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Garage into an art studio project. Yeah, like we have all the time in the world!

Hi
Hi. I’m back.
I’ve had to take a few weeks days off of social media. Actually, I had my finger hovering over the delete button more than once. A few personal attacks on the ol’ FB, the state of the world, not enough sunshine, and a therapy journal course, first one since I started teaching the therapy journal two years ago, where a valuable brush has gone missing and two of my hand carved stamps have broken pieces (a fox’s ear and a bird’s foot). Life…eh? So I slightly spiralled into a proper depresso funk and hovered over the delete buttons.

Happily I talked things out with Robbie. I’m so lucky that he is GuruRob to me when I need him to be, and he talked to me of possibly chemo brain for my students, and how important my volunteer work is to me and to the people I work with, and reminded me that I can hide/delete/unfollow and gently drop out of conversations on my social media feeds.

So I didn’t delete everything to hell! I just jumped into a new project.

There’s been a lot of this going on round here.

And also this:

And I did something, perhaps a little unwisely, I signed up for the North Shore Art Crawl open studio on the March 4th weekend and took out a full ad in the brochure. I KNOW!

Yes to commitment to my art!!
But yikes if people want to come visit my little attic studio where the possibility of hitting your head at every sideways step exists unless you know the space.

That, and I don’t have room to paint big canvases in the studio, so never paint them unless I can do it outside.

But I do have this beautiful, heated garage…loaded up with stuff, (and a slightly dusty red sports car which can be parked outside for an open studio weekend.)

So, with Chloe’s help, we did about five runs to the local Salvation Army and one run to the recycling stations and to the dump, two trips to Home Depot, one trip to IKEA and a little side trip to the Value Village out in the IKEA direction, (I mean, as long as we were out there anyway.)

One thing that was bothering me are the five lights in the would-be New Studio space. Four are just light bulbs hanging from the ceiling.

Now the ceiling is too low and the clearance of the garage door too close for most fixtures…and we looked and looked and debated and measured and looked some more. We had Queen city garage door repair charlotte nc come out to fix it for us and they did a great job. The sexy little ones cost so much money and the cheap ones are too long, too big, and too everything wrong.

Then, at the quick Value Village hop, we found these rather lovely coloured glass covers at $4 each. Cheap!!! So I bought them. Might be a good solution for now and I love the quirky Bohemian feel. Only problem is there were only 3 and I need 4, but I’m sure one more will come my way and if not, they are for sale at Home Depot for about $20.

Next step: paint for the raw wood shelves. I had a good convo with the paint people and chose a rather expensive paint with undercoat in it, and I painted those shelves…

…while C was set to work on our IKEA buys.
For some reason she finds IKEA stuff fun to put together and for me it ranks right up there with…say…the dentist. Millennials…eh? As you can see, Morgan was the usual help.

So, one coat of paint on the shelves and the legs of the work bench, and I called in my electrician Trevor to take down the chandelier, (which everyone but me hits their head on…OK, OK, I may have done it once or twice myself), and build me a new light fixture, the design of which I had as a vision in my chandelier bumped head, but no idea if it could be done.

I said, “Trevor, could you please cut off the business end of these light bulb chords and wire three of them into the socket and leave a good 5 ft of chord hanging?”

So after a little explaining and a quick run to Rona for the necessary ceiling plate, I have the beginning of my vision. Thank you Trevor.
Can’t wait to show you the next step.

Hope this all works out!

Comments: 15

  • February 7, 2017
    reply

    Looking forward to seeing the completed layout, I also enjoy putting IKEA furniture together there’s a sense of accomplishment at the end.

  • February 8, 2017
    reply

    Oh—I am so excited for you!! This stuff is right up my alley,

    We have a large barn-style garage on the back portion of our property, The ground floor has a workbench and is housing the snowblower and snowmobile this time of year. That gets switched up and holds the lawn tractor and ATV for the warmer months. The second floor is one big open room with a window on either end, and is just used for storage.
    I have been having a hankering to convert the top floor into nice garden loft/getaway. It is totally wired to code with lights and electrical outlets, so it could be
    the perfect spot to go and read or paint. Hmmm—you really have inspired me.

    I can’t wait to see your next post!!! πŸ™‚ Enjoy!!

  • February 8, 2017
    reply

    A big project like that will take your mind off things! And what a beautifully large window you have in your garage!

  • February 8, 2017
    reply

    Oh, Veronica, I do love to see your creative juices flow! I was sad to see the beautiful , if not deadly, chandelier leave but I’m sure it’s replacement will be stunning. Cannot wait for the next installment. This space is going to be AWESOME!!

  • February 8, 2017
    reply

    Like I said before…… EXCITING!!!!!

  • February 8, 2017
    reply

    wow, big task, it will feel great when it is done! Yay!
    glad you found your way through social media stuff.
    People are full of opinions…..
    Wishing you a grand art tour!

  • Susan

    February 8, 2017
    reply

    Your garage to art studio conversion is very impressive. This sounds like the perfect space for you to pursue your art to the max! For large window options, if you have a construction salvage business in the area, this might offer your some future inexpensive window alternatives. (Plus, I think you and C would have great fun looking around a place like this.) Love your lighting inspiration, shelving and work space. I am sorry to hear that someone decided to be nasty online. It seems to happen far to often. My thought is: Not everyone gets it. But, I cherish the ones who do. I enjoy your blog and appreciate the time you take to share with us. Thank you, Veronica – Susan

  • February 8, 2017
    reply

    Jumping into a new project is a great cure for almost any trouble. I’m very proud of you! Wish I lived near enough to join the people who will come visit your studio and see your work.

  • Ana

    February 9, 2017
    reply

    Everything looks lovely, good luck on finishing it! I am glad you decided to keep your social media. I love getting once in a while a glimpse into your world; full of people, cats and art. I am probably going to attend university on Canada this year and I was dreading it a little, since it seemed so foreign, calm and cold; so unlike my little south american country… It was only after realizing through your stories that it is a place of history and beauty, if you know where to look, that I started to warm up to the idea. I hope I can do as great a job as you have of filling my life with things and people that make me happy! Thanks for everything. -A

  • February 15, 2017
    reply

    i love this … it really gives me a chance to live vicariously .. i mean not only do you have a lovely large house but a heated garage .. whilst i live in a teeny tiny new york apartment where i am thrilled to have a kitchen with 3 .. three .. 3 drawers for utensils nevermind one can only be opened if you first open the oven door .. .sigh …

  • February 18, 2017
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    Well done V .. I’m looking forward to seeing it finished! I’m not big on assembling things either .. well done Chloe πŸ˜€

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