Normally I love using Wednesdays to show you some new creative venture I’ve been working on. I have been working on stuff (oh boy, have I been working on stuff!) but I ran into a bit of a problem last night.
I’m what I like to fondly title a “Messy Creative.” (Mr. Fix-It calls it something else.) Meaning I can’t stop in the middle of my creative flow to clean up and put stuff away just because I’m not using it at the moment. I just shove it to the side and keep on working.
I’m also a Visual Inspiration Creative (another of my own totally made-up titles), which means that I’m inspired by seeing my supplies and stuff. I like to have everything out where I can look at it, remember I have it, and get excited about using it. No neat, closed boxes for me!
You’ll notice in these pictures (if you’re not cringing and covering your eyes!) that I have stacks of clear glass jars for storing ribbons, clear magnet containers for storing brads hardware, clear spice jars in a spice rack for my buttons, and open baskets (and muffin tins!) for sorting and corralling “stuff.” I also have open baskets on the top of my workshop and open baskets lined up along the two window sills right behind me when I’m sitting at my machine.
I actually do use a few boxes for stuff I either use regardless of seeing it (like my pattern box) or completely seasonal supplies (like Christmas) that stay put away 90% of the time. They give the eyes of outsiders somewhere to rest when visiting!
But I don’t have separate work spaces for different media, so a project like the Book Tote Bag that was featured over at Fresh yesterday means that I have sewing supplies and papercrafting supplies and scraps and glue and glitter and thread EVERYWHERE at once.
So I’m interrupting my crafting flow to clean up the workshop!
Next up, I’ve got all these beau-ti-ful orange scraps that I’m going to turn into a sewing machine cover for poor Bessie. She’s got a plain white hard cover, but it’s a little unfriendly-looking just for keeping the daily dust off (and it doesn’t fit if she’s threaded with upright spools). I found several lovely little tutorials so I’m sure I’ll be posting about it soon!
And I’ve got all these funky Totes cut out and pinned together to sew up for the shop…
I’ll be back next week with a fun post about another handmade gift I’ve been working on! (Hint: My 2nd Library Tote turned out even better and cuter than the 1st!)
How do you handle the messiness of the creative process? Do you clean up as you go? Or are you not even messy about it?!
