Sandra McManamon's Studio

Sandra McManamon’s Studio

What kind of Art/Crafts do you do?
I do a little bit of everything, in my space you will find vintage trims and buttons, craft paints, jewellery findings, scrapbooking, sewing machine, serger and fabrics, patterns and decorating projects, oil painting, crochet stuff, computer and printer, metal and tin punching, wood and small vintage pieces waiting for renewal, mosaics and broken pottery just to name a few items.

Where do you create?
My oldest child moved to his own apartment, I have his old room, which has a lot of built-in drawers and storage tucked under the eaves and with new skylights, it is light and bright!



How do you keep all your supplies organised?
Who says I am organized? I go through spurts where I try to make sense of the chaos, my pics show a rare moment in time when most of my items were stowed neatly out of sight.

How do you keep yourself motivated to keep your space tidy?
I sometimes can’t stand it any longer and tidy it up so that I can pull out something new. I find that if I put something away, it is out of sight and mind, and forgotten.


Example of Sandra's - 'The 4rs' work

Any tips for how to keep art spaces tidy or organised?
I definitely believe in a place for everything. I have zones in my work room, where items get stored that work with other items that relate. I keep my paints well away from my fabrics, and try to keep my work table free for any sudden crafty urges.

Do you get stressed out when your space gets in a mess?
Not too much, I kind of wallow in the clutter, and am productive even if I have to push stuff out of the way to complete something.


Example of Sandra's - 'The 4rs' work

If you could have your dream space tomorrow what would it look like?
I feel like I have my dream space. But it might not last, son might have to move home to save money as he hopes to go back to college part time.

Do space limitations get in the way of projects you have in mind?
I love to oil paint, and I do have the room for it, but I have 2 cats and a frisky dog, that can track through my palette and knock over my canvases, so I haven’t tried in a few years.

What is the next big thing on your wish list for your art space?
I would really like to buy Adobe Photoshop and get fancier with my photos and scrapping.

Where can people view your work or purchase it?
Etsy Shops: http://the4rs.etsy.com/
Blog: http://the4rsramblings.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Sandra for allowing me to publish her studio photos and for taking time to answer my questions! Thank you!