Okay folks, time for a book review! I borrowed Organizing Your Craft Space from my local library this week and was pleased to find it chock full of wonderful photos of various work spaces. For me that is always the big draw-I am a very visual person (obviously) and love peeking in on other people's work spaces to see what treasures they hold and how they arrange things to make them functional.
The book has some surveys to determine your decorating style which was interesting. I found out my style makes me a "Guardian". A Guardian has an abundance of bookshelves which hold works that inspire them, small accent pieces that hang from doorknobs to arouse artistic inclination, as well as small drawers and hidden compartments. Yup, that's me!
One of the work spaces they showed was pretty bright and busy-it somehow reminded me of Mary Engelbreit. I think it was the colours-mainly reds, golds, blacks and whites-lots of stripes, checks and busy patterns. I am not sure how anyone could work in that space-it's loud and I would find it pretty over stimulating and yet clearly, it works for someone! It's amazing how a workspace really reflects the artist's personality and in many ways becomes a sacred space.
In reading this book and pouring over the photos, I have also realized that I am drawn to converting antique items into storage and organizational tools. Remember the antique toast holders? Well after seeing some of the photos in this book, I am now on the hunt for antique strainers (sieves), white glass bottles and small crystal salt and pepper shakers and this weekend, I know just the place to look! We'll be in a small town where a parade is scheduled and street vendors will be set up so I am hopeful that I can find some goodies to bring home.
This weekend I am actually going to do something that is pretty rare for me . I am taking 3 days off from working on anything art related. I have not done this in a long, long time, so it will be a challenge, but I think I just might just be able to do it! (If you know me at all, you know I have the kind of creative brain that never shuts off and a work ethic to match.) My one concession is that I will be taking my Moleskine journal where I write down all my creative ideas, but that's it! The plan is to read, visit with my inlaws, play scrabble or cards with my husband and my friend Allison and just generally unwind. I am going to watch my son, niece and nephew tube on the lake, take lots of photos and savour our family time. I hope to come home re-energized and inspired. After all, isn't that what vacations are for?
Have a great long weekend everyone and catch you on the flip side. In the mean time, check out the book if like me, you are working on creating a more functional and organized workspace. It will definitely give you lots of helpful ideas!
5 comments:
Sounds like a very interesting read. I also reconvert antiques pieces to hold itmes in. Good luck on your hunting and have a wonderful weekend.
I too love to take a peek into other creative peoples lifes! Have you read the "where women create" book? I love that, this I haven't seen but I hope I will someday! :-) I looove interiour design books.
I've seen that book at our local chain craft store and wondered about it. I'll have to see if our library can get a hold of it--thanks for the review! Enjoy your time off!
Is it worth buying? Enough cool stuff to look at it again and again? The closest library is a long ways away...
Glad you had such a fun trip!
Personally, I would add it to my library. It's got lots of great photos and visuals on how workspaces have been sectioned off and organized. I also like some of the choices people made in regards to unique containers. It's one of the better books of this particular kind, IMHO.
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