Gina's Blue Room

Come behind the scenes at Sleepy Eyes Knits for a #CraftRoomTour and see Gina's blue room in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

My favorite thing about my lovely craft space is how light and bright the room is and how every splendid item in the room makes me smile :)

Tell us about your space

My captivating craft space is around 11' x 14' and faces the backyard on the second floor. The south facing windows overlook our lovely pool, handmade stone patio, towering pine trees, delicate purple lilac bushes and white arbor surrounded by beautiful, tricolor rose bushes. I'm so lucky to have this pleasing room all to myself! I use this room primarily to practice watercolor painting, sketch, knit on projects (which is currently a super nice sweater), read my books (always reading at least one fiction and non fiction book!) and to have a place to peacefully and quietly meditate. In the closet, I have an impressive Agatha Christie book collection, archery equipment, yarn & needles, sewing supplies and some shimmery hula hoops waiting to play.

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

The very first step I took to make the space cozy and inspiring was to paint the room with the most calming (but also uplifting) color named "Tropical Waters". It truly transformed the room from a little boy's bedroom into a beautiful craft space. With my husband's help, we painted the walls and added teeny tiny, LED fairy lights around the perimeter of the ceiling. At night, the room becomes a magical oasis for peaceful mediation and relaxation. During the day, the crisp, bright sunlight is perfect for painting, knitting and reading. I added gorgeously green potted plants, books I can't live without, a comfy corner chair, a super simple artist's desk from IKEA, colorful yoga cushions and a sprinkling of sparkly crystals, candles and salt lamps.

How do you keep organized?

Generally, I'm a very organized person, so staying organized is not at all difficult for me. I actually love it! (Once, I organized my kids' LEGO blocks by color and shape just for fun...lol) I believe that the most important way to keep organized is to make sure that everything you own has a home. I also like to keep similar items together (either in a box, basket or tin) so that I always know where to go when I need something. I find that keeping things simple is helpful, too. If I have an overabundance of craft items or books (and I can't even remember what I have), I feel overwhelmed and a little anxious. When I pare things down to the essentials (my absolute favorite brushes, paints, paper, etc), I am more easily able to focus and concentrate on creativity.

Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?

Reuse, re-purpose or buy baskets and tins from a local thrift shop or antique store. I use different boxes or baskets (and even pretty glass vases) to store yarn, needles, paint, brushes, journals, paper, pencils/markers and any other crafty items. When you reuse an item you're not only helping the planet by buying less stuff, but you're adding a unique piece to your personal room that showcases your own individual style and taste. I like using old tins to store tiny paint tubes, sassy stickers and enchanting odds & ends. Another idea is to organize your books either by subject and then height OR by color only. (You could try this with yarn, pens, paints and other items, too!)

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

One of my favorite possessions (in this craft room) is a New Hampshire mountain oil painting by my Great Aunt Roberta. She is the person who shared the spark to adore all things clever and crafty. She taught me how to crochet, paint, sew and draw and gave me my very first sewing basket and other engaging art supplies. Another favorite item in my room is a drawing that my son Benji drew of the two of us looking at each other and smiling. It makes my heart sing when I look at it! I also love the pretty watercolor palette that my daughter Rosalyn bought for me and an adorable mini painting of a birthday cupcake gifted to me by my sister-in-law, Felice...who is an amazing artist herself! My husband Ian surprised me with a Monstera Deliciosa plant (my first!) and seeing it next to my desk each day provides me with such loving and positive energy. I feel as if I'm surrounded by not only practical items, but items that bring peace, joy and deep happiness!

How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?

I keep and organize my inspirational ideas using two sweet, simple journals. I have one for sketches/watercolors and one for knitting designs/projects. I love using 100% recycled paper journals and, especially, journals that use plant paper or have minimal packaging. I used to buy only the most exquisite, hardcover journals (so expensive!) and I found that I would never use them because they were too intimidating. I could barely allow myself to scribble a note on them in pencil, never mind a fancy felt tip marker! Now, I can just relax, scratch and scribble to my heart's content and add anything I like without fear of perfection.

Where do you look for inspiration?

I primarily look to Instagram for inspiration. It's super handy to save or bookmark favorite Instagram posts in special folders so that, when I'm down and out, I can delve into the collection I've created and soak up the creative juice! There's always someone who shares a post that will electrify my mind and get the gears going!

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

Oh, such a hard question! I tend to want to keep the space open, light and minimal so there's not too much I would add to make my room perfect. But, someday, I would love to have a handwoven, natural fiber rug; a white wicker chaise lounge with bamboo cushions and a few large, luxurious plants. I've had my heart set on a snazzy snake plant and graceful Bird of Paradise plant for a while. I'm so grateful that I even have this room all to myself that it could stay the same forever and I would still be incredibly and lovingly thankful to my family for agreeing to let me have this beautiful and harmonious space. I love it (and them!) so much :D