Friday, July 15, 2011

Where Bloggers Create 2011

Welcome to my studio!




" Altelier No. 2 "




This is my first year joining Karen Valentine of "My Desert Cottage" for her Where Bloggers Create Party!


Although some of you have seen my studio I thought I'd share it again for new followers who haven't ...











~Moi~

{not the best photo of me because...well that photo has yet to be taken! lol}





My studio was once our dining room ~ a place we hardly used ~ so it seemed perfect to move in here ~ now it is the busiest place in the house...


I've alot of photos to share ~ when it's your favorite place you tend to get a little


'snap happy'











"you cannot depend on your eyes when your imaginations is out of focus"


Mark Twain













I've filled it with all my favorite things...almost all things vintage...and gave each one a new purpose.


This vintage suede and fur trim coat covers my tripod.





















My design board with vintage suitcases propped on an old sewing machine trestle ~ they hold numerous magaznies and books.














We added this new door to close off the living room ~ then added the old hardware and hooks to


hang my 'gathering bags'... they help to keep the clutter down.










I love vintage frames and alphabets.






















I made custom shelves to get the best use out of this three sided corner...underneath the painters cloth skirt are my filing cabinets.
















Vintage art books and gardening books...two more of my favorite things.
















German glass glitter in repurposed jars with vintage labels.










My mom ~ always keeping her close to me ~ and Nana's old tubes of oil paint. Two of my most inspiring people.


















My chalkboard and world clocks.













Vintage paper file for computer paper.










The necessary stuff.










My vintage clothing store painting table.


















Old card files have been painted white and filled with paint tubes and bottles. They are now


new old paint files.














Originally painted black ~ this spring I painted this chest a beautiful robins egg blue to lighten up the room.












I kept one thing from the dining room in here ~ my vintage silver. Each now holds and art supply of one kind or another.













Vintage printer blocks.





















Hangtags for my signs ready to go.





"The world is but a canvas to our imagination"


Henry David Thoreau










Vintage office supplies ~ love bringing back those days when things weren't so digital ~ simpler times.












Scattered throughout the studio are vintage religious items ~ they add alot of warmth ~ visually and spiritually.









My old tin mailbox holds shipping labels perfectly.





Hope you enjoyed my little tour of my favorite place to be!


Be sure to check out the party and visit what looks like over three hundred wonderful


spaces Where Bloggers Create & be inspired!



I'm getting much better cold wise...and business has been wonderful..which all

has me thinking it's time to celebrate with a sign giveaway...

probably next week will be the perfect time!






xo

Monday, July 11, 2011

Back from Vacation {?}

Sort of a vacation...more like one of those vacations you need a vacation after! We traveled all around the state of Iowa...never really sleeping in the same bed twice! I left home with the sniffles and a stuffy nose...this got worse as the week went on. When we got back I went straight to the doctor to find out I had pneumonia! I'm MUCH better now...but yeah, I could really use another vacation!



I forgot my camera...can you believe that? These are photos from our cell phones....flying into Omaha~the flooding was unreal to see, felt more like flying over the ocean.


A scary sight...the water covering everything but rooftops and treetops.





We watched fireworks twice...once at Spirit Lake then again at Lake Okoboji...

The boats and the crowds began gathering on the lake, it was just beautiful!
The ferris wheel at Arnolds Park, Lake Okiboji, Iowa. My husband got this shot...he was very proud of it:)


In the airport on the way home...my little environmental scientist thought this sign on the door was soooo cool. We don't have 'tornado shelters' on the east coast. I had to drag her away ~ she really wanted to open it!!

And here...meet my new partner in crime signs!!!
This is my good friend Marie
(with her two adorable grandbabies, can you believe she's a grandmother?!! ~ she looks more like the big sister!!!)
who has joined me in the cutting, sanding and painting of a gazillion signs!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer...
if you're in this current heat wave stay safe & cool!

xo