Creating in tiny spaces: Pt. 3

Or, "All I ever needed to know on the subject I learned at kindergarten."

Many years of working with kids via church, VBS, and the like, not to mention raising my own, taught me one of the best ways to win over space crunch--a trick every teacher knows: Set up work/play stations. In our little nest, I have several spaces set up outside my main crafting area that I can use when the mood hits, or when working on various projects at once.

Once again, the secret to living happily with a non-artist type is the ability to camouflage these areas.

Our common room is set up for three distinct living functions: eating, office, and relaxing. Thanks to my upbringing as eldest daughter in a family of 12 kids and never having much personal stuff or space, I have developed a keen eye for making every corner count. And thanks to SuziBlu, I like to fool around with drawing. Over here in the relaxing/viewing portion of the room, I keep all my drawing pads and accessories available yet hidden inside this cheapo ottoman I picked up on clearance at a discount store. Since I can never just sit there and watch a movie, I grab a pad and pencils and doodle to my heart's content.





























Or I can take out cross stitch, hand sewing or embroidery, which I keep next to the couch in these nifty baskets. (The red one was Freecycled.)









Or I can pull out these trays which I keep under the sofa, and piece together backgrounds for ATCs or cut out pics and magazine letters for collages.







My next "sandbox" is a tray table set up in a corner. Once again, this is mobile and ready to move around. A vintage linen keeps it looking neater (or it would, if I'd iron it).













I like to peruse craft magazines and books for ideas while sitting up in bed. Once again, my tote fetish comes in handy.







I also keep small projects in another bag which can fit into my purse when I go out.



Thanks, Mrs. Shannon! Class dismissed, and don't forget your lunchboxes.

Creating in tiny spaces: Pt. 2 UPDATED

When space is limited, storage becomes at once a priority and a pain in the tush. A single person can have their space any way that suits them. But what about the artist who shares living quarters with a neat freak left-brainer who doesn't enjoy seeing craft clutter spread out all over the place? Ah, there's the rub, as The Bard once said. It's time for the delicacy of diplomacy and compromise.

In our case, it came down to moving the dining table to our large common room from the eat-in kitchen, which then became my main crafting area. Christmas before last I got a nice adjustable art table. You really don't want to see the top of it right now...it's a bloomin' mess with about 6 projects happening and the debris of a few others still to be put away. My compromise is to cover it with a gorgeous tablecloth some friends sent from Ireland. Hey--why shouldn't even my cover ups be beautiful and inspiring?


No, really...you don't want to look under there! You don't!! Trust me!

All right, if you insist...but remember, you were warned.


Told you so! Okay, moving on.

I started gathering (read: scrounging) plastic storage bins and stacked them on one side, with baskets and more on top. Nearby I tacked up a makeup travel kit bag with see-through compartments, wherein I store ATCs in progress, small cutout pics I want handy, and the like. Next to that I hung my paint shirt.


Over to the left is a great little unit I found at Costco on closeout. Above that is my favorite all-time embellishment "file"--a fishing tackle box. What a wonder! I have separate compartments for different colored buttons, beads, shells, broken jewelry, and whatnot--all within reaching and, more importantly, remembering distance. (Isn't it annoying to forget what you have because you can't see it?)


Speaking of which, down under is where I keep folders containing stickers, vintage photos, ephemera, and such. Old pickle and pasta jars keep trims and miscellany handy. A castoff tote holds my Quick-Kutz die cutter and accessories (got those on slash-and-burn sales, too!) and a hanging bag contains my glue guns and sticks.


Amazing what you can store in a small area!

Check back for Pt. 3: Take a tip from pre-school

Creating in tiny spaces: Pt. 1

So you don't have the art studio of your dreams. In fact, you don't have a studio at all--you live in a dorm or cramped apartment; or with your parents; or share space with a spouse, kids, two cats and a dog. That doesn't mean you can't make art. In my square-footage-challenged domain, I work with what I've got. Today and continuing through the next segments of this series, I'll show you some of my ideas.

First, let me introduce you to my Porta-ArtSpot:



Yup, my new "BFF", an old picnic basket I picked up at a garage sale. It can go room to room or in the car to wherever I might want to create--such as my friend's house for our monthly "art play date" or even to the local coffeehouse. I can change out the contents easily, and even close it and use the top as a footstool while I'm working on something.

Think of your lack as a positive rather than a negative. It's a challenge! Look around at what you've got, and find creative solutions. It can actually be fun, and stir your imagination in other ways.

Back tomorrow for Pt. 2.