Where This Blogger Creates

I've been waiting for today for a long time... after visiting and re-visiting (and yes, even re-re-visiting) all the beautiful blogs from last year's "Where Bloggers Create 2011", I have been anxiously awaiting 2012's Where Bloggers Create party so I can play along too!

Oh and what's a party without a special surprise? Details await you at the end of the post.

Be warned... there are a TON of images, but not a lot of text ;)  As always, click on them to biggify.

My basement refuge studio is mere 10' X 14' but is packed with old wood, tarnished silver, lovely lace and rusty goodness; some pieces dating back to the late 1800s. It's my favorite place to create with my furry companions to keep me company. Because the room has just a single small window, some of these pictures are on the dark side; however it is much brighter to work in than my camera reveals. I'll start today's tour with the main desk on the North wall and go clockwise around the studio:

View from the couch across the room

My main desk

Lots of room to spread out; my laptop resides here when I'm not creating

A closer look at my desktop:
I love to use a variety of old tarnished silver to store brushes, pencils, scissors...

My thrift-store bunny keeps me company!

An 1894 Diem and Wing order form -
the paper company inscribed on my 5 drawer cabinet under this watchmaker's cabinet

A peek inside my desktop cabinets that keep all my teenie embellies and supplies handy

Wooden sheep, brass and wood ruler and calipers,
Victorian clip, hook and card holder and some framed antique keys

Antique paper cutter dispenses paper towels to the left of the main desk

Shelves over desk store Copic refills, chalks, pastels and more crafting tools
An antique sad iron makes a great bookend!

Vintage art and office supplies - the Savabrush cleaner is from 1915

Bulletin boards with vintage postcards

1895 calendar

Stamps in vintage printers trays, mirror tray with silver,
china and antique door knobs

Old Kraft cheese box holds my ATC cards and sleeves just right

My sewing and stamping desk to the right of my main desk

Small ink pad storage with vintage toy Singer sewing machine on top

One of my favorites... an uber-cute antique copper and velvet squirrel pincushion

A vintage wooden cassette tape holder is perfect to store distress inks!
Old watch parts and antique keys in my Queen Elizabeth II teacup and saucer

Antique writing vignette - including my 1939 copy of "Gone With The Wind"
and an 1869 edition of "Typical Selections from English Authors"

Glitter and embossing powders in a variety of salt and pepper shakers

Glitter close up

My home-made cabinet with it's new facelift
(wood drawer fronts cover the clear plastic Sterlite drawers)

12 X 12 paper rack I got from an LSS that closed down

Antique Putz sheep, Victorian photo album, frame, jar and 2 old scales

My candlestick phone (circa 1908) and vintage game pieces

Breadbox open; a perfect place to store my handmade cards

Seating area across the room from the main desk

Clock and a shelf I made using Victorian cast iron brackets

Antique lantern, wedding tray and a silver tray used as a magnet board
Of course, the "Lady of the Studio" looks on

I found this sheep in the basement of a flower shop out of town
A cow and goat bell accompany him atop a wicker suitcase

West wall: well, I need some kind of entertainment whilst creating!
The authentic Union Jack flag is 75 years old

Coke case is perfect to display a few tiny knick knacks

Shelves and cutting station: My Cuttlebug and Cricket (and a few birdcages...)

Punches, flowers, lace and stamps in binders

Antique chocolate box with thrift store lace

Two of my birdcages with my recently-created bird picture

Birdcage from the UK, folding ruler, plant in old cookie jar

Scrabble tile magnets

Cards, plate, vintage figurines and flower frog

Plate inscribed on the back: "To Mrs Bell, Merry Xmas From Flossie 1905"

Vintage postcards in cast iron holder from 1880s

My Supervisor: Dakotah QC, ORT
(Quality Control and Official Ribbon Thief)
She hopes you have enjoyed your visit

Believe it or not, there are even MORE photos in this slideshow at Flickr. So if you're not too bored to tears tired, click below for the complete set of 80+ images. If you are using a browser that doesn't support Flash (iPad), or if you want to view them full screen with complete descriptions, click HERE to view them on Flickr:





I love to virtually "walk" through other's creative spaces, so I can't wait to visit all the other participants in this year's party! I hope you enjoyed your tour through mine.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the extremely talented and hard-working Karen over at My Desert Cottage. Thank you Karen! I am so grateful for allowing me to join the party for the very first time!

To express my sincere gratitude to all of you, I have put together a special GIFT package

including a silver tray, crocheted doily, three lace borders, four vintage Bingo cards, four small embellies (3 ribbon bows and a metal crown), two salt and pepper shakers (for your very own glitter!), a vintage piece of velvet with shell artwork (I removed from a frame for a recent project), the Scrabble tiles you see here, and

the two Queen Anne Fine Bone China teenie tiny cream and sugar! I can just imagine what little treasures these can hold for you in your own creative space. Of course this card made by myself will be in the package to you as well.

How can you win it? Well, if you would be so kind as to leave a comment and Follow Victorian Studio, your name will be in a random draw to be held Friday, August 31st, 2012. One lucky name will receive all the goodies above. Good luck!

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