Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Monday, October 22, 2018

Art Barn Inspiration & Distractions



This is my Art Barn.
For those of you that don't already know,
I purchased this barn after we bought our
little country home.
Then a couple years later we added a
small addition off the back.

It is the most amazing place
to work on art and quilting.

I love it and feel very blessed!

 
 This is the only problem 
that I have with my wonderful space.

Lately I have been going out there to organize
and get things straightened out 
and I never get done because of the distractions.


Lovely distractions that make me stop
cleaning and start creating, LOL. 

 
 Doesn't that just make you want to 
draw or journal :)


These are pretty little things
that make me want to stop working and play, too.


I did get my rodeo poster hung.
It will be a great reminder of our
granddaughter's visit this summer
and taking them to their first rodeo.
That painting is one that I did years ago.
I found an old black and white photo
of my husband's grandfather and his brother
sitting on the front porch of an old cabin.

 
This is the apron I wear when I paint.
If I remember to put it on . . . 
I've spoiled a lot of clothes that way, LOL.

These photos were taken in the addition,
my painting and paper work side.


Now on to the larger barn where the sewing
and quilting goes on.


My grapevine chandelier . . .

  
I started adding small branches to it
as I found them in the yard. 
 The lights are little mason jars
that were purchased at Walmart as patio lights.


The barn is filled with this and that
in every space there is something to
inspire or distract me :)
My watch and key collection in a Goodwill
gumball machine.


 A little french doll I picked up at
some thrift shop and dressed in scrap lace.


Spools of lace and ribbon.


My big bolt of batting.
It is so much cheaper to buy it this way.

 
Vintage typewriter. 


My first guitar.


This gorgeous and comfy chair.
I found it on Craig's List for $25
this summer and I can't wait to cuddle
into it for hand stitching :) 


This is a sewing machine cover 
that I made a few years ago. 


Let's take it off and start sewing :)


This week while starting to organize,
I came across a drawer filled with
dis-guarded and unfinished bits and pieces.


Leftover started potholders, quilt blocks,
and lots of this and that. :) 


So I decided to use them up . . .


Put them all together . . .




And started another "Quilt As You Go" quilt.
By using them up and adding from the scrap bin when needed.


See that hexie flower, it is covering up
a machine embroidery that went bad.
My Dad always said, there is more than
one way to skin a cat.
Meaning if something doesn't work, try another way.
This kept me from tossing this block :)


While working on the quilt . . .


I got distracted and made two 
new shopping bags.


Great for bringing that 
Thanksgiving turkey home.


 If you are still here and reading . . .
Thank you for stopping by.

I love company.


When I'm in the middle of a project that 
I can't stop on, or it's a gift,
I just hang this. 

~~~***~~~
Again thanks for popping in to tour the 
Art Barn.

If you enjoyed your visit,
Please leave a comment.
~~~***~~~ 
If you didn't, you probably didn't
get this far into the post, LOL.

Keep Smiling!

Your blogging sister,
Connie :)

66 comments:

  1. How wonderful to have all that space...and what a collection of things you have! It's almost like a shop!

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    1. It's a very special place and I feel very blessed to have it :)
      Thanks so much for visiting and leaving a comment.

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  2. I love everything about today's post!!!
    The "Quilt as you go" quilt is amazing!
    Your twig wreath chandelier is definitely unique.
    You've got your work area so tidy, I'm sure it's
    a lot of work to keep it that way.
    Thanks for sharing your lovely craft spaces.

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    1. Thank you for visiting and for your very sweet words of encouragement. They mean a lot :)

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  3. What a great tour! Wow, what a fun place to work! I was quite impressed with your painting of your hubby's grandfather and his brother. And, I love the chairs - both just perfect for your art barn. Thanks for the invite in and for all the inspiration (and there's plenty of it)!

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    1. I am delighted that there were things to inspire you . . . it is a wonderful place and I never take it for granted. It's a dream come true, but not one that I didn't save a long time to be able to afford. The fact is I was saving for something big, but didn't know what until we bought our little country home and I had the space to make this possible. It's a dream come true.

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  4. That is a wonderful space and I love your creative chandelier. A girl shed/studio is what I have wanted for a long while. I will save my pennies, maybe next year. No gallivanting abroad, stay at home and create. I would love to empty my creative stuff out of the house into a space like that. So happy you have it to enjoy.

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    1. It was a dream that I had too, but never thought it would actually come true and look at me now. I feel blessed with my space and never take it for granted. It makes creativity time nice because I can shut the door and everything is there waiting until I have the time to get back to it. I have spent many years sewing at the kitchen table, and then cleaning up for a meal, then dragging everything out again when I had the time to work on it again. My wish for you is that your dream of a space like this comes true, too :)

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  5. Love your art barn!!! You are very talented. Enjoy, Janie

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  6. Connie, I am just so jealous of your art barn. I would love to be snuggled in that chair with my knitting while you sew on your quilts. Could you imagine the conversations we would have? It looks like such a wonderful place to be. Thank you for sharing it with us today.
    Blessings always, Betsy

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    1. I think we would have a lovely time visiting while we each created something lovely for your family or home. I could make a pot of tea and some cookies, too :)

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  7. Your art barn is amazing. What a great place to be inspired and create. I always have a hard time cleaning my craft room because of the distractions. You find things you forgot about and start playing instead of cleaning. It just can't be helped.

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    1. You're absolutely right . . . that's my problem, too :)

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  8. Oh My goodness Connie ... I think I would go into your gorgeous Art Barn & throw away the key & never come out!! There is so much inspiration in there! Everything is just beautiful .. I love it all! I have only a small spare room to create in & am quite a messy creator. Have a lovely week Connie Xx

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    1. Oh, I'm messy too, that is one reason I love my space . . . I can be in the middle of something and then just walk a way and it's there ready to get started on when I come back. I've had many years of using the kitchen table where I had to pack it up and then unpack when I had time to work on it again. What a haste, but we've all been there :). I saved a long time and when we moved here I broke into my savings and purchased this barn . . . it's a dream come true for me and I count it a true blessing.

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  9. Wow that is quite a place. What a wonderful space to call your own.
    How is it heated?

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    1. I have a heater in one room and an electric fireplace in the other. I keep the heater on low, so none of my inks and paint freeze and I don't really need heat in the main barn unless I'm using it. I just go out there 20 minutes ahead of time and turn on the fireplace and turn the heater up and it's warm and cozy when I return to work. Then about an hour before I leave I turn them back down and off, sometimes sooner (like now when it's not that cold) it works great :)

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  10. What a lovely place to have to do all your creating. It's a SHE SHED DELUXE!!!

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  11. What a sweet quilter's/crafter's barn. I have my eye on your "bits and pieces" quilt. I have a collection of those and have been wondering how to go about combining them into a quilt. I guess the best way to do it is just to do it, huh? Yours is looking good. Your Craig's List chair looks comfy and pretty. Did you recover it? And your sewing machine cabinet is lovely. I love having my pretty things around me when I sew in my little corner. I think beauty begets beauty, don't you? Or at least inspires it.
    BLessings!

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    1. About my Craig's list chair. I did not cover it, it came exactly as you see it. Very girly and very clean. Not only that but when I called on it, she had it in her van taking it to a friend's yard sale . . . so instead of taking it there she delivered it and together we carried it in. That's service with a smile for the seller and the buyer :)

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  12. OH MY! So many interesting things to look at! You are blessed to have that Art Barn and you make very good use of it. Don't they say clutter is a sign of creativity? Your Hexie Flower covering up a mistake reminds me of card making when I cover up a mistake! Love the way your stamps are displayed. Wish I could figure out a space to do that! Your painting apron is like my gardening shoes. I don't always change! I have lace and ribbon on wooden spools but never thought about just using the white spools. How wide is your batting on the roll? Do you have to piece it for a large quilt or is it wide enough? Oh, how I love that big flowered comfy chair. It just says relax here! Your sewing machine cover is so nice too. That is one of the things I would like to make - some day! Wish I could whip up shopping bags like you do! Keep creating and enjoying life my friend! Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, you asked about my roll of batting. It is 40 yards long and 90 inches wide. It's $250 on Amazon right now, but when I bought mine it was $189. That's under $5 a yard, and that is why I bought so much at once. Also it's nice knowing that you don't have to run to town for batting when you want to quilt. That same batting Warm & Natural Cotton batting sells at JoAnne's for $17 a yard. I think I made a really good but there!

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  13. Thank you for showing us your wonderful Art Barn - guess we would all love one of those ourselves!

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    1. Hi Jenny, I love my Art Barn. It's a dream come true, but not one that I didn't save a long time to be able to afford. The fact is I was saving for something big, but didn't know what until we bought our little country home and I had the space to make this possible. It's a dream come true. I'm messy, that is one reason I love my space . . . I can be in the middle of something and then just walk a way and it's there ready to get started on when I come back. I've had many years of using the kitchen table where I had to pack it up and then unpack when I had time to work on it again. What a haste, but we've all been there :).

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  14. Oh how wonderful to have your own space to work in! Everything looks so nice! I've wished for a "barn" like this, but any new building around here has to be a farm shed; a man's building comes first you know. I do have my own room inside the house for quilting and sewing, and although it's small, I'm grateful for it.

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    1. It's wonderful to be able to have a space away from the kitchen table, a space that you can leave in the middle of a project and walk back to it a day or two later and it's just like you left it. I've had many years of kitchen table sewing and the picking up and pulling out of that arrangement :) Don't give up on your dream!

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  15. Connie- what a lovely space you have created in your Barn- full of special things like your Chandelier and Stamp Collection...the Lounge Chair looks so comfortable for you this winter. Happy Days ahead. Best wishes. KEV.

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  16. What a lucky girl to have all this space to play and create in! It looks about the same size as my whole apartment!! I can understand how you love to be there!

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    1. It's truly a dream come true, but one I saved a long time for :)

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  17. Wow! I can see why you would be so distracted with such beautiful things to play with and admire. A stunning work place, I do wish I lived nearer so that I could visit.

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    1. Me too! I would love to have you visit. I'm sure that we could come up with a little creative mischief and a lot of laughs and giggles, LOL. I could even bake a cake :)

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  18. ok, now I'm jealous! I would love to have all that space to sew and work. You're a very lucky lady! Have fun creating!

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    1. I'm a blessed lady, and I truly will never take that for granted. I worked hard to save up enough money to purchase this barn and I enjoy every minute that I spend out there. It's a sweet space to be creative and spread my work out . . . I do hope that one day you will have a space like this too :)

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  19. Well, I can certainly understand how easy it would be to get distracted in that creative space. There are so many wonderful and creative things to make and do there :)
    I love, love your grapevine wreath with the lights on. I purchased those same lights and have yet to hang them up, and I sure like what you made with them... super cute!

    Smiles :)
    ~K.

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    1. Hi Kerin, thanks so much for stopping by . . . I do love my Art Barn and wish that each of my blogging sisters would have a space all their own to spread their work out and create. I spent many years working on the kitchen table and then having to putting everything away before meals. It works, but this is so much better. I am truly grateful :)

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  20. Your creative space is so...spacious! What a great place to store everything and to work surrounded by all that you need. No wonder you get distracted.

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    1. It's easy to get distracted when you enjoy doing so many different things and like you said I'm surrounded by them all, LOL. I love my Barn and certainly enjoy this time of the year when the garden and yard work are finished. I leave the leaf gathering to my Steve . . . It's Quilting Season for me :)

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  21. I like your little tours ! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Hi Dolly and thank you for popping in to say hello. Wishing you a very sweet week.

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  22. I think that would be my favorite place to spend my free time. I can imagine you've made quite a few beautiful things in there.
    xx Beca

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    1. It's a sweet place to spend time and plenty of room for friends as well.

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  23. Would love to have this space. Thank you for the tour. Maybe sometime a short video of your machine quilting in action. Would love to see how it's done.

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    1. That would be fun, but I don't do videos. I wouldn't know where to start :)

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  24. Your art barn is fabulous, Connie. What a glorious place to hide and never come out again! So, so many pretties to seen everywhere. Love the painting you created and your sewing projects of late are fun. Love that chair. Yes I can in my mind's eye see you sitting there quilting the day away. It's easy to see why you might be a little distracted in this little piece of heaven!

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    1. What can I say, except I feel very blessed to have this space :)

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  25. What a wonderful art barn, Connie. So many interesting goodies inside. I love that old typewriter. And the old black and white photos are treasures. The colorful pens and pencils would make me want to pause and just create something. I've always wanted a craft room.....maybe someday. What a special place for you to do crafts.

    Enjoy the rest of the October days, Connie.

    love, ~Sheri

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    1. Hi Sheri, thank you for your very sweet words of encouragement. It is a wonderful space and I feel extremely grateful.

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    2. Connie, I can't believe you got 100 trick-or-treaters at your old house. That is a lot! We used to get a bunch coming through, but it seems to be dying down, and we only get a handful now. It's just not the same
      as when we went out when we were kids and hit all the neighborhoods we could haha. Thank you for visiting today. And I really do love your craft room. Coming by today gives me a chance to see it again. : )

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  26. You are very blessed to have this lovely creative space. What a delightful place to go to and get distracted.

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    1. You said it all, I do love my space and time just flies when I'm out there doing my thing. No matter which direction the distractions take me, they are all enjoyable . . . painting, quilting, embroidery, etc :)

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  27. I so loved the tour and I do understand, every time I start to organize it never lasts long I am always going to another project. Love how you are finishing up your once started projects. The chair you found looks very comfortable!! Have a great rest of the week!

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    1. Hello Sweet Connie, I have enough "put back on the shelf" started projects to last me a long time, but I am gradually picking them off one by one, or combining them into a new project, like this one, that's a great way to kill two birds with one stone :) When this quilt is finished I'll have a drawer full of little "put backs" emptied out :)

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  28. Wow Connie, you should never get bored. LOL I love the barn and the way it looks . What a stamp collection. :) Blessings to you busy girl. xoxo, Susie

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    1. I was really into stamping for a few years . . . I don't do it much anymore, but maybe I'll get started again. I went to buy a card a few weeks ago and looked on the back and it was $6 . . . that's a lot of money for a paper card that says happy birthday :)

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  29. Wow Connie! Your craft room already looks clean and organized! I think I must have too much stuff. I can’t seem to even walk in mine! It takes away creativity. I’ve actually been working on it lately and enjoying hanging out in the basement, which is where all of my crafty stuff is. Everything you do is very nice. I love the quilt. And the shopping bags! Mine are several different bags from different places. They don’t even match! You have motivated me dear friend. Thank you!

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    1. I'm always happy when I can motivate or inspire. The Lord knows that I have been inspired so many times my all of my sweet blogging sisters :)

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  30. I've always loved your art barn! That sign at the beginning is not accurate - you are definitely neat and organized! You have so many artistic and creative goodies in this barn, it would be so much fun to spend an entire day in there.

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    1. When Steve was still working I would have days that I spent out there, sewing my little heart out, LOL. I love my space and feel very blessed to have it. I wish you lived closer, I would be sending you and invite :)

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  31. I love that you do so many different things! You are multi talented my friend! Music AND sewing AND art...and lots of other crafts! I love the quilt with different designs! ENJOY!

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    1. Thank you for your very kind words . . . they help keep me going. We all have those times when we think, why are we blogging, we just don't feel like we have anything to share. Your encouragement helps fuel me on to another fun project. You are a sweetie pie :)

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  32. That first sign about being creative made me laugh. Our house is always neat and tidy - it's too small not to be. I will admit that it is not always as clean as I would like it to be though.

    BUT, if you saw the garage workbench where I create, I would be so embarrassed. In fact yesterday as I was rummaging for things to make a birthday card for a party we were going to last night, I actually cringed and told myself that this coming week I absolutely have to get busy and clean it up.

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    1. I know that I get very messy when I create . . . but I have fun making those messes :)

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