Sunday, October 27, 2013

My Dream Art & Craft Studio

Arts and Craft Room

My workroom/studio/office/creative zone has finally reached that place.

The place where every time I come in here, it happens.

The Happy Dance.

It’s been quite a while since a room where I lived prompted The Happy Dance.

Years, in fact.

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I once had an entire house all to myself. No husband. No kids. No roommates . . . except for kitties.

No mother-in-law.

One room was my office. One was my sewing room. (Back when I was still sewing, before I started painting.)

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30” x 80” Worktable – two bookcases with old door on top. Cost: $44

It.Was.Glorious.

Everything was organized.

I mean everything.

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Paint bins from dollar store, David Tutera labels. Cost: $12

Then I met him.

My life became a rollercoaster ride, full of thrills, spills, laughs and, yes, fear.

Fear that is felt by a 34 year old woman who all of a sudden has three small boys living with her.

And one big one.

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Duck Tape edging on worktable. Cost: $4

Life changed.

Dogs replaced kitties. His brown velour patchwork bedspread replaced my handsewn Samsutta wedgewood blue duvet.

My peach and aqua décor was accessorized with kids shoes.

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And dirty tube socks.

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One bookcase holds paint, the other has specialty paints, markers and glitters.

All rides come to an end, eventually.

The kids grew up and moved out. 

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Then moved back in.

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Rolling cart for papers – $22.

When they finally were grown(ish) and found their own homes the rollercoaster took an unexpected turn.

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Those turns where your stomach lurches and is left somewhere behind you on the tracks.

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Rolling cart from thrift store – $4

Enter Mother-in-Law, stage right.

Enter mother-in-law who had just had a stroke and needed constant 24 hour care.

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sigh.

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Old dresser that was my dad’s.

Four years later, mother-in-law was well enough to move into her own place.

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“Photography Studio” using roller blind from thrift store – $4

 

Let The Happy Dance commence!

 

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Dresser top drawer hold photography supplies and floral arranging tools.

Less than a year after MIL moved out, my mother was diagnosed with non-Hodkin’s Lymphoma.

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Lower dresser drawers hold current seasonal & holiday supplies.

The Happy Dance was then confined to weekends when I’d go home, kiss my husband hello, and dash to the back of the house . . .

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Worktable is large enough to hold multiple ongoing projects at once!

to the room that used to be mother-in-law’s . . .

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Full spectrum light – $20 at Big Lots

and became MY art studio when she left.

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Daily “Board” – Thrift store frame & scrapbook paper – $2

 

That rollercoaster ride stopped completely on May 14, 2012.

I had to find another ride.

Something to fill my days.

Something to inspire creativity.

So my Life could begin again.

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The new house helped. A lot.

But this room here?

Two words . . .

Happy Dance!

 

Hey, you don’t need a ton of money to have the room of your dreams. Just get creative with your creative space.

You’ll be so happy you did.

Colleen

about Colleen

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9 comments:

  1. Oh Wow, that's just Awesome! I almost happy danced just for seeing these pictures :)

    Sokru
    sokerimursu.blogspot.fi

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  2. Colleen I love your giant worktable! I am glad you are able to do the happy dance again <3

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  3. I am so happy for you and the beautiful creative spirit you have that allowed you to create that wonderful room. looks like paradise on earth. and I am so happy you are able to push forward after the loss of your beloved. God bless you

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  4. Look at all that space! You can do the happy dance right on top of the table...no wait, better not. Protect those valuable painting hands! That light was on $20! I need one. Glad to see each room coming together.
    One question. Do you dance while you paint? Just wondering ;) So very happy for you.

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  5. Hi Colleen, don't our lives fly by in a hurry? Ups and downs, people come and people go and not always because we want them to. I am so happy for you in your happy dance room. The roller shade is genius, I've got to set one up right away and I never thought of using a dresser like that in my art room but wow what storage that is! I am with Laura, I need to find that $20 Big Lots light! Your creative space is wonderful.

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  6. Colleen, Your a very compassionate woman to care for your MIL and mum for that long. God blessed you with a wonderful husband too. I love the color of your joyous baskets ! And I love more, whats in them !!!
    Naush
    Doodle Buddies

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  7. I am beyond happy for you that you even feel like doing a happy dance again! Wonderful, Marlon is looking down and smiling at you, happy to see you happy and creating! Love your space, you did a wonderful job with it.

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  8. Yay for an organized, functional creative space! You deserve it!!!
    Thanks for sharing it with us at Twirl & Take a Bow! Hope to see you again this week!
    ~ Brooke ~

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  9. What a wonderful space for art and I really enjoyed reading your story, how touching!

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