My Creative Space

All of this fabric went straight from the box to the shelf. It's a collection of new, thrifted, and gifted fabrics in all sorts of weights – from a voile-like weightlessness to canvas. I'm loving looking at it and wondering what it will all become. I'm not loving the fact that there isn't time to touch any of it just yet. There are curtains, peanut aprons, and a few drawstring bags waiting to be made. But until a few more boxes get unpacked, they'll just have to wait their turn.

In the meantime, Peanut is making his selections. I love that he sees fabric as potential. I love that he is already learning to appreciate that things are made and not just bought. Good, good, good!

Go see more creative spaces!

My Creative Space

We're surrounded by boxes. In fact, another 32 arrived today. We have one book case and about 30 book boxes. Sometimes it feels like the only thing we're making around here is the biggest pile of packing paper ever – to re-use... because we'll do this all again before too long.

In the meantime, I'm using this little space as my cabinet of wonders. Wonderful things to use. Wonderful ideas to contemplate. Wonderful hours coming up to tide us through what will certianly be a long, grey, wet winter. Taking a moment in my day to peek in here reminds me that the boxes are temporary. We are in-between. We are getting there – and don't forget to enjoy the journey!

Go see more creative spaces!

My Creative Space

Here's Peanut's perfect-for-now art supply caddy. About a year and a half ago, I bought a set of Lyra Ferby colored pencils for him. It was a difficult but invaluable purchase. They have been one of our best kid buys ever. We received Stockmar Beeswax Coloring Blocks and Crayon Rocks as gifts. Having good materials has made coloring and drawing a lot of fun for Peanut. When he draws, he can become thoroughly absorbed in the task. It is a joy to watch.

We added some Koh-i-noor Mondeluz watercolor pencils to his selection this spring and he really likes them. I wasn't ready to do a big investment, in part because I was unfamiliar with the medium. Instead of getting a box, we only got five pencils; red, blue, yellow, black, and white. I think he likes the feel of a thinner pencil as well as the rich color. He doesn't have much use for the watercolor aspect, though. He doesn't ask for water often and if he uses it, it's to brush over lines as opposed to blocks of color. It's always interesting to see what he draws.

The Playful Learning blog inspired me to try arranging more purpose oriented spaces or stations in our home. This box contains different colored pencils and crayons, notebooks, stencils, and a few postcards for inspiration. What do you like to work with? Has the type of materials available influenced your or your children's creativity? Which camp are you in, “earn the materials” or “quality materials first”?

Go see more creative spaces!

My Creative Space

Last week, I showed off my little traveling bag – but the real secret is inside. This is the little bag full of big surprises. I made it last spring using the Weekend-away Travel Bag pattern from Heather Ross's Weekend Sewing. The stitching on the outside was inspired by this skirt I saw on the always entertaining Myrtle and Eunice blog. It's made with IKEA linen and quilting cotton, so it's very light weight and squishy. It was a bit fussy to make – I'm not sure I agree with her method for putting the lining together – but it came out nicely.

And it is big. I mean really a big bag. I fit loads of stuff into this bag and can still open it wide enough to find what I need. Don't you love the mushroom print? So adorable.

This is what I fit into the bag – plus the occasional folded-up, written all over, printed out pattern. There are a lot of knitting needles. Someone who lives in my house asked me once why I keep buying more. We sigh, we shake our heads – they'll never understand. Anyway, I think I've used just about everything here at least once. Except the gray yarn I bought to darn socks. Darn socks. The red square thing is my Pinocchio tape measure. You pull the nose. Who doesn't need that?

What's in your bag? What are your essentials?

Go see more creative spaces!

My Creative Space

I've finally worked up the courage to attempt a Pembroke vest for Peanut. It's a lot more fun and less frightening than I thought it would be. The cable work requires attention, but isn't actually too difficult. Placing a marker at the beginning of each pattern section makes it a lot easier to avoid – or find – mistakes. The shoulder shaping on this back piece is impressive. It's a nicer finish than a straight shoulder. I'm curious to see how it will fit.

This little bag has been my creative space on the road. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling just to look at it and realize how much promise it holds. When we were packing up in Chicago, I put together the tools that seemed like absolute necessities for sewing and knitting, my two Elizabeth Zimmerman books, and Cal Patch's pattern making book and figured that would keep me covered and busy until our shipment arrived in the Netherlands. Two months and a bit down the road, no regrets yet. Between what I can borrow, get on-line, and buy along the way, I've been very happy.

Somewhere, some day, I dream of my own space – a beautiful sunny room with big working surfaces, a comfy chair, and a wall of inspirational images and ideas. But that will just be a luxury. It doesn't actually take much to make a lot. All the stashing, stocking, oohing and aahing are often more distracting than productive. The making time is what counts – it's probably my most valuable space. It's carved out between kids and husband and family and friends and moving and cleaning and cooking and everything else. For now, I'll concentrate on that.

Go see more creative spaces!