I Finally Finished!




I finished cleaning out my Creativity Zone. Yippee!

The book Where Women Create was definitely an inspiration in the final stages - it helped me focus on getting the cleanup actually done. I will show a a few before pictures - I should be embarrassed, but the before pictures show the amazing changes.

They ought to have a decorating show called, "Designed to Stay" instead of "Designed to Sell". I don't know if the show "Clean Sweep" is still out there but the process was a little like that! I really tried to think about function in my organizational process, but truthfully weeding out is really what made it more functional.

As you come down the stairs to the cellar you turn left and my painting table is right at the bottom.
Just beyond the painting table through this door is my sewing room.




Now, I used to live in a teeny-weeny house and all my creativity was in bins that I hauled out and cleared away and hauled out and cleared away and hauled out and cleared away....I know many of you know what I mean. I LOVE having a dedicated space for creating. And YES I know I'm blessed, and I am so thankful.


Another shot of the painting table...
this is where all those Tomato People are born...





I'm thinking of skirting the table above with fabric...





As you go inside the sewing room this is the wall to the left of the door...this room is 8 1/2 by 11 feet. There is just enough room to stand between the sewing table and the ironing board.



Here's the evil box of stuffing I was determined to banish...




I decided to divide the stuffing into 4 green soft fabric bins. I can pull one out when I'm working on a doll and it's so easy! Also I added a phone down here (the jack was already there and the phone was $12). I used to hear the phone ring upstairs on the 2nd time and race to get there. Having a phone here is definitely convenient!

This is the wall that's adjacent
to the ironing board wall...
with the stuffing in the green bins below!



Here's what the floor in front of the bookcase looked like before



Here's my sewing table - opposite the door - from BEFORE!



And here's my sewing table AFTER:



My sewing table - which used to be my kitchen table at my old house. I love this table. It has little permanent marker "gifts" left by one of my kids. I bought wooden cubes on sale last year to put things I like to look at in the cubbies while I sew, etc.




I'm messy, aren't I? And this is cleaned up! I am constantly touching the fabric, laying one piece on another to check for contrast, etc. I do very occasionally refold everything but I really resisted refolding the fabric for the picture. This is how I really live. Hey! At least the fabric is IN the bins now. :-)


And here's a sign I made as a gift to myself in this process:




I've designated this 25 cent yard sale chicken as
The Creativity Zone Mascot, to peck me when I leave things messy...




Well, that's it folks. I AM going to change my ways. I think somehow I had associated messy with being CREATIVE. And sometimes that's true. But a cleared space makes room for ideas, too. I want to remember that.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dixie,
This is soooo wonderful!!! You inspire me!!! I can't wait to have my "zone" to create. I plan to have stations for every type of medium, so that I can know where everything is!!! Yipppeeeeee!!! You did it!!

Hugs,
Tink

Blondie ~ Vintage Primitives said...

Okay, now I am really jealous! What a committment. I am soooooo proud of you for doing this; I guess I will succumb next.
Blondie

Anonymous said...

Dixie, it looks wonderful!! I have that same sewing table except I did a funky folk art repainting of the white part! I work so much better in an organized space. Deb(Berrypatchdisigns)

Jo James said...

Yay for Dixie!
Good for you!
An organized space is so much more productive I think. A wonderful reminder sign you made too! Love the dinosaur chicken mascot as well :)
Hugs!

village folk art said...

You are Blessed...Your zone is very inspiring.
Since I live in SoCal, Shacky town, basements are rare. Also, we live in a retirement 55+ community, and space is already limited. I have a 10 x 10 room with my puter, sewing machine, paints, fabrics, books, printer, phone...well you get the idea, all jamb packed into 'My Room'. If I should win the lottery, I will buy a house either in upstate NY or Maine, with a basement....Haaaa...best I do not Hold my Breath.
I am very happy for you Dixie, it is wonderful and I agree, I do not think clearly in an unorganized space...perhaps that is my problem?

Dixie Redmond said...

I am very blessed, but I do need reminders occasionally, Barb. Right now my areas are again in the BEFORE state. I have created though, in a very small environment with NO craft room, so I ended up getting creative with my storage in the living room - bought an old hutch and a lot of baskets and tucked all my supplies in the hutch. Organization is key, but I've found the stuff doesn't pick itself up. Where is that Cleaning Fairy when I need her?


"Do not let what you cannot do
keep you from doing what you can do."

John Wooden