Friday, December 9, 2011

Mission

You will notice that I've added a brief blurb about Meandering Design. Trying to encapsulate what Meandering Design means to me was a bit challenging. I hope that I have summed it up. If you have any thoughts please let me know. 

Friday, December 2, 2011

Space

I have been blessed with a second bedroom that I can use as a workspace. It is one of my favorite rooms in my apartment. Initially when I moved back home I was not sure about the color that my sublettors had chosen, but I decided to live with it for a little bit. Eventually I decided to leave it on the walls and I am glad that I did because it is not a color I would have chosen, but it has worked with everything I have added to the room.

My cousin was in town for thanksgiving and offered to help bring an old school locker that I had bought almost four years ago and was storing at my grandparents to my apartment. Thank goodness he did because old school lockers are made out of steel and they are very very heavy. I rearranged the room and now I have a workplace, a spot to curl up with a cup of tea and storage.  I have a couple of things to frame and hang against the wall next to Mrs. Palmer because that wall is a bit bare. I am also going to get the French Victorian chair reupholstered. My attempts at upholstering were an epic failure.

This is the storage locker and Mrs. Palmer with her fabulous new fascinator. I may have to borrow it from her. Yes, I will wear it out in public. 

This is the corner that will get some pictures hung on it. The desk and chair was "loaned" to me from my grandfather. It is from the 1930's and he pulled it out of a building in Chicago that they were about to tear down. 

I like this shot because you can see the Matryoshka dolls hanging out on the windowsill. 

The top of my locker. I love this collection of things. The print of the woman gazing out into the distance is called "Expectations" and I bought it at Josie's Antiques outside of DeKalb, Il years ago. The other print is by an artist who's name currently escapes me. The round bit of embroidery is a kit from Wool & Hoop Crewel. The little enamel orange clock is also from Josie's Antiques. It  does not work and I do not mind. The wee Kewpie dolls are naked, except they wear little animal hats. They are ridiculous and I love them. The round metal thing is actually a hat form that I found at Salvage One years ago. 

To the left is my French Victorian chair that is in need of some love. Another find from Josie's Antiques. Right behind the chair are a couple of old mason jars that are full of buttons. I can never pass up buttons at antiques stores. Give me a jar of buttons and I will be happy for months! The curtain hanging in the back left is also from Josie's (it is a little difficult to see in this picture). The picture frame (yet another Josie's find) is from the late 1800's and it used to hold a class photo, but I replaced it with a copy of my star chart. Yes, there is a star named after me. Below the star is one of the theatre seats from the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb. 


The rug I found in Turkey and is hand dyed and made out of camel hair. Hiding to the left of the chair is a turtle footstool that my mother got for me at a garage sale over ten years ago. He holds my magazines and tea for me while I sit in my chair.

What you do not see is the chaos that is hiding behind the curtain. In the closet are piles of fabric, sewing supplies, sewing machines, the ironing board and bins filled with all the bits and bobs I use. The locker holds crafting supplies as well, but it is starting to get filled up with some final products.

Looking around this room I realize the reason I love it so much is because everything in it has a story. From the items I have found to the small gifts that people have given me, or the large ones they have lent me, the room is full of history.  It is this history that I want to incorporate into Meandering Design.