Where Bloggers Create, 2012

Have you been enjoying visiting the craft rooms of the women Where Bloggers Create, 2012 at Karen Valentine's, My Desert Cottage? I don't believe my head found rest upon my pillow until the small morning hours. I so wanted to visit just one more place of inspiration.

To share your creative space is to wear your heart on your sleeve. A glimpse into the core of your true personality and how it finds it's way into your art. The hope for acceptance, the hope for inclusion.

This is the doorway to my heart. This is the way to Creative Breathing.

It all began for me with a Bluebird. An image chosen for my Profile has become the symbol of my blog. I hoped from the very beginning to create a blog that would capture in words and images the way I feel when I look at this sweet vintage Valentine.

If you should peek into my craft room, I hope my Anniversary Hoosier will make you smile. I know it does me each and every time I enter this space.  Found tucked away in an antique mall just waiting for me to pass by, a telephone call to my husband, a delivery the very same day.

There is always a holiday to celebrate in my craft room. The shelves of my Hoosier teem with the chatter of characters busily planning their own special day. When it's their turn, they appear front and center on the large expanse of enamel gleaming like a polished dance floor.

If it can be said that the Hoosier shelves belong to my characters,

it's drawers belong to mE! On this, I stand FIRM! There would be no Craft Room Characters if there were no pipe cleaner stems.

I am a prolific crafter and can barely keep my craft room stocked with supplies. I never thought I would be a person who could run out of orange pipe cleaner stems, but apparently I am. I only need this inside space of the bottom of my cupboard to hold my paper.

I am a Use What's on Hand kind of girl; so a happy pie box holds yarn to make pom pom birds, a scrapbook binder to hold my patterns.

My Pattern binder is my crafting bible. A day does not end that I haven't pulled it out to retrieve or return a pattern to it's place. I love that one character will inspire another.

Tucked alongside my Hoosier is a pink dolls cupboard that has seen it's better day, but is just the place to hold crafting supplies used most frequently.

Every creative person needs a special spot to sit and ponder. Mine is a porch rocker under a beloved Christmas movie poster. It's colors and theme set an every day holiday mood.

Pillows for comfort, the Heart of Ohio a gift from the sweetest of blogging friends, Renee of My Vintage Mending . The afghan was made by Twyla of Two Crazy Crafters.

A lampshade I embroidered to read beneath, a little chef shaker tassel to remind me of my daughter's culinary days. Girl Friday? A signature tag line seen in my paper art.

A most frivolous purchase that had to be made, a battered red magazine rack for my Go-to issues of Mary Englebreit's Home Companion.

Also red and so special to me, is this peg rack that holds so many of the tags of women who have been kind enough to share their paper art with me as well as their friendship. Smiling here, this peg rack always does this for me.

Another surface for displaying cute, a "borrowed" trellis to change with the seasons. Ribbon used most frequently is kept in these three plastic jars.

A banner from Holly, Cutie Pie Cottage for the Friendship Garland I will hang to remind me of the women who most inspire me in this special place.

A top drawer contains my most used crafting supply, woolfelt from Joggles. A page from my pattern book lets me know whose presence is required next for holiday entertaining.

A second drawer contains vintage crafting elements, a third drawer Styrofoam and Paper Clay, a fourth shipping supplies.

I so enjoy looking at every single small detail of my own craft heroes, I do hope you are enjoying looking at the many details of my own creative space. The little canning jars will be Button Keeps for every month. I hope the readers of my blog will join in the fun of creating twelve different toppers and share them with us all.

Kept on the bottom shelf of this bookcase, a moment of silence please, are the familiar spines of the most wonderful magazine every published. What a joy Mary Englebreit has been to so many of our lives.

Nearing the homestretch now, a beloved craft desk with a view. A view of the wonderful Pennsylvania Dutch painted Hoosier and leafy Norwegian Maple brilliantly colored in the fall just over my shoulder. I love this space, I truly am my most happy self here. There are leaves on both sides of the table should more room be needed. The little oval table holds extra supplies as I work.

I create most effectively within the confines of a small space. It helps me to see the familiar in new ways. My crafting tools are basic and minimal in the hopes of demonstrating that creativity is not hampered by limited access to new supplies.

A Santa in July? His cheery presence can be felt throughout my crafting space.

His favorite color, mine as well.

A final corner cupboard holds finished crafts for Giveaways and for sale.

A ME style container holds vintage greeting cards. Their nostalgic graphics inspire my work.

A spice rack makeover keeps small items neat and tidy on the last wall spot available, hung just above the cutest squirrel bookcase ever.

We have finally made our way back to where it all began. A Bluebird cute as can be, Creative Breathing a place I am so happy to share.

Thank you very much Karen for the opportunity to participate in this wonderful exchange of creativity.