
Ugh, Monday morning!
I’m not usually all “ugh, Monday morning!” but today was an exception. By 8am I made tea, took the garbage out, let in the house the The Rug Cleaning Company in Perth, moved furniture out of their way, and realised that not only were they going to make a racket with their shampooing machines and hoses, but the lawn service came next door and fired up their trimmers, mowers, blowers and all the other __owers they had. And then the garbage, recycling and green recycling trucks started their systematic beep-beeping reverse back lane pick up.
And I realised Kerstin left me a dozen scrubby organic limes. I don’t like the taste of limes very much and have no idea what to do with them.
There was only one thing for it: go hide in my loft studio.
I call it a studio because it sounds nice to me, and it is my studio, but it’s also my office, my writing room, sewing room, craft room, and storage for photo props, equipment and Binky and Bunny’s toys, and, it was a mess.
The thing is, this is my space, only mine, and no one is really welcome up here when I’m working, especially in this studio half, except with permission. So I decided that I should probably invest in myself a little and clean my space up. This decision was helped along beautifully by my friend Julie who wrote the loveliest manifesto, who in turn linked to this interesting girl, Gillian. So I cleaned up one half of the loft/office/studio.
This is the half of the loft where the skylight makes for the best light to paint and so this is the studio half. In it are three great big desks and a large table. An easel which holds big canvases usually stands in the middle but is foldable and slips behind the roll top desk.
I pulled out this inspiration board I made in 2009. It’s funny, mainly because I change the images I have around me so often, but this board still makes me happy. I still like to look at it. I wonder why I hide these things away. This one will stay out for a while now so I can look at it, but at the same time, I feel like making a new one. Haven’t made one in several years and I used to made them quite often. Anyone make inspiration boards out there anymore? I hope so.
Here’s a little collage of the desks and table tops. Top left clockwise, nice things to play with inside the cubbies of the roll top desk to distract me from paying bills…lol, the French easel set up for use on the art table (it took me forever to sort out the pencils, pens, brushes, etc. I’m telling you right now, put things back where they belong after use, you’ll thank me later!), Fred the frog on my writing desk (he makes sure he looks stern so I write and don’t fool around, and here is the little owl which C made for me beside a fossil bowl full of iron pyrite and vintage lead and wooden stamps. For some reason I have a lot of iron pyrite around. I’m really drawn to it. I wonder what that means. (My grandmother always said I’m part magpie and she was probably right about that.)
The roll top desk is where I pay bills, keep track of expenses, deal with business correspondence and calculate taxes, you know, all the yucky life stuff. And speaking of taxes, I guess I better get back to work. I’ll clean up and photograph the set/sewing/storage/craft part of the loft in a day or two. (when I get it looking presentable) 🙂
I know I’m dreadfully and very unfashionably late but would still like to link up to Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Mondays because it’s a treat to visit as many of the gals as I can. In the meantime, anyone got any ideas what to do with a dozen scrubby looking organic limes? (No, I don’t drink margaritas, mojitos, daiquiris or cosmos.) 🙂
Kate North
lime sorbet? Not perhaps a lot of help if you don’t like the flavour of limes…
Veronica
Hi Kate, lime sorbet sounds ideal because it will wait for Kerstie to get back. She loves the taste. Thank you. 🙂
Sabra Bowers
Just enjoy the look of them in a bowl. I like a slice in water instead of lemon, but I hear that you don’t like the taste, so just enjoy the color. I liked seeing your studio. A friend had a loft studio and their was a little secret bedroom up there. A part of the wall moved and opened up this tiny room…a single bed and dresser was all…with a little window. One entire end of her loft was glass and it looked out on her backyard, but since the loft was high, it looked out on huge trees and it felt like being in a treehouse. Lofts are marvelous.
Veronica
Oh Sabra, now I want to wall up a part and have a secret bedroom in there too! One of the three huge Victorians across the back lane has a glassed part like that which looks out to the south, over the city. Sometimes I feel like selling the craftsman and moving to a Victorian but the kids have said that they absolutely refuse to dismantle the desks and move them ever again and I can’t live without my desks, so I guess I’m stuck here…lol. 🙂
Diana Taylor
What a lovely space you have – it looks so inviting and cosy – I have a dose of studio-envy!
Veronica
Hello Diane, thank you for stopping by. 🙂 I see you live in Hampshire. I’m in Oxfordshire when I’m in England, not too far away, so howdy neighbour. 🙂 Thanks for leaving your addy because now I can come visit you.
Jo
Lime cookie bars – the delicate flavor of limes is divine.
Veronica
Ooo Jo, lime cookie bars sound all yummy and sweet and not to lime-sharp. Now I want to make them! 🙂
Catherine Llewellyn
limes are good sliced and cooked inside fresh trout xx
Veronica
Ooo, Catherine, great idea. Not sure why I keep thinking sweet with limes. I’m so going to do that. 🙂
Sara v
Hi Veronica–kudos on cleaning up your space–it looks lovely!! I had a clean space but I have a lot of invoice/document scanning to do, so it’s not looking so wonderful right now–limes–I LOVE limes! a slice in water or Land Shark beer, Corona…seriously though, how about a Key Lime Pie?!! or making a lemon meringue pie with limes? Lovely, yum city–you can thank me later 😉
Veronica
Lol Sara, Corona! It’s a classic! 🙂 Thanking you now. 🙂
Diane
Oh how I love your room! It’s always nice to see where others here in the blogging world spend their daily hours. Your space is cozy and has a warmth to it. Oh, and I adore the Corona too!
Veronica
🙂 Diane. Let’s see, 12 limes = 48 quarter wedges = 48 Coronas = PARTY! Love it.
Pondside
A space of your own – it looks lovely!
Veronica
Thank you Pondside, 🙂 I hope all us girls can have a space of our own. So important.
Mary Howell Cromer
Your little work space looks so welcoming…just the right amount of light and room needed to call your own!
Veronica
Thank you so much Mary, it’s true, it’s a magical little space. 🙂
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Astrid
I LOVE your loft! What a wonderful place to hide away! I just made lemon “brownies”, maybe next time I’ll try lime instead… yum.
Veronica
Hi Astrid, lemon brownies! Wow, those sound fantastic. 🙂