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Category: Organization

Fresh, Clean and Ready To Paint

Posted in Organization, and Peeking Behind the Easel

I'm finishing up the yearly major clean up of my studio.  It's always amazing what has been lost behind canvases, what has been misplaced, and  what I forgot I have.  I started the end of the year clean up when I was doing a large amount of custom painting for private clients. The push to finish orders from September into December always turned my workspace into a hot mess by the end of the holiday season.

I like having a clean, well organized workspace to start off the beginning of the year. It's a chance to do an inventory check for taxes as well.  Everything in the studio gets cleaned, dusted, vacuumed, wiped down from top to bottom. Old paint brushes get donated to children art classes, almost empty paint containers get placed in front to be used up first, canvases and paper get sorted by sizes and placed in their labeled spaces. Photos and reference materials are an ongoing challenge but they at least get placed on their shelves and photo cards near the computer. It's a jump start on one of my new year resolutions and a great way to start the year.

Paint brushes photo from pinterest and allthingsstylish tumblr com

Photo credit: allthingsstylish.tumblr.com  via Lindsey at Pinterest

I'm excited to be picking up my paintbrushes and getting started on painting. I'll have new paintings to share starting next week!

Happy New Year!

Posted in Organization

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!  

Photo credit: Squidoo via  Amanda at Pinterest

As I have been doing the annual end-of- the-holiday-season-super-clean-up of my studio, I've been thinking about business resolutions or goals for the shiny, fresh, new year. Here's my modest  list 2012 goals/resolutions:

1. Post on this blog more regularly.  

2. Paint at least one new item a week.  I love the daily painters, but alas, that's not realistic  for me. I can finish one item or painting a week.

3. Continue to work on organization. …the bane of my existence. Reference photos, photos on the computer, the camera cards, tax paperwork, shipping material,  pieces of paper with scrawled painting ideas that I jot down before I forget, time management, paints, brushes, canvases  etc, etc, etc.  It's an ongoing goal. : )

Etsy Shop Happy Town USA

This adorable photo came from Etsy Shop Happy Town USA .    How about you? What kind of resolutions have you chosen? 

 

 

It’s Not Your Imagination

Posted in Organization

It's not your imagination……..yup, you're not going crazy….. I have changed up my blog "clothing" again. Seriously, it 's like a "running-late-morning-can't-decide-what-to-wear" clothing crisis.  I had too many choices on blog themes and bells and whistles.  I think I finally  found a good compromise on inside bells and whistles and outward appearance.  There may be some tweaking over the next weeks but I think you can now rest assure that the blog will not suddenly completely change while you are visiting. : )

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/06/07/article-1024884-0185F25600000578-477_468x420.jpg

We're good to go now – all cleaned up from our construction ! Hat tip to Mike at Pinterest. Photo credit: Daily Mail

It’s Here! Cyber Monday and New Blog Look!

Posted in Organization, and Other Artist Work

Surprised by my new look?!   I've been playing with new blog fashion!  It's a fringe benefit when my college son comes home – " Mom your blog needs an update – it's easy to do"…….riiiiight  – for him lol!   If you popped in over the weekend, now you know why the blog kept changing it's look.  I couldn't decide which look I liked – like having a clothing crisis in the morning and you can't decide on what to wear…..   Now that he got me started, bear with me as I fly solo and I try to  figure out how to add my photos back to the front page and fix the logo! 

And now Cyber Monday!!!

I'm offering free shipping at my Etsy shop. Nina, from The Adventures of ArtsyNina    has a great roundup of Etsy shops offering Cyber Monday sales. Be sure to click and take a look.    And of course Etsy has pages and pages of Cyber Monday sales here.

Happy shopping !

Ack! Organizing Photos

Posted in Organization

Ack! Organizing Photos

I take lots of digital photos….. as do most people these days.  How to keep them organized…..? 

In general, I have them separated into files on the computer.  I do print out many of them.   Since I used the photos to paint from, I need the physical photos for reference.  Propping up a computer  near me and my paint  …… oh such a bad idea!  Unless I want a very personalized paint splattered…. decorated?….computer that no one would mistake as their own.  I clip photos to my easel and drawing table with bulldog clips so I can see them as I draw and paint.

I want to be able to use the photos for years to come, so printing them out  from the regular printer doesn't seem like a great idea to me. I've been using Shutterfly.com for actual printed photos. You upload the photos and either use their service  to have the photos sent to you or send them to your local Target to be pick up that day. 

How are you keeping your photos organized? Any suggestions are welcomed!