Yesterday I got out my tripod and proceeded to take some photos of the studio space upstairs. Since I’ve recently added and changed some elements with a good measure of de-cluttering as well, I thought it was time for an update. For those of you who are new to this blog, my ‘studio’ is a space I have created at the top of our stairs and hallway. It’s tiny but somehow it works.
Lamb Chop, my muse, ready to inspire me. She’s slacking off a bit lately – I haven’t been feeling very inspired.
My sewing table.
My happy little egg cups.
I think the flower fireplace screen is going to go here. I just want to move it a smidgen to the left.
The baby mug was made by Emma Bridgewater (I got it in England) and the wall pocket is a relatively new treasure.
The red and white pincushion was made by Debbie at Happy Little Cottage.
Fabric. “Friends” was a gift from my friend Lori at Vignettes in San Diego.
The view from the bedroom. Letitia is still wearing my grandmother’s nightgown.
As you turn the corner (our bedroom door is on the left) you can see the rest of my tiny space.
Inside the cabinet – some treasures, some tools, some stuff.
McCoy pottery, my little Koala Bear Bank from Becky.
VIntage glove boxes, my sheep from Judy and my little sheep from Lori at Vignettes in San Diego. Matchbook from Elyse.
My beloved dolls. The one on the left was my mom’s Shirley Temple doll. Tressa (who has two left feet) is in the middle. And Emma is on the right. They all have a story, of course. I ‘rescued’ Tressa and Emma.
That’s my mom in the photo and that’s her dress on the left.
My chalkboard with my favorite Leonard Cohen lyric.
I’m very happy with this update to the studio. Much less clutter, a cleaner look, but still happy and bright.
My dad just called me to say that Mom is moving back to the nursing home today. The doctor said she’s much better. Meredith and I are still worried that Mom seems unable to talk. Meredith thinks she is trying to talk, so that concerns us. But her bed in the nursing home is still waiting for her and that’s a bit of good news. I use that term relatively as she is very unhappy and is not living a life that I would ever have wished for her.
But we’ll take our good news where we can find it. She’s improving enough to be discharged and for that we are thankful.
Thank you for your prayers, my friends.
Linking up with my friend Alice’s Sundays at Home at Thoughts from Alice.
Happy Monday.
Your studio space looks lovely. Lots of great light. Glad to hear your mom still has her spot at the nursing home. Having to shift her around till you find another place would probably have been upsetting for her.
Tana
As it is, the journey back to the nursing home will be exhausting. But she’ll be back in a place she knows.
In your pictures, you and your mom look so much alike. I hope she continues to improve.
My prayers to you and your sister.
Shirley
Atlanta, GA
Yes, I look a LOT like my mom. My dad’s eye color, my aunt’s freckles, but the rest is all my mom.
Your studio looks lovely. I love the light and all the charming bits and bobbles you display. It must be a lovely spot to sit and dream and plan.
Glad your mom is doing better and out of hospital.
I have found that so much of life is about acceptance of things that we can’t do anything about. The aging and inevitable loss of those we love is certainly a test of acceptance.
You’re very wise, Carolyn Marie. Acceptance is key.
Your studio space is full of treasures that must inspire you and just plain make you smile. Love it. The Leonard Cohen quote is great and I love that one of Louise Penny’s mysteries references it.
I do hope your mother continues to improve and that the move back to the nursing home goes well.
Me too, Lorrie. And thank you for your kind words.
Your studio is gorgeous…love the update! I especially like the view from your bedroom…clean and serene. Don’t judge…I’m in a rhyming kind of mood…it’s 51 already! Great news concerning your mom…and I’m sure a relief. Love that picture of your mom…my mom has one like that…they seem so hollywoodesque! ;)
I like your little rhyme, Donna.
It’s warmer today, but snow is coming on Wednesday….excuse me while I scream.
You are excused…go ahead and scream. It’s a great tension reliever you know! ;)
It’s wonderful, Claudia. My sister had a doll very much like your Emma. So sweet.
My dad was in the hospital with pneumonia last Thurs. He’s 89 now. They kept him overnight and relased him the next day. He’s feeling much better. Hopefully your mom will feel better with each day.
xo,
Lin
Yes, let’s hope so. Dad says she looks a lot better and the doctor said she had been very run down. Thanks, Lin.
Everything looks so pretty..I would love to have a sweet little niche like yours to call “my space”..How pretty that picture of your Mom is..You certainly do look like her..I am so glad they decided to move her back so that you have that worry off your mind..
I’m glad, too, Nancy.
I am glad to hear that your mom continues to improve. I will keep her in my prayers. Love all the toys in your studio!
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Thanks, Susan!
I am glad your mother is doing better. That is a great picture of her- I can see you in her. I love those old photographs. Love your studio!
I really look like my mom – more and more the older I get.
Promising news about your Mom. I know the NH is not a choice any of us would make for an ailing parent, but we have to make hard decisions.
I had not noticed how much you look like your Mom until today. Is she as beautiful as you now?
She is always beautiful to me. And she has gorgeous blue eyes.
Your studio looks very bright and cheery. All decked out for spring. So happy that your mom is doing better and is going back to her waiting bed. xo Laura
Thank you, Laura!
Glad your mom is moving back to a familiar place and that she’s well enough to be discharged from the hospital. Love the studio, it’s so organized and colorful.
It has to be organized, Janie. I can’t shut the door and hide everything!
That is great about your mom moving back, and I pray that she will be able to respond soon.
I love the things you have done. It looks so pretty, and I think you selected the perfect things to display there. I am glad you put the flowers on that wall. Looks pretty, Claudia. And that Leonard Cohen quote is fabulous. One of my favorite songs he wrote was “Suzanne.”
Te thing I like best about your studio are the colors you have on display, but those are some of my favorite colors, too. Great job!
xo
Sheila
Thank you, Sheila.
The thing… Yes I saw it after I hit publish. Argh.
Your studio space is absolutely beautiful! It must help you slog through this awful winter and the lack of your husband, at least a little bit. My favorite part is the egg cup shelf. When you tire of them, send the entire collection and shelf along to me. ;)
And there’s even more egg cups on other shelves!
Would you consider telling us the story of Tressa and Emma ? I love that all your collections have such meaningful histories and stories.
SueZK
I’ve written about them before, but it’s probably a good time to tell their stories again. Hopefully sometime this week.
Maybe your decluttered studio space will soon inspire you – it looks lovely. Glad to hear your mom is getting out of the hospital. It is so hard to see our parents grow old, sick and frail. Brian just visited is dad yesterday and even though he lives in a condo with his oldest daughter (Brian’s sister), he is just not doing well physically and mentally. He was in a foul mood and a little verbally abusive to Brian yesterday.
That’s a difficult situation, isn’t it? That happened with my grandmother. When she started to suffer from dementia, she got mean and picked fights with all of us. This was obviously not the grandmother we all knew and it made us very sad.
Great news on your Moms improvement, lets just pray it continues :)
Yes. I feel like we got a reprieve but just a reprieve.
Claudia, has anyone ever tried music therapy with your mom? There was a featured story on ABC News last week about a man who is collecting used iPods and MP3 players for use with Alzheimer’s patients. They found if they used music specific to the patient’s youth they had very positive results. (musicandmemory dot org)
No, we haven’t thought of that, but I will certainly look into it. My dad loves music – maybe he could get her an iPod that would play all their favorite music. He has one.
Your mother is beautiful Claudia. So glad to hear she is well enough to leave the hospital. My mom lived her last 4 years in a nursing home, so I know how hard that is.
While Don is away maybe Lambchop needs to move down to the den … closer to you for some motivational collaboration!
Well I need something! Although today, I washed and ironed the living room curtains/swags/shades – whatever you call them and ironed them. Then I tried to make them look better than they have – I think I succeeded – I’m really tired of them but have to live with them for the time being.
Glad to get the good news about your Mom, Claudia. Things are of course not what you would choose for her but they’re much better than they could be – and that’s everything. You look like her too, I think. If you think of it and have one, it’d be fun to see one of your childhood photos – maybe put it next to the one of your Mom here. I think it’s so much fun to see family resemblances. Sometimes they even skip a generation. We have a VERY old photo – from the early 1900s I think – of my mom’s father’s family when he was just a little kid. He was the youngest of nine and it’s spooky to see the resemblance between my Mom and one of her aunts. They could be twins. PS – that green dress is really beautiful. Remarkable how fashions come around again – that could be hanging in any store today.
Good news about your Mom! I know it’s so hard the life she is leading now, I went through this with my Dad and it’s tough. Love the changes to the studio. It looks bright and full of things you love.
hugs,
Linda
I do love your studio, Claudia. It’s just so cheery and full of light. We are kindred spirits when it comes to gathering our beloved ‘stuff’ around us in our cottages, including family heirlooms. (I have my mother’s doll on a shelf in my den, looking the worse for wear but still very much loved.) And I’m so glad to hear that your mother has been discharged and can return to the nursing home. I hope she continues to improve and will soon be able to talk again. It must be so frustrating for her, and such a worry for you and your sister, as well as your father. Keeping you all in my thoughts. x
I love your little studio! It looks like such a nice, cozy space where one can relax and be creative. Good news about your Mom and hope she continues to improve.
Glad to hear your mom is improved enough to leave the hospital Claudia – they can be dangerous places!
Thinking of you all during these difficult days,
Mary X
Your studio looks like such a quiet, nourishing space. I love seeing it. I hope you can find time to enjoy it soon. Many thoughts and love for you and your Mom. The elder years can be so challenging for everyone involved. xo. ~Angela~
Love your happy studio. It’s important to have a place that is cherry and bright to create in…yours is lovely.
So glad your Mom has gotten better…sending prayers and hugs your way, and Mere’s, too. :)
Your studio is cute, bright, and I love the happy nostalgia. Not to be simplistic about your mom’s difficult situation, but can she still write? A small whiteboard might be useful. God bless you and your family in this journey. Love the beautiful picture. I can still see my beautiful mom in her younger years. Absolutely all she needed to look glamorous was red lipstick, that looks to be true for your mom, too.
Your studio space is stunning! So bright and cheery :)
I love the name of your blog and your studio is perfect! Such precious treasures!