De-Lighted

Finding the time to spend at the studio is proving rather tricksy at the moment. Although Little B loves to spend time there with me, I've found that I can expect approximately 40 minutes of Good Behaviour before it all goes rapidly downhill and we end up in a tizz with each other. Which is understandable really as he is only three years old and is a very active, on-the-go kind of boy. He finds it hard to sit still, and his attention span for things like books and drawing is still pretty short. I can keep him happy for a reasonable length of time if I give him a) tools of any kind, b) a length of yarn or c) food, but these things inevitably end in damage/trouble/mess and it's simply not worth it.

He is currently at playgroup for three mornings a week which gives me a 90 minute slot of child free time on those mornings. Oh that time feels veeery precious! I try to have at least one of those mornings at the studio if I can, but it never seems long enough to get anything constructive done.

A month or so ago, we purchased some flat pack from Ikea. We had been trying to resist the temptation of quick-fix flat pack, preferring to take our time and look for pre-loved furniture with some character/history to it. But when it came to storage, Ikea just couldn't be beat. Tracy and I both have this same combo, which is a Billy bookcase (mine has some extra shelves added in) and a Benno DVD tower.

I managed to secure two whole child free hours to spend in the studio on Saturday morning, and it was bliss. Absolute BliSS. I got sooo much done. Number one job was to start filling those shelves with colour. It's still a work in progress, but I'm thrilled with the results so far. It's a good practical solution to storing the large amount of yarn I've accumulated, but it's also very visually inspiring and fabulous to gaze at.

As you can see, my little creative corner is starting to fill up! I love it so much. I feel like a happy bird sat in a warm woolly nest :o)

Number two job on Saturday was to play with install my de-lightful new lights. Yes, this box of colourful balls is actually going to transform into Studio Lighting, how fabulous is that?

I first saw these lights on a really beautiful blog called Tales From A Happy House, do you know it? Gillian is a great writer and photographer and we share a lot in common. You can see the photo of hers that made me giddy with excitement and weak with lust right here, and then what she did with her beautiful lights here.

The lights are from a wonderful company called Cable and Cotton and are gloriously simple and rather beautiful. In a nutshell, you purchase a string of 20 fairy lights, then select 20 coloured cotton balls to act as little lampshades. There are about 40 colours to choose from, so you can have a fabby time mixing and matching your own colour combos. If it would help any of you who might (like I did) have a sudden attack of The Wanties after reading this, I will list my colours for you....

I have two of each colour, as follows ::

bright orange, raspberry red, fuscia pink, pale pink, pale blue, sky blue, sunflower yellow, pale yellow, lime green, anais green.

I had a dickens of a job deciding on positioning. Vertical or horizontal? Up and down, or draped across? As you can see, I finally settled on the vertical, after much indecision, coffee, and jigging about. The above photo shows them unlit.....

.....and this is them all lit up. They glow so beautifully! De-lightful indeed!

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! Love love love love them!!!

You can see things are slowly coming together in the studio. I now have some above-desk shelving and my notice board and pictures have been hung. A new little cotton rug too, although I might later replace it with a larger version. The paper circle bunting was a sweet gift from Caroline Rose Art, you can find it in her shop here.

It's all looking very jolly and Attic24-ish I have to say.

Tracy wrote a lovely blog post about our Open Studio event with some pictures of the café etc., do go take a little look if you like. We are really looking forward to opening our door in a couple of weeks and welcoming you in, it's kind of thrilling and nerve wracking in equal measure.

I'm hoping to get these cute little cotton circles worked up into some sort of window bunting this week, although my finger is still acting a bit weird. Wish me luck.

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Comments

[Dee]

No visited in a while and wow things looking as gorgeous as ever! Where do you get your wool from?

[Sophie]

OOOh I just want to squish all your yarn. Sophie x

[Chrisitne Armata]

Dear Lucy:
Congratulations on your new studio. It looks lovely. As a health practitioner from Canada l know that laser can be very helpful in this type of issue. It is quick and painless....just a suggestion.

[tina pinzone]

beautiful job!! you have inspired me to get my little corner finished! I too have been hunting for something old and loved to hold my yarn and blythe dolls, but no...i too am going back to Ikea for a Billy bookcase. I hadn't thought of the cd tower, it showcases your yarn like a work of art!! very creative!!

[tich]

This is such a creative, colourful space!! It oozes creativity!!

[Meta Karcher]

Congratulations, I really wish I lived closer, but Germany is to far away. Crafting and cake - a sublime combination! It all looks really wonderful and I envy and admire you. Good luck to you both :) (I hope you understand what I mean and it is not to wrong)
Meta

[Justine]

I love all your colour...its all coming together so well! You must be so pleased :) All the best for the coming weeks ahead!

[Lauren]

Dear Lucy,

All I can say is pretty, pretty, pretty.I so wish we lived in the UK so that I could pop by your studio

[Gemma]

I love all the colours on the shelving units, it looks really good! Your new lighting looks good too!

http://thisdaytodaylife.blogspot.co.uk/

[Barbara]

What a fabulous space. Green with envy.

[Helen]

It looks like a yarn shop! Wow, you have been collecting! Very lovely space xx

[sew]

Those lights were made for YOU!! I have a Billy bookcase but with doors to obscure the view!! Hope it's ok to say to 'Hookywork' that I've recently bought a yarnwinder after spotting yours - and I should have done so years ago!!
Hope you are feeling better. ♥

[Lynne Gill]

Loving those lights, Lucy, and your studio is becoming a veritable little home from home!

I sympathise with the Little B situation - our youngest grandson is just like this and SOOOooo different to the other two he has come as a bit of a surprise to his mummy and daddy! Don't be surprised if he is extra bright; Fraser has just been assessed and has been tagged as 'Gifted" - a double-edged sword. But all the signs were there, so just a word to the wise!

[Chel]

Your studio is certainly coming along. You have personalised it perfectly. Can't wait to see the window treatment! Chel x

[lilito handmade]

Your studio is PERFECT!!!

[Carol]

De-lovely!
Carol xx

[Sandra (Cherry Heart)]

Oh my word, look at all that lovely yarn. How swoon worthy!! The studio is certainly looking homely and very very inviting. I wish I was close enough to come and see with my own eyes, it looks glorious! I love those lights too, how perfectly 'Attic 24' they are :)

S x

[Fiona]

Oh Lucy, it looks lovely!! I want a studio!!
Hope your finger is back to full working order real quick!
xx

[Lorena]

Looks truly amazing... I would like to be there right now!
Lorena

[Alexandrea]

Ooo...it really is coming along! So delightful!! I must have stared at the yarn shelving for a good solid minute. I imagine it's how some writer's must feel staring at a blank page: what can I do with this? Then the ideas start coming. That's how a crocheter feels staring at a big lot of beautiful yarn. :)

[Frances]

It's all looking very organized, jolly and colorful in your studio corner, Lucy. I do like the notion of the cd tower!

Your crocheted circles have got lots of possibilities...I look forward to seeing how you "connect your dots."

Best wishes.

[Carol]

PLEASE tell me where that rug is from! I'm redecorating my daughters room in attic style colours and would LOVE a rug like that one! :-)

[Sheree]

The studio looks amazing!

[Bonnie]

hi Lucy, it is all so lovely! Love the colors, yarn and lights!

[Kim W]

Lucy,
Can I come and live in your studio?
Talk about a case of the wantsies! Well I'll have to be content to look at your gorgeous photos, sigh and dream. :)

Kim