Yesterday's studio reorganization involved a bunch of little things. I opened boxes and found pictures. I took a little time to look at them & reflect positively about them. I found a forgotten box I'd made in the early 2000s and inside I'd kept some little cards from Wes. There were a few pictures when we started dating. There was also a picture of me when we were in Hawaii (2003) and he proposed. Smiling broadly.
What struck me was how happy I looked. I thought about the different path I was on the excitement of something new. What I also, more importantly, realized is I had let another person lead that adventure. It was a mistake that took 10 years to unfold & another 5 years from which to recover. With the divorce debt paid in full this December ($18K/5 yrs) I feel like I am truly starting my own adventure. And, if I remember correctly, I feel as happy as I did in the 2003 picture. I've learned it's all forward motion.
As I also looked at quilting books and half finished projects, I wondered the same thing. Would they pull me backwards? Can I rethink them for me now? Are they just filling space I need for new ideas and projects? Shuffling around furniture and accessories seems to have shuffled dormant feelings and thoughts in my mind. That can be helpful, I guess.
I decided to press this old dresser into better use. It's seen some long hard years! I bought it with the nightstands in the late 1980s in Chicago at an estate sale. It was during my '50s decorating period; the pieces were very well maintained. It worked for the master bedroom furniture. Then when we moved to Texas, my 1st husband & I designed and built a portable studio work table using the 3 pieces. When I moved to this house in 2002 Laura used it for her crafts. Somewhere along the way she and Brent decided to paint it. They got as far as the primer. When I returned to this house I needed the nightstands. The dresser legs had always been wobbly so I took them off. The dresser took on a permanent quilted cover of some sort.
Now it is going to be used again as the base of my work table. I still need the nightstands so they won't be used. The original set up will be adjusted so a "shelf" will be under the door/top and the dresser. It will be counter height. In a perfect world, I'd take the time to paint the whole unit. Quite frankly, I think I can overlook the shabbiness for the usefulness of the piece. Maybe. I'm planning the work table's construction today.
My original studio plan last week included buying cabinets for the back wall. I was seriously hallucinating because yea, no that's not going to happen. The monstrously large ones I have in place are staying put. I did have some dead space above one that needed attention. I was piling canvasses willy nilly there. It dawned on me I could turn one of my shelves on its side.
What struck me was how happy I looked. I thought about the different path I was on the excitement of something new. What I also, more importantly, realized is I had let another person lead that adventure. It was a mistake that took 10 years to unfold & another 5 years from which to recover. With the divorce debt paid in full this December ($18K/5 yrs) I feel like I am truly starting my own adventure. And, if I remember correctly, I feel as happy as I did in the 2003 picture. I've learned it's all forward motion.
As I also looked at quilting books and half finished projects, I wondered the same thing. Would they pull me backwards? Can I rethink them for me now? Are they just filling space I need for new ideas and projects? Shuffling around furniture and accessories seems to have shuffled dormant feelings and thoughts in my mind. That can be helpful, I guess.
I decided to press this old dresser into better use. It's seen some long hard years! I bought it with the nightstands in the late 1980s in Chicago at an estate sale. It was during my '50s decorating period; the pieces were very well maintained. It worked for the master bedroom furniture. Then when we moved to Texas, my 1st husband & I designed and built a portable studio work table using the 3 pieces. When I moved to this house in 2002 Laura used it for her crafts. Somewhere along the way she and Brent decided to paint it. They got as far as the primer. When I returned to this house I needed the nightstands. The dresser legs had always been wobbly so I took them off. The dresser took on a permanent quilted cover of some sort.
Now it is going to be used again as the base of my work table. I still need the nightstands so they won't be used. The original set up will be adjusted so a "shelf" will be under the door/top and the dresser. It will be counter height. In a perfect world, I'd take the time to paint the whole unit. Quite frankly, I think I can overlook the shabbiness for the usefulness of the piece. Maybe. I'm planning the work table's construction today.
My original studio plan last week included buying cabinets for the back wall. I was seriously hallucinating because yea, no that's not going to happen. The monstrously large ones I have in place are staying put. I did have some dead space above one that needed attention. I was piling canvasses willy nilly there. It dawned on me I could turn one of my shelves on its side.
Sadly, those tagged totes were marked in early 2019. They hold unfinished projects. They are "recent" unfinished projects so I really expect they will see the finish line in 2020.
It now perfectly houses the canvasses. 😎😎
***
I recently found this chart on Pinterest. I think it has great merit for thinking about one's journey. I plan to journal each Sunday with my thoughts from the previous week. Maybe it will be beneficial to you too; so I am sharing it here. With a new year nipping at my heels, the last few weeks of December are always a time of self-reflection.
The author is Amber Rae and her Instagram is https://www.instagram.com/heyamberrae/
She has a nice selection of insightful prompts and posters.
Thank you for continuing this studio reorganization with me!
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Maybe you already finished the worktable? I thought rolling wheels with locks on the bottom would be a great addition. You could move that sucker around without issue. Very functional.
ReplyDeleteLibby
I like Libby's idea of rolling wheels. I don't know how hard for you to attach. Your shelf plan sounds good, too. I like the bookcase sideways. I have a desk section that I turn sideways on the floor under my LR window - the Christmas tree is there now, but it normally holds the printer and stuff, as well as things in the sideways cubbies. I wish I had two of them!
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