One of the problems with working, or not working, on a number of different projects at once, is storage. One minute I might buy a fabulous handmade book from Erika Van Horne for Flourish and Blotts.
The following month I will be tempted by something delicious from the wonderful Eve of After Dark Miniatures, because I just love her work and know I will always be able to find a place for something of hers!!
Then along comes Miniatura which means a visit to the stand of Annie Willis of Fine Design who makes the most realistic of owls. A must for Diagon Alley!
Then I get an email from Sally of Miss Sally's World, a cauldron full of frogs is now available.......Who could resist? Not me, obviously!
Too much football on television results in an Etsy browsing session and discover that one of my favourite sellers, the delightful and talented Peiwen of OiseaudeNim, has a towering, magical plate of witchy spaghetti. Just the perfect wizardly lunch.
I have been storing each piece in boxes for each project. Quite simply books go in the box labelled "Flourish and Blotts", potion bottles in the box labelled "Apothecary" or cauldrons in "Potage's Cauldron Shop".
All sounds very simple......except I have now got to a point where I can't remember what owls (flying or standing), potion bottles ( empty, full, fimo, glass, round, tall, tiny......), or toadstools (red, spotted, tall, short, dirty......) I actually have.
Which has lead me to have a complete sort out because I can never find what I am looking for when I do need a scroll, or a book or that pumpkin with the squinty eye that I bought two years ago at Kensington, or was it Miniatura......????
So this has been the state of my work room this week. I have moved out three 'finished' projects to create space for Diagon Alley.
I will clear away all the rubbish that has made a home for itself on my desk this Summer.
I have invested in some new storage boxes - my goodness, they seemed outrageously expensive, I am sure I could have built an extension cheaper!! - so I can see each individual piece. I have an animal box, a potions (filled) box, a spooky props box.......and so on. You get the idea.
I will still use my Fairy cartons for more specific and larger pieces. Tomorrow it will all be finished and I will be able to sit and contemplate actually making something.
Now all I need to do is remember where I packed the puppy.......
