CLEANING UP THE CRACK HOUSE

I WONDER IF THERE WILL EVER BE

A MAGAZINE FOR MIXED MEDIA ARTISTS

WHOSE STUDIO'S LOOK LIKE CRACK HOUSES?

YOU KNOW, LIKE CRACK HOUSE STUDIOS

WHERE ARTIST'S CREATE.

the main isle runs through,

well, I can't really call it the major storage area...

but, L@@K, you can see THE FLOOR!

I DID *YET ANOTHER* MASSIVE OVERHAUL

OF THE CRACK HOUSE THIS WINTER.

IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD IN THESE PHOTOS

BUT I WOULD BE LESS THAN HONEST IF I TOLD YOU

THAT IT STILL LOOKED QUITE THIS GOOD.

I keep my sewing machine close - at the top of my work area.
I MEAN, IF I DIDN'T EVER WORK IN MY STUDIO

IT COULD ALWAYS LOOK LIKE THESE PHOTOS.

BUT, THE MINUTE I START A PROJECT,
COME ON, THE ARTIST IN ME DOESN'T HAVE TIME
TO BE NELLIE NEAT.I HAD A BRILLIANT IDEA AND TOOK THE DOORS

OFF OF THE FRONT OF THE THREE LOCKER STYLE

SHELVING AREAS IN THE STUDIO.

MY STUDIO MAY LOOK EVEN MESSIER,

BUT NOTHING CAN HIDE FROM ME!OH, THIS IS JUST PERFECT!

SEE WHAT I MEAN?? LOOKS LIKE NO ONE PLAYS IN HERE!

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE SOME OF THOSE STUDIOS

IN "THE" MAGAZINE BEFORE THEY'RE BOXED UP, PAINTED UP AND SPRUCED UP.

(OH, HUSH, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT YOUR STUDIO)

I WANTED YOU TO SEE MY OLD YELLOW CHILDREN'S CHAIR
AND THE VINTAGE PINK WORK LAMP ON TOP.

I JUST LOVE THIS!
IT SITS BETWEEN THE SIZZIX AND SOLDERING SIDES OF THE 2ND WORK TABLE.
I'M GOING TO LET YOU ENJOY THE REST OF THE PHOTOS
WITHOUT ME YAPPIN' AT 'CHA.
YOU CAN PROBABLY FIGURE IT ALL OUT.
OH, I SEE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD IN DISBELIEF....

I MAY GIVE YOU A WORD OR TWO OF EXPLANATION IF NECESSARY.

OOPS! STILL WORKIN' ON THE 'LOOK'!
JEWELRY AREA
JEWELRY WORK AREA

WHICH, TRUTH BE TOLD,
YOU REALLY CAN'T EVER SEE THE TABLE TOP IN REAL LIFE.
MORE UNFINISHED WORK...PUTTIN' UP EMBELLISHMENTS...

I ADORE CABINET CARDS

STAMPS....ONE OF MY DRUGS.

LOTS AND LOTS

AND LOTS

AND HUNDREDS

AND LOTS MORE STAMPS.

PAPER, OH, PRETTY, PRETTY PAPER,

GOTTA HAVE MORE.
IT'S NOT ME, IT'S THE DRUG - PATTERNED PAPER.

VINTAGE LACE.

SO MUCH LACE IS NEVER ENOUGH.

I DISCOVERED VINTAGE SUITCASES THIS YEAR

FOR STORAGE.

VINTAGE BOOKS

AND LEDGERS

AND MUSIC, OH, MY.

I FEEL FAINT.

I HAVE MY PRETTY LITTLE AREAS

THROUGHOUT THE STUDIO

THAT MAKE ME SMILE.

I'M EMBARRASSED TO TELL YOU HOW MANY

VINTAGE BABY SHOES I HAVE.

BUT, IT'S NOT MY FAULT!

PAPER RIBBON - SO STINKIN' CUTE.

ORGANIZATION FINDS IT'S WAY TO THE GARAGE...

OR, STUDIO OVERFLOW.

I DELIGHT IN DRIVING INTO THE GARAGE AND

SEEING MY LARGER FRAMES HANGING IN FRONT OF ME.

DON'T FLIP OUT!

THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE ORGANIZING

WHAT HAS BEEN COVERING MY GARAGE FLOOR.

HEY! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!

I CAN SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT.

AND, I FOUND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

AND MOST OF EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE

SOLD IN MY ETSY SHOP

JUST AS SOON AS YOU GET OVER HERE

AND HELP ME TAKE THE PICTURES,

FIX THE PICTURES,

UPLOAD THE PICTURES,

DESCRIBE THE PICTURES

PRICE THE ITEMS,

AND DETERMINE THE POSTAGE.

I HAVE A CRACK STUDIO.

I OBVIOUSLY NEED HELP.

UNTIL LATER,

I LOVE YOU AND

I'LL BE LOOKING FOR YOUR CAR

DRIVIN' UP THE LANE,

Jan

I GOT TO KISS MY BABY GIRL ON THE CHEEK

I GOT TO KISS MY BABY GIRL, BRAT, ON THE CHEEK.

SHE WAS LYING IN HER HOSPITAL BED

WHEN I ARRIVED ON MONDAY

AND MY KNEES ALMOST BUCKLED WHEN I SAW HER.

ALL OF THE FEAR, UNCERTAINTY AND CONCERN

WERE WIPED AWAY

AS I CAME TO THE REALIZATION

THAT MY BRAT WAS GOING TO BE OKAY.

I KNEW WHEN I SAW HER THAT

GOD WAS ANSWERING ALL OF THE PRAYERS

SENT TO HIM.

I HAD KNOWN THAT SINCE I GOT NEWS

OF THE ACCIDENT,

BUT SEEING HER PUT A SHAKY HEART TO REST.

WE'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE A SHAKY HEART.

GOD KNOWS THAT WE SOMETIMES FEEL

UNCERTAINTY, A MOMENT OF FEAR.....

WE'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE WHAT I CALL 'MOMENTS'.

WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP THEM IN CHECK.

SEEING MY LITTLE GIRL SMILE AT ME

MADE ME FEEL SO AMAZING.

OH, HOW I HAD BEEN LIVING FOR THAT SMILE.

TO SEE HER, TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH HER,

RUB HER ARM GENTLY

AND TALK SOFTLY TO HER;

HAD ME ON MY KNEES (MENTALLY)

PRAISING MY LORD

"OH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU..."

I WAS ABLE TO SLEEP ON A COT IN BRAT'S ROOM

ON MONDAY NIGHT.

THAT'D BE WHY I WAS NAPPING ON TUESDAY

ALONG WITH THE DRUGGED PATIENT.

THE STAFF AT ST. DAVID'S MEDICAL CENTER

IN ROUND ROCK TOOK EXCELLENT CARE OF BRAT.

THIS IS A PHOTO OF BRITTANY AND

ONE OF HER FAVORITE NURSES.

AND, I SIMPLY MUST SAY THAT BRAT WAS

AN EASY PATIENT TO NURSE.

SHE IS SUCH A BRAVE YOUNG WOMAN.

MY GIFT TO BRAT ON THIS VISIT WAS

A DARLING PICTURE OF HER AND HER FIANCE, WILL.

THAT WAS ON DAY ONE.

DAY TWO I TAPED UP THE NOT-SO-PRECIOUS,

BUT GUARANTEED TO MAKE HER LAUGH OUT LOUD,

HAIRY PHOTO OF HER AND WILL.

IT WAS SUCH A BLESSING TO HEAR HER LAUGH.

BRAT IS NOW AT A REHAB FACILITY,

STILL NEEDING OUR PRAYERS.

SHE'S ON HER WAY TO BEING WHOLE AGAIN.

AND FOR THAT, I PRAISE GOD.

I PRAISE HIM THE WHOLE DAY LONG

BECAUSE HE HAS MY DARLING BRITTANY

IN HIS HANDS.

I love you all,

      Jan