Where Bloggers Create 2011

Karen Valentine over at My Desert Cottage is hosting Where Blogger's Create again this year and I am happy to be a part of it!

You can head over there and see her beautiful spaces and then there is an alphabetical list of all the participants along the right sidebar. Have fun looking at all the beautiful studios and workspaces of so many talented women! I think at last count there were over 300 so it may take me awhile to visit them all but i will!

As for me, not much has changed since my great studio reveal at the end of 2010 but for those who are new to my blog i am going to repost those photos here for you to see.

My main studio is housed in an old turn of the century store than my husband and I renovated. But lately I have been doing most of my work in my home studio spaces.

Standing at the front door looking straight ahead. The little flames you see near the rocking chair is the fire going in the gas fireplace.

Looking to the right

Looking to the left. The slate top science table holds the bead and enameling kilns and a drill press. The wooden workbench is for torch firing enamels and some metalsmithing. The light table is next to the workbench.

Slate top table with the kilns. I have the heavy t-shirt press on a rolling dolly and the PMC kiln along with containers of glass molds, kiln supplies and torch firing supplies stored beneath. The paper is shelf paper for firing glass.

Looking down the corridor there are catalogued magazines beneath the light table freeing up much needed space in the bookcase.

Paints, glues, glitters, resins, soldering supplies, alcohol inks, paper clay, sculpey supplies, paintbrushes, leather paints, and various other supplies in this bookcase.

Standing at the shells looking towards the front door.

Hot glass worktable. The carriers to the right on the floor hold the containers of enamels, one for opaques one for transparents. The cookie sheets on the table hold the ramekins ready to be filled with the enamels for use. My lampworking torch still isn't completely hooked up.

Standing by the glass rods looking back across the front of the room.

The large oak desk is an old office desk that my Dad brought home from work many years ago when they were getting rid of the old and replacing, probably with metal. I refinished the desk and it has been my best worktable ever! I Love it. It has seen many quilts and sewing projects, handmade paper, jewelry, photography, you name it.  Yes, desk and I are best friends!

The other is an old library table, it has 6 drawers, 2 on each side and 1 on each end. The carving and the decorative spindles are what drew me to it years ago in an antique store. It is now set up with a little sewing machine for my granddaughter to use.

The jelly cupboard now holds all of my rug hooking supplies. Extra cutting mats stand against the wall.

The pie safe houses all my sewing supplies. Trades from past years at Art and Soul are in containers beneath the pie safe.

The green cupboard holds vintage clay poker chips, cobalt glass for crushing, additional plates and glass for mosaics along with ephemera and sealing wax.

Sewing area now

Bookcase number one, to the right of the fireplace, holds books on pottery, ceramics, collectibles, glass, lampworking, mosaics, soapmaking, etc. Magazines are stacked on the bottom.

Bookcase number two holds books on quilting, sewing, fiber arts, dolls, mixed media, painitng, and paper arts.

Dover design books and magazines are in the bottom.

Shells for Sailor's valentines.

Bookcase number three holds books on jewelry and creativity. Catalogs are stored beneath.

Workbench with light table. Small glass kiln stored beneath, lampworking tools organized in a commercial silverware tray.  Glass cutting system stored beneath the light table. Extra dremel setup, toater oven for polymer clay also stored beneath. Tumbler is on the light table. Rolling mill and various supplies on top.

Paper mache body parts from vintage doll molds waiting to be brought to life but they make me smile jut like they are.

Vintage sewing items, I don't collect these, really. It just sort of happened to become a mini collection. the bird pincushion is sterling.

A few of my favorite things. Betty was my first dress form, won her on Ebay and had to pick her up in Pennsylvania. The thread case is a treasured win at a local auction as is the glass biscuit case. The childs mannequin head was a find at a local antiques gallery. the small Santos figure was also my first.

 This is one side of our enclosed front porch which faces East with a few North and South facing windows and has lovely light most of the day. There are 12 windows altogether. I love this space.

This is the main work area for me. It is a kitchen farm table covered with a sheet of acrylic for protection.The necklace on the hand display was made by my granddaughter. The stacked white jewelry display trays hold seed beads by color groups.

This bookcase holds beads, gems findings and vintage parts. 

This is the enclosed south facing side porch, AKA the laundry room. I bought the workbench from Harbor Freight and it is setup for metalsmithing.  I have the flexshaft, brake shear, anvils and bench grinder attached. I can hammer out here without disturbing the peace too much. The plastic containers hold the metals.

Thanks for visiting and have fun peeking at all the other studios!