Friday, June 1, 2012

Studio Tour and Environs


I thought I'd give you another tour from the outside to the inside.
Here's where some of it all happens.
Warning.... this is a long post
El Studio Norte otherwise known as the Garaj Mahal
upper left is my lampworking studio room. Upper deck is where I dip my mandrels while I sit on an Adirondack in the sun... ain't happening today, it's pouring!

New vegetable bed put in where some of the greenhouse used to be.
It collapsed under the weight of the snow this winter but we were able to save two thirds of it.

Somehow it has more usable space than it did when it was bigger. We got rid of some junk that was stored in there.
( you're probably wondering what how we define junk, hehe)

As you can see here in Alaska our growing season is a little behind other places. 
I think we're in zone 7.
June 1 is supposed to be the safe frost free day here so these guys are still hardening up for the cold cruel subarctic world. But they happily enjoy the midnight sun to make up for it.

Wildflower garden.
I found this cement mold for faces that was really cool.
Yes, I'll do "after" photos.

Fountain of Youth. 
Why do I call him Mr. Coryosity?
 Because his last name is Cory
and my business is numinosity 
and he needed a name for his branch of business selling gems and collectibles
and curiosities.... see... Coryosity... I came up with that!

Lonely Teardrop
got a bluegrass festival on the horizon in a couple of weeks.

View from the lower yard where the mooseys hang out and our bonfire pit

The upper deck

View from the upper deck... the mountains weren't showing themselves for this photo.
I'll capture them for you someday.
That mower is how I keep in some sort of shape.... that and a bunch of stairs in the house and garage.

OK, We were going to turn this into a little shop to sell overflow but then I kind of backed off on the idea thinking that maybe I didn't want random travelers and such interrupting my precious days of creating. It's still good for storing overflow. 
We scavenged that bed frame from an old building that burned down in town.
It was in a bar actually.

So this stuff could go up for sale in my vintage shop. See anything you like?
The little chairs and table aren't vintage though, they're from Bali. They're strong enough to stand on if you could fit your foot onto them.

 This is the shed that the squirrels owned for a long time. 
They've been made into paintbrushes now.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, Maybe we'll have an open house someday.

Now up to the office...
I finally agreed to not have my beading supplies in the living room anymore.
Now they're upstairs in the office and I carry them down on that wooden tray that my dad made when I want to do some work.  I'm a couch or easy chair- watching a movie-  kind of assembler. Plus I get more exercise going up and down stairs when I forget things.

This is where all of that stuff used to be.
Photo on left by Chris Cianciabelli
Upper painting by my former boyfriend
and lower painting by another local artist George Gianacopolous 

Theengs I'll never let go of

Stuff and cookbooks... my former passion before all the jewelry bid'ness was cooking.
I still love cooking but rarely use cookbooks anymore.

The stove that keeps my office warm in the cooler months
and dear old Dad, a  rusting gear photo by my son and me vamping for the camera in Cuba

Shipping table for my Etsy orders, it's usually a disaster.
I'm not very good at being systematic about anything.

my Mac and Canons

My funny doll collection

Collections. Ceramic pieces are from a sculptor that we met in Cuba
and that's an authentic Eskimo doll there.
Any questions?

This 'n' that
That silhouette is of my dad many years ago painting the trim on a Unitarian church in Maine.
We're still in the office.
A peek into the hermetically sealed man cave...
When I moved in we had to decide who would get the room with the closing door...
messy me or hubs?

He decided he would rather keep more sealed off to ensure order to his room if I promised to try to keep my messes somewhat under control

OK, let's stop in the kitchen a minute on our way to the other studio.
Trying some lacto-fermention of vegetables except without the whey... more like sauerkraut.
My homemade kim chee is out in the garage cuz of the garlic smell.

My favorite poster from Burma.
it says  "the food that shouldn't eat together"
with wise advise about disastrous pairings of food such as "ice lolly" and "meat pigeon"

Stopping into the bedroom a minute to see how I've taken up two dresser tops with my cool stuff.
Assemblage made with antique ceiling tin, Artymess- Goddess of Fibre Alchemy fabric purse
 and other sundries

More jools and stuffs

Now out to the garage and upstairs
Wall in lampwork studio

Zappa, Pee Wee, Dragnet and creepy baby.
What does that say to you?

Stuff that can be made into stuff.... or not

Serious studio stuff- my glass

My lampworking table and the jewelry bench that the neighbors GAVE me last year.

magic torching table

two words.... dimple pliers
Fun!
Some of my gals... 
Mr. Coryosity scored these when a department store was going out of business.
Not only did he get them for way less than they were asking, he nearly caused a riot with a bunch of women that were clamoring for them but his persistence paid off. I wasn't even around for this action.
Who needs flowers? Just bring me busts.
He thought I could use them to display at art fairs... a little bulky for that but maybe better for photo shoots.
'nother room
where I do sewing and collage-ing.
It's an erstwhile guest room. I managed to get one of  the beds moved out to claim some more space.
Some postcards and art cards from trades hanging there.

my vintage funny  Messalonskee Moppet rag doll collection.
I was selling these on Etsy for awhile.
 Maybe time to list some more.
They are just a little bit strange but oh so lovable

I altered some creepy faced  1970's era Bible study booklets that I found at a thrift store.
My own kind of prayer flag I guess.
 It's almost 2:30... that's afternoon union break time at my old job.
and there's a Thai calendar advertising "Alaska" condensed milk.
My brother got that for me on ebay

My first woodcut ever back in '91 (my last too)
That's my old boyfriend there.  Very serious looking.

Can you have too many sewing machines? I got this last weekend. It came with the original invoice from 1958 when it was shipped from LA to Anchorage.
I paid much less than the original price.
I really just wanted that little suitcase that came with it that says "Made in Czechoslavakia" inside it.

And to cleanse your palette from all that sensory overload,
(cough...hoarding...cough) as my sister commented on my fb page
here's a little treat of some of my "criffles" put into action








39 comments:

  1. Frank Zappa! LOL! R.I.P. He was something else....

    I love seeing your place up there in the land of the midnight sun. So out in the woods! Amazing.

    And all your chotchkes! You have a lot of stuff!

    Thanks for the fun tour in the Garaj mahal etc.

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    1. Thanks, Roberta. My son gave me that Zappa poster for a birthday present years ago. Yes, too much stuff for sure, I want to do an epic sweep sometime but the Mr. wouldn't allow it!

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  2. I like your world!

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    1. Thanks Jessica, I hope you're enjoying your summer off.
      Miss you at the market.

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  3. I am going to take Steve on this tour so he can get off me about being a hoarder. Sheesh. I am (relatively) downright zen-like. I abhor an empty surface.

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    Replies
    1. I'm happy to provide the healthy comparison. it's downright dangerous having a partner that likes to collect as much as I do.

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  4. Very cool tour of your world! You have quite a collection of things, and some are just so funny!! Thanks for the fun read and photos.

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  5. LOVE seeing your Alaskan world. What a great place you have! It gives a bit more insight into the talent you have - you can see the joy there where you live.

    xoxo Juliette

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, I guess that's the difference between collectors and hoarders... joy.. At least that's what I tell myself hehe

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  6. thanks for the tour. what fun! and what beauty. love the Zappa poster. :)

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  7. hahahahahahaha... way too much stuff for me but what fun you must have had collecting it.
    All I can think is I hope it is not as dusty up in Alaska as it is in Arizona.
    Thanks for the tour. I love looking at other artist studios.

    cheers, parsnip

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  8. Love your tour, need more! Love your stuff, book marked it when I need to get away :*) Lov Julie

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  9. With stunning views out your window you should never be without inspiration. Thanks for showing us around!

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    1. It is inspiring and gives me the right amount of solitude that I require these days.

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  10. I'm impressed--you live in a paradise setting there among the trees, kind of like a treehouse up in your studio space...and for being a hoarder, you've got it organized! Hats off to you and your beautiful rustilicious work XO

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    1. It is up nice and high, we don't have the right kind of trees up here for treehouses so this does give me a nice perspective on things.

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  11. So nice to get a visual of your life.
    Especially like the 'head' stone.

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    1. Kass! so nice to see you here. I'm glad you enjoyed the tour. Thanks.

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  12. kim, it was great fun taking the tour! I keep getting rid of stuff and things! but I enjoy other peoples collections! thanks for showing us! alaska must be so different from your winter residence! the ground looks so dry or am I not getting the picture??

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    1. Lyle, It's till very early in our growing season yet so the grass will fill in in a bit. It is actually classified as desert in the interior of Alaska due to low precipitation as well. That's why we get so many wildfires.
      Also the voles live under the snow in the winter and wreak havoc on the grassy areas.
      I try to get rid of things sometimes but usually my husband begs me to hang on to stuff that I am ready to let go.
      It really is quite different than out Arizona a residence. It's nice to have both worlds.

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  13. OMG!!!
    I want to come play in your neck of the woods! What a fantastic tour~~much more interesting *stuff* than at my place. (have you ever noticed how other artists STUFF is always more intriguing than our own???)
    Loved this post. Love-love-loved it!

    XXOO~~
    Anne of the boring studio....LOL! (okay, fellow hoarder, how 'bout that?)

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I have noticed that about seeing other folk's stuff!
      Glad you like the post!

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  14. Love it! It all looks organized and compartmentalized to me. I get my studio cleaned up occasionally but who can really create something without pulling materials out and having staff around to fondle? :).

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  15. I am in heaven wandering round your gaff ..LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT......and pretty please let me know if you list any of the Messalonskee Moppet family there is always room for another one here ......i just love them so ........Kim you are truly a kindred spirit i am going to do a similar post if you don't mind me copying ...I think us (cough hoarders cough) need to unite in our celebration of all things lovely ...xxx

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  16. warning...long comment, which if I said everything I want to, it would be as long as your post! Love the tour! You have just the right amount of stuff, to be inspired everywhere you turn. Love the moose antlers, the wildflower garden "plot", the mini aqua pitchers, the mannequins (good score Mr.), your printers tray full of precious keeping always theengs, awesome rock collection, etc, etc. Yes, I do have a question. Are those giant teeth by the cuban sculptures? if so, what from? and Mr. Coryosity sells gems, collectibles and curiosities?? Where???? Cleanest man cave I ever saw. I want to spend all day, every day in your lucious glass studio and last but not least- you turned your squirrels into paintbrushes?! That'll teach em! Phew! Wonderful post!

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  17. What a great tour! I do love your location...I'd love to be in the open spaces like that surrounded by pines and wildlife.

    And it's so nice to see all your collections - so much inspiration!

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    1. I just love it here. All I have to do is go outside to get a respite from all my stuff!

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  18. what i got from this post
    1- you live in a postcard.
    2- you're a hoar- I mean, *collector* of kooky stuff.
    3- you said 'theeengs'!!
    4- I gotta look up dimple pliers.

    xoxo

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    Replies
    1. 1) Wait till I show you the mounteeens!
      2) I'm thusly afflicted and inherited the trait through my gene pool
      3) I have no clue where I picked that up!
      4) seriously, saves a lot of pounding. You'll lurve them!

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  19. woww! I really enjoyed the tour! thanks for sharing one of your corners of the world! :)

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    1. Thanks Steph, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
      I'm busy trying to round out the corners!

      Delete
  20. Fab tour, you are officially more of a hoarder than me. You got stuff girl. Cory looks cute with the hose, kind of a flirty fellow ain't he? New earings are really great. feet eh? xox

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    1. The feets belong to Artistic Rejuvenations, I just provided the criffles.
      .... yes... lots of stuff indeed. That's what happens when you have lots of room.

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  21. ok, i stared at this post endlessly on sunday, but strangely never commented...i think i'm coming to live with you, except you have to get rid of those creepy doll leg earrings before i arrive. :-)

    this is so awesome and makes me long to get our house renovated so i can have a real space in which to create again.

    thank you for sharing this.
    xox,
    /j

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  22. p.s. no, you cannot have too many sewing machines. :-)

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  23. p.s.s. i think i would have mutilated the creepy bible study children more, tho' i love what you've done with them. blasphemous prayer flags are the best.

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  24. Favorite quote from this blog "I finally agreed not to have my beading supplies in the living room." Okay, so it's not just me. And I'm not the only supply hoarder! This post is so much fun... thank you for sharing your world with us! Oh, and thanks to your poster I won't be mixing any ice lolly with my meat pigeon either!
    ...and hey, are those little chairs Stanley-sized?

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  25. wow....loved the locale...man how out into da woods is dat.!
    mooses...dimple pliersQ!@# me gotta get some of doze.
    thanks for invitin us in..

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