Did you ever notice how you spend as much time rearranging your supplies as you do using them? Well, maybe you don't, but I do. Maybe it's because I have so  much stuff jammed into such a small space. Or maybe it's the number of different things I'm interested in that I try to keep contained in one spot. In any case, I'm always rearranging it. This photo is from prior to my last rearranging.

I have two tables in my bedroom - a big table-like desk and a nice drafting table I got in college when I was taking art classes. I just rearranged it so the desk is in the corner with all of my supplies stacked on it, around it and under it with a rather small space for doing my scrapbooking and other crafting (with paper, rocks, paints, wire, cloth, etc). And facing it, with my chair in between is my fine art table/drafting table. It’s a bench type seat so I can spin from one table to other easily. My goal is to keep the drafting table cleared off so when I want to paint or draw, there is nothing stopping me. No supplies to rearrange, no need to try to make space to work, just a big open space where I can put down my paper, my water and paints and get to work.

It's been set up like for a couple of weeks now and so far so good. I have two pictures in progress and I actually completed one (a second go at my red birds – I’ll post it when I get a chance to scan it into the PC.)  My work will often sit half finished for days or weeks at a time, but that's OK. It's there and ready for me when I have a few minutes to work.

How do you organize your crafting/art spot?

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Be Creative! Every Day!

I found this cool site recently while surfing the web - it's the Creative Every Day blog where artist Leah Piken Kolidas shares her artwork, inspiration and creativity. She hosts two challenges, one of which is the Creative Every Day Challenge, a low-pressure, year long challenge where she encourages people to live more creatively in any way - through cooking, photography, sewing, art, writing, dancing, decorating, music, etc.

And since it's the start of a new year, what better time to try to be more creative? I think this challenge could be just the thing I need - a little push, a reminder to be creative every day. Whether it's through writing, drawing, baking, dulcimer-ing, scrapbooking or something else. Who else wants to join? Check it out. Give it a try.

And for my first go at being creative in 2010, here is my "Melon Bird":

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Skiing Snowmen Cake

A couple of years ago I took a cake decorating class. I'd considered it previously and had always put it off because I knew I would really enjoy it. A strange reason to put it off you say? Maybe, but I do that only because I know that the last thing I need is another hobby (aka another reason to spend money on supplies for my hobby and another thing to try to fit into my schedule that is already busy with family, work and lots of hobbies). And once I find one that I like, I usually take it and run.

On a related note, it was the same with scrapbooking. I put that off for a while too, but then was invited to a scrapbooking 'party' (like a Tupperware party) at a friend's house. That was all it took and I was off and running. And now, almost 10 years later, with about 20 or so 12x12 scrapbooks, many tiny scrapbooks, vacation scrapbooks, gift scrapbooks, hundreds of papers, embellishments, die cuts, scissors, paper punches, tools, glues, adhesives, stickers, etc I've taken it pretty far and enjoy it completely. I haven't spent a lot of time on it lately - I'm about 2 years behind now on pictures, but I still plan to catch up and still have it all laid out and ready and occasionally will whip out a page.

But back to the cake thing. I knew once I started I would get into it completely. And I did. I took the 3 basic Wilton classes then the Fondant and Gum Paste class. I had so much fun! I'm creative. I like to make things and making them out of cake and frosting is just as much fun as paper and scissors and glue. I have a lot of cake pans in all sizes, bags and tips for piping frosting, spatulas, cake boards, dowels, food colors, fondant rollers and cutters. All the fun stuff I need to make cool and fun cakes.

The latest cake was one I made for a birthday party for the visiting cousins from down south. Knowing that they were looking forward to snow that they rarely get to see any longer I decided to go with a snowy theme. I piped snowflakes around the bottom layer and decorated with marshmallow snowmen on skis, ice-cream cone Christmas trees (awesome idea courtesy of Bakerella), and dangling snowflakes. All in all I think it came out pretty nice. The dangling snowflakes didn't come out exactly how I wanted (I need to find a better way to afix things like that sometime when I'm not in a hurry), but it was close enough. And other than one little mishap with a snowman making a face-print in the snow when he tumbled off his skis and down the slope, it was pretty smooth going this time around. All in all, pretty successful.

Here are some pictures:

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