#MyCalifornia: My Art Studio

#Socalsteemit is hosting a great contest inviting us to share a glimpse of California life. Today, I thought I would invite you to the place I spend the most hours a day, right here in my San Bernardino home: my art studio!

This was my daughter's bedroom growing up. Now she is 25 and living out of state. So I get to spread chaos over our former dining table cum workbench.

I am blessed to have a view of the backyard with its roses, chicken parade, and veggie garden to gaze at while I sew. Above is my basic White brand home sewing machine.

For heavy duty sewing, I can just roll my chair to the right, and there's my industrial machine. It needs a day at the spa to repair its timing, but that will soon be remedied.

You may have noticed a tower of beads crammed in next to the industrial machine. Well, that is just a tiny fraction of the massive stash comprising my jewelry making studio. A lot of the rest of it is hiding away for now....

I also collect bottles.

Multimedia is a big part of my work, so this studio is chock full of little collections of all sorts of things. I have a dresser in the closet, and it is so full that I opened a drawer to stack even more gear, primarily my leather working tools:

I also have this nice garment rack loaded with fabric yardage and thrift store finds to upgrade. Plus, I have the ironing board my mother purchased when I was just a little girl, crowned by a top of the line Rowenta iron. I count myself very spoiled indeed.

Here is a large bin stuffed with patterns-- new, vintage, as well as those I drafted myself. Some of the latter have the muslins included in their folders.

The wall opposite the windows is occupied by industrial shelving. That's where most of my leather hides are rolled up and many of my tools reside. I need to store my hides better soon, as they are becoming creased under the weight of the pile.

Thank you for bravely venturing into my lair. I brought it to you today raw and untidy, the way it usually is.

That's my San Bernardino, California: raw and untidy, and full of hidden gems, bursting with opportunities to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Love,cat

@creationofcare

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