Virtual Studio Tour – Studios Magazine October 3, 2009
Cloth Paper Scissors Studios Magazine Open Studio Virtual Tour
My studio is what is formerly known as a dinning room. It’s actually an addition that was built onto our house long before we ever moved in. Originally it was a porch that was closed in and another porch built on that was then closed in to make the closet. This means that in the winter it is very cold in the room. I have a large double door cabinet that I keep most of my supplies in (along with some kitchen equipment). I also have an awesome easel that doubles as a drafting table, a few small bookshelves under a built in counter top, and a large wooden box where I keep my yarn and fabric.
This is my main worktable. It was given to me by two very dear friends when they were moving into a new home and no longer wanted this table. The glass top makes a perfect work surface since I can clean anything off of it easily.
Here, I’m making book cloth, which has to be pasted down to a glass surface to dry. I used the top and bottom of the glass. When I removed the book cloth, it was super easy to clean.
My bookshelf makes my life easier. I needed one for along time and finally bought one this summer. On top, I keep my ribbons and post card collection. The top shelf is where I keep my inspiration and favorite things. Next shelf down is things in progress, then a shelf of buttons and easy to reach towels. The next to last shelf is my knitting books and art books. On the bottom I keep my dye pot and my hand spun yarns.
Shelf of my favorite things:
In Progress Shelf:
I like to work assembly line style when I’m producing blank journals.
Breaking down paper for text blocks:
Text Blocks:
Covers In Progress:
Books waiting to be bound:
All bound up:
I don’t own a book press so I have a makeshift one. I have lots of heavy books, Masonite boards, and a large can of pineapple juice.
This is a glimpse of my very large bookbinding tool box. This is just the top tray.
My studio extends outside this one room and on into the rest of the house when I need more space. I do most of my knitting, crocheting & spinning in the den so I can use my computer & watch TV. I use the living room as a sewing room since it has our dinning table in it. I use my kitchen to dye wool and make felt and my porch doubles as a drying rack on sunny warm days (on rainy days, the shower rod in the bathroom is used for drying).
I have some furry help in all this mess too. Zoe, my black kitty, is the reason that my shop is called “The Crafty Kitten”. He loves to sit beside me no matter what I’m doing and just watch.
Piggy usually sneaks in when I’m not looking to check my work.
Snuggies has been known to fall asleep on my feet if I stand in one place too long (usually when I’m breaking down paper for text blocks).
Then there is Raisin, who isn’t allowed in the studio alone because she will eat all the kitty’s food. She likes to sleep by my feet or in my lap too.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the little virtual tour of my studio. Feel free to check out my online shop (which is a little empty at the moment) The Crafty Kitten.
Eco Books Inventive Project from the Recycling Bin September 23, 2009
Eco Books Inventive Project from the Recycling Bin by Terry Taylor Amazon Link
I’m so excited, I just can’t stop squeeing. My wonderful UPS man dropped off a box of these books for me just 15 minutes ago. I immediately cracked one open and found my project. I’m on page 48 & 49 with a bio in the back.
There’s a back story about my Book Jar that I feel I should share. My grandfather, aka my hero, passed away in September of 2007. This project was part of my healing process after his passing. I used to visit my grandparent’s house after school when I was a kid. When I would come in he would ask me what I learned for the day. Whatever my reply, his was always the same, “Learn all you can and can all you learn.” There were many tears shed during the months of creating all those tiny books while thinking back on my precious time with him. I’m so proud of my tribute to him.
Finished, just in time for Christmas. December 8, 2008
I’ve finally finished the commission job and will be dropping the items off with their owner tomorrow. Here are photos of what I did Sunday.
I assembled the 2 vests, which I had not done before. It was quite a learning experience but I’m very happy with how they turned out.
I also made a couple of Christmas pressies today. A hat for my dad and fingerless mitts for my step-dad. I have enough yarn left over to make my father-in-law a hat too.
Sorry about the cruddy photo:
Tonight, I began putting up our Christmas tree. We’re going super basic this year because the animals like to destroy it. I’ve come home to my kitties laying in between the branches and they like to knock all the ornaments off so the dog can chew them. I just don’t want to deal with that this year. So here’s the start of my basic 3 foot tree with white lights (that we probably won’t plug in) and a paper chain (that needs a little bit more chain).
Free US Shipping October 29, 2008
I’m offering Free US Shipping to my US customers until December 31. I don’t want to exclude my international customers so I’m offering 10% off to all my international friends. I will refund the discount after checkout.
Date Book February 18, 2008
For almost 2 years, I’ve been a bookbinder… Until now, I have not made a book for myself. I’ve made books for the purpose of being sold, for other people, even
just to learn something new… but never for myself.
I used to be the kind of person that never needed a calendar book… maybe life was just too boring or maybe I just liked flying by the seat of my pants. Last year, I started using a freebie calendar book that I received at the office. It ran out in December and I’ve been lost since then.
Last night I put this beauty together. It is my first caterpillar or centipede stitch book. I’m really happy with it. 
The cover is a fabric that is an embossed faux leather. I stitched it together with waxed cotton thread. The paste-downs had to be something fun since I went with non-colorful but durable cover fabric. I printed enough pages that I should be able to use it for just a few days shy of two years.
Busy, busy, and bumpy February 17, 2008
This week was busy. Tuesday was my best Etsy day yet I had 2 custom orders for 11 books total. WOW… seriously, for me that is a huge – jump up and down *squee* – WOW. I worked 7-11 on Friday evening, 9 am – 11:30 pm yesterday (minus about an hour that I took a shower, went to pick up some Chinese food, and I poked my head in at the Record Exchange to say Happy Birthday to my big brother) and 10-2 today. I’m tired to say the least.
I didn’t have class this week due to snow so there aren’t any quilt updates. I’ve started a knit handbag for myself. Today’s plans are to clean my house…. it’s a wreck!
I’m notorious for ruining holidays… even ones that I don’t celebrate. The hubby and I don’t take Valentine’s Day seriously so we didn’t plan on any celebratory gifts or dinner. This year my lovely gift was red and white, covered me from head to toe, and itched like mad. Hurray, I had an allergic reaction to my antibiotic. Itchy, bumpy, horrible rash. So for V-Day, I couldn’t even get a hug. bah.
Kidmade Paper Wreath December 29, 2007
I know Christmas is over but I just didn’t get around to posting this kid made item before the holiday rushed past me.One of my favorite school art projects came when I was in the first or second grade. A very lovely man (who later became my choir teacher) used to come to our class and do various crafts with us. Anytime I cut out anything, I remember how he taught me the correct way to cut things out. This particular craft was a construction paper wreath. I worked diligently making sure to cut my wreath properly. We then took hole punches and popped holes in various places on the wreath. On the backside, we glued different colors of tissue paper over each of the holes. Last, we cut out and glued a big red ribbon on the front. I was so proud of my wreath. I remember how they all looked taped to our classroom’s windows. The sun would shine on all those little different colored dots and make the whole display of paper wreaths come alive (at least in my little kid brain it did).
Kidmade Puppets & Cards December 28, 2007
EEK, I was so busy yesterday that I completely forgot to post my Kidmade post for the day. Consider this a twofer!In seventh grade, our class put together a puppet show. We had to write, perform, and make all the puppets and props. We chose to make a play based on the Flintstones. I was cast as Betty. We spent a few weeks preparing for our performance. During this time we made our puppets. Since I was Betty, I made the Betty puppet. I made it from some white muslin and stuffed it with Polyfil. These weren’t complicated puppets, so they didn’t have moving parts. Instead, it had just a simple dowel to hold her up. I drew a decent version of Betty on the fabric and it looked good. We did our performance during our regular class period, which was lunchtime to most of our parents and they could come watch – and of course, my mom came to see it 
I have always loved paper and paper crafts. I love to send cards and will sometimes send them for no reason at all. I even did this as a kid. I would spend all day making cards out of construction paper, stickers, crayon drawings, old ribbons, and pretty much anything else I could get my little kid grubby paws on. I knew the technicalities of card sending but I didn’t always get it correct. Most of my early cards say “Form: Mom, To: Me” LOL. I probably didn’t learn the correct spelling of “From” until first grade. I would even make envelopes for my hand-drawn cards with little drawn stamps.
Kidmade Gifts from the heart… December 24, 2007
Ask any college kid and you’ll know, money for them is Tight. While I was in the first year or two of college, I wanted to feel like an adult and give my family Christmas gifts that I had put a lot of thought into. Since I didn’t have a lot of money I focused more on the presentation of the gift, rather than spending a lot of money on a gift. Don’t get me wrong, I did get nice gifts; they just weren’t pricey. I took some paper lunch bags and printed out photos that meant something to the person I was giving the gift to and me. The one I gave my dad was a photo of a bundled up kid and a dad carrying a Christmas tree through the forest; something my dad and I did when I was a kid. I took a hole punch and popped holes along the top where I wove ribbon through. They weren’t much but they were heartfelt.
