I did my first photo shoot today in my new studio. To say it was exciting would be an understatement. Every time I enter the space, I smile and feel lifted and occasionally want to clap my hands like a toddler who just learned a new word or basic life skill. It’s exciting at that deep level that makes me feel like I’m going to burst. I felt that way already and then I styled and shot my first furniture makeover in the space. Then the joy went to a new level.
I love my new space. I feel so free, unleashed, motivated, driven, focused and like the sky’s the limit…more than I have felt in several months. I don’t think I realized how limited I felt in my house and how much I needed a space. I bet a lot of you saw that more than I did, but I just got used to everything being wedged, cramped, cluttered and chronically disorganized. And that was stifling creativity and productivity. I would reorganize or take over another part of the house, but that would only ease the symptoms. It didn’t address the problem.
So, I was filled with gratitude and “pinch-me” moments as I worked on my first photo shoot in the space today.
Here’s the piece I was photographing…
This is the piece Kriste’s husband picked up at a yard sale for $10. They want to use it as a TV cabinet. It was cute, but Kriste really like whites and neutrals, so she wanted it to be white, but she also wanted to retain some of the chippiness and wear of the piece.
I first painted it in MMSMP Trophy followed by two coats of Ironstone. I applied Vaseline between the coats of Trophy and Ironstone, so some of the gray would show through.
I also replaced the hardware with white milk glass pulls and a white knob.
We had to put a new magnetic catch on the door to keep it closed. It’s a little warped, but hey…it was $10!
The original casters were in one of the drawers, so I cleaned them up and put them back on. I love old casters on a piece.
I styled the shoot with some random pieces of ironstone, some blue & white tea towels, Bakelite knives and the vintage storybook bunting I made a few weeks ago.
I found those blue & white ironstone bowls when Kriste and I were last out shopping. I snapped them up immediately!
The light in the new space was so pretty that I just kept snapping pictures.
I’m like a kid with a new toy…I can’t wait until tomorrow.
I am so excited for you in your new space! Thank you for bringing us all along for the ride! Rejoicing with you!
As a creative lady I just feel your joy. I am sure it is almost dreamlike at this point. I imagine you feel like you can breathe again! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
Congratulations! I completely feel your joy!
I’ve been looking for a workspace myself and thought I had found one but it didn’t work out so the quest continues. I am finding it increasingly difficult to work out of my house.
This is a first – to open your page and music starts playing (from a surprisingly suggestive Guess ad/video) 🙁
On a happy note though, I am thrilled for you in your new space! Room to spread your wings, how very wonderful!
Ah, I know. It scared me earlier today as it started blaring at me. I e-mailed my tech guy to see if there’s a way we can turn it off. Sorry about it! I don’t like those ads, either.
Hi. Did you use a base coat? What kind of top coat? I just bought one of these at an auction and I love the colors on this one! My base color is cream right now. I also have a matching enamel top table. Call me a hoarder! What great natural light! And yes, the music from the ads is playing on my pc too…
What a dream come true Marion – so thrilled for you !
And that turned out just beautiful btw !
xoxo
What a great first project for your new space! I’m so excited for you, it’s been such an inspiration to see how far you’ve come from your countertop :). I can’t wait to see what’s next?
Is the slot in the cabinet probably where a pull-out cutting board used to be? Just wondering. I like to think about how old pieces were used.
It’s probably a feng shui thing with your new place. I think places for designated activities give us bad vibes when they’re not used for what they were designed or intended. My parents owned a small business and it was located on the same property as our family home. I loved my home, but I really loved all the possibilities and activity when I walked into the shop. I think my mother did too. There’ was so much always going on at home, but the shop was dedicated to creativity and in the midst of the activity there was order and purpose and a sense of pride and accomplishment as finished products went out the door. I get a hint of that feeling whenever I walk into a hardware or fabric or art store. Oh! the possibilities!
I too get that feeling at a hardware or art supply store. Do you love the smell of sawdust or of a new box of crayons as well?
Beautiful! My grandmother had those blue bowls when I was growing up.. Wonder what happened to hers. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
You truly inspire me 🙂
A quick question about using Vaseline. So you have some spread on the piece. When you run the brush over it (which I am assuming you do) doesn’t it smear and get all gooped up in your brush?
Love it! Had you sold your house you might not have had this fun space…Funny how things work out, huh? God is good!
No FFF?
Ah! I was so busy with my studio that I totally forgot about it!
So happy for you.Ah the American dream is alive and well! II’ driving 1 hour away to purchase your look book.Can not wait to get a copy. Word for the day ,SOAR. Marian you are doing just that.
Very cute piece!!
Well praise.the.Lord! Just couldn’t be happier for you! I’m excited too…I am living vicariously through your adventure :-). LOVE seeing the shots of your new studio…so pretty.
Marion I have to agree the place is superb! and like Beth, I too am living vicariously through your adventure. I am green with envy…I can safely say there are more than me….hmmm maybe a new green color name! Lol.
That wonderful little cabinet is the base section of a Hoosier cabinet. (The top is missing) A cutting board used to fit into the little slot. It’s likely that the woman who had it in her kitchen years ago has “done gone on” (as Johnny Cash would say) but I think she’d be happy to see how beautiful it looks – especially in your sunny, happy new space!
Hello there MMS !!
Very happy for you, and your new digs. I just have a question about the pennants in the picture. Did you make those? Are they pictures cut out of a child’s book? They are very happy looking.
Thanks Julie
You sound so happy, Marian! I am glad everything is working out with your new studio.
Oh, and I like white, too. That’s a great looking little cabinet for Kriste!
The piece looks great and can’t wait to learn more about the new spaces. We get the benefits of your refreshed creativity!
I have just loved looking at you arre doing each day and see what you have put together and how everything is coming along in your new space. I continue to watch every day and marvel at your accomplishments! You make it seem like so much fun.
Love the cabinet Marion. So happy for your new space and I’m sure it will bring you much Joy. I was happy to see this picture which includes the little flags. I’m been telling my daughter about them but couldn’t remember where I had seen them. Is there a specific blog entry about them. I’d love for my daughter to have a closer look. I always enjoy your blog and look forward to it. Thanks
Marian: As you can tell from the daily comments, you have made it possible for all of us to enjoy this gift from God. It’s as if each day you are blossoming before our eyes. Your enthusiasm is contagious. We can all appreciate what it is to have a dedicated space to be creative and have your palette all around you. I look forward to another day with MMS!!!!
TGBTG
I have to tell you why I like your blog. It is because it involves your family. Your husband, your mother mom, and now Kristen and even her husband. It’s no huge corporation- it’s just you and friends and family pitching in when work needs done. Someday I hope to travel to see your store.
Love the cabinet….I didn’t even recognize it …..
I knew you would love having a studio away from the home….but I warn you now…you THINK it’s big now…but give it several months and you will find that you need a LARGER space 🙂
Have fun!
It’s true, Marian, that I had noticed that you seemed to be in a funk – actually a bit worried about you! But I knew you would figure it out, and then the sun came out for you! Don’t know how you managed with all that ‘stuff’ in your house, but now that it has its own home, it’s like being freed!. I know the feelings well, being a collector myself Best of luck and happiness in your new studio – it already looks GREAT!
Love your new space and can hardly wait to see what all you will do with the space. Kristie’s piece turned out really great. Marion, I have a question, May I go antiquing with you and Kristie?
Your new space is so perfect for you in every way! I feel you will stay there even when you find your dream farm sometime in the future.
Kriste’s cabinet looks terrific. Her husband gets kudos!
I read every post, but don’t comment often. Just had to say, “Good for you!!” You deserve this so much and this space is such a blessing. SO perfect for creating!! Sharing in your excitement from the sidelines. 🙂 XO
I’m so excited for you! Can’t wait to read more tomorrow!
In case anyone else is looking for the little flag post, it ‘s “Children ‘s Book Bunting” 6/20/14. No old and torn children’s book has been safe at my thrift store since I read that post, Marian ! I have bought my favorites (Pooh, nature, Bible stories, Disney) and trimmed the edges with German glass glitter. So adorable and gives new life to these sweet images.
Marian, a few weeks back, I responded to your post about taking your house off the market and having faith that the right thing would be offered to you. I said then, that no amount of marketing, no price reduction, no highly-qualified realtor could cause your house to sell if it wasn’t meant to be. Isn’t it just the best thing when the failure of “our” plan opens the door for the better plan? Isn’t it fabulous to see how the puzzle pieces fell into place just when we thought the whole thing had crumbled? Now you know why your house didn’t sell, and the inspiring and envigorating studio/work space was the perfect solution all along! Congratulations!!!
I’m so glad for you. It’s like God said no to selling your house and moving to a new house but gave you this great studio to fill that void right now. Plus it’s what you really needed. God is so good. I can’t wait to see all the projects you get done there and get things ready for Chapel Market. (Which I can’t wait for! I’ll be there again only this time I’ll get there way earlier). I look forward to your progress.
Celebrating with you! Your enthusiasm is contagious!! Oh, and so loving that pieces – colors are perrrrrrfect!! I love your blog!
I like what you did to the cabinet, but I like the old hardware better. The new knobs seem lost to me, but that’s just my thing.
Love, love, love your new space! Congratulations on finding the perfect spot for your work! 🙂
Good deal on the piece looks like a Hoosier bottom.. Like the white
Marion, It does look like a Hoosier Cabinet to me as well. I have seen a Hoosier Cabinet
that was not as wide as a traditional Hoosier Cabinet so this might be the ticket here. I bought a painted white Hoosier back in ’81 and removed the paint. I think today I might have left the paint. Anyway, we needed counter space so my husband built a box and set it on it to make
it counter height. Perfect. It has a date of 1920 somewhere on it………..A Hoosier Cabinet can
be anything you want it to be……….I have seen one with a sink built into the cabinet.
I love everything you do and follow your inspiration each day, So happy you have a new space, but with the video ads, etc., I cannot connect as well as before, so I can’t read what you are doing and keep up as much. Don’t know if this is a problem for others living where we cannot get a fast internet connection.
Sorry about that! I blocked the video ads that were being so annoying last week. The only ones I see how are not on auto play..