Just a word of caution: it's crammed. It's PACKED. It's a color explosion such as you have probably not witnessed in a while (if ever):
Whew! Did you have to look away? It's ORGANIZED. And above all...
This was my Grandmother's machine... a good old STURDY (no plastic yuck machine here!) Montgomery Ward! The happy flower sticker is one the "resident teen" stuck on there about 8 years ago!
Theeee "la.bor.a.tor.y" is ALL about function. Remember that when you walk in...
To the left is my cutting table - the cabinet underneath was one my Grandfather built - it's been passed down and around through all family members - used as the chest-o-drawers it's supposed to be, changing table... now cutting table base! And yes - those are cinder blocks holding up the table top (you might be a red.neck if...)
Organized Chaos - at its best! No really, it is at its best... I moved in to the building (objects on screen are larger than they appear) three years ago and hit the area rug at a RUN! Loosely translated that means: there were piles on top of piles on top of piles - no rhyme or reason - more piles on top of piles... but I knew where everything was! sorta.
Now? It's ON! Let the duct tape ROLL! You can't keep me out of here - I walk in and I just grin - BIG - then I'm skeert to start something new 'cause I might mess it all up - so I stand and grin some more!
Even the lamp shade the dress form (she needs a name - any suggestions?) is using for legs has a container hidden inside.
I wasn't going to show you the above picture -but then I decided that you should see the good, the bad and the ugly... as well as the floor space (and the REAL ugly would be when it hits 110 outside and I don't have that air conditioner) - 'cause next time you come visit I can't promise you will be able to see the floor! HA! I used every available inch - millimeter even - of available real estate in here. I know you can't tell, but it's true! (snicker)
The majority of the furniture in the lab was built by my Grandfather! Shelves, cabinets - more shelves...
Now - you should know - this is only half of the lab so far!!! I KNOW - crazy, right?
Lockers full - shelves full - roasters full - bobbins wound - jars are filled - some more lockers are filled - fabric folded... now for my inspiration:
heeee HAW!! Think Kate Spade knows she's hangin' out in the red.neck Lab? The straw bag on my cutting table is one of hers that I picked up at a garage sale (complete with card of authenticity!) and the black bag hanging on the back cabinet is an ebay find (complete with card of authenticity) and "the Mama" gifted me my FIRST Kate Spade bag... yep - green and white striped gift bag with some Kate pencils in it (which are on the shelves on the back wall!). hee-hee I even have one of her store bags hanging behind my desk at my "pay the bills" job. My goal? To have one of my bags hanging out as inspiration... hung with duct tape of course... on a future designer's inspiration board - in her/his very own "la.bor.a.tor.y".
Now - I can actually get right on that since my home-away-from-the-house is spic and span!
Thank You SEW much for coming to visit me and to Karen for inviting me to the party over at My Desert Cottage!!! You can go too - just hop on over and say "hi" to Karen - she has SO many of the coolest party-goers headin' over there - tons of inspiration (Jill is one of them - I can't WAIT to visit with her!)!!! Who will inspire you?
I have LOVED having you here - feel free to browse around and make yourself at home! Or - you can help me finish up all the goodies I'm taking with me to "the Mindy's" tomorrow!!! It's another "you don't want to miss this!" party at "Primitiques" - and I will be there LIVE (and in a vintage dress or 6)... unless I just can't bring myself to leave "theeee la.bor.a.tor.y"...
(yes - I'm doing my manic - crazy - evil - laugh when I type that each time.)
Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... bwoooo hahaha!
:-D robelyn
p.s. - didn't get enough of the insanity in "the la.bor.a.tor.y"? There's more here!
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OK, our studios are twins. No kidding...lots of fabric,beads, trims, glass containers all out in the open to inspire us. So I love your space too:) My husband doesn't understand how I can work with so much stuff around me but that is how I keep creative. I have to see what I have in order to use it right? Thank you for the tour. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDelete~Debra
Blog: Capers of the vintage vixens
Wow, I can tell by your space there's a lot of creativity going on there. It's so very organized. Looks great, T
ReplyDeleteOk. I know that I never saw it in the before stages, but, oh. my. gosh. I understand it's name now. La.bor.a.tor.y. indeed! Dang! Now. Talk about creative space! Amazing! It's bigger than I thought. Picture with duct tape number 12...what year model is that tv??? Is it black & white or color? Wow! Congrats on all your hard work! ~Mindy
ReplyDeleteI love your space especially how you have a lot in there but all extremely organized and cozy all the same. Thanks for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteThat truly is a Laboratory! WOW.
ReplyDeleteThe home of a true MAD GENIUS!! I love it! Fabric takes up so much room, but you really are organized. I can envision you throwing things up in the air in your white coat true to the mad doctor persona. Honey, you've really got it goin' on!
ReplyDeletexo,
Debra
Robelyn,
ReplyDeleteI love your la.bor.a.tory! LOL! It's perfect! Do you think you have enough fabric? :) I think it's so wonderful that your Grandfather built most of your furniture. That makes it so special.And I love all your shakers and glass containers. Sew cute.:)
What a wonderful space...and how neat is your fabric? Mine is hidden behind cupboard doors and when I need to create something, it all comes out and then goes back in again.
ReplyDeleteI could lose myself in your space and be happy for hours on end looking at all your treasures.....so inspiring!
Kiss Noises Linda
I love your lab. I missed signing up for the blogger party, but added a couple pictures of my almost organized craft room. Come by if you get a chance.
ReplyDeleteI seem to do more organizing lately than creating.
Girrrllll, you have got the goods that is for sure! Great job on the la bor a tory! That was some serious organizing. What a great place to create. Where can I get a place just like it?
ReplyDeleteDina
PS.How about Sha nae nae or Myrtle for the dress form? Just brainstorming here.
I'm impressed! More, I mean! :-)
ReplyDeleteRobelyn,
ReplyDeleteThat's a SIN to have THAT much fabric! hahaha
Only a mad sew-er (not sewer) would have that much!!!!
I love your little lab...I wanna come play. Well, maybe just hang out and learn something from the most talented red.neck that I know :)
I LOVE YOUR SPACE!! I mean laboooratooory......!!! I don't know what is my favorite--all the fabric (I almost got short of breath!) or the roaster or the desk chair or the jars or just knowing that you make the most awesome bags and now I know where the art happens!! Thanks for the tour! And, 110 degrees?! I'm praying for you now, that your air conditioner never gives out!!!
ReplyDeleteI am SO coming to Wacko to rip off some of your fabric! I have loads of fabric,but mine is all hidden in drawers or behind curtains or stuck in boxes. Mine is NOT organized like yours! How the heck did you do that? You have more patience than me! I ADORE your laboratory! It says everything about you! I am so glad to see that you posted photos of the real thing...and not some staged extra room of your house! Just absolutely wonderful! Now that it is over...let's knock back a few! Woo Hoo!
ReplyDeleteMALisa
Let me guess. Those are all photos of other places carefully enlarged and hung as curtains to cover the real lah-bore-a-tory. I would be afraid to ever work in there again because I might mess up the organization achieved. Good look and great job.
ReplyDeleteOMG this fabulous! I am finding the BEST blogs! This is a fabulous space! I thought I had a lot of fabric, you have more the JoAnnes. Studios like yours make me embarrassed that I even posted mine! I am your newest follower! I would love for you to drop by blog...prepare to be bored by my sewing room ha!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol
OK...my ADD is kicking in big time! Talk about a color transfusion...just had one by looking at all your great photos. I feel like a kid who's been put into a round room and told to go stand in the corner...which way do I go...which way do I go! Thank goodness you've got it so well organized or I might never find my way back out...or not want to.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
P.S. You are such a fabric ho...and I mean that in the nicest way possible!
I wanna come over and play! I am quite in lust-envy-drool phase at this exact moment. I'm too unorganized to try and photograph my space.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
ox
What a great creative laboratory! I think I would have to spend a week (maybe two) to go threw each nook and cranny to see all the treasured goodies. ;o) So, enjoyed my visit with you. Enjoy the rest of the party.
ReplyDeleteHugz,
Zandra
Well, now that was just too much fun! I get such a kick out of your posts. If you sell in Hillsboro, you must not live too far away from me. One question: where are you hiding all your Homer Laughlin dishes?
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful creative space!
ReplyDeleteI adore your storage solutions. You have inspired me to work on my own crafting paradise.
I think there are several things in there that look familiar! Are my buttons in there???
ReplyDeleteIt looks purty good...when'r you comin' to fix up mine??????
XXXOOO
LOVE it! You must be the queen of organization to have that much stuff and to know what you have!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the laboratory! How cool that you use shelves that your grandpa made, I love that the most... then allllll the fabulous goodies that those shelves are holding! WOW is all I can say... well that and I don't know if you could tell but I have the bottom of a roaster in my room too, it holds fabric (not folded nearly as neatly as yours) Love the lockers with all their goodness in them and those HUGE jars above the table. You have got yourself one great studio! I loved looking around, Thanks for sharing... Theresa p.s. I would love it if one day I opened up a magazine and there was one of your bags hung up with duct tape!
ReplyDeletei am so happy to see someone else with crooked ceilings!!! and no, you can never have too many shelves.
ReplyDeleteyou spot is so cozy, i think i might fit right in.
http://patchworkposse.com/blog
!!!Robelyn!!!
ReplyDeleteI loved this! Do you have a brother named Jeff Foxworthy? Seriously, I went snooping through your blog and had so many great laughs. Love your sense of humor and your stash of goodies is equally as impressive! Xo, Sue
Oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!!!!! Put the coffee on, I am coming over right now. I want to create in your space. Thanks for peeking in my space, I appreciate that so much. Susan
ReplyDeleteOk I think you got me beat on how much STUFF you can stuff into a studio!
ReplyDeleteLove the mannequin in a lampshade (I believe). I need glasses.
xoxo
Diane
Lordy! What good stuff you have in there...and it's all so organized. I've visited your blog before but it's been a while...who could resist the name? Really? Glad you did the party so I could return and thanks so much for stopping by mine and for the nice comment!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a whole lotta stuff! How lucky you are to have pieces made by your grandfather! Lucky, lucky, lucky! And funny too! ;o)
ReplyDeleteI love the family connection in your pieces - love all the wonderful creative stuff everywhere! Thanks for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteI do believe this is my kinda lab! Full of fun and pretty things to make even more beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the tour!
Oh, I SO want to come and play in your lab! I love all your shelving and that there is inspiration everywhere. Your writing style is fun too! Thank you so much for inviting us.
ReplyDeleteI soo enjoyed all the snickers!!! O and the lab tooo:O) very creative space full of soo much inspiration! Thank You soo much for sharing and making me laugh:O) Now i know why i cant find any duct tape in Central Tx!!! have a great day Isabel
ReplyDeleteWOW! Your studio looks like SO MUCH FUN! I could get lost in there. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI am soooooo jealous of your space and its organization! Yikes - think you could come on up here and get me organized???????? I know I have stuff for you somewhere........if I could only find that somewhere place!
ReplyDeleteGirl, your lab is downright fabulous! I *heart* the whole thing - looks like a place I would feel right at home in! Your fabric stash is the envy of all blogdom! Love all the bling and the sweet touches everywhere. Very inspiring! Keep the duct tape rolling - you are a hoot!!
ReplyDeleteHugs & Blessings,
Becky
Love your laboratory! Wow you are one organized lady...and beautifully done too!
ReplyDeleteWa ha ha ha...what a great space cool storage everything has a place ..loved the tour of the fab lab!
ReplyDeletelots of stuff to create with-thanks for sharing your space!
ReplyDeleteYeeeHawwww!!! Robyn your studio is soooo cool! I just love it. There is everything one needs to create beautiful things! Thank you so much for coming to my party and sharing it with all of us! You rock!
ReplyDeletexo,
Karen
My Desert Cottage
Very cool studio, no an inch of unused space, which is so great. So many goodies to drool over, it must be such an inspiring place to work. Have a safe and happy 4th!
ReplyDeleteI love all your stuff! That's a great creative space you have..so many treasures and things to inspire. I'm late getting to all the studios, but I certainly enjoyed yours.
ReplyDeleteThanks for having me...
Lynette
Wow! Yes, that room is packed with fun stuff! It's nice that you have shelves and things made by your grandfather. it makes it extra special.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Cute studio and cute blog. I really enjoyed my visit. Thanks, Connie
ReplyDeleteLove it. What is that green metal thing that looks like a clock in the middle? A little frig? I love it! Lisa in Delaware
ReplyDeleteLooks like you have a super fun space and enough supplies to make it through a season or two - lol. It's so sweet that you have your grandma's sewing machine and that your grandfather made all those shelves for you.
ReplyDeleteReally love how you added the duct tape captions to all your photos--lots of fun!
Sure sounds like you enjoy yourself! Great to see someone having so much fun. :D
What a great space! Love the fact that the shelves and such were made by your grandfather.
ReplyDelete