Gorgeous!

Check out Amanda's gorgeous designs and her wonderfully, amazingly organized studio space!

It looks like a great place to create.

by BellaRhysDesigns

My name is Amanda-or BellaRhysDesigns on etsy.com. I have always been involved in the arts one way or another. From painting scenery at our community theater and earning a few awards for watercolors in my school days to my last 16 years dedicated to being a hairstylist and salon owner, each day has seemed to carry an artistic outlet for me in some form. Besides acrylics and watercolors I’ve also enjoyed creating w/ oil pastels, black and white photography, mixed media altered art, pottery and scrapbooking.

In 2002 I started making jewelry after being inspired by pieces I had seen in Greece on vacation and was frustrated and bored with the components I was finding locally. I started shopping around on Ebay and ran across some very cool glass beads by Cassie Donlen called lampwork. I immediately started researching them and was excited to incorporate them in my work. I found a local class and dove right in, completely mesmerized by the colors, styles and techniques used to create these little works of art! I found that they totally changed an ordinary piece of jewelry into an endless array of possibilities.

I have since taken metalsmithing classes to enhance my work by making my own forged or custom stamped pieces.I find inspiration in my children’s books, fun material, change of seasons, pictures in magazines,some of the treasuries on Etsy or even let my 6 year old daughter to come up with a fun color combo.I hope you enjoy the tour of my studio! If anyone would like to look at my blog for ideas of pieces I make that haven't been listed on etsy please feel free to come by for a visit!

http://bellarhysdesigns.blogspot.com (An amazing blog! I love it ~Kerry).

http://www.bellarhysdesigns.etsy.com/

Crow Haven Farm

Check out Michelle's whimsical creations. Each one seems to have a unique personality with a fantastical story to tell.

CrowHavenFarm
Hello, my name is Michelle and I live in a very magical place in Pennsylvania. My studio is located in our 1800’s stone farm house which is surrounded by fields of wheat, corn and soy. It is a wonderful place to live and be creative. However, I do cry every morning when I have to leave my safe haven and go to my day gig in the city, but when the clock strikes 5:00 p.m., my legs are already running to my jeep to get me back home and into my studio.
My husband and I have converted a room on our second floor into my studio. Our Summer Kitchen that is attached to our house has been transformed into his studio (he is a drummer). As you can see by the pictures, I have to be very organized in order to keep things from finding their way into the hallway! I love clear tub containers. I try to get these when they go on sale or I ask friends and family members to donate their old ones to me because I can always use a clear container for found objects from my hunts at the garage sales, thrift markets and the DOLLAR STORE! Love the dollar store. If you are an artist, you will love the dollar store!
My medium that I am currently working on is polymer clay, otherwise known as Super Sculpey. I have tried numerous brands of doll making clay and have found that this works best for me. I also love Creative Paper Clay and Papier Mache. I am currently working on a line that I have entitled Ebs, meaning “Eclectic Beings.” I took a class with Wendy and Toby Froud back in May of 2008 in New York City and I learned a bunch of new techniques and how to use certain tools. This course was a wonderful start to my development of sculpting art dolls. However, my art dolls have taken on such a whimsical feel that sometimes it’s extremely hard to part with them!
My studio is set up so that I can easily get to everything. In one corner I have a table that I use as my painting station. I also adopted a an 8x8 table from Staples that is used as my main table. As you can see the table is being occupied by stackables all the way across it! All of my containers have been marked with what is exactly in them. I have an attic up on the 3rd floor which is being totally refurbished and designed for extra storage. This will help in getting some of my containers out of the studio to give me more space and be able to spread my materials out, instead of using the mat floor! LOL. I do like the feel of closeness. I need to have all of my little bits and bobs around me. I use a lot of mason jars because when you are in a groove you want to be able to see your bits and bobs instead of spending hours on end searching for the exact piece you need.

I love working in mixed-media. I can incorporate everything I love doing, such as, sewing, painting, assemblage, sculpting and needle felting into all of my art dolls. I have recently been playing with canvas boards and cigar boxes using bees wax and oil pastels. I love Bees Wax!
I will be opening a new shop at Etsy in early November. My new shop name is ShodeeHonee.

In the meantime, look me up at http://www.crowhavenfarm.etsy.com/.

I have not added new items lately, but hopefully CrowHavenFarm will be updated with more primitive treasures and ShodeeHonee will be up and running with my new whimsical line of original painting, original drawings and of course my Eclectic Beings, Ebs in November of 2008. Just in time for the Holidays!
Cheers!

A Generation of Artists and Crafters~ A Before & After Studio Tour

Here is a great before and after studio tour. Check out Giggling Goldfish and her new studio and more pictures of the gorgeous transformation.


Before

After

Check out Giggling Goldfish Etsy Shop www.gigglinggoldfish.etsy.com

Giggling Goldfish

I come from a family of artists and crafters and have been creating ever since I can remember. I grew up working and playing in my father's wood working shop and knew early on I loved to work with my hands. So of course when I had children of my own I hoped they (two beautiful girls and a 15 month old boy) would love and appreciate art and creating as I do.

Fortunately both of my girls are creative in many ways and do appreciate the concept of handmade and my son has a little space all his own in my studio. My youngest daughter and I have been creating together for a while now and I am enjoying it immensely. It is so awesome to see things thru a child’s eyes. She and now my little son bring so much color and life to our creations. I am inspired by so many things especially color and try to reflect our fun personalities into the things we create.

This is our studio in the making. I had tons of fun collecting little things here and there to create our space and even more fun building my little tables. I am a flea market and salvage yard junky and have been hording my little finds for years and now was able to put some of them to good use. I try to work on it here and there when I have time, but nonetheless I am so thankful to have a place to bring our thoughts to life.

Haha, that doesn’t mean I still don’t take over little parts of the house though. I am like a whirlwind when I am in the middle of a project with little bits and pieces everywhere, but as soon as I’m done I have to clean it all up and reorganize for the next time. For me it is much more relaxing and allows me to focus on what I am doing when I have a clean space. http://www.flickr.com/photos/gigglinggoldfish/sets/72157603946800035/

Good luck on your art space…I look forward to stopping by and taking a peek where you create.

Two Heads Are Better Than One!

Dragon Rags

I live and work in what is called a “visionary environment,” to borrow a term. What that means is that the home and studio in which I live and work reflect who I am. I am fortunate to share my home and studio with my boyfriend, also an artist (a musician ). We often work side by side in a studio that is comfortable (if a little small,) visually stimulating, peaceful, and very functional.

There are books everywhere, and we have cats (though we do not share the studio with them!) We both also enjoy and collect art.The house is an end unit, so we have 2 large windows that look out onto our neighborhood and onto a green space. As I sit at my desk, I look out on pine trees and grass and sky. It's quiet. When I am in the studio, I lose track of time and very easily fall into flow.When I really need to spread out, I do so on the floor of the studio.

My desk is suitable for some smaller projects, and that is where I take most of my product photos, edit and upload my photography, etc., but when I'm playing with my glues and paints, I do so away from the equipment. Ideally, I would like to have a work table, but the studio is too small. We have made the arrangement work for us.There is nothing like sharing space and a life with another artist!

We spend many a night giving one another feedback. He on my art and photography, I on his music. It is a lot of fun, and it keeps my creative juices flowing.When I first moved into my house, the studio was the master bedroom. When he moved in, we realized that it was the perfect room for a studio. Though we both would like to have a bigger work space some day, everything fits. We love this room, and we think others do, too: It doubles as our guest room. You'd have to spend time in this room to really get how nice it is.

I tend to organize by using containers that are either multi-functional or modular. I like to categorize my supplies. My papers are in a multi-drawer unit, sorted by category. My fabrics go into plastic tubs that can be tucked away into the corners and used as end tables. The shelves in the studio closet are fully utilized. That's where I keep my batting and the bulk of my office and art supplies. For me, organizing is all about not disturbing visual flow. Another way I like to keep organized is to clean up as I go. If I am working on multple projects, I tend to put each project's components into their own container and store the items toghether but not put away. That way, I can bounce back and forth between things but not end up with chaos when I am finished. Good organization is very, very important when working in a small space. I believe that is how my boyfriend and I manage to share without getting on each other's nerves!

Visit her studio at http://www.dragonrags.etsy.com/

Piccoladonna's "Crocheted Little Things"

Check out Piccoladonna's Lovely Crochet Shop!
http://piccoladonna2006.etsy.com/

Piccoladonna2006

I came from Italy! :) and I live in the States (legally!) for a year. I'm a 26 year old busy mom of 2 wonderful kids and I have this big passion for crochet, that I'm trying to use to raise some money selling my "crocheted little thing" as I like to call my works.

I learned how to crochet when I was 9-10 from my mom who is a "doilie maker". It was something I liked to do during summer breaks, but never thought I could use it like I'm doing now!

I started crocheting during my second pregnancy.I got sick and I had to rest a lot for my little girl's sake so I needed something to keep my hands and mind busy while resting.

Most of the works I did during that time are now for sale in my etsy shop. So far I never thought about selling anything, I was just having a lot of fun!

Last year my hubby was out of job and we needed to buy clothes for my children...somehow I had a couple of skeins of yarn and I created warm sweaters for them (I think I have a pic of my daughter wearing it). When we went out everybody was asking me where I found those sweaters....and orders came to me.

I used to crochet gifts for family and friends and other orders arrived....then I tried to crochet some jewelry pieces and decided to try a craft show....it went pretty well and that's why I finally decided to seriously sell my works, even on line. I do not consider this like a job simply because I really enjoy crocheting each and every piece! My inspiration comes from little daily things....the necessity of a warm garment, a way to embellish my house...and so on.

Here is her workspace! Check out her shop!

http://piccoladonna2006.etsy.com/

Wow ! What a busy week! Phew!

I can't believe I haven't posted since Monday! I had been missing creating and went to my studio instead of the computer this week in the evening. The saying time flies when you are having fun is so true! Look for a lot of new items, a new banner and avatar for The Red Door. I am decorating for the holiday season.

Lots and lots of new people expressed interest in being featured in Etsy Studios so keep checking back for new shops and new studios. It will be an exciting couple of weeks.

Visit www.thereddoor.etsy.com

Montage Studio's Creative Space

Montage studio has a fabulous space to create in . She has a beautiful and serene view to inspire her and great organizational tips. Check out her studio.

Montage Studio

I am a photographer and painter and do both in my home studio.

Visit http://www.montagestudio.etsy.com/

The space has a beautiful view, with mature trees and whatever wildlife my dogs haven’t scared away. My desk is where I alter my photographs and scan ephemera and painting to make digital collages. Although I shoot both film and digitally, most of my latest work is mainly digital.There is a large wooden table that I use for painting. It is wonderful to have such a big workspace, where I can leave several projects out at once. When I lived in Paris I always had several projects going at once and found that this really took the pressure off of one piece having to be utterly brilliant.

On the table I have a sweet little cubby to hold my paint; the larger bottles are housed in a lovely Salvation Army find behind glass doors.By nature I am a packrat and love being surrounded by “stuff”…BUT it can also get to me when there is no order to things and I spend half the day looking for a particular paintbrush!

I have been slowly tackling my piles, and am trying to keep “like with like” as they say: papers in plastic storage drawers; paintbrushes in earthen pots; books, journals and magazines on the new shelves that my brother-in-law put up recently (three 8 foot shelves: pure joy). I do TRY to keep my desk area tidy and free of clutter, but I am still working on that one!Having lived in apartments for most of my adult life, I feel so lucky to have a house with such an amazing studio space. I often work late at night and love the peaceful setting and the fact that the refrigerator is just a few feet away!!!

Check out Montage Studio's blog http://montagestudio.blogspot.com/

Super Storage Tips

Would you describe your studio space as cluttered? If so you are not alone.
In the Studios issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors only 13.3 % "called their space "clean", inviting , and "well organized", while nearly 43% described their creative space as "cluttered but livable", and 30% called it "somewhat organized".

Here are a few tips sent in by readers to help store, stash, separate and sort.

An over -the-door-shoe holder holds yarn and fibers.
Linda Johansen in Corvallis, OR


I file emphera in clear,
resealable bags.
Quinn McDonald in Alexandria, VA



Millinery, sparkly bits and bobs,
and ribbons and trims of all sorts:
Because of their beauty I love to
store them in glass apothecary
and candy jars!
Lauren Mumford in Vacaville,CA





What are your coolest organizational tips and tricks?

Top 10 Excuses For Spending Time In Your Studio

Coming Soon to The Red Door
http://www.thereddoor.etsy.com/

From Cloth Paper Scissors STUDIO

1. It's cheaper than therapy (the overwhelming "winner").

2. I don't need an excuse.

3. It's less fattening than chocolate.

4. The muses (fabric,paint,etc.) are calling me.

5. I bought all these (fabric, stamps, paints etc.), now I have to

use them or it will be a waste.

6. If I don't do it you'll be sorry.

7. I have a DEADLINE.

8. I have to "clean" the art room.

9. You have your (bowling, golf ) time, I have my stusio time.

10. I'm saving money by making gifts.

What is your favourite excuse. Send me a comment and I will add them!

Calling All Studios!

I need you! Etsy Studios!

Hello everyone! I have had an amazing response to Etsy Studios. Guess what? I am all caught up with featuring everyone who sent in their information. Over 100 people responded to be included, so now I'm just waiting for them to send in their paragraphs and pics!

If you want to be featured it's easy as pie! All you have to do is write up a couple of paragraphs about what you do, where you create, your organization, any tips or inspiration. With this send a couple of pics. I like the pictures that have you working in your space and so do others.

When you send your information...I feature you! The blog links back to your shop~which means a free promo and traffic for you!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Here is a photo of a window display featuring my art from my other etsy shop http://www.folkartbykerry.etsy.com/.

My work is featured here for the month of September in our downtown core.

The Great Outdoors Studio! Imagine!

Visit http://www.laurieryan.etsy.com/

Laurie Ryan's Studio

Imagine having the whole outdoors as your studio. Now that's a lot of space! Imagine the kind of organization you would need. Good thing Mother Nature does that! Laurie loves creating outdoors. Take a peek into her amazing studio!

Laurie Ryan

I've been taking photographs ever since I was a young girl using an old brownie box camera. Photographs are important to me as that is how we keep precious memories alive. I love capturing the beauty of nature also and sharing it with other people. I've had 30 years experience with a 35mm film camera starting with an canon ae1, I still have that camera by the way and still use it every now and then.

I love being out in nature taking pretty images. I love the water and being around it and that reflects in my images as well. Plus I just love birds and flowers. I love making gifts out of my images, I make cards, tote bags, t shirts and the like.

My favorite quote comes from George Washington Carver when he would tell his students. "Make do with what you have".

Licks,Love and Luck!

Zygote creates works for Fetish Ghost in Stockton, California. Check out his handcrafted ceramic collection! I love his studio space!
Fetish Ghost

My name is Zygote. I create works for FetishGhost in Stockton, California. For over the past 20 years, I've generally been known for my unique approach to handcrafted sterling macabre. But... it's been over the past 2 years though that I've been building up a clientèle for my October Harvest gift ceramics, (gallery quality seasonal tea ware and large treasure canisters.) This collection was created initially to serve a handful of localized niche markets in Northern California, but with Etsy, the studio is really starting to grow beyond it's preconceived boundaries. I have to admit, it's cool!

I really enjoy creating new works for this collection.My main studio is an old vintage 1920 garage complete with an old leaking roof, basic electrics, and no cooling or heating. I LOVE it! Despite it's exposure to the elements (or because of it), it provides a well ventilated space for all of my work. This has proven a necessity with controlling a healthy work environment that works well with kilns and dusts.

I've also located my photo booth in the root cellar to control the light conditions and my computer is next to my bed. Apparently late nights are the norm when it comes to photo editing and writing all those descriptions. It's archaic and it's still a work in progress, but it seems to get the job done at the moment.

My organizational tip is to invest in a lot of shelving. Plan for storage, but make that extra effort to sell what you have on hand. Sitting on a pile of work helps build-up inventory for special events... but... well, it's really easy to build up too much of a good thing.

Live free and have fun! Come check me out!

http://www.fetishghost.etsy.com/

Licks, Love, & Luck...-Zygote-

Do What You Love!

Simple Stitches has been sewing since she was a little girl. Whether your passion has been life long or a new pursuit...it is probably something you love to do and couldn't live without. People ask me all of the time where do I find the time to create as a busy mom, teacher and coach. I respond that I find the time for myself and it is what I Love to do! If you take care of yourself first and do what you love ,you will happily have time for others. Now go and have fun doing what you love!
Simple Stitches 101

I've been sewing since I was a little girl. I haven't always had a sewing room, but I always seem to take over a section of the house and make it my "creative cocoon". I love the fact that I am able to see all of my fabrics while I work. It allows me to be more creative, and try new combinations. I also love wool and woolfelt, and have an extensive collection of those as well. When I'm not at my full time job, you can find me creating in my favorite room ! Come and see what I've made....http://www.simplestitches101.etsy.com/

Any Place Is A Good Place To Create!

I love it when inspiration hits and it doesn't matter where you are. Sometimes I'm asking someone for a small piece of paper or even a napkin to draw my inspirations for my art and collages. I love bringing my materials outside and creating there whenever I get a chance. Usually any place is a good place to create! Here is Sugarskull7's creating space and the keepers of her space. I think I'll do an Etsy Studio (Creature) Keeper blog feature! We can have a look at all of our favourite animals that occupy our spaces!

Sugarskull7

www.sugarskull7.etsy.com

Here goes:I’m a 38 year old wife, mother, former phone company employee, current dog trainer, and Etsy artist! I started carving rubber stamps about 12 years ago when a friend of mine fell victim to a severe rubber stamp addiction. We were both telephone operators at the time, and she always had an issue of Rubberstampmadness propped open on her desk. We were allowed to do “activities” (draw, knit, write notes to each other) while taking calls, so she made cards with her stamps. I was fascinated. I loved the works of art she created, but I wanted “my own” stamps. I’ve always been an artist, drawing and painting since I was very young, so I wanted stamps of my own designs. When my friend showed me an article about eraser carving, I was hooked. I could make my own stamps!!!!!

Many of the designs I offer on my Etsy shop were originally carved while I was answering calls as an operator. Looking back now, I have no idea how I did that! These days, carving a stamp requires all my concentration. Chalk it up to getting old…My workspace is basically my bedroom floor, several storage boxes, a fishing tackle case and a shelf in my closet! Designs are always done in a sketchbook, and when I’m ready to carve, I set up in a sunlit spot on of my bedroom floor and I’m ready to go. As the pictures demonstrate, all stamps are Corgi-inspected for quality and flavor before they are shipped to customers.

Some tools I can’t live without are Speedball linoleum gauge blades, Testor hobby knives, PZ Kut carving material, a magnifying glass, and of course, ink!

Before being turned on to Etsy by a friend who suggested I sell my paintings there, it never occurred to me to sell hand-carved stamps. As I browsed through all the gorgeous Etsy shops, though, I came across artists who were offering their carvings for sale and I was amazed! I had no idea there was a market for this art form! So I posted a few of my stamps and was thrilled when some of them sold! So here I am. I’ve only been selling a little while, so we’ll see where it goes. It’s unlikely that this is something I’ll make a living at, but the fact that some people out there like my work enough to want to own a piece of it makes me extremely happy. For me, that’s success.

Inspiration

What inspires you? Is it a found object? Is it a new colour or something you have already created? Many things can inspire us and even change from day to day. Sometimes just the act of walking into my studio with all of my favourite things inspires me. Check out what inspires Andradra and her work.
Andradra

Hi, I'm Andrada and I'm a painter from Laval, Canada.

Here is my studio where I spend my time creating and trying new materials and mediums.
My studio is actually in the basement of my house and is not very big but I hope someday I will have a real studio with big windows and a nice view of some trees… Here is the table where almost everything is born! I do some of my paintings at the table, some of them directly on the floor, depending on the canvas size. I love to have everything around me and to reach my paint brushes or the paint jar without much effort. On the front wall I have my "Memories of my first day in Canada", an art project for my art studio class. It's a painting made with coffee stains and tree bark. I love the colors and vanilla coffee smell! I also have pictures of some of my preferred sold paintings, black&white photos, digital images that I did, and a lot of tests of new mediums. On the wall behind me I have my paintings. In fact I have my paintings everywhere around me… and not only in my studio. I have my paintings in my bedroom, living room, halfway, even in my friends' homes…

Again my wall and my table… A picture of my dog's nose, one diaper from the first diaper box that I bought two years and seven months ago for my son, some copies from the " Illuminated manuscripts" that are a real inspiration for some of my works, my pigments. I love to create mixed media paintings and to incorporate different found objects in my works. I use raw materials, fibers, cloths, egg shells, everything that can be incorporated in my mixed media paintings. I have a big box with a lot of nice found stuff from which sometimes I draw my inspiration. I'm fascinated by the past, ancient hand made things and relics. I would like to use real relics on my artwork but at this time my budget does not allow me to be eccentric. Maybe when I will sell a lot on Etsy and I will be rich I will be able to do this… Hahaha!

Here is another part of my studio where I deposit my paintings that are waiting to go and find a new home! The front painting is my son's! He is 2 years and 7 months and he is already a great artist! And here is the keeper of my paintings, my faithful little Foxy, who stays with me in the studio all the time.

What inspires me? When I create I don't have a clear idea in my head. I start to paint and the inspiration comes from everything around me. Sometime is another painting, sometimes it is a small object and sometimes it's my raw imagination. So this is my studio, the place where I love to be and where I create magical pieces for your home.

Please visit my art gallery at http://andrada.etsy.com/