Age and Change

Another birthday has come and gone.  Each year on my birthday I like to reflect on the year that has passed and think about what I want for my life in the coming year.

As I get older, and each year feels shorter in relation to the years I have lived, I feel a greater need to make sure that I am living the life I want.   This year I made a difficult choice that made me incredibly sad but, when I thought about how not making that choice was affecting me, I knew it was necessary.  I also started the long, slow process of clearing out clutter and organizing my life.  I crave peace and order in all areas of my life.

I had a huge yard sale and got rid of years of accumulated stuff.  I have to admit that I have regretted selling a few things but the alternative would be to hang onto everything just in case I thought I might need it someday.  I created a budget and put all of my financial paperwork in order so I know exactly how unlikely it is that I will be able to retire when I had hoped I could.  I completely reorganized my studio and reminded myself that if I would just use all my accumulated stuff to produce and sell all the art I could make with all that wonderful stuff, instead of buying more wonderful stuff, I really could retire when I hoped.

I have also discovered something about myself recently.  I need colour!  I'm ready for my 70's earth tones to take a hiatus.  So as a birthday gift to myself, I bought some bright new cushions on sale and pulled in a few other lively pieces from here and there in the house for a fresh look in my living room.

My refreshed living room

This year I plan to finish the work on my house, create art most days using what I already have, and to do my best to stay healthy.

Where Bloggers Create 2011

I just did a complete reorganization of my own studio space this month, and posted it here on my blog.  You can find it in the post right below this one or by clicking on my studio tour on the side bar.  I look forward to picking up some more great ideas on this tour but I'm  going to have to wait to implement them at least until I've lived with my present arrangement long enough to know what works.

For more inspiration for your creative space, starting on July 15th, you'll want to visit lots of  the featured studios at Where Bloggers Create 2011.  You don't have to rush.  Karen Valentine from My Desert Cottage, the event host, keeps the list posted all year. 

Studio Reorganization Number ?

I love organizing my studio!  I have no idea how many times I've tweaked it in the past 3 years but I'm sure this won't be the last.  I get an idea in my head for one small change and before you know it the whole room is upside down and I'm as happy as a pig in mud!  Maybe this time I'll let it be long enough to remember where I've stored everything.

View from the hallway.

Pottery, mosaics and stained glass.  The stained glass is in a unit that stored old LPs and singles at the local radio station where my husband was a DJ.

This big drafting table is one of the few pieces that has stayed in the same place through every reorganization.  The area in the corner is for my encaustic work.  It's higher so I can stand while I work and the window allows ventilation.

Ice cube trays from the Dollar Store make great storage for all my little charms, brads and beading supplies.  This shallow drawer unit is from Ikea.

Old pop caddies are perfect for keeping tools accessible.  Plastic cups help contain smaller items.

Wet zone for soap and paper making and dyeing fabric.

These map files hold my pressed flowers, larger sheets of paper and stamps.

This old microfiche cabinet was an auction find and it currently holds all of my different paints as well as batik, bookbinding, printmaking and silkscreen supplies.  Can you believe I once gave it to my husband to use for his tools!?  He wasn't surprised when I asked for it back.

Books and other reference materials and packaging supplies live here.  The armoire holds canvases and frames.

Now that my space is all organized and I have the whole summer ahead of me, I'm ready to create!  I worked on this encaustic piece while I worked on my studio.

Birch 2 - Encaustic - 12x12 on cradled wood panel