I feel a bit of artistic affliction coming on. My blood pressure is up, glue and paper everywhere,ideas are overflowing, I cant sleep… truth be told, I am dreaming in patterns. I have experienced this feeling many times before. First with Flora Bowley and her brave, intuitive way of painting and now with Rachael Taylor and her surface pattern design course.
I know you have heard it all before…. and probably seen it too. But, I am seriously awestruck everytime it all falls apart. It blindsides me! I get caught up in the creative process and BAM..my everyday life starts to fall apart around me. I get lost in my “other” world.
I am stitching, sticking ,stamping, sketching…and now scanning myself into another world. It It is wreaking havoc with my “real” life. Worse still ~ it is destroying my house.
There is sewing happening on the dining room table. There is some stamping and sticking going on in my studio. A bit of sketching in the living room, Some scanning by the computer. It is mayhem…and I love it 😉
I spared you a shot of the floor because it is even worse.
Tonight it all finally fell apart. The dog came in soaking wet and plopped himself down in the middle of it all.
I lost it….
Something must be done.
I poured myself a big glass of wine, sat myself down amongst it all and observed the situation at hand. The only way I could see to control the (beautiful) mess was to move up. I need to get things off the floor, off the desk and away, yet I still need to have my work accessible and front and center. Strategic patience has taught me to leave my work alone and let it slowly develop, but, it must be seen by me. Moments of creativity happen fast around here and I have to be able to react…efficiently and effectively.
My crafty solution…
A bit of airplane wire, some aluminum sleeves, a wire cutter,clothespegs, a couple of nails and a hammer and things are ,literally, looking up…
Stretch the wire, insert and wrap around the aluminum sleeve. Make a loop and pinch it shut. Hang wire in a reltively straight line on wall, secure with nail on either end.
Clothespeg your art to the wire and there you have it. A”whateveryouwouldliketocallit” wall art display system. The wire is able to withstand quite a bit of weight and keeps everything up off the desk and floor, but easily accessible and within sight.
I then decided to really work the wall and added some “inspiration” clipboards.Anything goes…
Got a little carried away and also made a wire hanger for extra paper I have lying around…
It is probably obvious by now, but I grew up with Ikea.
Ahh…feeling a wee bit better. I have everything off the floor. I have spent a moment and organized my paints back to their shelf.Exacto knife away. I have even taken the paintbrushes out of the water container. Poor things must be water logged by now.
I feel I can breate a bit easier ,my head’s a bit clearer and its definitely safer around here. However, It is by no means finished ….
This pile is growing rapidly. Sketch upon sketch upon sketch.
This is going to need a system…and soon!
As always, any and all organizational suggestions/links are welcome. We need to conquer our scattered ways!
See you again soon!
spaark.wordpress.com 
your mayhem looks so cozy! 🙂
Your sketches are going to look AWESOME as pattens – cant wait to see them!
Haha Mary…just spent an hour trying to scan one image and make a pattern on photoshop. I will be ancient by the time I get anywhere with this:)
Don’t you just love it when creativity hits you like this!! Awesome! I love your idea to hang up the sketches and works in progress – just as soon as I find myself a more fixed workspace (ie not just my lap where I’m sitting and floorspace within reach!) I will do just this. Top idea 😀
Wowza Julie!! You are on fire and I LOVE it that you know how to organise your stuff. I dont think I have that gene! Lol! Everything is looking amazing! Did you get my email re the exchange? xx
I did! Thank you. I owe you an email. Time to make a todo list as I am fallllliiing behind. Will touch base with you this weekend.xo
Nice organizing! My house is in a similar state right now. And any table/floor space I’ve missed, my 3-year-old takes care of (with toys and play-doh crumbs and cheerios…). I mostly love the creative mess, but my house duties are starting to pile up… and I can feel my blood pressure rising as art deadlines and family event deadlines start to collide!
You are hilarious! Great post Jules 🙂
i can totally see this…love the instant inspiration for organization!! or maybe you should start selling your stuff so you have more room???
My husband has informed me that I am not going to have my fame and fortune until after my death…nice…so I am saving it all up for then:))
Thank God for Cariboo – nothing like a soggy dog to get things off the floor!
He has spent the past month wet.. and covered in grit. He needs a dog house!
That’s what my dining room looks like too! Only we gave up and stopped calling it that a couple years ago. It’s only known as the studio now. It’s very liberating. Glad you found a system to keep you sane 😉
Brilliant ideas on how to showcase the things that inspire you. This post TOTALLY inspires me. Thank you. ❤
ungggggaaa…. you totally inspired me and now I can’t find anything! (so much for my organizational abilities!)
Your space is truly amazing even before that neat little trick with the wire. Might have to give that a shot myself.