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 week’s winner is Melinda. Congratulations!
You have won a set of starfish charms by Heather Powers at Humblebeads. Send Heather an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you!
This week we’re in the studio of Lynn Davis, who has been going through big changes recently.
Hi, welcome to the studio. It’s still in the process of being unpacked. I recently made the major life decision to relocate from Missouri, where I was working for ten years at a corporate management job, down to Louisiana to be near my family.
It involved a lot of planning, hard work and effort, but since my last Studio Saturday post I am now fully moved to Central Louisiana and into my new house. The studio is in a small house a few blocks away, and I’ve got it almost totally unpacked now.
I’m one block away, walking distance, from my grandbaby and her parents. I get to visit with them almost every day, which makes it very special to be here. Exciting!
I had the studio packed away and the Etsy shop almost down to the bare walls during almost the whole of July, so my big project right now is to rebuild the Etsy shop and get all the studio functions back up and running full steam ahead now. Thanks very much to all of you who posted encouragement on my blog as I worked through all the relocation situations! You helped me very much and I appreciate you … and the full story about the new studio is there, if you want to know more and see pictures of the new setup.
I’ve been experimenting with new toggle clasp designs, these two have vines and grapes on them. If you answer the question below by commenting on this post you’ll win one of my new toggle clasps in hand cast pewter, with a dark patina. I think it would be great for a summertime nature bracelet!
If you could change one thing about your creativity location, what would it be? More space, bigger storage? Would you like more light, a better chair, or fewer interruptions? More tabletop space, or more drawers? What works for you now, and what do you wish was different. If you could wave a magic wand and add or remove one thing in your working spot, what would it be?
I’ve been giving these questions lots of thought lately, as I basically re-invent my creativity location, I’m wondering if you have any of these thoughts, too. So tell your story here, comment to reply to the question, and you might win one of my new vinyard toggle clasps!
Posted by Lynn Davis – for her the boxes are almost completely unpacked and the bruises are healing!
Patti
August 21, 2010 at 12:15 pmBecause of a life situation I am currently living with my wonderful friends! So I design in my room, from a recliner on storage tubs. But, I'm not complaining mind you, because- no.1, I have a place to work and no.2, I have chosen to make the best out of a difficult situation. But hey, who's says you have to have a fancy studio to create, right? Now, in my own studio room I could use more light, definately a more comfortable chair and with the poof of a wand I would instantly have more organized storage!
Barbara Bechtel
August 21, 2010 at 12:48 pmWhat an adorable little house. It is so cute! Or is that the studio?
Perfect!
I would love to have lots of shelves with a storage system devised. I dislike have boxes or bins stacked on top of each other and I feel like I'm constantly stacking and unstacking!
Alice
August 21, 2010 at 1:03 pmI've been following your move on your lovely blog. How great that you are so near your family, and have an entire house as a studio!
To answer the question, I would love to have a studio of my own. Currently I create jewelry at my dining room table. This means that I have to move everything when we have a dinner, or when I host a home show. Everything has to be portable and ready to go at the drop of a hat. I would love to have a space of my own please, magic wand.
Eileen Bergen
August 21, 2010 at 1:25 pmDefinitely more space. I'm an eclectic crafter and would love to have separate stations for different craft supplies and tools. To not have to put everything away and get out a whole new set of "toys" when I switch would be heaven!
ArtbymeCindy
August 21, 2010 at 1:31 pmJust organized and redecorated my studio. I love my new space but would like a bigger place. I also have the attic upstairs so would love to have regular wall on all four, would give me more space to put things on the wall.
Hugs
Heather
August 21, 2010 at 1:40 pmCongrats Lynn on almost completing all that really hard work that moving involves. I dread the day I have to move all my stashes but it would eliminate the need for motivation to reorganize and inventory.
My dream studio would be a three room casita in the garden of my yard with large windows, concrete floors for easy clean up, a large sink and lots of very spacious built in counters and shelves for storage everywhere. I would use each of the three rooms for my three artistic passions, one for polymer clay work, one for sewing and fiber art and one for beading. That way I could walk around my little casita and decide which project I fell like working on. I could leave creations in progress out on the counter until I was done. I would have a separate well ventilated oven for baking my clay in and My cat would only be allowed to visit and play with things if I invited her! I do have a spare bedroom where all my sewing stash and machines are but I usually do my beading and polymer clay on my dining table the supplies are stored in my china hutch. For me having a space where I can leave things out helps my creative process, when I am not sure what to do next I need to do other things and keep walking by and looking at the project until I feel I know what the next step should be. If I had a Magic Wand the one thing most important to me would be the easy care concrete floor.
PS Your toggles are great!!
EmandaJ
August 21, 2010 at 2:41 pmHi Lynn, I am so excited for you and pleased that you are so quickly settling in to your new life as a full-time artist — so lucky for you that you have a whole house as a studio!
I would need to turn the magic wand on myself to make me much less OCD (Hoarding tendencies!) so that I could get organized with all my stashes and learn to put things away where they belong. I love the Ikea look of tidy and organized, but can never seem to accomplish it myself.
Emanda
Wax Beach Artist
August 21, 2010 at 3:19 pmMore room Please…I need that magic wand! I have stuff piled ontop of stuff. Even my hubby said I need more room. Happily we are trying to purchase a larger house with a spot to build a studio right there on the property. Enjoy your new space!
Anna C.
August 21, 2010 at 3:31 pmIt's such a beautiful creative hub. I like the 'dreamy' vibe of the pictures… And Congratulations Lynn!
May all the positivity come with those big changes!
Sandy
August 21, 2010 at 3:36 pmWhat a lovely studio you have. How lucky are you?! When I am not watching my 5 grandbabies (all under the age of 6), my studio is my back patio. Here I get inspiration from the birds, rabbits, lizards, coyotes, bobcats, raptors and Sombrero Peak!
Erin Strother
August 21, 2010 at 3:47 pmthats an easy one…I took over the spare room in our house for beading a few years ago. We keep office supplies and random stuff in there and it has these super ugly old open shelves. I've been itching to finish the room with all new closed cabinetry and nice countertops, but there always seems to be a more pressing project that comes first. Maybe by christmas? thats what I said last summer…
Love those clasps! Hope I win!
Erin S.
Marbella Jewelry Designs
August 21, 2010 at 3:50 pmlot's of space and natural light. i have no studio right now as we just made a big move from CA to TN. i guess i'll settle for any space right now.
Paige
August 21, 2010 at 4:45 pmI've recently moved into a new bedroom (built just for me & my sister, to our specifications…yay!) at my parent's house. With that came an entire closet (although it's small) just for my beading/crafting supplies. And while I love having tripled my storage space, and doubled my work space, I would love more! In a perfect world I would have an entire room devoted to storage and workspace. I've already filled the closet since moving in, and when I first moved in there it was only 1/2 full.
I think I have a bead addiction.
LLYYNN - Lynn Davis
August 21, 2010 at 4:54 pmThe photo is the front of the new house where we live. The studio is several blocks away in the same neighborhood, I'm riding my bicycle back and forth these days. Saving on gas and getting exercise at the same time.
The studio is a small house but I can use all of it for storage, for working areas and I don't have to put everything way every day. Still, I try to keep things tidy. Just yesterday I started unpacking the loose beads and chains so I can make jewelry.
Thanks for the kind words and well wishes. And your ideas are very helpful!
Susanm
August 21, 2010 at 5:20 pmi would like a work space with natural light – I usually work on the couch at night with supplies spread over the dining room table. Luckily my spouse is very tolerant.
Congratulations on your new home and space.
WireMySoul
August 21, 2010 at 5:50 pmMy studio is in a basement bedroom with two tiny windows. What I would really love is a bigger, main floor room with bigger windows for more natural light.
Regina
August 21, 2010 at 6:10 pmCongratulations on your major move and best wishes with the new chapter of your life. It would be a dream to walk down to a house which would be my work place and studio. But that is a dream, right now I have a 'bead room' so space it not too much of an issue, what I sadly lack is the ability to stay organized. I am working on it and that would be a dream come true….
Jeannie
August 21, 2010 at 6:45 pmI'm just grateful to have a space for my studio. I just wish my cats would stay out and quit lounging on my desk. They keep a watchful eye on me. I don't have the heart to "remove" them.
maneki
August 21, 2010 at 6:57 pmYes, more room. Even something that looked big to begin with soon shrinks as the supplies multiply…
More specifically I'd love more open workspaces and not least one where I can be with my butan torch without fearing to set fire to the plastic box, synthetic fringe, paper flowers, zip bags and what ever else flammable that's already occupying my worktable. (Dare I say that I have to small worktables, both cluttered.) I like my creative chaos, but sometimes it can be a bit much. Still, a special place for my torch would be so appreciated.
Of cause more natural light would be nice too, but at the same time I like our current old windows…
Gail W.
August 21, 2010 at 9:06 pmYour new studio is wonderful!I like it very much.What I want is a room to myself,with lots of storage options.Oh,grandbaby crying.By!
Beatnheart
August 21, 2010 at 10:55 pmHappy Days!! This is all so wonderful…your world is coming together so beautifully. Congratulations!
yogavq
August 21, 2010 at 11:27 pmI would like more storage, it's hard to find things tucked away everywhere.
Vikki
Ellen
August 21, 2010 at 11:35 pmI would like for my studio to be twice the size that it is now – that would give room for more table space and more rolling carts for bead supplies. Then, if needed, I could roll the carts from room to room depending on my family's activities.
Lois Moon
August 21, 2010 at 11:38 pmYes to all the items in your list. I have a fairly large space for my studio, but I also share it with all my power tools for my other hobby – refinishing furniture. A few stray dressers, a sofa, some lamps that need work…and hundreds of books that don't seem to fit anyplace else. I work on an antique drafting table, but between seed beading, polyclay, metal clay, stringing, and wirework, my space is cramped. I would love better storage for my beads and jewelry tools. Right now as much as I can wrangle is in clear plastic boxes with tagged with label maker labels. I would love shallow printmaker style boxes that can slide into a print cabinet so I can see more of the stash at one time. Also, I'm having bad luck with lamps. I need one or two new daylight-fancy shmancy task lights that adjust. The last time I checked prices on that type of lamp, I almost had a stroke! Little by little I'm making progress.
Andrew Thornton
August 22, 2010 at 12:50 amYou've been there a fraction of the time I've been in my new home and already you have more unpacked!
I would definitely change things up in my space. Namely… MORE space! More counters and tables to spread things out. I'd also like to put in stainless steel counters or granite countertops for when I'm working with hot metal.
OH and if I could wave a magic wand a remove just one thing, I'd move the washer and dryer and move it into the bathroom. They weren't in my studio room when we got the place, but are now and they take up a lot of room.
LLYYNN - Lynn Davis
August 22, 2010 at 10:21 amThe sight of boxes makes me cringe these days, it feels like I've been living with them for months during the packing, staging and moving. The way the old basement studio in Missouri was arranged wasn't going to work in this new location, so I'm re-thinking where everything goes. But for certain I have a fire-safe table that I can use for the butane torch, and a water-safe place for the glass grinder. Other things I'm still figuring out. It's tricky because I'm not quite sure where things live now!
hula-la
August 22, 2010 at 1:22 pmMy "creativity location" seems to be all over my house. I have beading upstairs, knitting everywhere, paper crafting in the dining room, and bits and pieces of projects that travel from place to place. I wish my magic wand could "swish" it all into one airy, bright spot with feng shui to calmly move from one project to the next. My space now is referred to as "Creative Chaos".
Rustyroth
August 22, 2010 at 2:01 pmI would like to get the work area I have planned(and all parts purchased)assembled so it is possible to work. There has been some health problems in my family and seems my "hobby" keeps getting pushed back to lowest priority.
Klassy Joolz
August 22, 2010 at 2:53 pmWhat a wonderful house!!! Moving is never fun, but getting organized is the up side.
I currently work at my dining/kitchen nook table…I do have big big windows on all three sides of me so that is nice… However the table is quite full of all my projects…no room to eat…good thing we have a hugh kitchen counter top bar that sits six…so we can dine there.
My family puts up with my little creative mess…but I do get comments like "it would be nice to eat at the table". I do clean it up for the holidays and any other special occasion.
Soooo my wish would be to have my very own space…like a fabulous studio…"one" has to dream….
Enjoy your family, new home and studio!!!!
Skylar
August 22, 2010 at 3:03 pmWhat a beautiful studio home!
I would definitely like more space… I gave up my spare room/studio when a friend moved in 5 years ago and have been working out of a corner in the living room since then. Would love to have a room set up like a bead store, with beads hanging and seed beads organized to see all the colors. Sigh. Someday…
Connie
August 22, 2010 at 3:44 pm…better SEALED, SEE THRU storage.I live in hawaii. I have a large studio space, but since it is a separate steel building from the house, it is subject to being damp, (mildew! Mold!) bugs (centipedes, roaches (eeeww!), cane spiders and messy geckos. everything must be put away in covered containers.
cw
August 22, 2010 at 3:59 pmFirst of all, best of luck in your new situation. Time with family is priceless. It creates a spark of enthusiasm matched by nothing else. That alone gives you the incentive to design more creatively. A happy heart presents a whole different outlook on everyday life. Enjoy every minute of it, life is too short.
My studio is almost perfect. I have a window next to my desk that allows me to see all the colors and sounds of nature which feed my creativity and strong sense of color. A clean, cleared desk is a great start to a new design. If there was one thing I could change about my studio it would be to have my supplies well marked and easily accessible, color coded, of course! Most wanted: shelves and more shelves and containers full of everything you need when that creativity starts to bubble inside. I love your work, continued success. I wish you fun and excitement in creating your new studio. Enjoy it! It's a new beginning and exciting passage of your life.
Chris
Michelle Mach
August 22, 2010 at 10:12 pmI love the natural light from my one window, but I'd love to have more windows. I like that my studio's a place where I can just leave things in the middle of projects and don't need to continually put things away after each session. I recently fixed one problem in my studio–adding a thin rug under my beading table. Before, my beads were bouncing and rolling away when they fell off the table. Now I at least have a chance of finding them!
Linda Landig
August 23, 2010 at 2:13 pmI use the spare bedroom for my studio and I love it except….it has one very narrow window. I would use than magic wand to create a large window looking out on our front gardens!
Your toggle clasps are very lovely. I have my fingers crossed!
Sabine
August 23, 2010 at 3:31 pmI would add a really great work lamp. I have a work table, just need good lighting.
Ann
http://www.mycriticaleye.com
quiltingjewel39
August 23, 2010 at 4:13 pmFirst, I am so happy for your move – to be close to family is precious. I love your little house studio. You have settled in so quickly. I have my studio in a spare bedroom and one side is quilting and the other for jewelry. Jewelry is taking over and I would like more space and storage I think.
FiberBeads
August 24, 2010 at 3:23 amI think this studio has lots and lots of great Karma! The colors are light and airy and your life situation sounds ideal…to be near the family and the grands is priceless!
My studio is nearly perfect! The best part is my wall of slings that house all my fiber–yards of color and texture and all just a glance away. The only thing missing is the time to be here more often.
TesoriTrovati
August 24, 2010 at 2:08 pmYeah for new studio space! I think it is delightful that you have a place to call your own and not everyone is that lucky. I have a great studio space in my new home. I just dragged everything out and am slowly trying to rebuild it into something useable. I would love better lighting and a more permanent solution to the tables, like the counter tops that I had in my previous studio. And a better chair. I have this antique Hamilton printers cabinet that I am slowly dumping the entire baggie population into because I want to rid myself of plastic. It is standing in the way of me getting anything done! Can't wait to see more about your studio space, and you know I am loving those toggles, Lynn.
Enjoy the day!
Erin
TammyG
August 24, 2010 at 2:40 pmCongratulations and best of luck to you! I'm sure being close to your grandbaby will be worth all the trouble and angst to get there.
More than anything, I'd like to actually have a studio at home where I can lampwork. Right now, I have to drive to a local studio and pay for torch time. I'd also like a place I could set up my bead and wire stash and keep current projects sitting out.
Jan Vermillion-Thomason
August 24, 2010 at 8:13 pmI am crammed into what was once our breezeway. I had a studio – the smallest of our barns – and then one spring a few years ago it flooded twice during HEAVY rains. I had to quickly move up to the house – a third of the space.
I'm so crammed and have been out of commission so much that things just pile up on top of each other – when you're laid up as much as i am and you have a computer, shopping is a way to pass the time. LOL (There's nothing i need for my studio – and only a few tools i need for my jewelry making. you can read about it on my blog, http://www.polkadotbarn.blogspot.com, second post down – the one about hoarders. LOL
My wish? An assistant.
Shaiha
August 25, 2010 at 9:29 amWe are moving into our new home over Labor Day weekend and one of things that prompted this move was the fact that I wanted my own room for a studio. I wanted the space where I could leave things out without the cats stealing them. So I will have a spare bedroom on the main floor and a room in the basement where I can try out playing with glass.
Kae
August 26, 2010 at 10:27 pmMy own space! I currently live in a 1bdrm apt with spouse and kid! Oh to have shelves, and quiet of my own space….
swopemelmel
August 27, 2010 at 2:34 pmBefore I really got into jewelry designing and crafting, I had a spare room that we began using as storage space. I would give anything to have that room back as functional space. What a nice studio I have pictured in my head. Perhaps a yard sale is in my future, one BIG yard sale. LOL
Islandgirl
August 29, 2010 at 6:44 pmI have three spaces… My flameworking studio… needs more storage… my jewellery making area aka the family room needs a bigger floor 18 feet by 16 isn't big enough and my stained glass studio … well it's in the dungeon.. it comes complete with moat when it rains and a river running under my work table.. it also doesn't have heat which is an issue in the winter… so what I would like… is one large space with lots of light, heat and storage… I'm constantly running from the basement to the family room to the flameworking studio.. ( seperate building) and then there is my sandblaster which is in the garage… also unheated… half the time my air compressor is missing someone has borrowed it ….