October 9, 2010

A Can of Inspiration

The walls in my new craftroom have been beige-yellow since we moved in March. I finally realize that yellow is just not my colour. I can't think in it... it gives me no inspiration. It took me weeks to choose a colour for my walls. I already knew that I wanted my favourite colour~ dusty aqua... little did I realize just how many dusty aquas there were at the local hardware store! I finally narrowed it down to 3 paint chips but one stood out above the others...

How could anyone possibly resist a can of paint called "Garden Party"?! I had to have it!!




I took all these photos just after I moved everything back into the room. Of course it will never be this clean again! Here is one of those staged photos with a quilt top I haven't worked on in years...



And here is my computer shelf (not really a desk) with my best friend Mac and my awesome Ikea step stool that I sit on. I know if my bum is numb that I have been sitting at the computer too long and need to get some sewing done!



And here is my lovely built-in looking bookcase! I used 5 Ikea DVD shelves, some moulding to fit between, and some narrow shelves to sit on top. I finished the whole thing off with my super fancy scallop trim I cut from cardstock. Cardstock has never made such a huge impact before! Eventually I would like to replace it with something a bit more durable...





Here is what it looked like before the trim and scallops. I also had to cut a hole in the back of one bookcase for the electrical outlet. That is why one bookcase was pulled away from the wall...



Removing the doors and wire shelving, and painting over the faux clouds, made a huge difference in the closet. The closet has become part of the room now and makes it look much larger too! Too bad that lovely hardwood floor doesn't continue under the carpet...



My craftroom doubles as a guestroom or a place to crash if I have worked much too late! I originally had the couch-bed facing the computer...




This week, I have turned the couch-bed to face the closet. It gives me much more floor room to lay out projects and to sandwich quilts :o)



I finished painting my room 3 weeks ago, just in time for a big interview. Penny & Bill ~world-traveling freelance writers, quilters, artists and storytellers extraordinaire~ drove all the way from the UK to interview me! Okay, I admit I was sort of on their route around the world but they had discovered me on the internet many months back and decided to write a magazine article about me with intentions to pitch it to British Patchwork & Quilting magazine. Let's cross our fingers!

Meet Penny & Bill. We had a lovely visit with them and had fun getting the tour of their traveling home! Visit their blog, Ageing Overlanders and be sure to check out their travel diary!



I'm throwing in a photo of the bird I made for Claire while Penny & Bill were visiting. Claire was so happy that she had a new basket that looked like a nest. She put a few plastic easter eggs in it and sat her bunny stuffy on top. I mentioned that bunnies don't really lays eggs (just the easter bunny of course). OOPS! She threw up her arms in horror and frantically repeated over & over that she didn't have a bird stuffy. Mommy to the rescue...



Enjoy your afternoon tea & quilted crafts :o)

46 comments :

  1. so beautifull pictures- its wonderfull!!!
    what for a happyness to work in this room!!!
    my kindest regards to you
    Angela

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  2. This room and all its contents are awesome!
    Enjoy!

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  3. What an amazing space..I love the green for the walls..perfect choice.

    Thanks for the tour ;o)

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  4. wow, a beautiful, magical work .

    liebe Grüße
    agnes

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  5. Your craft room is lovely. I like what you did to the shelves looks great.

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  6. A veritable nest! I would like to be there when you work and have a craft room like your for me! :-)

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  7. Crazy what a bit of paint will do. The room looked fine in the yellow but this color makes it fabulous! Good luck on your pitch for the magazine.

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  8. Love your new craftroom , Garden Party is just perfect !

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  9. Lucky you! I would love having that much space!Nice.

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  10. What a gorgeous, inspiring space. Adorable bird, too.

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  11. Your room looks lovely. You picked such a soothing color. I really like the scallops on the fabric shelf, too. Enjoy your room!

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  12. What an amazing space! I love your tricks that made the fabric shelves look so great - hooray for cardstock!

    Love that bench by the window with the lovely baskets in a row. Have fun sewing in your new space!

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  13. Oh man...can I just move on in?? I don't mind sleeping on the couch! lol Very nice craftspace...and I love the new color, much better!
    Smiles, Karen

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  14. Your room looks so cheery and bright! My room is an utter disaster right now, but as soon as my daughter gets married...look out! I've got plans! :)

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  15. What a beautiful craft room you have! I am still dreaming to have one some day ...

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  16. I always keep asking myself if all this is true!!! Laurraine, your world is magic!!!

    Kisses!! Bela.

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  17. Este quarto é um sonho, e seus trabalhos são maravilhosos! Um lugar muito aconchegante, dá vontade de viver aí, nesse quarto doce e suave!
    Não me canso de admirar seu trabalho!
    Beijos Mô :)

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  18. your studio is lovely!! A beautiful makeover!

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  19. lovely room, i love that bench shelf and seat with the baskets. is that ikea as well? if so, what is the furniture called - looking for something just like that!

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  20. Credo che mi salverò queste immagini per avere un esempio di come dovrà essere la mia stanza degli hobby,
    se riuscirò mai ad averla...
    Ti invidio un pochino tanto....
    si può dire....
    Ciao Domenica

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  21. It's a such a beautiful workspace. Thank you for sharing.

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  22. Oh I wish I had an 'escape' space like this - just not a possibility at present - maybe some day

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  23. Your crafting room looks awesome. Very inspiring! Love the colors and all the little extras.

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  24. Sou apaixonada pelo seu trabalho, o seu ateliê e maravilhoso. I love her Blog, um forte abraça e Jesus ti abençoe.

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  25. I am loving your studio! Everything is just so pretty and very inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing. Have a lovely merry happpy week and love to yoU!

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  26. It's so beautiful your Blog/craftroom!! hugs
    lorena
    www.artes-da-tia-lo.blogspot.com

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  27. What a lovely craft room!!! I would like to have one exactly like yours.
    Can I copy your idea of the bookcases?
    I love your blog and your good taste for decorating.

    Greetings from Mallorca (Spain)
    I would be very happy if you visited my blog
    www.charopatch.blogspot.com

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  28. congratulation, your room is beautifull!!!
    Sorrisi...

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  29. Your craft space is absolutely stunning, Laurraine! I LOVE the colour!!! Doesn't it go so beautifully with the muted oranges that are so prevalent in your works?!! Stunning!! I love the idea with your book shelves too - they look great! :-)

    I love the photo of you with your visitors too! And I'm sure that Clare's eggs are so much happier with the warmth of the new birdie stuffies! :-)

    THanks for sharing!!
    Hugs! Vikki :-) x

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  30. it looks so good Laurraine! I can't believe I've not been over to see it in person yet! Soon, oh please be soon!

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  31. What an amazing craft room!!!

    Thank you for the tour :-)

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  32. Fantastic craft room! Fresh colors and airy atmosphere! Just love it :)

    Best wishes,
    Tatyana

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  33. Love your room, the color, the organization, the light, the space - everything! It's really great.

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  34. i've got some serious green-eyed stash-envy going on here!
    it's partly the sheer quantity of lovely fabric you have, and partly your very organised way you have stored it!
    it's so lovely to see :)

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  35. wow, this is the most ultimate craftroom I have ever seen! You must be so happy in it, I can understand it stimulates your creativity! I must admit I an jealous...
    Love, Maaike

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  36. Very lovely room. I so love the colors and the layout is fantastic. Best wishes!

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  37. Hi!
    I just found your blog by browsing through sewing blogs.

    Omg, what a wonderful work space you have! I love those piles of fabric, sorted out in color.

    And I love that bird, so cute!

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  38. ne kadar zevkli ve yeteneklisiniz,ne yapmışsanız harika olmuş,keşke ben de yapabilsem bunlardan
    sevgiler

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  39. Your room is beautiful. I would want to spend all of my free time in there! I appreciated you 'staged' comment...very funny:) Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy
    Lisa

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  40. Your studio is adorable. I love the color - it's so fresh! The scallop edge to the IKEA shelves is ingenious! Thanks so much for sharing your space with us.
    xo
    jeanne

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  41. That's wonderful! A dreaming! Congratulations!!

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  42. São lindos os seus trabalhos. Amei seu blog. Já estou te seguindo.
    Beijos
    Lena

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  43. Very jealous of you. You have a very cool craft room.

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  44. Picture me Garden-Party-green with envy -- your studio is simply stunning and so, so beautiful! I love what you did with the Billy shelves. It's given me some ideas how to improve the look of my library (which consists entirely of Billy shelves).

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