Time Spent in the Art Room…….

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…..is never wasted.  I’ve been spending time in the art room.  I have somehow garnered a few new products to play with and they all need places to live.  I’ve also completed a bit of fine tuning in making sure my tools are to hand when required and therefore get used.  I’m sure we all have versions of what happens when our tools and embellishments are not easily accessed, no matter what our craft might be.

I’ve been taking to heart the need for crafters to use the things in their stashes.  Too often we are creatures who gather stuff.  And there is so much stuff to gather!   Stuff that is pretty, stuff that might be made pretty.  Stuff that is useful, stuff that might be useful one day.  Stuff we acquired simply because it is our favourite colour.  Stuff we got because it feels lovely when we stroke it.  Stuff we have bought and never use because we paid good money for it and when we use it it will be gone….  so it sits in a drawer or on a shelf forever.

If you are a maker of things I know you know what I mean!

So now, in my art room, there is a paper crafting supplies area, a bead making supplies area and a miscellaneous supplies area.  All fine tuned.

There is also an art supplies area, which tends to spread.  Paint of all kinds of viscosities and opacity and colours.  Pens that are oil based and permanent some for drawing, some for writing, some for first layers, some for later layers.  Pens that are water soluble and can be used like paint but aren’t permanent and require setting in some manner.  Crayons that are water soluble and can be used like paint.  Water colours that can be used like pens or pencils.  Pencils that are water soluble and can be used like water colours………  There is sketching paper, painting paper and card of varying weights.  There are painting boards, canvases and a selection of all of these things with works of varying degrees of completeness or hands-up-in-horror-lets-paint-over-this-abomination-fast facing the wall in disgrace.

There is so many supplies that should I churn out a masterpiece every day for the rest of my life there will still hardly be a dent made in the vast supplies my daughters lovingly refer to as their inheritance.

Despite all this, YD, (Youngest Daughter) the Official Photographer went to spend some days with her delightful older sister ED (Eldest Daughter) in Wellington.  Of course some time would be spent shopping so I gave her a wee list to investigate the availability of some papers I was interested in finding out if I could afford.

ED was working on one of the days so YD was dropped off in the centre of the city with the list and directions to Gordon Harris.  Gordon is one of the best and biggest art supply stores in the country, sadly not located in my part of it.  Not content with looking and acquiring knowledge of availability and pricing YD went nuts and purchased examples of paper in large, larger and largest sizings in varying weights and presses.  I have to admit to shedding a tear or two when I saw the haul of pure white cotton hot pressed 280 gsm  paper that, until now, has been something I can paint on only in my dreams.  There is also two sheets of A2 yupo paper.  Hallelujah!!  A2 is HUGE!!  Yupo is the incredibly pricey stuff that I buy from the UK  in tiny sheets and make the inky doodles on that adorn the note cards in my little shop.  (Here’s the post telling you all about it if you are interested or need a reminder.)

So when I conquer my fear of making a mess on any of these fantastic papers I’ll be painting up some kind of a storm I can tell you!

In the meantime, not prevaricating at all, I turned a sock dryer into a stencil hanger.  Here it is sporting half it’s intended load

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I’m not a hundred percent sure it’s placement is perfect as I’ve successfully blocked the wall clock and now the only way I know what the time is is when Siddy comes for his bi-hourly game of fetch or to remind me it is treat time.

Fetch

Here’s the long view of the room, in case you are interested

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To the right of the stencil hanger may be glimpsed the ‘Dangler of International Happiness’ which long term readers may recall from two or three years ago being something many of you contributed to and which I stand and rifle through from time to time while thinking of you all fondly.

After all the sorting and sighing was over, I finished a painting in my art journal.  Thinking of a particular friend going through hard times, I was inspired by a quote I stumbled upon via You Tube and another artist who had used it in her work.  I Googled to find the quotes author  and discovered another person doing good in the world whom I had never heard of before.  These are the people who should be hogging the headlines in my opinion, but we mostly never hear of them.

I threw all my new products and some old ones as well at this piece and completely over did it, but I learned a lot while experimenting and playing about.

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The quote is ‘Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you feel buried, when you’ve actually been planted.’  Christine Caine

Detail

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I am pleased with the tears.

And for all you pet lovers out there, an update.

Orlando has been a little less door-phobic since my last post  – I thought you might like to know, the attention directed towards his welfare seems to have lifted his spirits somewhat and I have been delighted to see my kitty return to almost his old self…….

Orlando June 17

He comes inside more readily, stays in longer and cuddles again just like he used to.  We thank you for all your kind thoughts and good wishes xo

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

84 thoughts on “Time Spent in the Art Room…….”

  1. I love the idea of setting up a different space for each craft. I currently don’t have enough space, so I have the problem you spoke about of things being put away so I don’t use them. I just keep holding onto the ONE DAY mentality and try not to get discouraged.

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    • Hello Jan! Lovely to see you pop in! Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. My kitty has good days and not quite so good days – I just have to learn to be okay with it all. I love my art room too 🙂 It makes me happy ❤

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  3. Pingback: Art Journal Prompts and Inspirations | The Contented Crafter

  4. What a lovely place for crafting! How is it possible with a cat :)? My cats are always into craft supplies and similar things!

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    • Hello Luanne, thank you for coming by and commenting. My cat is becoming an elderly, slightly dotty fellow now and no longer much interested in helping me craft or paint. He used to be quite actively involved, then as time passed he settled down a bit and had a small bed on the workbench where he could keep an eye on things as needed or snooze in the sunshine – but he gave that all up three years ago when the puppy arrived. Now he mostly snoozes in the chair with his friend Siddy while I work – or sits by the door deciding whether to come in or go out. Pets certainly interfere with your working options 🙂

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      • Oh, cats are so sweet as they age and become calm. All of mine are between 6 and 16, but now I have a foster cat who I can’t imagine leaving us. He is young. Still shreds and eats paper, for instance. Looks like I need to babyproof the house soon!

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        • Goodness, how many cats do you share your home with? Once a kitty comes into your home it’s pretty near impossible to give them up isn’t it 🙂

          I suspect you and my friend Alys would be great friends – she has just found the sweetest Chimera kitten living in her husband’s Tesla and blogged about her at Gardening Nirvana, her link is just below your comment here if you want to check her new kitty out…….

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          • Ooooh, thank you! Living in her husband’s Tesla! We have 5 + the foster, so I guess we have 6. I told my kids that Dad doesn’t yet know that we have six and my daughter said, “Oh, he KNOWS!”

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  5. Pauline, what a pleasure it is to return this morning, fresh eyed and able to enjoy your post and all the wonderful conversations that are typical on your blog. I’m happy to hear that Orlando is more himself. With the cooler months ahead, I hope you have many hours of warm snuggling together. I’ll bet your arm gets a good workout tossing toys to Siddy on a regular basis. I’m just tickled to hear about your new stash from Wellington. Such thoughtful daughters you’ve raised. I’m so excited to meet them. Your room is gorgeous. And since I’m “Born to Organize” I studied every detail. I completely relate to organizing the organized. It’s fun to tweak and fine tune as you go. The more you organize, the more you see the possibilities. In some cases, the act of moving things around presents a new way to look at things, or eliminating a large object or a piece of furniture suddenly makes other things possible. Your room is a delight.

    All that call you a friend are lucky to share in your beautiful, wistful art. She’s lovely and will no doubt lift the spirits of your friend. That’s a terrific quote, perfect for the piece and for life in general. xo

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    • I actually strained my throwing arm from repeatedly attempting to toss his toy around corners – you don’t get too many straight lines in this tiny house – and it still tweaks a bit now and again 🙂 I knew you would understand the other tweaking thing going on in the art room. You can just keep on and on yes? Which reminds me, I needed to tell you and kept forgetting, the garden came to a complete halt as there are other priorities at the moment and I really had to choose where the cash will go – 2018 wins 🙂 ❤

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      • I’m so sorry to hear that you tweaked your arm, but I am smiling just a little at the thought of you hurling Sid’s ball around the place. Tessa decided to pull the ribbons off of my dress manequin the other day. I removed the tulle skirt for fear she would pull the whole thing on top of herself. She thinks it’s a big play nest. It’s so funny what they get into. 2018 it is. I’m so excited. xo

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  6. You really did a good job of describing your art stuff and the insights to having it. I think this also pertains to all the other “stuff” we have. I just spent a long week trying desperately to clean out a storage area of old stuff, having a garage sale, sorting for donations, etc. All this in the incredible heat, but I made a dent in it. I laughed at the description of your youngest daughter “going nuts,” ha ha! Beautiful art and quote, I know about dark places, but I’m sure my poetry would never clue anyone in, lol. I also like the International Happiness Dangler :D. So glad Orlando is better, my cats just went through a kitty sneezing cold thing and one had to go to the vet. Here’s to creating beautiful art of all sorts with well sorted supplies!

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    • Heat and disposing of stuff is never a good mix – that’s when I tend to chuck the whole lot in the car and give it away! Good on you for making a start!! So many of us know about the dark places, it seems to go hand in hand with creativity! Your nasty girl Carly needs a dose of that to develop some empathy for others 🙂 I do love my Dangler – it contains messages as well as examples of peoples creativity. It was a wonderful idea from one of my blogging pals in Oz. I hope your cats are all better now – my last old kitty went through a violent sneezing phase which was quite alarming at the time, I thought she would blow apart sometimes! Hopefully your little ones are not aspiring to that level of sneeze! ❤

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      • The cats have all recovered nicely. I am enjoying spending a little time with them from my normally hectic schedule. I’ll bet you do enjoy your Dangler, what a neat idea! Speaking of YouTube, I watch a lot of it too, I’m a big fan. One of my favorite vloggers, you might like also is on there as Little Poet. She researches skin and makeup products (reasonably priced ones compared to all the others on there). What is different about her is that she adds little slice of life segments to it. She is a wonderful creative soul.

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  8. What a delightful post! Your painting is divine, your stencil hanger/sock dryer even moreso. I am inspired by your art room. I need to create a space just for me. Thanks for the uplift and impetus!

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  9. Enjoyed having a peek at your creating space, Pauline. It’s so tidy! I’m really impressed with all your neat storage boxes😀 your sock drier is inspired. I love things being used for something else.
    It took me ages to actually SEE it though – for some reason WordPress isn’t loading photos for me to see and I keep getting a message up telling me I’m off line. When I’m not. It happens with Derrick’s posts too, and a couple of other blogs I check in on. So annoying!

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    • Those storage boxes hold a multitude of sins Jenny 🙂 I too love using things for other purposes and sock dryers are very handy little creations – I also have one that holds lightcatchers that are in process and am even considering getting one for the laundry to dry – er – socks on. 🙂 I have those issues too with loading from time to time – I think it is my ISP having a hiccup and sometimes I simply shut everything down and restart the computer and then all is well. I have no idea what causes anything to happen!! 🙂

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  10. How fun to have a good look-see into the room where all the magic happens. It feels good to get organized doesn’t it? Currently, I’m not at all but your post is inspiring Pauline. I admire your ability to create in all these gorgeous mediums, your personality shines through. The art and dangler and even the colour of the room seems mystical and whimsical. Maybe like perhaps the office of the local natural healer of olden days. Being creative may cure what ails you, that’s for sure. If I’m feeling down, it’s always a good Rx. Happy for your news about sweet O and will continue to send loving thoughts his way. Thanks for including Mr Siddy since his exhuberance for all things fun shines through his photo and I feel it too. Much love my dear xo K

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    • Gah! I wrote a long reply to your comment and WP ate it! I’ll try again ……
      I know I said I thought you were so very busy that I was always amazed at how well organised and beautiful your creations and home always looks. I love the thought of my art room being like the office of a healer – that is so lovely! I have issued an edict though that there should be no further blue items added in – I need to think in terms of viridian and celadon greens to mix it up a bit 🙂 Mr O is thankful for your loving thoughts – he is still in need of them! Siddy gives him lots of comfort too which is so sweet to see, though O doesn’t always appreciate it…….

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          • hmmmmm, guessing…..

            You bought Celery instead of Celadon?
            Celadon got four paws down?
            You asked for Viridian at the paint counter but the Millennial looked at you blankly?

            I give up 😀 ….can you tell? Is it a secret? Did you change your mind entirely? Are you moving instead? Am I asking too many questions?

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            • 😀 Ha, you make me laugh!! Oh Lor’ I wish I could move – a cottage by the sea – sigh! But no, let’s not waste time dreaming over things that cannot be Mama P – No, I just saw the most beautiful celadon coloured wall hanging and thought it would make a wonderful curtain in the art room …….. I don’t need it, but ….. 🙂

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              • Hey, you’re talking to a woman that bought a pink flamingo watering can today 😀 It’s devine and makes me happy. Plus, it wasn’t much $, so win/win. We really don’t need much of anything but why fight the need to nest, it’s in our DNA….from cave days I’ve been told and it can’t be easy to decorate a cave 😀 haha!

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  11. I have not been getting notification of your posts!!! I’m not sure why but when I finally looked at FB, I found I had missed a couple. Read the one on Orlando first this morning but it would not load completely nor let me comment. I will go back in a moment. I LOVE your new painting. Your room is so much more tidy and organized than mine. Please come help! 🙂 I wish you could. I’m getting there way too slowly but I so very well understand what you are talking about. You need a trip into the city yourself but while you have babies at home, it’s hard to leave them for shopping. I am so ready to get back to work on projects and maybe by the end of next week, that will be possible again. You have inspired me as has the quote. I’ll be back shortly.

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    • Marlene, I discover quite regularly that different folks have fallen off my notifications or, as in some cases, fallen off completely. Sometimes I notice quite quickly, other times it can be months before I twig and get around to checking. It’s almost like WordPress gives a genteel little hiccup and someone floats off into the ether. Quite odd and no rhyme or reason to it.

      My room is VERY organised. I’m now organising the organisng and have just thought I may have ‘an issue!’ But I do love having everything in just the right place …….. and only keeping the stuff that is relevant and usable. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just do a version of ‘Beam me up Scottie!’ and whip over and help out 🙂

      It’s such a great quote isn’t it – my heart did a little skip when I read it and I just had to do something with it. Glad you like it ❤

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      • You made me laugh! ‘an issue!’ with organizing the organization. Yes, I wish I could beam you up and vise versa. I’m glad I checked your Facebook page. I may have to check others as well.

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  12. the graft sorry craft room has echoes hereabouts as does the need to reduce stuff to bring ion new stuff! The Textiliste has had a clear out, well a sort out really and has been weaving with yarn she dyed a while back; and the hangings work so . Glad Orlando is perkier; always good to know. PS on the book front Buster & Moo is ready to launch so a new paperback will be winging its way south for the winter soon!

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  13. Gorgeous painting, Pauline. I like the eyes, and of course your colors. It must feel good to have that new paper and be able to figure out what to do with it. But it IS something I can see you approach with trepidation. That nice paper…but you will do something better on it than the blank! I’m glad Orlando is better. Perhaps he was just having a bad period of some sort. My kitchen is done!!!! I’ve been working to get my apartment back on order and it is quite a job! Dust! But today I got things in the cupboards and tomorrow, I may move back in. The dangler is not back up yet, but neither are the paintings and prints. Enjoy the anticipation of the paper!!!

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    • Your kitchen is done!! Pretty much on time too. Wow, well done! I can’t wait to see it – well photos as a pop in isn’t really on the cards 😀 We always forget about the mess after a reno job – but in a way it’s an opportunity to resettle the entire apartment and change things up if you wish. But of course you’ll just want to get it done and be in that delightful kitchen cooking up a storm! Have fun, enjoy!!

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  14. Lovely post, Pauline. I do so enjoy seeing your craft room. Your description of collecting and hoarding fits me, as a teacher, down to a tee. How could I possibly throw anything out? It just might come in useful one day. Thank you for linking back to your previous post. I don’t know how I missed it at the time. Apologies. Your doodle cards are gorgeous. I voted, but see that comments over there are closed. Never mind. I can comment here. Your artwork and quote are lovely. How inspirational to think of being planted rather than buried, and, like a seed, we may grow. I like the tears too – very effective. And I am pleased Orlando has returned to his former self. That will lighten your days. Planted. Not buried. Take care.

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    • Ah Norah, you have just made me realise that teaching was probably when the collecting gene kicked in – you just never knew when something would turn out to be invaluable and I know there are still some things sitting in my stash now that I had when I was a teacher – which was last done almost 20 years ago. Yikes! 😀

      I’m glad you resound with that quote too – I think it is such a pertinent one and such a great way to look at those more challenging chapters of our lives. I can clearly see how the hardest of times grew me in ways I can only be grateful for now. I’ve just got to keep working on my ability with the paint in order to have the painting match the quote!

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  15. Aww, this gorgeous, new art piece is showing your loving and giving spirit, Pauline! 💖
    I am so glad you have organized your art room and wish my supplies had me motivated to create some neatness! Smiling at you, happy about Orlando and who could resist that impetuous, dear Siddy? 🙂 xo

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    • Well, thank you Robin – you are very kind 🙂 As to my work room, I’m organising my organising I think – I keep on tweaking things. I think I may be prevaricating from actually getting on with some real work. Naughty me 🙂

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  17. Thanks for the Orlando update. So glad he is more himself. You are supremely organized. It is exactly what I need to be in my craft room.

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  18. It’s funny I see your post about organizing when I’m spending the day doing the same thing. I’m trying to make my bathroom more functional, so I’ve got boxes and bags of baskets and stuff to organize in order to organize the rest of it. Siddy and O are looking loved and well.

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  19. But then you never know when it will come in useful, I still have a collection of old nails in a tin which originally contained dry Baby milk, I believe the milk was originally for me, but it might have been for my mother. Never throw anything away that might be useful was my mothers motto and I have long kept to it. A tale to show the value of scraps.

    When I was a child my grandmother had a play box we used when we visited her. it contained a box of scrap paper which we used for drawing and colouring, on the back was faint writing which we never bothered to look at. After my grandmother died my uncle found what was left of the scrap paper and looked closely at the writing. It had something to do with moving aircraft around and as my Grandfather had been a pilot in the First World War he wondered if it might have something to do with his service. He sent a sheet to the RAF museum and they were amazed to see the form, they knew of the forms existence but not what one looked like.
    What had happened was that in 1918 my grandfather had survived a very serious crash and wasn’t allowed to fly, but promoted and given a desk job co-ordinating the movement of aircraft between squadrons. The form was one that accompanied an aircraft when it was being moved, when it arrived the form was destroyed. When he left the newly formed RAF he took the old forms, that were about to be thrown away, with him as useful scrap paper.
    What was left of them after his children and grandchildren had scribbled on them are now in the collections of the RAF museum.

    So never throw anything away.

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    • I love this story Gordon and I enjoy reading your posts that show different objects you have clearly hung onto for years. Plus of course your brother so often mentions that he doesn’t remember, doesn’t have it or doesn’t know it but the Archaeologist is sure to recall, have or know of it 🙂 Thank you for leaving such an interesting and pertinent comment!

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  20. Yup… that describes crafter’s collections of materials perfectly. I bought some yarn this morning for a particular project, but I should probably finish some wips first… but the yarn was so lovely, and I got to chat to Jude at the yarn shop, and fondle lots of lovely yarn…
    So glad to hear that Orlando is a bit better. I too am in the process of creating something for a friend who’s in a difficult place, but I’ve paused and am finding it hard to find direction again. I’ll get back to it soon – she is in need of a woolly hug.

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  22. You are absolutely correct, CC. my sewing room is just like your art room – full of treasures and useful things. 😀 A while ago I decided to declutter and filled two baskets with stuff I thought I would never use. I haven’t yet been able to actually part with any of it though so there it all sits.

    I love your new painting. 😀

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  24. First, thanks for the Orlando update–it sounds like he’s doing much better and that’s such a relief! I’m really very impressed with all your organizational efforts–I *know* I need to do likewise but find it so daunting that I procrastinate and tell myself “I’ll think about it tomorrow!” But you’ll be much more productive now, I’m sure. It’s funny, but I think the structure of being organized winds up being very liberating. And how excellent that you have all those new papers to work with!

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    • These final tweaks come because about because I either can’t find what I’m looking for at the time or I find what would have been perfect when the job is done – too much time spent scrabbling about….. The stencil hanger idea came about because my stencils were all kept in three of those big heavy Arch Files which a) take up a lot of shelf space and b) are unwieldy to search through. I do find the more I fine tune my art room the more productive I become – I think I might also be a little bit addicted to the fine-tuning process now 😀

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