{9} I love...

to Create.
"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.  No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities... we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before." 
"As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you."
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I love the creative process.  I have so many interests that stimulate me creatively.  When I carve out the time to 'create something that did not exist before' and 'create something of beauty and helpfulness' there is not doubt that I am happier.  Of course there is the never ending struggle of finding that time.  Since I started homeschooling, I have thoroughly enjoyed art projects and science experiments with Ty.  I love to watch Savannah and Christian creating culinary works of art.  But I have found it harder than any other time of my life to find the quiet time creating gives me... sitting in a flower bed planting, sewing a pillow slip, painting a new sign, anything.  I miss it. 

So... I brought my concern to our family counsel this past Sunday.  And do you know what my sweet family did?  They jumped on a solution.

PROBLEM = I bet I will hear tons of AMENS with this realization that I and my family came to.  Whenever I get on a creative binge... it usually involves me dragging the sewing machine or paints, etc, out in the middle of the kitchen.  I always need to stop mid process to cook or take someone somewhere.  The creative mess (and I can whip up quite a mess) gets pushed aside... until.  And 'until' can drag out to many days/weeks later.  I guess I could say the creative joy is sapped right out of the process by the then created stress of JUST GET IT DONE AND PUT AWAY.

Flash back to us building this house.  Storage.  It was in our top 3 MUST HAVES.  I wanted a walk into attic.  Got a huge one!  Linen closet.  check!  Big closets.  yep!  In fact, as the framing progressed... we noticed two other attic spaces that the architect just walled off and were dead space in the roof line.  I pounced on the two spaces and asked our builder to drywall them in.  Both spaces are lit, heated, and cooled.  And what have we done with this created space?  Not a thing.  Nope.

 Well, we did the typical thing of... lets make it a 'hang out' room.  Thing is, no one hangs out in here because it is more fun to just hang in the TV room downstairs.  Well then, maybe an exercise room.  And while the boys do lift weights in here, the treadmill is dead and needs to be laid to rest, and it still only used once a week at the most!

 I can not believe I am actually showing you this attic.  Horrible mess, right?!

SOLUTION = Christian is going to move his weight bench into the small attic off of his bedroom.  All other junk will vacate... and, ummm, uhhh,  I will have a 'studio'.  I'm calling it that because it sounds real official.  So, we have no money right now... taxes for the self-employed are a real kicker right now... but in the future... picture this...

 This entire attic space will be wrapped top to bottom in wood planking painted white.  I want to rip up the carpeting, this will be a shocking blow to my sweetheart, and put wide planked floors.  There will be two large work surfaces because Savannah is quite the accomplished sewer and loves to create too.  Tons of shelving of some sort with baskets and such.  A wrapping station because I LOVE to wrap presents.  An overstuffed, yummy, comfy, chair slipcovered in aqua linen.  A fun rug that adds softness in the room but can be easily rolled up and pushed aside if we need to get messy.  And art, lots of art and antique frames, and, and, and...

 I may, just may, go really crazy... after my husband has recovered from tearing up perfectly good carpeting... and take down this super cool ceiling fan for a chandelier.  Yep.  The slanted ceilings, the plank walls in white... this room will need a chandelier!

Are you ready for the little, tiny, ummm, quirky, maybe a tad bizarre, detail about my soon to be Studio?  Lets take a small step backwards out of this diamond in the rough nugget.  Maybe, just maybe, this is why the architect had a wall here originally and not a door....

 Well, there it is guys and gals... one must take a sometimes terrifying little stroll THROUGH our boys bathroom to get in to my gorgeous studio.  Yep.  Off to the left there is a toilet, commode, the necessary...

But this shall NOT deter me.  Nope.  I will march myself right through this bathroom, I'll be sure and knock first if the door is closed :)  and step into the studio, quickly closing the door and ignoring what lies on the other side.  Cause I will have a studio.  A itty bitty studio that measures 12'x13' and actually feels smaller because of the slanted ceilings, but ohhhhhh its gonna be pretty.  I'll be sure and show you the progress, and the completed room.  But you'll understand if I don't have a Studio Open House, right?!... cause it would go something like this... put your blindfolds on people... hold hands and follow my voice... NO, thats not a toilet you bumped in to... just keep moving forward... now close the door behind you.... are we all in?  Welcome to my Studio!