October Update

I just realized it has been nearly a month since my last post!  So, here's an update on my life in the last few weeks:  I have been working on a lot of CQ and other creative projects (even finishing a few).  The studio still needs a major decluttering and reorganizing.  I am dealing with a few health issues, and working hard to lose a substantial amount of weight.  In July our hot water tank leaked all over the basement, destroying all the flooring.  Thankfully, this is being covered by insurance, but it has been a slow process to get repairs done.  The flooring has been chosen and ordered, so I am hoping to have a usable basement by Christmas.  Meanwhile, the contents of the basement (those that we didn't haul directly to the dumpster - clutter that should have been dealt with ages ago) are in the dining room upstairs.  So, we did some major decluttering but things don't look any better yet.  After the flooring is installed downstairs, DH plans to move his office area downstairs, which means I will have the studio area all to myself!  I'll move my office/paperwork stuff downstairs as well, so we can hang out there together on the days he's home. Which all means I will have more room in the studio for my creative stuff, which is very much needed!  I am making plans now for the kind of storage bins I'll need and how I'll arrange the room.  As much as I want to dive in there right now and rip the room apart, I need to stop and plan it out.  I still have a huge volume of supplies, and an average size room to fit it into.  I'm hoping to end up with a smooth work-flow from when the textiles come in the door, to cutting and sewing, finishing, photography and posting on Etsy.  After a summer of garage sales, I have more supplies than ever, and more unfinished projects than ever, and I want to spend this fall/winter getting things completed and listed. If I'm REALLY brave, I'll post "Before" photos of the studio.

Speaking of garage sales, I went to a great one this week.  This was one of the very last of the season in our town, and the last I will be going to this year (I have enough, already!!).  I spent very little for a large amount of beads, lace, water-colour pencils and more!  Here are a few pictures to show you the deals:

For 50 cents I got this sweet vintage embroidery booklet:

This is a medium sized Ziplok bag of lace, again - 50 cents!

And this is a sample of what's inside - Venise lace pieces, crocheted cotton lace yardage and some bits of beaded older lace.  So yummy!

That's just a sneak peek at the kinds of things I'll be posting in my Etsy shop over the winter.  And here's a couple of pix of my latest work - collage on framed canvas.  Enjoy!

I'll be back again soon with a progress report and more pictures!