Erin's Studio

Welcome to the first ever craft room tour on Cut Out + Keep. Each week, we're going to tour the craft rooms, studios and offices of our favourite artists, crafters and creators to pick up tips, tricks and inspiration for our own spaces. Today we head to Santa Monica to take a tour of Erin's serene and organized studio:

"My favorite thing about the space is that it is organized, although that has not always been the case!"

I share my space with my husband, Ben. We call it "the studio". It is one of two bedrooms in our Santa Monica apartment and is about 10' x 10' in size. The space is home to all of the tools and supplies that we use for freelance graphic design, illustration, photography, painting, bookbinding, teaching, sewing, packing Etsy orders, and more.

Is this also your work space?

Yes, this is also our work/office space. We each have our own desk. As much as I'd like to craft in multiple places, there isn't much room anywhere other than the standing height table in the center of the room. This is where we work on projects that are not computer-related. We must clean up our messes frequently, as we don't have the extra room to leave them out. I spend most of my time in the space working, although often my work can be fun. My favorite things to do are bookbinding projects and sewing projects.

What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?

Since the room is a bit small for the amount of equipment that it holds, we focused on creating a functional and organized space. I am often inspired by tools and materials themselves, so we store them in clear bins where they are easily visible and accessible. We added a few personal touches to the room by painting the walls a favorite color, and putting up cork boards where we can each pin up small bits of inspiration.

How do you keep organized?

Even though I am not a messy crafter, it is still sometimes difficult to organize my works in progress. The best thing I can do is to finish up one project completely before moving on to the next. Sometimes that just isn' t possible, though, and I end up moving piles of stuff from one spot to another, which isn't all that organized, I suppose! I have a large supply of papers and bookbinding supplies that I store in the studio closet. Thank goodness the closet is large! I also store large papers in a flat file under the window.

Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?

Although everyone has a different preference, my favorite way to organize supplies is on open shelving. That way everything is visible and easily accessible. Ben and I installed a basic set of storage shelving from IKEA across the entire length of the studio. We found a great selection of bins and boxes at the Container Store and divided up our tools and supplies among them. I placed cutting tools in one bin, drawing supplies in another, etc. When each item has a designated bin, cleanup is much easier. I placed the tools that I access most frequently in sliding clear drawers. Other tools and materials are stored in clear shoe bins. Printer papers and flat items are located in clearly labeled document boxes.

Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?

The collection of large sized papers within the flat file is probably my favorite supply. I love to collect papers when I travel, so I have memories associated with many of them. Sometimes I open a drawer just to look at all the beautiful colors and patterns. Most of my bookbinding projects are stored in the closet. A tiny collage is displayed near my computer and one of Ben's illustrations hangs over his desk.

How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?

There are three main places that I keep and organize my inspiration and ideas. The first spot is my sketchbook. I always keep it accessible and use it to jot down ideas on the go. Another place that I find and keep inspiration is on my computer. I have a photo library full of images that I refer to when looking for ideas. The third place is a file box, full of bits and pieces of paper and images that I collected over time. I divided up the inspirational bits among hanging file folders that I can look through when in need of tactile inspiration.

Where do you look for inspiration?

I often look first to tools and materials themselves and think of the possibilities. If I get stuck, then I like to refer to my sketchbook or collection of images and inspirational bits. Beyond that, I like to look at books (of all subjects) that may inspire new ideas.

If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream craft space?

I would love to have more workspace! If I could have more than one work table, or a larger work table, it would be a dream come true. It would also be nice to have the space to set up my sewing machines permanently, rather than having to get them out and put them away every time I use them. My third wish would be to have the space for a cozy chair or sofa where I could sit and think of ideas and sip a cup of tea.

Check out Erin's website to read her blog and see her gorgeous prints & homemade books »