We know how much you loved our Craft Space series so here it is back in action with a new spotlight on CRAFT contributor and all around crafter, Vanessa Coppola of Designs by Vanessa.
Read on after the jump for more photos and a Q&A with Vanessa!
CRAFT: What kinds of crafts do you do?
Vanessa: I do a little bit of everything — sewing, jewelry making, crocheting, painting, etc. I’m typically working on at least 5 craft projects all at the same time. After reading The Friday Night Knit Club by Kate Jacobs, I’ve been inspired to learn how to knit so I think that will be my next crafty adventure.
CRAFT: Where do you craft?
Vanessa: Before moving into our new home a year ago, my craft supplies took over our entire tiny 2 bedroom apartment. I would typically craft on the kitchen table and I’m embarrassed to admit that we never ate a single meal at that table. Now I have a bright and shiny new craft room that has quickly become my favorite room in our house. I have filled the room with things that inspire me – mostly birds and I have a wall vinyl quote, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away”, on the wall to keep things in perspective.
CRAFT: How do you keep all your craft supplies organized?
Vanessa: I keep all of my beads and pins in a plethora of little glass containers from Ikea on the shelf above my desk. My bookshelf is filled with baskets that contain fabric, glitter, paint and all of my other larger supplies. My next task is to organize my craft room closet and hopefully put shelves or drawers in there that will hold more supplies.
CRAFT: How do you motivate yourself to keep your space organized?
Vanessa: Because I usually have so many projects going on at the same time, keeping my space organized can be a challenge. I usually find motivation to re-organize when the room is too chaotic to be creative in.
CRAFT: What’s one organization tip/tool/trick you swear by?
Vanessa: Have a designated space for your supplies. My baskets and containers are earmarked for a specific type of supply so I’m not just throwing everything into one big junk drawer. This is really simple to do and you can easily find what you are looking for the next time you craft.
CRAFT: How do you feel when your space is organized? Unorganized?
Vanessa: I don’t feel very creative in a messy environment and I like my space to be neat and tidy before I start a new project. With that said, I don’t mind creating chaos once I’m in the process of crafting and the room usually looks like a hurricane blew through once I’m finished.
CRAFT: Describe your dream workspace.
Vanessa: I would absolutely love a designated sewing room, a designated painting room, a designated everything room! I’m actually really happy with my current space and I can happily report that my kitchen table is now being utilized for food instead of glitter.
CRAFT: How does the way your craft space is organized affect your crafting/creativity?
Vanessa: I tend to avoid creating when my space isn’t organized. Lack of organization for me turns a therapeutic activity into a stressful one.
CRAFT: How do you organize your craft space to allow for quick pick-up-and-go crafting? (Possibly for workshop teaching?)
Vanessa: Like I mentioned before, I have designated baskets and containers for specific supplies that allow me to quickly find something or to easily clean up my mess. My next organizational goal is to get everything labeled.
CRAFT: When you have to craft on-the-go (while you’re traveling, in the carpool lane, at family activities) how do you organize your craft supplies?
Vanessa: I recently bought lots of little see-through containers from The Container Store (talk about motivation to organize — this store has it all!) and like my baskets, each container is designated for a specific supply. One larger container holds all of the supplies for easy transporting.
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