Today is OK to be messy, but to talk about my mess I have to tell you how it all started.
“Once upon a time there was a girl who liked to play with neat things and everywhere she walked she left behind a trail of beads."
The Upgrades
On the beginning of my jewelry path things were very much disorganized; well you know beginnings are always messy.
Because it was a new business I didn't have much to work with or a place to make my creations, so I worked on the couch with a tray on my lap and also on my husband's desk, and that way I left my mess (and beads) behind wherever I was.
After just a few months I moved to the kitchen with my small folding table next to our dining table, let me tell you, trying to cook and bead at the same time it was a lot of trouble!
I was in the kitchen for a while until I had so much stuff (or for my husband it was so much mess) that he awarded me with a major upgrade: the basement!!! I cleaned and improvised tables, fixed cabinets, got new organizers, and more. The trouble is that there isn’t any heat at all and it is freezing almost all the time; but it’s worst during the winter because it’s like working at the north pole! Sorry Santa but even the elves work in better conditions than I do. But OK I finally had my space, no more: "Sweetie can you move your beads a little bit so I can eat on the table?", “No of course you can't move my beads, don't you see that there is a design going on there? But I guess you can put your plate over my organizers”. For my poor husband it was a miracle he didn’t find a pearl or a Murano glass in his food.
Even with temperatures below zero and with poor lighting I have to admit I love my little creativity cave; it's perfect with my crappy 1970’s style carpet and the crazy purple ceiling I simply enjoy saying: I have a workshop!.
Behind the Messiness
About the mess well its messy all the time, just that there are different levels of the mess. Sometimes the mess is worse than other messes.
But how this scary, mind blowing, and unthinkable mess came to be; well that's easy. Last year after the summer-fall festivals the Christmas festival arrived, and with all that work and running with almost no sleep by the time my last festival ended I was really worn out. All I wanted to do was to sleep until it was time for my trip to Peru. So I stuffed all of my shows decor, my leftover inventory, and everything else in my poor little workshop and I left (also add up all the unfinished projects on my tables).
3 months later my sweet husband tried to help clean while I was gone, and of course he was clueless to where things belonged and that ended up in yes... more mess!
So here it is my awesome mess and it was waiting for me all these months!
I'm not embarrassed, this is truly the essence of my work: some dirty paint brushes, pieces of metal and chain on the floor, those tiny seed beads that fell off one night before my last show, and what about the ink that spilled on my chair. Yes this is my studio, all you need to do is just picture me during the nights, sometimes laughing while watching movies, some others almost crying because I made a fatal mistake, and there are some days where I had fallen sleep in a very uncomfortable chair and woke up with E-600 glue on my hair; that's my life!
So a big applause to all of my friends and colleges that are not afraid to show the real designer in them, the ones not with the big studio with the beautiful chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, with the fancy tables and chairs, cabinets and flooring (not that I have anything against that). A big applause to the ones that like me had or are working on the kitchen table, or in the living room with a tray on their laps and beads and mess all over the floor, maybe some other ones that work in the basement or the garage. So cheers to all of you that no matter how much mess you have you can still make beautiful art because remember:
"The flower that blooms in adversity is
the most rare and beautiful of all." (Mulan)
So my friends... Hurray to mess!!!!
Here some examples of the flowers that had bloomed surrounded by my mess:
Sadly the mess can't last forever... I had to clean up.
Thank you for visiting!, but please don't forget to visit the rest of the blog hoppers! The list is below:
MESSY WORKSHOP BLOG PARTICIPANTS:
http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/
Robin Delargy:
http://looloosbox.blogspot.com/
Kim at Cianci Blue
http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Jazwick-Smith
http://hudathoughts-jennifer.blogspot.com/
Mary Shannon Hicks
http://www.uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/
Tracy Swartz
http://tracyswartz.com/category/blog
Jacqueline Marchant
http://jaacquelinesjewels.blogspot.com/
Lynnea Perry Bennett
http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com/
Terry Matusyk
http://pinkchapeau.wordpress.com/
Laurel Steven
http://laurelsteven.blogspot.com/
Dr. Brassy Steamington
http://drbrassysteampunk.blogspot.com/
Pamela Takeshige
http://www.crittersandthings.blogspot.com/
Kris Lanae Binsfeld
http://www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com/
Outre Art
http://theartistspaintbox.wordpress.com/
Linzi Alford
http://www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com/
Deb Davis
http://naturaltreasuresbydeb.blogspot.com/
Tamara Jones
http://irrysistablejewels.wordpress.com/
Harry Wood
http://www.oscarcrow.blogspot.com
Gerry Nickerson
http://gersgems1.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth Owens-Dwy
http://www.thepolymergeek.blogspot.com/
Georgene Lockwood
http://sylvanavintagedesigns.wordpress.com/
Charisa Sloper
http://www.blog.obsidiansoda.com/
Jennifer Justman
http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/
Beanzie
http://the-vintage-heart.blogspot.com/
Mary Deis
http://mdeis.blogspot.com/
Cheri Reed
http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/
Sondra Kolner
http://scrappybydesign.weebly.com/index.html
Sonya Ingersoll-Stille
http://www.dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/
Lori Anderson
http://www.prettythingsblog.com/
Sandra McGriff
http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca/
Shelly Joyce
http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/
Joan Williams
http://www.lilrubyjewelry.wordpress.com/
Kashmira Patel
http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/
Deb Beechy
http://beetique56.blogspot.com/
Ginger Bishop
http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/
Kelli Jacobson
http://creativemoonjewelryandthings.com/
Natalie McKenna
http://www.grubbi.co.uk/
Andrew Thornton
http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/
Mary Govaars
http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/
Kate Mulligan
http://mulliganstewjewelry.blogspot.com/
Lisa Lodge
http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com/
Tami Luchini
http://ssprocketsmetal.blogspot.com/
Monique Lula
http://www.moniquelula.com/blog/
Lee Koopman
http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com/
Jayne Capps
http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com/
Susan Lloyd
http://designsbysusan-dbs.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Wainscott <--- You are here!
http://www.exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com/
Stephanie Amanti
http://www.stephaniesjewelrybox.blogspot.com/
Alicia Marinache
http://www.allprettythings.ca/
Sam Hamp
http://hampgirl59.blogspot.com/
Lennis Carrier
http://www.windbent.net/
~waves~ Nice to see your mess Cynthia :)
ReplyDeleteAm hopping along now...
from Linzi of www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com
Love the organizer that looks like a mini behind the door shoe organizer, and the striped curtains.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures of your awesome creations! Enjoyed the video music! I wish I had carpeting on the floor of my work shop...so that my dropped beads would not run so far away!
ReplyDeleteHOW SWEET, mija, now I can think of you in your own space. I hope you will find a good quality space heater to use in your space if you are cold, I am just worthless if I don't have some heat in winter. Your video is precious and well...you know how I love what you make. You are a very talented designer. Besos y abrazos, XOXO B'sue
ReplyDeleteI love the story behind it all!
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of your mess and your space! Love your creations also.
ReplyDeleteI am a BIG fan of Exotic Peru. Love, love, love ♥ ~ Brassy
ReplyDeleteI love that you are not embarrassed by the mess! Your work is stunning!
ReplyDeleteI love what you make and loved your post! The cleanup looked great but we all know it will be messy again soon, just like ours. :)
ReplyDeleteJust hopping in. It is incredibly interesting to see how we all work. Love your quote and the prop watch bracelet is fantastic! - Tami
ReplyDeleteLots of fun stuff there. Like the after video. Don't know if my space will ever look so clean.
ReplyDeleteGreat tour, and your work is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteCynthia, I feel right at home in your studio. It has to be used and useful. If not, it won't work! I like it!
ReplyDeleteI love your little studio, and a purple ceiling sounds awesome :D hehe shag carpet would be fine on the feet.. but horrible for finding lost beads in >.< As for the cold, maybe you should check out those new infrared heaters? They warm up the room but don;t get hot to the touch and don't emit any harmful fumes or present a fire hazard:)
ReplyDeleteAnother voice suggesting the ceramic infrared heaters; they are wonderful! I use one in the winter, as my workroom has no heat to it. There are registers, but no ducting, ha! It doesn't get THAT cold in Western WA, but still...
ReplyDeleteYou make such lovely things, and I am glad you have a spot to call your own.
I do have a heater, you just have to remember, that I'n Peruvian, Peruvians don't do good in the cold even with heaters :D lol
ReplyDeletelooks like organized chaos to me...great for the creative mind
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work. The space works!!! Thanks for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteme encanto como quedo todo....esta muy lindo ademas que es un lugar en el cual expresar y pasmar tus ideas y el arte que solo tu sabes hacer tan bien con tus joyas.. ese lugar debe ser cómodo e inspirador para ti todo esta lindo ... Te quiero hermanita!! :D
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate to your story. Thank you so much for sharing this! I do love your space but I want you to be warm in the winter. I too can have my studio in the basement if I wanted but it is just too cold and damp down there and a tad bit scary lol! I love your designs and I know lots of beauty comes out of your studio. xoxo
ReplyDeleteSimply had to comment because your AFTER took so much works and looks awesome! Your designs are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteCynthia, Thank you for sharing....It's great having a whole basement to yourself, but I don't think I'd enjoy the cold either. The good news is that you make the most incredible jewelry, no matter what your surroundings.
ReplyDeleteI love the cold, although I don't know if north pole cold would be up my alley, but to have an entire basement....ahhhh. I love the beautiful creations you make. Stunning. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSonya
You have some really awesome creations! It's nice that you have the whole basement to yourself, but I would not like the cold either.
ReplyDeleteBoth messy and cleaned up I love your workspace.
ReplyDelete(And I adore the things you create.)
I see many elements that I already have, I just need to put them into use! (Yes, I am talking drawers and bins.)
I loved reading your blog post! And really enjoyed the pictures of your mess! I think you have a great space to create in! And I actually really like that carpet! LOL I was born in the 70's though - so I remember that from when I was growing up, and I like it! LOL I love the wrought iron form you have in the corner! =) You have an awesome amount of storage of beads and things! =) And your creations that come from that, are awesome! Love them!!! Thank you for sharing your space with us, I had a great time perusing everything! =) Oh, and I loved the video at the end after you had cleaned it up! =)
ReplyDeleteCynthia,
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate! It is so hard when you have a large amount of display supplies and no where to go with them. Your work is totally amazing... You create amazing things while frozen! :-) Thanks for commenting on my blog!
Kris
you have a lovely blog :)
ReplyDeleteI'll be happy if you check out my blog too=)
I LOVE this! I am completely with you, I actually cleaned my main work table (aka coffee table in den, works great b/c it has a raised edge to prevent beads rolling off!) last night simply because it was so messy that I thought perhaps the 2 earrings I lost were buried within the sea of beads, half finished works, failed projects, completed projects, and more insanity that was covering my table. Even in its organized, clean state, it probably still looks like a mess to a non-designer. Oh well, that's the life. We use too many supplies, beads, paints, glues, and a massive array of tools to ever truly be organized...my philosophy is a neat, clean, organized artist must have pretty boring designs, because they'd have to spend all of their time cleaning and sorting, and who has time for that? It took me all night to clean up 1 table, and will take me about an hour to mess it up again lol. As far as displays go, I turned my living room into a "showroom" and keep the majority of all my jewelry out at all times. This at least keeps my mess contained primarily to the supplies and beads, although it still seems like I have jewelry hanging out all over my house. I didn't see this in time to participate in the blog hop, but I so could have been all over this one! : ) I'll have to do a blog post sometime on this and I'll get a photo now of my "neat" table because its a guarantee that it won't stay that way for long!
ReplyDelete