Hi First name / friend!

 

It's Rashida. Helloooo. I hope you've been having a lovely holiday season! 

This is my favorite time of year because it's a time of giving, gratitude, reflection and new beginnings. It's a season where we open our hearts a little wider, cherish the bonds that matter, and find solace in the quiet beauty of closing chapters. 

 

One of my rituals during this time is to close out the year with a little tidying up and clearing out my space mentally and physically. It's like giving my surroundings(and my mind) a fresh breath of air, making room for new possibilities and positive energy. Sorting through the year's remnants, both tangible and intangible, allows me to reflect on the lessons learned, the moments cherished, and the growth experienced. 

 

As I organize my space, I find myself decluttering not just my room but also my mind, making way for a rejuvenated spirit ready to embrace whatever adventures the upcoming year may hold. 

 

I thought this might be a nice opportunity to share some pics of my studio space. These photos are from a few months ago, but this is essentially how it looks after a really good clean up. 

 

Enjoy! 

After my marriage ended, I naturally had to find a new place to live. It needed to be nearby and spacious enough for not only my four children but also suitable for my work. This townhome happened to be the very first place I visited. I sensed it as soon as I drove up—before even stepping inside—that this was the place I was meant to live.

 

It has a loft space upstairs that is exactly the type of space that I needed for my studio. It has carpet, which I didn't really love so much at first, but I have a strict no-shoes-in-the-house policy, so it's not such a big deal. It's also great to have that open space for my youngest to play while I'm working. There are typically Legos and other cute toys lying in wait to assault your innocent bare feet spread all over this floor, but I digress.

 

I feel so lucky to have this space to use for my work. It's funny—I didn't set up my furniture this way! The movers did! When I came upstairs at the end of moving day and saw how they laid everything out, I loved it and just left it that way. Thanks, gentlemen!

Desk and bookshelf area.

I really love my work area to be a clean white space with lots of pops of color. The color coming from all of the bits and bobs, art, books, trinkets, gifts, and found things that I've collected over the years. I find that it really helps with my creative flow, sparking inspiration and leading into fun ideas. It's like my workspace is a kaleidoscope of memories and creativity, where each item tells a story and adds a touch of whimsy to the daily grind.

My desk is where I spend most of my time when I'm working, and it's where the magic happens! Email answering, art making, color correcting, sketching, pattern writing, book writing, newsletter writing... it all happens here!

 

I use a large 27" Thunderbolt Display along with my MacBook, significantly enhancing my workflow. When working with Adobe programs, I keep the artwork on the big screen and move all the tools over to the laptop screen. This way, it's way less cluttered on the screen, and my focus is solely on the art! It's truly so helpful! I also use a Wacom tablet, and I keep my iPad nearby in case I feel inspired to do some art-making in Procreate.

 

I keep photos of my littles on my desk, as well as my grandmother and grandfather who raised me. Having them peering at me while I work keeps me grounded, and they give me encouragement to keep pushing through whenever I'm having a bad or tough workday. There's even a photo of a pouty, teen-angsty15-year-old me, whose only desire in life was to be able to share her art with the world and make a living as an artist. She keeps me going as well. I can't let any of them down!

As I mentioned before, I love to have pops of color around me when I'm working. That not only includes fun little trinkets but also my books. I LOVE books! Especially art and design books. This bookshelf is really just the tip of the iceberg of my book collection. I probably need about two or three more of these Ikea shelves to store all of my books. laughs nervously 

On the top of my shelf are some vintage Japanese labels and other ephemera. I have a maneki neko (lucky cat) with her left paw up, which means she brings good luck for business, ushering in success. She has a twin sister whose right paw is up for good luck for the home, and she lives downstairs, watching over us as we go about our daily routines. I also have some pretty ceramics from Alexia that I've collected, as well as a cute ceramic origami crane—a beloved gift from Sarah. Its just a treasure trove of good vibes and artistic friendships.

If you know me well, you'll know that I'm a huge Japanophile. I love to keep things around me that remind me of my most favorite place in the world. Each item a time capsule reminding me of my love for Japan: a Mt. Fuji doodle, a 'Made in Japan' sticker, a vintage photo that I found at a Flea Market. I also have miniature versions of Sakura Cray-pas and my favorite Maruman Sketchbook that I always had when I was a girl in Japan. They remind me of my creative youth and just fill me up! Can you believe that the sketchbook company is 103 years old???

I absolutely adore that photo of Frida Kahlo, taken by photographer Nickolas Muray in 1939! Oh, and the Raoul Dufy abstract floral next to Frida! Have you ever seen 'An American in Paris' with Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron? Raoul Dufy is one of the artists that inspired the beautiful painted backdrops in some of the dancing sequences, and he's one of my favorite French Impressionist artists. That film is also on my favorites list.

 

It suppose my wall is a gallery of creative souls. Frida's gaze meets Dufy's lively strokes, and I can almost hear the tunes of Gene Kelly's tap dancing echoing through the frames. Oh, the stories these items whisper to each other!

Here's where I sew, make pin cushions, and practice punch needle. I HAVE to create with my hands, or I'll just be... well, frankly, just sad. Having a separate space for handmade creating is a must for me. I'm still feeling out this area, so it's pretty sparse for now, but I'm thinking of adding a cutting table in this room since there's room for it. 

 

As a Christmas gift to myself, I got a tufting gun (SQUEAL!!), as my love for punch needle and curiosity for fiber arts has been expanding. I'm excited to see a creative explosion of fabric and yarn here in the near future. I have SO many ideas of things I want to make and share….I think I might need a clone. 

Last but not least is my giant Ikea wardrobe, which stores a lot of my fabric, yarn, and many other supplies. It resides in my bedroom, right next to my studio space, just a few skips away for anything I need. I proudly put this beast together myself, even securing it to the wall. One day I was sitting at my desk and there was a 4.0 earthquake. (I live in California, btw.) Things on my desk started rattling and dancing and then I heard a crash! All the shelves on one side of the wardrobe decided to try and escape! They all collapsed! I don't have a great photo of it, but just picture a giant fabric/yarn/particle board sandwich. 

 

My bedroom looked like a fabric warehouse for a while with bolt after bolt of my collections spread out and stacked on the floor all around the room. I had to take the entire wardrobe apart, repair the shelves and drawers, and rebuild it. I will say that I did find joy in the rebuilding and making the space for my beloved fabric and fiber stronger. This time I added some reinforcements and a little bit less bolt stacking….It's crazy how heavy fabric can be!  

 

My worst nightmare is to end up on an episode of Hoarders when I get old with my kids complaining about me as I hide under a me-made mega fort of books, fabric, yarn, sewing, craft and art supplies while finger knitting a scarf. This incident reminded me that I have WAAAAAAY too much fabric. *whispers I have some in the garage and the laundry room as well. I truly should whittle some of this down at some point. I've been thinking of doing another Studio Sale in the next couple of days. So stay tuned to my IG for that!

 

Well, I hope you enjoyed my little studio tour! I hope it that it has inspired a creative spark or even just brought you a little bit of delight. I truly love sharing these glimpses into my world with you.

 

Do you have a dedicated space for creating? I'd love to see your space! Reply to this email and share with me if you feel so inclined. 

 

Remember, every corner can be a canvas, every tool a brush, and every idea a stroke of brilliance. Embrace your mess if you make one, cherish your process, and let your creativity free. Your unique space is a reflection of your creative soul. May it inspire and bring joy to your artistic journey!

 

Until next time!  

 

XO