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Wednesday 26 March 2014

Studio

 I don't just stash yarn.  Oh no! There are many other things in my cupboards ribbons, buttons, scraps for patchwork, general haberdashery and small bolts of fabric...



But yesterday my stash fought back AND IT WON!!  As friends and others who follow me on Blipfoto will know I am on holiday, as I type I'm sitting listening to water slip over the edge of the pool on the terrace of a pretty little hotel in the hills above Limasol in Cyprus. Yesterday I was packing and of course that included holiday knitting, I  planned to knit a Lanesplitter (the Knitty.com pattern for a skirt at http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEff10/PATTlanesplitter.php) while I was away.  Now I KNOW I have the yarn, I bought it... well a year or so ago, so it has to be in the stash somewhere.  But after removing most of the carrier bags (discovering as I went forgotten treasures) and three of the boxes I just could not excavate any further.  The stash had defeated me!!!


However this situation is temporary for soon the little building below is to become my studio.  How lucky am I? My own makery.  This is the back door to our garage.  Once it was a playroom for our children but it was cold and draughty and apart from painting their names on the walls and storing their bikes they did not use it all that much.  Since then it had become a general dump.


I admit that at the start it looked a terrific mess, just a load of junk.  But some of the junk is being put to good use and some stored in the front part of the garage that has been partitioned off and given its own sets of shelving, the garage is twice standard length so we have room



The transformation is gradual.. So far the walls and ceiling have been insulated and panelled, the floor is boarded too with more insulation. No fear of being chilly as I will have radiators in there for the winter.  The old kitchen dresser that you see in the back of the room is to be installed against the end wall with a full width work top for cutting out.  But there is still so much to do. All that painting for a start.  The window (below) will be a challenge!)


There will be loads of storage, the other end will have a full wall of those amazingly usefull Expedit shelves from Ikea ( http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40047675/) .  These are old deed boxes, rescued from a solicitors office just before it was closed down (yes forcibly, I'm thinking one day I may tell you my old solicitors tales now I'm retired!) I plan to scrub the rust off them and spray paint them all different colours


This mirror, part of an old wardrobe, will hang on the wall opposite the French window doors and reflect the garden back into the studio. 


So after all that work we are taking a break in the sun.  As I write I am sitting beside of the pool, warm in the sunshine, despite the breeze that is ruffling the new little olive trees planted beside the terrace.  It might be lunchtime, I'm not sure, I haven't looked at my watch...

                                     


                                                                        Xx 


                                                                        c


Daisy chain handles for the row of cupboards above the old kitchen dresser

7 comments:

johnnyjumpsup said...

How exciting. Good luck with the rest of your renovation and enjoy the rest of your holiday. I look forward to the final reveal.

Eight by Six said...

Very exiting. I'd love to swap with you right now

Adaliza said...

Enjoy your holiday - did you find your yarn? Exciting to see your plans but I read IKEA are not doing expedit any more! Apparently there was some panic buying in Germany! Maybe there is still some stock in the UK - I haven't checked recently. We're in Cornwall this week, so it's good to be away (with sewing machine and knitting), and we're enjoying sunny times on the patio, admittedly wrapped up in coats and scarves!

Tracy said...

Cyprus looks beautiful. How fun, too, to have your own studio to enjoy and the time in which to enjoy it!

Knitrageous said...

What fun! I'm anxious to see the progress!

Gracie Saylor said...

I'm so excited for you, Catherine! I have a lot of IKEA storage in my room for my books and crafts, and a daybed that can convert to kingsize if wanted. It will be fun to see how you fashion your studio...and the daisy chain handles are lovely :)

Annie Cholewa said...

I bet you can't wait to move in! I can't believe I ever managed without my tiny studio :)