Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
This weeks winner is Carol of Dillman’s Dallies! You have won a pair of that awesome earring tree from Miss Fickle Media. Please email Shannon with your address so she can ship that off to you.
And now we’ll join Lori Anderson in her studio…
Today I’m going to give you a bit of a tour through my studio. This might take a little bit, because I don’t have ONE studio, but a lampwork studio, a work space, and an office. All three handle distinctly different things, and I love them all for distinctly different reasons.
So grab a drink and a snack and settle in, why don’t you?
We’ll start first with my work space — the kitchen table.
(Click all the photos for a larger look).
I found a desk organizer from TJMaxx that is perfect for my tool caddy. The drawer holds beading wire, files, and tools I use every day (I have a tool box, a large cookie jar, and a tray for the random tools that I use on occasion but still MUST have). I use a self-healing cutting mat and cover it with a Vellux beading pad (secured with clips) for my work surface. I LOVE the blue mat because it has a ruler at the bottom. Very handy.
To the left of the beading area is a wooden tray (a silverware tray from IKEA). I keep a bunch of beading supplies in it that I need at hand for the day in this nifty little gadget.
Behind my chair is my bead cabinet, made by Collectors Cabinets. LOVE this cabinet. It holds a million beads so I’m not sure why there are a million and a half scattered all over my table, but… you know what it’s like.
The top drawers hold a plastic tackle box easily with room at the front and sides for overage, and the bottom can hold either two tackle boxes or, as you can see by my system, a heck-ton of baggies.
I like working at my kitchen table for many reasons. I can look outside through the double sliding doors (my lampwork studio is right in view), and since we have an open plan first floor, I can enjoy my family while I’m working on jewelry.
Now on to the work horse of the Lori Anderson Designs operation — the office.
Running a jewelry business is my full-time job. I’m a single-person company, getting help only when my husband sets up and takes down my booth and tent at craft shows. Most of the time, I’m sitting at this desk, writing blog articles, updating my web site, PhotoShopping pictures, writing invoices, entering receipts, organizing marketing plans, applying to shows, wrapping packages, etc. And etc. And…. etc.
A quick tour. On the left side : the pink metal lunch box holds pretty greeting cards as I like to send customers and colleagues snail mail from time to time. Underneath, I store jewelry boxes (I’m running low, I see). A rack of file folders takes up the rest of the left side of the desk. On the right side, on the printer, is my stack of marketing postcards and my Zentangle box. Above the desk is my collection of Swarovski crystal snowflakes.
Next to the desk is my credenza filled with boring files and receipts, but it’s topped with some interesting inspiration — two very vintage typewriters. I learned to type on a manual typewriter when I was eight and have been tested out on typing at a speed of 90-120 wpm. I started writing stories when I was six. So when I look over at those typewriters, I get inspired. I think, YES, even beyond making jewelry, there are other things I can do.
Next comes my photo staging area, which is relatively new since I put away my light tent and professional lamps.
I love this darned table. Sometimes when I’m stumped or tired out or even sad, I can twirl around in my desk chair and just stare at this table. It’s so full of STUFF!
The shelf above holds a mix of modern and vintage — a handmade doll by Vanessa Valencia, a pottery fish by a friend of mine in the craft show biz, a bottle collection, and an old camera. On the table are old ledgers, fabric boxes, pieces of wood, another vintage typewriter (and next to it, a vintage tin toy typewriter), vases, bits and bobs, all things that I have bought, found, or been gifted that either will make a cool photo prop or just makes my studio feel pretty.
Barely out of the picture in the bottom right, you can see my metal work table, where I can pound rivets and punch metal. Cool table, inexpensively purchased at Harbor Freight (click here) for $28. Expect to curse a little when putting it together, though, unless you were a bit more clever than either me or my husband!
I have a lot of beading books in my office bookcase, too.
Now let’s go outside to the lampwork studio!
The lampwork studio is very new (built last year) and I only torch a few months out of the year because I don’t have enough hours in the day to keep up with making jewelry for the various shows and projects I have going on. One day, that may change, but for now, it’s where I run to when I need a zen moment. There’s nothing else you can think about when you’re melting glass BUT the glass. Start worrying about bills, the kids, or the number of cookies you ate before dinner, and you’re liable to either burn yourself or your beads will rebel and look at you with reproachful eyes. (“Dear. I know you can do better than THAT.”)
Here’s my studio being built.
I found an L-shaped desk (again, at IKEA) and I covered the top with ceramic tile to create a fire-proof surface. Then, before the torch was even lit, the interior designer in me went to work.
There had to be a mural in one corner…
…and as you can see, the walls and part of the ceiling are painted in three different colors. I added a chill-out space to relax and read up on how-to books and tutorials that I store in pretty boxes by the chair. (What? Doesn’t every studio have a fake tree?).
My glass storage on my actual work bench is heavy-bottomed square glass vases from Pottery Barn. For mass-glass storage, though, I needed something bigger, and one day, in an antique barn in Pennsylvania, I found it — an old postal sorting bin made out of oak. I BARELY got it to fit in the van, but after three men sweat and swore and shoved, we got it in with only a few splinters to show for it. And it’s perfect.
Those pink and purple curtains you see to the top right swing down and cover the whole shebang for dust protection, and also to cover the storage-of-stuff shelves that AREN’T pretty above the sorting bin. That sorting bin? It’s five feet (at least) wide and four feet-ish tall. Cooooool beans.
I hope you enjoyed your tour — it was a long one, wasn’t it? But since my job is pretty much a 24/7 deal, I surround myself with pretty, interesting things no matter what room I happen to work in. I think it’s important to find a way to make your space your own, whether it’s a corner of the basement or a full-fledged studio space. After all, the first thing a visitor to your realm will see is how it’s decorated, and it should be a reflection of yourself.
Whether your studio is on your kitchen table or spread across your home, how have you made that space feel more creative? Leave a comment for a chance to win this ceramic bird pendant by Spirited Earth.
Now go out, create, and decorate!
Lori Anderson is a full-time jewelry designer residing in Maryland. She writes the blog Pretty Things, and you can see her work at Lori Anderson Designs.
Connie Eyberg Originals
February 19, 2011 at 4:50 pmLori, your office, work area and studio are all beautiful. I love the lampwork studio. I also really like your table full of 'stuff'! Your wall color is one of my favorite colors as well. I will be posting a link to this post on my studio solutions blog this weekend. Thanks for the inspiration! Connie
m.e.
February 19, 2011 at 5:13 pmI can not thank you enough for this post!!!
Up until now I've been reluctant to share the truth about my "studio "
But ,now feel if a pro can work in her kitchen it must be OK!
I really don't want to move my work place.My kitchen and family room are one space.I can visit with my family ,listen to TV with my Hubby even keep a eye on dinner cooking …all while I make beads!
At last I'm free to share my secret …my studio is a huge old oak table I inherited from my grandmother….and…. it's in my kitchen!!! m.e. 🙂
Shirley
February 19, 2011 at 5:35 pmGood grief Lori, every time I read something from you, I end up with another bookmark to a website!! I love the Zentangle website, heading over there right now. And the table from Harbor Freight is the bomb.
Most of all, I appreciate your ending, about surrounding yourself with things that say "Me".
(And I"m so coming up there to steal that postage sorter!)
Happy Day!
cjvierow
February 19, 2011 at 6:18 pmLooking at your work spaces, it's really easy to understand why you are so creative. Love the bead storage hutch! CJ
Erin S
February 19, 2011 at 6:24 pmI use a spare bedroom as my jewelry studio, but its completely boring and undecorated with the most ugly open shelves and clear plastic boxes strewn everywhere. I'm increasingly disgusted by my space. Hopefully I'll get some real cabinetry in soon and find some mojo to organize and decorate.
Erin S
*jean*
February 19, 2011 at 6:29 pmwhat a gorgeous space you have created for yourself! wowweeee beautiful!
sundownbeaddesigns
February 19, 2011 at 6:32 pmLori, your space is so pretty and organized. I work best, creatively, in disarray, crazy b/c i'm not like that in my "real" life. I love to post pictures and doodle in my sketchpad in my workshop, it always gets me moving. Thanks for sharing your space.
somethingunique
February 19, 2011 at 6:40 pmAs usual Lori you are an inspiration to all i admire you. Your studio space does help to inspire does it not. i surround my self with things that inspire me like pics of my children & my furry friend sabre doo,as well as inspirational quotes & thoughts i have posted around me. thanks for the chance to win.
fireflymyst
February 19, 2011 at 6:58 pmLove your post today! Great lampwork studio. Did your husband build it?
balanced.
February 19, 2011 at 7:15 pmGosh, what lovely spaces to work in!!
That beading cabinet has me jealous.
In my creative space I'm surrounded by colours that make me feel calm, for me that's a light green/white/rusty orange. I feel relaxed as soon as I enter and that in turn inspires my creativity.
Alice
February 19, 2011 at 7:31 pmA lovely studio! I like all your storage solutions and may have to steal some ideas. My studio quadruples as our diningroom, home show, and, unfortunately, our recycle center. Not much in the way of inspiration here, but it works for now.
moonlitfantaseas
February 19, 2011 at 7:45 pmI love your work space! I have a spare bed room that I converted to be my studio, with a scrap box work station that I adapted for storing a good portion of my bead boxes…..I have an industrial mag light that I have to use to bead, because my eyes have gotten so bad, so I can only bead in that room, which is probably a good thing, this way my beady stuff isn't spread all over the house……
Louise
February 19, 2011 at 8:34 pmIf only! I could get myself to start to think nice place to work . Yours inspire me but I am too lazy.
I just love your typewriters! Not bead related but that is what cought my eye.
Off the Beadin' Path
February 19, 2011 at 8:47 pmHey up there in the comment list, M.E., I too have an oak table that I refinished years ago. It's in my kitchen where I work by the highly desired window and enjoy summer breezes. It got so out of control, aka too small, so now I'm almost done with the process of setting up in my basement office. There are already plenty of photos and framed pictures of our favorite places, just need to re-position those and add some personal mementos. I don't have the grand luxury of space for an antique typewriter, but I spotted it right away in Lori's photos. Very fun and cool. That's where I would put my paper-cutter! Thanks for the time and effort you put into this post, Lori!
vintagesusie & wings
February 19, 2011 at 8:50 pmI always LOVE to find out a little more about my friends & getting to come tour your studios has been so special!
You are so amazingly creative & yet organized, I now can see why! You office is fabulous, but that lampwork studio is incredible!! I'm so jealous. {not only that you have such a cool studio, but that you know how to make glass beads}
All my jewelry design happens on my favorite thing…my cal king bed! Not the most practical place to create, but in a 2 bedroom 1 bath house with a 5 year old running around…it's a great large space I can spread all my goodies out on & KNOW no one will touch anything. lol
Thanks for sharing Lori…maybe someday I can come over & we can play BEADS!!!!
Hugs,
Susie
Christine'sCreations
February 19, 2011 at 8:54 pmI love your post. It inspires me to organize. In my space I hung old metal garden rakes without their handles on the wall. I can hang my jewelry from them.
Gail W.
February 19, 2011 at 9:43 pmYou are so organized!I love the cabinet that holds your beads,and the wall thing which holds your glass rods.I have one of those&tried putting beads in it,but my cat had a ball knoking them out,or carring the plastic baggies out.One day last week at a consignment shop in Belmont,N.C.,I found a octangular 6' high wood thing that goes round & round,and has triangular little numbered drawers in it,about 1000 drawers.Its antique,but my mom bought it for me!It's perfect for beads.I can't wait to get it home and start organizing beads!
Amy
February 19, 2011 at 10:18 pmLove this in depth look into your creative space. You should also be featured in Where Women Create!
Please include me in the drawing. I love birds and that little guy is adorable!
KJ
February 19, 2011 at 10:20 pmI really enjoyed your post/tour. I had to click on the bead storage system. I love anything that helps "organize."
I would love to hear more about why you went from a light tent to a photo staging area. I just ordered my first light cube, and even wrote a blog post about it.
Again, it was a really enjoyable post.
Nicole Valentine-Rimmer
February 19, 2011 at 10:31 pmI love seeing others work space. You are very tidy! I may steal your curtain idea over your glass storage as mine gets very dusty fast. Thanks for giving us a tour!
Pam Chesbro
February 19, 2011 at 10:41 pmHeavens…had to go out and look at Zentangle. Now, I fear, I have to have a Zentangle box of my own. You have a marvelous studio. Like your designs, it provides a lovely inspiration to me.
Marbella Jewelry Designs
February 19, 2011 at 10:45 pmyour work space, etc are beautiful! i agree surrounding yourself with things that you like and that inspire you is important. i love the lightness of your space too!
Michelle L.
February 19, 2011 at 10:59 pmOh, you lucky ducky! I want your studio!! The building is the cutest and the interior is all fitted up with all the amenities. Thanks for the chance to win the birdie, it is beautiful!
coffeeaddict
February 19, 2011 at 11:03 pmOh Gosh, pretty beyomd words. I guess this gives an intirely new meaning to yo yor blog Pretty things, I mean who wouldn't be inspired in this amazing atmosphere.
My work place is my computer desk in our kitchen/living area. As I have various hobbies my supplies are scattered al over the apartment and I bring them all on this desk where I work and spend most of my day. I don't kkep many other things on this desk other than the essential tools and some pretty photos.
raquel roysdon
February 19, 2011 at 11:14 pmLori I admire you more and more with each part of your life that you share. I make my "bead room" more cozy with candles and flowers.
Sometimes I'll listen to my ipod when I'm creating. Other times I'll have on my tv with shows I've recorded. I love the quiet most of all.
I would love that pendant!
Sweet Willow Designs
February 19, 2011 at 11:15 pmLori, thanks for the chance to peek into your studio(s). I'm lucky to have built up a wonderful studio space that is well stocked, efficiently lighted and "appropriately" located. However, I find my favorite spot is in the family room where I can feel connected with everyone. It's a cozy place with a very battered old coffee table with drawers that I use as my work surface. Wouldn't end up in any decorating magazines, but it's perfect for me.
Davinia
February 19, 2011 at 11:26 pmHow wonderful to have a separate studio for your lampwork. It looks so pretty and serene and must be very relaxing to spend time in there. The rest of your work areas are great too, very organised and inspirational and a testament to the beautiful jewelery you create. Thank you for the tour and sharing your ideas.
stacilouise
February 19, 2011 at 11:28 pmI finally got a studio (ie: the spare room) a month ago. I got out all my old art work, and prints of my favorite artists and hung them up…added some cool pottery, bright batik'd curtains that don't match each other, and hung up my favorite little things everywhere. Now I feel like I have a space all to myself, and I love it. evrything in there inspires me in one way or another!!!
Eileen Bergen
February 19, 2011 at 11:35 pmLori, thanks so much for the tour through your work spaces. Very inspiring.
To inspire and bring me pleasant thoughts in my craft room/office, I've pretty much covered the walls with: photos of things I've done that I'm especially pleased with; and doodles, ATCs and 2D gifts from crafty friends, especially angels … LOTS of angels!
Beth Bricker
February 20, 2011 at 12:00 amWow! I'm so envious of how neat and clean it is. This post inspires me to do some cleaning. I have the entire day tomorrow to do what I want, I think cleaning and purging in the studio is in order. Right now I'm making my jewelry on a t.v.tray in the living room because of the mess in my studio.
nichole
February 20, 2011 at 12:09 amYour work space is beautiful! Love the pink typewriter. Do you use that to write your blog? 😀
For My Sweet Daughter
February 20, 2011 at 1:06 amI love your work space(s) I am currently hoarding my kitchen island. It works for right now because my daughter is 19 months old so I need to keep an eye on her. I am hoping to have my own studio by the end of the year though. *fingers crossed*
rosebud101
February 20, 2011 at 1:58 amYou have some wonderful work spaces, Lori! I am soooooooo jealous!
rockcreekcreations
February 20, 2011 at 2:24 amI love your lampworking studio!! One day, I will have a little shed like that, but it will have windows along the one side. I;m not holding my breathe though, that's a long ways away!
K Blue
February 20, 2011 at 2:29 amI'm in awe of your work spaces. How amazing! You've created beautiful places to create your jewelry. Thank you for sharing!
Linda Landig
February 20, 2011 at 2:34 amWhat a lovely work space(s)! I have part of a spare bedroom. The best thing in the room is a 100 year old Hamilton Printers cabinet where I store most of my beads!
FryeStyle
February 20, 2011 at 2:39 amI like your set-up Lori. Three spots is much better than one! 🙂
It so easy to fill them up. The more space you get, the more beads it can accommodate. But it all looks very organized and inviting. Well done!
I like the sweet lampwork studio out back!
Carol B
February 20, 2011 at 3:41 amWhat pretty workspaces you have!!! I am seriously envious of that bead cabinet and the lampwork studio. I'd love to give Nan's little birdie a new home. My cats will behave, I promise.
tappingflamingo
February 20, 2011 at 3:42 amWOW, I'm jealous. You have a great work area. Lately, mine seems to be all over the house. I'm working on turning a spare bedroom into my craft area, but that is a work in progress. Especially since I've been busy with beading, and wedding stuff–my daughter is getting married in June, and we are doing a DIY wedding. Actually, I'm doing most of the work, since she is in her last semester of college and 1500 miles away 😛
By the way, I LOVE your cabinet!
charisdesigns
February 20, 2011 at 3:55 amLori- just found your blog a couple of weeks ago, and am so enjoying it. Thanks for sharing not one, but three work spaces! I'm transitioning into a new space and can't wait to add pretty things for inspiration!
Penny
February 20, 2011 at 3:56 amI originally started beading on my sewing table in my bedroom but my stuff starting taking over my room so I moved downstairs to the basement and I have been putting some things up to help with the creativity but I want more sunshine so I am looking for somewhere in the house that I can setup shop. I love your office and your lampwork space, the colors you have chosen and all of your favorite things remind me of peace.
IAM
February 20, 2011 at 3:58 amLori,
I love your organization. Since I've been trying to reorganize everything (a New Year's resolution) I really am inspired by what you've accomplished.
Thank you so much for allowing us the tour. I so appreciate it.
charisdesigns
February 20, 2011 at 3:58 amHey Lori- found your blog a few weeks ago and am so enjoying it! Thanks for sharing not just one, but THREE work spaces. I'm transitioning into a new beading space soon, and can't wait to surround myself with pretty things as I work.
Pixybug Designs
February 20, 2011 at 4:04 amLori, after reading about using the desk organizer, I have been looking at them when I shop, sadly none have worked yet. I love touring your studio, even when I have seen and read some of it before, it is always time well spent! :0)
MoonRae
February 20, 2011 at 4:44 amLori you are so sharing and inspirational!! Your space is wonderful and has given me a couple of ideas to organize my studio.Thanks so much for showing us around!
love ya
~Sharon~
bbonnieblue
February 20, 2011 at 4:55 amanother inspirational peek into your life…so many good ideas. I love your "stuff" that inspires and relaxes you. I work at my island in the kitchen – oh well – I work all over the house. I have my mixed media in the little old kitchen that serviced and fed many kids and now on my Gram's enamel table I create and stack and store my treasures. All of a sudden this is getting long so I think I'll blog about my work area later! Love your lamp work studio too. And I really love the giveaway birdie bead. I am a quilter too and picked up birds to applique and stencil today! It must be almost spring!
French Elegant Jewelry
February 20, 2011 at 5:17 amLove your office. It is so pretty. And love the little bird pedant.
stregata
February 20, 2011 at 6:41 amLove your creative spaces, Lori! But I adore your photo staging area – so full of gorgeous inspiration.
Now I really need to go re-organize my space…
Pretty Things
February 20, 2011 at 6:50 amfireflyst…no, the otudio started out as an Amish shed, and i hired contractors to add another window, A/C, insulation and ventilation.
indigo heart
February 20, 2011 at 6:51 ami love your spaces! so inspirational.
i bead in the living room with my sister. our business is called two sisters, and beading beside her is what keeps me creative.
beadworkbyh
February 20, 2011 at 7:57 amWow, what a wonderful working space you have, Lori!!
As for my own working space, I'm still stuck in the sofa with a bead board. The good news is that it's a good spot in the room, overlooking both our aquarium (colorful fishes!) and my beloved plants.
That pendant is very cute, I love it!
averilpam
February 20, 2011 at 11:05 amYour studio is amazing – I'm always so envious of people with proper studios but actually I'm happy working in the living room in my tiny house. I just wish I had more storage space (change that to I wish I had storage space!) It is good to work with all my stuff around me and the door/window to my garden in front of me.
Lois Moon
February 20, 2011 at 1:01 pmI have pictures, postcards, fabric swatches, pages torn from magazines, and assorted personal relics posted on the walls of my studio. Despite these attractions I tend to carry my projects around the house in those black plastic jewelry display trays. Each is lined with a white bead matte and this gives me a nice working surface and I still have room for tools.
steufel
February 20, 2011 at 1:02 pmOh Lori, thanks for the tour. Love your work place, especially your little photo corner. That is so clever!
Malin de Koning
February 20, 2011 at 1:17 pmSeriously – that cabinet of yours – I'm speechless!
Thanks for showing us around! Very inspiring.
cw
February 20, 2011 at 1:48 pmLori, first let me say I love your work. Next, your work space is brilliant! As an interior designer, I know the importance of creating a work space that is organized, comfortable and a happy place to be. You've blended it all together so well. I hope your inspiration and creativity will continue to blossom forever. Design is such a deep part of us, brought out by creative thoughts, inspired by life around us.
Thanks for showing us your space. ' continued success!
Chris
The Filigree Garden
February 20, 2011 at 1:51 pmVery inspiring post! I love seeing creative work spaces. Very envious of that new studio space and that collectors cabinet is a dream! My "jewelry studio" is a mish mash of cheap or hand-me-down pieces and a sewing table in what used to be the guest room. I keep trying to make it pretty and organized, but somehow the beads and supplies won't cooperate. 😉
Jane
February 20, 2011 at 4:05 pmThank you for sharing your studio space! It is beautiful, and so organized. It screams creativity. My studio is what we use to call the wreck room when the kids were small and living at home. Now it has become a place where our grandchildren and I have lots of fun doing different projects.
lunedreams
February 20, 2011 at 4:14 pmI love your little lampwork studio! I would love a little detached space like that! I think it would be great fun to have either a gypsy caravan or a vintage airstream to do enameling and/or soldering in (neither of which i do at the moment), with appropriate ventilation of course. Your spaces look very functional and so "you"! You've achieved a high degree of organization while still keeping it funky. Takes some work and imagination!
CraftyHope
February 20, 2011 at 4:37 pmHoley Moley girl. . .I love your setup. Kitchen table or not, you've got at least three different spaces for your creative juices to flow. Just awesome.
I know I'm lucky enough to have one whole room for my craft space, but I'm always a little hesitant to show it. It's minimally decorated and mildly functional because it's busting at the seams with STUFF. Thank you for sharing your lovely spaces.
Valerie (Cline Jewels)
February 20, 2011 at 4:57 pmI have a studio that I generally work in but lately I have been beading at my computer desk.This way I can play on the computer for inspiration and watch T.V. or listen to music from my computer. I used to have it in my beading room but my husband cleaned it out and changed it around. Now I don't like it as much as I used to. I plan on gutting it out again and redoing it the way I want it and like it. That way I will spend time in there instead of my computer desk. LOL
Jane
February 20, 2011 at 5:24 pmMy "studio" is a desk completely covered with beads!!
Sissy and Jack's
February 20, 2011 at 5:30 pmI wish that my bead table looked so neat! Did you see my Bead Table Wednesday??
Cheers,
Stacy
Pips
February 20, 2011 at 7:24 pmJust loved looking around your studios. I just want to come and play! Not only do you have some brilliant storage ideas, but they are all so pretty too! Only having one very small desk (also from Ikea) as my "studio", it has to double as a clay table, jewellery bench, photography table, and office. I do get fed up with having to clear it two or three times a week to do different tasks on, but at least it is a dedicated work space – just dedicated to too many different tasks lol!! Thank you for letting me look around and be inspired by your space!
Tammy
February 20, 2011 at 8:02 pmI love seeing how others organize all their goodies. :0)
Attorney Angela Lund-Logan
February 20, 2011 at 8:14 pmAmazing. I am very inspired by your operation. The collector's cabinet is amazing. I am going to revamp my workspace. Thanks for the tour. It brightened my day.
Genea
February 20, 2011 at 8:29 pmThanks for showing us your studio, Lori 🙂 I always love to see people's creative areas.
Your lampworking studio looks pretty sweet and I am loving that L shaped desk. I often think I need something with 2 sides on it so I can swivel around on all sides to grab things I need 😉
Rebecca
February 20, 2011 at 8:36 pmI would love to win this gorgeous pendant! I'm so nosy, thanks for taking us so comprehensively through your work areas Lori – it's so fascinating to see how others work. I particularly love your 'staging area' – that painted wooden box is gorgeous! ANd the typewriters…so cool!
Valerie
February 20, 2011 at 11:59 pmMy creative space is a spare room, converted from attic space. It's painted my favorite color–warm yellow and decorated with many whimsical items that inspire me and make me feel good. Thank you for sharing your studios with us. I love seeing where fellow artist do their creating!
one-eared pig
February 21, 2011 at 12:20 amwow, simply amazing. So much color and inspiration!
Jennifer Pride
February 21, 2011 at 2:39 amOh my goodness! I wish I was that organized. You would shutter to see my "workspace"
sopha davenport
February 21, 2011 at 7:59 amHi Lori, I just found this site and you are on it!! Wow. Cool. I must ssay that I am currently uberwhelmed by your ability to continue to turn out the beautiful things you do and be so organized and do it in a fairly small amount of space. I have by now, taken over the entire downstairs of my house and have confiscated the living room as a "staging area". How long? Oh, a about a year. I stopped working about a year ago and think that going back to work will help the situation. Can I take simplicity lessons from you my dear? susanne/sopha davenport
SusanZ
February 21, 2011 at 1:01 pmLove your work spaces!! I'm crammed into a small corner of my bedroom to do beading.
Kelly J. R.
February 21, 2011 at 4:57 pmRight now I'm still developing my creative workspace. We got married in Aug. and when I moved into my husband's house, I requested a room all for myself. That is my workplace. Right now I have a bookcase filled with craft supplies like stamps, cards, envelopes, paints, inks, etc. I have an old kitchen table in the center of the room with my computer on it and lots of free space for working on projects. I just haven't finished setting the room up yet but I've been working on organizing all of my goodies and hanging a few artsy pieces from Etsy shops and friends.
roseworksjewelry
February 21, 2011 at 5:24 pmI'm so jealous! I have a one bedroom apartment and my stuff takes up half the living room LOL And it's no where near as organized >_> I should get on that eh?
Ruthie
quiltingjewel39
February 21, 2011 at 6:06 pmI love all the pretties in your spaces. My friend taught me that also-to surround yourself with pretty things that are meaningful to you. I find whether in my little studio or my office at work – it helps. I just work better!!
Retromodgirl
February 22, 2011 at 12:30 amI just discovered your blogs and this post so inspired me to create my own jewelry/art station some day! Love the wall color. Did you do the mural yourself? Very cool. Thank you for sharing your studio with everyone!
Eileen
February 22, 2011 at 2:47 pmYour workspaces are truly inspiring. I love how you work at your kitchen table to be near your family. Thanks for sharing a glimpse at your studios.
Evie's Tool Emporium
February 22, 2011 at 5:40 pmWow! Thank you for sharing!
swopemelmel
February 23, 2011 at 11:18 pmI work from the coffee table in our living room. I keep a picture of my Husband and our beautiful Boston Terrier in the front of my clear tool case, it always makes me smile. swopemelmel
Kari Homan Shannon
February 24, 2011 at 5:24 pmI think it's important just to have things around you that you love, and feel good just by looking at, (or smelling or touching, or hearing, or tasting, or ???) I am working on getting my garage cleaned out to set up a workshop so I can begin creating once more. I haven't made anything much in the five or so years since I've been out of grad school and I surely do miss it…
Blessings, and I really enjoyed my "tour" of your space…
Kari
Shaiha
February 24, 2011 at 9:46 pmI just love your work areas! My studio is now to the point that I will actually let people see it. I think that my favorite part is a mural that came with the room that is the symbol from the move Serenity. Just glancing at that and thinking on the word is enough to calm me down when something isn't going right.
HeadpinWear
March 6, 2011 at 3:30 pmNice work area!
I am not so organized 🙁
What a great feature, thanks for sharing.
Maybe I will work on my beading area today, your article definitely gave me inspiration 🙂
Pat
March 13, 2011 at 4:13 amWow! Just….Wow!
Pat-not-so-organized!