My Room - Part Deux

Here are some photos of the other sides of my room.

Here is another view of the top half of my rom. You can see some of my make-shift storage solutions below the window.

Here is my dresser, the one I am going to paint. The little painting is an original work.

Here is another angle of the dresser, and a peak of my bookshelf.

There is a lot in this pic, so I made it a bit larger. Obviously this is my bookshelf. I have my owl collection, my Rita Hayworth paper doll, and some books are used as decoration as well. Along the top, is where I store my fragrances and some cute little knick-knacks. Book storage is perhaps my biggest hurdle. I have soo many books, and despite reading lot, electronically, I still add books to my collection regularly.

 Here is a another view of my primary workspace.I will have to change this area, when I get my sewing machine. I will probably turn the desk to face the base of my bed, to make it easier to sew large pieces. Storage will also have to be improved. Once fabric starts piling up, it can get pretty out of hand. 

  If any of you, my dear readers, have any inexpensive, wall based storage solutions, I would love to hear them. I am going to have to make use of the vertical space in my room. Also, if you have links to room tours of your own spaces, please share them in the comments! I love to get inspired by other folks spaces!

My Room

 Today, I thought I would share some images of my room. I have a few changes and improvements to make, and these will serve as my "before" images. The color scheme I am going for is yellow, grey, and splashes of blue. Most of the changes will involve painting things, in order to lock that scheme in. This will be a two parter, since I have a lot of images, and want the pages to eventually download for y'all.

This is the view when you walk in the door. My lovely pup, MoMo is on the bed in most of these photos.

This is my work area. It is where I do computer work, lots of crochet, and organize and edit photos. I also have my scanner/printer on my desk. This is something I want to change. It's not an ideal situation.

Here is a close up of the ole' bed. The color is not so true in the photo, but the bedspread is yellow and white, and the pillows are a mix of yellow, white and grey. MoMo is mainly brown. I hang scarves and bags from my bed post.

My only window, which makes good photos a bit difficult. My bed and nightstand are both wood, and are inherited from my grandmother. I keep a basket full of books next to my bed, because, well I need them all, right beside me. My chest of drawers is purple, which is a problem.

 My next post will include photos from the other side of my room. It is a small, simple space, but it is comfortable, and I usually have enough space to do everything I need to. Taking these photos made me realize how much I need a wide angle lens of some kind. I would have loved to get one shot of the entire length. One of my biggest upcoming projects, is to paint the chest of drawers a mild yellow. I think this will make the space more coherent, as right now, purple is definitely a color out of no where. What is the number one project you are either tackling right now, or want to accomplish in the next little while? Painting is not my favorite thing to do, but it does produce amazing results with little cost.

 

 I just wanted to share how amazing this performance, on A Capital Fourth by Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers, was. I just realized that the Steep Canyon Rangers were from my home state, NC!. If this isn't "some mighty fine a pickin' and a singing", I don't know what is!(quotation is a reference to one of my favorite films O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

Thankful

 One of the ways I am going to make my life a bit more joyful, is by periodically posting on this blog a list of simple things that I am Thankful for. I plan on doing this at least once a week, and hope to include some fun links or tidbits about my list items. So, here goes!

1. Potable Water - I am thankful for potable water today. I am dyeing cloth today in a process that produces beautiful results but consumes a lot of water. Every time I dye, I think about what a luxury clean water is. I live somewhere where I have enough to drink and bathe and even make art. So many live with little to no access to even enough to drink. It is very humbling.Water.org has an amazing mission of changing this sad state of affairs. If you have even a bit of money, this cause would be a really excellent way to spend it. 
2. One Last Free Summer - This has been a pretty lazy summer, but I don't feel too bad. Next year, I will no longer be a student, and will hopefully be working a real, full time job. I have decided to take advantage of lazy afternoons and plenty of time to work on as many projects and read as many books as I like.
3. Air Conditioning - God, has it been hot lately! Hot and Humid. Summer is not the most pleasant time in the South, but it gets worse in the deep south and the south west. I am so grateful to have central heat and air. I honestly don't know what I'd do without it, and my heart goes out to people who have to make do with fans and wall units. 
4. Yarn - I will never not be thankful for yarn! I have very, very limited funds this summer. However, basically all my money has gone to making sure I have plenty of yarn for all the projects I want to finish. To me, there is nothing more luxurious than looking at my stash and planning things to do with every skein.
5. Wi/Fi - Last but not least, I am thankful for my internet connection. I think I would have gone crazy this summer had I not been able to blog and tweet and read and watch documentaries and t.v. shows. Connecting with people online has become such an outlet for me, and I am beyond thankful for the internet and the community I have found there!

101 Things, Redux

 So, while sprucing up the ole' blog, I accidentally deleted my original 101 Things post, you know, the one with the entire list...
Anyway, I am taking this opportunity to type it back out, and get it back on the blog. I feel like it is important to keep these goals in my blog world as well as above my desk, hopefully it will keep me accountable. I also love the conversations I have with other bloggers and online friends about our goals. So here goes:


Reading and Art

• Read Area 51...
• Read Living Buddha, Living Christ
• Read I Was Told There'd Be Cake
• Read The Art of Happiness
• Read Inner Work 
• Read The Essential Rumi
• Read The Art of Looking Sideways
• Read American Lion...
• Read Work as a Spiritual Practice
• Read St. Lucy's Home For Girls Raised By Wolves
• Weekly Artist's Dates
• Read at Least 1 Book a Week
• Visit Art Museums or Galleries at least 6 Times
• Properly Document All of My Favorite Original Art
• Discover the Work of 20 New Artists,(or New to Me

Photography

• At Least 4 Portrait Sessions
• At Least 4 Strong Works for my Portfolio
• Work with a Medium Format Camera
• Figure Out How to Take Excellent Self-Portraits
• Work on Some Architectural Photography

Blog and Etsy Shop

• Take Photos for My Blog Every Week
• Guest Post on at Leas 3 Blogs
• Open Etsy Shop
• Have at Least 25 Sells on Etsy
• Sponsor at least 1 Blog
• Increase Blog Readership by 150% in an Organic and Genuine Way
• Support 3 New Handmade of Independent Makers

Fiber Arts

• Buy a Great Sewing Machine
• Crochet a Bedspread
• Learn at Least 10 New Embroidery Stitches
• Have at Least One Self Made Item of Clothing,Worn Regularly
• Crochet at Least 2 Amigurumi Projects
• Have a Selection of 5 Procion Dye Colors for Home Use
• Crochet a Winter Hat
• Crochet a Pair of Slippers
• Perfect Granny Squares
• Make Pillows for Living Room
• Make Curtains for Kitchen
• Have at Least 4 Amazing Fiber Pieces to Add to Portfolio
• Dye Buttons
• Collect at Least 10 Vintage Sheets
• Try the Low Water Dye Method

Misc. Fun Stuff

• Get Elephant Bag Repaired
• Convert Elephant Bag Into Camera Bag
• Figure Out Shoulder Injury
• Get Car Sparkly Clean
• Write at Least 1 Letter a Month
• Learn How to Play Chess
• Aim for 80% Natural Makeup and 100% Cruelty Free
• Memorize Presidents and State Capitals
• Memorize the Kings and Queens of England
• Re-Memorize the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
• Re-Memorize Antony's Speech from Julius Caesar
• Volunteer with at Least 2 Worthy Causes
• Grow and Herb Garden
• Make my Own Beeswax Candle
• Make my Own Body Gel and Linen Spray
• Try a New Printmaking Process
• Send in an Article Submission to Bust or a Craft Magazine

Relationships and Social Life

• Make at Least 3 New Friends
• At Least One Day a Month Spent with Friends
• Write Katie Once a Month
• Have an Outdoor Picnic with Friends
• Trip to Boone or Asheville at Least 3 Times
• Go to at Least 2 Concerts
• See Belle at Least Once
• Teach Mom to Crochet
• Join a Stitch n' Bitch Group or Other Needlecraft Social Group
• Visit MeMaw at Least Once a Week
• Visit Washington D.C.

Cozy Home 

• Paint All Walls in Home
• Add at Least 3 Pieces to Owl Collection
• Add at Least 3 Pieces to my Art Collection
• Add at Least 3 Pieces to Jadeite and Egg Cup Collections
• Hang Up More of My Own Art
• Paint Chest of Drawers
• Find a Way to Put Away Art Work and Supplies
• Organize Items and Supplies for Etsy and School
• Add at Least 3 Pieces to Tea Cup Collection
• Streamline Room, Give Away Excess Stuff
• Weekly Room and Work Space Cleaning and Organizing Session

Mind, Body, and Spirit

• Meditate Every Day
• Yoga at Least 3 Times a Week
• Go For a Walk at Least 3 Times a Week
• Go For at Least 3 Hikes
• Pray Daily
• Get Between 7 and 9 Hours of Sleep a Night, No More, No Less
• Eat Fish at Least Twice a Week (Not Breaded or Fried)
• Hand Eye Coordination Activities Every Day (crafts can count)
• Improve Vocabulary and Spelling with Puzzles
• Drink Green or Herbal Tea Daily
• Eat a Nutritious Breakfast Every Day, Not Fast Food
• Floss Daily
• Go to At Least 4 Religious Services (whatever kind)
• 6 Glasses of Water Everyday

Culinary Pursuits

• Master Swiss Buttercream
• Make Tabbouleh
• Make Tuna w/ Wasabi and Soy
• Make Earl Grey and Lemon Cupcakes
• Make Bread from Scratch

Cy Twombly

 Cy Twombly died yesterday. Fortunately, he was one of those artists who managed to be brilliant AND live into old age. (quite a feat) When I studied Contemporary Art last year, there was plenty of work I was familiar with, and plenty of work I thought was o.k. The two names I discovered and really resonated with were Andy Goldsworthy and Cy Twombly. For some reason, Twombly's scratchy, scrawly, scribbles truly touched me. I never saw his work as pretentious or absurd, just really, really great. He is not everyone's cup of tea, in fact, that whole generation of American artists are fairly controversial. For me, however, I will always be grateful that he made his art. It has enriched my life tremendously.

Panorama - Cy Twombly 

Untitled, 1961 - Cy Twombly

Untitled - Cy Twombly

Some Perspective on Scale