Last of the Studio Pix

Here's some random shots from the studio that didn't make it into the last couple of posts.

 

Iron organization. One shelf in the armoire is dedicated to 'fabric care'. For a person who loathes to iron, I've certainly got some serious machinery. That's the Oliso on the left and next to it is a Reliable. Love them both, occasionally (twice a year) use them on clothes that need to come out of the bottomless pit I call my ironing basket. (If I heeded my own advice about ridding myself of 'things' that haven't been used for 2 years, I wouldn't even have an ironing basket!).

One of the shelves of pincushions on display.

Just some random (but well-coordinated) items I found to display in this small wall cube. That's a very old wooden spool of button thread, one of my needlepoint needles from the 1970s, and a little doll that my daughter played with when she was 2 (I plucked it out of an old typesetters case full of little trinkets that's lived under the armoire in our bedroom for the past 8 years or so (for safekeeping/lack of better place to put it). Funny how I knew exactly where to find that doll when I put that cube together.

 

While I would love to have the Ikea hexagon clock (I'm far too lazy to drive to the nearest Ikea just for that), I had this old wall clock (a promotional item from a pharmaceutical company) hanging in my workroom. I just opened it up, slipped in a piece of 'quilty' scrapbook paper cut into a circle, and wah la! spiffy studio clock.

 

Every once in a while I slip into eBay (also known as let's buy things we really don't need) mode. Somehow I tripped over these old 'Sewing Susan' needle kits. I bought a couple and displayed them in an inexpensive frame from Michaels--more studio 'art'.

Even the tops of the bookshelves and studio furniture are display spaces. They are also the places I keep 'the poinsettias that won't die'.

This one is 3 or 4 years old. They won't die, and they don't flower. I have no idea why I've kept them. I will tell you this....the 11 poinsettias I acquired this season were not so fortunate.

 

I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for decorative boxes. Always have been. This stack holds various fabrics and the 'carry all' at the top was something I bought to cart Vintage Rouge around while it was under construction. You can pick these up at Michaels, JoAnn, Tuesday Morning, Marshalls, Old Time Pottery.....they're all over, and always on sale. Colorful, decorative, stackable storage, that you can use anywhere in your home. And bonus...they keep your fabric away from the dust and the light.

You don't have to go out and spend money on 'fun' decorative boxes. Keep your eyes open for free ones. (Did you know that a lot of appliquers will ask their local pizza joint for a free clean pizza box or two---these are the perfect size for holding their Baltimore applique blocks). This large, sturdy box comes from one of our local Mexican restaurants. (They cater the occasional lunch at our office and this is what the food containers arrive in...I snag the clean boxes when I can).

It's the prefect storage space for my not quite started applique quilt called 'Fiesta'. (Seriously! How appropriate is that box!!)

And finally, no creative space is complete without a little fairy to add some magic. My disheveled fairy has an affinity for thread. (Who doesn't).

That about wraps it up for organization tips and studio pix. I hope I've entertained you, and I especially hope I was able to share a couple of tips that will work as well for you as they do for me.

I took vacation days today and tomorrow to clean the rest of the house, finish putting away Christmas, and welcome some out of town guests who are spending the night on Thursday. After that  it's nose to the grindstone and back to some serious sewing. I'll be back to share my progress once I've made some.

Enjoy your week, stay warm, and stay creative.