Adagio

October 3, 2006

Critical Mass

I have been very absent from here, mdearssoooooo much catching up to do with all of you. But I have been very present and endlessly busy in my day to day world.

The project pandemonium that I wrote about in my last entry came to a screeching halt. I simply had no place to work or move anymore. The house was in shambles and I simply couldnt continue to leave the sewing/clay/art mess strewn aboutno matter how creative and interesting it was. So I spoke in great frustration with Don and my one remaining son at home, and we made a major room switch.

Ian has always kinda liked the tiny 8×10 ft. room Ive called my closet studioand I have had my heart set on the someday when I could move into the larger, well-lit, remodeled attached garage room that the twins have shared for the past several years.

Someday happened, and the switch has been no small project. The move has taken nearly a month to begin and finish.

Ian and I disassembled the huge room divider which made up the bed/desk/closet units we built for the boys so that they could each have their own rooms. We unscrewed and carried out huge 4×8 sheets of heavy MDF board and framework. (I am too old for some of this back-breaking hauling!) Trevor never did clean up his room before he left for DCthe rascal, so I spent days packing up his treasures to store and tossing out trash. We eventually cleared space in the big room so that I could start bringing my stuff in from the little room.

Whoah, I have a lot of stuff.

Overwhelming amounts of stuffand very little that I could throw away. Don came in, looked around and helpfully suggested that maybe I should just get rid of things.

Like what? I demanded. I looked down at file boxes packed with really wonderful decorative papers-which I use to make cards, invitations and to cover hand-made books. I looked to my left at piles of fabrics and patterns and ribbons and clothing to be re-invented. I looked to my right at bins of clay, supplies and Itti-Bitties inventory. I looked behind me at the stacks of artwork, drawing papers, and jar upon jar of colored pencils, pens and tools.

I stood waist-deep in a sea of Really Great Stuff.

Indignantly, I glared back at Don. Can you honestly tell me what it is you think I dont need? What do you suggest I get rid of? Does it make sense to throw something outonly to go buy it again when I need it? I asked.

He threw his hands up and backed slowly from the room mumbling something about a madwoman in our midst.

I dropped a five inch piece of velvet ribbon into the trash and walked away just to prove that I could throw something away if I wanted to. But moments later I pulled it out again, because there was enough there to at least make a leaf on one of my velvet corsages. I AM NOT A MADWOMAN!!!! I shrieked.

Since then, the sea of stuff has been micro organized into drawers and onto shelves. I have a drawing table for just drawing, a clay table for just clay, a sewing area, a computer area, a comfy sit in front of the TV area, and a floor space for boys who come home area.

The rest of the house is finally clear of projects.

At long last, I have an actual Studio!

Here I GO!!!!

:)xo

Adagio

(..and wont be back again very often until after the holidays! Not that Im ever around here more than a couple times a month as it is…. But its THAT time of year again. I will peek in when I can!)

Love to all you dears and dahlinks!

Avanti

Good on you, Adag! As Virginia wrote many years ago, we women need a room of our own. It’s no matter if it is for writing or drawing or designing or day-dreaming or whatever else suits our fancy…..just a room of our own, thank you very much. : ) I’m very happy for you – have fun in your lovely, organized, full-of-possibility studio!! Ah…what creations of beauty are brewing?…….

Wide-Eyed

October 4, 2006

I totally relate. But, it will be some time yet before I join your class and get my own studio – so happy for you and don’t throw out a bit of that GOOD STUFF! Funny we happened to come here on the same ‘morning’ I have to leave for work in 4 hrs. silly me but I just had to see how you and my other girlfriends were doing. xoxo Have much fun creating.

Klutz

Oh I can relate to this. I have this garage full of…STUFF. I can’t get rid of so much it, but there is so MUCH!! The difference, though, is that I really AM a madwoman. 🙂 Happy bittying through the holidays…I am looking forward to hearing how the clothing venture goes over at the craft shows. xo,

teaparty

How wonderful to have your own studio! I hate throwing out the “good stuff”, but since I’m moving, I’ve had to throw out and recycle a lot of “junk”! I get to define which is which!

I want to see that studio. Pictures!

This sounds so wonderful. I wish I could make myself organize my lovely little study that I currently call my “horrible little study.” I am the same way with books and scraps of paper. I can’t let myself toss out those scraps of paper because I just know I’ll need them later when I’m working on a story or a poem. And I do, sometimes. I miss you when you’re gone, but since I should be gone, too, Idefinitely understand.

Robin W

Fabulous! An artist needs her space! Hey, post a pic of it when you get a chance. xxoxoxo

Cat

nothing wrong with being a madwoman 😉

'Rella

Yay! I’m so happy to hear you have your very own studio now! Woo! And, my heart kind of started racing when you threw the velvet away but it calmed down again when you retrieved it! 😉 Be well,

Dallandrah

I wanna seeeeeee! That is so fabulous. We were just talking about building an extended garage with studio over the top. *longs*

Shi

So nice to have a lovely work space with…well space. 🙂

Embodied

Excellent! I would love to see pictures of your new studio. 🙂

GypsyWynd

Ah, a studio!!! I can’t imagine how you’ve functioned without, considering your myriad projects and how talented you are at all of them!

i think it is definitely ok to have lots of stuff, especially for someone so actively using these things (i was going to scream if you left that snippet of velvet ribbon in the trash and demand you send it to me – velvet being one of my names). sounds like you organized it so it’s all usable and makes sense. hopefully it feels good, too. now, just for the record, im really not afraid to tossthings or anything and prefer things organized when i have the luxury of time to do so. but whatever system works for you so you can enjoy your space and get to your projects. i think it’s fab you got a huge room now!

just elle

October 5, 2006

…I am SO happy that this project is done! I know how much you were looking forward to your own space. With it taking a month…I’m sure it is SO organized. Maybe I should take a month and organize my sewing room…and…change the name to my studio! I do other things in there besides sewing but not nearly as much as you do. Enjoy yourself and makes lots and LOTS of wonderful things.

October 6, 2006

Just thought that, if you had a minute, you might enjoy peeking at this MONKEY quilt. You have me laughing at sock monkeys lately, and they seem to be popping up EVERYWHERE! Isn’t that just the way?! http://www.opendiary.com/entryview.asp?authorcode=C100233&entry=20604 xo,

ryn: oof, there are a ton of entries. lots of emotional stuff. lots of worries. i had to just try to articulate it, you know? sigh. it’s been a hard adjustment to being a student and all the stuff with person has just been deeply, sadly painful. sigh. sucks. i wish i could give you a guide on what to read and what to skip. heh. sorry.

This entry makes me think of the bag theory. If the handbag is small it will only carry so much stuff, but the bigger the bag the more stuff…Oh boy! lym

blytherspirit

October 8, 2006

A room of your own! YES! 🙂

Mad woman? Oh the tales I could tell…..BRO

I missed this entry earlier. Get rid of it is Gunther’s battle cry. No, you aren’t a mad woman. You’re an artist. Now you have your dream space and you deserve it.

April Fool

November 28, 2006

As I see it, men tend to think anything that has to do with “women’s” projects is just junk, whereas MEN’S stuff, which in Yeem’s case would be tools, gizmos, cans of gunk, wire, chains, rope, sandpaper, drill bits, heavy duty tape measures, and tons of science fiction books, is all priceless treasure. Go figure… Anyway, I really identified with this entry… congrats on getting organized inyour own studio!

its me kate

May 21, 2007

You sound like me, I can never get rid of anything crafty or artsy. There is a need and use for every little thing, I swear it! I just wish I had a whole room I could devote to my crafts!