It's A Studio Party!!!

Oh yeah – it’s party time – the Where Bloggers Create II Party - and I can’t wait to click on those hundreds of wonderful, creative spaces other bloggers are showing. So let’s get the party started!!!

I’ve created most of my adult life in one way or another. Name just about any craft and I tried it…although there are still some I’d like to try at some point. I guess I’d better start that Art Bucket List LOL Lots of things have come out of my studio (and my head) and when you ask where I get my ideas it’s really hard to answer. A word, a color, a prayer, a saying, even a billboard or two have given me inspiration. I rarely plan too far ahead – my creations tell me what they want me to do as I go along. And when I was creating folk art dolls – they told me their stories and the ones they told very late at night seemed to be the best for some strange reason. So…you might find this little hanging with lots of different layers and fibers and beads and even a picture of some gals who look like THEY are having a party!

Or maybe this very colorful hooked wool turtle with crazy legs and a real turtle shell underneath. I do believe he thinks he the king of our house!

If it’s a holiday you may find this Santa ready to ho ho ho…wait a minute – his belly had better not shake too much! I believe he ho hoed a little too much and knocked over the tiny soldier – oh no!

Or perhaps a dolly who looks very old and is wearing one of my mother’s baby socks. And oh yes, that IS my mother as a young girl in the picture next to the dolly. The bear is a beautifully made piece by a friend that I treasure (both the bear and her)!

So, please step down into the studio and turn to your right. I’ll take you on the panoramic tour (keep in mind that this was right after I repainted when everything was neat and clean – studios don’t seem to stay that way long – or at least mine doesn’t LOL).

I love using really different pieces to house all of my creative ‘stuff’. This old wringer washer held polyfill for years – looked just like it was full of suds. Now it’s still full of polyfill but also where my wool roving lives. I found a round table top that just fits it.

Here is an herb dryer which has never held an herb in its life. But it sure is handy for hanging beads, necklaces, and anything else that will fit over its handles!

My beautiful sewing table (yes I know you don’t see a sewing machine – it’s in the closet until I need it) was made by a friend’s husband to hold my wool. I’ve used it for many things over the years – every time I have a class it holds water and glasses and name tags and of course a bowl of chocolate candy!

Now don’t drool too much – this is a very old pie safe with the original pieces of tin and was given to me by a hooker friend – how lucky am I??? Here is where a good bit of creative ‘stuff’ lives – a shelf for altered art supplies, one for beads, one for everything else LOL. I LOVE the deep shelves in this beautiful piece. It’s top is the perfect height on which to put a CD player – gotta have that music going when I create! And oh yes, the red box on top is my button box and is about three quarters full.

This piece had an interesting transformation and I wish I knew it’s full history. One day at the flea market I saw this very long skinny wood box laying on the floor. At first I thought it was some kind of trunk but it sure wasn’t very tall for a trunk. I opened it and there were some small shelves and fourteen million hooks, nails, and screws on the bottom. An idea zinged into my head and I just had to have that box. It took three or four good washings with soap and water as well as sanding to get all the gunk off the outside. It then took three or four good hours to remove all those hooks, nails, and screws. I filled the holes, washed and sanded the inside and then painted only the inside. The outside was lovingly waxed to within a inch of its life. New black hardware was put on. Next came padding and cloth trimmed with ribbon on the inside of the door. By now it was no longer a box but a standing cabinet! Perfect for storing paints, dyes, and all sorts of hooking goodies.

Well I hope y’all have enjoyed this trip through one of the rooms I love most in my house. Now go on out to Karen's blog  and take those trips through other bloggers' creative spaces!

Wait, I almost forgot…because this is a party…and you should ALWAYS have a door prize at any gathering – leave me a comment and make sure you have an email or some way for me to contact you if you’d like to win this little giveaway. I’ll even include the easel. And who knows what other goodies could be in the box with them???

Untie a ribbon in your life – you might find an adventure!