two corners.

slowly the studio is taking shape. I thought I'd have everything set up before now, but there have been too many obstacles standing in my way (both physical and metaphorical). Everything needs to find a home today: a place for everything and everything in it's place... well, that might be too much to hope for but I'll be happy to have just enough order to get me back to work.

These are two tables set up across of each other- one is for hand sewing, the other for machine sewing/ drawing out patterns/ taking photos. This studio is even smaller than my last, so I'm having to be inventive with how spaces will function- every space has to be used well to make it all flow: We'll see how it all works soon enough... I'm glad to have all my shelves and supplies set up so these spaces will remain fairly bare- all the better to work on- right?!

side note: feeling quite ambivalent about my paint choice. It's a super light purple that reads as grey sometimes (YES!) and as full on lavender others (yikes). hoping it grows on me.

this morning: small bits around the studio and the perfect place for a break.

boxes everywhere.... but today I begin to unpack.

it's a mess in here, but come on in!

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Tomorrow is the STUDIO SALE! 

Sorry if that's been confusing at all... I've been stocking the shop all week and it will go live tomorrow at 12 noon (CST). Check the blog then for the direct link. Here are a few more details about the sale- and do feel free to email me if you have any questions!

my apologies to those living outside the US:

- to make things as easy as possible I will only be shipping domestically for this sale -

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another sneak peek!

The Studio Sale is coming along! Here's more images of the bits I pulled out yesterday- and more are coming out today. Today- HALLOWEEN! fun. So there are lots of vintage items, supplies, a few newer high quality pieces, pieces for display, and a whole lot of cute things. Come see all the good on...

//// THURSDAY JULY 14th to SUNDAY JULY 17th! \\\\

--- four days only ----

I'll post all the details here (on the blog) when the sale is up - check in at 12noon CST for the link. There are lots of vintage items- so when they're gone they're gone! I'm building the shop now- it will not be on etsy but will be a typical "shopping cart" format. That means you can just check out and pay via paypal- no need to email me with orders. Easy as pie.

~~ STOCK UP ~~

shipping will be calculated on only one item (the heavy/largest) and all the rest ship for free.  The average shipping is just $5-$6... so there will not be any big surprises when you go to check out. All boxes will be mailed from the USPS Priority mail, without insurance. Everything is sold as-is.

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// SHOPPING CART NOTE \\

Since there are one one of many things - remember that your items are not yours until you've paid for them- IE they can be sold even if they're in your shopping cart, the items sell to the first person to pay for them. 

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STUDIO SALE //// coming soon \\\\\\\

It's time to make a fresh start- so I'm cleaning up and getting everything out! I've been stocking up on vintage and occasionally beautiful newer items for years but now I'm feeling the need to purge and simplify the studio- so why not pass some of these goodies on to people who will appreciate them as much as I do?!

I'm working up to a big online sale----> taking photos and going through bins, drawers, shelves, and boxes. It will be short and sweet, maybe just a couple days long. I've yet to set a date but expect to hear more soon! Here's what I've gathered so far- and there is so so so much more to come:

another...

3 worktables- 3 studios

from 2011- to 2008 - to 2005

I had a number of work spaces before these- I wish I had photographs of them all. The one in New Haven was photographed in Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, but the two before that are lost in history. My very first studio I built into my closet. I could shut the door at night so I didn't bother Jay while he slept in our studio apartment. There was just enough room for me, a chair, a little desk with my sewing machine, and the piles of fabric above my head. Youth makes everything workable.

my old handwritten list of names- from my old studio...

I love finding old images of forgotten things. This list didn't make it through my last studio move- I do so miss my old studio- that light and space was a wonder.

(photo by Alison Malone)

Hello- and a call for questions!

I'm reworking my website and I wanted to have a few question/answers on there. Are there any questions you'd like me to answer/elaborate-on concerning my process, inspiration, work day, studio, etc??? I'd love your help in making the new info on the website helpful and interesting! Leave a comment, email me, or post a question on my facebook page.

the calm before the storm...

I just arrived back in the studio after staying up quite late working last night. I found it messy but quiet. I love the muted light in here in the morning- it's so calming. Soon I'll have to throw on all the lights and madly get to work. Lots still left to do before today's website update.

a space to work???

this is how it begins...

and this is how far we've come...

Apparently I don't know how to keep a workspace neat. Instead I work with about 2 inches of exposed table top and the rest is piled high with supplies, parts and pieces. It mounds up and up until all the pieces I'm working on for an update are finished- then it all gets picked up and ordered again. Lucky for me I always have another table that's pretty much clear so I can always move over if I need more space- but full disclosure, I usually just start a new layer of work on top of the last. Have I destroyed your image of my perfect little studio all neat and tidy?

(want to see more photos from my studio- when it's clean that is...)

Outtakes: part 2

Here are more outtakes from the photo shoot for Where Women Create... See the published piece here.

Outtakes: part 1

Now that the new Where Women Create is out on the news stands I can properly share all the outtakes from the photo shoot- "Hey, Here's my studio- Come on In..."

just the slightest sneak peak...

Here's a mini glimpse into the studio shoot-
So excited for the Where Women Create spread. It looks like there will be a lot of really good ladies in this Issue (Issue 8!)- my Mom included.

thursday cleaning.

It may not be spring, but I'm picking things up the studio. It really doesn't look all that different but it's kinda nice to feel like you're starting fresh. I'm tossing out all the scraps and putting all the clutter back in it's place. All I need is a bouquet of flowers in here- something that smells nice. Yup- I'll be heading out for those later today. Happy Thursday Everyone.

more from the studio of Murphy Bears...

I can't get enough of my mom's studio- and from all of your notes about the post yesterday neither can all of you- so here are some more! It's such a small space but its packed full of beautiful objects:




While I was visiting we worked on a small quilt for Claude in my mom's studio... We had piles and piles of fabric spread out on the floor, arranging and rearranging. The scenery inspires. It's a pretty magical place- not just her studio, but the whole of my childhood home. Yes of course it's important to me because I grew up there but beyond that it's filled with oddities to engage ones imagination. I miss being there already- but my home now is in Minneapolis and it's a pretty great place to come back to-

stashes in the studio...

My mom has such amazing little collections of objects-
here's a small sample of little bits from around her studio.

morning light...

this morning the sun came out again...