Where WESTies Create: Episode 4, Prairie Peasant

Hi! I'm Laura, the designer and creator behind everything you see in the PrairiePeasant and PrairieThreads Etsy shops. I'm happy to show you today the spaces where I create--but be warned, these are not the perfect spaces you will see in studio magazines where everything is colour coordinated and in its place. No, these are real places, where real work happens!

This is my basement studio, a large bedroom that I laid claim to when we bought this house 12 years ago. This was the first creative space I could call my own and I love it! It rarely gets tidier than this, despite my best intentions, but today you can actually see parts of the floor, so that's not bad!

Most of the furnishings have been salvaged from renovations (home and work), improvised, or purchased at great sale prices. My sewing table is a reject flat door from a hardware store on folding legs. On it are my serger and sewing machine, and many projects, current and queued, both mine and at least one of my daughter's. There are bins for storing fabric everywhere--there are more hidden under the table and in the laundry room. On the left side wall under the window is a long counter top with deep shelves for storing paper. It's a nice work height for standing (my professional career as an occupational therapist helped with the ergonomics!), and has a light table which I use frequently.

The opposite view shows my other work table which I found at the Habitat ReStore for $25. It was dinged up and needed a leg repair, but well worth it! It has longer legs (think barstool height), so again, it's a nice height for standing and working. I use this table for cutting both fabrics and papers, so it gets tidied a little more often. Mounted from the ceiling is a roll of paper that I use for some book making and the few wall spaces hold my kids' artwork. I use peg boards on the walls for organizing some tools and supplies.

I don't always like to be holed up in my basement room, so I often work in this corner of the living room, by the front window. On the wall is my daughter's "copying the masters" piece from art class. Here I can have more contact with my family and not feel as isolated. I work on envelopes and binding books at this station. The table is a drop leaf table that my mother bought in the 1950's when she moved out on her own and the chair was my husband's grandmother's.

My husband says I'm a space hog, since I probably use more space in the house than anyone else! I have salvaged books stacked everywhere, and finished journals and boxes of bookboard are stored in an out-of-use shower stall.

In the room adjacent to my studio is an office. Here I do all my computer work and packaging and shipping.

I use all recycled shipping materials, and have them stored in boxes here, along with some supplies and finished products.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting! I hope you will stop in at my PrairiePeasant and PrairieThreads etsy shops or visit me on facebook.