There’s a narrow shelf that runs around 2 sides of my studio all the way along the ceiling above the windows. Since the space is pretty tiny and I don’t have much wall space to display anything, this is where I keep all of the art, keepsakes, and odds and ends that inspire and make me smile. You can see a tiny section of it in the photo above. Since these spaces are always on the other side of the camera, I thought it would be fun to take you on a tour of what decorates my studio. So I stood up on my chair and took some photos.

From left to right:

  • A photo of me and my two sisters in a Tiffany silver frame I got as a wedding present.
  • Two little figures made from office junk and cardboard that we used to make a stop motion movie once.
  • The “proof” from my utility box wraps public art project. The dog’s name is Dandy.

  • The Etsy pennant and name block came from when I was on the short-lived Etsy Sellers Advisory Board.
  • The robot dude was for a class I taught on soft/fabric circuits. His nose lights up when you hold his hands.
  • Origami mouse designed by one of my favorite origami designers, Paul Jackson. Rubber goldfish…. I don’t know why.
  • Jethro the chicken. Art by me.
  • A wooden tjap (wooden stamp)
  • Tiny sweater knitted on toothpicks by my great grandma.

  • Watercolor of my dogs Chester and Leo by my friend Asia. (Asia and I met at summer band lessons)
  • Silver painted stick that I use as a photo prop.
  • Handmade vase from Etsy (I’ve had it so long I don’t know their name anymore) with fabric flowers by my friends Heather & Casey.
  • Sequined mushroom from an old school craft blogger art swap
  • Oxford teddy bear from a customer as a thank you for doing a custom order for her wedding.
  • Kermit. My first crush. Sitting on a carved stamp block I made.
  • Paper airplane postcard from an art postcard swap.
  • Ceramic giraffe jar from my mom.

  • Block print from BXTH, an Etsy seller from Denmark that I screamed when I saw it. The worm pun goes along with a beloved family story and I just can’t tell you how much it tickled me when I found it.
  • Woven version of my logo by my friend Heather. (Heather and I have been friends since we were like 12.)
  • Handmade box by me.
  • 3-D printed t-rex with a top hat made by my niece.
  • Christian Siriano fashion illustration. (from my mom for Christmas one year.)
  • Antique toy sewing machine that was my great grandma’s.
  • Bouquet of peacock feathers in a carved metal vase from India given to me by one of my husband’s fellow lab mates from grad school
  • Ceramic mouse from Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
  • Lego sewing machine from my sister

  • Homework page from my first scenic design class in college. I got an A+.
  • Carved dragonfly on a leaf
  • 3-D printed bird silhouette by my sister.
  • Quote from the Muppet Movie that I love, printed on my Provisional Press.
  • Photo of me and my sisters.
  • Art postcard by Erica Gilbert of Keptfresh
  • Post Office Dog art by me

  • Origami duck from a class I took with origami artist Robert Lang
  • Portrait of Stanley by my friend Sawyer
  • Quilled paper frog card
  • Silk turtle pincushion by me
  • Landscape painting by a Ukrainian artist sent to me via Postcrossing
  • Kermit.
  • My honorable mention award from the MN State Fair Fine Arts competition
  • My book arts certificate from MN Center for Book Arts