Planning the Open Studio

Meanwhile, I've also been trying to plan this new business and get ready for the Open Studio. My business is still the same name "BEEZink Studio". But it seemed like this new space called for a new name. So I took the nickname that has developed (from this blog's name) and created a logo - and a character. I always like to make new characters!

My goal is to officially open on Valentine's Day and things feel like they are getting a bit close!
I'll have a free heart carving workshop to entertain anyone who might show up. Well, not hearts - I mean, we're not carving hearts. Not real ones. That's sick. It's eraser carving, make-your-own rubber stamps. It's fun.

Now we're getting somewhere

I've repainted the yellow walls in the studio, painted some storage furniture, filled the cracks between plywood floorboards and sanded and primed... whew! So, just to up the challenge, I decided to try and sort-of match the kitchen floor tiles on the new plywooded area. (See the"before" image in the previous post). Half way through I thought - "what idiot tries to "faux finish" a kitchen floor to look like old, dirty linoleum?" I mean, honestly, have you EVER seen that technique in a book?

Hmmm, maybe a little too grungy. What do you think? Anyway, this is how it will stay. But if I don't completely melt down my brain while painting the railings, maybe I'll paint an object or something on the floor. Perhaps a dirty tissue or used diaper? To remind me of home (ha ha).


Then, I started Zentangling the kitchen wall. I LOVE these chalk markers. Too cool. And I bought all the colors available in the store. I like having the full box of crayons. Although... I don't actually like crayons...

And we're off! Really.

I haven't posted in a month, because I've actually been working on this project! Yeah!
Here's a shot of the Lobby bathroom, painted:


Still need to make the cloud art...

We actually divided up the old (tiny) bathroom and made a second (teenier) bathroom in my studio section. it's nice to have a private WC, even if it is just a hole in the floor. My son gets a real kick out of my bathroom stories from around the world... perhaps another blog.



Oh! Yes, we put in a pocket door too. This bathroom is so tiny you sit on the loo with your knees to the wall! No skipping in the loo, here.




I couldn't bear to paint over the old red walls in the kitchen, so I only painted the walls that were damaged by construction.

I used black chalkboard paint. I really love chalkboards! (And white boards, and glow-in-the-dark paint...)
I left patches of red - I might Zentangle them later.



Originally, there was a big-ass counter separating the kitchen from the classroom. I'm not kidding! It was extremely "sturdy" and when it was finally removed, it left a foot wide gap in the floor (you could see the supporting beams). Jack (the builder) leveled it as well as he could with plywood, but was afraid, people (me!) would trip over the edge. So we designed it to look like a little porch with railings. Cute.

So far, so good. But then if you turn around... you see piles and piles of boxes that have been sitting around under lots of plaster dust. Ah well, time to start cleaning and unpacking!