The night has come, the kids are (hopefully) tucked quietly in bed…time to plop on my corner of the comfy couch, prop my feet up and relax. The lights are dim, dessert in hand, I look up towards the TV, grateful for a moment’s peace. My eyes drift left.
To the left of our wall-hung TV, is the open doorway to the art room, my art desk and wall of materials directly in view. The walls are a sage-y green, dirtied over the years, and there is a lot of stuff in there…I mean a lot. I try to organize, simplify, de-clutter…but where, oh where, am I to put all my art supplies, framed paintings, good frames and boards just waiting to be used? Not to mention the (albeit cute) Pottery Barn alphabet cards the previous owners GLUED to the wall (hear my displeasure due to scraping off glue atop a ladder) as a high wall border. This everyday sight got under my New Year’s skin.
Art room before the big painting party
As the year ended and 2013 approached, with my normally busy schedule on the back burner, I took the opportunity to update my art room. My 7-year-old and I trucked off to Lowe’s with a couple of oyster shells to choose just the right shade of light gray. As my mother will tell you, I’m not one for testing paint colors first, or for bringing home options. Nope…just give me the gallon and I’ll jump right in. Luckily my decision worked out. The walls are now clean, fresh and bright.
Art room reborn!
With an 8-month-old playing freely in the den, I had to shove and pile all my art things around the room to get to the walls, instead of moving them out. It was quite a show:
Pile 1
Pile 2…yikes
But in the end, it all came together! As I placed my “treasures” back in their places, I was reminded of a much-loved quote, and an inspiration to my constant purging of our tiny house to keep things in order:
“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” –William Morris
Here are “a few of my favorite things” (cue Sound of Music song):
Little bird, oyster shells & my husband’s pottery in the window
Grandfather’s old leather pouch containing oil paints
Grandfather’s OLD and awesome coffee can with my brushes
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