Strawberry Chic

I came across a new blog I'm enjoying reading through the archives of:  Strawberry Chic.  The link that initially drew me to it was for this great pencil holder, shown on How About Orange. 

This will sound silly, but she seems like the kind of person I would be friends with in real life.  Same style and seems to have a very sweet personality. 

Skelies

This is the begining of my skeleton key collection. None of these keys open doors anymore, except one of them. It will someday open the door to my art studio when my hubby can build it for me.

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There will be at least two more keys. I bought a couple new gold colored ones from a hardware store, but I don't like them looking too new. Matt suggested I bury them in the yard to age them faster. I got impatient and just threw them out the front door somewhere to weather, and will remember to hunt them down again someday later.

the things I've found

These are my latest finds. This old metal globe is from the Salvation Army. I've been collecting globes for a while now. It's been a slow going collection, but I love the newest addition.

This is a small pencil sharpener I found at an antique mall in Hattiesburg. It looks like the camera Lydia found for me in Birmingham. Cute set.

These are one of my greatest finds! I got seven of these bubbled glass plates for 4.50 and I'm going to use them in my stained glass. It's going to go above the doors to my studio. I've been drawing some ideas for it in my sketchbook. I think it will look amazing when it's done.

Here is the mosaic I made at the Mosaic Shop in Jackson when I went with my friends, Dottie, Lydia, and Kate. The colors go great with the colors of my apartment decoration.

A crayon tin I got at Cracker Barrel this past weekend. I'm using it to hold the little collage paper cut outs I keep in my purse.

Studio Library

The more I think about my future studio, the more excited I get. The latest update with it is the size. It is no longer going to be an 8x12, no sir. Now it will be a 12x12! My father-in-law, Reed, said its not much more expensive to add those four feet, plus it will seem like a lot more space. I'm totally down with that. Part of the studio that I feel very ill-equiped for is the bookshelf. I've been keeping a list of art books I want when I someday have money. Here's the four big ones:

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Lotta Prints: How to Print with Anything from Potatoes to Linoleum by Lotta Jansdotter

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One-Yard Wonders: Look How Much You Can Make with Just One Yard of Fabric! by Rebecca Yaker .

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In Stitches by Amy Butler .

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. and Advanced Origami by Michael G. LaFosse .

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So family, friends, and any random reader...my birthday is July 12, anniversary June 20, and I recently adopted a puppy so Mother's Day is May 8. And everyday inbetween and after those is my unbirthday! Just saying :-)

Studio Excitement!!

Yesterday Matt, Matt's mom, and I went to Home Depot after an early supper at Cracker Barrell ( I had the grilled chicken with mac and cheese, green beans, and a couple biscuits) and Matt gave me the best news ever. I was looking at the sheds they have outside and basically fell in love with this little 8x12 foot one. Matt said when/if we move he'd build me one for my studio!!!!! I think mostly because he doesn't want me getting oil paints and stuff on the nice new floor of our future home. Whatever his reason, I am super ecstatic and can't stop plotting and planning. I've been collecting studio inspiration pictures for a while, but never with the thought that I would post them, so I'm sorry if I can't link them to the original owner.

This is a picture of the shed they have at Home Depot. Obviously mine will be much cooler cause I get to pick what goes in it and the lay out and stuff, but it will give you the general idea. Also, the shed looks much bigger when you're in it.

This is a little view of the inside, I took it with my smart phone. The pre-made shed has three windows, one of which is kind of small. While in Home Depot, I found three windows I like, two the same size and one a bit bigger to go on the end of the studio above where I'll have my sink. Three windows will come in at $200. We're trying to build the studio for less than it would cost to get one pre-made, which is about $2,000 for the size I liked. My windows will be white framed instead of metal, and they slide easily.

And now for the inspirational pictures.

I like the tile floor of this little outdoor room. I'm also a fan of the exposed ceiling. I really like homes with beams, and it gives that feel on a small scale.

This building is more of a future studio look, when we have room for a bigger one and more money to put in it. But I super love the look of these windows, the roof, and the colors.

This picture is one of my favorite. I think this building is closest to the size and style mine will be. I also really like the white walls so I'll probably paint it after Matt and I build it. The shelf going across on one side is nice. I'll have one to showcase things I like and as storage for more art supplies. Also fun to think about window treatments. The picture below is this building from the outside.

I want to pick or build the door for my studio. It will be bigger than this one. maybe be a double door and take up most of the front of the building so I can open it up. I'd also want to have a screen door so on summer nights I can open the door and windows and not have to worry about the mosquitos. May also get Matt to build on a little porch on the front. Then I'd have somewhere to put a chair and could hang or place things outside to dry faster. I can already see myself spending tons of free time out there with Buck. Painting, printing, drawing, playing. It will be such an inspirational place. And one of the best parts, is that I can take it with me when we move again after a few years. I wouldn't want to get so attached to my studio then have to leave it. That would be hard.

I like the director's chair, white walls, and exposed ceiling. I'm already picking out the furniture and things I've been collecting that will go in my studio. I'll probably bring in my green folding chair my mom and I got at an antique mall. And my wood artist stool I bought from Hobby Lobby. Matt is going to build me a big easel. And I'll have my cabinet/dresser that holds my art supplies right now. It kind of doubles as a desk. I'll probably have to get creative with table space. maybe have a camping style table that folds up from the wall. I'd put it under one of the windows.

I like the cedar planks used on this roof. I'm not digging the swoop in the middle of the roof, but the material used is beautiful.

I started looking at sink faucets. Matt's dad has a sink like the one below. It's just hanging out by their boat shed. So I'm going to use it in my studio, but I want a new faucet. I really like copper but it will probably end up being too expensive. Who knows, might can find a nice one at a thrift store or something.

So, yeah, that is the rambling and excitement about having a studio someday in the near future. I've been dreaming about this for years and years, and finally the dream will be coming true. I've also looked at lighting, I'd probably have some running lights, or whatever their called where you can point them to different places. And then have another main light. I'll have to figure out what the counter will be made of cause it has to be pretty cheap. Also need to think on the flooring. I don't think I want a laminate, or even outdoor carpet. I can't keep it the chipboard he'll use to build it cause I'll get splinters in my feet, and nobody wants that. I like the idea of wood floor, but Matt thinks that's kind of silly since I'll end up ruining it with paint and stuff anyway. It will all come together eventually.

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YAY! I am so excited. Now I want to move 35x more than I did yesterday.