The Opposite Side of the Cold Front

For the past few days a massive cold front with snow and freezing temperatures have gripped the midwest and east.  We, here in Denver, are on the back of that front which means we have warm temperatures and sunny, blue skies.  I got a new pair of walking shoes last week and took them out for a test run today.  I wanted to know how long it takes to walk to the local recreation center.  It took just over 17 minutes.

There were lots of families in Central Park, runners, dog walkers and cycling families.  I usually just look at all the park activity out my windows.  I longed to be one of those enjoying the out of doors.  I wondered why I never found the time to take a walk.  I have discovered that finishing my art studio has freed this little voice in my head that said I was not allowed outside until that room was finished.  I could shout the "free at last …." part of Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech.  I do live on one of his namesake boulevards after all.


Here is a little of what I saw today on my walk around the neighborhood.

There are several benches on the trails so that you can rest and enjoy the scenery.

There is also lots of artwork sprinkled here and there.

There is lots of work being done on Westerly Creek.  They are fixing and improving the flood plain because the 500 year rains we experienced in September damaged them.  Stapleton had 12 inches in a 24 hour period.

It is January 3, so I know the snow and cold will return soon.  As for now, I am grateful for mostly sunny skies and 60 degrees!

New Year - New Art Studio

One year ago today, my husband and I were on a plane to Denver to finalize the purchase of our new home.  We drove to the building site soon after we landed. Here is what it looked like.

We spent the next four days signing documents, deposit checks, rental checks, and choosing all of the finishes for the interior of our home.  The bedroom in the basement with the large walk-in closet was going to be my new art studio.  I chose a wood grain vinyl for the floor for ease in clean-up of the occaisional art mishap.  I also requested that they do not hang the closet shelves but to leave it just drywall because I wanted that room to hold my cutting table.  In May of 2013 we moved into our finished home.  Here is a picture of what the basement looked like after the movers left.  Most of these boxes came out of the two rooms and two closets I used for my office and art studio in Ohio.  Now they would have to fit into one bedroom and one closet.

Some seven months later, I have finally finished unpacking and organizing and have this lovely art studio to start the New Year!

I designed the counter height workstation from IKEA kitchen cabinets.  I have two work areas so that if I have a sewing project going but want to start a beading project I won't have to put away the sewing.  The turquoise cart is in one of the work spaces.  The shelves on the walls and the cute button rug are from IKEA as well.  The cutting table is from Pottery Barn and it has bookshelves on the side for my library of craft/art books.  Sprinkled here and there are some of my Longaberger baskets filled with UFO's!  I still have some finishing touches to do like under cabinet lighting and adding the hanging containers on the towel racks, also IKEA kitchen components.

Since my studio is in the basement, I chose a soft yellow for the walls called Banana Cream Pie. I also used that color in one room of my studio in Ohio because it is very, very cloudy there.  My accent color is turquoise.  A nice reading chair finished the room by making it feel cozy and inviting.

A nice new place to create surrounded by the things I love.