Today, I am taking you on a tour of my studio. It's my "Happily Ever After" spot. 

It all started when my husband told me he wanted to turn one of the barn bays into an art studio for me. What?!? Really? Can I be honest and say it never crossed my mind...I was thinking a place for horses, lol. But yes, please. I'd love a studio. We were fortunate the largest area already had a concrete floor and three walls. It just needed to be closed in but the main structure was in place!

We named it "Tin Roof Studio" because, well, it has a tin roof.  I absolutely love it! It's more than I ever thought I'd have - nice large windows, large space to spread out, and all my own!
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The first picture shows the front of the studio where the big windows are. I just painted my door chartreuse - it used to be red but it needed to be repainted and this bright color is so happy.
The second picture is my sewing and printer corner. 
Next is my work table with all my acrylic paints, watercolors, and canvas storage rack - it's along the same wall as my sewing/printer area.
The next picture is across the room and it's here that I have my easels set up for oil painting...This is where the best light is in the room. I have an old crib spring hanging on the wall with clips on it that holds all my tubes of oil paint. My inspiration shelf with all sorts of objects is there as well.
The picture with the red lockers is on the back wall. This wall is for storage, a bookshelf and picture ledges for paintings.

​As you can see, I have several studio assistants. Looks like they spend their time either eating or sleeping though. But seriously, I enjoy their company!

Another view of where I do most of my painting. I have picture ledges and a gallery wall to display more paintings.

Lastly, another view of my work table, canvas storage rack, plus my small drafting table where I draw or work on watercolors.
It's a really wonderful space! My commute is short and I can't wait to go there each day.

I hope you enjoyed seeing where I create.
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Oops! I was supposed to get back and show you progress on Heartwood. But I got busy with several other projects - a commission, cleaning the studio and repainting the its door, and working on our garage conversion so I don't have a picture to show you yet.

However, I can share pictures of the garage. It is going to be our new living room/dining room. Our current living room is small and we need room for family/friend get togethers! 

​It has been a lot of work - we had to remove the garage door, close in the opening, add siding and a new door, paint the door, add insulation and drywall, scrape the popcorn off the ceiling, repair the ceiling joints, tape and float, then finally paint the ceiling and walls. Whew! Are you tired yet?

Then it was time for lights. We hung a ceiling fan in the center of the room but needed a light for above the dining table. We went to the store to look at their available lights and none of them were what we wanted. Bruce told me he could build one using the light pendants so we grabbed three of those along with the Edison bulbs and headed back to the farm. Once there, I headed to the barn to see what I could find for a base. 

​I found the perfect chunky, weathered board! It was even the perfect length!

We figured out the spacing on the lights then Bruce and his brother got busy (he and their mom were visiting). I'm glad he was here to help Bruce - I'm not sure I could have held the board up while he bolted it to the ceiling. Fortunately, I didn't have to find out, LOL.

I absolutely love how it turned out - farmhouse rustic with an industrial vibe! Flooring and trim are next then we can get the furniture in place and I can decorate. 

Then finally I'll be able to get back to Heartwood and bring it to life through my art. 

When we bought our farm 8 years ago, I wanted it to have a special name. However, all we could come up with was "The B Farm". It was ok; after all, it was our farm and our last name starts with a "B" - it just wasn't very imaginative.

Then one day, Bruce was cutting down a dead tree along the driveway and he found the trunk was in the shape of a heart. "We should name the farm ​'Heartwood'", he exclaimed.
​I agreed, but by then "The B Farm" had stuck.
"It's too good of a name to waste though", I thought. 

Fast forward to now and I wanted something to help tell the stories of my fantasy paintings. And then I had a lightbulb moment! Why not use "Heartwood" as my fantasyland where my unicorns, dragons and fairies exist? It is a perfect fit - Heartwood has a delightful sound and feel to it and seems like the perfect place for my creations to live. 

Inspiration abounds in the woods and pastures of the farm. Below are pictures of things that caught my imagination. What will they become?

Check back next week as I start the transformation of the landscape timber into the beginning of "Heartwood"!