Hello! I'm so very very glad you are here! Today is the launch of the six week (yes, you read it right - six whole weeks!) Creative Spaces Blog Hop. Woot woot!
What can you expect to see? Hmmm....insider peeks into the studios and creative spaces of 17 different designers, tips and tricks to organizing and dealing with craft and stitching supplies, and of course fun prizes!
First, a bit about our lineup of creatives: Cherry Guidry of Cherry Blossom Quilting and I (Tammy Silvers of Tamarinis) pulled together a group of some of our most fav people, and they will be taking you into various areas of their studios, sewing and/or crafting spaces each week. Folks like Crista Watson of Christa Quilts, Joanne Sharpe, best known for her whimsical lettering, and Pauline McArthur of Funky Friends Factory. Creative minds like Kate Colleran of Seams Like a Dream and Jessica VanDenburgh of Sew Many Creations. The amazing Toni Smith of Quiltoni and Reeze Hanson of Morning Glory Designs. Yikes - the list goes on and on!
Each week we will bring you insights into how we deal with creating in our spaces. And just keeping it real - while many folks will be sharing the before and after of their studio clean up in preparation for this hop, I'll be sharing, well, the reality of my space. I never quite made it to the "after" stage. But you can take that steep, uphill, somewhat intimidating journey with me as I reclaim floor and drawer space in my studio.
What? You've had to deal with the same thing? Gosh, that makes me feel ever so much better! I was hoping I wasn't the only one that went into the sewing room with grand intentions of cleaning it up, only to be completely overwhelmed by the sheer massiveness of the endeavor!
Ok, so now of a bit of the studio - brace yourself. It is NOT pretty!
Ok, I DID warn you. Yep - piles and stacks everywhere! This is the aftermath of Quilt Market prep, Missouri Star prep, and a three day guild lecture/workshop prep. All of which were totally awesome, and I thoroughly enjoyed doing....but didn't pick up anything in-between. Can you relate?
I am truly blessed to have a generously sized studio. Really! But...what happens when you have space? Yep, your stuff magically expands to take up all of that space. Ugh!
And the flip side isn't much better! Poor Eugene (more on him later) is hiding in the back - too much stuff cluttering the cutting and sewing area for him to feel free to roam!
And - ahem...then there's what is supposed to be my paper crafting area. Yeah...a bit of a hot mess, right?!
I WANT to have a lovely, peaceful sewing space. I WANT to have one of those creative spaces you see in magazine layouts and lovely blog posts (ok, but not THIS blog post). I do. Really. So ready to take that journey with me? Great!
Our game plan: I will take you through my process, and share what has worked - and is working - for me. We will look at areas of the studio, piece by piece, and explore some organizing options. And so will the other 16 designers. Each week we will look at different areas of the studio and different supplies. Here's the schedule:
- Week 1: Studio Clean Up - before and after pics (ok, but NOT mine - mostly before pics!)
- Week 2: Favorite Tools
- Week 3: Organizing Tips
- Week 4: Dealing with Scraps and/or Fabric
- Week 5: Dealing with Embellishments/Buttons/Thread
- Week 6: Dealing with Tools/Rulers
I promised I would keep it real for you. So I was feeling more than a little bad that my studio was such a hot mess. And while I was COMPLETELY overwhelmed by the sheer volume of everything, I did manage to clean up a bit of it.
Yes, it IS the same space! Ahhhh...I know, awesome improvement, right?! Who knew there was so much floor space! And you can actually sit on the sofa now and bind a quilt - with your feet propped up on the chest. Nirvana, I tell you!
You'll notice the space BEHIND the sewing table is in the dark - yep, it is STILL a hot mess. I'm working on it.
How did I tackle that mountain of STUFF??? Just like you eat an elephant - a bit at a time. So here are some hints to you as you tackle your own studio clean up, make over or reorganization:
- What do you REALLY want to do in the space? Think about this before you start your cleanup. If you want to sew, then make sure all things that impede your sewing are removed. This shouldn't be your spare wrapping paper storage or off season clothing stack. And try to have your storage space (shelves, bins, whatever it may be) ready and empty - even if this means making MORE of a mess to begin with by pulling everything off/out and piling it on the floor.
- What supplies or equipment in the space bring you JOY? If you pick up a cut of fabric and wonder - why the heck did I buy this? Well that item, my quilting friend, needs a new home. Don't let something that doesn't bring you joy take up space. Reserve space for the items that make you smile, lift your heart, brighten your day.
- What is working? Ok - this is just a practical thing. If it is broken, incomplete, or not being used (as in hasn't been touched in the past six months or is not needed), again, it needs a new home.
- Don't try to do it all in one day. Set the timer and work on it 15 or 30 minutes at a time. Vow to touch something as few times as necessary. Make this super easy by setting yourself up some boxes for donates, sell and trash. What you are keeping goes directly into the appropriate bin or on the appropriate shelf.
This was exactly how I got from no floor space to a partially organized studio. Not all in one day - but definitely in a few weeks!
Next week we are going to look at tools. I'll share some of my favorite tools and give you some tips on how I organize my tools for the way I work.
I promised you giveaways! So here's what you need to do:
- Check out each designer's blog each week. We've tried to make it easy for you - we will each be posting on the same day each week, on the topic of the week. The lineup, along with links, are listed below.
- Where appropriate, follow/like/comment.
- I will be offering weekly surprise giveaways for those commenting on MY weekly blog post. PLUS I'll be offering a PRIZE to new folks on my social media platforms (this week it is a 2 1/2" Island Batik Strip Stack). Comments and giveaway for this post have closed. Thank you. Please see other blog posts for additional opportunities to enter giveaways. See the Gleam.io widget at the bottom of the post to enter.
- There are three grand prize giveaways on Cherry's blog: a die cutting machine from Crafter's Edge, along with a huge set of dies (winner chosen July 9 entries begin July 9), a Slimline light from Daylight (winner chosen July 23 entries begin July 23), and a prize pack from Bosal (winner chosen August 6 entries begin August 6). Winners will be chosen August 19th!
I'm so glad you stopped by - and I look forward to seeing you next week! In the meantime, set your calendars to check out everyone's posts. The schedule and links are below. As always, let's share the love - follow all of these terrific folks on social media, share the posts, and leave awesome comments so we all know what you like and what you'd like to see more of!
The Blog Hop Schedule:
Mondays
Tuesdays
Wednesdays
Thursdays
Fridays
Saturdays
Sundays
Thanks for sharing the quilting passion with me. Happy stitching!
If you are interested in having me teach at your shop or guild, please contact me!
Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis? Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com! Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships. Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.
Creative Spaces Blog Hop Week 1
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