Important Things in My Workspace

What important items do I keep in my workspace? Tools such as scissors, pins, rulers, all the necessary items for sewing as well as a variety of glues for different purposes. Materials like luscious chiffons, and silks and lots and lots of cotton fabrics. Flowers for decorating the teacup and teapot lamps are always in abundance. Clothespins! Can't make decorative table lamps or any other kind of novelty or accent lamps without clothespins! And what victorian lamp would be complete without lace and fringe. I have lots of lace and fringe in my stash. The victorian suncatchers need rings and gimp and decals to be completed. I also keeps lots and lots of books and magazines about crafts and pictures of lamps.

Oh and lastly, I keep my prayers for each product that I make flowing in abundance to God.

Does your workspace inspire you?

I've been thinking about how I get ideas for my handmade lamps. I have lots, and I do means lots, of magazines and books that I refer to often. These give me ideas and inspiration to create.

There are so many crafty people in this world and I learn from them as much as I can. I always have some project going on in the craft room which inspire another and another and another. I'm online a lot checking out other crafty people. Like http://www.myvictorianelegance.com/table.html. I love her hat lampshade! I want to make one too! And these soaps are just the cutest at http://www.specialtysoapshop.com/. Someday I'll make soap again too but they won't be as nice as these are!

Fabrics also inspire me. I like to think about what lamp they would look great on or maybe a treasure gift box.

Hmmm....I feel like getting inspire right now.

Setting Up Your Workspace

I'm always moving things around in my space to make room to work! I do have one area on the counter that I keep a piece of butcher paper on so when I'm gluing I don't mess up the nice counter. I try to keep things that I'm finished with in their proper places. I do have a lot of teacup lamps on the counter now as I've just finished glueing the cups to the saucers. My craft room is big enough to have several projects going at the same time; however, I get frustrated and distracted with too many in view at the same time! I would love to have an empty work space so I could keep it clean. Hmm....bigger room maybe?

About my Work Space

I am blessed to have a craft room in my basement where I can escape to work. My husband spent hours building walls and installing cabinets with his father. I have a place for most everything. I say most because I don't know any crafter that can resist buying more craft supplies! The picture above is after the room was first finished. I'm too embarrassed to show you what it looks like now!

I have wonderful lighting with four florescent bulbs in each light area. There are four areas all within 22 feet.

This is also my laundry area, which works out great as I frequently need to wash or iron my fabrics. I have a sewing area, an embroidery area, and a work area for making my lampshades, as well as two wing back chairs in which to relax and work on my handmade items.

I am looking for organization ideas for silk flowers. Right now they are in vases on top of the counter. I'm also looking for ways to store lots of ribbon spools. I like to see what I have so that I don't forget about it. Every cabinet door and drawer is labeled with what it contains. I purchased some of the plastic drawers for my lampshade making trims so they are always within easy reach. The scrapbooking supplies are also in a plastic three drawer on rollers.

Since I use a laptop, it is easy to work anywhere on the necessary book work. I'm usually sitting at my desk in the other area of the basement.

So that's where I work when I'm creating the lampshades and gift boxes and suncatchers and just about every other craft I enjoy making.

New Handmade Order

I'm working on a new handmade lampshade order that I received while at WQLN. The lady saw me last year and asked if I could do the lampshade and then lost my business card. She took a chance that I would be at the show and brought the antique lamp with her. I'm glad. It is going to be fun to work on.

This is the back of the lamp. The flowers look like campbell or bleeding hearts.

This is the front with bleeding hearts and a rose.

This is my choice of fabrics. The green is Moire. The gimp is a pale pink peach color. I'm thinking about embroidering a flower on the front or adding an applique.

WQLN Craft Show 2008

I just returned from my second day of selling at WQLN Craft Show in Erie. There were quite a few people shopping and I did see bags, unfortunately not too many of mine! I wore my new hat today and got lots of comments.

A nice older lady next to me offered to take my picture. She was a bright spot in my day.

WQLN Craft Show 2008

So here it is another year has passed and I'm ready to do WQLN again. I'm hoping that it is as good as last year even with the economy supposedly being down. I only have an 8' table this year instead of a 14'. I'll have the lamps, treasure gift boxes, and suncatchers. I haven't decided whether I'll put out the bouncy ball soaps; maybe just the little tub. I have from 8a. until 1p. to set up. I'm not sure whether I'll have electric or not so I've printed my inventory list and will take a calculator just in case. Last year we had to put shims under the table as the floor was uneven, so I've packed some of those. I'm doing this one alone as I was able to fit everything in the car.

Tonight we went to the Erie Guild Craft meeting where they told us that there were 1300 people in attendance at the show in October. I hope WQLN has a lot more than that. Tomorrow is going to be a big day for me so off to bed I go.