Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Call me Crazy

Call me crazy, most of my friends do!  There is something about  a new year....this will be the second January in a row that we've started some major renovating.  Not ever to be surpassed by the summer of 1996 when we added a second floor to our bungalow.  That was the year I obtained my studio, two repurposed small bedrooms.  What a wonderful feeling.  A place to pile high with projects all my own and shut the door!  No more closets or boxes to rummage through.

However, I love to collect and don't like to purge on a regular basis.  Well, it's purge time!  The reno this time involves my space!  Follow me for the next few months, yup, apparently it's going to take 3 months for a master suite, a powder room and a new studio space.
 Happily we're going on vacation for 1/3 of that time!  (I know, pinch me)

The last two years have been really busy for me and my family.  One of my New Year's resolutions for 2010 is to let go of items that don't reflect my life, or burden me. I want to breathe and live the things that are important to me.  Family, friends, grandchildren and of course WOOL!

Craig's List is going to see our bathtub, shower, toilets, and two bathroom cabinets.

Ebay is going to see ALOT of my past craft items and projects. 

Here is an embarassing photo of an overstuffed studio. (it's part of my letting go process!)
 220 square feet will (sadly) be reduced to 135 square feet.   But, I am a self proclaimed  Queen of Organization.  I will be sharing great organizing tips and tricks.  And I promise, more wool penny tutorials.  Everyone wants more!


It's hard to see that I do have a sewing machine!  This photo is just prior to the dismantling, I had to stop and take a photo before the shelves were emptied, the top shelf was full of wool!  A girl can never have too many magazines, don't you think?  Hey, Bernie where are you?  Oh there in the middle of the table, my Bernina, I still miss my old Kenmore.
More tubs, shelves and cupboards, exactly how AM I going to survive in less space???

Now, here's a great tip.  I like to use a stretchy mesh shoe bag for the scrap clippings from cutting circles.
I stuff them into the pockets and retrieve them later for smaller projects.
Alternately, use them to stuff other projects!

I love this old blue dresser, I found it on a curb and added wheels.
It holds my custom dyed threads.

Another great, cheap storage tip.  Prepared salad tubs.  Okay, I confess, we eat alot of , albeit organic, prepared salads.  I keep all the tubs. They stack together when empty  or in use, I fill them with woolie scraps.  
On to a decorating side note, aside from the temporary storage, do you repurpose rooms?
Do you have rooms that have changed lives?  It's a great way to make old space new.

Take out the dining table, add a loveseat, side chair, coffee table, voila, sitting room.
Take out  living room furniture and add a billiards table, voila, games room!

Here's a sitting room and a games room buried with  studio "stuff"!

Now for the really unbelieveable part, the Studio is.....Empty!
Can you see the soaker tub under the bay window.....I can....
And I think this is a great place for a walk in closet.

I will be cutting wool and shipping from my Etsy shop  up until January 8th
and then not again until February 7th.

Have a Happy New Year Everyone!

4 comments:

  1. Wow, what a project! What a wool stash you have! I thought that I was doing good just cleaning my sewing room this week, but less space? I can't wait to see how you do it!

    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  2. goodness, i love these photos --makes me feel better about my wooly area. i am discarding most of my shop inventory and making a studio space that is a wee bit more organized as well. i have so much to share with you, i may need to find you all on yahoo again. xo

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just checking in and TOTALLY LOVE the fabric part of your studio. It's like a colorblock fabric wall. Have to admit my art studio is 3000% messier, so you are doing good, even before the renovation. Happy new year. Cindy from Retro Chalet. Hope the hands are still applauding you :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ok, I thought I was THE ONLY ONE that saved those little pieces of wool LOL. I have TUBS OF THEM, so the shoe storage bag is an awesome idea. And I am revamping (For the 3rd time--2 different rooms) my sewing room, from DD's bedroom to sewing room. Can't wait til she gets all her STUFF OUT OF THERE!!!!!!!! So I can get all mine in.

    ReplyDelete