Not many are fortunate enough to have a dedicated space in which to create.

In our starter home purchased 34 years ago, I sewed in the kitchen/dining room. Sharing space that completes with other household purposes can put a huge damper on your creativity, not to mention the strain on family members. While I didn't have the stash I have now, storage was still a huge problem.

I remember finding a snack (cheese cracker with peanut butter) under the presser foot of my sewing machine. I'm not naming names, but the kid actually sewed through the cracker. The feed dogs and bobbin compartment were a complete mess. I guess I should be pleased he took an interest in sewing.

Our current home is larger, closer to work, and now that the kids have (mostly) moved out, I have my own dedicated space in one of their upstairs bedrooms.

My studio has the best view in the house of Young's Bay and Saddle Mountain.

It's also the hottest room in the house during summer and early fall, so mornings on a day off from work are best for sewing. We get a lot of rain here in the Pacific Northwest, so most of the year is perfect for creative indoor activities.

I'm not a hoarder by any means but having a small space, exploring other art forms like quilting and mixed-media journaling, friends who pass on fabric remnants, and general stash accumulation over the years requires some organization. Still, if you were to visit my studio, your first impression might not be "she's so organized!"

One of the best things I ever purchased was a wire shelving rack on wheels for fabric storage. Better than what I had before, but not perfect. It was still hard to see what I had on hand and fabric would fall behind the cart so I would end up buying more, compounding the problem.

I have since purchased (eBay, on the cheap) grocery baskets that fit perfectly on the wire rack. Fabric is organized primarily by color, and it's easy to pull out a basket to find that perfect little swatch. I've bought very little fabric in a very long time.

I still sometimes move to the dining room table for some things, like art projects with grandchildren or quilting.

I may share photos of my studio in the future, but please know it's not an entirely realistic depiction. Yep, I move stuff from one side of the room to the other for the photo op that looks like I've got my act together.

Bottom line: sew and create where you can. It's good for your soul.

If you swing by my website, you'll find offerings from my first newsletters.

Deanna Hogan, Doll Artist

blueherondolls.com

deanna@blueherondolls.com