after almost 2 weeks of working LONG days and getting 5-6 hours sleep, the studio was presentable for my little class today, and it is soooooooo worth it. I stayed up till 1:00 AM again last night, getting the things I could put away and resigning myself to stacking up a pile in the corner that I still have to sort and deal with over the weekend, see here
here is a close-up of the fabric i wrapped my painting table with, vintage stuff i've been holding on to for just the right project - around the yin/yang sunflower the words read peace, love, harmony...yes, i'd say those are top of the cosmic list, now and forever.
look at all that i accomplished in these 80 hours of cleaning/sorting/purging/... (can you hear me squealing with delight?!)
i shared a wonderful day with friends who came over to test drive the class i'll be teaching at ArtFest in just over a month. we had such a good time making art and catching up with one another.
they didn't even seem to mind (too much) untangling the organza strips that tangled themselves around one another as soon as they had been "stripped". i think maybe the wine helped :-)
I will finish the last leg of the organizing this weekend, what a relief and what a joy!! I have such a big space compared to so many, and it is crammed full, crammed. And in case you didn't know, when the weather warms up, I will be tackling my shed, a seperate building that houses all my metals, ceramics, frames, and everything else too big to fit in the studio. i'm realizing just how much stuff I have. i've decided that whenever i have a visitor, i will sent them home with some stuff of their choosing....my first steps on the path of a simpler (less stuff) lifestyle. my dilema - so many broken and discarded things and my mind generates a plethora of ideas on how to recyle/refurbish. the dlimena comes from the fact that there are only a certain number of hours in the day, and days in my life...yes, i would like to downsize, it pinches a bit at the time, but feels so good in the end...
and so you know, i finally got access to the wedding pictures from the photographer, of marissa and mick's dream wedding in mexico last december. i will be culling through them this weelend and putting together some of my favorites so i hope you'll check back.
i'm hoping you all have a peaceful and creative weekend, thanks for stopping by, i apprecaite it. xox
Wow Katie - good job.
I hate cleaning the studio but I always do it after a big piece is complete. You must feel amazing - onya!!!
xo
Posted by: Judy Wilkenfeld | February 21, 2009 at 04:03 AM
Yipee, Katie - it looks great and must feel great every time you walk in and take in the fruits of your labor!!
Posted by: Cindy S-E | February 21, 2009 at 05:28 AM
Just had to congratulate you on accomplishing your goal. It looks wonderful, inviting, motivating and inspiring. About your dilema, when I am trying to edit down....the broken stuff that "I might need someday", I just tell myself with each piece of stuff that I pick up, that I surely can find more of it if and when I might need it. Makes it easier to let go. Now I need to go and do that today.
Posted by: Sharon @ norah'S | February 21, 2009 at 06:44 AM
Katie, I've been watching the progress of your studio redo & have to congratulate you. You've done really great and the rest will get done as well, I'm sure. I'm going through this same thing & it's a challenge, both the clean up & the culling. As to the culling, I've been telling myself someone else will be able to use that "whatever" now, the thing that sat on my shelf for 10 years and maybe would sit for another 10 before I got around to using it.
Posted by: Laura | February 21, 2009 at 07:31 AM
I bet your studio feels so inviting. Wow.
My studio is much smaller and I just got done cleaning it up as well. Now it keeps drawing me in. The hardest part is keeping it tidy. :)
Posted by: amanda | February 21, 2009 at 07:34 AM
Yippee!! Katie, your studio looks great! I have been inspired by you and have been culling things from my room, and trying to let go of things I collected but haven't used (in years). I am also taking a big envelope crammed with stuff to the post office to mail to Mary Ann today!!
Posted by: Gwen | February 21, 2009 at 08:56 AM
So glad I'm taking your class at Artfest - can't wait. Love your studio!
Posted by: Michele A. | February 21, 2009 at 09:01 AM
I went through a cleaning of my studio too. It's amazing how uncluttered my mind is now. Good for you for sticking to it, so much work. I wish I could see it in person.
Posted by: Tara | February 21, 2009 at 09:02 AM
Gasp! you did it! your studio transformation literally took my breath away. and gives me hope. my little space is teeny tiny but i have so much stuff just heaped and piled. i work right over it all. i can imagine it would be so much better to actually know where the heck everything is! good for you, friend! and the class looks like it was oh so much fun!!
Posted by: kelly snelling | February 21, 2009 at 10:08 AM
What a good organizer you are. Your studio looks so inviting. One look and you know good things happen there. Looking forward to the wedding pics.
Posted by: Laura Miller | February 21, 2009 at 08:38 PM
NO WAY!! This is incredible Katie, congratulations 10 times over. I need to do this in my entire house to be honest. How proud you must feel. I only wish I lived closer and would love to have been in that class to test drive....lucky ducks!
I hope you're able to enjoy the rest of your weekend with at least some time not spent organizing...have a cup of tea, in a big cushy chair, looking out some fantastic window and think of the amazing-ness that you've accomplished.
Posted by: Jennifer White | February 21, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Wow, you have a lot of stuff! And a great space in which to keep it. Looks like fun was had by all.
Posted by: katiejane | February 22, 2009 at 01:09 PM
WOW. AWESOME. Just.freaking.awesome. What a great job! I'll bet you smile every time you walk in!
Posted by: carol sloan | February 23, 2009 at 04:37 AM
WOW! You're hired!! You can come work that magic in my studio anytime you want! It looks really great. Enjoy.
Posted by: Carol | February 23, 2009 at 05:44 AM
art, wine, friends, your studio, could it possibly get any better!?
i imagine it feels so good to be in your studio, knowing all the hard work you did!
xoxo
Posted by: misty | February 23, 2009 at 07:43 AM
YAY!!! It looks wonderful, katie!! SO spacious!!!
I can just imagine you dancing around in the open floor space...and maybe just a little bit on the newly cleared table. ;)
I LOVE that feeling of fresh organization. LOVE IT!! It's like a new pair of shoes that makes you feel a little tickly inside when you catch a thought of them. :)
oxoxoxo
Posted by: stephanie | February 23, 2009 at 12:43 PM
it looks fantastic!!!
i just want to come right over and start peeking in all these boxes and oohhhing and ahhhing over the treasures i would unearth. so much goodness all in one place.
sending you much love and peace today beautiful girl...
Posted by: liz elayne | February 23, 2009 at 01:09 PM
you go girl! it looks wonderful and I KNOW how much work it takes to do that and how easily it can return ;) at least mine anyway - wish I was closer so I could be in that class but you may be better off as I probably would never want to leave ;)
Posted by: gina armfield | February 24, 2009 at 08:35 AM
Applause!
Posted by: Judy Merrill-Smith | February 24, 2009 at 10:04 AM
WOW! You worked your tuckus OFF! Congratulations!!!!
Posted by: lk | February 25, 2009 at 04:15 AM
Yikes Almighty! Pat yourself on the back and enjoy a glass of wine - awesome job!
Posted by: Dayna | February 25, 2009 at 08:21 PM