Shed/Studio Makover

I am a very lucky girl.

I have multiple places to store and create on our property.

One of my favorites is this shed.

It is about 18 feet across and shaped like an octagon.

It has an upstairs.

It is all my junk.

And when I say that, I mean it.

I have been creating my whole life and doing craft shows for almost 20 years.

I have collected items I thought I could use for booth display.

I have collected multiples of materials to make things.

And I just kept sticking them in the shed.

 For Years.....

This winter my husband said, "What we should do is take everything out and I will build you work benches around the perimeter."

And that idea stuck in my head.

My brother said he would come to help.

So I began planning my attack.

I have not really gone in there for over a year and it was REALLY piled up.

So I chose a long weekend and put it on the calendar for the clean out.

Then I scheduled the following weekend for my brother to come.

Then I spent months planning...

What will I keep?

What can go away?

How do I want it to look?

Doing this for months, made a very clear picture in my head of what the end result should look like.

Then I got ready.

I planned with my husband and we figured out dimensions and materials.

I bought totes so they are all the same size to go on the workbench shelves.

I set up my EZups so I could pull everything out to sort.

A lot of things were given away or donated.

I was merciless in the purging process.

My sweet husband and brother put in a new window for me.

This will be a huge improvement.

I will have light and cross ventilation.

Here is an "In Progress..." shot.

My husband also replaced my doors with Dutch doors that he built.

I have always wanted Dutch doors...

Then came all the sorting.

So much sorting...

I worked for a couple weeks on the sorting.

My husband and daughter installed another window on the other side when it arrived.

I made curtains from burlap coffee sacks to cover most of the boxes and totes and create a less cluttered looking space..

I used more burlap sacks to cover the Tyvek on the inside walls.

And finally it is ready.  

Want to see?

This shed has not been this empty since we moved in...

Those counter spaces are awesome.

The area below houses ribbons and trims.  

Some are on spools so they are on the dowels where I can easily see what I have.

All the loose trims are in the cheese boxes above.

This space is a seasonal space. 

It is, after all, a shed.

So no heat or air conditioning.  

That helps to determine what and how things are stored out here.

The sewing machine will come inside when it gets colder.

I brought it out to make all the curtains and found I actually enjoyed standing to sew.

The mannequins are awaiting a makeover.

I promise to share them when they are done.

Previously my storage consisted of wooden crates around the perimeter.

I wanted to minimize buying for this project so I reused what I had as much as possible.

I used the crates to make movable storage.

I built bases from pallets and added casters.

I made two bar-style storage units for in front of the back shelves and a square unit for the center island.

My band saw lives in this corner.

This side is the more hardware/machinery related side of the shed.  

There are lots of goodies in all those little drawers.

And here are those coveted Dutch doors.

As soon as the wood cures and dries I will paint them and add Tyvek and burlap to the insides.

 My husband helped me move my belt sander and grinder out here.  

I so love that they have a nice little home.

That is my space in a nutshell.

I will be showing some of the details another time.  

I hope you will stop back to see.

For a peek at other amazing work areas/studios/spaces, head over to My Desert Cottage for "Where Bloggers Create 2016".

Thanks for stopping by....

2014 Summer Studio Tour for Artistic Endeavors 101

Well, here we are.

If you have been following me, you know this has been a long journey to get to the point of the tour....

Lots of reorganizing which you can see here and also here.

I worked long and hard and celebrated little victories and clean work surfaces.

You might have been here along the way.

If so, some of this will look familiar.

My main studio space is my garage.

Not very romantic.

But it is dry and heated.

It is not far to carry things is I want to work on..

It has a lot of storage....

which is good....

because I have a lot of stuff.

Here is my main work area...

My husband bought the cupboards from an ad in the newspaper and we painted them...twice....

Because the first coat just peeled off.

So we did the necessary prep and painted them again.  

They were in my studio at the previous house.

We moved them with us when we moved.

Inside the cupboards, most things are stored in vintage mason jars...

I can easily see what is inside.

Some cupboards just contain supplies.

Resin stuff, chemicals, molds...

But I actually know what is in these cupboards....

I have a couple magnetic boards that I keep things on.  

Also, a tie rack is screwed to the wall for jewelry.

That area changes frequently. 

 Sometimes the rack is full of supplies, sometimes finished pieces waiting to be priced.

This summer I reorganized above the cupboards....

A prettier way to house yarn and fibers...

My fair ribbons are on the cupboard doors.

I already sent this year's application in...

Under the cupboard I have lights which are invaluable.

You can see the difference with them off.

Beyond the counter is a sort of alcove area.

I have to keep it clear so we can get to the fuse box.

It's a rule.

My husband helped create this awesome ribbon storage.

The wooden vertical pieces have hooks.

  We slid clear dowels through the hooks and then all the ribbon spools are on there as well.

It looks so pretty, sometimes I don;t want to use the ribbon.

Across from the ribbon wall is an old dining room buffet set from my husband's grandparents. 

 I painted it white.  

It moved with us as well.

It houses books, ribbon, paint, and lots of those divided storage boxes full of what-nots....

Here is an area I showed you before.

The curtain I made covers the chaos...

Fabric, Sizzix stuff, tools, soldering stuff, old LPs.

The printer's trays get fuller and fuller every day.  

I love having these goodies where I can see them.

The awesome industrial storage piece from Lucketts...

 As you can see from this angle, it really is a garage...

In the summer, the door is open most days.

I love that.

My other main work are is this table.

It is very seldom clean like this.

You can read more about it here.

Love this new little cupboard for often used goodies...

My newly created tiered storage is here.

You can make your own by following my tutorial.

And next to her is my transformed candlestick.

If you spin around, you can see some more ribbon stored on spring curtain rods.

One of my all time favorite pieces in my studio is my card catalog drawers.

This is actually 3 units.  

Two on top were given to me by my husband's uncle.

I love them.

The big one on the bottom was in the Bargain Sheet.

Turns out it was only about 2 miles down the road in a guy's barn.

My husband bought it for me and loaded it in the truck by himself.

Have I mentioned how awesome he is?

I love him like crazy.

They hold a TON of stuff....

Stampers, stamp pads, felting supplies, markers, magnets, beads, glitter, etc...

They are all full...

 Next to the card catalog is another of my favorite features. 

 It is dirty.

It is grungy.

But I love it.

My utility sink.

It gets a work out every day.

Washing hands and brushes.

Cleaning pond filters.

Getting water for the dogs and the plants....

My studio at the old house did not have one so I really appreciate it.

At the end of the work table is a bookcase for paper supplies.

My husband helped with the stacking of other shelves on top to maximize the space.

He always says to go UP to gain extra storage.

The POOH curtains were from the thrift store and veil the supplies within.

On the sides, my husband added long aluminum bars for hanging things.

I use them for jewelry on this side.

The other side is ties, belts, and wire.

Each hook on this side holds specific jewelry.

One hook is to be submitted to magazine.  

One hook is back from magazines.  

Two hooks are to be priced.

The back wall of the garage has more shelves. 

Like my helium tank?

Everyone needs one....

I love my enamelware saucepans.

They just make me smile.

Your studio should have some things that just make your heart happy.

Aren't they fun?

These two posters are on my door. 

 Daily reminders.

On the other side of the door is more shelves...

 Lots of reminders that this is a garage..

extension cords, potatoes, onions, coolers....

I bet my studio has something that almost no other studio has....

Sure, some people may have a fridge...

But how about a full-size popcorn machine...?

I always wanted one.

Have I mentioned how awesome my husband is?

We got it for parties...

 and then we are back up to the front corner....

You can see more of it here.

So much stuff...

So many projects...

So little time....

Thank you for visiting my creative space...

It may not be a dream studio for everyone but it is a place where MY dreams are realized.

Linked up with Where Bloggers Create 2104...

Be sure to head over to visit all the other great creative spaces....

Thanks for stopping by....