Studio Redux - 063011

Table is coming along nicely.  John fixed the buckling veneer, filled in the divits and then sanded the top, tomorrow he will paint the top a very nice warm white color, will have to see what it is called made by Valspar.

New studio space is becoming congested, BUT I'm getting rid of some tolerances I've been hanging onto for the past five years and there will soon be room for my fabric on the shelves!  I learned about tolerances as obstacles in a class I took with Alyson Stansfield last year... now that I'm a member of the Artist Conspiracy Project I'm learning how to eliminate those tolerances as they are obstcales to my peace of mind and success as a professional artist.

Every time I either come up from my wet studio or down from the new office space I bring a load with me into my new studio space.  For the first time in about oh ten years I can finally see all of my studio supplies.

Studio Redux - Update 062911

Studio Curtians:  I was going to make some simple curtains/drapes from white fabric but after looking at this quarters issue of Where Women Create I decided to go out on a limb and add some color to my otherwise bottle green studio!

I'll have to paint more fabric this weekend, the trauma there is just unbelievable, NOT :-) as these two inspirations pieces won't be enough for one window even. 

Studio Table, Etc.

It's been living on the front porch for the better part of three years so I thought I'd give it a bath before bringing it into the house.  In cleaning the table loose paint started coming off of the top, so I got a scraper to help remove the lose paint and smooth things out.  As you can see the paint came off of the entire table top and with very little effort.

John using a teardrop scraper to clean paint off of the table trim.

We will repaint the table tomorrow, after a wee bit of sanding.  Can't wait as this table is very sturdy I always loved using my 6500 on this table as it didn't vibrate when running the machine at full tilt, like my current sewing table does.

More thread and beads, half the bead collection is now in the new studio space.  I also took time to seperate the threads, mostly, by colorways.

John put keyhole slots on the back of my Gutermann display rack this morning while I was sleeping in, using his router.

Thread Storage

A rack for larger cones.

John hung my thread racks this afternoon and I'm slowly moving my thread downstairs into the new studio space... I've started calling it my "No Excuse Zone". Tomorrow he'll hang the storage bin, that is on the floor, underneath the cone rack in the first photo.

Studio Redux - 062511

Cubbies!  John and Keith moved these down from the second story into the new space.  Floor has been washed and now the cubbies are almost full with fabrics, etc.

Now to start moving my threads etc., into the space.  Eventually, maybe by this time tomorrow, all of the boxes, etc., to the left will be gone.  I'm pacing myself so as to not re-injure my rotar cuff.

Almost There - Studio Redux

Let me start this post by saying how much I hate humidity!  I really really really hate humidity!

The cubbies are almost empty and ready to move to the new studio space, so much to do and so little time to get it all done in :-(  I'm a day behind but otherwise am very happy with the progress being made :-)

The green wall is where the cubbies will be going, soon the boxes, filing cabinet, and the loom will be going bye bye along with all of the bags of wool in the wire cubbies to the left.  On the red case to the right I will hang my thread racks, and underneath those will go my thread/bead bins.  My studio table will live in the large open area, it all looks small in the photos but is actually quite spacious.  The cubbies are approximately 5 feet by 8 feet by 14 inches deep.

The contents of the cubbies have been moved to the new studio and are hogging my cutting table space.  It doesn't look like much but BON it does fill the cubbies to capacity.  The cutting table will soon leave and my drawing table will take it's place.

Studio Redux 062511

Color pencil tin.  Organizing my new studio space, bought a new tin today... well actually have been waiting a year for Dakota Junction to open up and have their annual flea market sale... It is short enough that I can find my stubby pencils once again.

House Fan Croaked - Yikes!!!

John and I were busily moving stuff this evening for the studio and the family room, at one point I commented that the air just wasn't moving in the house.  Sure enough when I went upstairs I noticed the absence of noise that our house fan creates. 

THIS IS NOT GOOD PEOPLE!!! I only run the Central Air when it's so hot and so humid that it makes me physically ill, that is how much I hate artificial air. 

BUT I really MUST have my house fan!  It creates a draft that makes my 1905 Victorian wanna be enjoybable to live in :-) 

So with that in mind I will be listing some yummies tomorrow, favorites from my studio, so that I can buy a new house fan by this weekend.  Praise the Lord the high here tomorrow is supposed to be 61F, there is a plan for everything isn't there and you have to know how much I love my house fan that I'm willing to sell my babies!

Break

Took a break from working on the studio space today, PT was especially vigerous and was the last one of regular therapy until Friday when pool therapy begins.  I'm back to walking a mile plus a day again and the shoulder stretches and exercises have the wonderful side effect of tightening upper arm flab!

Angel reviewing the changes to her world, happily she has found where we put the sofa and all is well with her again.

Red Wing Blackbird

Witch's Broom

Studio Insanity

This is my future sewing area, it'll look completely different come tomorrow.  It still looks like hoarderville in the dining and living rooms but we are making progress.  Photos coming soon.

The Storm Before the Calm

Chaos, utter chaos is what this is!

Pepper sleeping during the storm!

Shot of my new studio space from the stairwell.  The floor is original and is in a picture frame pattern.

What is a dining room if you can't shove all sorts of stuff into it? It'll be empty of all the "stuff" come next Friday, even that peach colored hutch is going bye bye at the yard sale.

Our future family room, otherwise known as the Library but in reality is a catch all room.  In 1905 this house was a true double parlor home, this room was the family parlor.

Studio Redux 061411

The excitement and anticipation is starting to set in, I cannot wait to work in my new studio space!  John is retrofiting an old book shelf to fit it's new space, then we will move three bookshelves into the new space and a final bookshelf will be retrofitted for the space.  I wasn't sure as to how I'd fit everything into the space but with the two bookshelves being rehabbed it'll work!  Photos on Thursday.

Until then my madder root dye bath, that I have been ignoring and horribly so had the good graces to turn red yesterday so tomorrow it's off to wet studio and will be dyeing a variety of fabrics.

Studio Update 061311

Moved my silk cocoon collect from the shelf in the library to the chicken coop in my n ew studio space, they won't stay here long as I have plans to flip the chicken coop over 180 degrees so that the cubbies on the coop are in the correct orientation. 

Once I'm finished unloading the shelf in the library John will break it down, it's nailed together, and then cut the shelves themselves down so that the unit isn't as wide, then reassemble the unit once again.

In the mean time I have lighting issues that need to be dealt with in my new studio space.  The painting will be moving into the library/family room once everything is set up, for right now this is the safest place for it :-(

Studio Thoughts

A few supplies, these will be moved into the new studio space this week, can't wait to have my supplies all in one spot.

Update No. 061211

Ever notice my updates are the date???

Anyway.

We had 4.58 inches of rain on Friday so to say that gardening has ground to a complete halt would be an understatement.  We spent the day working on the inside of the house instead.  I'm moving my studio supplies etc into the living and dining rooms, with John's blessings, and turning my design studio into a dedicated office/library for myself and my wet studio well it'll be a wet studio once again. 

Rumor has it I ""may"" be able to get into the garden again come Thursday, it's supposed to rain again tomorrow and again on Tuesday.  Rain Rain Go Away... Go to Texas and Arizona where it's really needed, please.

Studio Redux

Small bits of furniture now living the attic, chicken coop now in my future studio!  The tv and the dresser will also be going bye bye.  More later.

Studio - Update June 12, 2011

Whilest I wait upon dye pots, summer storms (looking a whole lot like another flood year here) and fleeces to dry I will be rearranging my 1905 grand Victorian home.  I am moving my studio, combining my two studios actually, into the living and dining rooms of my house and turning the library, a room that has become a glorified closet some how, into a family room.  My current design studio will then become a dedicated office and my wet studio... well I'll have space once again for dyeing, painting, and printing fabrics, etc.

Photos of the progress coming and soon.

Grasses

River Birch Stand

Stand of river birch that have died long ago, the basis for a new painting that is O'Keefe inspired.

Mad about Madder Root e-Class

Mad about Madder Root e-Class Starts Tomorrow at the Natural Surface Network.

If the PP button doesn't take you to the payment page please email me prairiefibers@hotmail.com and I will send you an invoice for the class. ~ Kimberly

Mad about Madder Root Natural Dye e-Class

Class starts tomorrow June 3rd!  Membership at the Natural Surface Network is required.  Cost is $30.00 (USD)  This class is a self directed class. 

 

Once you are enrolled in the class you will have access to video, instructions, etc. I will check the classroom daily for questions.



From the Road 053111

Native Prairie!

Pink Peony No 060111

Burgandy Peony

They have finally opened!!! The color is much deeper than what's in this photo it is almost a wine color.

White Peonies

Heritage Rose

Old fashioned pink rose.

Pretty in Pink

Pink Peonies.  More from my studio tomorrow, I've been working hard in the yard/garden to get things done before the rains get here.

John and the Peonies

John on the other side of the Peony garden, the strip of peonies and hosta's are is approximately 40 feet long.

Tomatoes, etc

Woke up in horrible pain this morning, my right rotar cuff decided it to let me know that it wasn't happy with me, apparently spending the entire day in a car driving across the state and back is not a nice thing to do to one's bum shoulder.

So to work the knots out I mowed the yard, transplanted some perinneal's and planted them under the cherry tree, planted 33 tomato plants, cleaned off the driveway in anticipation of having a yard sale, pruned a whole bunch of trees out of the yard, and pulled gobs of weeds.

It worked I know longer feel my shoulder because my knees are hurting worse than my shoulder was.

If it doesn't rain here tonight then tomorrow I will run a couple of natural dye baths, madder root, out of doors, and plant the rest of my garden goodies which is mainly cucumers and cabbages at this point in the game.

Cherry Tree Planter

Transplanted some perrinals from my one garden, that is in serious need of a redux, and placed them under the dwarf cherry tree.  So far I have planted coral belles, lambs ear, and a yellow tinged leaf petite hosta.  I'm hoping to still find a copper colored leaf coral belle at Lowes tomorrow :-)