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Craft Room Tours
Explore the craft rooms, studios & kitchens of crafters to see where they work and how they organise their supplies
This week we head to Berlin in Germany to take a tour of Kathie from Curious and Catcat's craft space and office.
"I think my favorite thing about my craft space is the desk. It got a huge make-over when we moved here. I painted the tabletop white and stained and painted two simple trestles from IKEA, which made them look kind of high-quality. I put a lot of work in this desk and I love the new look. It's my favorite piece in this room."
Tell us about your space?
My craft room is in Berlin, Germany. Me and my boyfriend have been living in this flat for just 4 months now. There are only two rooms apart from bathroom and kitchen, so the smaller one is our bedroom and the bigger room has to be multi-purpose. It solves as my craft space, my boyfriends place to study and work, and as our living room. So naturally it's the room where we spent the most time in, be it to work, craft, sit with friends, or to snuggle up in front of the TV (read: laptop) for a movie. It has been quite a challenge to address everyone's needs on just 14ft x 17ft! I believe we managed that quite well, but in the 4 month we lived here I have rearranged everything at least 3 times and it will probably look different in another 4 months. It's by far not the living room (or craft room) of my dreams, but we made the best of it.
Is this also your work space?
Is this also your work space?
Of course I use this room also to "work". I do paperwork on my desk or study for my master's degree. Picture editing and blogging happens there, too, as long as the desk isn't flooded with all kinds of craft supplies. In that case I move on to the sofa or the kitchen table. That's also one of the things I like about our multi-purpose room - the ability to move around. I like to do crochet or embroidery projects on the sofa, sewing projects on my desk, paper crafts and bigger projects on the floor. I even painted furniture in this room!
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
Even with two work spaces in this room, I didn't want it to feel crowded or shapeless. We painted a part of the walls in a deep dark bordeaux (In retrospect I would've chosen a dark grey instead, but that's another story) which really helps to optically separate the living room area from the rest of the space and makes it feel cozy and warm. For my craft space I chose white as the main color and I love how bright my little space gets with the light from the window next to it. I filled the space with plants and books and I always keep colorful craft supplies and fabrics on display, they're a great source of inspiration and it makes me happy just to look at them.
Even with two work spaces in this room, I didn't want it to feel crowded or shapeless. We painted a part of the walls in a deep dark bordeaux (In retrospect I would've chosen a dark grey instead, but that's another story) which really helps to optically separate the living room area from the rest of the space and makes it feel cozy and warm. For my craft space I chose white as the main color and I love how bright my little space gets with the light from the window next to it. I filled the space with plants and books and I always keep colorful craft supplies and fabrics on display, they're a great source of inspiration and it makes me happy just to look at them.
How do you keep organized?
Thank god I have such a large desk! There's plenty of room for supplies and stacks of paper and the sewing machine all at the same time. Somehow I usually manage to end some projects and tidy up before I have to take over the window sill and the next shelf and the floor to keep my crafts "organized". I also like to spread out craft supplies on my desk just to look at them for hours and envision future projects. But apart from that, everything has it's place on the shelves or in the cupboards and tidying up is always quick and easy.
Thank god I have such a large desk! There's plenty of room for supplies and stacks of paper and the sewing machine all at the same time. Somehow I usually manage to end some projects and tidy up before I have to take over the window sill and the next shelf and the floor to keep my crafts "organized". I also like to spread out craft supplies on my desk just to look at them for hours and envision future projects. But apart from that, everything has it's place on the shelves or in the cupboards and tidying up is always quick and easy.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
I love my peg board to keep my stuff organized. I can arrange and rearrange craft supplies and tools or use it to just get things out of the way. Storage in open shelves works great for me as well, and adds pops of color to my space. I use transparent boxes in the cupboard and for the supplies that I store in the bedroom. When we moved here I gave every single item in my craft corner its designated place and try to stick to it - And I really have give myself a pat on the shoulder for that, it saves so much time when looking for something or tidying up!
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
I love my cantilever sewing box. I find myself opening is more often than I really need, because it looks just too beautiful and it's the cutest storage place for some of my colorful yarns and buttons.
Another favorite is the cross stitched portrait of my brothers and me on the shelf over my desk. It always makes me smile.
And I already mentioned my desk. I love my desk!
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I have a notebook or two which I carry everywhere I go to collect my ideas and sketches as soon as they come to my mind. I use my clipboards on the wall to keep inspirations on display, and everything I find on the Internet goes directly onto one of my Pinterest boards.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I'm a huge Pinterest addict (but who isn't). It's an endless source of inspiration for me as are blogs and (web) shops or magazines. Sometimes only looking at my supplies or a beautiful fabric brings up ideas. But the times when my brain almost bursts from ideas are those when I have to study for the final exams and have no time to craft. It always reminds me of Picasso who once said "Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working."
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
First, I would get it out of the living room. I wouldn't mind sharing the room with my boyfriend, but as a work and craft space and not more. Second, it would be in a large room with big windows and a lot of light. Third, I would add a little tea and coffee bar and a huge comfy chair.
Make sure to check out Kathie's blog, Curious and Catcat »
This week we head to Prospect, Kentucky to explore the craft space and office of Tracie from Cleverly Inspired.
"I love that everything has a place to go. Scissors on the wall, fabric in a bin, ribbon in a jar...etc...It helps me to keep it organized...and when it is organized I feel more creative. I also love the color palette. White walls paired with bright green curtains and touches of gray to give it some sophistication. "
Tell us about your space?
My craft room is in Prospect, Kentucky. We built this house 9 years ago. It is located right off my master bedroom. Technically it is supposed to be a sitting room...but I think it works great as a "mom cave". It is 8 by 14 and I am the only one using the space...I put a comfy reading chair in there next to a faux fireplace. It is a perfect place to sit when it is raining...curled up with a favorite magazine. The other side of the room is where the work happens. Computer, sewing and crafting all on one large desk. I tend to use the custom made art cart the most. It is were I take pictures of most of my projects that I share on my blog. It holds all my photo backdrops. I love that we placed wheels on it so that I can roll it in front of any window that is getting the best light.
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
My reading chair is always ready for me with a blanket and magazine whenever I need a break. I have an inspiration board to constantly pin things too. I am always searching for new things to inspire me.
How do you keep organized?
Jars, jars and more jars. Along with baskets and cups. Everything has a place....and if it doesn't ...I ask myself it is truly something I need. If so...then I make a spot for it. I really try to be mindful of the things I choose to hold onto.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
Buy bins and baskets in colors you love that go with the space. You will be more apt to use them and keep them pretty. Constantly re-evaluate what you "need" in the space to keep it clutter free.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
My art cart was custom built by my husband and I and I adore it!
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I have an ongoing list....by my bed, on my phone, on my computer...I write it down as soon as I think of it. I always have something to reference when I feel I need a jolt of creativity!
Where do you look for inspiration?
Magazines, pinterest and I love craftgawker.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
I would love an art studio filled with windows, just a little cottage to create in...maybe with an ocean view!
Make sure to check out Tracie's blog, Cleverly Inspired »
This week we head to Surrey in England to get inspired by Torie's lovely organized craft space.
"I love that it is just my space so is super girly!"
Is this also your work space?
This is my work and office space too, I like sitting on my couch in my living room to knit and hand sew. My craft room is a single bedroom upstairs at the back of our house, I used to share it with my partner, but he now has the guest room as his office. The crafts I do most are sewing, paper crafts, glueing, painting. I love that it is just my space so is super girly!
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
I painted it in my favourite colour and searched high and low for a vintage 1920's filing cabinet so I could keep all my paperwork organised in style. I have pin boards, hooks and clips so I can be visually see all my inspiration around me.
How do you keep organized?
I start with a very organised space so I can find everything I need and be inspired my crafting supplies, then I get messy during a project and then have a big tidy up before I start the next big project. I have a big stash of craft supplies that are stored in clear containers on shelves in my room.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
I group all my craft items into colours and keep them in clear containers. I hang scissors from hooks and have pots attached to the wall to keep my most used supplies to hand.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
My tolix chair, tailors dummy, vintage filing cabinet, tea trolley and pink sewing machine. Yes, I have some of my crafts on display - pen pots, artwork, bunny jars, up cycled tea trolley.
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I have a pin board and a hanging clip rail for my ideas and multiple Pinterest boards.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I start with a colour palette and then get inspired by my craft supplies, magazines, Pinterest, flickr and the world around me.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
I would make it much bigger, add a big crafting table and a vintage armoire so I could fill it with pretty glass jars full of craft supplies.
Make sure to check out Torie's blog »
This week we visit Sarah from Look What I Made in her lovely home in Vienna, Austria to see where she lives and crafts.
"My favourite thing is that the room is so big. Although we have a huge area to relax and the dinning table in this one room, it still leaves me with enough space to craft big things on the floor."
Is this also your work space?
For crafting this is my room. (The kitchen for food and baking of course.) I create everything mainly here: from paper projects to knitting to even painting furniture. We (my boyfriend and I) live in a flat on the rooftop. This room is actually the reason why we rented this appartment. It's huge and through the 3 rooftop windows very bright. It's 35 m² and our living and dining room in one. This is very nice because I can sit on the couch and create a friendship bracelet or read magazines and blogs for inspiration but also sit at the table and draw or work on bigger projects on the floor. However it is also what I don't like about the room: because it's not only for crafting, I have to tidy up after finishing or even pausing a project.
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
I always keep some of the things I made on display. This gives the room a personal touch and gives me the opportunity to be delighted by my crafts. Like the title of my blog suggest, I'm quite proud of the things I make...?I also try to keep fresh flowers and plants around. I find it relaxing and inspiring the colours, the smell, the shapes.
How do you keep organized?
This is a big issue and a constant struggle for me. My boyfriend acutally likes it more organized than me and with my blog I have much more stuff to work with. However I have a system that works for me: drawers. I have a drawer for paper, one for fabric, one for all kind of glues and tape and so on. I know which drawer they are in and it's not to time-consuming to put it back.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
I once read that if you had to look for a product put it back to the place where you first started to search. This is genious! I really admire people with own craft rooms and very well organized places. Since I do all my crafts in the living room and store my supplies in the bedroom, this is not (yet) for me. However I think it's best if you have everything in sight. The roll containers I use are therefore almost see-through.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
My favourite possession is the 60s sideboard that I bought just this winter. I'm so happy about the size, look and design. However as I mentioned I also like the crafts that are on display. The C that lights up and the little bird cages. There are so many it's hard to pick. I almost every time like the one that I just recently made.?
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
About a year ago I started a journal. I put all the ideas I have in there in rough drawings. The idea stays in my mind and I develop it over time until I have the need to make it.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I like to look through magazines and the web but basically inspiration comes from everything: nature, a need or an object that I found or bought. I sometimes also do brainstormings with mind-maps around topics. You never know what your mind comes up with until you do so. Try it!
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
My first wish would be to have an own craft space. A room with huge windows where I can plan and create and close the door once I'm done for the day. Where my boyfriend is not allowed in and I decide when and how to clean up. Of course it would also be much more organized with nice shelfs and boxes and roll containers. Oh, I can see it in front of my eyes...
Check out Sarah's blog, Look What I Made »
This week we head all the way to Singapore, to tour paper crafter Yenni's organized and beautiful craft room.
"I love to make cards most of the time but if I had spare time and space I would love to make lots of other projects. I love the feeling of turning an ugly useless item into pretty things. I feel like I am the fairy god mother to abandoned stuff."
Is this also your work space?
I do normally only tend to craft in my dedicated craft area as I dont want to make a mess in other places. I love to make cards follow by alteration projects (mostly out of recycled items).
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
I need to paint my craft area in colours that I love such as pink and white. I can't really decorate my space as my outgrowing supplies have taken over but I still steal a little space to to display things here and there, such as the birds figurine I like (spot the birds in the photos).
How do you keep organized?
I was a very organized crafter until I became a stamp addict and the supplies updated weekly. I gave up on tidying up the place and then a messy crafter named Yenni was born! However, every time I finish a project, I will try my best to tidy up so that I am ready for the next project.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
I am not good at this but I love to organize all my stuff in to boxes and I created handmade labels for them. You can see them on some of my photos. I also love to keep reorganizing my stuff until I can find space to hide my new stash :P
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
I must have stamps, paper, flowers and dies. I couldn't live without them! Sadly I don't have any of my creations on display , my space is just too small so I have to store most of my projects in boxes.
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I love to browse the internet and use my phone. When I find something I like, I always bookmark those inspiring ideas/project. I steal a little time while waiting for the bus to work to browse around those bookmarked blogs/sites.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I always look at Pinterest, Etsy shops, Scrapbook company blog such as October Afternoon and Challenge blogs.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
1. Expand Expand Expand,
2. Expedit Expedit and more Expedit (One of series of ikea cabinets)
3. Extra Extra Extra pink and white stuffs such as birds figurine, Angels, Chandelier....etc (Am i asking more than 3 now? ) :)
Check out Yenni's blog, Scrapcollector to see her papercraft creations »
This week we head to Singapore to snoop around the beautiful and relaxing studio of Claire from Fellow Fellow.
"I think my favourite thing about it would have to be the two very large windows that let in so much glorious sunshine! It makes it easy to spend all day in here really."
I'm so lucky to have a whole room in our house dedicated to my studio! I'd never had that before moving to this apartment, and it makes such a difference being able to spread out, make a mess, and just close the door if we have guests over :)
Is this also your work space?
My studio is really my space to be creative, get work done, do the accounts.. anything really! I try really hard to contain the craft to this room so it's not being spread all over the house, but sometimes that still happens :)
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
It's a bit tricky while we're renting because we're reluctant to drill too many holes in the walls, so instead I've end up taping some of my illustrations, paper cuts, and garlands to the walls. I also change things around every now and then to keep it fresh and interesting!
How do you keep organized?
I'm definitely a messy crafter! If I'm in the middle of a project, I don't even bother trying to clean up after myself until it's finished. So often you can't even see the table tops for the giant tangle of craft supplies. Once I'm finished though, it's almost therapeutic to clean it all up and start fresh. My stash is already quite big, and is ever-growing! I've currently got lots of draws and cabinets to hide everything in, which also helps to keep things organised and easy to find.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
I really like using draws to store all my supplies. Generally things can then be laid out in a single layer so it's easy to see what you have. I have a couple of draws that are quite long, and in that case I've put some shoe box lids and and other trays in to help separate and organise different craft bits and pieces.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
I adore my vinyl cutting machine! It's a lot of fun to experiment with.
There are plenty of my creations on display! I've got a few different garlands I made a while ago that I rotate behind my computer, as well as a couple of watercolours and paper cuts stuck up on the walls.
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
This is one thing I'd like to do better. I've got so many notebooks and sheets of paper lying around with various bits of inspiration on them, and I don't have one specific way of organising them. Definitely something I need to work on!
Where do you look for inspiration?
I find looking around the internet is a good place to start, but it can be easy to feel a bit overwhelmed. I also really enjoy looking back through the pages of ideas I've had in the past to see if anything sparks my imagination, or wandering through a book shop and taking in all the exciting new books and beautiful covers.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
That's a tough one because I'm already very lucky with my craft space! I guess if I had to wish for 3 things it would be: 1. That we owned the space (instead of renting) so I wasn't so hesitant about putting things on the walls/painting etc. (that's a huge wish! Haha), 2. It'd be great if the space was a little bit bigger, and 3. As boring as it is, I'd love to have a better (and more attractive) way of organising all my supplies! Preferable in some lovely vintage pieces of furniture :)
This week we get to take a tour of Violet from Blythe Ponytail Parade's charming doll-filled office in Indianapolis.
"I love how light the room is. I have pondered painting the walls for 2 years now and I don't think I ever will. I actually like the white walls with the white furniture. I have so many colorful toys and decor that adding color to the walls might make it too busy."
My office is on the second floor of my home. It's one of the bedrooms that wasn't being used :) I love it because it has a nice big window that brings in tons of sunlight during the day. It's not very big, it's a standard bedroom size, but it holds everything I need it to! When I'm being bad, it's my "junk" room. I am trying to keep it in better order these days though. My husband would never want to work in there. It's far too girly ;)
Is this also your work space?
Yep, I do crafting in the room and any other small projects. I will be taking my iMac up there soon so that editing photos/blogging will be done in there too. Blythe customization is the main craft I do in the room mostly. My desk is pretty much set up with all my sandpaper, screwdrivers, eye chips, glue, etc. that I need to work on my Blythe dolls. I want to customize them more often. I rarely get to it these days!
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
Adding beautiful, but childish things that I love...like Kewpies, colorful garlands, dolls, stuffed animals, stickers, frames and photos. It's definitely a fun room and really relaxes me.
How do you keep organized?
I'm MESSY. VERY MESSY. My works in progress....honestly just get scattered around the house :P No advice there. All my fabrics, glues, paints, etc. are stored in bins that slide into my expedit shelf. I also keep some of my blythe customizing things in my desk cubicles. I'd say I have a lot of everything. I came from a VERY crafty/artist home so there are always an abundance of art supplies here.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
Those storage cubes that slide into my expedit (can be seen in the pics) are seriously amazing. They hide and organize. I'd say, invest in good storage bins or shelves!
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
Hmm, my dollies are my favorite items in the room. They seriously make the room what it is. I just love their eyes and their outfits and everything about them. I am quite obsessed. But if I was naming a craft supply, my glitter stash is quite important. Excluding my dollies (some of which are custom by me), I have a few of my own creations. I have a lot of other people's crafts on display in that room actually! My mom made the colorful garland that wraps around the ceiling. I have drawings and paintings by friends....I love handmade things!
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
My computer. I actually email myself links/ideas/images and then store them in folders so I can find them all again easily. I use pinterest a little bit too!
Where do you look for inspiration?
I google things. I come up with an idea and then I see if anyone else has done anything similar. That's my go to way. If I am just searching for something to do with no real idea in mind, I venture onto pinterest.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
More dollies, a chandelier hanging in the middle of the room (though I might hit my head on it :P :P :P), and hardwood floors. :)
Check out Violet's blog at Blythe Ponytail Parades to see more of her and her lovely dolls »
Check out Violet's blog at Blythe Ponytail Parades to see more of her and her lovely dolls »
We're off to sunny San Diego in California today to take a tour of Debee's colourful studio. We love her sleek white furniture matched against pops of bright color from her supplies!"My favorite thing about my studio is how bright it gets. The contrast between the white walls + furniture + floors really brightens up the colorful supplies and hobby items I love. It really is my little corner of the world that makes me happy. :)"
My craft space is one of our 3 bedrooms and is located in the sunniest corner of our home. The studio measures approx 10ft x 10 ft. kind of small but I'm very happy to have a wee space to ponder in :) My space is also home to my online shop Inspire Lovely on etsy.
Is this also your work space?
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
I have surrounded myself with several things i really love: my collections of ribbons, yarns, and thrifted finds. They all bring so much beauty and life into my "work" space. I love looking around at things that inspire me while I create. It makes it fun to get creative and not think of it so much like "work".
How do you keep organized?
I would love to say that I am super organized but I'm not. I have so much stuff I constantly have to clear the mess off my desk and start over. It often happens when i start one computer design project, then start another scrapbook project and have a crochet project I'm itching to start all at the same time. I keep most of my pending projects in specific bins that i like to move around with me either on the go or to another room to be with the family. My husband always refers to me as a gyspy hauling all my stuff around with me hehee. I like to be prepared for some crafty time. I do have a big supply stash and most of it is stored away in storage.I have a large bin for each color of the rainbow.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
I keep my large bin supply sorted by color then by kind ( all buttons together in a bag, all ribbons together etc) in clear plastic bins. It's become so much easier for me to find things and create new things for my shop this way.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
I love my old sewing machine Nena. She's not top of the line, but she's pretty awesome. I love adding crazy sewing lines to my art projects and she always delivers. I also love my oversized typewriter I got for free a while ago. I love that it types scattered and funky. Kind of like me :)
I do make things and live with them for a while, then sometimes I like to give them away to family & friends or end up in my shop shelves for all my lovely etsy customers to love.
I do make things and live with them for a while, then sometimes I like to give them away to family & friends or end up in my shop shelves for all my lovely etsy customers to love.
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I find that it helps to just do what you love. I will keep a virtual sketchbook ( folder ) on my desktop and add photos i've taken on my phone from shopping adventures. Most times as my tastes change i go back and delete photos.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I love color inspirations from the yarn aisle, the paper store, gazing into store front windows etc. Everyday beauty is what I'm looking for.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I love color inspirations from the yarn aisle, the paper store, gazing into store front windows etc. Everyday beauty is what I'm looking for.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
I'd love to wish for 1) a WHOLE wall just for yarn from top to bottom
2) A larger seating area with a huge rug and comfy couch to sit and create
3) gustav klimt's "The Kiss" hanging on my wall :) It's so beautiful and oh so inspiring!
2) A larger seating area with a huge rug and comfy couch to sit and create
3) gustav klimt's "The Kiss" hanging on my wall :) It's so beautiful and oh so inspiring!
This week we head to Hamilton, Ontario to take a tour of blogger, Love Elycia's gorgeous and trinket-filled office and craft room."My favourite thing about my craft space is the wall directly behind my desk. I put photos of friends, prints and paintings I love as well as any little thing that makes me smile. I even have some old Strawberry Shortcake airfresheners stuck to that wall."
My craft space is on the main floor of our home in the back bedroom that overlooks the backyard. I don't know the exact dimensions of the room but I would say that it is a medium sized room, not too big, not too small. The room doubles as my office. It is my favourite place to work from because it gets a lot of light all day long and the way it is decorated keeps me happy and motivated.I share my space with my three kitties. They think they are very helpful while I'm working and like to sit or lounge on top of whatever I am working on.
Is this also your work space?
As I mentioned, this is also my work/office space where I do most of my blogging, email answering and drawing. I really love working out of this room but I can sometimes be found crafting in the living room, on the bed in the other spare room or sometimes at the kitchen table. It really depends what I'm working on, what type of day it is and what else I have going on while crafting. I mostly use my craft space for sewing and I will occasionally embroider, crochet or knit in there as well if I don't feel like sitting on the couch.
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
To make my craft room a space where I love to spend time I painted the walls a really happy turquoise-y colour that I am crazy about. I have collected a lot of odds and ends throughout the years and I love displaying some of my favourites in my craft room to keep me happy and inspired. I go crazy for colour so the more colourful my room is the better!
How do you keep organized?
At times I can get a little crazy and become a messy crafter but I have a really hard time staying productive and excited in a messy craft space. Don't get me wrong, I love making a good crafty mess but I prefer to clean it up as soon as possible. For knitting/crochet works in progress I either keep them in a bag (if it is a portable project) or in my little project basket. For sewing, I like to leave the project out on my table until it is complete and for embroidery I have been hanging unfinished pieces on the living room wall to remind me to work on them. My supply stash is pretty big! I have collected most of it from thrift stores because it is really hard to pass up something awesome that you might someday need for something at the thrift store. I store most of my fabric, embroidery supplies and paint in blue bins on my big shelving unit and my yarn has it's own special box that is buried somewhere in my messy closet at the moment.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
If my supplies are especially pretty I like to use them as decorations while they are being stored. My prettiest fabric is displayed out in the open on my shelves and crewel thread that I love the colour of is usually in some kind of bowl on the shelf.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
I have a really hard time picking favourites of anything but I really love the embroidery that Lucky Jackson did of me. I love Jen's work and it made me feel very special that she choose to embroider me! One of the pieces on my big wall of art is made my me. It is an embroidery piece of a ball of yarn. Oh and there is a cute little amigurimi bunny that I made peeking out of one of my bowls. There might be more but that's all I can think of at the moment.
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I try to write down all my ideas in a notebook because my common attitude of "this idea is so great, there is no way I will forget it" has failed me many times. Sometimes I have a problem remembering which notebook I wrote my great ideas down in but I always find them eventually.
Where do you look for inspiration?
One thing that I have learned about myself is that I have a really hard time looking for inspiration. It just has to hit me when I least expect it. I get inspired most by colours, beauitful days and good smells so it can really hit at any time, I just need to be ready!
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
Wish number one, I would change my furniture from black to white. I really wish I had have bought white furniture.
Wish number two, I would add a few more windows. My craft space does get good light all day but it could definitely use more. You can never have enough natural light!
Wish number three, I would have one of those huge cat tree things that goes from floor to ceiling. I would love to look over and see my kitties hanging out on that!
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We head to Austin, Texas this week to take a tour of Laurie's bright and cheerful craft space and meet her lovely cats.
"My favorite thing about the space is all the light it gets. When I was looking at this house and I came up stairs and found this really giant area at the top of the landing that was just flooded with light, I just knew this was the place for me."
I believe the room was designed as a game room, but they just didn’t know at the time that it was meant to be my studio. I also love that I have to pass through that space to get to both my bedroom and my office, so all the bright colors and all the textures bring a smile to my face every time I go through there. I share the space with my two cats Fiona and Dexter, but they’re pretty good about not being space hogs. If I’m in that space, you can bet there are 2 cats close by.
Is this also your work space?
I have a separate area where I do my design and digital work. I’m lucky that it’s a bright and cheery space as well. I keep a pin board in front of my monitor is always being added to and has things to make me smile or inspire me. It gets a bit messy up there sometimes, but I like having lots of lovely things close by. Two of my favorite things in my office are a typography print (by Grace Hester Designs on Etsy) and a shadow box of the Brooklyn skyline (by Pepper Sprouts on Etsy). I primarily sew in my sewing room. But I’ve also used the space for screen printing, letterpress, painting and handwork. I don’t have big comfy couch or chair to lounge on so hand work like embroidery tend to happen on the couch downstairs.
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
Color! I try to infuse everything in my house with lots and lots of color. I’m not so worried about matching styles or about over-designing my space. I just fill it with things that I love so it feels very ‘me’.
How do you keep organized?
I’m definitely a messy crafter. But I can’t stand to walk into a messy studio. A clean start each day really helps to energize me, so I really try to clean up at the end of each day. I can feel a bit overwhelmed if I feel like I’m fighting with my work space, so spending a few minutes each day to put things away really helps me. When I have works in progress, I use note cards for helping me keep track of how many blocks I have/need, or for lists of what I need to do next. Depending on the project and how long I think it might take, a WIP project will either be stored on a shelf or if it has lots of pieces, I may set aside a bin or a box to keep it all together. Not surprisingly, I’m a bit of a fabric junkie. I think we all are aren’t we? I keep all of the fabric I design for Robert Kaufman on bolts on rolling shelves. Keeping them on bolts makes it easier for me to quickly get to what I need for a project or a giveaway. I like to share my fabric, so I do giveaways pretty frequently and its so much faster to cut fabric pulling from a bolt rather than pulling from a pile of fabric I have to stack and unsrack. Then I have big see through plastic bins that I store any of my other fabric in. Like everyone, I struggle to keep my stash organized but try to group things generally by color.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
I used to keep all of my very small scraps in a big bin and it was a giant mess. I never used the scraps because it was such a mess and nothing ever looked very appealing in there… So I saw a great image on flickr somewhere of someone using mason jars for scraps. So I picked up 10 large ones and use them for my scraps. So not only have they helped to keep me organized, they look really pretty.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
I love my green peg board. It was so easy to do (I just painted it and there are 2” wooden spacers behind the board that I used to both attach the board to the wall and it gives enough space behind the board to be able to put pegs in and out). I bought a few inexpensive shelves which just sit on top of a few pegs and used washi tape around the edges to pretty them up. It helps me keep off all of my cutting tools, rulers and my printed ribbon (for packaging) in an easy to get to spot and that way I don’t lose anything. I also have some fun little felt pieces I made up there, so it’s like my own little village. :)
I have few of my creations on display, but for the most part, I’ve displayed gifts that some of my lovely blog and Flickr friends have shared with me. I have quilts from Ashley from Film in the Fridge and from Rita at Red Pepper Quilts. And there’s a wonderful quillow (quit that folds into a pillow!) and pin cushion from Nova at A Cuppa and a Catchup. There’s my Polar Bear Rocket ship hanging from Alex at Teaginny Designs and my selvage whale from With Hugs N Stiches. And I have some wonderful wall hangings, pin cushions and bookmarks that were gifts as well. Each one lives in my studio and I treasure each and every piece. I’m always so touched by people’s generosity and their creativity and feel so blessed when people share something they’ve made with me.
In terms of my own crafts, you might notice in one of my pictures, there’s a resin deer head that I’ve decorated with some washi tape, but every time try to I hang it, my cat Dexter goes insane and wants to try to get to it, so I haven’t figured out a way to display it without making him bonkers. So for now, it just lives tucked into a shelf space and I’m hoping something will occur to me eventually.
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I keep a binder where I have mood boards and inspiration for designs. Its also filled with doodles and other goodies.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?
I really love my space so there’s not much I would change! I might consider adding floor to ceiling shelves and I wish I had a big comfy couch or chair in there. But other than that, I’m really happy with the space.