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Well at last the blog hop has made its way to Tarome, population about 73, which starts at the top of the Great Dividing Range at Cunningham's Gap and flows north east across to the edge of Aratula in south east Queensland. We are nestled in amongst the mountains and the room I use as my studio used to be our neighbour Myrtle's bedroom. I find it hard to believe that seven children were raised in this home and some of them are still in the neighbourhood. My studio space is only calm and ordered about once a year - so this is a more truthful representation of the space in which I dream and create. When I walk into the space I call "the studio" it is akin to my own version of the TARDIS - I love the sense of enormous space that is the same size as a small bedroom - which it is. I have tried to make the best use of the available space - including the walls - for threads, hoops, rulers and anything else that can be hung. Everything is almost within easy reach - it is probably a good thing that I have to get out of the chair at regular intervals to get whatever I need!
The table was made by our friend Graham (our builder fixer renovator man), who after building about four houses for his own family kept forgetting to make a room big enough to house the table. It is long enough to have a sewing space, creating space, and cutting space - and sometimes more! I have three large cutting mats butted against each other for about 2/3rds of the length. I installed some small cup hooks on the underside to hold electrical cords and keep them out of harm's way.
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The cupboard behind the door was also built by Graham - and keeps my folders of "stuff" - papers, foils, samples, things that worked, things that didn't, roles of vliesofix and baking paper, glues, lino cuts, stamps, paints, and some of the "upstairs dyes". Tissue papers, machine quilting samplers, stitching ideas, flame throwers, soldering thingys, yoghurt containers, paintbrushes and cut-up-but-not-sewn-into-blocks shoe boxes all reside here. Way down below I keep a couple of plastic boxes - in the style of the Playschool useful box - with all sorts of gorgeous stuff I never remember is there but love to rummage through on an irregular basis - tulle's, goop, sequined numbers from the op shop, scarves and burnable fusible stuff is there. My UFOs are kept in the trays above the cupboard ... and in recent times I've stopped getting frustrated with my lack of finishing progress and cut them into "postcards" - I've found it to be a great "resolution". My work samples and journals are a constant source of inspiration - although I the "what if I tried that" moment frequently misses being explored as a new process ... there's a lifetime of ideas and "what ifs" on those pages.
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In one corner I have a study and computer area where I keep some of my reference and resource books. I surround myself with the precious things that make my soul do a little dance - photos, pieces and works by my sister and niece, inchies from Ankie, leaf designs from Maxine, a postcard from Ros, another by Sue and (now that I look more closely) the vacuum cleaner. This is the area where I tend to "draw up" and play with an idea, or doodle or write ... I used to have the table over near the window and all I did was look out the window ... the cosy confines of the corner work best for me.
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This corner unit is made from recycled timbers and is home to my fabric stash and a collection of Meakin china. I've given my entire stash away twice now and started anew - something I found quite liberating as I now create most of my own fabrics (I don't get to spend enough time with my wonderful friend and mentor Ankie King - who has taught me just about everything I know about dyeing ...) I keep wadding and stuffing up top and the closed doors hide larger metreage of pfds and backing fabrics. I have a curtain rod which sits across the top of the cupboard and that's where I hang my design sheet - a miracle of static electricity which holds hundred of pieces in place - I love being able to close the door at the end of the evening, and come back the next day with fresh eyes - whatever isn't working with the piece almost always screams at me when the door reopens.
The next studio stop is with
Pam Holland - who we get to visit from the 19th (Saturday). Pam is an incredibly talented artist and one of SAQA's Professional Artist Members (PAMs). I hope you've enjoyed the tour so far - I've loved the diversity of spaces in which we all create.
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We had the pleasure of friends for lunch on Sunday. Perhaps better described as "Broadstrokes plus or minus a few" - and it was a timely reminder about looking with fresh eyes at the places we inhabit every day. Old gates, aviary wire, doors and fence posts had a little rub with the shiva sticks - thanks to an impromptu layering lesson from Sue Dennis. Texture, texture, texture .... and pizzas of course! Thanks everyone for a fantastic day ...
There are a few advantages of being an “empty nester” and one is that you can take over the space formerly held by the children. I now have the entire rumpus room to call “my studio”. The room is about 10m x 5m but with a sloping roof, so that wall is used for storage.
I use a table tennis table for sewing and cutting – just because it has always been there! – and I love the space it offers
I only have a few drawers for fabric and all the accessories that are collected over the years – I have been quilting for just four or five years so haven’t amassed the quantities - yet. And, I only buy for the project I am working on at the time.
But often for me the best place for auditioning is on the floor!
And I use an old courier bag as my rubbish bin - I never empty it until I have completed a project just in case I want to dive back in there for a pattern piece or bit of fabric!
The room is large enough for a seating area when people come to “visit” – my husband might bring a glass of wine at the end of the day One wall is entirely windows with a bi fold door at the end which looks out towards the city. 
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Well at last the blog hop has made its way to Tarome, population about 73, which starts at the top of the Great Dividing Range at Cunningham's Gap and flows north east across to the edge of Aratula in south east Queensland. We are nestled in amongst the mountains and the room I use as my studio used to be our neighbour Myrtle's bedroom. I find it hard to believe that seven children were raised in this home and some of them are still in the neighbourhood. My studio space is only calm and ordered about once a year - so this is a more truthful representation of the space in which I dream and create. When I walk into the space I call "the studio" it is akin to my own version of the TARDIS - I love the sense of enormous space that is the same size as a small bedroom - which it is. I have tried to make the best use of the available space - including the walls - for threads, hoops, rulers and anything else that can be hung. Everything is almost within easy reach - it is probably a good thing that I have to get out of the chair at regular intervals to get whatever I need!.jpg)
The cupboard behind the door was also built by Graham - and keeps my folders of "stuff" - papers, foils, samples, things that worked, things that didn't, roles of vliesofix and baking paper, glues, lino cuts, stamps, paints, and some of the "upstairs dyes". Tissue papers, machine quilting samplers, stitching ideas, flame throwers, soldering thingys, yoghurt containers, paintbrushes and cut-up-but-not-sewn-into-blocks shoe boxes all reside here. Way down below I keep a couple of plastic boxes - in the style of the Playschool useful box - with all sorts of gorgeous stuff I never remember is there but love to rummage through on an irregular basis - tulle's, goop, sequined numbers from the op shop, scarves and burnable fusible stuff is there. My UFOs are kept in the trays above the cupboard ... and in recent times I've stopped getting frustrated with my lack of finishing progress and cut them into "postcards" - I've found it to be a great "resolution". My work samples and journals are a constant source of inspiration - although I the "what if I tried that" moment frequently misses being explored as a new process ... there's a lifetime of ideas and "what ifs" on those pages..jpg)
In one corner I have a study and computer area where I keep some of my reference and resource books. I surround myself with the precious things that make my soul do a little dance - photos, pieces and works by my sister and niece, inchies from Ankie, leaf designs from Maxine, a postcard from Ros, another by Sue and (now that I look more closely) the vacuum cleaner. This is the area where I tend to "draw up" and play with an idea, or doodle or write ... I used to have the table over near the window and all I did was look out the window ... the cosy confines of the corner work best for me. .jpg)
This corner unit is made from recycled timbers and is home to my fabric stash and a collection of Meakin china. I've given my entire stash away twice now and started anew - something I found quite liberating as I now create most of my own fabrics (I don't get to spend enough time with my wonderful friend and mentor Ankie King - who has taught me just about everything I know about dyeing ...) I keep wadding and stuffing up top and the closed doors hide larger metreage of pfds and backing fabrics. I have a curtain rod which sits across the top of the cupboard and that's where I hang my design sheet - a miracle of static electricity which holds hundred of pieces in place - I love being able to close the door at the end of the evening, and come back the next day with fresh eyes - whatever isn't working with the piece almost always screams at me when the door reopens. 
The next studio stop is with Pam Holland - who we get to visit from the 19th (Saturday). Pam is an incredibly talented artist and one of SAQA's Professional Artist Members (PAMs). I hope you've enjoyed the tour so far - I've loved the diversity of spaces in which we all create. 
