Illuminating

Wouldn't you know it... just when I say I have had no studio time, I go and spend a wonderful couple of hours there... not once, but twice, this week. I have been day dreaming for ages about changing up the lighting in the studio. I can't stand the harsh, blinding, blue light that the three gigantic florescent contraptions give off. I have told you on many occasion that I actually work in the dark about 99% of the time, only turning on the one strand of little lights that float around the top of the room. I don't get a lot of natural light, but I get enough if I sit by the window. In fact, I do a lot right by the window. It is my new favorite spot for jewelry photos, as well as my spot to paint, and write, and eat my lunch.

Although the natural window light was working out, I knew I needed more. I can't always be in a cave. Any visitor to the studio has my throwing on the big lights and my heart sinks every time I do it. From the very first day in the studio, I knew I would want paper lanterns. Don't ask me why, I just knew that is what I wanted. (Okay, and maybe a crystal chandelier at some point.) For the past seven months, I have been imagining those featherweight colorful beauties hanging in clusters over my work spaces. One quick search online a few months ago had me thinking it would never happen, that the cost would be higher than my ceilings.

But, the daydream nagged at me. And... summer boredom set in. Oh wait, you aren't familiar with summer boredom? It's that omg-i-have-too-much-freaking-energy-and-my-house-is-already-clean-and-i-don't-have-anything-to-knit-and-tv-is-stupid-so-let's-surf-the-web-and-mindlessly-shop-for-things-you-don't-really-need-right-now-because-i-am-so-fraking-bored feeling. I am quite convinced it is an actual mental condition listed in the DSM-V. I have suffered from it on several occasions this summer and I have three new dresses, a new sketchbook, some new painting publications, very expensive yarn for a new sweater, and these paper lights to prove it. But, I digress.

I found an awesome place online for these paper lantern lights. It was actually a little too good to be true, and I placed my order with baited breath hoping the package would show up. To my absolute delight, the package did arrive, in under a week, with everything I ordered. Awesome. And the whole kit-n-caboodle, 10 light kits and 10 lanterns with shipping, cost me less than $80. My daydreams often had all different color lanterns, and the company I found had about 20+ colors, but when it can right down to it, I thought less would be more and I went with classic off white for the color. They work, plus, I also figured I could paint polka dots and stripes at any time.

Okay, so I placed the order, it arrived, and then, Lauren and I set out to get the lights hung up. Thanks to all the water pipes on my ceiling, it was a snap. (Worry not, I only hung cords from cold water pipes, not the boiler pipes. I wouldn't want to set the building on fire.) I have a few cords that need to be painted white like the wall and blended in, but other than that, I am over the moon about how it is all coming together. I have four lighted areas, over the couch, over the torch, over the sink, and over the beading table. Each are on their own switch so I can turn on just what I need. (Yee haw! on saving on electricity!)I love the warm glow that the room has now. It is just enough without being more than I can work under. And um, is it wrong that I am already starting to imagine what the place will look like at Christmas time, with even more lights, and a tree?





You see that big blank space on the wall above Lauren? Oh yeah... wait till you see what I am putting there. You are gonna love it.