My Creative Space

Apart this time last year I enjoyed touring round some glorious creative spaces all around the world - some kitchen or dining room tables, some large basements with amazing storage - all of them belonging to bloggers taking part in Karen Valentine's Where Bloggers Create blog party. I signed up to take part in this year's party about a month ago - and realised this morning that the last month had flown by and the party is tomorrow! Cue tidying, sorting and cleaning of the workshop! So, to those of you who are regular visitors, do come and have a look at my workshop nearly a year after I moved into it, and to those who are visiting for the first time, welcome!

I am really lucky to have a whole workshed to myself. This time last year my original 6' by 8' workshed had been dismantled to make way for a new and improved version and I was working from the kitchen table. Last September I moved into my wonderful new 8' by 12' workshed - and I love it! Down one side I have three workstations, one for me and two for students - although usually I end up spreading across all three desks! The other side has the desk with my photo studio set up and the soldering table.

A few close-ups for you...

I use a magnetic notice board to hold notes about orders that have come in and magazine projects that I've got planned - it's right beside my desk so that I can't miss anything! My desk is definitely not usually this tidy, but I borrowed Hazel Powers' idea of grouping projects in a cupcake tin - a simple but effective idea. I always know where things are, but I must admit that it was really lovely working out there this evening with everything put back in it's place - let's see how long it lasts, shall we?! Most of my hand tools are easily accessible on this shelf, including my growing collection of hammers. I've been lucky enough to have inherited quite a few tools from a friend's parents who used to be goldsmiths. Hidden in the photos you should be able to see a ceramic owl that was one of my favourite Christmas presents (thank you Helen!) and a little luxury - my Molton Brown hand lotion!

And the soldering station is definitely not this tidy usually! I do clean it every now and then when I'm taking photos for magazine projects, but soldering is not exactly a clean process! The last close-ups are of back issues of Beads and Beyond, the magazine I write for, a woven bead heart that I made about 10 years ago and just a few of my jewellery books. My excuse for buying them is that I take them into college for my students to read!

And I'll leave you with this view of my creative space......

My sister-in-law bought this for me for Christmas years ago - and then worried while I was opening the parcel that I'd be offended by it. I love it! It's not so much that I've forgotten how to cook, more that if I didn't have three hungry boys to feed I'd often be so engrossed in crafting that I'd forget to stop and cook!

Thank you for visiting my creative space! To see a list of everyone taking part in the party visit Karen's blog.