bitter betty shows us how to convert a vintage suitcase into your own mobile studio.

Design*sponge has a sneak peak of Faythe Levine’s (author of Handmade Nation) eclectic and creative home. I love all the color and texture – her creative corner looks lived in and inspiring.

All month we have had fabulous studios and crafty nooks and craft room features – I have been getting some fabulous ideas. Its obvious that one of the main resolutions for crafty folk is to reorganise, de-clutter, simplify or just get some more space in which to craft craft and craft.

Now that you have cleaned up and redecorated and organised and found a home for all your bits and bobs and your stash – you need to think long and hard about your work bench situation. Here is some inspiration to get you started:

jewelry bench : small fold out table : big L shaped bench – lots of space : trestle work table : sewing machine bench with curtain : draws with a bench placed on top : trestle table for a cutting bench : long benches opposite each other : specially designed sewing table : using ikea furniture : mini sewing corner : small corner sewing area :

Whether you have a dedicated craft room or a corner in the kitchen, having your table or work bench at the right height is very important. Make sure you are not stooping when working or you end up with back problems.

You may need an extra table to work on – I have two work tables – one with my equipment set up on permanently – with drawers etc and another multipurpose table used for design, drawing, cutting, writing etc. If you only have a small space then this extra table may need to be a fold up table that can be easily slotted away – or you may need to make use of the kitchen/dining table every now and again.

If you have a dedicated work room then have work benches set up either in an L shape or opposite each other means you can work more efficiently – spread your work out – have different stages or crafts going at the same time.

If you have a small desk set up in the corner of your kitchen or living room then you may want to be able pack up your tools easily and quickly – proper storage will be essential, or else have a neat curtain that can hide your ‘mess’ or projects away.

All month we have had fabulous studios and crafty nooks and craft room features – I have been getting some fabulous ideas. Its obvious that one of the main resolutions for crafty folk is to reorganise, de-clutter, simplify or just get some more space in which to craft craft and craft.

Now that you have cleaned up and redecorated and organised its time to get down to business – you need to find a spot for everything and keep it that way. Here is some fabulous inspiration to get you started:

Pegboard wall : assorted jars : vintage tins : peg board for yarn : another well organised pegboard : recycled cardboard for storing ribbons : baskets for fabric : lazy susan for pens and art supplies : bowls stacked with fabric scraps : plastic containers for yarn :

Set up some organisation systems – you will need rubbish bins, recycle boxes, filing drawers and organiser containers.

You don’t need to buy anything new – make use of ziplock bags or empty jars, vintage tins or plastic containers to store all your threads, ribbons and bits and pieces.

You may need to invest in some simple filing folders or manila envelopes to store your patterns and notes.

Keep your fabrics or papers or yarn in containers on shelves, in drawers or in plastic containers that you can easily wheel in and out. Label everything!

Consider using a toolbox or other compartmentalised box to keep your tools safe or hang them up using a peg board.

All month we have had fabulous studios and crafty nooks and craft room features – I have been getting some fabulous ideas. Its obvious that one of the main resolutions for crafty folk is to reorganise, de-clutter, simplify or just get some more space in which to craft craft and craft.

So you have de-cluttered and rearranged your furniture – set it up how you like. Next you need decorate – make it a space that you want to be in.

Here are some decorating ideas to inspire:

Lots of natural light in happy song’s studio : sweet little corner with light : aqua painted walls and lots of embroidery and vintage linens hanging up at soulemama : colorful and fresh studio space : a corkboard is a perfect inspiration board : this fresh room makes the space look not as busy as it is.

This might be a good time to give the space a fresh lick of paint – get rid of drab colors and heavy curtains – install blinds or light colored fresh curtains that let in light and don’t take up a lot of space.

Choose light colors to maximise the light – hang up some of your art and your craft pieces – install an inspiration wall.

Once you have freshened up the space you will want to spend more time in there – make it your calm space your zen zone – your crafty hideaway.

All month we have had fabulous studios and crafty nooks and craft room features – I have been getting some fabulous ideas. Its obvious that one of the main resolutions for crafty folk is to reorganise, de-clutter, simplify or just get some more space in which to craft craft and craft.

After you have de-cluttered next you need to re-arrange. Ok – so you have pared things down a bit – thrown out a lot of rubbish and donated a lot of your stash to charity.

Take this moment to re-organise the furniture, decide on storage solutions – do you need more shelves – a tool box – perhaps an extra work bench – or you may need to get rid of furniture – is the crowed space getting you down?

Take some inspiration from these great storage solutions:

Old kitchen hutch is perfect : creative kismet storage cabinet : cabinet with doors to hideaway the stuff : cane basket stack is a great idea : cabinet with small shelves perfect for yarn : old lockers are a perfect solution : Ikea is always a good standby.

How to do it:
Visualise the space – move things around – you might like to situate your work area near the natural light – have a spare chair so others can chat to you or help while you are working.

If you only have a small space then prioritize and minimise – check your work bench is the right height and your work chair is comfortable – is the feng shui right – are the ergonomics correct – what about the lighting?

All month we have had fabulous studios and crafty nooks and craft room features – I have been getting some fabulous ideas. Its obvious that one of the main resolutions for crafty folk is to reorganise, de-clutter, simplify or just get some more space in which to craft craft and craft.

Does your space look anything like these studio ‘before’ photos from the craft room flickr pool? if so read on…

planet treasures jewelry table : gemgirl art beading room : flying michelles’ craft table.

You will need to clean and declutter – Some people say that the best way to get into a declutter habit is to spend 20 mins each day working on one section of your space – don’t tackle it all at once as it can be overwhelming – give yourself a target – drawers today – fabric stash next time, notions and tools then work table and patterns etc etc – work methodically and you will eventually get to the end.

I am usually more impatient than that – I am an all or nothing gal and like to get stuck straight into it – making more mess as I go – which eventually starts to clear and finally I can see the light at the end. As my husband says “to create you must first destroy”.

Whatever your method – ask yourself a few questions as you sort – do you love it and do you need it – will you use it? Everything that is a no – then straight to the garbage bag to be donated – for the yes things then you will sorting these into categories later.

Meg sent in this pic of her fab new studio space – see more at her website. Some highlights of the space – that gorgeous eggshell blue wall, the burlap sack inspiration wall – and that super long white work bench – luck you Meg.

And Missy has transformed a small corner space into a very clever sewing nook – see lots more pics here. I love her use of Ikea storage devices and her magnetic wall is nifty – she has also used a curtain to block off the space when it is not in use. And oh my I have just spotted my sewing machine on her desk. Yes I have one exactly the same – it must be 35 years old and belonged to my grandmother.

Martha Stewart has devoted her whole top attic to a crafting space. It looks like she has about 7 desks in here – each one devoted to a different type of crafting. It all looks so beautiful and while I wonder if she ever uses it – there are some excellent creative storage solutions for your new year resolutions.

The beginning of the new year started with some classic resolutions. Goals were written down and reviewed, inspirational new project ideas were discussed and pondered. Kids were back in school and the world lay out in front of me, ready and willing to accept my new and adorable crafts. To my dismay, the swing of things didn’t start happening. I couldn’t seem to get focused. Household chores seemed more time consuming than usual. Dishes seemed to never get washed. Dogs needed more frequent walks. What was going on? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks while passing by my office/studio space, it was a complete disaster, really.

Before:

Every project I tried to start involved some missing fabric, a misplaced tool, a runaway must have item! My mojo was stalled, writer’s block had taken over, the magic was gone. My time drifted away from me perusing other people’s blogs, design magazines, television with real life crime drama. I wasn’t creating anything, a complete contradiction of every resolution goal I so carefully laid out.

I started to dream of a streamlined space with no clutter and organization that would be marveled at by everyone who knew me. The process to get there would require hard work and utter dedication.

After:

Deciding what stays and goes, extremely hard work! Organizing the essentials, crucial! Putting like items together, finding the perfect spot for them, exhausting! This process took one full day from morning to night.

When I was done, not only was I completely proud of myself but I felt my spirit of creativity coming back, full force. I couldn’t wait to look for specific fabric or even the stapler. My productivity of adorable items has increased and I’ve got a handle on my space and my time and that is a resolution I can live with and keep.

About the writer: Alison is a folk artist from South Dakota, she lives and works from home in her newly streamlined studio space. She shares her time with husband John, two boys and three mangy mutts. See her etsy store online gallery.