Art Studio or Art Room

I have seen many peoples art studios or "art rooms" in their homes. I think it is one of my most favorite things to do and many artists to look at one anothers studios. There is something about looking at different supplies, mediums, paints, brushes, pencils, others art work, the way others organize their art supplies.

I have to clean and re-organize my room often because I am using everything, pulling out stencils, books, different brushes and never get to put them away. The other night I got up from the couch about 10:00 with inspiration. I painted, collaged, used bees wax and my brushes are still soaking in water. Have you ever noticed the terrible smell from brushes soaking in water for weeks? Terrible and not good for the brushes. I think every artist does it at one time or another. My children, when they see my brushes are in water for long periods of time, correct me and remind me what I taught them as an art teacher. Ooops, I feel ashamed!:) Little bits of papers and glitter on the rug and when I am working, I can't find a tool.

The other night, I wanted to poke holes, couldn't find my hole punch, so I used an awl with a hammer. I got a great hole that I wanted, but could I find the awl later, when I wanted to do it again. I try to put back my supplies as soon as I am done with them, but that gets tedious also, but where did that awl go? I still have not found it. Maybe I laid it down in an open drawer.

I do this time and time again with ink. I take the cover off, use the ink and then can't find where I put the cover. My surfaces are full with papers, and works that I am completing, that I end up working out of an opened drawer from the bureau I am working on. Then I move over to the next low bureau, open my ink drawer and begin working there, matching what color inks I want to use. By the way, I use black ink, white ink and distress ink the most. Then I enjoy spraying the vintage inks that look like coffee. They are pretty light in color depending what you are spraying it on. It is walnut ink.

I have tried many ways of organizing my stamps. I would love to have them out at all times, but I do not have anymore room, so I need to keep them in a drawer, with the picture of each stamp showing, and I have them placed in themes-Valentines,hearts, Flowers, Christmas, alphabet stamps, butterfly stamps, and my favorite "dragonflies", women's heads...I do have favorite stamps like the ones with writing on them.

I have purchased cheap picture photo albums and have put the clear stamps inside the pages, but that didn't work as well as I liked because they also become fat and take up alot of room.

My paints were put away in a bottom section of a white tiered cabinet. but I couldn't see them, and now that I picked up a shelving unit on top of the bureau, I have all of the paints on the shelves and I have been using them ever since. The problem, The shelves are a bit narrow, just a bit, and the bottles of paint fall off and I have to pick them up all of the time. So one way works better than another, but not perfect. I think this will be a passion of mine, to organize my art studio every few weeks. I will get it one of these days.

My room is about 10'x12", but I have so much furniture and just don't have the heart to get rid of my window seat or my electric fireplace which gives me heat in the winter. So, I have the two bureaus in an L shape with my chair on wheels, and I can go from bureau to bureau.

I have my blow dryer plugged in at all times to dry my work. The next thing is to plug my sewing machine in so that I can easily sew my work and not have it be inconvenient. I also would love my beads to be out. Unless I get a larger studio, I don't think that is going to happen.

I feel a bit closed in, but I am working on my artwork at least three times a week where before, when my studio was another small sitting room, I just did not use the room. Now I am.

ENVELOPE method

Unlike our grandmothers and grandfathers, I have started what I call the envelope method a bit different from how they divided their money. When grandad would get his check, they would divide their money and put it into various envelops for the electricity, rent, food...
My idea has to do more with organization and keeping an account of spending. There always seems to be something that is needed like milk, or pencils or WD40...
I bought a cheap box of envelops at the Dollar Tree. Everyday, on the front of the envelope, I write small headings at the top:
Spiritual Family Friends Home Self Business

Under each title, I write down the items I need to do for each heading and cross off when I am done. If I didn't get the agenda done, I write it the following day on the next envelope. I also include the day and date written on the bottom of the envelope. Any purchases I make that day: gas for the van, a gallon of milk, socks, school supplies etc. I put the receipts in that envelope. This is a great way to keep your receipts without losing them and helps you keep account of your spending per day. Many organizers and money experts teach you to keep an account of your daily spending. This helps show you if you are over spending and on what. If you need to return something, you have the receipt, and at the end of the year, if you do your taxes, and many of these receipts may be helpful as tax write offs.
Losing receipts can be a problem. So many times I would want to return something and didn't have the receipt. I could only then do a fair trade or get a gift card and not a money return. Most of the time, you need the money so try this. Just put the receipt in the envelope after every purchase and cross off those accomplishments for the day. See how much you have really gotten done.