Fall in Love and Bring Joy & Fun Into Your Life!

Be sure to visit Jo's Studio  http://www.etsy.com/shop/josstudio to

"fall in love, and bring joy & fun into your life ♥".

by Jo's Studio

Hiya, my name is Kara Joann and I am the creator of jo's studio. I am a creative by heart and love anything that is fun and unique. I went to school for graphic design and then I started jo's to share my passion. At jo's I can make just about anything that involves paper and design, like calendars, crafts circles, business cards, invites and art prints.

With my design background, I also love to make logos web banners and badges. A new thing that I am starting to get involved in is fabric covered buttons, I think they are so darling. Soon to arrive in my shop are fabric covered button hair ties, earrings, id badges, magnets, cufflinks and more.

I make all of my creations on my laptop in my little corner of the house or on the dining room table. Since, I am always moving where I am creating I keep things organized by having a bookshelf and file cabinet full of labeled boxes and folders.
 

 
It really helps me find things fast and keeps me from losing stuff. I draw my inspiration from many things, but I spend most of my time surfing the web or walking around craft stores. There are so many great ideas out there that give me the drive to want to create.

Kara loves animals, thunder storms, the smell of rain & fresh cut grass, shoes, canvas shopping bags, finding new music, flip flops, mascara, clean sheets, strawberries & bananas.

Visit Jo @ http://www.josstudio.com/

Cash, Barter, A Delicously Intense Stitch

Enjoy a visit to http://waywardradish.etsy.com/ for a wonderful voyage of delightful colours and design.

by waywardradish

Hand embroidery is a very portable art. Needle. Thread. Scissors. Always good for cash or barter. Perfect for a wandering hippie decades ago. Especially one with no clock in her life. Me. Now,though,I have clocks. But this is the calm. A deliciously intense stitch. A bullion knot. A raised cup. A solid square inch can take over an hour. For me, that's fun. Also why I still have a "day job."My Etsy shop focuses on embroidered jewelry. Stuffed earrings, for instance. Tiny or big. All weightless. Pictures never quite convey the smile of them. But seeing them on yourself, on another woman, all wariness goes poof! That I enjoy.

My work space = my couch + my coffee table. My couch is also my photo backdrop. I try to separate my embroidery floss by color but they always end up in a heap. For me, disorder feeds creativity. I expect to have a Collyer Brothers demise under embroidery thread.

Education? Several Erica Wilson crewel kits and her writing. She is my true inspiration.Hope you visit my shop: http://waywardradish.etsy.com/ (double click photos to zoom).To see archival photos of the obsessive denim of my hippie days: http://www.flickr/photos/waywardradish.com

Studios, Studios, Studios

Cloth .Paper.Scissors

One of my most favourite magazines is Coth, Paper, Scissors. I discovered it this summer and fell in love with the articles and the creativity of the artists featured in this magazine. It is how I found my new passion for mixed media. Many types of artists are featured. Usually the artist submits their art piece and writes an article describing their piece and how it was created. It's a great way to discover new techniques, tools and products and give them a try yourself.

They have special editions as well. Check out the new Fall/Winter edition of Cloth, Paper, Scissors Studios. This edition features artists and their creative spaces. Their spaces are as unique as the art they create. So inspirational! If you click on the title it will bring you right to this edition. Enjoy!

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?