awakened anew

Main Entry:    beginning
Part of Speech:    noun
Definition:        origin, cause
Synonyms:     antecedent, birth, conception, egg, embryo, font, fount, fountain,                          fountainhead, generation, genesis, germ, heart, principle,                         resource, root, seed, stem, well

 

There isn't really anyway to backtrack through my extended absence; I wouldn't even know where to starts.  Besides, really, I don't wish to do that anyway.  So, I thought I'd consider this a new beginning of sorts.   I popped onto the online thesaurus to see what alternative words might be lurking there for the word "beginning". I was so taken with the synonym list that I couldn't really choose the right word to express myself, so I'm simply sharing the list with you.  My favorites are in green. 

 

My home art studio is moving into a spare bedroom on the second floor.  The very-early-in-the-morning and very-late-at-night truck traffic noise on the busy road that runs in front of our house was disturbing my middle little's sleep night after night, so we moved her up into a room on our third floor.  Freshly painted, cheerfully decorated, and most importantly, not located at the front of our home, Miss M has settled into her "new" bedroom nicely.  The room she vacated was going to be either a family room or a man cave.  But, the floor needed serious refinishing, which is a messy task that neither Joe or I have wanted to take on this winter.  So, the room has sat empty since October. 

My space in the basement was fine, and proof of this, is that whenever I am working down there, my family comes down to hang out. Many times, all five humans and both dogs are all in my basement space, keeping me company.  Running a small oil heater to warm a little space in the basement for my littlest little and I is one thing, but trying to warm a space large enough to warm my whole family in these cold winter months was a bit daunting going to be expensive.  So, instead, I am going to create a studio space in the empty bedroom where I can work and my family can hang out.  This is seriously a use-what-I-already-have project as there is no money in our budget!

I do have some hopes for the room, though.  I don't want the room to be stuffed to the gills.  A jam-packed room plays havoc with my ADHD- I'm not good with excess visual "noise." I have ample storage in the basement for materials, tools, and supplies (mainly teaching supplies and fabric) that I need, but don't use regularly.  I still need to decide how I will store the supplies and materials I use often.  Because of how my brain functions, I'm an out-of-sight = out-of-mind person, so I need my storage to work around that concern without being messy and cluttered.  My Thinking Cap is on!

I'm using furniture I already have, but I am being choosey.  I want to maximize my storage and to have that storage be visually appealing.   I want to create a seating area on the dimmer side of the room, with my drawing/painting space on the side with the most natural light. I think I'll place my vintage Magnavox cabinet stereo right beneath that window.  I am also going to use a large maple classroom cabinet/shelf/cupboard that I purchased years ago at an auction.  Right now, it lives in the oldest little's room, and he's ready for that behemoth to be relocated. So far, other than my easel and tractor-seat stool, and rugs I'll pull from elsewhere to put on the floor, I haven't completely decided on anything else. I want to really think this space through, so the room will work the way I am hoping.

I have a little scale diagram in my journal, along with little cut-outs that are scaled to various pieces of furniture I could use.  I've been playing with them to see what might work out where. It's been helpful, but some of what I need to consider involves more of a sense of volume, of 3-D, than what the paper shows. I think I am going to draw the actual footprint of various pieces directly onto the floor with chalk. I certainly don't want to move furniture up two flights of stairs only to have to carry it back down!

These photos show where the room is as of right now.  The walls previously were a light, but really intense, blue.  The light that comes in that window is fairly cool/blue in color, making the blue was even bluer. The resulting ultra-cool light in the room didn't really work for me, so I repainted the walls with an assortment of leftover white paint we had in the basement.  (The paint was from various painting projects from four different houses over the past seventeen years!  Yes, the whites were all different tints, but it worked out okay.)

Tomorrow, I'll start moving furniture into the room.  One of my nephews is going to come over at noon to lend a hand, which will please Joe to no end.  He hates moving furniture.  And, of course, I want to move a sofa up there.... the one I dropped on my hand last spring, breaking my thumb and two fingers.  I'm quite glad to have some help! 

view looking in from the doorway

view from the corner area you saw above

 

the floor!!

For those of you who have tried to look at/ click upon/ open the links to my online classes... I finally have those links fixed. (fingers-crossed) When you click on the paypal button, the resulting page is loading very slowly, but it is loading... finally!

I have a link to my workshops page in the navigation bar below the banner image, and a another on the top of the right sidebar.

If you have trouble, just send me an email : lkludwig@me.com

Here's a link to my online classes.

Comments

[Molly Vollmer]

For storage that won't distract you, the Office Depot has bank boxes that are inexpensive and the right size to store tools and supplies without being too big to carry. They can be stacked on the floor or on shelves.
I got your Nature Journal book this week and can't wait to gather stuff from the garden. I live in the PNW so it's winter now, but I know how to hunt:)

[Dawn Edmonson]

It's always exciting to me to set up a new studio space!! I love the room LK and know you'll have it arranged perfectly to suit you. It's so great that you can store your bulky supplies downstairs and bring up chosen things to the new space. Please keep us updated with your progress!! xxoo, Dawn

[Loretta]

I often thought about you, LK. I just assumed that work and motherhood was more than enough to eat up your blogging time. Glad you are back and best of luck with the room. Sounds so exciting!

[Debi]

so glad you are back. and yes. that child's footprint. a keeper.

[Paula]

Welcome, back, LK. I think of you often - just recently used a photo I'd colored in last May's art and soul class, and now I'm itching to do more!

[sharon furner]

Such serendipity: three days ago I brought out all of your books. I missed not seeing your blog with its beautiful and thoughtful work. I wondered "where had you gone, were you ill, something sad in your life." For some reason I checked your site early this morning and there was your post from yesterday. I was so excited, and so happy for you. Wonderful for you to have a new studio area; but for the rest of us, such a pleasure to know that you will continue to inspire us.

I often wondered what happened to your other book....but it would seem it will not happen. But there will be other books, or classes that you will create with passion, integrity and full creativity.

Welcome back. I hope your other admirers have the "thought" to check your blog.... The best to you...smiles: sharon

[Barbara Rainey]

I've missed you... So glad you're beginning!

[Briana]

Welcome back, LK! Good luck with your new studio space.
Remember, you are awesome!

[Liza_kjs@hotmail.com]

So glad you're back...can't wait to see what you make next!!!

[Tina]

Hope all is well with you. Thrilled to see you back on the blog. Looking forward to what's next.

That floor is gorgeous as is. I love the life in it.

[whimsykalina]

You are back! Yea!! You have been missed!

[Bren]

Being a fellow ADDer with dyslexia I understand the need for things to be front an centre but not too much stuff, it drains the brain fast! Sounds like you have a great plan in mind for the room, love that your family gravitate to where you are :-)

[jordi]

So glad to see you back! Your voice was missed.