REORGANIZING MY STUDIO

Hi all….it is time to reorganize my art studio and give it a fresh look.  Why? Because I can no longer find what I am looking for…I can't get inspired because of it's messy appearance (I'm anal that way)...and I find myself in the breakfast nook painting instead of in my studio.  So that's it….time to reclaim my art space and make it a place that I enjoy being in when I paint.

So…...that being said…I thought that I would share some of the changes that I have made.  (If you have been following my blog for any length of time…you may have already seen some these.)

I saw this on Pinterest and thought that it was a GREAT idea!  Inexpensive towel racks to store punches.  I found these at Ikea for $2.99, the hanging wire basket for $2.99 and a package of hooks for $0.99.  I hung them behind the door to the room as I had no other area that would accommodate the size.

I use a basket to store my finished and unfinished visual journals.

I found these magnetic containers at the Container store for $1.99 a piece.  I use them to store tacks, picture frame nails and wire, paper clips, etc.  Great for small items.  The magnetic strip is from Target. I found a package of two strips, with magnets, on sale for $4.00.

Everyone seems to question how to store markers.  I prefer to store them on their sides regardless of what the makers say.  I store them by color families and in stacked plastic cubicles that I made by gluing together plastic containers.  I found the plastic containers at the Container store for about $2.50 each.  They come with lids (and in several colors) that can be used for separating small items in drawers.

Everyone needs a utility cart at the end of their drawing table.   I made mine many years ago to hold paint in my tole painting days.  Now it is being used to hold all those essentials like gesso, matte medium, brush basin, stamp cleaner, box of acrylic tube paints, deli paper, etc.  Those items that I wish to keep at arms length.  If I didn't already own this one, I would buy the rolling kitchen utility cart from Ikea. (It is nicer looking than mine and comes in several colors.)

These are little wire baskets that I found at Target for $1.99 each.  They are the exact length of Pitt pens.  I attached them to the end of the cart to hold erasers, eyeglasses, credit cards used for spreading paint, etc. The idea was to get everything off my desk but still have them close by.

I use several of these (unattached) to hold my Copic Multiliner pens and washi tape. They are a nice size to carry from room to room.

This is my most recent and impulse purchase from Ikea.  It is the size of a large file cabinet and has two different height drawers.  The taller drawers are perfect for hiding those ugly flip top craft paint bottles.  The remainder of the drawers will hold all my paints and pencils in tins, pan pastels, Cuttlebug dies and embossing folders.  I still need to label the drawers so that I can find everything.  lol.

Another item left over from my tole painting days…a tote for my paints.  I wanted something portable  that I could carry to the porch, outside, to a friends house or even a class.

This is a plastic tote that I found at JoAnn's.  It is intended for use with scrapbooking but I found it to be an excellent way to store stencils.  It has a removable top that is also a snap close container and is the perfect size for storing small 6" X 6" stencils.









This is a view of the wall behind my desk with everything in its place.  The storage cabinet with the small drawers and paper storage holds rubber stamps, inks, embossing powders, Silks paints etc.  It is a custom cabinet from BEST.  I have had it for about 18 years and bought it when I was into card making.  Now I use the card making supplies in my mixed media art.  Notice my new cabinet from Ikea?  It fits perfectly in the space between the BEST cabinet and the bookshelf.

I installed the curtains to pretty up the ugly bookshelves that hold plastic containers and drawers.  They are installed the on swivel rods so they can swing out of the way when I need to remove something from the shelf.



And of course….It helps to have natural light.  I am so lucky to have a floor to ceiling window facing the south side of my house.

I hope that this gives you ideas for your own space.  Now...I am going to go paint something and make a mess.  Tee Hee!

Until next time….

Hugs, Ginny