Saturday, January 17, 2015

10 Beautiful Things to Have In Your Craft Room

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."              ~William Morris

Welcome back to my craft room!

In my last post I had some fun thinking about the perfect craft space. I looked around my own craft room and came up with a "Top 10 List" of items in it that I find to be the most useful. Today I'm thinking about how to make a craft space so beautiful that it inspires you to sit right down and start making something.  So, here's my . . .

Top 10 List of Inspirational Items to Have in Your Craft Space:

1. Natural light


You can't top this one. Not only does natural light help us to see what we're doing (and at my age, that's becoming more important!), it allows us to really appreciate color and texture.  In addition to a big window, my craft room has a skylight located right above my work table.

 Ott light over my sewing machine
If you don't have the luxury of natural light in your craft space, or if you do a lot of work at night, an Ott light may be able to provide you with task lighting that approximates natural daylight.

2. Color



I believe in surrounding yourself with your favorite colors. I love orange and turquoise, my friend Mary Elizabeth loves pink . . . our personal spaces reflect the colors we love. Who cares if no one else likes it? Who cares if the rest of the house is "builders' beige"? This is your room; it should make you feel happy and inspired.




3. Words that inspire


I love words and find them both soothing and encouraging as I work in my space.



These words were stenciled on the wall in my sister Nancy's yellow and red Mary Englebreit inspired craft room.

4. Objects found in nature


The shapes and colors found in natural objects inspires a sense of balance and design.

 
This strange looking piece of bark is on my craft shelf because it is shaped like a goat's head (?). Call me crazy but I'm saving it because someday I hope to make something out of it for a friend of mine who owns goats and makes beautiful things from their wool. (Yup . . . you know who you are!)

the view of Casco Bay from the bottom of Applegate Lane always inspires me
5. Things with interesting shapes or textures


Who knows what these things will become . . .  or not?  Right now it is simply their textures and shapes that make me covet them.


 6. Old Things


What can I say besides . . . bring on the rust . . .



and chipped paint, and beautiful wood, and faded lettering, and steampunk goodness!



7. Collections



 Sometimes I think I have too many strange collections lurking in my craft room, but . . . I love them so, there it is.
 

 
 I collect sea glass, buttons, door knobs, sand dollars, rusty tools, old keys, scrabble tiles, beads, vintage postcards, clothespins, tie clips, girl scout patches, miniatures, wooden spools, belt buckles, vintage linens, magnets, children's blocks, vintage Shiny Bright ornaments, old dolls . . .
oh, my!
 
 
I also have quite a collection of Cat's Meow buildings depicting some of my favorite places.
DH attached molding high up on the walls of my craft room so that I can display these without having them in the way when I work.
 



8. Books that teach
 
I love my craft books even more than I love Pinterest. Call me old-fashioned but I like to hold them, come back to them again and again, and have directions and photos right next to me as I work. Thank goodness for my local bookstore and, when that fails, for Amazon Prime.
 
 
9. Things that evoke memories
 
My craft room shelves are chock full of things that bring back happy memories, like this old Patsy doll, with her steamer trunk full of organdy party dresses.
 
 
And my Mom's buttons. Many of them came from clothes she made for my sisters and I when we were children; she would remove the buttons to use again.
 
 
 I love being surrounded by my favorite family photos . . . even the silly ones!
 
 
10. Handmade things
 
Having a few completed projects on display in my craft space reminds me that I really can finish what I start, frustrated as I may get with a project at times.
 
 
And displaying  things that others have made for me just makes me happy when I look at them. This amazing 3-dimensional book was made by fellow blogger, Paula Clare, from Paula's Palace of Altered Art.
 
 
 
So, to recap, here are my Top 10:
 
1. Natural Light
2. Colorful things 
3. Words that inspire
4. Objects found in nature
5. Things with interesting shapes or textures
6. Old Things
7. Collections
8. Books that teach
9. Things that evoke memories
10. Handmade things
 
 
 What are the things that inspire you the most in your creative space?
 
 
 
This post is linked to:
Party Junk at Funky Junk Interiors
Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things
Weekend Wrap-Up at Tattertots & Jello
Flaunt It Friday at Chic On a Shoestring
Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Amaze Me Monday at DWELLINGS
 
 

8 comments:

  1. I just found your blog through Funky Junk Interiors. Donna is just too much fun! Anyway, I have been reading your blog about your creative space, and we have so much in common. I love many of the same things you do and incorporate them into my creative space(s). I am participating in Donna's Heap of Change Challenge and am getting my studio in order. My space looks a little more industrial than yours, and some things maybe be stored differently, but I have plenty of jars that show the contents. I had lost interest and it seems like my creative spark had died, and I am trying to resurrect it by going through my entire studio. I am getting rid of the things that I have absolutely no interest in using again with hopes that they clear the way for new and wonderful adventures. I will be keeping those things that still keep a spark of creativity going. Beautiful and useful, according to William Morris. Great quote for what I am doing! I will be following along through email for awhile. See you again soon!

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  2. Cheryl, you room is so inspiring and I love your list! I'm working on my craft room in 2015 and hope to have a workspace soon!!
    hugs,
    Linda

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  3. ! really love all of your craft space items!!! My new craft room has so many of the same items. Just beautiful colors you have.
    Ann

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  4. What a beautiful and inspiring space you've created. It's so important to have the things that inspire us and make us smile in our work spaces. Love all your collections and the way you're displaying them.

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  5. Loved to meet you and I will be following along now. I adore the jar of your Mom's buttons!

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  6. Oh my...the squirrel is adorable!
    Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY.
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  7. Ohhhh, you had me at #1. In our former house, my crafting table was under a wall of windows. We recently moved into a much smaller home and I'm fortunate to have found space in the second bedroom for scrapbooking. The downfall is there is one tiny window that gets very little sunlight. (It's a patio home and is on the side of the adjacent house next door.) Sigh.

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