Getting Organized

I am all about the organization around here. I love to have just the right system for everything. I have been overwhelmed lately by my wool/fiber stash, but with the Christmas crush to get all manner of gifts knit, I just didn't have the time to address the sorry situation growing in my studio.

But now it's the new year, and what better time than that to get my sh*t together? I found this old shoe organizer collecting dust in a closet and suddenly knew exactly what needed to happen. I combined it with this old TV stand (I am apparently destined to have one in my studio) so that the yarn is a little higher than dog-level. (Let's be honest, if they wanted to get into it, there'd be no problem whatsoever. But I'm hoping that having raised it this much, I can at least keep it from being on their eye-level, and ever so tempting.)

And I was able to clear enough space in my wicker trunk that all -- let me say, ALL -- my yarn is now in one place. And it looks pretty to boot! It's so inspiring. Now, if I could just finish that blanket . . . and pair of socks . . . and tunic . . . . I could start using up this gorgeous stash.

Locker Love

I have this thing about reusing items. It actually may be more like an obsession. I just think most things have more than one life in them and it's such a shame to waste that. I suppose that's were my artwork is born, that idea that the old can be made useful and new again.

Enter my latest project:

These used to belong to a school, obviously, but then a local photographer picked them up and used them as a studio prop. And when I saw some in his studio on a recent (and reluctant) visit, I commented about how cool they would be in my studio. He mentioned that he had two more bays in the barn and would I want one? So for $25 I have my very own set of lockers for the studio.

I forgot (as usual) to take pictures of the before item, but this is only the first step in many. They had to be washed of cobwebs and mold and other unspeakable yuckiness. I have been sanding the blemishes and rust spots on days when it's not so muggy to think you might expire. I am FINALLY to the point that I can wash them down again and start painting! They will be a nice shiny black when I'm done with them. I'll keep the wonderful metal handles on the fronts as-is. I like how they look. I'm hoping that all my knitting and sewing materials will fit nicely inside along with some of my other art sh... ephemera.

And I can finally get rid of the entertainment center that I recycled a couple of years ago to hold some arty items. Perhaps it can live another life in the neighborhood if we put it out with a sign that says: FREE. Perhaps.