Where Bloggers Create 2015

It's time for Karen Valentine's annual "Where Bloggers Create" blog-hop-party! I haven't participated in a couple years since nothing had really changed in my creative space. But this year it looks pretty different, so... welcome to my in-home studio!

I've narrowed my hobbies to essentially three things: photography, making art dolls, some paper arts.

The bookcase & desk are both "rescue" pieces.  The dresser, which holds various supplies, was the first thing we bought when we were expecting our first baby. It definately has sentimental value. Just about every piece in the room is a repurposed item. The crowns were bought at a Kirkland's outlet and I mounted them on canvas frames, painted black & streaked with silver.

My decorating tastes are varied -- I love whimsical, shabby chic, cottage, modern-minimalistic. But you can only choose one (maybe with accents from another) for a room. I was fortunate in that I could decorate my work office however I liked, so that gave me another outlet for interior design expression. However, I left that job last fall and brought all my crowns and metal pieces home.

I really loved the look of the work office and wanted a change in my home studio anyway. So earlier this year, hubby painted the walls gray for me and I set to work on the rest. I incorporated several of the elements from the office and a few from the old studio. I still need to paint the dresser & bookcase, but other than that, I think I'm done.

I separated the room into 3 sections: paper arts/crafts; sewing; computer work (graphic design, photo processing, blogging). Hubby shortened this L-shaped work table for me. It really looks better, more balanced, and cut down on my tendency to accumulate clutter. It also allowed me to move the baker's rack to that side of the room and use the wicker etagere as an end-cap.

I ordered these very inexpensive but sturdy, black boxes from Ikea and accented with some photo storage boxes on sale at Michael's.

Containers, containers! I confiscated the metal one below from the break room (someone had gotten candy in it for Christmas which they shared with the staff, but they didn't want to keep the can. Imagine not wanting something with crowns on it!)  It holds embossing folders. The tall box next to it was also a cast off from a co-worker. I painted it black and mod-podged some Starbucks ephemera that I had saved from my visit to the original store in Seattle. It holds assorted tall things, like rulers, chenille stems, wire, etc.

More crowns! Gifts from friends. I mounted them on some reclaimed fence boards that I saved after our fence was replaced last year.

I love these wings and the blingy keychain. My friends know me so well.

I've shown these aluminum cups in another post. They remind me of childhood summer days and bring a bit of color to my black & gray theme.

Here's another repurposed container from a different co-worker. Goodness, what would I do without these people!? It's a K-cup holder, now holding embroidery thread.

You may have noticed this doll in one of the pictures. She's not lazy, just leaning on the wall for support until I can fix her stand. This is the doll I made for the club's "Inspired by a Song" challenge. My muse was Stevie Nicks "Leather & Lace."

Hmmmm, I may have more doo-dads and thingys in the room than actual art materials. There are just so many little items I've collected over the years and I still enjoy looking at them. This is a bridal, pearl-embellished headpiece I picked up in the Philippines. My sister was getting married that year and I thought she might like it. She already had something different in mind, so I kept it. (the lavender beads are not part of it).

 My little Roswell alien - a joke gift from my hubby. Tell ya later.

More crowns! The white frame is from my high school graduation picture. It's vintage now!

 Some closeups of the knick-knacky stuff on the etegere. Top to bottom, almost everything has a story - "The Raven" a doll I made in a class; my black bear from the Smoky Mtns - holding a jar of rhinestones (the jar is from Harrod's in London); another gift from hubby who knows my love of meerkats; a jar of crystals from Arkansas; a jar of old thread spools from Georgia; and my little nuns!

I need to find a more prominent spot for my happy little nuns. I wrote about them in a previous post.

On my desk are some fidget toys. Chinese musical balls for keeping the hands flexible, a mini-Slinky, and one of those whirly-gig things. These are great to have on hand for when you're thinking, waiting for a program to load, or a file to save. In the background is an actual alabaster jar (to remind me of my favorite scripture); a tiny Kahleesi (gift from a friend; if you don't know who Kahleesi is, that's ok). And check out that miniature of a gray afghan hound. I bought that at a dog show, probably 20 years ago. Who knew I would have the real deal someday?

And here he is, in all his regal glory (albeit annoyed at having his picture taken).


Maybe all those crowns in this room aren't for me after all????

To see the room as it was two years ago, click here.

Be sure to click here, to head over to Karen's blog for a complete list of all the other participants. Be inspired!