This is one of my favorite sayings: scatter joy. But over the past few days, it’s been more like scatter stuff at our house.
Ryder trying out the new piano
We received an incredible gift last week: a beautiful piano passed on to our boys by my mom’s longtime neighbors, who downsized and moved. Suddenly, I was forced to free up a wall in our living room. The wall we chose had shelves that had been slowly overrun by kids’ books and toys. So, under cover of night, I threw away two garbage bags full of mismatched toys and stuffed animals and moved a few gems {the boys haven’t even noticed!}. And I quickly moved some of the furniture and accessories into my dudio {former dining room turned studio} – chairs, lamps, books, an iPod player.
The piano looked perfect in its new spot, but my dudio looked like a tornado had hit it. I decided to take the opportunity to re-organize and reconfigure my work space this past weekend. The result? The space feels wonderfully cozy and totally me.
I thought you might get a kick out of seeing the latest transformation…
A while back, I took this chair out of this corner…and now it’s back in. It just feels right there. Alongside paints and stamp pads, the corner includes an apron and birdhouses made by my boys {with help from my mom}, Tru’s cowboy hat, and framed art by Ryder. I love celebrating their creativity in this space, too.
Umm, you guys? I built those sets of drawers! I was pretty darn proud of myself. It was well worth the effort, because all of my greeting cards and shipping supplies are now tucked away in one spot, and that big bottom drawer is actually a filing cabinet. Heaven! My assistant, Claire, really inspired me to do this – and now she never has to ask where anything is! {Artwork on the wall is by Rachel Awes and Leah Piken Kolidas}
I am head over heels for this little nook, with another comfy chair, table and a lamp {that extra light makes such a difference!}. The other night, as I worked at the big table, Brad sat right there to chat about my work projects. He calls it my lounge. ;o) {On the table is a jar full of affirmations from my soul sister stew girls and a deck of inspiration cards by Sonia Choquette}.
This shelf had been in the living room, so I relegated my flimsy black one to the basement and moved my books into this. The lower shelf includes lots of my dad’s old notebooks and an already-full file box {from Target}. Above it is an arrangement of paintings by moi {except for one, which features a fave quote: “She believed she could, so she did”}.
These dried flowers are from my grandma’s memorial service {she passed last May}, displayed in a tea cup and saucer that she painted. It’s sweet to have a little bit of her art around my art.
This is a great spot for working at my laptop, with a big window at my back overlooking our front yard. I love that this studio doubles as an office. For me, it’s perfect to have it on the main floor of our home. I can hear the boys playing and I have everything I need whenever inspiration strikes. Maybe someday I’ll move it all out of our house to separate work and home, but it’s perfect for now.
Before, my books were a jumbled mess. Now, they’re organized by category {these, for instance, are dedicated to creative living}. It feels so good to have them at my fingertips; I’d forgotten I even owned some of these titles! Ha!
Isn’t it just amazing how a few little changes can transform a room and your feelings about it? My living room feels more purposeful with a new piano vs. a wall of toys. And the dudio? I loved this space before, but now it has a new energy. It invites me in and makes me eager to create goodness and scatter joy. Such a sweet place to be.
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FYI: I’m having a blast getting to know the newest group of students in my How To Build a Blog You Truly Love ecourse, which kicked off Monday. They are motivated, reflective and so kind! People are still joining the class {registration ends June 4th}. I’d love to have YOU, too!
