In My Studio November 2016

I started this series a year ago, almost to the day. But ‘series’ quickly became too grand a word ~ two posts don’t really make a series! So, I am starting it up again. I began with this intention:

So….I am inviting you to let us have a peek into your creative space. You will notice that I am not saying “studio” except in the title. I like the sound of it there! Creative space is much wider ~ I’m thinking studio, kitchen table, sketchbook, computer, note book, anywhere you create. And I am not limiting it to painters. Writers and quilters, printers and poets, everyone is welcome.

And it doesn’t have to be a final, well rounded piece. It can be, but it might also be a look at what you are working on, a tip, a technique, a new piece of equipment. It might be a photo of your work space or your inspiration board. Or even an inspirational quote!

How will it work? Many of you join in with Celia’s In My Kitchen feature and you will know that I have taken that idea and given it my own slant. Each month I will put up an In My Studio post. I would encourage you to post one on your blog and then link to it in the comments of my my blog. Clear? As mud! Maybe this will help:

1. Each month you write about something happening in your creative space. It doesn’t have to be a special “In My Studio” post. I know lots of you do monthly roundups of your creativity.

2. Come to my blog and find my In My Studio post.

3. Leave a link to your post in my comments section. Then others can follow the link to have a peek into your space. [Sorry, I am not as clever as Celia, and it may take me some time to get the blog roll down the side.]

4. You don’t have a blog? Put something on Facebook or Twitter or wherever and give us a link to that.

Hopefully the monthly routine will stand up this time! If not, well, it will happen when it can. 🙂

So, In My Studio this last month……

….has been a timid effort at cleaning up my work space. When I came back from the trip it looked like this

Now it looks like this…..

My work table

Not a lot of difference, but I know that most many things still around me are things I need.

My clean up also included my palette. Again, it might not seem clean to you…..

Paint palette

While pottering around in Spotlight (one of those super craft/art/material/homewares type of store) I found this LED lamp. It was marked down to $15 but at the till I only paid $10! It is battery which means I don’t have to link up leads and power points. The head tilts too.

In My Studio is an inspirational book, on loan from my friend Liz. Every page makes my finger itch to sew and experiment. It is where the idea for my samplers came from.

Stitch magic: ideas and interpretation by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn

Work by Jean Littlejohn

Here are a couple of my latest samplers, done in the caravan. The first was inspired by the colours and textures of the arid area around Menindee. The second was in response to all the water we saw on the trip.

Sampler inspired by the arid areas of inland Australia

Sampler inspired by all the water we saw on our trip

In My Studio are two works in progress….

The first is Cullen cinereum that I have been working on for quite a while!

Cullen cinereum (Image and photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2016)

It is close to completion, but quite a few more hours yet. There is a lot of fine detail to go, and I am working with a brush so small it is ranked as 000.

The other work is my embroidery. This is an evening project, and I love the problem solving that it requires. More on it at a later date.

So, what’s been happening in your creative space? Remember to put a link into the comments.