Creating and Creative Women

Probably the only woman who didn't know about Where Women Create until just a couple of months ago, I finally found a used copy on Amazon. I love creating my own office and my craft and sewing room, but mine pales in comparison to most of these. I'm guessing most of yours do too. So let's talk about that today. I've posted recently about where I create and why I blog but I'm giving it a bit more attention today. Come listen to my ramblings............

A tiny space but it has lots of character and serves its purpose magnificently. She even has a spot for her faithful dog and to some of you that's especially important. (We have no animals at this point in our lives.) So the dog is ever present to keep her company. But more than that, it looks like this miniscule space serves this woman well. Very organized with a vintage table to hold her sewing machine, colorful curtains lusciously draped across windows into her yard and all the necessary accoutrements needed to do her "job." I love the coziness of this room. Small, cute and does the trick quite magnificently, in my opinion.

A full size ferry boat is his woman's domain! Yesssssss, a full size ferry boat and do you KNOW how big ferry boats are?!?! HUGE! How lucky for this woman and her hubby to have all that to themselves. She has oodles of space to do just about ANNNNYTHING she wants. Windows and water to look at. Bright and shiny cases to store her items and a LOT of desk space for any number of computers(!!!!) and crafting. Sigh...... Oooh, and this is one of the few that I've put 2 photos on here. I only wanted one from each woman but some just didn't show enough and had to have 2—only a few though.

This is a large space with bright golden walls that have been ragged or sponged and then stenciled on. Beautiful and almost ethereal. A vintage table for a work space makes me almost cry! I like this room a lot.

Another large room with lots of pizzazz for this woman. Lots of cases in which to store things and lots of room to create her stuff, but amazingly it doesn't really look cluttered.

I believe this is a crafter's dream—a humongous room with sections for doing different things. I believe this is a converted garage. We use our garage for our cars and Love Bunny's train room so it wouldn't work for us but I'd give just about anything to have this kind of space! Yesssssssss, I would!! Do NOT doubt me on this!!!

Not a very large work area but certainly adequate and much more than I've got. I love her counter top and that would be very easy to do in just about any space. She's very well organized for her space and that says a lot. I can't even get organized in my TWO rooms yet.

This woman was working off her bedroom in a sunroom but her hubby built her a studio in the back yard. Love Bunnyyyyyyyyy, are you listening or reading this?!?!?! But not all of us are lucky enough to have the space to do this. But it is the quintessential room we'd all love to have. Roses! It is one of my favorite rooms and I doubt it's very big either.

A very neat, tidy and very well organized small space belongs to this crafter. A window to look out and enough light makes it wonderful for a tiny office. See what can be done with very little space.

Her home is full of that marvelous northern California light. She does all her work on her dining room table—much like most of the women across this country do.

Another woman in a small apartment who does her crafting and art work on her dining room table. She and her hubby don't use their dishwasher so she uses it to store her craft supplies! How ingenious! But if the "space" (appliance) doesn't suit your purposes then make the purpose fit the space (appliance). Nuuuu, not for everyone, but it works for this woman and her hubby.

Another small office/craft area whittled out of a tiny home. BUT she has made it neat and tidy and organized with what she has—antique desk, flowers, wood blinds and a message board. Not plain at all, just lovely.

We have some serious crafting going on in this space. It is beautiful and very colorful. Flamboyant, actually. It's a large room and she uses every single inch of it.

One of my favorite rooms in the book—not too large but large enough for me actually. A large table to craft, cut sewing patterns out and just perfect for me. Large windows looking out over a yard. Lots of light, good storage. I'd love to have this room!

Oooooooooh, don't we wish, chicks?!?!?! A beautiful old barn to have alllll to ourselves to craft, sew and while away the hours. It would be hard to heat however. I'd love it but it isn't practical for me.

Another room with glorious windows looking out! This could also suit my purposes for sewing, office and crafting.

This woman has almost an entire building to do her artistic work in. Much too large for just home crafters but it works well for her. I like it but not as much as some of the others. But she is a professional artist and must have this kind of space. Looooove her little belt though! *Wink*

Since this woman works with earth elements she must have a room to put it all in away from her home. I'd love to have this much space but it would serve a different purpose than making pottery. But it's certainly large enough, has windows and a sink! I'd love to have a sink in my crafting area. Luxury for sure.

Not a humongous space but certainly adequate for several work areas. She has it decorated in a french provincial style and it is lovely. There is a rest area with chairs and a vintage settee, tables and lots of color. She's very fortunate to have it big enough to section off areas for different purposes. Lots of storage also.

This room is also one of my favorites. One reason is the cove ceiling. I love the white of it sprinkled with periwinkle color in the trash can and blotter. I love periwinkle! But her work station just seems to hug her and that's a feeling I love in my work space also. Hers looks bigger than mine though. She also has all the essentials right within arms reach for her. Plus the red flowers on her desk. Squeeeeeal! And she uses colorful file folders just like me. Mine are pink! Aaaaah, a kindred spirit. This room is doable for just about any one of us.

Can we scream and cry here? Vibrant yellow walls, windows surrounded with lights and wood shutters, colorful fabric arranged in substantial shelving, great desk area, swivel around to the crafting area and that tile floor that will be here after all of us have died! I like this room a lot. Not my favorite but this woman did a magnificent job in here. This is also 2 photos on one page. The bottom photo is more of her storage. This looks kind of like a garage to me. Maybe that's what she did—converted a garage into her studio. Beautiful.

Another one of the few where I took 2 of the photos. She has what looks like a redone bedroom and made 2 areas for herself. An office area and a sewing area. There is also a sofa or relaxing area in that room also. That could definitely be done in a mid-size bedroom.

The last one is probably the most famous one. I have seen this room in magazines I think. I don't think it's very large but she has made it stupendous with the kind of style I personally love. Roses, froufrou and pink! I use old suitcases for storage just like she does. I have so many pillows that if I fell I'd never touch a hard surface for maybe 2 years! Yep, this is one of my favorite rooms!

Now, after all of this is said and done, you are all probably lusting after at least one of these "studios", right??? Well, don't. Some of these women make a living doing their crafting. You might not so you wouldn't need a huge room. Just look at them all and get ideas of what you can do with the space you have. Now, you can't put 5 kids in a bedroom so YOU can make a room for sewing or crafting but there can be a way to carve out your own little niche in a room of your home or garage. You could use a little privacy screen to hide some things. Think out of the box.

And speaking of boxes, camouflage stacks of boxes with a throw or lace or tablecloth. I DO! And no one is the wiser unless I choose to tell them. Even your bedroom area can have a niche to make your own. You could take a stack of boxes, cover them with old lace or tablecloths or just some remnants, place an old door (maybe even one you have in the garage, I DID once) over the top of 2 stacks of boxes, put your computer on it or your craft supplies and you have "instant" office. You can even use shelving on the walls for visual eye candy. See? How easy was that now, I ask you?!

Do you have a closet that isn't being used? Then empty it out and put a desk or craft table in there. Shelving would be a snap in there. Close the doors and it's hidden or get creative, take off the doors and add a curtain to hide it. Just look at things with a different eye. Sometimes I get stuck in this journey also, but then I'll run across a blog with something I've never even thought of doing. I then make a note to myself and things just balloon from there! Oooooh, how I love getting ideas from surfing the blogs or magazines. You don't have to do the exact thing they offer, but can adept it to your own circumstances. Trust me, it can be done.

I've come to the realization after a couple of years of trying to get this office and the craft/sewing room "just right" that I'll never ever have an office worthy of mention. It doesn't even sadden me particularly. I have what I need, what I can work in, more than enough froufrou and my walls are pink. I feel sometimes as if I am living in a little pink cake box. It makes me happy each time I come into this little bedroom-cum-home office. It delights my senses. Be happy with what you DO have and not lust after what you DON'T have! And I need to take my own advice sometimes also! *Winking at ya!*

Shabby Sweet Birdhouse

I love to create these cute little birdhouses. I don't know what I'll do with them. I may sell them or maybe give them as gifts. But this one has roses fabric and a little chick on its perch and some vintage lace. And if you look closely at the last picture you can see the little fence I added. I put the roses in to look like they are growing on the fence. But the roof is my favorite part. I put a special white garland on it. Kinda shabby sweet, don't ya think?? *Smile*

Creating Your Own Style

First of all, I need to apologize to all the regular bloggers I visit for not commenting. I looooove commenting, but the posts got to over 250 and I could just not catch up, sweet thangs! I was negligent and I don't mean to be or even like doing it but passing these stones and being on pain killers for over a week kinda "dulled" my senses and I was truly "loopy"or sleepy for the better part of 10 days. Combine this with not getting a shower or worst...WASHING MY HAIR!!!!....and I was heading toward grouchy, chicks! It warn't purdy I tell ya....... So please accept my apologies and I'll be trying to catch up in the next few days.
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I've been thinking about style a lot lately as I redo my rooms and thought I'd share a few things with you. I may have said this before in some fashion but it bears repeating I think.

Create your own style! Yes, you do have one. Maybe you haven't "connected" with it yet but each person has a style. Define your style and then refine it. This can take years, chickees, years!! When the wealthy redo a home it takes them 3-5 years to get it all done and sometimes more. It's a long process even if you do it yourself. So don't be too eager to get it done in a week because it ain't happening - usually.

It makes me feel free to select my own style and not be matchy-matchy with my furniture. Again, I want the look that says I've collected these wonderful things you see in this room over a lifetime. That's my style: romantic collector. Nothing truly matches except for a pair of Baker chairs I've had recovered twice. They are "lifetime" chairs because I paid good money for them 20+ years ago and they take to recovering really well. Somehow it all seems to fit together beautifully - for me anyway. I just "play" with it. I have fun with it. I make things work. If I love it, it works. Simple as that. You can do it also, just PLAY with it and have fun doing it because there truly are no rules when it comes to decorating. If you love it then it works. I'm absolutely not afraid to try new things or combine things that most people don't think go together. If I like it that's all that matters. I don't give a whit or fig about other people's opinions. Mine is what counts in this house! Love Bunny accepts anything I do. He would have to come up with a real dislike for something for me to change something in this house.

I "shop" in my own home.......and my daughter's home. That means I go into the garage attic, other rooms and look at the fluff on the walls and "redistribute" it to other rooms. It makes the whole space look different. When we go back to California to visit the kids I also "shop" in my daughter's house because she'll get it back when I'm dead and I give her stuff now so she doesn't have to wait until I'm dead! She's always telling me to get rid of what I've got because she doesn't want to have to do the job for me and that she's going to put all my "stuff" on ebay for 99¢ with free shipping! Can you imagine?!?! I think I'm cutting her out of the will and just giving it to my granddaughter! At least she'll put it on Craigs List and get a few bucks outta the' deal!! No matter.

I rarely spend a lot of money to redo the look of a room. So change things around in the home for a different look, add a fresh coat of your favorite color of paint if so desired and voilà - a whole new look. Puhhhhleeeze, do NOT tell me hubby would cringe or say no. Men rarely care about how you decorate your home. YOU are the one in it most of the day and if you can't stand that ugly wall color then just change it. If he then threatens to divorce you then you can change it back, but do one wall and see how he reacts. He will, of course, react viscerally and not intellectually so tell him to adjust and see how it goes from there. ;-)

I've included some photos of what I consider beautiful creative rooms of truly divergent styles, but ooooooh sooooo beautiful. I love them all.

Okay, this has to be my favorite since it has PINK (!), roses, RED (!), and vintage fabrics and just all around romantic shabby style. I love this above all others in this group. It's a room to create or craft or sewing room.

How could you not love this bold and bright room to sit in and dream or read or whatever???? I don't know who owns this room but she was bold. Now, you need to be bold. Bold doesn't mean bright vivacious colors; it means taking a risk, being courageous and confident in what you are doing. I'm a bold person but I don't necessarily use "jonquil yellow" or "flamboyant pink" in a room. I'm just bold in what I do because if it turns out less than perfect I can change it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and I plan on "gaining" a lot in this life, my sweet cherubs. Go for the gusto or you'll never know what you are capable of. Make yourself happy and others will be happy to just be around you.

Even the outdoors can be beautiful. Just hang a collection of your favorite things on the back side of your home, flaky vintage bench and voilà - instant "fabulous"!!

This room also spoke to my heart. I'm not really into the rustic style but I do love this room. It shows that the owner put a lot of thought into it. She mixed all elements of comfy in this room: a beat up old leather chair, the texture of the rock fireplace, books (!), roses and florals and a comfy plaid chair that looks like it might be a favorite of someone who lives in that house, a favorite old cabinet and pieces of furniture that are used in diverse ways. The ottoman is a coffee table on which to put up your feet. It just looks like an all around "collected over time" place to relax. Yep, I love this room. Oooh, and about books....even if you don't read, put some books around the room. On shelves or the floor or table. They're a really great decorating statement and cheap! Of course, if you love to read like I do it's all the better. ;-) Plus it gives instant personality to a room. Plus it'll make people think you're an intellectual! ;-)

Here the rustic is combined with vintage barkcloth fabrics in florals. Another outstanding room! This is a feminine, masculine room. What man wouldn't like having the florals on the sofas if he could hang pictures of animals on the wall and have it look this stunning?! Sort of Hawaii Lodge look. I love this room also. Uhhhh, notice the open book? Yep, just keep a book opened on a table so a visitor can peruse it also. Yep, I do that. I even stack lamps and faux plants on books. Makes me look smart. ;-)

Ooooh my, another fabulous room where the owner combined the french provincial country with the vintage look. Different textures with the peeling paint of the chairs, the tattered, upholstered bench and the burlap looking table runner with that fabulous arrangement of food. Ooohooo. Gorgeous with that green cupboard and salmon colored settee.

Who would think a simple inexpensive thing such as a canopy could do so much for a space – whether inside or outside? It gives "intimacy" to this tiny little "room" in the garden. I plan on trying this but it is a bit more difficult in this hot desert in the summer. We don't spend much time out in July and August, just too hot. I want to do it for the visual effect though so I will. It will have to be a while though. It's down the road because of all the other projects I have in mind. This will be hubby's job. I tell him what I want. He'll give me a bit of static about how it can't be done and I just tell him to make it happen and that I trust him to make it happen. He then figures it out. Men love a challenge!!! ;-) I don't think he can make that lemon tree happen in this cold winter climate however.