Thursday, April 26, 2012

The messy workshop

We've been discussing messy workshops over at B'Sue's Blog. Someone decided it would be a good idea to share photos of our messy workshops and do a blog hop about it.  In a momentary fit of insanity, I signed up.  Rutroh.

I wish I could afford studio space but rents around here are just too high and a studio would effectively double both my monthly rent and my utilities.  Hence, I make do with TV trays near the sofa and stashing supplies anywhere I can find a likely space.  My entire apartment has become my workshop.

So with that in mind, I share with you some of the more prominent spots.  They aren't particularly good pics but I guess they will do the trick.  Click on them to make them bigger.  You'll like them more better when they are bigger.  Trust me on this one :)

The messy TV tray
The messy TV tray part the deux.  And my carpet. 

First up is the messy TV tray.  I kind of move things around and to a side in order to have working space.  I took the second shot so you could see some of the focals I'm working on right now.  You'll notice a lot of B'Sue's stuff in there!  I seem to be going through a Steampunk phase.  When am I NOT going through a Steampunk phase?

The messy cart

The messy cart part the deux

Next is the messy cart.  The cart is where I keep the bulk of my supplies -- the ones I use every day.  I'm always mostly organized because the apartment is very small and therefore organization is key.  You'll see my gaggle of tools on top of the cart there as well as a bin of wire.

Close up of the plier conglomerate

The messy bin of chemistry -- Rennaissance wax, patinas, glue, etc.  All in one place.

The messy basket of everyday components and the messy tool bag
I thought I should get a shot of my messy tool bag.  You can see a few hammers sticking up out of there and not a day goes by where I'm not using hammers.  My indispensable Sunshine cloth for polishing. Also the messy basket of findings and every day components -- in those cases are the things I use the absolute most.


The not so messy dapping block!  And ModgePodge!  And Pronoia!  Origami! Stamps!  This table has it all.

A side table with my dapping tools, my stamps, some Modge Podge and other assorted odds and ends.

A messy table of supplies.

A messy bookcase with supplies
You know those drawers B'Sue showed in her video that had a bunch of stuff.  In my house, those drawers are tupperware containers.

So now you know my deepest darkest secret -- I don't have a studio and create everything on TV trays.  One of these days someone is going to find out I'm pretending to be a real artist with a studio and everything -- but until then, my secret is safe with you, right?  After all, anything on the internet is sekret!

Here's the other participants of the blog hop!  Please visit their sites and see their messy workshops.  I bet they have real studios.

MESSY WORKSHOP BLOG HOP PARTICIPANTS
Brenda Sue Lansdowne
Robin Delargy
Kim at Cianci Blue
Jennifer Jazwick-Smith
Mary Shannon Hicks
Tracy Swartz
Jacqueline Marchant
Lynnea Perry Bennett
Terry Matusyk
Laurel Steven
Dr. Brassy Steamington
Pamela Takeshige
Kris Lanae Binsfeld
Outre Art
Linzi Alford
Deb Davis <<<YOU ARE HERE>>>
Tamara Jones
Harry Wood
Gerry Nickerson
Elizabeth Owens-Dwy
Georgene Lockwood
Charisa Sloper
Jennifer Justman
Beanzie
Mary Deis
Cheri Reed
Sondra Kolner
Sonya Ingersoll-Stille
Lori Anderson
Sandra McGriff
Shelly Joyce
Joan Williams
Kashmira Patel
Deb Beechy
Ginger Bishop
Kelli Jacobson
Natalie McKenna
Andrew Thornton
Mary Govaars
Kate Mulligan
Lisa Lodge
Tami Luchini
Monique Lula
Lee Koopman
Jayne Capps
Susan Lloyd
Cynthia Wainscott
Stephanie Amanti
Alicia Marinache
Sam Hamp
Lennis Carrier

30 comments:

  1. I never thought about using TV trays! Guess what I am going to be doing at my house now! This hop is tons of fun!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yep it's all sekret. TV Trays! Doh. What a fabulous idea. Thanks for sharing your space with us.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for sharing..I went to your Etsy shop and enjoyed your work as well as your tray space.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good use of what you have. I've found out the hard way that more room means more stuff and more mess.

    ReplyDelete
  5. TV trays are perfectly fine! I would love to play with your beads and things!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Deb....it matters not the space, but what comes out of them. You are doing a GREAT job! I still work off TV trays upstairs. Be glad you don't have to travel to a studio. You would accomplish less creatively. Having your things at home and at the ready makes for spontaneous creativity. That's the best kind! XOXO B'sue

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you for sharing and don't worry, I won't tell anyone, it's just between you and me and the other 48 artists and 100 million people on the web! ~ Brassy

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh I want a TV on my studio too!, and your mess is perfectly fine for a fine artist! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Looks like you did a great job making due with the space you have. Love you work too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the focal's you did and I won't tell anyone either. I also have lots of tupperware!

    ReplyDelete
  11. You're way more organized than I am - it all looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your secret is safe with me; I won't tell if you don't! Loved the tour, thank you. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love it that you have all of these individual little messy pods! Very cool!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Don't be silly.. you don't work in your home.. you live in your studio ;) lol

    ReplyDelete
  15. (Sigh.) I guess that must mean I don't have a real studio, either. But don't tell anyone - it's a sekret! ;P

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yes your secret is safe with me as long as you keep my non studio a secret too shhh....I think I need one of those tv trays....might be better than working on my bed. ; ) Thanks for sharing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I like that you can seem to work anywhere in your home. Thanks for letting us visit your studio.

    ReplyDelete
  18. TV trays are the best. And I heard once food is supposed to go on them. Just think if you had more space what goodies you could buy from B'sue. Thanks for sharing. Gerry

    ReplyDelete
  19. we have all used tv trays or any other surface to have workspace. There is a marvelous place here that rents studios out, but I'd miss my dogs, cat, kid and husband if I had to leave my home to create. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I use TV trays, too! I also have two of those folding "personal tables" they sell at Costco (kind of a TV tray grown up) that I use whenever I need to extend my mess EVEN FURTHER or ADD MY MESS TO A NEW PLACE! Have mess will travel, I always say . Good job!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Your secret is safe with us! We won't tell on you if you won't tell on us! I say, work where you can WORK!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love that you use TV trays, I may have to try that trick...but would need to find a way to keep the kids hands out of it. Love your focals. Thanks for sharing with us.
    Sonya

    ReplyDelete
  23. I use a TV tray, too! And you and I have the same sort of fancy cold cut containers recycled into jewelry storage, too! Thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Rutroh, Scooby! What did we get ourselves into?!?! =) Loving your mess and all the wonderful pieces of creation within!!! Love all your little storage containers! =) I so need something, right now everything is in bags on the floor... Need space!!! LOL And a bit of ogranization... chaotic organization... yeah, that's the ticket! LOL Enjoyed visiting your space!!! =)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Love your mess, and I usually use tv trays too. You are much more organized than I am. I have issues with putting things back... Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you for sharing your mess! I never thought to use TV trays for working on. That's a brilliant idea! :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. It is not WHERE our creativity shows itself, but that it does at all and that you follow through. In fact, you show creativity even more by crafting in different places.
    Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Way to use the space you have :) So creative and wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Love the tv tray usage! I don't have a studio either. I use my kitchen table. Looks like you are making good use of your available space!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Love your comment "Cleaning up is such a waste of time".
    The tv tray looks like it has some great stuff on it!
    Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete