The Craft Room Clutter Project

I finally tackled my new craft room and got it organized.  I received a lot of advice from some friends on Facebook.  The advice was very motivating and turned out to be just the key to getting the job done.

The craft project I rewarded myself with after I was finished.

Tips included lighting candles, making coffee, using small boxes, watching "Hoarders" on TV and checking out inspiration on Pinterest.  I tried them all.  I did not sit and watch "Hoarders," but I had it on in the background on my computer (its really hard to sit and watch).  It put the mess in my craft room in perspective.  For a while I have been shutting the door and avoiding the room.  This mess, however was really not as big and overwhelming as it felt.  I also heard phrases like "you can't live like this" and "this is really unhealthy" while watching it.  Hearing those phrases kept me motivated.

I searched Pinterest for inspiration.  I love all the colors in this photo! Very inspiring.

Source: saturatedcanary.blogspot.com via Erinn on Pinterest

...And After a few hours, the room began to come together!

An intimate corner...Finished paintings hung up, finished pillows adorn the chair.  Frequently used items on a vintage TV tray with a frequent project underneath.  A spinning carousel keeps acrylic paints in line.  Square shelving from Target keeps everything in its place.  I have a whole section devoted to wedding projects.  

Useful tools kept in sight and in reach.

Fabrics are folded and sorted by color.

A shoe caddy on the back of the door keeps supplies in their place.

I took an old cork board and covered it with fabric to give it a new look.  We have a "Temporary Workspace" in the craft room, meaning that the table is to always be kept clear unless in use.  The "No Fear" tag in the top corner of the board is a piece of inspiration that was given to me by my high school dance coach.  I keep it there because it really meant a lot to me.  Useful and often used tools are hung up within sight and easy to access on a regular basis.

It feels so good now that its organized!

Life in the Moment

Rose Beerhorst is an artist that I really admire.  She has the kind of work that rewards you when you look closer.  

If you study them closely, you get the sense that there is something meditative about her work.  This reminds me of the time I spent studying at Ox-Bow Summer School of Art.  There they emphasize a sense of "being" with your work.  It looks like when she makes a piece, she sits with it for a long time.  She puts a lot of thought into it.  She laments each element, each tiny detail.  

Rose works almost entirely with recycled materials.  She reuses what is already available.  Even the buttons are reused.  Most of them are vintage.  This is why I say that Rose represents "life in the moment."  Her used and vintage elements add a story and a history to each piece while her young ambition adds a sense of new ideas.  These two qualities combined play into what I receive as something contemplative in her work.  She seems to reflect a calm hora, carefully soaking up each moment in life.  Perhaps Rose has a little wisdom beyond her years.

You can shop Rose's work at sockmonster.etsy.com