Dog Party

On Sunday we had some friends over for the afternoon and they brought some company for Henry and Lola. Watch Marsha's small dog, Steezy, chase Henry in a bounding game of keep-away.

Studio: Reborn

I am embarrassed to reveal this image but this is what my studio looked like 3 weeks ago. It had become a dumping ground for all miscellaneous home stuff. I regularly referred to it as "The Shit Pit." It sounds like a harsh name but it's really satisfying to say, try it some time.

Studio: before - aka The Shit Pit.

Phew. That's over. My mother-in-law came to visit last week and first on the agenda was to clean this room. See that sofa thing with all the boxes piled on top? That pulls out making the guest bed. That means I not only had to clear off the bed but also make space on the floor.

Enter Giant Trashcan. I filled an entire curb-side trashcan with paper waste. Everything from magazines to paper scraps, used wrapping paper to stickers got stuffed into the can. With all that paper cleared away it gave me space to start organizing the yarn, paint and design supplies that previously littered my desk and cubbies. I rearranged nearly everything in the room and systematically put it back in more useful locations grouping similar items.

Studio: after - The Happiest Room in the House

I organized all my design supplies like pencil sharpeners, erasers and x-acto blades in a vintage green bowl that can be easily brought to my desk when I need to use it. I also have an inspiration bookshelf with a series of art and design books.

I had been struggling to get my yarn and knitting supplies organized but I finally have it all arranged with straight needles in a basket, notions all together in one place and a couple of cubbies filled some of my favorite yarns.

Lastly, I made a special corner with my easel.

It feels really great to have my office simplified. It had been such a disaster I didn't even set foot in the room for days at a time. I really love having everything organized and easy to access it helps me get inspired to do great work.

Have you simplified or organized any overwhelming project recently?

Happy New Year, 2009

I took a semi-unintentional break from blogging this holiday season because I took a very intentional break from my computer. There were several days over the course of two weeks that I didn't even give it a passing glimpse. It felt good to get away without going anywhere. But now I'm back and I hope to bring you blogs from the nonstop excitement I call my life. Ha!

Here's a start. I got the most amazing hot pink Christmas tree this year, and when I say amazing I mean don't stare at it directly because it will eat your soul.

We had a light Christmas as far as gifts go. I got a book and some new, very needed graters for the kitchen. And a fabulous new pillow that says, "Pink isn't just a color, it's an ATTITUDE." It fit perfectly under my tree.

Then the Sunday after the Christmas we declared would be "light" we bought a new washing machine on a whim. I never thought I would reach the point in my life where a new washer would make me giddy. My old washer was a scary, faux wood grain clad 1970s pumper. Have you ever seen one of those? It doesn't swish your clothes gently back and forth it jams them up and down with the fierce vigor. Great for clothing longevity. So now our clothing gets delicately coddled to cleanliness and I've washed every thing in this house save Thomas and the dogs.

A Christmas Miracle!

Let me count. Thomas and I have been together for ten Christmases and I have received my share of interestingly wrapped gifts from him. In the early years, he would convince his youngest sister Emily to wrap any gifts he had gotten me. Each year he would ask a disenchanted Emily, already tired from wrapping a ton of other presents to wrap my gifts about an hour before our gift exchange and usually while I was standing right there, next to them, in their parents' home. Then after we moved in together and Emily got married and started her own family, Thomas has been on his own when it comes to wrapping my gifts. I've had packages still in their amazon.com box that have been scotched taped back together and then stuck under the tree. One time he got a gift bag and put the gift inside but forgot the critical tissue paper step. My favorite alternative wrapping solution was the year he gave me three envelopes, regular business envelopes, which inside had a printed page with a picture of the gift. He handed them to me and said, "Pick one, only one, but let me tell you one is empty."

But this year he wrapped quite a few different gifts and tucked them nicely under the tree. I just hope there's something inside them!

Christmas cheer

I got a pink tree! Hooray!