2012 Studio Tour (Where Bloggers Create) A cottagey art studio

Karen is hosting the Where Bloggers Create studio tour again, and of course, I had to participate! I adore my studio and can't believe how lucky I am to have it.

The blog hop was a good excuse to get the room cleaned up for one thing, and for another, its a bunch of fun to surf through all the links and see all the creative spaces.

The nice thing about a blog party, is that you can take your time, look at a couple here and there, then the list will be waiting for you to come back and check out a few more later.

Beware, this post is a LONG one. 

I took over 200 photos of the studio. Don't worry, I'm not posting them all. And I promise, I shut up about half way through and just start posting pictures.

My own studio is all about the things I love. I like to have them out where I can enjoy them, not packed away waiting for some future use.  Someday, I might make something with these vintage dresses, but for now, they are curtains.

I'm also all about re-purposing, and salvage.  And finding cheap stuff!

This table was a dollar at a garage sale because the veneer was a wreck. I covered the top in textured wallpaper and painted the piece. (you can find custom painting tips and how-tos on my side bar under Tutorials)

The drawer was saved from an old wallpaper chest that had too much water damage to keep.  But I love the drawers for holding special tidbits. 

Wallpaper chests are one of my favorite storage items.  I never pass one up.  Even when I come across one that isn't all that pretty, I get it anyway and add different paper to the front of the drawers, like the dark green one with silver paper.

And when my husband got a new desk for his office, I moved his filing cabinet to my studio and covered the drawer fronts with some pretty wallpaper to girly it up a bit.   The top is granite, but was actually free! When our kitchen was being remodelled, the guys cut the counter tops wrong and had to replace a piece. They gave me the incorrect one, so I use it as a table top over the file cabinet.

This spool shelf was from a garage sale too, and was cheap as can be.  I painted it white, set it on the granite table top and then stuffed it with supplies. This sits right behind my work station so I can wheel my chair around and have everything within easy reach.

The spools of ribbon hang from a ribbon tied to the shelf.  It works great till there are a bunch of empty ones, then I have to untie it, to slide them off and put it all back up again. Seems like the empties are always dead center, never on the ends. Still, its worth the effort, I like having the ribbons on display and handy.

This is my desk top.  The shelf on it lets me have even more supplies right where I need them, so I don't have to get up and hunt.It doubles my table top storage space, but is low enough that I can chat with friends across the table on craft day.

I'm a big believer in pretty storage!  Teapots, floral mugs, old boxes, and other garage sale goodies are put to work all around the room.

This old hanky box is full of ink pads. I like the 99 cent ones from the bin at Michaels.  I buy handfuls when I have one of those 25% off  your total purchase coupons.

And this little wire plant stand is perfect for keeping a selection of glues and glitters upside down.  I store all glue, Stickles, and paints that way, it keeps them fresher and easier to squirt out.

The table itself is not very pretty, but sometimes I'll glue things I like to the edges of it.  

This is my glitter storage cabinet.

Because having plenty of Sparklies in life is important!

Besides the large folding tables from the hardware store that I cluster around to use as work spaces, this glass top table is the only new piece of furniture in the room. The rest of the things are from yard sales, auctions, and fleas. I've painted most of them white, like I did this table, so that they have some flow in the room and all the different styles aren't as distracting.  Some have rosy wallpaper borders like I added to this one too.

Here is a close up inside.  I have plates and bowls filled with different types of jewelry:

• clear rhinestones
• colored stones
• pearly things
• porcelain or enamel flowers
• buckles
• cameos
• lockets
• figural pieces
• hearts
• brass charms
• and probably some other crap

My friends get tired of seeing me perched over the Dollar Jewelry tables at flea markets, but I find my best stuff while sifting through the piles there.

Its good to have big bowls of flowers nearby too.  I tend to buy a lot of hats.... and while most are stored away as is around the room, I do try to pluck a few so that this big punch bowl stays full. 

There is a glass front buffet (I got for $40 and fixed up) that I store hats in, but it overflowed, and there are hats everywhere waiting to be plucked.

And birds. I have little birdies everywhere. I set them out for Birdsong and haven't had the heart to put them away.

Seems like flowers have found their way to most of my lamp shades. This lamp shade is an old hat itself. I've just punched a hole in the top to attach it to the finial.

And there are bowls of flowers in the cabinets too. They might be needed someday for a project, but in the meantime, I want to be able to see them and love them, and wipe drool off of them every once in a while.  I can never get enough old millinery blooms.

The buffet on the back wall is the one full of flowered hats.  I didn't get a close up of the hats themselves.

My studio is one big room, almost 1,000 sq ft. (yippee!) One side, is set up for every day work.  The other has two dining tables in it that I use for company, they can be pushed together for parties.  But normally, when the studio is not cleaned up (which is most of the time) one table is full of things to photograph and add to my Boutique, and the other is covered with sewing things.

See all the hanging birds?  I really need to get a ladder out and get those down, or they will be nothing but dust balls soon.

This bench was made by my son from an old head board, and I painted it.

Here is the view from the dining table side of the room into the working side.  The tables there aren't very nice, but they are versatile and can be moved to different configurations. Plus, I can spill paint and glue all over them, slice with exacto blades and not care. 

There is a central support beam that we turned into a column, and I've grouped storage pieces and old doors around it to create a divider.

The old doors are hinged together and make great fake walls. Especially the screen and glass doors, they divide the space up while still letting the light come through.

I've used old doors to section off my computer/office area.

The doors also provide spaces to hang more stuff!  LIke my great Aunt Caroline's clock and portraits of my grand fairies.

The office space sits inside this room built of doors. (the rug is hand painted vinyl flooring)

Sugarwings has her own area, and these hold all of her art supplies. (but she prefers mine)

Behind Sugarwing's supply chests and work table is this closet. Its overfilled with shipping supplies for my store.  If I ever disappear from this blog and you don't hear from me, it will be because I opened that door and was buried in an avalanche of packing peanuts.

This table is actually a pretty antique, but I have so much junk on the shelves below it, I made a table cloth to fit it and hide them.

The door is an original door from our farm house that I painted an iris on. 

The metal chimney cabinet is filled with old books.

And the wallpaper box is filled with lace.

This room was built as simply as possible, a cement floor, and dry wall.  I've stained and painted the floor, and tried to foof up the place with my pretties to make it feel like home, not a big square space.

Adding vintage chandeliers has helped the room not feel as new as it is.  Our cottage is around 100 years old, and I didn't want this room to look blindingly brand new when we added it.

I've also tried to keep everything functional while still being things I liked to see around me.  Each cabinet has a purpose.  Its pretty well organized, and I can find what I want when I need it.  Unless I've set it down somewhere as I walk through the room.  Then, its hopeless.  I usually have piles of projects all around the room, its easy to lose stuff in them.

Well, I've probably done enough blathering. I'll finish with some closeups around the space, and inside some of the cabinets.

And maybe of a friend here and there around the room.

Thanks for stopping by!

Comments

[Kathy]

Oh Karla! I just want to dive in and swim around. A THOUSAND square feet, you lucky ducky!! Thank you so much for sharing. I love all the inspriation!

[mary]

Goodness I could spend hours in here looking at all the many details!! Always love looking at your beautiful space!

Would love for you to come by and visit my new creative space if you have a chance.

bee blessed
mary

[Rachael]

I never tire of seeing your studio, am quite sure I would never come out of it either! Rachael xo

[YBears]

Ohhhh Karla, this is so wonderful,
I need at least a month or so to see it all ...
it is so overwhelming.
It all looks so good and "warm".
Please do not throw anything on that beautiful painted bench,
while I'll be sleeping there the coming time :-).
And I loved your saying about that closest,
when you open the door ...... .
I love it all, all and all ......
and I thought I collected much in my studio ....... .
Karla, if you did not know already,
I love your studio.
I am going to make some tea
and will look around again.
Thank you so much.

[Louise @ Elsie May and Bertha]

I want to move in. You have so much lovely stuff and the way you have set it up is an artwork in itself. I'm especially jealous of your jewellery drawer. I'm making fabric cuffs and want to add bits of old jewellery to them but my local charity shops don't have much. We could do with having things like estate sales that you have in the States, we don't have anything like that here.
Thank you for the look around your lovely studio, it is inspiring. You photo of one of your fairy triptychs as given me the idea for my Father's birthday card that I need to make today, so thanks again. X

[bobbie]

I have to let you know... in my cleaning up prior to taking pix for WBC, I had to tuck away one of your cuffs I had been working on! And the very first cuff I did of yours is featured!

You have a wonderful space ~ full of 'you', which is the very best kind of room!!

bobbie

[shari replogle]

What a gorgeous space!
I think I would like to dive to those in those yummy vintage rhinestone filled trays :)

[jeanie]

Hi, Karla -- not the first virtual visit to your studio, but the best and most comprehensive. I envy the space! Also the tidiness -- you are motivating me to clean up this mess of a studio here! With half my supplies up north, I'm a bit hand-tied and this will be a good time to do something I put off!

[Karla Nathan]

Its rarely this tidy!

Sent from my iPad

[Karla Nathan]

Life without estate sales and garage sales? At least you have flea markets, dont you?

Sent from my iPad

[gail]

Oh how I love your studio! I could spend hours and hours just staring at all of the wonderful creations and doo dads!

[sandy]

WOW is an understatement to say the
least! That is quite a space and it's
given me "Creative Space Envy"!
Love all your jewels as well... and that
cute little dog!
Sandy

[Linda]

Thanks for posting your beautiful studio again this year. It is lovlier than ever. You are such a inspiration in your use of pretty things and display. In the throes of cleaning our my mom's house and trying to really study and think about uses for things before passing on them. The space you have created is such a reflection of your creativity and you do such a generous thing by sharing it with your friends. Birdsong is always such a wonderful treat in my life. Thanks for the inspiration for us all. Linda in Topeka

[Laurie]

I love it when you tell us how you store everything -- it inspires me!! I want to live in your studio.

[Dean Designs]

Such a Divine space. Some houses are not as large!!! You have so many beautiful things. Thanks for sharing!!

Tracie

[Doni Hall]

It's so pretty! I think of it as a tour of vintage lovelies that would take hours and hours to peruse...making for a wonderful trip! Lots to love in there!
Especially loving those wallpaper drawers and boxes and peeks into the laces!!
Blessings,
Doni

[Dawn Edmonson]

Sweet Karla...what an absolute dreamland!!!! You are the MASTER of finding the most beautiful things to create with!!!! I just love each and every photograph ~ and that bling, I can't help myself over here, I'm drooling all over the place. What a wonderful studio that is worthy of your endless talent ~ thanks for taking so many pics, you know we love them!!! hugs and love, Dawn

[Donna Ashton]

Karla I just love it , 1000 sq feet is the size of my home lol . I am intrigued by the table that you covered with textured wall paper and painted. Would you kindly post a pic of it because i just need to see more of it. ? I am totally inspired by that idea. Thanks Donna

[Debbie]

It looks like my favorite kind of room...that I need to go shopping in! Hahaha...I love it. Love how you surrounded the column and all those hutches, chests, old doors...my heart is swooning. And ok I may have drooled a bit! Love all the white, the storage boxes that are beautiful, and jars filled with beautiful goodness. It is all so wonderful. Thanks for cleaning and inviting us over. I feel like a neighbor that came by for a special visit!
Blessings,
Debbie

[CREATIVE CARMELINA]

I can't believe how much creative space you have! I'm jealous..but in a good way! You are an inspiration.....all of your pretty collected items...and creations....all your nooks and collections are so much fun to look at.

I love that you posted a ton of photos....what a great showcase. thanks for sharing.
hope you'll drop by to see my space..it's my first year joining in on all of the fun!

ciao bella
creative carmelina

[Norma]

Karla everything is looking really good. I am in love with that green teapot filled with brushes. Really...this is eye candy and then some. Love your studio. Love your work. Love your spirit. *smiles* Norma

[Keli McKinley Hansen]

Hello dolly!
The bling....ah!
Beautiful space

[Judy]

How beautiful Karla! I sure hope one day to come to one of your weekend retreats and play in that inspiring space!

Hugs,
Judy

[Danielle @ Blessed Serendipity]

Your studio is a magical and beautiful place. You have so many pretty things. Thanks so much for sharing.

Danielle

[Marilyn Krehbiel]

Hi Karla,

Love all the pictures. What a lovely space.

Marilyn

[Linda P.]

I really loved the tour, Karla! I am in awe of the fact that you have almost 1,000 square feet of studio-liciousness! That is literally close to the size of my whole house! Looking at all these photos is like looking at an "I Spy" book. There is so much to see, and it is displayed so creatively.

I love how you say you have hats waiting to be "plucked"!

Can I run my fingers through all your jewelry? Only do be a dear and see that all brooch pin backs are securely fastened before I indulge. : ) The bling is gorgeous.

Oh, and I would have happily drooled over, I mean looked through all 200 of your photos if you had posted them all!!

[Arda]

That was PURE EYE CANDY!!! Eye Candy in its purest most potent form!!! I'm so inspired to find a corner in my basement and create a craft/blogging area for myself! Its spectacular, and I"ll have to come back again and again to look at all the details in the photos, just like that favourite magazine!! WELL DONE!!

[Karla Nathan]

When we bought our house it was under 900 sq ft, and we have remodeled many times. It still shocks me that I have this huge space of my very own now to work in!

Sent from my iPad

[Do you love him Loretta (Arda)]

Oh btw I started following you on Blog Lovin as I can never get the linky one to work for me!

[nancy thompson]

Ohhhhhhh how gorgeous in every way. Love it all!

[marti]

Karla, Your space is magnificent! I can't believe all of the eye candy. Happy creating in such a fabulous environment! ~Marti

[Kim]

Karla... your studio is nothing more than AMAZING and I love seeing every little detail of your many collections. You have filled your space with such beautiful goodness, that I can't get enough of it. I think it deserves to be featured solo, in a special edition of Where Women Create magazine, or even in a book someday. Its one that I would definately buy that's for sure.. - Kim

[Karla Nathan]

Thank you Kim, actually Jo Packham had asked me a few times to be in that, but she hasnt ever done the story. Id be honored to be in it, I hope that it works out someday.

Sent from my iPad

[Alexandra Eitel]

You have a wonderful workspace! Thank you for sharing!
Alexandra

[Ellie]

Oh, dear Karla, I drool over your studio. Your pictures and blurbs make me want to move right in. I'm so glad you took lots of close-ups. After personally lounging in your studio at Bird Song Two, this post is extra fun for me for me to visualize.

You are one of the sweetest and most genuine persons I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Thanks for sharing your studio. It is a true reflection of you. And that is the highest compliment anyone could ever receive from me.

[Karla Nathan]

Thanks, Marilyn, did you see lots of your wallpapers on display in my room?

Sent from my iPad

[victoriantailor]

So inspirational!!! Oh, to have a studio someday!
Love every little thing, you do such a good job with space, containers, displays, etc.,have given me great ideas!

[Kate garfield]

Such fun, Karla! I'm always getting ideas of what to look for at yard sales and antique shops, from you!
Thanks for sharing all of that. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Kate

[[email protected]]

I can tell you are a master teacher by the
amazing work that comes out of your classes .
I want to be in your class for dress form if you
are planning to do it again.
Your studio is filled with delighted women
learning and making friends. I love all your
spaces. My stars even your bedroom is inspired
as a studio space!!! You have inspired me to
maybe teach a class on drawing butterflies.
This visit brought me to some major insights
about where I am going as a studio artist.
Pat beglin I would love you to visit my new blog.
yup I am a newbie thanks

[Teah B.]

I look so forward to seeing your slice of heaven each year. Thank you for your ongoing inspiration!

[Karen Valentine]

Karla your studio is always one of the highlights of the tour for me!! I always pay attention to how you have things set up because one of these days(or years) my studio will be moving into a much larger space in my home. I'm sure I will channel some of your creative energy when I start filling it up!! Thank you so much joining the party again!!!!!

[Michellee]

OOOOOO MMMMYYYY GGGGOOOODDDDNNNNEEESSS!!! I love your studio.. It is so amazing.. I may steal some of you ideas of storage/displaying your amazing supplies. I can look at your photo's for hours.. and daydream.. The photos are so dreamy.. Thanks for sharing your CREATIVE space..

[Tamatha Kaplan]

Karla, your studio is so beautiful! I hope someday to come see it in person at Birdsong. Thanks for sharing!

[Jenny]

Wow what an amazing space - it looks like its a whole house - lucky! Ok I gotta ask? How big is that wooden box you have with all that $ table bling? I almost fell off my chair. Thanks for sharing.

Jenny

[Karla Nathan]

Thanks, Jenny. That table full of jewels is probably around three feet long or so.

Sent from my iPad

[cathy]

Can I PLEASE come and play in your room? Oh my gosh it is AWESOME - a dream studio. so BIG and packed with fabu treasures! Love that wallpaper at the top and that pile of bling...I am going back for a second tour - I am sure I missed a few things! Cheers.

[Maureen]

Wow! The bling! The antiques! The SPACE! Awesome...thanks for all the drool-worthy photos!

[Stacey]

Wow - your space is AWESOME! I know you said your post was a long one - but it was sooooo worth it. Thanks for sharing and letting us peek into your wonderland of goodies. I am a new follower and will be back to see all of your creations.

Take care and keep creating!
Stacey

[Elaine L.]

Karla, I love all the closeup photographs. And, wow, 1000sq feet! Was this room originally added to be your studio? It's amazing!
~elaine

[Lovey]

Karla I love visiting your creative space...it is just beautiful and filled with so much eye candy! love all the bling too! Just beautiful!

[Karla Nathan]

Yes, we built this addition because we needed an apartment for our son, who is developmentally delayed. My husband also works from home, so we decided to add work spaces for us both while remodeling. So, downstairs is my studio and garage, above that is my husbands office and our sons place.

Sent from my iPad

[Curtains in my tree]

OMG
LOVE IT ALL

of course I have seen your stuido before on your different post when you have a girl party
it makes me realize I am keeping all my treasures
I have been feeling over whelmed lately with so much
nothing compared to your treasures
what made my heart beat fast was all your jewelry the rhinestones OMG

LOVE IT Karla

also your little doggies so cute
i just adopted a stray cat she loves me , named her Shirley , Lavern & Shirley was on when I was trying to
name her LOL

Cheers

[Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions]

I always enjoy coming by your studio, Karla! I remember when I first saw it, I started dreaming of my own! With our move I finally got a small room from my space in the garage at the old house. I love all the details and personality you have in here. That bed/bench is wonderful! How nice that it was a collaboration with your son.

[June]

Oh to spend a day in your studio Karla would be akin to Heaven!!!

[Rita Barakat]

Wow what a wonderful space - I went over it three times already! So many gorgeous and wonderful things to look at!!I have just about got everything in it's place in mine, now for the decorating! Thanks for the inspiration!

[Kristi S.]

Oh wow! I am in awe of your space! When can I come and play? I totally want to rummage through that delightful drawer of vintage jewels! Thank you for sharing your wonderful treasures!
Hugs,
Kristi

[Jennifer Hayslip]

Karla,
Why hasn't your studio been featured in WWC? It's LONG overdue!! Your studio is beyond amazing! Just draw dropping and full of the best craft items and pretties a girl could EVER
dream for!!! :))) xo,Jenn

[Kate P.]

Our craft rooms couldn't be more different but our philosophies are rather similar - no such thing as too much sparkle lol! What an amazing room - I could go shopping in there :O)

[Helena White]

What a simply lovely studio! Thank you for the tour ♥ ஆ