Upcycle Studio Storage

When I gather more materials, I have to add storage. This means moving things around to get more stuff in!

I moved a little bookcase into the studio, painted a shelf that fit on top of the bookcase and then brought in my cigar boxes to organize and store small things.

Thrift store find!

 

I painted it this really great sort of purple black. Ooops paint from Loew's was $3. I also painted a little 5 drawer fixture with the same color....and, you know what? The 5 drawers are empty! That is a really good thing. It will hold the next group of little things which are out there and waiting for me!

I was able to gather small things from several different locations in my rooms and get them into one spot. This is the best kind of organization....getting things together in a beautiful way!

 

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Updated NutCracker

I found these three things for a dollar each at my local thrift store.....I had a vision!

I covered the little Christmas book with the top from an old Shiny Brite ornament box, using a clear matte contact paper. The tray was painted and covered with a red dotted fabric....the most fun was painting and embellishing my little nutcracker.

I have picked up three more nutcrackers...along with special embellishments for my next playtime with Nutcrackers.

 

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No 3 Table

I started with a $1 brass and glass plant stand from my local thrift store. I painted the brass a grey color and then used brown shoe polish to give it the look of old industrial pipes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I painted the number 3 on black foam core and put it under the glass. I love this little table..so much fun!

 

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Red Metal Kitchen Cabinet

This is how I found it. A green metal kitchen cabinet at the St.Vincent DePaul Thrift Store in Owensboro,Kentucky. It was the right measurements! It was the right thing! It had cabinets below! It had a countertop! It had sliding glass in front of shelves on top!

It was exactly what I wanted! It was $40 bucks!

Deb was with me and she said, "Oh my gosh, Terry, it is perfect!

Yes, perfect!.....except for the color...it needed to be cherry red.

......so, now it is! Check.

I needed the lower cabinets hold all my kitchen machines....blenders, crockpot, air popcorn popper, yogurt maker, mixer waffle maker and vegetable cutting machines. Check.

I needed the counter top for our coffee station. Check.

 

I wanted shelves in back of sliding glass doors to display my Bull and my china. Check.

....and it wasn't too tall, so that I could display my kitchen toys on the top. Check...and check!

YAY!

So, Deb says that I always find just the right thing all the time, like magic. The truth is that I've been looking for something like this as I went on junking adventures for the last 12 years...so, Yay!

Enjoy the Hunt!

Terry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Small Art Studio Make Over (second installment)

Over the years, I've had so much fun going foraging and bringing home parts and pieces for my constantly moving and changing studio spaces. Here are some of the pieces that I like and need for the space....

I have red book cases, one of which I purchased at a yard sale about 25 years ago. The other ones are made of the drawers which I took out of a dresser.

6 Drawers Make 3 Book Cases

 The dresser is now storage for papers and current design work. I added a "folded up" folding table to the top for a real good work surface.

Open Shelving For Design Work and Papers

I needed the book cases just for books. My book collection is the biggest investment I've made next to my house. Research, inspiration and education are critical to me for my development as an artist. I live in a place where there are very few museums or cultural centers. So, I depend on the internet, travel and my books to continue my art education.

Storage Containers "Before"

Here are a couple of storage containers I bought from my favorite flea market guy, Jeff. They cost $5 and are perfect for roll storage. These containers afforded me an afternoon of makeover fun!

Flea Market Embellishments

I painted the containers white. Then added things found at flea markets. The numbers are big black plastic and used for outside signage. String and tags added make me think of import storage containers.

Stickers Add a Red Stripe Trim

These red and white stickers have been a lot of fun to play with. I have about ten rolls of them and they fit in my vintage tape dispenser.

Storage Containers "After"

I like to decorate my containers because playing like this relaxes me and sometimes sparks new ideas for artwork.

Shabby Chic Notion Chest

Years ago, my little sewing box could hold all my notions. Until recently, my notions were located in a shelf in my Stitch Studio....in plastic boxes. That was all fine and good until I spotted this remarkable little chest at My Salvation Army Thrift Store. That was when I realized that what  I needed was a Notion Chest! This little overpainted beauty was $5! Score! Do I think about the work involved to make it lovely? Of course not!...it was $5!

Pine Chest Before

The size is perfect and I could envision my collection of cigar boxes fitting in the little shelves with handmade labels for each type of notion. It is well built and fits in the spot in my Studio......

Pine Underneath Paint...lots of paint!

I took some mineral spirits to see what I was up against...How many layers of paint is that? So, after lots of stripper, elbow grease, heat gun and determination...I was happy with the chest when it was mostly stripped. (I have a problem with my hands and my patience.) So, shabby chic is good enough for me. This is not a rare antique, just a darling piece for my studio.

Shabby Chic Notion Chest

 I left some of the paint on the shelves, so I painted the inside shelves a soft white. Where I couldn't (or wouldn't) get the remaining paint off nooks and crannies, I added some soft coral paint. I finished the surface with Formby's Tung Oil.

The Bark Cloth was a thrift find

I lined the shelves with this great old bark cloth. It is a print of food with the calory count next to each item. I believe that this bark cloth was kitchen curtains at some point...who would do that to themselves????

Labels were added with double stick mounting tape that comes off with no damage to the box

I love cigar boxes, and I never pay more than $3 for one. The cigar boxes fit perfectly in the shelves.I made a label for each box.

Vintage cigar boxes hold sewing notions

These spools came with the threads on them

I used vintage American Thread Co. thread spools for the door handles.

The important thing in my studio is that there is a cute place for everything and everything is in its cute place. I work with so much stuff that the more organized I can be, the smoother my work goes. Fixing up old things is also good for me....I can take a break from work and still be productive.