Studio: Before and After
I recently took some photos of my studio for a magazine that wants to feature me and my workspace. I spent a couple of days tidying up and filing and thought "hey this looks pretty nice" and took some test photos just to be sure the lighting was adequate. It was then that I realized that over the last couple of years I had worked in this space, but never really looked at it. Sort of like when you see a photo of yourself and you think "is THAT what I look like, for reals?".
This is what my studio looked like, cleaned up! (for reals)
Aack! I had somehow crammed myself into one corner of the studio space (at least I could see out the window) and made sure that everything I needed was only a few inches away (hello, the room isn't that big dude! and needless to say I've seen photos of myself lately and do I really look like that, for reals? ahem, a bit of extra exercise wouldn't hurt, I'm just saying is all.... anywho).
So I emptied out the stuff and got to work and after about 50 hours of work, and about $300 I ended up with this workspace:
I did all the labor myself so that saved a ton of money. What the studio needed was a fresh coat of paint ($80 "Angora" & "Gauzy White" from Sherwin-Williams), some new lighting ($140 from Ikea), a dry erase board and cork board ($70 from Office Max), rearrange the furniture (free!) and there you have it. I love this space now and can't wait to come to work every day!
Long Weekend Craftiness
It's Labor Day Weekend here in the United States, so many of us will taking a 3-day weekend! Hooray! To get you on your way to a nice long crafty weekend here are some links from around the web!
Craftypod
In Sister Diane's latest podcast, Patricia Zapata of A Little Hut talks about the intersection of graphic design and craft.
Cross Stitch at About.com
Get ready for Halloween with free Cross Stitch patterns. Ghouls, ghosts, bats, cats, About.com is where it's at!
Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style: A crafty blog
A quilting project needs some attention--read the story, see the pictures, offer your suggestions
Mixed Media Artist
Why take a class? Cyndi shares about her experience learning from the fabulous Jane Sassaman!
Naughty Secretary Club
Jen gets invited to a mustache party and busts out the fun fur and old records to make kitschy masks.
Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Stefanie's Christmas tree is getting adorned with a cute crochet bird from the charming new book Crochet Adorned by Linda Permann
The Artful Crafter
Eileen would like to introduce you to PreciousMetal Clay. It’s an amazing medium for jewelry crafters as well aspolymer clay artists.
Vickie Howell-Craft.Rock.Love
Knit hats for the homeless with Vickie, Lands'End and Warming Families! Read more for a free hat pattern & thescoop on how you can be a part of the FeelGood campaign!
Aileen's Musings
Find out what Formica and Christmas have incommon when Aileen shares a great gift idea with you! Check out hertutorial and download a free Vintage soda label while your at it.
Cathie Filian
Craft up an end of summer wine tasting with Cathie!
Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside has a bunch of cool photos that havewords spelled out with objects, try it and post your photo in theFlickr group, fun photos from the Squam Art Workshops, single lettercards to send out for the Week of Hope Sept 1-7 and how to turn an oldmetal link belt into a fat cuff bracelet.
Crafty Princess Diaries
Check out this unusual call for entries the Crafty Princess found for Momiji doll lovers.
This is what my studio looked like, cleaned up! (for reals)
Aack! I had somehow crammed myself into one corner of the studio space (at least I could see out the window) and made sure that everything I needed was only a few inches away (hello, the room isn't that big dude! and needless to say I've seen photos of myself lately and do I really look like that, for reals? ahem, a bit of extra exercise wouldn't hurt, I'm just saying is all.... anywho).
So I emptied out the stuff and got to work and after about 50 hours of work, and about $300 I ended up with this workspace:
I did all the labor myself so that saved a ton of money. What the studio needed was a fresh coat of paint ($80 "Angora" & "Gauzy White" from Sherwin-Williams), some new lighting ($140 from Ikea), a dry erase board and cork board ($70 from Office Max), rearrange the furniture (free!) and there you have it. I love this space now and can't wait to come to work every day!
Long Weekend Craftiness
It's Labor Day Weekend here in the United States, so many of us will taking a 3-day weekend! Hooray! To get you on your way to a nice long crafty weekend here are some links from around the web!
Craftypod
In Sister Diane's latest podcast, Patricia Zapata of A Little Hut talks about the intersection of graphic design and craft.
Cross Stitch at About.com
Get ready for Halloween with free Cross Stitch patterns. Ghouls, ghosts, bats, cats, About.com is where it's at!
Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style: A crafty blog
A quilting project needs some attention--read the story, see the pictures, offer your suggestions
Mixed Media Artist
Why take a class? Cyndi shares about her experience learning from the fabulous Jane Sassaman!
Naughty Secretary Club
Jen gets invited to a mustache party and busts out the fun fur and old records to make kitschy masks.
Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Stefanie's Christmas tree is getting adorned with a cute crochet bird from the charming new book Crochet Adorned by Linda Permann
The Artful Crafter
Eileen would like to introduce you to PreciousMetal Clay. It’s an amazing medium for jewelry crafters as well aspolymer clay artists.
Vickie Howell-Craft.Rock.Love
Knit hats for the homeless with Vickie, Lands'End and Warming Families! Read more for a free hat pattern & thescoop on how you can be a part of the FeelGood campaign!
Aileen's Musings
Find out what Formica and Christmas have incommon when Aileen shares a great gift idea with you! Check out hertutorial and download a free Vintage soda label while your at it.
Cathie Filian
Craft up an end of summer wine tasting with Cathie!
Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside has a bunch of cool photos that havewords spelled out with objects, try it and post your photo in theFlickr group, fun photos from the Squam Art Workshops, single lettercards to send out for the Week of Hope Sept 1-7 and how to turn an oldmetal link belt into a fat cuff bracelet.
Crafty Princess Diaries
Check out this unusual call for entries the Crafty Princess found for Momiji doll lovers.
Wow! That is incredible. Maybe you could redo my workspace for me??? Ha-Ha. I never seem to find the time, energy, creativeness, money etc. I have a thousand excuses.
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WOW! What a difference! It looks so professional now. Great job. Now it makes me want to redo mine, even though I've been pleased with how it is. Maybe it's time to just move things around again.
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Wow!!! I love the "after" studio. You did a fantastic job redecorating.
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You are an inspiration! How do you hide all your WIPS? They are the bane of my existence.
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Drew,
I love how your room transformed! You did a great job. Can you share with us which magazine is featuring you?
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Wow! Looks great! And a bit of greenery with a plant always does the trick!
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Wow! Looks great! And a bit of greenery with a new plant always makes it feel like home!
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Very well done, my man. I would love to come to work in a creative space like this, too!
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Wow, Drew! I thought your studio was beautiful when you first made it a studio a few years ago, but it's absolutely gorgeous now. Looks like a great workspace! I'm envious, of course. My design studio at home has turned into a storage room that I can barely walk in, let along use as a creative work space.
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I showed your office to my DH and he said, "look how clean it is". And I said, "Yes, but clearly his yarn is not in there" and my DH said, "look how clean it is". LOL. I'm looking forward to finding the article about you and your space when it is published. Congrats!
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Outstanding! It's a whole new space with such small improvements. Quite inspiring!!
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Wow! What a great studio.... I especially love the big cat graphic....
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Thanks! That's an oil painting I did a few years ago.
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I Love the new space, Drew!
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Wow, this looks great ! Kind of reminds me of the HGTV makeovers I have been watching
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What a fabulous work area. I love that your artistic talent spans the mediums.
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Looks great! I love the framed prints of your projects, and the cat. It's like even if you get bogged down in a project that isn't working the way you want, you can look up and see all the ones that went right for the motivation to keep going.
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Wow that is great! I never would have put the desk that way but you still get the window view and yet your not stuffed in a corner, brilliant redo!
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G'day Dude
Love your old 'New' Space... isn't it the truth... you work in a small space & it's not until someone/or yourself takes a photo you realise how crowded or uncouthed it is & how quick, easy & usally cheaper [than you think it will be] you can create a whole new contained/organised space that you just adore & can't wait to play in... Yep, that's just what I'm going to have to do too... just bite the bullet & go for it... Enjoy... OOroo... B
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Wow, the office looks fantastic!
Can I come to work for you? I'd be embarrassed for you to see my craft studio
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Oh my what a difference a few hundies and some elbow grease can make eh? I would so love going to work in such a serene space.
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What a wonderful space! I'm with everyone else wishing for the same successful makeover in MY space. Soon....
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WOW! What an amazing transformation! I love the mag issues where we get to see the workspaces of successful people. They always give me so many creative ideas for my own space.
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MEOWZA, dude! Your new office is so very handsome! I like the chair in the corner so you can just sit & admire the surrounding beauty. The BEST part in this pic, Drew, is your kitty enjoying it too!
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