Well, if the magic is a somewhat better organized cozy office through which I do hours and hours and hours of editing.
We moved last JULY, and last week during the snowstorm I actually took a breather and focused on putting my office together - and let me tell you, it’s glorious. Still cluttered, still dusty, but a functional space that doesn’t make me feel like the lady from Labyrinth who carries all her things on her back.
From “Labyrinth”, 1986. This is 100% the character I would be in the Labyrinth. She had some great stuff.
I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m always going to have a chaotic workspace. One of my report cards that got sent home to my mom in Grade 5 read something like, “Sarah needs to work on keeping her workspace organized and less chaotic”, and I still remember how I’d created a sort of cluttered magnificent island around my desk - surrounded by bits of paper, half-started projects, and whatever I’d lugged to school with me that day. I cringe a bit thinking about it, like - our messy workspaces are things we keep hidden in the deep dark comfort of our homes right?! - but I also think it was part of my process - when I make art, I make art messy - and it drives some people bananas.
All of this being said, I still like things to be in their place - I like when a space reflects me, when it feels creative and changeable and open. I still have lots of work to do but I’m really grateful for this little space - I have no idea how I got the mountains of editing I had this past summer/fall done in a space surrounded by half open boxes. At our old apartment everything was brown - brown carpets, brown walls, brown countertops and very few windows - and I don’t know if I can properly explain to you how grateful I am for these bright white walls and gigantic windows that open - it feels pretty awesome to start doing this space justice and making it a creative haven.
SO, without a lot of dusting and/or cleaning - or even any setting up, here’s a little peek at my workspace - a mixture of plants I’m barely keeping alive, a My Favorite Murder quote, and a mixture of prints and paintings from local friends, artists, and people who’s art I love.
I’ll update this further when it’s actually, really, honestly finished - but for now, here’s a little tour of where I do all my computer creative stuff.
I think I picked up that sweet little painting at a market, the ship from Spruce Collective, the lunar garland from Fern Craftwork, the swans from Rifle Paper Co, and that sweet little copper handprint is actually my brother Brad’s.
Jamie started putting these googly eyes on everything, except the glue on the back could probably withstand a nuclear apocalypse so this is just how my desk lamp looks like now. That beautiful plant I’m trying not to kill was a gift from my friend Jennifer Foik.
Hang in there, beautiful goldfish plant! I spraypainted the shelf from Ikea with gold metallic paint. I learned that a) metallic paint will chip/scratch very easily and b) make sure you dust that shelf before you paint it. A part of Beans’ hair will live on forever embedded into this shelf. The embroidery is done by my Great Aunt Buddig who was an amazing artist. This whole post could so easily just be photos of the wall above my computer though, let’s be honest. I love it so much.
A little rainbow from Lennon and Birdie, and a (bellows?) passed down from my grandmother.
This poodle was from Value Village where someone donated their entire poodle collection. I went back like 3 times and finally I just had to take one home. I still haven’t unpacked the majority of my books (we don’t have bookshelves anymore, and I feel super scandalous sharing that with you) - so I just have a few old standby’s sitting out here and there until I figure things out.
I just have a real soft spot in my heart for listening to records. Always reminds me of when I was a kid. - I can’t remember who made the macrame unfortunately, but I got it at a craft market.
Ok ok ok last one of this beautiful wall, my favourite part - and some more Fern Craftwork and a local grain piece by my friend Kimberly Francis. Our house is covered in her work - some of the very first pieces we put up on the wall.
Little vintage quilt from Circa Vintage on the top of my chair (workspace is still super messy - I need some external hard drive/wire hiding) and a sweet little rug hanging - again from a market, but I can’t remember who made it.