Homemade Drying Rack

And yet another use for those wire cubes! I've been working on paper a lot, but have learned (the hard way) that wet painted papers STICK TOGETHER. So, my drying rack.  It's only attached at three corners so that large journals and papers can fit it, and once again it's held together with zip ties.

When I get back to painting on canvas, I'll just turn it on its side to hold even large canvases comfortably.

Space Saving Storage for Paint

I've been frustrated with my bottles of craft paints--seemed like they were always getting buried on my table under papers and books.  I hated wasting time searching for the right bottle, and after some thought I made this to hang on the wall and store my bottles of craft paint.

I started with some pieces of those wire cube sets that they sell at Target and WalMart:

 

Two whole pieces made the front and the back, and then I used my trusty hacksaw to cut the side from one panel.

 

You can see in this closeup that there is a one-grid-wide strip running down the side:

I held it together with zip ties (love those things!), strung wire from the top, and hung it from two Gorilla hooks. I used the connectors that came with the set for the back, so that the whole thing would be a little bit removed from the wall.  That way, there are two squares holding each bottle.

Craft paints fit in nicely, but my one-ounce bottles of Golden fluid acrylics fit perfectly, since the shoulder of the bottle catches the front grid. 

It's been up for a couple of weeks now, and I love it.  I can see the paint color from the dabs of paint on each cap, so it's easy to find the right color, and it's vertical storage, which saves space--love it!

Another Journal Page

A Journal Page

This is from a while ago--time's kinda been slipping away from me around here this summer.

Internet in the studio hasn't worked for months (someone ran over my Ethernet cord with the lawn mower right where it came up at the edge of the grass), we are trying to get Joel set for the start of college, my dad has had some health issues, so lots of doctor's visits, and last weekend Richard may have had a TIA (small precursor to a stroke).

I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed, but hopefully everyone will stay healthy and eventually I will get out in the studio to paint and answer emails!