do all the other important business stuff at the computer…making banners, editing pictures and so on. It’s a 24/7 job…

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

As long as you feel comfortable and it just your space where you can be creative it’s perfect. Keep a good balance between organized and creative messiness 

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

Creative…most of the time at least.

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

When we looked at the house I new the formal dining room would be my workroom and when our furniture came all the screws and dowels for my shelves where missing, and the dowels for my two big tables! That was horrible but we got new ones and put it together and now its perfect! I love it!

What is your favorite quote?

Nothing can bring you happiness but yourself.

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

Probably taking care of my 4 year old son and our 2 new cats. I also take a lot of the pictures for my website myself and I am trying to make them look as professional as I can. I love learning new things.

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

Sewing machine and serger…sorry but I need them both.

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

I love my creative space and as long as we are living here it will stay how it is. I just want to add a little photo studio in one of the other rooms. That will be exciting!

Do you have a website we could visit?

Yes, www.erikahendrix.com

Use the Coupon Code: JOYFULABODE for 10% off any purchase from Erika Hendrix!

 Tell us about what we see in your photos.First all forgive me for the quality of my pictures. We are currently shopping and saving for a much better camera. I suppose I’m still in the beginning stages of my sewing space. I just starting sewing about two years and didn’t really set up my space until about two months ago. My sewing table is currently set up in my bedroom. Our master bedroom is large so I had a little extra space to work with. Now that I see the pictures of my sewing table I’m little frustrated because it could look a lot better. Suggestions are welcome!

What do you create in your space?

I sew dresses for my daughter, make bags, and things for my home. I have two boys and they are little harder to sew for. I’ve made my older son a ditty bag and he liked it. My 10 month old has been the receiver of a lot of blankets.

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

That no matter how small your space is, you can make something work. Looking to other people’s spaces for inspiration is helpful. There is a group on Flickr that is dedicated to sewing rooms. In MS Living magazine (I think it was Sept.’07 issue) Martha showed off her craft space. I don’t think it was in a very large room, but somehow there was room for sewing, scrapbooking, wrapping presents, etc.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

My space is a way for me to unwind in the evening. I feel productive. I guess I want the satisfaction of completing a project. Listening to Bob Dylan and working on a sewing project is my ideal way to spend an evening.

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

It’s dull. There isn’t much color and it could be more organized. My goal is to eventually have a space that inspires creativity. I guess I would eventually like to have a studio.

What is your favorite quote?

I can’t think of a favorite quote. I recite this verse from the Bible often during the day: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Eph. 3:20&21

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

I am wife to Darin and a mom to three blessings. I like to run and my goal is to do a half marathon one day. I’m also an avid reader. We live Charleston, SC. We have enjoyed living here. I have a great appreciation for the architecture in downtown Charleston. We do not have many 18th century buildings in Southern California. My husband serves in the Navy so we move once and awhile. We call the California home, so we hope to return there next year.

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

I can’t live without my folding table. It’s come in very handy for my sewing stuff.

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

For now I’d like to have it more organized. When we move into a new home next year I would LOVE to have a room designated for sewing. Even if it had to be in a guest room, I’d be thrilled.

Do you have a website we could visit?

I mainly write in my blog about my creative endeavors and how it relates to me and my family. I currently do not have an online shop. I’ve toyed with the idea. I love to shop on Etsy. So many talented people out here! I’d rather support an artist or craftsperson than a major discount store.

Tell us about what we see in your photos.

The tour starts outside, because that is a big source of my inspiration. I am surrounded by rolling hills covered with ancient oak trees, and wildlife abounds just outside my door. We are visited daily by up to a dozen deer at a time, who graze and rest just outside our windows. Gray squirrels hide acorns everywhere, we hear coyotes on some nights, and have also sighted bobcats and foxes on the property. My husband loves photographing the birds, and he tells me there are more than 40 different species feeding at our nearly 2 dozen feeders. My favorite are the quail, and especially in the Spring, when they visit with their flocks of babies no bigger than my thumb. Both mother and father quail stick quite close to the babies. Once you get inside, you see a room that has a lot going on! It was planned as my sewing space, but after I decided to outfit it with a comfy sofa and TV, it has also become a favorite hangout, which suits me fine. I am alone here most of the time, but I enjoy sharing the space with my husband and friends, because I can be around all my favorite things and people at the same time.

Some of my favorite little things in the room are all the tiny bowls scattered about. They are made by purplepetunia.etsy.com and I absolutely love them. I also have a Wee Wonderfuls embroidery pattern there on my bulletin board. The big old china cabinet is where I keep all my handbag-making hardware, twill tape, and nylon webbing, along with my printers and such.

What do you create in your space?

I sew a lot of different things. My favorite is probably handbags and totes at the moment, but I go on apron binges and quilt binges from time to time too. I haven’t done much garment sewing for quite a few years, but I am starting to get an itch to sew some skirts and dresses, because there are just so many fabulous fabrics available that it’s a shame not to use them for everything. I like to try new things all the time, and I like to sew useful items. When I got a new iPod for Christmas, I was busy sewing up a case for it the day after. I really will attempt almost anything, although everything ends up having my stamp on it, because I don’t always follow directions well.

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

I would say to be flexible. You won’t really know how the space will work best for you until you have used it for a while. It’s nice to have spaces that can be used in different ways so that you can adapt to your own way of working. With a little tweaking as you go, eventually you will arrive at your ideal space (or as close to ideal as you can get, given physical limitations of the room). I have rearranged my space several times as I get used to working in it. I originally had supplies for every kind of craft in this room, but sewing kept taking over more and more space until nearly all of the non-sewing projects had to move out. Just last weekend I acquired a new sewing machine which needed its own space, and that was the end of what I had been using as my paper-crafting desk. All of that was moved to a spare bedroom, and now sewing rules. I wouldn’t have known to plan ahead for this–I had to be willing to change focus over time.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

I feel energized and ready to create any time and all the time. I love that there is really no separation here between creating and “just being.” It all blends together throughout the day (and well into the night). I feel most happy when I can see all my fabric at a glance, because I am inspired by my materials. I am not much of a planner–I often decide what to sew because I suddenly see a combination of fabrics that will look great together, or I have a special button that I want to use.

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

I am an “out of sight, out of mind” person, so I like to have everything out where I can see it–tools, fabrics, notions. I like to work with a little creative clutter around me. But when a “little” turns into a lot, I am unable to make anything new until I clear the decks again. So I like to have some closed storage to hide the messiest bits. I guess my main challenge, though, is that I try to fit too much into my space. I love fabrics and tools, and too much is never enough. So I am always needing more storage. One of my goals for this year is to use up more of what I have instead of adding more to the stash.

What is your favorite quote?

I have this quote in my mother’s handwriting under glass on my desk:
“Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy. ”
William Butler Yeats

My mom and I always teased each other about being descended from a long line of Irish worriers. Fortunately, we laughed as much as we worried.

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

I love to read, especially outdoors on a nice day. My favorite reading spot is in a hammock chair that hangs from a maple tree in the yard. Often, the dappled shade, the warmth of the sun, and the swinging of the chair will lull me into a nap, and I love that, too. I tend to stay up very late, often until 4 or 5 a.m., so I’m usually a little sleep-deprived.

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

Well, I could live without it, because I did for years, but my favorite thing is my built-in wall which has a huge cutting surface at the perfect standing height for me and a large desk. Under the cutting table I have four rolling carts with wire mesh drawers holding smaller pieces of fabric–I am a fat quarter collector–and it’s easy to pull out a drawer full of fabric to take to my sewing machine, or to roll a whole cart out for use near the machine. And I am addicted to my hammock chairs–I have several of them indoors and out. I find I can concentrate much better when I am in motion. If I’m not in a hammock chair, I like to be found sitting on the sofa with my husband Rick, watching “30 Rock.”

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

I have been reorganizing off and on for nearly two years in this space. Now that I have moved out most of the non-sewing crafting gear, I look forward to enjoying a lot of sewing here. I try to maintain that delicate balance between creative clutter and total mess!

Do you have a website we could visit?

I started blogging just last month, and opened my Etsy shops at about the same time. I have been on such a sewing bender that I finally decided it was time to see what would happen if I started putting my things out there for the world to see and hopefully, buy, so I can indulge my need for constant creating. I started with one Etsy shop, and then decided that I needed to split in two because the two sides of my creative bent don’t really jell into a cohesive whole. One shop is for my “serious” bags and totes, and the other is for my crazy experiments.

My blog is here. I find that I am loving being active in the online creative world. I have tried blogging a couple of times before and never lasted past three days or so. This time around, I try to blog every day, and the only thing that stands in my way so far is lack of time. I haven’t run out of things to say yet–I am writing it in my head all day long! I like to write about what I’m working on at the moment, and also want to include some real life most of the time, too. I have a million stories about growing up in a big family and learning to sew and cook from my mother at an early age. I realize with some disbelief that I have been sewing for (ack) about 50 years now! I learned to sew on the treadle sewing machine that now resides in my studio. Mom made school clothes for 5 children on that machine, and a few prom dresses, too. She didn’t get an electric sewing machine until I was in high school.

I get so much inspiration and joy from reading my long and growing list of creative blogs every day that I feel like I have landed in my true home.

I am happy to give Joyful Abode readers 10% off on anything until April 1. Just identify yourself as a Joyful Abode fan. I hope to be adding more items at a steady rate now, so stay tuned!

Tell us about what we see in your photos.

My little corner is in the sun room on the side of my house. It’s my favorite space in the house because of all the light and the lovely pumpkin color. Mostly my one year old and I spend a lot of time out here, what you don’t see in the pictures are her slide and big toy box about four feet behind my table! All of my essential are here, my mini ironing board, basket full of felt and fabric pieces, and my tack board. I try very hard (unsuccessfully!) to stay organized, and I try to keep my things out of reach of a lightening fast toddler.

What do you create in your space?

I create multi layer felt and fabric designs that I fuse, and then hand stitch onto baby and toddler t-shirts. I hope eventually to purchase a sewing machine and see what else I can make.  Currently I have two projects that I am working on. One is a line of zodiac symbol tees, using modern color combinations and bold graphic designs.  The other is a ‘read to me’ tee. I’ve just finished designing this one, and I plan to donate a portion of every sale from this shirt to public libraries. Books have always been very important in my life, and I feel reading to your children, and fostering a love of reading is one of the best gifts you can give them.

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

Keep everything that you need in one place, as much as possible. Try to keep it out of a main traffic area so that no one else will feel the need to move your things around. Baskets and bins are a wonderful addition to help you feel organized, whether or not you actually are!

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

At the moment, chilly! It’s cold in New England in the winter, especially in a room mostly made of glass. I love this room and my little corner of it. It’s amazing how much my mood lifts when I walk into this sunny space, and see all my bright fabrics and even my daughter’s bright toys. It helps me keep the fun, bright, aesthetic that I am striving for with my clothing.

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

Carving out a little niche for myself was not easy in a small house, but well worth the shifting of furniture many many times. My biggest challenge is not to let my work surface get totally overwhelmed by little bits of fabric and paper and left over threads. Oh, and making sure that nothing dangerous (i.e. pins, iron, scissors,) are in a place where my little one can get at them.

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

First and foremost, I am a wife and a mother. I have a wonderful supportive husband and a daughter that makes me smile all the time. Before deciding to stay home with our baby, I was an Interior Designer, and I still spend a lot of time reading about design and thinking up new ways to make my home suit my family better. I love to read, and I love to eat. I’m not a great cook, but I am trying to learn.

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

Honestly, my couch. I love to sit on my comfy sofa and watch my daughter play while I sew, or use the laptop to research visuals for my designs, and my new found attachment to etsy!

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

I would love to finish the attic of my house someday, complete with skylights and turn that into a studio for myself. Since that is a big dream, that’s very very far away, mostly I want to keep working in my little corner, and try not to overwhelm the rest of the house with my scraps of fabric.

Do you have a website we could visit?

I just opened a shop in December, in which I carry all my hand-stitched designs. I’ve been amazed by the fellowship and support that etsyians offer each other and I learned a lot from the other sellers. Thats it for the moment, but I have plans to have my own website eventually.

Joyful Abode readers are welcome to a 10% discount off any non-sale item in my shop. Please mention Joyful Abode in the message to seller at checkout.

Tell us about what we see in your photos.

This room is the top floor of my apartment. My boyfriend, Frank, and I pretty much got our apartment because of this room. We knew we would turn it into our studio/office space. The right side is Frank’s… and the ever growing left side is mine. The drafting table is from my Dad. It’s totally old school. When I was in elementary school, on days off, I would go to my dad’s office and draft restaurant floor plans with him on this table. Now it’s my crafty station to sketch out ideas, prep for sewing and ironing pieces, and put together orders. A lot of my ideas start from sketches and mock-ups on the table, then I move to my computer and scan anything in and work from there to develop the designs.  Don’t you love the chimney!?  There’s also a spot for Nico, the cat! He’s got a spot amongst the artwork on the wall!

What do you create in your space?

I create home decor and other accessories. Mostly cocktail napkins and coasters and handkerchiefs right now. They have a minimal design that adds a creative sensibility to the home or an outfit. I like getting a bit quirky with my designs so you’ll often see me trying to make designs out of household items and everyday “stuff” before bringing them to the computer to manipulate and stick on a napkin:)

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

Pick the best room in your home. Pick a room that you love just being in. I’ve tried putting together my creative space in the basement, but then I never want to spend time there. You have to want to spend time in the space, whether you’re creating or not. Surround yourself with lots of inspiration. Put up a cork board or a clothes line and pin up photos of what gets you pumped about getting your “craft on!” A sofa helps too. When i get frustrated about something not working out the way I want to I can just plant myself on the sofa and relax… then try again:)

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

It makes me feel great! It’s the best room in the house with lots of natural light… and during the winter months it’s the only room where i can get my dose of Vitamin D. I hang up lots of inspirational pieces to get me thinking about new things to make, even when I’m not actively making anything.

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

Clutter! I’m a clutter bug. So I have to constantly work at storing materials and pieces properly and always finding homes for new items.

What is your favorite quote?

Mind your pennies, and your dollars mind themselves.

I don’t really know why but I quote this one all the time.

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

I work for an art service organization in Toronto, Canada and I work with visual artists to build their careers, market themselves, and find opportunities for them to get their artwork out there. I also love playing squash, cooking, working on my photography, and watching LOST and ANTM.
What one piece of furniture or organizational equipment could you not live without?

My new Iron! I got a great new iron for Christmas… it’s #1 these days!

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

Growing my line of home accessories. I’m looking into table runners, throw pillows, and shower curtains right now. Also growing my business to including more wholesale.

Do you have a website we could visit? 

www.avrilloreti.etsy.com

www.avrilloreti.blogspot.com

Tell us about what we see in your photos.
The fist photo is my storefront. It is not the ideal colour for me, but it would cost far too much to rip out and change, so I live with it. I’ve also included the view of my main work area and my back workshop area. This is quite a mess as I am always moving the larger tools around. In here I have a polishing motor with extraction, a vacuum pump for degassing silicone rubber compounds and investment when I am casting, electroplating unit, lathe, drill press, rolling mill, enamel kiln, tumbler, magnetic barreller, pickle pot, photo area, ultrasonic, sink. It is also a storage area for other tools and stationery.

What do you create in your space?

Anything in silver, gold or platinum. I have many skills under my belt so there are a number of techniques that I use. I set my own stones and will undertake re-modelling of old jewellery, repairs or new commissions.
The majority of my trade is bespoke, where I will design and create a piece exactly to the clients’ brief.
I also create jewellery and silverware to sell in the shop and on Etsy.

In addition to the jewellery, I make my own cards using my own artwork which are sold in the shop and I am slowly adding these designs to a new Etsy shop.

What advice do you have for others who are trying to put together their own creative space?
Plan, plan and plan. I had been thinking about my own space for years. I was always looking at shop fittings and other retail outlets to see if there were any ideas I could use in constructing my own space.

The shop was to be split into two. One half for a workshop and one half for a retail space. I wanted the retail space, quite simple with just some high level shelves, so customers didn’t have to stop to look at things, and some glass cabinets built in. Again quite high so you could look at them easily without bending over.

The workshop came about by just planning where all my tools would go. This was just an evolution of my old workspace. I learnt what I needed at hand, what I used frequently and what was rarely used.

The one thing in all of this, was that I had to make my own fittings so that a) they suited my needs perfectly and also b) I couldn’t afford to employ a shop fitting service, so it was all DIY.

In addition to the shop and workshop area, I also had to incorporate a meeting table. I have lots of clients who will drive on average up to 2 hours just to get to me. This table serves as my office space when I am doing paperwork and also my design table when I am drawing.

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

The biggest challenge was finding a suitable shop in the first place. The search took about 18 months. With many sites being either too far away, too small, too big, in the wrong neighbourhood. It was important that the site ticked all the boxes of what I required and that I didn’t just jump into the first property that was available.

What is your favorite quote?

I am a terrible procrastinator, so mine is quite apt, “Is doing what you are doing, getting you any closer to your goals?”

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

My typical day starts first thing getting the kids up and off to school, which means I get to my shop at about 9am. I then do the school run in the afternoon, so I can only work until 3.30pm.
 
The whole being a dad thing then kicks in until about 9pm. Sometimes I will try to promote my business on line or I might do some sketches and or drawings as I find that quite therapeutic.

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

My wallet. My wife bought me a lovely little wallet that has a pen and notebook. I am always drawing little sketches, or writing design ideas down, so I am never without pen and paper. I love it.

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

Ideally I would like to have a larger space, but it is all down to the location. It is so hard to find a building the suits your needs and at the same time, for it to be in a nice neighbourhood.

Do you have a website we could visit?

So many. I have my personal website. The majority of my trade comes via the website and is primarily bespoke engagement rings and wedding rings. I will undertake any commission in silver, gold or platinum. So I make anything including; tie slides, cuff links, money clips, brooches, piercing pieces, rings to suit all occasions, bookmarks, silverware…. The list is endless.

I have a Flickr account which I have only just opened, my Blog , and my Etsy shop. I have also opened another Etsy shop where I intend to put up some of my artwork.

Then naturally I have my shop located at 127 Singlewell Road, Gravesend,
Kent, DA11 7QA, UK

All of which keep me quite busy.

As a special promotion, if you mention this code at the time of ordering (APRIL2008) I will give 20% off my prices at http://chrisparry.etsy.com

This discount will be valid until the end of April 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).

Tell us about what we see in your photos.

My studio is located in the garden level, or first floor, of our row house. Its main components are:

My new cutting table, which is a great old drafting table that I got from a family in our neighborhood who were giving it away. I’m still pretty proud, a month later, that I managed to figure out how to put it together without having to call them back. It’s got two big drawers underneath—one holds all of my measuring implements and trusty rotary cutter, and the other holds thread, a roll of fusible interfacing for appliqués, and a box of my tags/business cards/Etsy cards.

My screenprinting table, which used to double as my cutting table. It’s really a folding plastic table (originally purchased for our backyard pig roast last summer!), tricked out with a wooden top that I screwed my hinge clamps into, and wooden risers under the legs to save me from massive chiropractor bills.

My burly, ancient ironing board, found on Freecycle.com, which holds the trusty iron that I’ve had since high school.

My sewing table, home to my 1965 White sewing machine, which I bought on Ebay after cashing in some of my childhood savings bonds. The kitties who watch over me as I work perch above the sewing machine, and my supply jars—the scissors and other cutters in an old marmalade jar, pens and pencils in an old mustard jar, and small implements in a vintage espresso cup—live next to it.

The fantastic wooden cabinet that I rescued from my husband’s grandfather’s attic. I keep my finished goods in the drawers, and my inks, some of my fabric, and shipping envelopes in the cabinet part. The rest of my fabric is kept in the Elfa drawers that sit atop the cabinet, which my friend Mona gave to me when she was cleaning out her apartment.

And the extension of my studio is our backyard, where I line dry all of my fabrics after washing.

What do you create in your space?

I make napkins and coasters out of repurposed fabric. I mostly use secondhand bedding (sheets, pillowcases, bedspreads), though I have found some wonderful old housecoats as well…. I look for anything with an appealing pattern with a vintage feel (whether that be vintage 60s or vintage 80s :)). I screenprint each item with one of my original drawings. Right now my motifs are foxes, cats, and llamas. I also just started a monogram line, in which I will print one or two (or more, if you want!) hand-drawn letters on to the goods.

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

Don’t expect it to ever be perfect! Mine is definitely a work in progress, and I think I will always be tweaking it. And try to set it up somewhere with as much natural light as possible, it has so many advantages: Lets you see true colors, makes for great photographs of your work, and keeps you happy in the winter…. Also, always be on the lookout for free furniture and equipment! Freecycle.com and the “Free” section (under the “For sale” header) on Craigslist.com are great resources, as are relatives or friends who are cleaning out their houses or redecorating, and the sidewalks on large-item trash days… It makes me really happy to know that 90% of the things in my studio are secondhand, and at least 50% of them were free.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

I feel really proud of being able to put my own creative business together. It’s been a really long road for me to get here. And granted I’m just starting out, and who knows how long I will be able to maintain it, but at this moment anything is possible and it feels awesome.

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

Keeping the cats out.

What is your favorite quote?

“Dreyfus once wrote from Devil’s Island that he would see the most glorious birds. Many years later in Brittany he realized they had only been seagulls…. For me they will always be glorious birds.” - Harold and Maude

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

My other job is full-time mama to my 3-1/2 year old, Wile Taylor, seen here enjoying his favorite food, sushi.

He, my husband Stephen, and our cats Truck and Lulu and I live in the Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy area of Brooklyn, NY. In my early 20s I spent five years as an editor at a small publishing house in Manhattan, which was not a career that I had aspired to, and eventually became one that I really didn’t enjoy. So I got out of that and started studying textile design at FIT (the Fashion Institute of Technology, in Manhattan.) Six months before graduation, I found myself unexpectedly pregnant! So after I finished school, I spent a few years at home with the little man. But this fall he started preschool, and I started Cakehouse. I love to cook (I was briefly an apprentice chef before I was an editor), shop at the farmer’s market, listen to music, peruse thrift stores, go dancing with my girlfriends, watch Project Runway and Friday Night Lights, read the New Yorker, and root for the New York Mets.

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

My darling MacBook. It’s my file cabinet, notepad, photo studio, research library, communications hub, and entertainment center when I need a break.

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

Sometime in the next 2 or 3 years we are going to do a major renovation (and reorganization) of our 100-year old house. And when that happens, I will be able to move some of the non-Cakehouse items out of the room, like the bookshelves, and the two enormous towers of shelves full of albums (record, not photo)…. I am fine with the fact that as long as my studio is in our house, I will share my space with our home office space, so there will always be filing cabinets and a desk and our home computer somewhere in my office. That to me is a totally reasonable trade-off to being able to work from home. But I’m looking forward to having some things take their leave after the renovation, which will give me room to stretch out a little bit.

Do you have a website we could visit?

I have three homes on line: The Cakehouse website, which has all the info about what I do, why I do it, how I do it, and where to buy it. My blog, where I post about some business stuff and some personal (though not too personal…) stuff. And my etsy shop, which is currently the only place to buy Cakehouse goods.

See more photos of Kristen’s creative space.

I am happy to offer a 10% discount to Joyful Abode readers. Simply don’t pay when you checkout at etsy—instead, email me letting me know that you found me through Joyful Abode, and letting me know how you’re going to pay (Paypal or check/money order), and I will send you an invoice with the 10% discount factored in.

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.

I have a passion for stuff. I make stuff into art.
Found images, antique stores, garage sales, used book stores, thrift stores, people’s garages….. In my room I wanted to have ample space to spread out and make a mess, but also a space where I can be inspired and display the work I have made. I also display the items I have that are interesting in themselves, but just waiting to be made into art.
I’m in my junior year of college and I live at school most of the time, and but this room is in my parents’ basement. It’s kind of like camping out in a cave. It used to be a sewing room/ workshop/ storage room… but since junior high I started begging my mom to let me move in there. Long story short that involves a lot of rearranging… I live in the basement. It’s my favorite part about coming home.
In the model, which I made for a class, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite parts of the room, being: the wall covered with my artwork, the collection of random glass bottles, the rag rugs, and the antique turquoise tulip chair. In the real room, my favorite parts are the bed (excellent mattress), the large amount of floor space, the bookshelf filled with art books, magazines, newspapers, novels, boxes of junk, my chunky necklace collection on display, and my art that is all over the walls.

What do you create in your space?

In this space, I turn my massive stockpiles of stuff into art. Usually on the floor.

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

I opted to hang my art on the wall for 2 reasons. 1, it’s a mini-gallery to show people what I’ve been up to. 2, it’s GREAT for storage, paintings take up significantly less space if they’re not all stacked up.

How does being in your creative space make you feel?

This space is one without a roommate and one that is truly mine. I have a lot of ownership and privacy here which is important to me.

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

Keeping it clean.

What do you do when you’re NOT creating?

I’m an art student at North Park University in Chicago. I teach art to underserved teenagers in the inner-city at a drop-in center called Graffiti Zone (new site on flickr!). I’m discovering a thing called kitchens and cooking… growing out of good ol’ milk and cereal. I’m also a hopeless internet addict.

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

Sweatpants and a bandana.

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

My next move would be to be in a permanent space with 100% of my belongings in one spot (I’m tired of moving!)

Do you have a website we could visit?
I have a flickr site that I update very regularly. I have a new etsy site that I sell a little of this and that at. I also have a blog.

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).

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).

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).

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).

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.