Thursday, November 8, 2007

"The Mess Where Pretty Little Things Are Made"

...This is the title of a post that Alma Stoller (whose blog I read with relish) just put up on her blog, showing pictures of her workspace. Then she dared her readers to show theirs.

OK, Alma, yours was just chaotic enough that I feel brave enough here to reveal my own!
When I am going full bore on a project, I let keeping things organized slide...I'm just too busy using stuff to put it away! I need everything out where I can see it! I only clear the decks when it gets to the point where I can't find something as soon as I put it down in here....

Do I really want to do this? It is actually quite embarrassing!....

I was so proud of myself when I got all my threads organized in these little plastic boxes from the Dollar Store. All that silk floss dumped out is my Vickie Clayton stash from last Christmas. On the window sill are my Dodger Barbie, Jake and Elwood Blues, my grandmother's matador dolls from Spain, and the other girls in my collection. Beneath the table are bins of silk and velvet fabrics, occasionally all folded.

The crazy quilt "small pieces" stash, organized by color. Art supplies and fabric printing stuff piled on top. Yes, I do know where exactly everything is...

Machine threads, books, craft supplies; sky, Sonji, and repro fabrics, wools and odd yardage on top. More cottons in bins below the books.

OK , the bead storage definitely needs help. (Really, I feel so exposed here! What a little exhibitionist I am!) I can hardly fit all the drawers in at once anymore. Wide silk ribbon and funky craft ribbon live here too. See how nicely my rolls of paper fit crammed against the wall?

Here is the central work table (I'm not showing you the sewing machine table or the desk table or the second table under the windows with all my new stuff from Houston on it) where I am actually sitting and typing to you all now. The design wall is blank at the moment, as the H quilt takes possession of it while I am not working on it. You can see more boxes of fabric beneath it. Max made that handsome wooden step stool in 9th grade shop class and I use it every day.

This room is a wreck!!!!
OK, who else is game to give an unvarnished look into their Creative Mess?

Tomorrow I must leave this fecund aerie, however, for a long week-end/fantastic family reunion/early Thanksgiving/celebration of my niece's 30th birthday in San Diego at my sister's house. Back at you all next Tuesday!

22 comments :

Anonymous said...

Hi Allison,

Creative Chaos...that is all it is.
Beautiful fabrics every where....yummy threads that ask to be touched.....what is so messy about that?

Thanks for sharing and playing along.

Alma

Cat said...

I'm laughing. I won't dare. Your creative space looks like mine - fabrics flowing over open drawers... threads all amiss... lace scattered on the floor...

Have a great trip!

Possibilities, Etc. said...

Well before I moved and put everything into boxes in the garage, I would have won the prize for disgusting in this category - as I also had my pottery stuff all over the floor in case I got the urge to make mud pies. My husband (when I had one) used to be amazed at what "beautiful things" would come out of the "disgusting chaos."

Possibilities, Etc. said...

Actually, looking back over my shoulder, my temporary quarters and work space are feeling like home now - will take pictures and blog them tomorrow. eeeeeew! what a mess - but I know where every vial of beads and every skein of thread is - maybe.

Debra Dixon said...

YIKES!!!!!!!!

Rian said...

Oh my goodness! Or maybe it's badness... this is a true sign of a creative mind.

Barbara C said...

I can all relate. When you use a lot of supplies you need to have them handy and not put away.

Guzzisue said...

I'm game but the photos will not load properly, will try again tonight

Kay said...

Oh, thanks! I love it. I actually took a picture of mine a few weeks ago, never posted it, and now I've cleaned up a bit. But it will soon be the same. As I cleaned a found this quotation on my bulletin board: "A creative mess is better than tidy idleness." I don't know the source, but it's a good philosophy.

Momma Bear said...

looks like the "throws" of creativity.
who's project room looks tidy when you got Ideas, that are stampeading out of your ears!

one of my favorite quotes, i don't remember who's
"Birth is rarely a clean process"
Flora Goodson
Chicago,IL.

La Bastidane (Nathalie Locquen) said...

Je me sens moins seule, MERCI.

Charlene ♥ NC said...

Can't we all relate? That's what happens when you need to see the 'grand scheme of things' creatively. I've done it before, but won't now! Needs lots of attention, Again!

Southern Lady said...

I cleaned off a bookshelf and started to organize my cloth a month or so when I did not have much to do. Then recently a reporter wanted to come out and write an article about my goats and handicrafts. A reporter taking pictures of my sewing and work room!! I was so glad I had already started organizing things so I was able to have it decent before he came. I did take some “before” pictures and have not taken some “after” pictures yet. Y’all better clean up. You never know when a reporter may want to interview you and see your work room!

Anonymous said...

At least you know where everything is! By the way, good luck with the quilting challenge. I voted for you.

Ati said...

Allie I love it, my table looks the same :-))
If I put all things in boxes and drawers, I 'll forget what I have , so, I also leave it on the table so that i can see it and get it when needed....

Susan said...

I'm much encouraged by your mess. I *need* that kind of environment to create, but I can't *have* that in the 5th wheel. I make as much mess as I can, though. =) Thanks for sharing. I don't see a thing wrong with your space. Nice to see the H quilt, even from a distance! =)

Jo Anne O. said...

Lovely work in progress laying on the table in that last photo, Allison! I wish I had the patience to quilt myself...I mostly just sew down swatches of fabric or glue it down with gel medium...I am too anal to actually try to have straight edges and perfectly matched points so I gave up traditional quilting...but admire the talent in others!

Granny Fran said...

I'd much rather have you creating your magical lovelies than cleaning and organizing, and if you can find what you need, that's all that is necessary. My SIL gave me a button, many years ago, with that quote Kay mentioned, "Better a creative mess, than tidy idleness."
I posted my mess a couple of months ago, then did more organizing, so I could get to the sewing machine, and now it is cluttered again with 2 new projects.

Marty52 said...

I can so relate to your creative mess! My sewing room has been a disaster and I finally managed to make my way to the sewing machine and there is a floor in there, believe it or not! No pictures this time... too much to clean before Thanksgiving... Gah!

Hope you had a wonderful time!

Terri Lee Takacs said...

I LOVE Grany Fran's comment! Everytime I have a project going ~ my room look's like that too! Terri

Juryizstillout said...

Hey,
I have the same table and storage bins! Just think: when you win the $100K, you can PAY somebody to do your dirty work!

Judy Merrill-Smith said...

I think I've got you beat (I posted photos on my blog in response to Alma, too), but your mess did make me feel a little better. ;-}