Well I am not singing or dancing or making motion pictures, but I'll call myself an artist and hence MY sewing space is a studio!!!!!!
I recently finished this book.................
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| Book on various artists' studios - one of the artists called the studio - a habitat for making art |
The book was quite interesting and got me fired up. Sometimes I think the studio is just as interesting (sometimes more) than the art created within. And I love organizing my studio. Trying to make it more efficient, trying to find homes for everything (or better homes) and sometimes, marrying items that need to be put together. The process of having a studio is evolutionary. You can't just set it up - you need to nuture it, you need to maintain it and you need to grow with it.
Well there are times when the studio is a disaster and EVERY available surface is covered. Have a look...............
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| The ironing board (which just happens to be the handiest place to put things when I bring stuff down stairs.) The IMPORTANT thing - the stuff does not stay there!!!!! |
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| One set of work tables |
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| The other set of work tables |
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| The cutting table |
Things have been hectic the last couple of days and things just got piled up.
But the one area that I wanted to tidy up was this..............
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| Hanging racks above the computer desk. |
What a mish mash of stuff on these beautiful hanging racks. The other area I wanted to clean up was the table at the bottom of the stairs. I made a note to myself (a written note) that I would have TWO non-quilt related goals when I got home. One was to clean off that table.
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| Table at the bottom of the stairs |
I started by sorting the quilts on this table - each one was inspected - was the binding stitched down?, did the quilt have a label?, did the quilt need a sleeve?? If the answer was NO to any of those, the quilt got put in the basket for those tasks.
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| The basket with sleeves, binding or labels missing. It isn't that bad, although there are four small quilts sitting on the sewing table waiting for me to MAKE the labels. Then they will go in this pile. And there are a number of BIG quilts upstairs that have no labels - they will get put in this basket as well. I can sew on two a week at Monday Motivators and it works just fine. I don't get bored and I certainly do NOT need these quilts!!!! |
I also have a HUGE stack of mini-quilts that I have won at various quilt shows. I have the perfect place to display them - just need about one hour work (better schedule three just in case) to prepare the spot. I was going to fuse a small label on the back to say that I had won them. I won't remember all the shows I won them at, but if I can, I will try to add that as well. Not that they are anything special, but the more information on them, the more interesting they are.
If the quilts on the table did NOT require any additional work, they got seperated into two more piles. One was smaller pieces................
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| Smaller, finished pieces |
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| Larger, finished pieces |
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| Quilts waiting for labels to be made |
Then there was a bunch of quilts that technically are "for sale" on that table. They went upstairs to be put into the closet. At one point, I will go through them and offer them up for sale. They are stuff that I don't want.
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And VOILA - the collage table is CLEAR!!!!!!! Now I am able to put my collage stuff there and hopefully schedule some time in the near future to get working. Getting this table clear and finding a home for everything was an issue. OK - so there are a few things on this table that went onto the other work tables, but I am OK with that for the time being.
Then I went back and tackled those hanging racks. Oh my god!!!!!!!! There are quilts here that still need to be quilted, some applique samples, quilts that are bound, but need more quilting. A HUGE mess of stuff.
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| ACK - got to deal with all this!!!!!!!!!!!! |
I put everything that needed to be quilted into the tubs. Wait - there is NOT enough room, so off to Canadian Tire where I got TWO more tubs. Made new labels or updated the old ones and now EVERYTHING (I think) that needs to be quilted is HERE!!!!!!!!!!
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| Tubs filled with tops waiting to be quilted. The count now?????? 134. Notice that I still have room on top for TWO more tubs!!!!! |
And when M and I were out shopping, I remembered that a plastic bag with the thread to complete one project was still behind the desk. So between the two of us, we remembered to dig out that bag when I got home, only to discover THREE more quilt tops to be quilted that were also tucked behind the desk!!!!!! (they are already included in the total count above)
OK - so what is going to go on those empty racks?????
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| I took the bigger finished pieces and hung them up. There are about six poles (x2 sections), so I layered the quilts. Still room for a couple more. |
There are still a couple of big ones that need to be hung up and I will try to make that happen soon. The problem is that they were ALL hung up. Then I have a trunk show and I take them down and then they never seem to get hung back up again!!!!!!!!!!!
If they don't get hung up (or there is NO room), then I am going to roll them around the cardboard rolls that were on the ironing board in an earlier picture on this post. Of course, I will cover the cardboard BEFORE I put the quilts on!!!!! Then they can be stored out of the way.
While at Canadian Tire, I saw these plastic shoe box size boxes on sale and while I do not need them right now - I thought it was a good investment.
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| Plastic shoe boxes - 10 for $15.00 |
The other thing I battle in this studio is DUST. I have to pass the swiffer every couple of days. This picture shows the area under the long arm after TWO days without passing the swiffer.
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| DUST bunnies!!!!!!!!!!!! |
As you head out for your next shopping expedition, don't just think about buying stuff. You have to think about where you are going to put that stuff and then you have to think about maintaining that stuff. Which as you can see from my posts seems to be an endless job. But I love it. I get so much satisfaction out of getting things organized - I wonder what I will do when it is complete????? Will it ever be complete????? It sure takes away from sewing time!!!!
But I am happy puttering so I am getting some enjoyment out of my purchases!!!!
How is your list making coming along????? YES - there is ONE MONTH left and you must get serious about what you are going to commit to for 2014. Let's just take my "to be quilted" projects as an example. I had NO IDEA there were so many, although in the back of my mind, I knew it was a big number. So there are 134. Now if I said - oh I will get those all quilted in 2014, how realistic is that???? That means that I would have to quilt one item every 2.7 days. That is NOT going to happen. I have been thinking about what is realistic for me and I am planning to quilt TWO projects a month (for me). One will be an easy over all design and the other will some form of custom work.
That makes 24 items that will get quilted. That does not seem like a huge number, but we have to start somewhere and we have to be realistic. So those numbers (I am NOT picking specific projects) will get put on my commitments for 2014.
So keep looking through your stuff. Document the projects or JUST PICK ONE that you absolutely need to have done by end of next year. I will be checking in with you to see what you have chosen. Just remember for the goal to work, here are some guidelines......
Goal Setting (the information below is pulled from this link)
Set SMART Goals
You have probably heard of "SMART goals" already. But do you always apply the rule? The simple fact is that for goals to be powerful, they should be designed to be SMART. There are many variations of what SMART stands for, but the essence is this – goals should be:
- Specific.
- Measurable.
- Attainable.
- Relevant.
- Time Bound.
Set Specific Goals
Your goal must be clear and well defined. Vague or generalized goals are unhelpful because they don't provide sufficient direction. Remember, you need goals to show you the way. Make it as easy as you can to get where you want to go by defining precisely where you want to end up.
Set Measurable Goals
Include precise amounts, dates, and so on in your goals so you can measure your degree of success. If your goal is simply defined as "To reduce expenses" how will you know when you have been successful? In one month's time if you have a 1 percent reduction or in two years' time when you have a 10 percent reduction? Without a way to measure your success you miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing you have actually achieved something.
Set Attainable Goals
Make sure that it's possible to achieve the goals you set. If you set a goal that you have no hope of achieving, you will only demoralize yourself and erode your confidence.
However, resist the urge to set goals that are too easy. Accomplishing a goal that you didn't have to work hard for can be anticlimactic at best, and can also make you fear setting future goals that carry a risk of non-achievement. By setting realistic yet challenging goals, you hit the balance you need. These are the types of goals that require you to "raise the bar" and they bring the greatest personal satisfaction.
Set Relevant Goals
Goals should be relevant to the direction you want your life and career to take. By keeping goals aligned with this, you'll develop the focus you need to get ahead and do what you want. Set widely scattered and inconsistent goals, and you'll fritter your time – and your life – away.
Set Time-Bound Goals
You goals must have a deadline. Again, this means that you know when you can celebrate success. When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and achievement will come that much quicker.
So remember the SMART thing - has to be specific, has to be measurable, has to be attainable, has to be relevant and has to have a time limit. The other thing - it HAS TO BE WRITTEN DOWN. Otherwise you are NOT going to hold yourself accountable.
The other thing you have to remember is DO NOT COMPARE yourself to others. If I say I am going to quilt 24 items and you only work on one. Then you work on ONE. Each of us has different levels of motivation, different lifestyles, different family situations. We must do what WORKS FOR US, NO COMPARISONS allowed.
Have you been to Erin Mills Town Center laterly?????? I went there with M the other day to do some shopping and WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is happening??????
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| One entire wing of the upper level looks like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| Ceilings are gone in most of the upper level |
They are doing a MAJOR renovation and - well it was very disorienting!!!!! Thank goodness, my personal tour guide was with me!!!!
Should you want to watch the promo video, have a look (if for no other reason that the technology of the video run through is pretty cool.)
Well on that note - I have LOADS (as usual) to do today and I had best get started. No cleaning today - I have a quilt top to cut and piece, while someone uses the machine so I had better finish that customer quilt NOW before they arrive!!!!!
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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