First Friday Studio Tour – Marie Johansen

Posted on May 3, 2013 by lchinnis

This month we are traveling to Friday Harbor, Washington, to visit Marie Johansen.

Do you call it a studio or sewing room?

I do have a “studio room” that is in the eaves of our house, but I cannot stand upright in it. Since having two major back surgeries in 2010 I have not been as agile going up and down the ladder that gets me there and so my new ‘studio’ has become a large table in the living room.

It’s not really very adequate, but it is what is at the moment. My dream, of course, would be to have a room, where I could can organize everything, and could actually stand up in! My fabrics are all still contained “up the ladder” while all of more mixed media and fiber supplies are scattered around my table!

This large desk/table is my little creative spot. It’s well used and well loved. A sewing machine sits on the right end and my computer is on the left. I have storage underneath the table for many of my supplies. All of my wealth in fabric is “upstairs” – up the ladder.

To yourself, to friends and family?

I don’t really use the word ‘sewing room’ because I don’t only sew – it’s a studio room to me and I dream of having a real studio! Don’t we all?!

Why do you think this is so?

See answer above…. It’s so much more than just sewing!

Difference in starting point between quilting and art?

I began quilting in 1976! Before that I was a weaver and spinner (my uncle was pleased to point out that in German ‘spinner’ meant something like ‘crazy’! I loved making (and in the early years selling) bed quilts. To this day I love to make bed quilts and sleep under more traditional patterns.

I think that I made the transition to art quilts as a natural extension of my bed sized quilts. It was always a matter of thinking “what if?” Of course, thinking “what if?” is also what started me on the mixed media road too. In 2006, during a trip to Houston with my friend Sarah Smith, I distinctly recall saying (as we walked by a mixed media booth) that I “would never do mixed media.” How utterly foolish of me, because, since I made that statement, I have become immersed in mixed media and am thoroughly enjoying the ride! I feel that it all adds so much dimension that I can translate to mark making on cloth. It’s all one big circle to me!

Thinking of this as a business rather than a hobby?

I have made things to sell, but have never really had the time to think of it as a business. For me, time has always been an issue; time coupled with limited energy and my daily ‘pay for health insurance’ job! After June of this year though I will, most assuredly, be hoping to sell more of my work and I will be, once again, entering shows and contests.

What do you have in the room table? machines, supplies, fabrics, paints, etc. Anything that might surprise the rest of us?

I keep one of my sewing machine out on my table at all times. I keep my felting machine under the table and ready to go. I have my computer and many mixed media art supplies on my table – most within an easy reach. My threads are stored both “up the ladder” and on my work table in a dedicated case.

Under my table live four large organizers with four drawers each, There I keep my paints (acrylics & watercolor), papers, inks, markers, pencils, stamps, metal work supplies, embossing machine and all of “must have” tools. The books that I use the most are also kept on the table in a special book rack that a dear friend made especially for me.

My best friend’s husband made this great little bookshelf for me – it was specially designed to fit the spot on the table. It holds the books that I am currently using the most. The contents sometimes vary but not too often. These books all provide a lot of creative energy for me.

My dip pens, pencils, brushes and watercolor adjuncts all share a happy little space on another specially built little shelf. Everything is in easy reach!

Here are the four matching storage containers that live underneath my “create-a-spot” table. They actually work rather well, keeping my things relatively organized and I can usually find what I am looking for – on a good day!

How is your “stuff” organized?

Organized is a relative term for at this point! I love to be organized, but that is very difficult for me to be right now. I can’t say that it does not make me crazy at times. I feel like I am “Gaslighting” myself sometimes!

How do you organize your fabric? By color? Amount? Any separate categories (batiks, hand dyes)?

I like to keep my fabrics sorted solids, batiks and prints and then, loosely, in color families; blue, red, yellow etc. Since I seem to use far more solids than prints these days, I find myself with far too many prints in my collection that are going unused. One of my priorities is to sort them all out and find somewhere that needs fabric donations! Anyone know of anywhere in the US that needs fabrics?!

How do you organize your thread (color, weight)?

I sort my thread my weight and then color.

Most of my threads are stored “upstairs” with my fabrics, but I keep several containers of the threads that I use the most underneath my “create-a-spot” table. This one holds some of my stash of Sulky 12 wt which I am very fond of using – especially on my quifelted bags (QuiFelt = Felted bags that are free motion quilted)

Do you have anything, supplies, more machines, etc. tucked away in any other rooms of the house?

Oh! This question cracks me up! I think I have supplies of one sort or another in every room of the house. I don’t like it that way and hope to someday change it! I store my yarns and knitting things in a spare bedroom closet – along with fleece and spinnable products.

Other sewing machines (three Featherweight and some vintage Singers) are stored in various spots. I keep the Featherweights all in good working order and love using them for workshops!

How many other rooms?

ALL of them!

Has a family member or significant other ever accused you of “taking over” the entire house?

DH has never ‘accused me of it’ but I sure know that he thinks it!

If you have a separate building, we want lots of pictures.

Oh! How I wish, and if I did have a separate building or space I would delight in providing photos of it !

How much horizontal surface do you have, and is it ever enough?

I have very little horizontal space and yes, I DO have to move things when I need to cut large pieces of fabric. Many times, despite my back issues, I have to lay large cutting boards on the floor and cut fabric that way. Another of my dreams is to have a cutting area that is at a comfortable height to stand at. I know that my cutting would be FAR more accurate if I had that space!

Do you have to move piles of stuff to cut anything bigger than a fat quarter?

Well, larger than a half yard!

Do you straighten/organize as you go, putting each fabric away as you cut, or do you clean up after a project?

Because I have so little space I tend to clean up as I go along. Generally that will mean tidying up daily when I am working on something mixed media, or weekly for a larger sewing/quilt project.

It’s rather funny really because I hate to be cluttered and disorganized, but that is how my ‘studio table’ makes me be at the moment – so I just try to work as best I can and keep things as orderly as possible along the way. I ‘lose’ things with regularity though, because every time I tidy up I forget where I have stashed things! I find that I need to have a space and everything must be returned to that space in order to be able to find my tools easily and without much fuss. If I leave a technique alone for too long though I generally have to hunt and sift for a bit to locate the need items. Ugh! Of course, I think my life would be much easier if I could cut down on the number of things that I love to do.

I work with cloth, of course, but I also knit, paint, mono-print, felt, use photographic tools and, as I mentioned before, have fallen deeply engrossed I the “many tools” world of mixed media art! All of these passions add up to needing space, which is a real premium for me. The problem is that when I think about what I would might “give up” doing, and, thereby, give up needing space for– I can’t think of anything that I would want to NOT do!

How many projects do you work on at a time and how do you keep them organized?

I generally have one knitting project, one cloth project and one mixed media project going at a time. Knitting is generally relegated to the evening hours while sewing and mixed media is for during the day. Sometimes deadlines will dictate what and when I work on something. If I have a project for a company to do then I always make that a priority. Next up are my ATC and small art trades. I have realized that I really want to dedicate some more time to working on larger, multi media and cloth projects – so I anticipate that my priorities will shift just a bit in the near future

Anything more you want to add about your studio, organization, working methods, etc., please do.

I know a lot of people who have an idea first and then work based on their idea. I almost never have an idea until I start a project. Sometimes I think that I will never find the way to represent a theme, but then, once I actually begin by putting pen to paper or thread to cloth, the ideas begin to pop up. I’ve always wished that I could be one of those people who has a concept and works from it – but I seem to work the opposite way. There are times when I have a seed thought, but even if I start from that, the finished project is never the way I thought it would be. I seem to have to look at the paints, fabrics, threads or materials that I plan to use in order for the muse to chat with me! I find it fascinating how we all process art so differently, and also at how differently we all learn. I’ve always been sort of a hands on learner and artist. I wonder if these various preferences are something that we learn or are they something that we are each sort of hard-wired for?

Thank you Marie for letting us visit and for your thoughts on the various paths through the creative process.

To learn more about Marie, visit her website or book blog.

Next month: Jane Davila

First Friday Studio Tour – Karin McElvein

Posted on April 5, 2013 by lchinnis

This month we visit Karin McElvein in Norfolk, Virginia.

Do you call it a studio or sewing room? To yourself, to friends and family? Why do you think this is so? Difference in starting point between quilting and art? Thinking of this as a business rather than a hobby?

I fluctuate between calling it a studio or a sewing room. I sewed for many years before getting into art quilting, so I try to say studio, but often just say sewing room. I moved from straight quilting into more art forms just before I started making postcards. I began taking more technique classes, such as adding paint with Esterita Austin in 2004. I still think of this as a hobby. I sell more quilt-related items than art quilts. I can’t seem to part with the few I have made.

What do you have in the room? machines, supplies, fabrics, paints, etc. Anything that might surprise the rest of us?

My studio has the usual stuff listed above. I can’t think of anything that would surprise anyone.

How is your “stuff” organized? How do you organize your fabric? By color? Amount? Any separate categories (batiks, hand dyes)? How do you organize your thread (color, weight)?

My thread is in 3 separate plastic storage units. The small spools are in one (all colors) and large spools in another (again all colors). I also have a four-drawer unit where I separate them by polyester, cotton, decorative and special (silks,quilting, fusible, etc).

I recently moved and used the opportunity to rearrange fabric. I bought cardboard stock used for comic books and used a whole piece to wrap yardage, cutting it in half for half yards, and in fourths for fat quarters. I cut all the extra fabric pieces into varying strips, but at the moment they are all in the same plastic tub in the attic. The fat quarters are in a storage unit separated by color. The yardage and half yards are separate, and both are sorted by color in bookcases.

You’ll notice that my room contains a lot of bookcases. I keep notions, ribbons, yarns, paints, etc., all in separate containers, stored on book shelves. They are easily accessible this way.

I also have a wine rack where I store things that are rolled, such as parchment paper and Do-Sew.

Do you have anything, supplies, more machines, etc., tucked away in any other rooms of the house? How many other rooms? (My husband likes to talk about that one.) Has a family member or significant other ever accused you of “taking over” the entire house? If you have a separate building, we want lots of pictures.

I have lots of stuff in other places. My new studio is 10′ x 10′ and will never hold it all. I have under-the-bed storage in two rooms.

The ironing board always gets set up in another small bedroom. At least it makes me get up and stretch and move.

I also have pull-down stairs to the attic. I keep batting and several large plastic storage containers of fabric right at the top for easy access. I do need to make a list so I know where everything is.

How much horizontal surface do you have, and is it ever enough? Do you have to move piles of stuff to cut anything bigger than a fat quarter?

I have one table on which I usually have a large cutting board. I sometimes also put a small ironing surface on the table. My daughter turned a lazy susan into a padded ironing surface for me one Christmas. It really comes in handy when working on small pieces. I always have to move piles, and often store several plastic storage tubs on the table, as well as two baskets.

Recently I moved a kitchen stool from the kitchen into the room. It now holds cut pieces that need to be sewn.

Do you straighten/organize as you go, putting each fabric away as you cut, or do you clean up after a project? How many projects do you work on at a time and how do you keep them organized?

I do try to clean up often. The room is so small, that I have to. I usually have several things going at once. If they are small, I pin them to the design wall. The chair is holding one cut baby quilt. I am also quilting a lap quilt that is a wedding present.

Anything more you want to add about your studio, organization, working methods, etc., please do.

I don’t tend to work in the studio in the evening, as my other half likes me to sit with him and watch TV. I like hand work in the evening. I recently finished knitting 3 Starbella curly scarves. One night I ripped out part of some quilting I had just done. I have pieced several quilts by hand and I appliqué.

Thank you Karin for letting us visit. I love the wine rack idea.

Next month: Marie Johansen

First Friday Studio Tour – Sarah Ann Smith

Posted on March 1, 2013 by lchinnis

This month we are in snowy Hope, Maine to visit with Sarah Ann Smith who has a remodeling story to share.

Mostly I call it “my room,” but I also call it my studio, because it is. And my quilting is definitely my business: I teach, write, and sell art quilts .

We moved to this house two years ago, and the basement was icky beyond belief. The walls in the center area were a dark roasted pumpkin color where they were painted, there was no trim on the doors, a raw opening to a long skinny room with two bare bulbs painted chocolate brown and another long skinny room painted white. Both rooms had peeling paint on the cement floor.

Brown room before move-in

White room before move-in

Brown room at move-in

White room at move-in

I fixed up the basement using the idea from kitchen design of “work zones.” I figured out where I would have cutting, ironing, sewing, paperwork, relaxing, storage.

The painter spray-painted the under side of the joists white because the ceilings were too low to add a dropped ceiling. That helped immensely right there!

Our carpenter/builder tore down the wall dividing the dark brown and white rooms to make one large space about 22 x 22 feet. I selected a pale apricot for the walls, and had our builder trim out the four tiny windows up near the ceiling. I scraped (and scraped and scraped) all the ugly peeling paint on the floor and re-painted with proper floor paint in a lovely grass green.

Wall down between rooms

We added nine 2-bulb fluorescent fixtures with daylight bulbs. Gloom was banished! The color of the lighting fixtures is exactly the same as the color of light that comes in one of the windows in late afternoon (as long as it isn’t blocked by snow). The one electrical outlet that was in the wall that was torn down became a ceiling outlet. Now my iron’s cord doesn’t trail on the floor. This may be one of my favorite things in the room!

Walls and ceiling painted, new lights

Painting the floor

What do you have in the room? machines, supplies, fabrics, paints, etc. Anything that might surprise the rest of us?

All of the above! I have my main sewing machine, fabrics, lots of thread, five bookshelves packed with books, a sitting/reading/handwork area, a worktable for cutting and construction, a large ironing board, and a worktable for art.

My antique Hoosier cabinet is my favorite old piece: the knife drawer holds scissors, I have notions in the cubby under the counter, patterns in the bread bin, and my external hard drive and business “stuff” behind the tambour doors. I also love the antique spool chest that holds my thread. For years it was a living room end table. When I had too much thread for the plastic thread boxes I wondered what to use and had a light bulb moment : the SPOOL chest could store SPOOLS of thread!

How is your “stuff” organized? How do you organize your fabric? By color? Amount? Any separate categories (batiks, hand dyes)? How do you organize your thread (color, weight)?

I was able to built my dream storage. Since the room was larger than I needed but had no storage, I told our carpenter that I wanted a deep 28 inch “closet” that runs the entire length of one wall. I specified that I wanted six doors, 4 feet wide with 1-inch rigid foam insulation, to use as design walls. He figured out that two hollow-core doors, glued side-by-side and trimmed out with wood with the rigid foam on top would be stable (plywood could warp). After he built the doors, I “upholstered” them with a layer of batting and then cream flannel. I used one king size sheet split down the center to cover two doors. Finally, I covered half-inch foam core to make the “valance” that covers the wood from which the doors hang and conceals the hanging tracks. I also purchased a large piece of non-stick press sheet (36 x 72 inches, from Valerie Hearder in Canada) to pin to one of the doors, so I can do my fuse-collage process directly on the design wall as well as on my ironing surface.

Upholstering closet doors into design walls

In the left side of the closet I have business stuff: a wire-grid shelf from the big-box-hardware store that has teaching stuff: my books for sale, patterns, teaching supplies (I often take stuff for students to use),materials for class kits, my binders (one for each class) with the course materials and handouts, etc. Batting (light!) is stored on the top of this shelf. My ugly but necessary file cabinet with all the business paperwork, patterns, etc. with a drawer unit with yarns and embellishments on top is next.

Business and teaching supplies

The center of the closet is the art zone. Like items are together: beads,collage materials, paints and inks, gesso/gel medium, extra paper supplies, etc. They are stored in matching plastic bins from Target, so they all stack neatly. There is only ONE place to have to hunt for something! My serger and Singer Featherweight (heavy) are on a bottom shelf. Rolls of paper and sketchbooks (bought on sale) are in the “paper” section. My “to-do list includes making labels for the boxes.

Art supplies

Finally, there is the quilt-storage zone. I made a system that is 6 feet long using the method home decorator fabric stores use: vertical boards with “U” shaped slots and dowels. I covered heavy cardboard tubes with batting and fabric so the acids in the tubes won’t affect the quilts, then roll my quilts on the tubes and cover them with muslin covers. My next chore is to use archival tyvek to make outer covers. That storage space is right under our master bedroom shower, and I live in fear of a leak! On the floor, but not seen are a couple of under-the bed-storage boxes holding smaller quilts that I often take for teaching. As you can see, quilts sometimes get draped over the rods rather than wrapped.

Quilt Storage

Fabric is stored on some shelves our carpenter made, based on Carol Taylor’s studio storage which is pictured on her website. She gave me the dimensions of her units. I designed mine smaller, but using every last quarter inch of the plywood sheets. Fabric is sorted in columns by color Red, Yellow/Orange, Greens, Blues, Purple, Earthy, and White/gray/black, with hand-dyes on the top shelf, the light value down to darkest value on the bottom., and they fit on the shelves without hanging over the front edge.

Do you have anything, supplies, more machines, etc. tucked away in any other rooms of the house. How many other rooms? (My husband likes to talk about that one.) Has a family member or significant other ever accused you of “taking over” the entire house? If you have a separate building, we want lots of pictures.

I store my fabric dyes and supplies outside my studio in order to protect against dye powders making messes. Dyeing happens elsewhere, and I’m currently planning to put in a utility sink in another corner of the basemen for that. Dye is the only real exception, other than my pile of “current” stuff to read and do near my end of the living room sofa. That’s why I got such a nice space in the basement: to keep it contained! BUT, my ideas on organization and storage would work no matter what size your studio: just think of “work zones.”

How much horizontal surface do you have, and is it ever enough? Do you have to move piles of stuff to cut anything bigger than a fat quarter?

Yes, there can be enough space—too much means more to tidy. I can’t function with too much clutter and mess. I have to have a tidy attack once a project is done. I can’t stand wasting time looking under piles of fabric flung here and there to find something, so I clean it up. And with the sewing tables (which I designed using industrial “K” bases and had made by our carpenter), my cutting station (an old IKEA dining table on a platform I made with wheels underneath), and my new art table (ordered from Dick Blick), if one surface needs to be cleared, the pile just gets moved!

Do you straighten/organize as you go, putting each fabric away as you cut, or do you clean up after a project? How many projects do you work on at a time and how do you keep them organized?

I have several UFOs, but tend to work on just one project at a time. If I don’t focus on one at a time, I get too distracted, don’t know where to begin, and just don’t get anything done. So I work on something, finish it, then move on. Sure, there are times when I have to interrupt for an urgent get well card or something, but for the most part, one major thing at a time. And any mending for the family must wait until the project is done and the deadline is met! During any given project, it can look like Hurricane Sarah hit, but then I tidy.

Anything more you want to add about your studio, organization, working methods, etc., please do.

I’ve been hoping to get featured in one of the “studios” type of magazines for years, so one time sat down and wrote what I liked about my studio, what I didn’t, and figured out what it would take to “fix” things (this was in the old house). I realized that if I simply didn’t buy ten to fifteen yards of fabric, I could take that money and create storage that would solve the problems which were really all the same problem: lack of storage. That’s when I bought the shelves and clear plastic boxes that are now in my giant closet. Think about how you use your space. What sorts of supplies do you have? What sorts of artwork do you do? Is it efficient? If not, what would make it better. If the art studio fairy granted you three wishes to make your space better, what would you wish? OK…now that you’ve figured that out, figure out how to make it happen. Thrift shops, estate sales and Habitat for Humanity re-stores are great ways to find bargains for fixing up your space without spending a fortune. Go do it, then make art!

Thank you Sarah for sharing your studio with us and especially for the cool storage ideas.

See Sarah’s work on her website or blog

Next month: Karin McElvein

First Friday Studio Tour – Dian Stanley

Posted on February 1, 2013 by lchinnis

This month we are in Overland Park Kansas, to visit with Dian Stanley.

I don’t consistently call my space a studio or a sewing room, probably because I’m still working on calling myself an artist. I didn’t start out as a quilter. Like most of us, I’ve sewn since I was a little girl, starting with doll clothes and graduating to clothing and finally to art quilting. I skipped the traditional quilting stage. I do think of this as a business, and I have it compartmentalized in my head in four parts. I work part-time for Indygo Junction, designing patterns and making samples. I am a member of Eclectics Gallery where I exhibit my purses, jewelry, art quilts, and any other piece of art I feel like creating. I teach at Harper’s Fabric Company and the occasional quilt guild. The fourth part is my art quilting, and sometimes it gets squeezed out by the other three parts which do help pay the bills.

What do you have in the room? Machines, supplies, fabrics, paints, etc. Anything that might surprise the rest of us?

We live in a 4 bedroom house and I have taken over 3 of them. Don‘t feel sorry for my husband. He’s an artist and has taken over the entire basement and half the kitchen. I have one room with my two sewing machines, serger, cutting table, ironing board, TV and my thread stash.

One room is “my computer room.” It has my 2 printers, my computer and laptop along with my bead collection and about a quarter of my fabric.

The third room is mostly storage and not organized at all. (The fire department might consider it a fire hazard.) I can find things, but nobody else can. I collect sewing, weaving and beading books, and all three rooms have their fair share of the collection.

There’s nothing that might surprise anyone, but I have started a collection of antique toy sewing machines. So far I have 8.

I also love collecting scissors, new or old.

How is your “stuff” organized? How do you organize your fabric? By color? Amount? Any separate categories (batiks, hand dyes)? How do you organize your thread (color, weight)?

My fabric is organized by color on shelves in parts of three walk-in closets and in plastic drawer units that fit under my computer desk. Last summer something came over me and I actually organized my scraps by color. My thread is organized by color and type. I am a machine embroidery fanatic and I have a lot of thread! My husband built the main cabinet for me and I quickly outgrew it and now also have 6 additional drawers and a Madeira Thread Chest.

I think the storage for my ribbon stash is rather unique. It is stored on a bobbin rack that was originally for my loom. That’s probably not so strange, but the fact that the rack sits in the bathtub in the Jack & Jill bathroom between the computer room and my sewing room is probably unusual.

Do you have anything tucked away in any other parts of the house?

Of course I have things stashed in other places, don’t we all? We have a walk-in linen closet that houses very few linens but all of my yarn and art pieces. The armoire in our bedroom has “fashion fabric” instead of clothes. Our living room has always been home to my loom.

Do you straighten/organize as you go, putting each fabric away as you cut, or do you clean up after a project?

I clean up after a project is finished or, if it’s really messy, I’ll stop and clean.

How many projects do you work on at a time and how do you keep them organized?

I work on multiple things at once from all four of my “compartments.” I have a shelf devoted to projects in process, and sometimes if I think it might be awhile before I get back to a project I’ll assign it a home in a plastic tub (I have a lot of those!).

Anything more you want to add about your studio, organization, working methods, etc., please do.

I never met something with drawers that I didn’t love.

Thank you Dian for letting us visit. I love the tub storage idea. Dian’s work can be seen at Indygo Junction and Eclectics Gallery

Next month: Sarah Ann Smith Visit her website or blog

First Friday Studio Tour – Sandy Wagner

Posted on January 4, 2013 by lchinnis

This month we travel to California to visit with Sandy Wagner.

I live in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern CA on a ridge above the Mokelumne River canyon with a big area for inspiration. I work on deadlines most of the time. I do try to change that process, but still find myself pushing most time limits.

I do call it a studio, for I am an artist who works in fabric. If I did not call it a studio, I would have to call it “a catch all”. I joined the quilting world in 1978, though I have sewn for many years. I always dreamed of an addition to the house for a studio but the design of our house wouldn’t allow that. I don’t want to rent space outside of our home because I know I would not get there as often as I should. When my 3 daughters lived at home the room was set up as a Jack and Jill so they would have private space. As soon as the last girl was out, out came the divider and in moved the artist with sewing machine and all. The studio has had to accommodate daughters and 4 grandchildren under 4 on occasion. When the quilts became wall pieces instead of on the bed, they no longer lived in a traditional quilt world. I was never happy making repeated blocks, and the lure of the freehand drawing was pulling hard on my creative self. I am an artist with work hanging and selling in galleries.

What do you have in the room? machines, supplies, fabrics, paints, etc. Anything that might surprise the rest of us?

The normal things: 32-year-old Bernina 930; Sweet 16 Ultra Quilter, Felting Machine, Baby Lock Serger, Juki and a Janome Gem for travel. I have the general sewing supplies, and, since I am also a Wearable Arts designer, I have dress forms and some interesting snaps, hooks and eyes etc…

I have a 3M Thermofax machine for cutting stencils, an antique set of drawers from an apothecary shop for storing beads and I found an old card file from our local library — my husband cut it in half and stacked it, putting the removed legs on the back of the cut area. It is great for storing large cones of thread plus much more.

For cotton fabric I have 2 upright garage cabinets from Costco – they are painted white and they fit perfectly behind the door to the room. There never seems to be enough closet space, but after the cubbies were put in, there was a space between the cubbies and the wall that made a great double-decker closet space. Short garments on the top and long ones on the bottom. I also store silks and velvets that need to hang on the bottom rod.

Under the cutting board there are 2 blueprint drawer cabinets from IKEA which hold silk that I can fold. I have several irons and my favorite is the Rowenta steam iron with the large reservoir that will steam in an upright position. I have a large cutting surface that I also use to pin pieces on.

How is your “stuff” organized? How do you organize your fabric? By color? Amount? Any separate categories (batiks, hand dyes)? How do you organize your thread (color, weight)?

Small cuts of fabric are by color in one cabinet and the larger pieces are just folded and put away. Some threads are stored by brand and type, the rest are put on hooks or in long drawers. I have tried many ways but this seems to work best for me. I have a large thread stand (behind my machine) that stores threads for the current project. Also have small spools in Hot Wheel boxes.

We have an over-sized garage which we divided, creating a space for a pool table and a Ben Franklin wood stove. (Living in the mountains in the 70’s left us without power a lot.) Later it became a workshop, and I moved my dye studio to the area where the washer and dryer are. I got a sink from my daughter when she remodeled her kitchen, installed it and hooked into the water from the washer. It is so nice not to have to watch the drips in this area! We added shelves and a large work table.

The storage containers for the fabric (silk, cotton, rayon, bamboo, soy and pineapple, to mention a few) to be dyed fit between the washer and dryer and support the microwave.

All my Batik, Shibori painting and general dye supplies are stored in this area.

I store poles, stencils, stamps and other supplies in an old dresser.

How much horizontal surface do you have, and is it ever enough? Do you have to move piles of stuff to cut anything bigger than a fat quarter?

I have a cutting table that measures 60”. I keep it fairly uncluttered. The design wall is a piece of insulation board cut to fit the space.

Do you straighten/organize as you go, putting each fabric away as you cut, or do you clean up after a project? How many projects do you work on at a time and how do you keep them organized?

After I cut fabric for a project I fold and store in nearby. Too often I find that I need some of the left-over fabric and I don’t want to waste time searching for it. I generally work on 3 projects at a time – I get bored working on 1 project at a time. I also mix garment making with the wall pieces.

Anything more you want to add about your studio, organization, working methods, etc., please do.

I have turned down requests to take on an office job with a big “NO”. I will also retire from my 44-year commitment to the 8-part harmony singing group and women’s quartet that I belong to in 2013. It’s time to do what I want to do.

Thank you Sandy for the delightful tour. Sandy’s website is sandralwagner.com

Next month: Dian Stanley

First Friday Studio Tour – Rita Summers

Posted on December 7, 2012 by lchinnis

This month we travel to Tasmania, Australia to visit with Rita Summers whose studio is attached to her gallery.

My studio is a public working space attached to my gallery. This is where I work on projects and do the business side of things on my computer, as well as welcoming customers and visitors. The name, Gone Rustic Studio & Gallery, really says it all, including its location in a small country town in Tasmania, Australia.

Gallery looking toward the Studio

The building used to be a garage or service station, which my husband restored and converted in 2004. The studio was once 2 small rooms – an office and a car parts store. This was completely stripped out, relined and re-floored, with an extra window added to provide more light.

Exhibitions often spill into the studio area, and people are intrigued to also see what I’m working on when they visit. Sometimes it seems like I don’t get much done on my projects when it gets very busy! Locals often call in for a chat and a cup of tea or coffee, so it is quite a social place at times.

Gone Rustic has recently been recognized as a social enterprise business, and was a case study last year in research undertaken by the University of Tasmania. A social enterprise business offers a service to the community which is not publicly funded and is not an incorporated organization. My arts-based social enterprise business is privately funded by my husband and operated by me. Retail sales, workshops, group sessions, exhibition launches, and a kit sheds and homes agency all help to cover costs.

I am a qualified teacher, and my major subject was art. From an early age I loved to draw and had an interest in sewing. I used to make all my own clothes, but when I discovered quilting I gave up on dressmaking! I had to teach myself in the beginning, because there were no quilt shops or classes near where we lived. I wanted quilts in my house, so that was the motivation. Since about 2005 I have worked on combining my arts training and my sewing skills to create a wide range of fiber and mixed media work, including art quilts, books/journals, sculptural or 3-D artworks and so on.

What do you have in the room? machines, supplies, fabrics, paints, etc. Anything that might surprise the rest of us?

You’ll notice from the photos that the studio is equipped as a work space not just for me, but also for small classes and groups. There are hanging rails on the walls which are sometimes used for exhibitions, but in between are used to display some of my quilts. I have several sewing machines, including a Janome Memory Craft, a Husqvarna Viking, and an old Husqvarna which is my ‘workhorse’.

There is a fridge and a microwave, a CD player, and storage for current projects and patterns. There’s also an old kitchen dresser (restored by my husband) for crockery. Other equipment includes an electric jug, an urn, 4 irons and an ironing board, and a bench-top oven stored under the sink. I often take it out and use it to bake cakes for our Rustic Ragamuffins stitching group when we meet. The smell of baking really adds to the atmosphere!

How is your “stuff” organized? How do you organize your fabric? By color? Amount? Any separate categories (batiks, hand dyes)? How do you organize your thread (color, weight)?

My sewing threads (I don’t have a huge range) are either in a drawer or on a rack which is shaped like a sewing machine and hangs on the wall. I do have quite a large selection of embroidery threads and perle cotton, most of which I keep at home in several storage boxes (I do a lot of hand stitching in the evenings while sitting on the couch). All my threads are organized by type, and then by colour.

I have a separate walk-in storeroom next to the gallery for my fabric. Fabric is stored in plastic bins according to colour or type, and on shelves. My really small scraps are organized in shoe boxes according to colour. Some plastic bins also store needle felting fibers and supplies,wadding ( batting), UFO’s, and so on. Hand dyed cotton fabrics have their own bin, as do retro and vintage fabrics.

The storeroom also holds my completed quilts, textile art and mixed media works when they’re not on display. They have their own bags and tissue paper to protect them while they’re in storage.

Silk and wool fabrics are stored in stacked suitcases in the hall at home, including those that I’ve dyed which haven’t been used yet. A desk in the dining room holds my collection of commercial dyes (liquid and powdered). This might seem like a strange place to keep the dyes, but both my kitchen and laundry are too small! I usually dye my fabric either in the kitchen or outside. I use either local plants or commercial non toxic dyes, depending on the fabric and the project.

Another desk, also in the dining room, holds all my drawing supplies, sketchbooks, cutting mat, tins of rusty nails and keys etc. (for my mixed media art), as well as stamps, ink pads, punches and a heat gun. I also have a portable tool kit and a filing cabinet stored behind the dining room door!

Do you have anything, supplies, more machines, etc. tucked away in any other rooms of the house? How many other rooms? (My husband likes to talk about that one.) Has a family member or significant other ever accused you of “taking over” the entire house? If you have a separate building, we want lots of pictures.

I’ve mentioned the dining room and the hall; there’s also the stack of boxes behind our bedroom door, and the art and craft books in the cupboard in the spare bedroom … my husband knows all about them, though!

How much horizontal surface do you have, and is it ever enough? Do you have to move piles of stuff to cut anything bigger than a fat quarter?

There are 4 large folding tables in my studio at the gallery. Two of them are pushed together to make one large table. Previously our dining table, and even the floor, were often covered with quilt blocks being arranged ready to stitch, or in layers ready to baste. I must have a very patient family because they never complained and even showed an interest in what I was doing! Then again, my husband was an art teacher, my daughter loves working with fiber and textile, and my son is now an art teacher, so maybe they thought this was normal.

Do you straighten/organize as you go, putting each fabric away as you cut, or do you clean up after a project? How many projects do you work on at a time and how do you keep them organized?

I usually clean up after each project. However, I often have to tidy up the studio when there’s a class or a group scheduled, or if I need to get ready for an exhibition launch. I have baskets for works in progress which I tuck under the tables so I can easily get them out again afterwards. I can’t work in a cluttered space – I need to be organised to be able to work effectively. I think this is because I don’t usually have a very definite plan when I start creating. I prefer to let the materials guide me, as well as my thoughts and responses to the issues I’m expressing through my art. I need a clear head and clutter would be a distraction!

Anything more you want to add about your studio, organization, working methods, etc., please do.

I love creating. It is integral to my life. I am so blessed to have such a supportive husband and family, and I’m grateful for my studio space and gallery every day. I especially enjoy sharing it with others in various ways and hope that I am making a positive difference for our local and wider arts community in the process.

Thank you so much for offering me this opportunity to share my studio and my arts practice! It’s been a challenge to put into words what I do and where I do it, but it’s been an enjoyable and affirming exercise. I am passionate about my art and I hope it shows!

To find out more, please visit my blog at www.gonerustic.wordpress.com and visit the ‘about’ page.

Thank you Rita for a most enjoyable tour. My studio has never looked that neat, and I’m envious of the separate walk-in fabric storeroom.

Next month: Sandy Wagner

First Friday Studio Tour – Meta Heemskerk

Posted on November 2, 2012 by lchinnis

This month we travel to the Netherlands to visit with Meta Heemskerk. Meta gives us some insight into working in a very small space.

I call my workplace ‘my corner’ as it’s part of our living room, not a separate room. I started out using just the dining table and gradually my corner got filled up. I got more storage space in the form of cupboards and a room divider. We put another dining table behind this room divider, so our living room got a little smaller, but it’s still big enough. My corner of the room measures four by four meters. Far too small for all my stuff, but I manage. I have boxes underneath the tables, in which I store fabrics and other supplies.

Storage container under computer table

I’ve never done any traditional quilting. I made an attempt three years ago, but I soon found out that it wasn’t for me, working so precisely. I then discovered art quilting and other forms of fiber art. It started out as a hobby but I spend so much time on it, that I could think of it as work now.

What do you have in the room? machines, supplies, fabrics, paints, etc. Anything that might surprise the rest of us?

In my work corner I have a large table and a smaller one. On the large one I do the cutting, designing and sewing. On the smaller table I do my ‘wet work’. I have a Bernina sewing machine, which I love, and an embellisher, which I use occasionally. My computer is also in my work corner; when I’m working at my table and I hear an email come in, all I have to do is turn my chair and I can answer it straight away.

Computer corner

Do you have anything, supplies, more machines, etc. tucked away in any other rooms of the house ? How many other rooms? (My husband likes to talk about that one.) Has a family member or significant other ever accused you of “taking over” the entire house?

I keep all the ‘messy materials’ in the kitchen and scullery and we recently had an extension roof built, so, weather permitting, I can do the messy work outside, which is great.

We are three of us in our house, my husband, our nineteen year old son and myself. We all have equal amounts of space.

How much horizontal surface do you have, and is it ever enough?

I do have two fairly large tables to work on, but it’s never enough. I must admit I do use the new dining room table now and again, but just for ‘clean’ work. (And the room divider has gradually moved a few inches!)

“Dry” table

“Wet” table

I never have enough space. I would love to have a separate studio, which isn’t part of the living room and could even be a separate building. On the other hand, having part of the living room as my workspace means I can still be in the same room as my family and do some work at the same time.

Do you straighten/organize as you go, putting each fabric away as you cut, or do you clean up after a project? How many projects do you work on at a time and how do you keep them organized?

I usually work on one project at a time, but this one project usually means that I need my entire work space. I’m not a very organized person and when I’m working it’s quite a mess around me. Whenever this mess becomes too much, even for me, I clean up and sort out all my materials. But it usually isn’t very tidy in my corner.

One of my friends came to visit my house for the first time. She said it was quite an advantage entering our living room via my work corner, as the living area itself looked so tidy, compared to my work corner, which was a nice way to put it!

Anything more you want to add about your studio, organization, working methods, etc., please do.

I usually don’t worry what other people think. It’s my house and as long as my husband and son are happy with my ‘mess’ it’s okay! For me being creative and being tidy don’t go together. (I’m always a little jealous, though, when I see those immaculate studios, shown by some of our members). But I always make sure that, whenever someone is coming round, I do make my corner look ‘presentable’.

Check out Meta’s website, greeninthemiddle.nl, or galleribba, the online gallery in which she participates.

Next month: Rita Summers, whose work can be seen at gonerustic or stitchedupmama

First Friday Studio Tour – Sherry Boram

Posted on October 5, 2012 by lchinnis

This month we are in Pendleton, Indiana, visiting with Sherry Boram.

This is my studio. All of my previous sewing spots were simply places that I sewed – part of the laundry room, the dining room table, a corner of a large basement room, on the table in our Airstream, and in travel trailer park sheds during our vagabond years. In 2006 we decided to stay home and enjoy our family, friends, community and hobbies full time, so now I have a whole room dedicated to my favorite art form that warrants the name!

I’ve been sewing since 1957, though no quilts until 1990. Creating art from fabric became the perfect yin to the yang of my complex life. It’s never been meant to be a business; income from an occasional commission or sale helps buy thread and needles!

What do you have in the room? machines, supplies, fabrics, paints, etc. Anything that might surprise the rest of us?

My studio used to be Larry’s woodworking shop in our walkout basement and it is large enough for everything. Other than the cartons of “family stuff” on the shelf above my worktable, everything else is raw materials, tools, and things that inspire me. Under the shelf hang many of the artist trading cards that I’ve collected.

My favorite light is this little Janso LED lamp from IKEA (in store only) $10 which uses 80% less energy, lasts 20 times longer than incandescent, is cool, and so versatile. I use it for precision vision at the sewing machine and for hand sewing and detail work. I prefer it to Ott lights.

How is your “stuff” organized? How do you organize your fabric? By color? Amount? Any separate categories (batiks, hand dyes)? How do you organize your thread (color, weight)?

The shelves behind the table hold plastic baskets of printed cottons sorted by colors, themes, and style. Different types of fabrics are stored in cartons underneath – wools, neutral silks, colored silks, colored Kona solids, upholstery, PFD, flag nylon, Ultra Suede and leather, vintage, denim, linen, velvet, artificial flower parts, etc.

The main pressing/fusing station is handy to the sewing area and to the little drawers with all kinds of stored necessities. The black file boxes hold my cherished Postmark’d Art collection. The orange curtain covers things like cutter books, art-dedicated toaster oven, polar fleece, pillow forms, extra iron, chemicals and foam.

Beads are stored in small bags in self-lidded plastic boxes according to colors and types. Beading needles and Silamide are right there as well. Above them are sequins, watercolors and painting supplies. Thread is stored in the drawer stack according to type and utilitarian thread is in bags arranged by color.

The pegboard holds all kinds of tools along with scissors and rulers. Underneath are art papers, shipping materials, canvasses, projects, and quilt storage. This is where I usually paint, stamp, emboss, and pound. Along with the large work table, I have plenty of horizontal space which makes tidying up after a project optional, though my creative juices flow better when things are uncluttered.

I love bulletin boards and have 6 of them fully engaged in this room. Two are tucked in beside the bookcase where I stash my spare sewing machine, serger, and embroidery machine along with books.

The 3-tiered rolling white display table ($20) came from a Carson Pirie Scott store that was updating. Perfect for holding all the containers that used to be on the workbench. They hold sheers, metallics, yarns, roving, embellishments, specialty threads, floss, ribbons, batiks, fused scraps, hand dyed and painted fabrics, paints, glues, mediums, stamps and inks. A rolling metal rack from a Michaels store holds pillow forms, fleece, batting, and interfacing. By the way, used and bargain commercial display tables and racks from stores can be perfect for use in studios.

Anything more you want to add about your studio, organization, working methods, etc., please do.

The windows and door leading to the driveway are the only sources of natural light. We use this door a lot, so it’s not unusual to see a pair of serious work shoes on the floor! Over the door hangs a collection of small works that I’ve collected through trades and purchase.

Left of the design wall is the door to a large family room. The sink in the small kitchen is convenient for cleaning brushes and paint stuff. My studio is a good place to be and I appreciate having such a great space to make art. Aside from more natural light and maybe a cat, it’s everything I could ever want in a studio!

Thank you Sherry for a great tour. I know I’m envious of all that clean horizontal space.

Next month: Meta Heemskerk

First Friday Studio Tour – Franki Kohler

Posted on September 7, 2012 by lchinnis

This month we are visiting with Franki Kohler in Oakland, California. Franki organized Postmark’d Art when the Art to Mail postcard group became too large to accept new members. In addition, it was Franki’s belief that Postmark’d Art needed a public web presence in addition to our private Yahoo group that led to this site.

Do you call it a studio or sewing room?

I consider myself an artist and, as such, I do my work in a studio. Even Webster defines it as such: studio, n., 1. the workroom or atelier of an artist.

When I began making quilts in 1982 I was using someone else’s pattern to sew a quilt for a bed. My space was a sewing room then. In 2004 I made a conscious turn to the Art side; since then I have worked in a studio.

What do you have in the room? machines, supplies, fabric, paints, etc. Anything that might surprise the rest of us?

A few years ago we did a major remodeling of our home. Before the redo, my studio was so cramped that I had to walk sideways to negotiate moving from one area to another. When we began our discussion of what we wanted to do in the house my husband immediately said I should take over the master bedroom as my studio. I was thrilled with his suggestion. Here’s a partial look at the old studio. I couldn’t get out of my own way here!

I worked with our architect to design appropriate furniture for each of the work stations in my new studio. The cabinet-maker built the furniture to those specifications. I have a desk with file cabinets, computer, printer, scanner and radio/CD player. My work table surface is two architect table tops (the ones you see in the old studio above) mounted atop 2 matching storage cabinets. I also have a cutting table/storage unit, an armoire and 3 bookcases.

How is your studio organized?

Books, reference materials, art, antique irons, photos, ironing supplies and irons and some very small supplies — such as beads and canceled postage stamps — are stored on the bookshelves.

Fabric is organized by color in the armoire

except for scraps — they are organized by color in bags stuffed into plastic boxes in the cutting table storage area. Bolts, felting supplies and paints are organized in this storage area as well.

The bottom shelves slide out for easy access.

Thread is organized by color in the 8 drawers under the work table. The cool colors on one side

and the warm colors on the other side.

I love the greens!

Above my ironing board is Princess Bliss of the Land of 4″x6″. The quilt measures 4′ x 6′. The Princess is clothed in just her finest jewelry whereas I leave the jewels in their box and prefer jeans and a t-shirt for work mode. Her primary job is to keep me company while I work and supply plenty of inspiration via the fabric postcards she holds. This photo shows her with postcards I’ve made because she traveled with me to Asilomar Conference Center in June to display fabric postcards — but she usually has postcards I’ve received from fellow Postmark’d Art artists.

The desk naturally has all my administrative supplies and my Lava Lamp. I’ve been enjoying the plop–glump–swirl of this lamp since the 1960s. The cabinet to the left of my computer has 2 shelves which slide out for easy access to the printer and scanner. When I’m not working at the desk, the doors pull straight out and across the cabinet to hide equipment. The tall pointy-top cabinet to the left has double doors that open to a CD supply.

Do you have anything tucked away in any other parts of the house?

It’s important to me to have everything I need and use at my fingertips. The only thing not stored in my studio is the quilt frame I once used to hand quilt.

How much horizontal surface do you have and is it ever enough?

My work surface is 6′ x 6’3″ and it has 3 machines on it at all times: the Janome 6500 is recessed into the table; a Janome 11,000 sits opposite; a Janome felting machine 725 ‘floats’ between, ready for use at a moment’s notice. As long as I stay on top of things, a quick shift of equipment means I’m ready to start working.

The cutting table surface is 56″ x 25″. The height of the surface was based on the ideal height for me to cut while standing. The best feature about this surface is that it slides 18″ away from the wall so that when I am cutting something from a bolt, or trimming a large quilt, I have the elbow room to get the job done.

Do you straighten/organize as you go, putting each fabric away as you cut, or do you clean up after a project?

I confess to being rather compulsive. I also find it almost impossible to work in a cluttered space. So I do put things away as I finish needing or using them. I also clean my work space and I do machine maintenance after each project — cleaning, oiling and replacing needles. I’m a firm believer in what I tell people in my workshops: Take care of your equipment and it will take care of you.

How many projects do you work on at a time and how do you keep them organized?

I can work on a couple of projects at a time, but not much more than that. I use my design wall to store current projects I’m working on and a piece or two that I’m considering next. The design wall was created using 72″-wide felt and attaching Velcro to the top edge. It measures 7′ x 7′.

Anything more you want to add about your studio, please do.

Two of the things that I especially appreciate about my studio are the light and the electrical plugs. I have large windows on three of the four walls: at my desk, at the cutting table and directly opposite the large work table. If I need additional light, recessed lighting from the ceiling is focused on the various work stations in the room and I have an Ott light on the table. There are ample electrical plugs on the walls and two fixtures in the floor under the work table. The floor plugs mean that there are no cords in any walking spaces.

In addition to the Princess, I have two more studio buddies who hang out with me.

Taylor and Mendelssohn are safe and happy in their car seats while they keep a close eye on me.

I spend a lot of time in my studio and I enjoy every minute!

Thanks, Franki, for some great ideas, both for storage and postcard display.

Next month: Sherry Boram

First Friday Studio Tour – Suzanna Bond

Posted on August 3, 2012 by lchinnis

This month we are visiting with Suzanna Bond of Fullerton, California. Suzanna has returned from Kenya just in time to give us this tour.

Do you call it a Studio or sewing room? Do you think of it as a business or a hobby?

It’s called my Sewing Room because it’s an inviting word. I think it’s a comfortable word for my family too: Mom’s place. I like that. I have a lovely portrait of my Aunt Mary Alice by the window and I always have her smiling face to see. She taught me to sew and I often think about what we talked about and how much fun we had.

When I’m away I say it’s a Studio. It makes me feel like a Grown-Up with Grown-Up work to do. I am in the nice time of life where I can work on my art freely without interruption. I can concentrate on my goals and keep a schedule. It’s not a business, but I think of it as work. It’s not a hobby to me because it absorbs most of my thought and time. The work has given me the ability to teach and train others. I go to Nairobi often to assist in skill development at a women’s workshop. This room is where all of it starts or ends; the dressmaking, the batik dying, oil portraits, beading, knitting and quilting happen here.

What do you have in the room?

I have 4 small tables for individual uses. 3 rolling cabinets, 2 chairs, 1 printer, 2 bookshelves and an easel. I have quite a few sewing machines, the number of which could only be guessed, as they’re not all in this room!
Almost all my work is here, but not all my stuff.

My new thing is oil painting though I’ve always been an artist. I knew it would make all the difference in my art quilts and it has given me a lot of confidence and freedom. So I had to clear out a hide-a-bed to make room for an easel, lighting, cabinet and chair. Should have done that way sooner!

My favorite thing is my Singer 301 table. Ironically it has the Bernina 807 on it now, but taking out the removable insert for the machine to rest in has been a real pleasure for me. I got a black 301 at the Long Beach Swap Meet for $35 and I’m still telling that tale.

How do you store and organize your supplies?

I keep stuff in baskets and shelves and closets and under things and on top of things. I weed through stuff all the time and don’t have any trouble getting rid of it. Through the years I’ve had to scale back several times. I understand I don’t need it all to make what I want. I’m getting picky about what new techniques I try.

I arrange everything visually. I group things together because they look good that way or by the way it inspires me. You name it, I got it. No unusual supplies. The thing that makes this a special place for me creatively are my toys. Here and there are little dolls or objects that are special and go beyond a paint brush or spool. That’s what I’d like to point out.

I have a Carither’s Department Store Butterick flyer from my hometown framed in black as you see there. I love kitchen clocks and look for them in colors that match my walls and floors.

I have a small phonograph and records that I play, especially at Christmas. I also set up my iPad to watch Netflix and PBS. So great when I am moving around the room and see every scene of Sherlock Holmes. The iPad has been my second greatest sewing room tool!

I enjoy collage. I have a heap of snippets and wrappers, art supplies and tools. I’ll use it when it ferments and gets “just right.” I don’t nearly have as much fabric as I used to but you could never tell by looking. I’m a good little squirrel. Squirrels like yarn.

I have been using Tsukineko Ink lately on everything, so I keep that handy. The last few years of making postcards has helped me hone down what works for me – what I really enjoy. I can’t have everything out or it paralyzes me. I get all “Martha Stewart” about notions and tools. I tend to “go after” the room between big projects. I just finished a portrait quilt before going to Nairobi this month. I had a few garments I wanted to make so I needed to clear out the stuff to clear my head. Going from one discipline to another means I have to be organized. I LOVE different tools. I like taking care of them too. I like my stuff and that’s how I enjoy it even more.

Fabrics separated by type, by project, then by color. Threads are separated by colors and uses, some hidden and some out for inspiration. Lots of labels on things. My friend Kristen Evans has me sharp on those. An organized person has to have an Organizational Mentor. I keep a daily schedule and calendar, a new thing for me, but I can sure see how much more I get done!

Do you have any particular thing you’d like to share?

When we moved into this house a few years ago I was able to get Pergo flooring, extra canister lighting and custom closet shelving.

As a young mommy Tim found me crying late one night about not having a place to sew! I do not take my space for granted.

Design wall

Never enough closet space right? That’s why I make good use of every closet. In every room.

Sewing room closet

My son’s room

The “Linen Closet”

We gladly welcomed our son back for a stay. The room that kept all my bed quilts clean and pretty is better used now. I have the organizational gene. One per family.

The stack

Thank you Suzanna. I love the clocks and the knitting needle storage.

Next month: Franki Kohler

Postmark'd Art

Art in the Mail!

Category Archives: Studio Tour

First Friday Studio Tour – Marie Johansen

First Friday Studio Tour – Karin McElvein

First Friday Studio Tour – Sarah Ann Smith

First Friday Studio Tour – Dian Stanley

First Friday Studio Tour – Sandy Wagner

First Friday Studio Tour – Rita Summers

First Friday Studio Tour – Meta Heemskerk

First Friday Studio Tour – Sherry Boram

First Friday Studio Tour – Franki Kohler

First Friday Studio Tour – Suzanna Bond