Spotlight: “My husband claims if we ever move, this will go with the house… I won’t ever move!” ~Catalina
A couple of weeks ago there was some lively “shop talk” about studio designs in a different post about polymer clay colors. In that conversation, Diana Ledesma (aka Catalina) volunteered to send in some photos of her set up. Today you get to see them and read about her outrageously fabulous work space.
This Is What Catalina Had To Say…
Hi Cindy!
Here is my studio! I have 14 photos all together [they are posted further down on this page]. Whether or not you use one or all of them is up to you.
Several years ago, the company I worked for went out of business. They had to auction everything. This is where I got my “desk”! I bought it mainly because I helped design it! It was my actual work station designed for MY needs. So, I had to buy it! Do you think $700 was too much? I don’t! :) (This is one-of-a-kind and our company’s cost to produce it was $6,000!)
It has six separate pieces which none is made with a straight line! Everything is curved! Being a corner desk, it is easy to get to everything you need. My husband had to use 500lb bolts to anchor the top “shelves” to the solid concrete walls! The whole set is made of solid wood and is very heavy to say the least! (He claims if we ever move this will go with the house! I said, “No way!” I won’t ever move!)
This set up has a built-in light table. It has a glass top so it also serves as a cutting board. It has four file drawers. Two are used for paper work and my freelance graphic work. The other two are “junk” drawers! Boxes for me to cover with clay, molds, and odds and ends. The next four drawers are for everything you can imagine right at your fingers tips. The photos can explain better.
The corner piece, where my chair is, is lower than the side counters to make it more comfortable. My computer is on a “box” to make viewing the monitor easier. The edge of the center piece is beveled (the black band edge) so your arms don’t rest against a hard edge.
The top shelves are staged at different levels to add to the design of the whole unit. It is placed at a height so I can reach everything while sitting!
One nice feature of this set up is the built-in bulletin board. The whole area under the shelving is like a pin-up board. Yes, I have used every square inch!
One of my “garage sale” finds is a metal box with “Brumberger” on it.. It hold all my different glues, glazes, canes, baby powder, embossing power, etc.
I use three coffee cups to hold all my cutting tools, brushes, and pens. Every once in a while I have to go through them and re-sort them. I’m terrible at keeping things organized.
My favorite “freebie” I got as a Michaels’ employee is the “Clay Station”! We were going to throw it away since we were getting a new fixture and my boss let me take it home! This is perfect to hold three bars of clay in each cubby hole. I turned the barcode label over and use it to label every color. This way, at a quick glance, I know what colors I’m out of and can write a list in a couple of seconds and be out the door to buy more! And it take very little space up and yet very accessible. I have one extra one and I may just list it in my shop on ETSY.com!
Lighting is important in your space. So, I have a track lighting system over head and a OTT-LITE rechargeable on my desk top. This helps when working on small jewelry findings and when true colors are important. This light makes finding the perfect color more accurate. A must have for any studio. The rechargeable is great because you can take it with you and not be bothered with a cord. Great for using as a light source for taking pictures of your work. Or for looking under your desk for that bead you just dropped! (Or in one case when I was in the living room working on an Indian hat band and spilled a whole box of black seed beads! My carpet is a dark royal blue! I used the light to pick up the beads and I was able to get every one! I won’t do THAT again! – I hope!)
On the right side of my desk, I have my pasta machine and my craft/toaster oven. Right in sight and easy to keep track of the temperature and timing.
Having my computer right in front of me makes life grand! I can look up Polymer Clay Tutor with a couple of clicks and refresh my memory on a particular technique! I used to print out ideas and tutorials but with my computer right there it saves me paper and ink!
Yes, I’m a baseball fan, Detroit Tigers are my team! Life revolves around the Tigers’ schedule, especially during the summer months. So, my wonderful husband got me an under-the-counter TV!
Remember my mentioning I have an Art Director? Well, if you haven’t guess it by now it is, Princess Daisy, my Maltese! She tells me when I can take a break, when I should eat, and when I should stop screaming at the TV whenever the Tigers’ score! She gives me her opinion on my designs. So far, she hates every barrette I made for her! You can tell just by her face in every picture I take of her with one on. :) So, her “office” is right on my left so she can keep close eye on me. (I have been know to wander off without her permission!)
Because I do so many different types of art work and all right here at the “CAT Station,” I use a glass cutting board when working with clay. It is easy to clean and easy to put aside. I use a plastic cheese ball cover to keep work in progress dust free. The metal pan that came with it I use to bake on! That, too, was a garage sale find! It holds a 4 inch ceramic tile just right!
I use plastic jewelry/bead containers to hold scrap clay. I keep them separated by color so they can be used more efficiently. I use eight of these containers for jewelry findings, as well, too. I keep them to my right on the shelf above the craft/toaster oven for easy access.
I guess by now you can see where I spend a great deal of time. It is in the basement where is it cool all year round! It’s great when I get one of those hot flashes! If it wasn’t for my dog I probably wouldn’t see the light of day! :)
Thanks in advance for spot lighting my studio. I hope it will give everyone an idea on how to approach their own space. Just to get started and can be overwhelming.
Thanks, again, for all your insight to this wonderful art form.
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Wow Catalina! Your “CAT Station” is absolutely amazing! Besides having every convenience at your finger tips, I love it that you also surround yourself with your other passions… Detroit Tigers baseball and Princess Daisy, the ‘art director’ poodle. Does your husband ever see you at all?
So what do you guys think of Catalina’s Studio? Post your comments and questions in the comments section below.
** If you have been inspired by my teachings and would like to be featured in an upcoming Spotlight Article, then please do write up something creative and email it to me along with a selection of your project pics. Make sure to send me high resolution photos that I’ll be able to zoom in on to show the details of your work. If you don’t already have my email address, simply leave a comment below and I will get it to you right away.
Wow and Holy Cow. I am drooling in my coffee. I love that this is a corner unit. Your husband sound really supportive, what a sweetie.Let me know if he wants to relocate. LOL. I sent this e-mail to Cindy last night and she asked that I put the information in the comment section today.. A couple months ago I somehow ran into a link to Scrap Box USA. A great storage product but really expensive and really more for scrap booking. I personally would not spend $1200.00 or more but some people may have those resources. This gave me an idea that these could be made by “repurposing” an entertainment center or large computer desk and adding storage units and racks for the inside. As hanging flat screen TV on the wall is becoming more popular you can find previously owned entertainment centers cheap on Craigs list. Go to scrapboxusa.com for ideas.
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Absolutly unbelievably fantastic, it is so bright and organized, I’ll bet you could tell someone right where something is without being in the room. I can’t wait for the day I can get my space up and running, I work on the kitchen table and have to “clean up” when ever I stop working for the night (note, I said night. guess when I get most of my work done!)
Diane that studio is the BOMB, girl!!! Love the floor, love the work surface layouts and your storage choices. Plus it is extremely beautiful and must be bliss to work in.
Thanks for the inspiration and the share. Now, back to work with my graph pad and pencil…..lol!
Wowza! That’s a thing of beauty!
Girl – you might be able to sell those things to all us PC workers.
Let me see – what would I have to demolish in this house to get something like that in?
That beats the dining room table at any time!
Wow! After 42 years of marriage I finally have my “own” room that I now call my “studio” (after 5 kids, 7 grandkids that have come back home here and there is why the room was available). I have a large collection of arts and crafts items that have been collected throughout the years. Finally a place of their own!! We bought the large work table at Costco along with a set of cabinets and numerous utility carts bought at swap meets and everything is full. One day, I will hope to organize it like Catalina.
Wow… I wish I had a studio like that! I dont have enough space in my appartment, I use mainly my coffee table in the living room, and my kitchen table for my pasta machine… And the lighting is not great either…
Fabulous! yeah… just fabulous!
Wow your studio is amazing. I am impressed by the organization. I am fortunate to have a whole room to my self, but after just moving, I can not say that it is completly organized. (more of a what hit here)I am still in the trying stage. Glad your husband is supportive, mine is also which makes life a whole lot easier. He has his hobbies too, so he does not mind if I spend the whole day tucked away, as long as I come out and say hello every now and then… Enjoy your room it’s a beautiful setting. Happy Claying
I want to move in with you and I will live in the Studio, which I will clean and cook for you… We will NEVER move !! LOL Geez and I thought I had it pretty good, BUT “OH NO”. Love it girly, you are so lucky, and that desk is worth every penny and MORE that you paid.
Fabulous! I even love the flooring! :)
Once upon a time, in a land far far away. There was a princess named Catalina. And this princess loved to do crafts and work with clay. She had the most wonderous studio in all the land where she played all day. It had drawers galore and shelves forever! And there was room for everything she ever needed. Even her dog! She had a computer there, and a TV! The only thing missing was….me! LOL. What a great workspace Catalina. I can only hope for half this much organization when mine is done. Enjoy every minute of it. XOXO Jamie
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Workplace to drool for! I go to a corner of the basement where the lighting isn’t the best, but with extra lamps it works. I feel lucky to have a space of my own that I don’t have to clean up after myself everytime I use it. That doesn’t mean that I don’t take things upstairs to sand and have them laying out on the kitchen table drying from glaze. But we can all look at her pictures and have workroom envy!
Very nice and inspiring space Catalina. I am one of the lucky few who also gets to have my own space. I have an upstairs loft that I had a closet design company come in and make me a huge craft storage area, drawers and closets. I have two tables up there and get to set up my pasta machine and keep it set up. But besides the beautiful closet area, I wanted to share with you guys an easy, pretty inexpensive idea for storage. I have a metal sheet that my husband framed with an inexpensive premade frame from Micheals and it is hung on the wall. I bought a bunch of plastic, clear little 2 oz. jars from a place online and I glued cheap (but strong) magnets on the lids. I stick the jar lids on the magnetic board and wha la!! I can see what is in my jars and easily pull a few down for any project that I want to do. I mostly use these for beads and findings but they would totally work for small bunches of clay too. The board set up cost about $20.00 and the jars are about .60 cents each. The magnets are like 50 for $5.00 or so. The nice thing about this is you can start with a few jars and just add more later. If anyone wants to see a picture of what I am talking about, let me know.
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WOW! I am green with envy! I have a small apartment so I have all my things set up at my mothers house. I get to keep it up until we have a family dinner and she needs the table space, even then i don’t take put away my pasta machine. I just sit at the space next to it.
@Laurel
I am always looking for cheap and easy organizing ideas, I would love a pic!
Fabulous. I’ve been trying for years to figure out a good setup. Don’t know if I’ll ever have anything as wonderful as this.
Holy cow everybody! Your comments are just amazing. I hope you can be inspired to get your space together. I love my “little corner of the world” but I can tell you it doesn’t always look like the pictures! But, I can clean it up in just a few minutes. But, most of all I can get up a leave it and come back without having to clean up. That can be a pain and disrupt my creativity. Kudos, to you all who can create amazing projects all on the kitchen table! If I had to do that we would all be eating on the floor!!
Its really lovely Catalina, I’m just about to get some paint for one of the spare bedrooms (kids just grown up and left, but I’m so comfortable on the dining-room table, by my little stove. Trouble is there’s never any room to eat!
I understand what Polyanya is saying. My little corner is in the dining room, the direct center of the living space of our apartment and if I were in “my own space” I might not work as much as I do now. I get to work and spend time with the children and the man, if I were in another room I’d feel like I should be with them. But I have a nice set up, a big corner desk with a good sized work space and my computer, never have to put up my pasta machine and often have a couple half finished projects out at a time, with a fabulous view of the backyard so I can watch the kids as they are playing. My only problem is storage space!!! The dining room table happens to be the children’s craft area… so there never a place to eat.
Again, Catalina, I love your space! It’s gorgeous and looks so very useful.
Donna, you said you would “cook and clean” for me? Oh, that sounds wonderful! When can you move in?? LOL!!!!! I do get behind sometimes on my house work and I told my husband that he should fire the “maid”! Because she’s terrible! He agrees but he said “she” is under a contract. I said I didn’t know of a contract so I asked for a “NEW” contract. He says he is out of money and the company is bankrupt! (Can you tell he is an autoworker?) LOL!!
Laurel, what a great idea for very little money. The jar idea is probably easier to see though, too, especially for findings. I might look into doing the same.
Nancy, My husband does “play” with clay with me sometimes. He has his own ideas and thinks he can do better than me! His “desk” space is actually right next to mine. I couldn’t get back far enough to include his space in the photos. I have him come down and play “DJ” for me as I work. He has an amazing music collection. Or I will invite him to play “Art Director”, he has a good eye for jewelry design. When The Tigers are on TV he will go up stairs to watch on the big TV. I will call him on his cell phone when the Tigers score asking if he saw the play!! You’d think we lived in a 100 room mansion when really he is right above me!!
Jamie!!! You are amazing! A great story teller! You made my day.
Carrie
Oh, that made me laugh. Me, too at the family homestead for “summer camp” for the grandchildren. I guarded with my life, LOL!!
I am sooooo jealous! :) What a wonderful craft space Catalina!!!! I live in Michigan, so if you ever decide to sell your house let me know… hehehe…
I’ve taken over our dining room for my claying area… We eat on TV trays in the living room now. I use the dining room hutch for storing my clay stuff away when we have company (about twice a year). I long for a better work space, but I’m happy to have any space at all..! Luckly my husband is supportive of my crafty habits.
Also, Diane’s excellent idea of inverting a glass bowl over canes and work to keep them dust free and displayed beautifully triggered a memory of my last tour of the Goodwill and such stores locally.
Due to MS, my hands drop and shatter more glass than you can imagine. Always on the look out for Melita coffee pots, wine glasses,etc.
Tons of glass cheese covers out there just sitting on the shelves. Have handles, so are easy to move, some come with tile bottoms, easy for clay to rest on.
Best of all, they create magical display zones where you work can inspire you but still remain dustfree while under the glass domes until your bake off session.
Thanks for the tip, Diane!!!
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Catalina, you have a fabulous workspace !!! Very inspiring. Thanks for sharing your photos. I love the b&w flooring, the corner desk unit, and your storage pieces. I actually have a ‘studio room’ but haven’t worked in it in over a year! I find so NOT conducive to creativity. Besides being small and cramped, the lighting is absolutely horrible, so I’ve had to place small lamps all over the place, but they don’t really make up for the lack of decent overhead lighting. Despite having quite a few storage areas, I’ve accumulated so much stuff that I have run out of spaces and have things in boxes on the floor. The only horizontal workspace I have in the room is an office desk which is very ‘deep’, but not long enough to really spread out. It is a very inefficient use of floor space. I would love to have counters and/or a ‘work island’. So now my actual workplace is my dining room where I have a small craft table on one end that I use for claying. The lighting in the room is fantastic, however, it has plenty of sunlight, so I put up with the inconvenience. The only time I go in my studio room is when I need to get supplies. It really needs an overhaul-better lighting, sufficient workspace, and probably some significant ‘clutter reduction’. Either that, or maybe I should turn my dining room into a studio room, and use my studio room as a dining area !
Joyclyn, Thanks for the sweet comments! The “glass” lid is really plastic! I know because I already dropped it – twice!!
Dora, The black and white floor was laid totally by me and took me over 6 days!! I did the whole basement floor. I wish I had more natural light and sometimes I want to work at my dinning room table. But, I quickly change my mind when I see how much stuff I have to carry up stairs! I’m with you on changing your dinning room into your studio room and vise versa!! :) I have a large Sauder cabinet off to my left (you can barley see it in the main photo) and it is totally filled up. Filled up with empty boxes, packing materials, music CD’s, and my Little Kiddle doll collection. Does anyone remember them? I’m making clay doll furniture and accesssories for them. You can see the doll house on my desk which I’m displaying them in. Thanks for the comments – everyone!!
Oh, Lisa! I almost forgot since you said you live in Michigan you should come and spend the weekend and we “clay” together!! You said your husband is supportive I’m sure he won’t mind!! LOL!! Tell him it’s a “business” trip!!
Lots of you folks here from Michigan. I love that state. Someone ought to host a party….we will clay ’til we drop, then head for one of those great lakes and chill by the firepit.
Hey, that sounds great!! The weather has been good and the more the merrier!!
I’m sitting here grinning as I read Dora’s comment about turning the dining room into a studio. The story of where I live and why is way to long to go into, but let’s just say it started out as a 36×16 greenhouse. When my husband died, I sold the motorhome and moved in. After a couple of years my brother and his crew enclosed the back porch and added a 20×18 “bedrom” on the back for me. I had my painting studio is the back porch area 16×8 and my bedroom in the large room. After about six months, I switched it around, moving my bed and dresser into the 16×8 room and using the nice big room for my studio. I pretty much live in there now. I have my big comfy recliner, my computer, tv and nice big windows for plenty of natural light. To correct a problem with a leaky roof, my brother put on a metal roof (which I LOVE) and changed the pitch of the roof. I had him leave the room open all the way up, so on the house side of the room, the wall is 12 feet high, sloping down to 8 feet at the window wall. I still don’t have my work space set up exactly as I want it since I’ve added polymer clay as my primary art form instead of the painting that I had done for years. It’s a gradual process but I’ve picked up some great ideas from Catalina and I love the idea of the magnets on the jar lids. My brother builds metal buildings so guess what he’s going to get to make for me this weekend???? Thanks to all of you for the ideas and inspiration!
Arlene, I may want to move in with YOU!! It sounds like you got plenty of room. I am just the opposite, I wanted to get back into painting but my husband said to concentrate on one thing at a time. So, I will concentrate on polymer clay!
I love the magnets on the jar lids too. You could probably have your brother make several and sell them to all of us!! B, don’t forget to take a commission!! :0)
I just love what is happening here between you all! Sharing ideas and camaraderie. It is what I always dreamed this blog would become! :-)
Arlene your studio sounds awesome! Please send pics!
If I took pictures now, ya’ll would wonder when the tornado came through! When I get in creative mode, neatness goes out the window. I’ve been in creative mode for the last couple of weeks with more ideas than time. Still working for a few more years, so I have to wrap my “want to play” time around my “got to work to pay for the play” time! And if I have a choice between cleaning and claying, guess which wins!
Arlene I’m on a roll at the moment too – and buzzing with ideas. Thing is if my work (dining) table is cluttered with clay and canes and pliers etc I’m more inclined to sit down and tweak something, and then get lost and totally absorbed for a few hours. If I’ve tidied away then I’ll be off gardening or making chutney or something.
Wow! So jealous!! What a beautiful studio and so organized. I can never find anything when I need it! :)
Kelly, Thanks for the sweet comments. I have my space so messy right now you all would be shocked! I have to learn to do one project at a time. But, then I do get distracted by the Tigers! They won a close one tonight! Gotta go – I must clean! Where’s Donna? I need her!! LOL!!!
Well, I really never thought I would envy anyone or anything, but this sure makes me come close :-) AWESOME would be the best word to describe your art space. Lovely, comfey, joyful spot to be.
Thanks, Beverly! You are so sweet. If you could see it now it would blow your mind – it’s a mess! LOL!! I finally get a day off tomorrow so I will have to clean it up. With the holidays coming I let it get a little out of hand. I’m up grading my computer with a flat screen monitor so I’ll have a little more room. I just wish we had 48 hour days instead of 24! LOL! I know I’m crazy :)
Studio redo alert. My apartment is being transformed on Dec 10 so that the exterior living/dining area becomes a polymer clay studio. The plan is to make some money to buy more polymer clay stuff. Hopefully, with the consultants help, I’ll figure the digital upload mystery and post pics.
Between now and then, would surely appreciate folks throwing up quick pics of their work area, or describe it here. I need to learn and incorporate a lot of tricks fast, as I only get manpower for one day.
Trying to use every feature that would help in the future as my Muliple Sclerosis zig zags or progresses. Any help (ahem, Cindy?) would be greatly appreciated.
@Jocelyn: Sorry Jocelyn, I don’t have time to take and post pictures of my studio right now, but I promise some day I’ll get to it. I have to move my studio to a larger room any ways (am going to switch rooms with Willow) so what I have now will change dramatically. One tip I can give, is that you can never have too many drawers. Rolling bins with drawers are great if you need to move things around. More small drawers is better than fewer large drawers.
I like to have my laptop on the same table as my work table, so I can use both at once. If you like to follow along with video tutorials, this may be a good idea for you as well. I also like to have my workspace under the window. This gives nice natural light for claying and gives me a view to look out at. Plus this way the light from the window, doesn’t shine on my computer screen.
Make sure your table/desk/work surface is polymer safe. Glass or formica is an excellent choice. Right now I am using a folding Rubbermaid table that works well but it is hard to clamp the pasta machine to. In my new studio I will change that.
Lots of plug ins or power bars are important, as well as good lighting. If the room’s lighting isn’t that great, a portable OTT light is fabulous. I’ve worked for years out of a tiny space less than 10′ x 10′ and have done the bulk of my work on a small cutting board beside the computer, so a big space isn’t necessary.
Have fun with the process. Take pictures if you can. Maybe others will pop in with their ideas as well.
@Jocelyn: I wrote a stack of notes on my studio and posted a couple of pics here, if it helps: Convert Spare Bedroom Into Studio
Thank you all for your ideas and links. The 10th is coming soon. Just want to be able to see what I have so that I remember to use it, LOL!
Cannot tell you how wonderful it is to be part of such a caring and sharing community!
Wish me luck.
@Jocelyn: Hi Jocelyn, I missed your comment here somehow (I had a few “barely there” weeks last fall…must’ve been posted then.) I would have wished you luck — how’d it turn out? I hope everything worked out well, and that you’re very happy with your new space. Fingers crossed… ;D
Love this studio!!!!! Is there any ossible way that you can create links on the photos to larger views? I woudl really love to see them close up!
Thanks,
Shirley
Hi Shirley, that would be nice wouldn’t it. I don’t think we will be able to do that right now though… we are wanting to update our site to a new platform possibly so until we get that figured out, we’ll get keep things as they are for now. I do agree that larger pictures would be an improvement. Hopefully we will be able to make them available in the future.
Shirley, I can send you the pics full size by email if you like. You may have to ask Cindy to forward your email address to me. She doesn’t like to post personal info here. Also, Cindy, you may not believe this, but my husbands is set on expanding my studio! It has grown and a little cramp. I may have to send and update! I will have an electric fireplace and a futon to relax on, too! And a bigger TV to watch baseball!!
OMG Catalina, a fireplace and futon too! Geez… I’ll be right over! :)
This might be a way to get you to come to Michigan! So sorry we will miss you this August. Can’t believe I will be so close and you not be home! I’ll keep you up to date on the improvements to my studio.
Hello Cindy, I do enjoy your tutorials.
I would like to replace my chair for my work table and would like to know if you have any insight into features to look for? Or, is a computer. Chair the way to go?
Dawn
Hi Dawn, you will want to choose a chair that is comfortable, swivels and is height adjustable since sometimes it is nice to be up a little higher than your table to roll out clay and such. I have counter height workbenches so I have a cushioned bar stool, but depending on your work table height, a computer chair might just be perfect for you.
Cindy,
Thank you so very much for your input. I really do appreciate it.
Happy Claying Around