art studio

This year, I am going to combine this blog with my old still life with circles blog to make one focused on mindful parenting and art and crafting. Whew. Reintegrate, that is. But I am still in a two blog mindset, and dammit, I am just making it easy on myself.

We have had a lovely few weeks. Some projects and exciting things came to pass, and so I thought I would share them here.

First, it was my 38th birthday on the 4th of January. Yes, I am a solid, right smack dab in the middle Capricorn. Most of the adjectives attached to Capricorns are fairly boring--practical, sturdy, organized, disciplined, loyal, patient, careful, reserved, traditional...yeah. Well, some things in that list are very true, which is that I am happiest when I am organizing things, putting my ducks in a line, planning my next move. This year, I had no expectations for my birthday. It was a Wednesday. Everyone was back at school/work on Tuesday, and random Wednesdays don't make me excited. But I was cool with just hanging out having a normal day around the ranch. I decided to get coffee with my sister, and when I got home, Sam and the kids were so excited, standing in the dining room beaming. First, they ordered flowers with peonies and spray roses, and I realized that the card was signed by just the kids. Joy. They were so gorgeous. That was enough. Being with my family is enough.

Then Beezus and Sam urged me over and over to go into the art studio. Now, I knew my woodworking husband was up to something, and I kept saying stuff like, "Are you working on some earrings in there?" Just to tease him. When I walked in, it was better than a thousand earrings. He built a cubby/shelving system for above my art desk.

That metallic box on the lower right corner of the shelf is a cool box I found at the ReStore, and which stores all my acrylic paint. Sam built the shelf to specifically hold that box, and the other cups with pencils and brushes, he measured for each cubby, so this piece was designed just for me and just for this space. This was just the best kind of gift--one I didn't know I needed, but now seems impossible to have lived without.

I love it. And then the bonus gift was that he gave me the afternoon to clean and organize my art/studio and office (as you can see, it gets chaotic.) Here are some pictures:

Organized and practical! I hung a cork in the middle for those inspiration pieces sent to me, or gathered by me. I also bought some beautiful red boxes to house different art gear. What an amazing space he has given me. He gifted me inspiration and creativity. He doesn't always understand my compulsion to create art and write, but he is so supportive.

I took the opportunity to clean and reorganize the entire room.

Next to the desk is my shelf with paper, bins of art supplies for the kids and I, envelopes, laminate, books, sketch books, and all kinds of gear.

 Moving left of my art desk and turning around, this is the kids' art table, and my writing desk/computer space.

My computer desk.

Then the door, additional storage, my wall of jizos and day of the dead altar. The shelves are filled with kid games and puzzles. (still can't figure out where to hang/put my easel. It is so in the way all the time. For now, in the corner I am not using.)