We've Moved

Photo from Scarlet Beautiful on Etsy

My bags are all packed and I have officially moved to  angelaflicker.com

Come pay me a visit.

This Moment

Because people, smiles, and laughter, more than anything else, is truly what makes a house a home, here's this week "this moment"...

"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember." -SouleMama

Real Before and After Pictures - My New Office

Did you like the before and after pictures I posted earlier today? 

I love cracking myself up, often left alone to laugh at my own jokes.  He, he, he.

Here are the real before and after pictures of my new office, our new painted walls, and newly refinished hard wood floors.  What do you think?

Before

 

After...

 

Living Room

A place to put on shoes

Dinning Room

Hallway

Walking into my office, off the living room

A place to sit and think

This picture is titled "She was always prepared for what she suspected might be just around the corner" by Lisa Kattenbraker

Here are the pull down blinds for the french doors --will hang soon.  This will help give privacy like I mentioned in "Create a Space that Works for You".

My HUGE work space!

More storage

I love adding details like this to spaces, details that help the space shine just a hint more than it would without them.

More details

More storage and organization

When creating a space that works for you, think about how you can hide practical pieces like this functional, magnetic curtain rod, which is being used to hold my quilt tops.

The french doors look into the living room

I might need to lock you all out now, I have a lot of work to get done ;)

To see more, follow these links to see our home's exterior, our back yard, Monet's bedroom and our bathroom.

Thanks for taking a tour through our newly renovated home.  What do you think?  

Before and After Pictures - My New Office

Before

And after...

So what do you think?  Was my remodel a success?  He, he, he. 

Create a Space That Works For You

OWWIE aceo print by Boopsie Daisy's Etsy Shop

I'm pretty sure sharp scissors, hot irons, needles, and craft glue are not the wisest toys for a baby. It was this, plus many other factors, which prompted our last home renovation project. And in the midst of chaos and destruction, I realized that the most important step in a home renovation project, is to create a space that works for you, a space that solves the problems you are encountering day to day. Let me explain...

My old office space was completely out in the open, right off the living room, in the midst of all the day-to-day action. Along with not being a safe place for Monet to play, it was also too loud for me to focus. Often my daughter Monet would throw fits because she could see me when Daddy was watching her. These were just a few of the problems I was encountering in my "work space" and so we decided to embark on a home renovation project by first creating a list of problems and frustrations, and then brainstorming practical solutions to these problems.

The solutions to my problems were quite simple. For example, french doors with pull down blinds now provide privacy, a quiet space for me to work, and safety for Monet, at the same time not closing that space off too much for future home buyers who might like the open floor plan that is so popular in homes today. Other solutions included buying a large table for me to spread out on, keeping me off our dinning table and keeping my mess in a confined space with a door. Along with that, we found the perfect storage unit with open shelves to hold the many projects I'm always working on; add in a few bars here and there to hang my quilts on and voila, my space issues have been answered. We continued this process through the remodel, solving many problems, and as a result I now have both a beautiful and functional workspace.

This is the art of making a house a home, creating a space that is not just sentimental and pleasing to the eye, but also a space that is functional and realistic, a space that allows both you and your family to live comfortably. And so I advise, before you pick up a hammer or a paintbrush on your next home renovation project, first brainstorm the problems and find solutions for the space you're renovating, aesthetics coming second not first.

No matter how big or small a home project is, always make sure you are creating a space that works for you, a space that is solving the day to day problems you are encountering in that space previous to the remodel. If you're not careful, to consider this important home renovation tip, you might just be creating a prettier space with the same problems.

(Note:  The french doors need another coat of varnish, and a few more items still need to be hung, before and after pictures coming soon...)
 

Search Amazon.com for home office solutions; creating the space that works for you

Get Back to Work

Still In Motion Photography & Crafts by Amanda Rattigan

While it's important to let chaos and change have it's time and place, I do believe that routine is important for getting stuff done.  And so today I am so thrilled to report that I'm back to work after being absent for the past two and a half weeks.  Most of our house remodel project is done.  I will most certainly be sharing before and after photos with you in the near future.  I also had the opportunity to spend two weeks in Illinois, where I visited my entire family whom I rarely see.  I had a wonderful time; tears come to my eyes as I sit here and miss them.  Yet, I am so excited to be in my new studio today.  Like a kid in a candy store, I can't help myself, I must get my hands on some fabric and start sewing. 

Be Patient During the Chaos

Are you in a position of comfort and routine?  What a dream!?  I bet you're tempted to stay there right?  Yet, have you considered what a little chaos might add to your life?  Let me explain...

My house is in complete and utter disarray.  That's right, "The Artists' House" looks more like the inside of a storage unit than anything else these days...

The reason being that we are currently remodeling three rooms in our small six room home: refinishing original wood floors, creating a studio slash office space for me, and repainting 2/3 of the house's interior.  And while this project was my idea, chaos like this goes against every bone in my body.  My personality demands control, order, and routine; unfortunately my life could not be further from that right now.

Yet, in a couple days when this "little" project is all said and done, the results will absolutely be worth the chaos it took to achieve what I know will be a beautiful space.  

This really got me thinking beyond my home, and instead about the things I create everyday.  Often when I step out of the daily routine of what's comfortable, both me and my work grow and evolve.  And even though it's more comfortable to keep creating things that are familiar, I think it's important to step out and try new techniques, ideas, and inspirations within the realm of one's work. 

Are you too comfortable?  Where do you need to step out of your comfort zone to achieve something beautiful?  The results might surprise you, as long as you can be patient during the chaos. 

Well, its back to work for me.  The bucket of paint and brush are screaming my name....

I'll be back in a week!

While I truly enjoy making a house a home in Utah, I'm actually from Illinois and currently visiting family there.  I'll miss you while I'm gone.  See you in a week!

  

Has Art Ever Spoken to You?

Determined by Lisa Kattenbraker

Has art ever spoken to you?  You know, the image literally jumps off the page and speaks directly to you and your life experiences; tugs on your heart strings and causes some weird water like substance to fall from your eyes?  Have you ever had this experience?  

I'm happy to say that I have had this experience, most recently this past week when my husband and I attended the Utah Arts Festival in Salt Lake City.  Here I met Lisa Kattenbraker and most instantly fell in love with both her, her work, and the medium of batik.  You can follow this link to learn more about batik or to see more of Lisa's new work.

The print above is the image I purchased for my new studio slash office, which is being remodeled by my wonderful husband as we speak.  The piece is titled She was always prepared for what she suspected might be just around the corner.  This is the image that brought tears to my eyes as my baby screamed and my husband kindly asked me to "just pick one already."  

What a hopeful and inspiring message.  I can't wait to hang this beautiful masterpiece, so that everyday, happy or gray, it can speak to me again, and tell me my future.  

Has art ever spoken to you?  What did it say?

You Just Need to Change the Lightbulb

This awesome photo came from Etsy artist Lense Cat

Have you ever had a light-bulb experience?  You know the kind; where you come up with this amazing idea and you can visualize it perfectly in your head.  Your excitement and energy soars and you spend hours, maybe even days, creating this "light-bulb idea" just to have the final finished product be, well not exactly a masterpiece?

This has happened to every creative soul out there, don't be discouraged.  And while in all honesty I too have found this terribly discouraging, I now realize this is called "the creative process".  Most artists never create a masterpiece on their first try.  Often this "light-bulb idea", if fostered, continues down a path, taking turns here and there.  It took me a while to learn this, and once I did I noticed that my work grew over time and got better.

Let's think about this light-bulb analogy again.  Have you ever had a room where when you go to turn on the light, your anticipating something, maybe a bright glow.  You flip the switch only to be disappointed; instead the room is too dull and maybe a bit dreary.  If you have the wrong wattage bulb the light is not going to do it's job; it's going to make the room either too bright and florescent, or too dark.  The room might be fine, really beautiful actually, but if the light is wrong, the feel of the whole room suffers.

And so in this example, should we throw out the entire room?  No, that's absurd.  The same might be said for your "light-bulb idea".  Don't scrap the idea.  Rather, play with the wattage.  Maybe you just need to change a light-bulb and soon your idea will shine!