Tales from Studio Mailbox

Busy Chaos

Studio Mailbox Photo Tour

Herzlich Wilkommen! You've just entered blogging airspace hidden in the vineyards outside of Wuerzburg, Germany. 

Come on in. 

But if you ever show up in person, please don't expect the studio to actually look like this.  It's all a lie.  I threw in the dead fly from the windowsill just to keep myself honest.  

Yet things have come a long way...(here's what the room looked like before). There was tons of sorting.  Lots of whitewashing and collaging,  organizing and reorganizing and then there was that whole misunderstanding when I thought I was buying a 3' foot shelf and instead a 3 meter unit arrived from an old German mercantile.  I should've contacted "Studios" then.  Oopsie.

The neighbors in my village know I'm something special, and I just reinforced it by balancing on my child's swing set in order to try get some full size shots of the workspace for you, peeping into my own windows from outside the house!

While visiting, if you'd like to read a funny post, try this one.  If you need something to ponder throughout your day, maybe this will stick in your head.  If you're looking for the most recent thing I've actually sewn it's here.  Don't forget to leave a comment for the ATC give-away while you're at it and if you like German stuff, then just start snooping -- it's all around!! 

 
 

 

Long Shelf Collage

Studio Mailbox is now complete with small kitchenette.  Have you ever gotten your hands on something free but horribly ugly?  Here's a prime example...  a long, heavy orange mahogany shelf with a lot of potential for hanging over my sink.  My problem was that I had worked so long and hard whitewashing the world's biggest cupboard, I didn't want to hang a dark wooden anything in the same room.

Using an old German pattern for groovy men's robes, I decided to collage it.  Then I slopped on a layer of whitewash acrylic, let it dry and then collaged some more.  I repeated this process at least 5 or 6 times over the course of a week. I sealed it at the end with an indoor - outdoor clear finish to protect it from any spills or spraying water.

The hubs drilled holes for me at regular intervals in order to insert cuphooks which will be perfect for hanging ornaments or dripping tools over the sink.

Because the back-splash tiles are a delightful 70's burnt orange, I've decided this area will never be cleaned.  Any paint splatterings and water spots can only improve the look of it all.    For the first time in my entire life, I have running water in the same room that I work in!!

The only decision left is what to make out of the cover of the pattern.  I think the sauve fellas will have to be made into paper dolls or something to remind me of the sacrifice they made for the shelf!!

Sorting Studio Mailbox

It's coming along.  A lot of muscle, a lot of determination and one heck of a lot of sorting and reorganizing.  Crusted white cuticles.  Spiders in storage boxes I haven't opened in eons.  Reunions with supplies and half finished projects.  The excitement of finally having everything available to me at a glance.  The reality of my hoarded treasures.  The fear of doing them justice and using them for the right projects.  All the possibilities.

 

 

World's Biggest Cupboard

An antique dealer in my neighborhood called "Wolf" sourced this huge shelving unit from an old merchantile in  Hassfurt.  He told us we "might" want to have an extra guy to get it downstairs into the studio once he delivered it.  I bought it only after seeing a picture.  And that's how it came to be that Studio Mailbox now houses one of the biggest cupboards in the world!

My hubby had called Oli asking him if he could lend a hand.  Lucky for me, Oli agreed. This is the same Oli who single-handedly skipped down several flights of stairs with my Lexmark 4-color laser printer which I cannot even budge.  He is not only a great friend, but one seriously strong man.

Wolf had said the shelf was "3 meters, 90."  (Whatever that means.  After living in Europe for over 5 years now, I still think in feet and fahrenheit. You might as well look at me and say, the shelf is XY7_908*.  It pretty much would mean the same thing).    So anyway it turns out that three meters ninety is like over 12 feet long.  The drawers are so huge you could let your small child use them as forts. There are 14 slots for drawers, but unfortunately only 5 drawers remain.

It looks as if this cupboard was made by somebody who was trying to use up every hunk of lumber in their possession.  It is a completely insane piece of furniture.  Wolf said, "I've never had a piece like it.  Only something about half the size."

Oli said, "what do you even want with this thing...?" And I said, "Oli... I'm so sorry... I didn't realize it was so big... I didn't know what 3-meters 90 meant!"

And with that he nearly fell over laughing.  He realized immediately that I was serious.  Then he helped heave the beast down the street, down the stairs and into my studio. This thing was so big they weren't sure they could cut the corner to get it inside the room after clearing the doorway.  They were already formulating a "Plan B" as to how to get it in through the window.

Never fear readers, it's in.  I've already started bonding with it.  I've showed it to a few friends.  It really does have serious potential with maximum storage space.  The hubby was sanding and waxing all day Saturday.  I think I'm going to  contact "Studios." 

A Diamond in the Rough

In case anybody has wondered what the studio actually looks like, here are a couple of pictures to satisfy your curiosity.  I'm presenting them to you as the "before" shots.  The pictures of the chaos, the resemblance to a landfill, the overwhelm I feel by the reality of the amount of work it will take to make this space a special cocoon for creation.   But tomorrow arrives HOPE.  A solid wood shelving unit from an old German store.  I bought it after only viewing a photo which immediately reminded me of Olesen's Mercantile from Little House on the Prarie.  It's probably going to take up way too much precious wall space, but it's arriving none the less.  If all else fails I can throw a tantrum like Nellie Olesen.  (How cool is the real life "Nellie"... just check out her site!)  And stay tuned for the transformation of Studio Mailbox...