Behind the Scenes

I'll admit it: I'm a nosy person. When I see these pictures in home magazines of meticulous living rooms and bathrooms I am dying of curiosity about what they REALLY look like (you know, because people actually live there). I love getting to look behind the scenes of my favorite movies and TV shows and see what the actresses and actors are eating for lunch or reading in their trailers.  And don't get me wrong, I love looking on Pinterest at beautiful, clean art studios and work spaces for inspiration.  But I can't help but wonder what those spaces looked like before they were cleaned up and organized for a photo shoot.

We all know that creative work is usually far from a tidy process!  I don't think there is anything wrong with pictures of gleaming white work rooms and nary a paint splatter , but I'm also a fan of reality; sometimes it feels good to know that not everyone is operating in a Pinterest-esque world!

So anyway, I wanted to share a couple of pictures with you of my desks, as well as some works in progress and what is usually going on in my "studio" (read: tiny unfinished room on stilts on the side of our apartment).  I didn't provide an "overview" shot because the angles are a little weird and it's hard to get everything in there.  Basically just imagine boxes and boxes of sheet music plus an old CPU doubling as a shelf.

Necklaces in different states of construction, baggies of cut sheet music, and misc. tools.  I know exactly where everything is though!

These guys just need their clasps and then they will be done!  I ran out of the clasps I like for this style, so the necklaces will hang out on my desk til my new supplies come in.  Then I'll photograph them, box them up, and list them on Etsy!

Baby loves photo days because it usually means I've cleared off an area on the sunny spot of the desk.  I try to keep my workspace free from cat hair, but it's pretty hard to say no to that face.

I try to only photograph about once a week since it is so time consuming.  Sometimes though if the light is particularly good on a random day I'll grab a few more shots.  My set-ups are pretty simple for the most part.  I try to keep a few different background papers and props on hand to make them interesting.

As soon as I cut sheet music, I label a baggie with the name and date of the song it comes from. I Keep the pieces together with their baggie until the jewelry is finished and I write the information on the gift box.  I re-use baggies from my supplies to minimize waste! 

Top: Some cheery plants.  Plants love it in here because there is so much sunlight!  Unfortunately plant-munching cats love it for the same reason (note the little tail sticking up from behind my frame).  Bottom: I seal the sheet music pieces with sealant before glazing them under glass.  During this step I keep the pieces near/on their baggies so they stay with their information.

Left: I designed these inserts to fit my necklace boxes.  I write the name and date of the music from which each necklace comes.  The clear lids are great because it makes keeping track of inventory really easy.  Right: The (gorgeous)  tissue paper that I use to wrap up outgoing packages.  Each box gets tied up with a gold or blue satin ribbon too...it's really pretty!

Well, that's about it I think!  I am happy to share more pictures if anyone has any specific requests. 

What do you think about messy/ neat work areas?  What's yours like, and how do you think your environment influences you?  Leave me a comment with your thoughts!

When I Dream of Old Erin

In honor of Saint Patrick's Day I wanted to share this lovely sheet music cover with you!

"When I Dream of Old Erin (I'm Dreaming of You), 1912

Words by Marvin Lee

Music by Leo Friedman

The cover is in good enough shape that I didn't want to do anything with it, but I did use the music inside to make a new batch of necklaces....check them out below!

1. "Sweet" necklace with bow

2. Large "shamrock" necklace

3. Silver "dreaming" necklace

4. Simple bronze "you" necklace

5. "I dream" charm necklace

Listen to the song here!

 

Here, have some cat pictures

It seems like we only just got a couple days of sun finally, and it's already pouring outside again. On the Pro side of lots of rainy days lately is that I've been working on lots of new things for the shops. The Con side is that I haven't had a chance to photograph anything and actually get them up. It also means that I've been taking lots of pictures of my cat. Because, why not.

Here are some glamor shots of Baby Cat, resident cutie-pie and distraction artist extraordinaire:







In other news, I had my first show of the season last Saturday (after the first got rained out the week before)- the Greenway Open Market in downtown Boston. It's a beautiful location, free to attend, and there are tons of good food trucks there. If you're in the Boston area and looking for something to do on a Saturday, I highly recommend checking it out! It runs every Saturday into the Fall. I'll be there for a few more weeks!


It got off to a slow start for me, but after a couple of hours it really picked up, and lots of people were coming by and chatting and buying. And I met all shapes and sizes of adorable pooches out for their constitutionals with their owners, too. I think next time I might bring a water bowl and treats!

I think today is a good day to sit down, put on some music, drink some tea, and make a lot of stuff! What are you working on today?



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