[fertilepress]

my think zone

You may remember the early days of my studio planning. One of the first things Aby Garvey did with me was to help me understand how I use my studio...what tasks I perform there...and organize it in terms of zones. One zone that I have been looking forward to developing is my think zone.

What's a think zone? Well, in a nutshell it's a place where I can sit and plan and read and...well...think! Fortunately, my work requires me to do a lot of magazine reading, keeping up with trends. I was constantly behind in my reading and magazines were piling up unread. Aby helped me to organize my schedule so I can allot a certain amount of time each week to reading. That's when my think zone enters the picture.

I don't have my reading chair yet. But I do have the furniture in place where all the magazines will sit until I get to them. Remember that old, ugly entertainment center I was gonna get rid of? Well, Kent painted it black for me and it's back in use!

   

Once I got all the magazines in place and the little baskets (aren't they cute?), the next task was to figure out how to set up a staging area for magazines that were next in the queue to be read. I found the perfect solution at the Container Store.

    

A closer look?

    

It has six slots for magazines and one little pocket (supposedly for the tv remote but I will use it to tuck away highlighters and a small pair of scissors for marking and clipping articles). It worked so well that I went out and bought another one for the other side of the unit. Now I can organize my magazines with srapbooking titles on one side, graphic design and technology on the other.

    

This clever little solution is made by reisenthel. I love it!

One more thing...did you know that Wendy Smedley and Aby Garvey are writing a book about organizing your scrap space? And guess what else? There'll be photos of my studio in the book. Is that cool or what?

later...

the perfect work table

It started with the worktable from Pottery Barn. Then it became the worktable from Pier 1. Finally, I just forgot about it for awhile because I had so much on my plate. Then the entire floor was covered with boxes I need to empty, so there was no room for a worktable anyway. And, finally, the idea struck me!

Why not use the same bases from the IKEA wall storage system as the bases for my worktable! Great idea...but they are too tall! Then Kent said he could make them without the legs and they would be a perfect height! So off Kent goes to pick up the piece parts...and we don't know yet what the top will be but we're thinking a solid core door from Home Depot.

But...

He calls from IKEA to say they have a great butcher block top that he can cut to any length I want! And he got it. And he put it together. And I love it. And here it is!
    

   
It's a nice size. Big but not too big. (52" x 40") The open cabinets with shelves make perfect bases with cubbies and containers.

 

    

    
I don't have it completely organized the way I want yet. I'm taking my time and organizing as I use the space. It's fun!

    
And it's exactly what I wanted!

later...

And this, my friends...

...is a photo taken in the totally remodeled and finally finished in spite of many delays but never forgotten studio!

 

Hah! Can you believe it?

Kent snapped this during a photo shoot on Tuesday. (That's Brian, a great photographer and really nice guy.) I know I left everyone hanging on the status of the studio and I apologize for that. But I promise to give you a full update with more photos in a couple of days.

There's so much to talk about, by the way! What have I been doing? Well...there's the new book that's coming out in May. There's the new magazine and website from Simple Scrapbooks that I've been working on. There's the project with a fantastic album company to tell about. There's the 2007 Big Picture Scrapbooking class lineup. (Doing it Digi starts today!) And, of course, there's the new studio.

And the best news is that in the course of getting ready for this photo shoot, as I unpacked box after box, I've filled a box with cool stuff to give away to you here!

Yay!

Well...gotta run. More to come...I promise!

later...

my little corner

I've been hoping to delay posting photos of my studio until the space is "finished." Why? I suppose it's because this project has taken me so long I'd like to be able to announce, "It's done!" Well, that's not going to happen anytime soon, so I thought you'd like to see the progress so far.

What the heck! Its a journey, isn't it?

Okay...here's my "almost done" studio. Remember, it's a work in progress...

Here's the view from the door entering the studio.

Remember those Flor carpet tiles? Well, they're all down now! A few pics of the process and the finished product.

A bug's eye view!

Here's my little corner of the world.

Notice that I chose to create a solid color block of tiles under my chair. The tall shelves behind my chair hold my printer, scanner, Bose CD player and essential technical stuff like books, CDs, software, etc. The first cabinet unit, also behind my chair, holds my working baskets, binders filled with current projects. Those are all in the open area. I still have the cabinet below that which is empty right now. To the left of this unit are two file cabinets. Easy to reach! Maybe I'll stay caught up on filing.

I need to set up my 2nd monitor on my desk. (The G5 is under my desk to the left...against the wall.) I'm currently looking for a little mobile laptop desk that won't take up much space, is on wheels and can be moved out of the way. My desk it too high for typing on my laptop. Plus, I want to keep the space as clear as possible.

The rest of the room.

It may not be done, but it's mine and I love it!

later...

 

a worktable?

Memory Trends is over and I can finally breathe again...for a little while at least. It was so great seeing my friends. More on show highlights later. For now, I had to share with you a project desk that Kent discovered at Pier 1. We went by this morning so I could take a look.

Does this look familiar?

Okay, yeah. It does look a lot like the Pottery Barn worktable, doesn't it? The one I said I wasn't going to get. But this little baby is 36" tall, perfect height. And it costs almost a third of the Pottery Barn one. So it's getting some serious consideration. My only concern is the size of the workspace...53" x 27". I did want a little more depth, but the width may make up for it. Hmmm...

You can check out the details at the Pier 1 site.

later...

 

planning

While it took a few days to pack and move everything out of my studio at the beginning of this project, it's probably going to take even longer to move back in. Why? Because I intend to plan an organizational system before I put anything into my brand new Effektiv storage system.

If you've been following this project from the beginning, you know that I spent time planning this space with Aby Garvey, organizational consultant extraordinaire. I haven't forgotten the things I learned from Aby: How to organize my space in zones (computer work, hand work, and think zones) and to store things the way I work. The first part is done, my space is neatly organized into the zones we talked about. Now it's time to plan the second part.

The first thing I did was print out a diagram of my storage system that I'll use to pencil in notes about what should go where. There's so much space I don't know where to begin! What would Aby say? I think she'd say, "Make a list of all the categories of items you have, then plug those categories into your plan according to when and how you'll use them."

Sounds like a good starting point to me! Here are the diagrams...both with and without doors and drawers (click each image for a larger view):

With doors and drawers...

and without them.

I'm off to plan, now.

later...

a sneak peek

When you've been writing all day...trust me, the last thing you feel like doing is posting on your blog. But I just couldn't resist sharing a sneak peak of my new IKEA Effektiv system. Yep! Kent put it together and finished installing it yesterday. (Thank you, sweetie, for making my dream studio a reality. I love it and I love you!)

Today was my first day back working in my new studio! Yippee!

Okay, so here's the sneak peek of the system. I still have to put the Flor carpet tiles down and organize everything. So it's not nearly ready for prime time yet. But whaddaya think so far? It matches my floors.

Pretty cool, huh? And I can't believe all the new storage space I have. Organizing is going to be such a joy. (Did you see that, Aby? I used the word organizing. Finally! It's been a long haul.)

I'll try to post more pictures soon. Hmmm... Maybe I'll take some pictures with the doors open, so you can see how much space I have.

later...

bad blogger

That's what I am...a very bad blogger. I have so badly neglected this blog that I'm embarrassed. Things have just been so crazy since we returned from South Africa.

I've almost gotten rid of my cold...just the annoying remnants hanging around. In the midst of everything I'm working from the bedroom because Kent is working furiously to get the studio finished. What can I say...the guy is a saint. Look what he's done!

Notice anything new? That's right...the brown, striped subflooring has been covered up with beautiful new laminate flooring. Kent generously offered to do it and I said YES! So the poor guy was on his knees laying flooring right after we got home from Africa.

The flooring is done, so the next step was to pick up the furniture from IKEA. We did that Saturday, then went to see the Falcons play on Sunday. (Hey! The guy deserved a break, don't you think?)

    

          
Decision time...I chose the Effektiv system in Birch to match the new flooring. Here's an "under construction" shot.

Kent has already put together five complete "sets". One more to go, then he'll hang the wall cabinets!

So, there you have it. At least it's a small update on the studio saga. I'll post more pictures as soon as I can.

And now for the really BIG news!

We have a new granddaughter! Her name is Selma Elisabeth and she was born while we were in South Africa. In fact, we got the call while waiting for our flight home from Johannesburg. She's gorgeous (and we're not biased). They live in Stockholm and we've already chatted with her via webcam. Her big brother Sebastian calls her "my Selma." How sweet is that?

So, as you can see, lots going on in my life right now. If you've sent me an e-mail in the last week and I haven't responded, please don't think I'm ignoring you. I promise I'll respond soon. I'm just trying to get caught up on projects, deadlines and assignments right now. Oh! And did I happen to mention I'm writing another book? Yikes! More on that in the months to come.

later...

the carpet tiles are here!!!

Picked them up from the Flor showroom today. I'll try to take a few pictures this weekend and share them here.

It's been such a crazy week since I returned from Stockholm. And I'm leaving Sunday evening for Salt Lake City to meet with Lin and Lynda and Molly at the Simple offices. So I doubt I'll get them all laid out before then.

Kent's in the studio right now painting my old, shabby looking entertainment unit into this very cool black shelving unit that goes in the "think" area. (The think area is where I'll sit to read, maybe do some quiet writing on my laptop, peruse the stack of monthly pubs I get...basically to think.)

later...

flor ordered

I ordered the Flor carpet squares! I couldn't decide on a single pattern, so I ordered enough to allow for variety. I think that's a good idea...gives me options for the future. Here's the pattern I think I'll lay first.

Surprise! It's a combination of solids. Believe me, I played with a gazillion different combinations using Flor's online configurator. But when all was said and done, I liked the solids best. That screen shot looks a bit dull, but the carpet tiles are anything but. I did order 7 additional stripes, too, just to give myself options. Here's an "alternate" pattern:

My Flor plan:

Toy Poodle colors
Fifi Orange
Gigi Palm
BooBoo Citron
CeCe Chalk
Coco Chocolate
Toto Teal

Shirt Stripe color
Stripe a Pose

I saved a whopping 15% and over half the shipping costs by placing my order in the showroom. And, since I'm going to be out of the country for two weeks, they're shipping my order to the store. They'll hold it for me until I return. How's that for service!

On another note...

"To know what to leave out and what to put in; just where and just how, ah, that is to have been educated in the knowledge of simplicity."
                                                    Frank Lloyd Wright

I hate packing! The only thing I hate more than packing is unpacking. But if I want to leave for Sweden tomorrow, pack I must. And to my Swedish scrapping friends! Sorry, but I'm only going to be in Stockholm this trip. Maybe next time I can see more of Sweden and meet some of you.

Well, I'd better go pack. Reports on the studio will resume when I return. But in the meantime I'll try to post a few pics here and there of my travels.

later...

at the flor store

A field trip report

No, that's not a typo in my title. It's a store for wonderful floor coverings...carpet tiles to be exact. Well, it's technically not a store but a showroom. But I like the alliterative title, so I think I'll keep it. Yesterday I had a very productive outing to the Flor store.

I bet you thought I was going to leave my striped floor completely bare, didn't you? Naaaahhh. It needs an area rug type covering for a couple of reasons. To dampen the noise and it's a great place to add some contrasting color to the space.

I've moved back into my studio...partly. Just my desk and a single bookshelf, enough for me to work in here again.

Behind me?..

That entertainment unit that has to be sanded and painted black...and a bunch of STUFF! It's never ending, the pile of stuff. The rug is just temporary, to protect the floors while we move furniture back in. Which leads me to yesterday's outing to...

The Flor store!

It really is a grownup's playground. They have samples of everything, which you can mix and match to your heart's content. The showroom is stunning! Very modern.

    
I started by checking out their area rug layouts...all made with 20" square tiles. (The floors are all concrete.)

    

Then it was time to choose a few samples and get started. They have someone to help you, of course, because the selection can be overwhelming. They keep them all in cabinets.

Each shelf is labeled with the product family name. You just have to pull them out and select a color to get started.

Here's the genius part, though. They have a website with a configurator that lets you layout potential patterns. Since I'd been to the website and I have their catalog, I pretty much knew which families I was interested in. I just needed to see them in person next to my paint chips.

My pile is building. Greens, browns and oranges are prominent.

My first pattern, to see how the colors and different textures work together.

    
Hmmm... How do they look with my paint chips?

    
I'm loving the stripe, but not so much the "raisin" colored solid. What if I eliminate the browns? There's enough brown painted on the floor anyway.

    
Oh, yeah! We're getting there. But it still needs a little something extra...

    
Now THAT'S what I'm talkin bout. Love the flower!

 

Okay, so now I've selected the final four tiles I'm going to work with. And I leave the store with my borrowed full size samples in hand.

   
They let me check them out to keep for a few days so I can see how they look against my striped floor. The configurator is still the best way to do the entire design. They don't have enough samples to layout a pattern as large as I need...4 tiles by 8 tiles. That's a total of 32 tiles! I'll post copies of my pattern ideas in a day or two.

Oh! Did I say that I need to make a decision by Saturday? They have a sale that ends after this weekend. 15% off and a huge savings on shipping if I order it in person in the showroom. I'd better get to work on that configurator!

later...

the stripes are in

The photos you've been waiting for! The striped floor is done. So, without further ado...

First, a close up.

And a little more perspective...

It's hard to get a good photo, because of the glare on the floor. They used a deck and porch oil base, so it's super hard and durable. And there's still a bit more to be done before I can call it finished. The trim they removed to widen my closet needs to be replaced, and the quarter-round trim needs to be installed and painted. But the good news is that I CAN START MOVING BACK IN TOMORROW!

I'm giddy just thinking about it!

So yesterday I went to IKEA to look at the Effektiv system again. While there I noticed, not for the first time, this very cool island in their kitchen displays. I've always loved it and am seriously considering having one built just like it for my workstation. Since talking to Paula, I've decided against the Pottery Barn table.

It's 45" x 30", but I could make it a bit larger if I need to.
I'd do a different, more durable countertop, I think. And
big ol' casters. But I do love the configuration of this thing.
Check out the drawers, shelves and cubbies.

That's the IKEA lady in the background, in the yellow shirt.
She's making a list of all the components for me.

    
A better view of those cubbies. I love this part of the
island best of all. All my tools and "must haves"
would be so handy!

So that's it for pictures this weekend. The painters won't be back until Monday and we're trying to put our house back together again.

But tomorrow I do have a treat in store for you. A new "Shrine to Design!" It's been awhile, hasn't it? It's time.

later...

the right quote...the right room

"People tend to overthink design. Sometimes you just need to
do it and see if it works."
                                              Brent Hodge, homeowner *

I love this quote! It suits me right now, with all the changes going on in our home. I wanted to be bold with color this year, so that's what I'm doing. I didn't know if I'd like it or not. I just knew I had to do it, and the results are better than I ever imagined. Take my dining room, for example:

When they finished painting the red walls today, all I could say was, "Wow!" It's so much better than I'd even imagined. It went from a dining room with bland taupe walls and a white ceiling to this! Now I hate my chandelier. This dining room is screaming for something more daring. So Kent and I are looking at replacing it with something bold...something that makes a statement.

The color key for my "new" dining room.
Above the chair rail: Rich Chestnut by Benjamin Moore (2090-20)
Below the chair rail: Leather by Porter (6702-3)
Ceiling: Elmwood by Porter (6701-1)

And finally, after months of planning and waiting, the stripes are finally painted on the floor in my studio. Tomorrow they put down the varnish so I'm going to hold-off posting a picture until they do. Wait until you see it!

later...
*The quote is from "real+life decorating," a new Better Homes & Gardens special issue. It's on newstands right now and has some very cool ideas in it.

every day...a little more progress

Not much new in the studio yet. The second coat went down and the tape came up.

When this coat dries, more tape so the second color can go down. By the end of the day I should be able to see how this stripes idea is working...or not.

The rest of the house is moving right along. They're almost finished with the main floor: LR, DR, Kitchen & Family Room. I'm still loving the color choices. What do you think?

Living Room
Walls: Leather
Ceiling: Clear Celadon

Family Room (what a mess!)
Walls: Clear Celadon
Ceiling: Elmwood

Kitchen
Walls: Clear Celadon
Ceiling: Elmwood

All the paint on the walls and ceiling is by Porter Paint. My studio floor paints are Benjamin Moore.

Going out to dinner tonight with my friends, Cathy & Ali. Certainly can't invite them to MY house for dinner, can I? Not in this mess! They're in town for CKU. Oooh, fun...can't wait!

later...

the floor...

Okay, I'm feeling good about the stripes again. Here's why. This morning I woke to dried putty on the floor of my studio, where they'd patched the spaces between the floorboards.

    

After a good sanding, the tape for the stripes went down...

   

Next came the paint...

   

And finally, the first set of stripes!

Okay, so tomorrow another coat of this color, then the first coat of the 2nd set of stripes. Can't wait!

later...