My Studio

It's time to reveal my studio! I'm still working out the bugs and the decor but all in all I am happy with the end results. This is the corner at the top of the stairs, the only thing unfinished is the door into the knee wall but that won't take long to do. I have ALL my painted on this one stand, a former bookshelf. What it best about it is the easel it leans on, it makes this unit mobile. The above paper towel holder is actually a paper spool, the other shelf holds my flat trim like rick rack and hem lace. Look close, Wooly is trying to figure out the open window. Here is the long shot of the big window, the rails are iron and heavy duty tin that matches all the way down the staircase. It's kinda french shabby chic.

Here is my craft station, you can see the current work on top my table, the white paper pinned to the wall is my notes on "The Village." The top of the bookcase holds my patterns both purchased and handmade. The small upright stand holds my stencils.

I tried to get the puzzle photographed but the room is not wide so it was a little difficult. The empty cubby is the felt that is out because it's being used. The tote is black, red, orange, yellow, gray and white yarn I use for doll hair.

Here is the long shot of the cubby wall, everything is sorted by copper, beading, embroidery, etc. boxes. All of the boxes are marked. I'm not happy with the stuff on the floor but it is overflow from the dressers and it has to be there until I use it. I've promised myself not to buy more items. Ha!

The corner looks very crowded, I have a chair that will be re-upholstered to match the curtains and the boxes on top the bookcase holds buttons, a button box! There is also a roly-poly that has embellishments in it. Those things really do work.

Here is where I stitch. I need to be careful of my chairs because they roll easy on the bare floor!

We have a large shelf with a rod that we felt would come in handy while making dresses or even, when I paint my doll parts and I need a place for them to dry.
The large trunk has remnants in it and the items on top are projects I need to finish, I thought I'd have more but what there is, is enough. Batting is also contained in the blanket bags.

Madames station is not set up yet, the tote on the floor has all wool fabric and the egg crate foam is waiting to be placed on my son's bed. Check out the spool racks, handy little things.

This is my haven, I cherish all my time up here and sometimes I can't believe I actually have a studio.

I also know e-v-e-r-y thing I have for supplies. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Toy Shoppe

Yeah! It's Raggedy Wednesday and last week I changed my header due to issues with the background sponsor and I did it a week early. I've been waiting to post this particular post as it's something in my studio, a big part of the supplies being held on the floor and not the cubbies.
This is a toy box I purchased at Salvation Army for $2.98. Gosh! I love their bric a brac or hard goods as another name. It was from a little known store which has now become a BIG store. The ladies were talking amongst themselves, betting that I would buy this. Did I mention I was the only customer in the store at the time? It has more of my wooden items, big surprise I had more supplies than the toy box could hold. I have held this item near and dear, it's in good shape and still has the original casters.

It's also in one of my collectors book. The cost is dated to 1997 and as a rule, items increase $10.00 per decade. Notice that in the photo the toy box hasn't any casters? My box rolls rather easy.

Now you know. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Getting There

Yesterday my hubby made my spool rack! How exciting, now I can make use of the space these things were just hanging out in. This one is over the knee wall door. It's a four level rack.

Here is the only 3 foot rack. I must say....the design of this is ingenious. I thought just a curtain like bracket would do but he doubled my space by creating his own brackets. A good thing too....

The cubby's are getting full.....

And some are not so neat right now.

Check out the swim trunks on the wall! Hey, it's a guy thing too. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

The books....

Most all my posts have been brief lately, that's because I'm very occupied with my studio. I need to get to the garden though, the weeds are scary.
Anyway, here is a small look at some of my books, this shelf will be full by the next day.... And I have the matching one to fill up also.....

This is the good ole' standby, it's placed at the head of the stairs, not to worry all the bookshelves are attached securely to the wall studs.

So far....that's a lotta books! C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

I'm this close...

This is what I did last night, we went to Wally world in the morning to pick-up the 2 bookshelves (I have p-l-e-n-t-y of books). Upon return we put the trim on as I spent most all day yesterday staining it, then we assembled the bookshelfs. I am this close.....C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

A Sneak Peek

I should have my studio done today. Late Saturday afternoon we finished doing all the walls and I must say, I am brave.....I think the walls say it all but it's not quite whimsy, just brave. Here is our test wall, this areas won't show because I'm getting 2, 6 foot bookcases to go on either sides of the windows so it seemed like the logical place to start. We liked the smaller sized pattern pieces better than the large.

Thank goodness the thrift shop has patterns for $.19 cents each! C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

More Studio

Soon enough I 'll be showing off my new studio place I'll be in to sew, doll make and craft. I'm trying to reveal as little as I can with out exposing it all. Check out what my husband wanted to do for me, he's a Jack of all trades I tell ya. We were concerned with the storage in this space, I mean the room is 12 x 24 with a stairway in and out of it, so the usable space is more like, 12 x 20. I can not really use the knee walls because the height and pitch of the roof made the walls 6 feet thereby requiring braced supports in the knee wall itself. Other words, a 2x4 slanting back to the roof and cutting the space in half. I could and I am going to place boards on top the braces and use what I have but it's not enough.
What about a lonnng bookshelf, 20 feet long. This is where my husband entered, he decided to build cubbies in between the trusses and as high as they could go. It was slow going but worth it I believe. I asked him if he'd be insulted by me putting a curtain up in front of the opening, he didn't see why I 'd do that but "no" he wouldn't be insulted. We will stain everything in Early American like the rest of the house. Isn't this great? I still have my floor space.

This photo is taken at the spot my husband was standing in the first photo. He is making adjustable shelving for each cubby and when all is said and done I will probably have a long ribbon rack above the cubbies.

Can't wait...............! C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Reach for the sky

Since I have a polka-dot floor waiting to be installed, I have given considerable thought on what I'd have to do to the ceiling. Why not a reflecting polka-dot pattern. Oh-ho, it was fun..... We used a roofing (with tar) brush for a large circle, a medium paint brush and then a small paint brush. My husband stuccoed the spackle, mixed with ceiling paint, on the ceiling just a few feet from me, I was in charge of the circles. It was coming out so cute! The photo really doesn't pick up the light and how it plays with the shadows, and of course, the mixture is still drying when we took the photos.

I had my husband take 2 breaks with me, it was hard holding our arms over our heads and it was hot weather, whew! Plus I wanted to get some space between him and I, I swear he was aiming that dropping spackle at me!

We are soooo tickled how this looks! C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

A New Contraption

Remember a couple of weeks ago I mentioned 4 strapping young men (my son's friends) were to help load boxes down from my studio? Well, luck be have it.....one of the guy's father has this contraption and volunteered the use of it to us. Did cha ever know there is a sheet rock sander coupled with a vacuum that minimized dust? I didn't, but it made sense. I wish we had this contraption about 4 years ago when it came to finishing off our house. It would of been nice.

My husband had just started using this new contraption in this photo. You can see how well it sanded from the spackle in the right handed corner, as compared to the spackle in the left. We did this whole room in about 2 hours when in reality it would of taken 2 days.

Now let's get some paint on this puppy! C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Fun Flooring

Hey, I know last year when I wrote about my goals for this year, I said I would have a vote on what decor I'll have in my studio. Well, I had an opportunity come along and I had to take it. Laminate flooring in this polka dot pattern. At first I had decided on the hot pink with light pink dots but at the store we decided the black would go with anything. I know, I know it sounds kooky, it is kooky. But! I have a surprise for the walls, I'm trying to not post on it until the room is done but since we have been very busy, I might have to spoil the end and talk about it.
Until then, this is our floor choice, whatdaya....think? C&G Design


Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

What I did for the weekend

Ahhh, I'm exhausted. We worked so diligently for the last 2 days, and mainly on Sunday. Here is what we did...

My craft studio is empty! But don't look for a photo, I'm saving that for the finish. (finished) My "Jack of all trades" spackled, filled cracks and stuck tape.

Since we did not have any taping left from the house we felt privileged to purchase this sticky stuff. It made things easier, wayyy easy. We shall see what the rest of the week brings.

You know who found the opening to the eaves and rolled in the blown in insulation.

*sigh*

He was kicked outside for the rest of the day and still has it stuck to his behind!
C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Getting there....

It's been a while since I've written about my craft room/studio so I wanted to let you know my progress. We have moved quite a few boxes out and I've sorted through all of them. It will feel so good to be able to have all the unpacking done, most of the bigger boxes are toys for our planned yard sale. This weekend I will be having 4 strapping young guy friends of my son's over (Yes, and on Mother's day), I'm hoping they won't feel it's too much work to help for maybe 15 minutes, that way my husband won't be doing it all.
C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

It's a Start

Well, with all this rain, what's a person to do. Finish projects. We tidied up our closet that was just finished being lined with cedar so guess what? We moved on to the third floor, my studio. Look what I see.... I'm embarrassed to say, most of what you see in the fore front is my crafts, ribbon, books, fabric, etc. Can you see the two cats? Straight in at the stacked box of three is Sophia, a grey kitty. Behind the gift bag on the right of the picture, just beyond the pipe leg for my drafting table is my Maine coon, he's black.

Here is a view from the other side, you can see the crafts off to the left. We removed most of them and stacked in my bedroom, that's all we did on this day.

It's a start. C&G Design