Color Scheme

Well the fun part is coming up fast and furious with Gooseberry Cottage!  Time to pick out the colors for my new room!  I have been all over the charts with my studio and a lot of times I decorate the room to look like the holiday or season we are in.  It is a ton of fun and I enjoy having the flexibility, but I am thinking maybe I need to have flexibility AND a theme!  Or maybe a scheme!

Here are a few pictures I have come across that I am totally falling in love with the colors!  Just so many options!!  What do you think?  Have any awe inspiring words of wisdom, two cents worth of opinions or just a thought in general?

Getting it Ready

Here is my hubby!  Isn't he just a sexy beast!?!   =)  We have the guy coming in and hopefully getting all the dry wall and ceilings done this week so Stephan had to bust his fanny and get the walls and ceiling all insulated.  Not a fun job, that's for sure!  But at least we won't have to worry about paneling ourselves!  Once we have the drywall up, we just need to paint the ceiling and walls and then we can have the carpet laid!

Our goal is to have it all done by the time we move in May.  I need to some place to put all my goodies!  I had over 50 boxes just in card supplies when I moved a few months ago and my stash just keeps growing.

Now I just need to find a color for the walls and ceiling.  My mom and I have been talking about keeping it neutral so we can change up the studio when I change my mind on color schemes throughout the year.  Plus a nice bright neutral will probably help with the lighting.  Now to find my inspiration for the inside AND then the outdoor courtyard area!   Woo hoo!!

February Card Class

Every month I host a card class at my studio and the ladies make a handful of cards or cute gifts.  At least, we DID make cute gifts.  I had a bit of a mutiny with my ladies when I switched out the format of the classes and I am happy to announce we are back to cards ONLY!  =)

However, for this month's class we did have some yummy treats and some cute gifts.

This is my original ensemble of goodies!  We are making two desk calendars, two birthday cards, two gift bags and 5 candy tubes shaped like flowers.  The ladies all get to pick their own color scheme to make their goodies!

Here are some of the gorgeous sets that were made!  I didn't get pictures of everyone's and I am totally bummed that I didn't because there were some butes!

Peacock Birthday

Every few months I do up a big Card Party for people to come and buy pre-made cards.  I always have a featured card and February's Feature Card was my Peacock card!!

It was absolutely a blast to make!

Stamps: Baroque Motifs SU, Corset
Paper:  Always Artichoke, Night of Navy, Brushed Gold, Whisper White
Ink:  Night of Navy
Other:  Gold beads, peacock feather, Dimensionals

The Transformation

The Studio Over the Years

Needless to say, I didn't last long in my little space with my stickers and paper.  It was costing me a fortune and then I rediscovered Stampin' Up! and decided I needed to change my ways before I stickered myself into the poor house!

I loved having the space to spread out, but the lighting was ATROCIOUS in my big giant play room so I searched and searched for answers to my lighting issue.  I thought perhaps the twinkle lights would add a little sparkle and help out with my problem especially in the evening.

Unfortunately, as cute as the twinkle lights were they just didn't do a dang gone thing for the lighting issue.

My mom and figured a happier and brighter color theme was needed to help out with the lights.

Some lamps strategically placed in some of the odd places where my Ikea lamps couldn't hang.

Ikea lamps hung in just the right places where I could see my ribbon, paper and growing stamp collection!

And then the Grand Finale for over the work table!!!   We built a PVC pipe trellis, looped the light and then spiffed it up with flowered garland complete with Butterflies!!!   It was fabulous and truly helped with the lighting!   This was by far my most favorite set up!  It was cheery, happy, roomy, bright and made my life easier when I was making cards or hosting classes.

Then I had to move!  =(   I was totally devastated to leave behind my perfect studio, but we are definitely making do in the new home.  The trellis has been packed away, but all of my goodies are closer at hand.  The stamps are on the opposite wall and take up a TON OF SPACE, but everything seems to working out nicely.  Of course, this is just our temporary home before moving to Gooseberry Cottage!

The Many Faces of Suzy's Studio

The Humble Beginnings

When I first started making cards I used nifty paper from Michael's, Joann's and Hobby Lobby and of course nine million stickers!   I can't even begin to tell you how much money I would spend on buying new stickers and cool paper!  Then I found the little rolls of self adhesive ribbon!  Oh my!!!!   Do I really need to tell you how far overboard I went?

Welcome to Gooseberry Cottage!

Gooseberry Cottage

It is official I am moving away from my home in sunny Arizona and headed up to Northern New Mexico to be with my husband.  A move that has changed in many ways from waiting for 5 years, to possibly moving it up to 2 years and now we are at "let's just do it at the end of the school year".  Which is exactly where we are at!

Aside from logistics, kids going to school, a new town, figuring out my new "role" and all the fun stuff that goes with a big move we realized we needed to find a home for ALL of my stamps and card supplies!  After much thinking we came up with the idea of building me my very own cottage!

We spent several weekends driving around Northern Arizona looking for the perfect solution and after many roadside stops we finally found our solution in Stephan's hometown!  My new little playground is actually a glorified shed, but I think my 12'x36' "shed" deserves to be called a "cottage" instead!  I mean, I have a porch and everything!

Here is the space that I have to work with and we have to get this bad boy insulated and finished, but I am just so excited to watch the transformation from empty shell to my cutesy studio!  My studio has had many a face over the last 3 years and I am looking forward to seeing what all transpires with the new face lift.

Aside from watching the progress of Gooseberry Cottage, I have decided to take up blogging again and use this as a way to keep everyone updated on my latest card creations, my life in a new place and because I have missed blogging.  This is a far cry from my days of blogging about organizing, but you will be happy to know that I am still anal about how all of my craft goodies are organized!  Some things just never die!  So for those of you who begged me to blog about craft room organizing, you may just very well get your wish...FINALLY!!  Just bear with me because it has been years since I had on my blogger hat and I may need some refresher courses!

Kisses!
Suzanne