New Year Resolutions - Organized Office & Studio Space

  

Hello My Friends! It is hard to believe, but January is here - and with is it my first blog post of this new year I decided to start with organizing my space. As you can imagine, I spend most of my working time in the studio or at my desk...( when I have break from my traveling:)

So, it is crucial to have an inspiring, creative space and organized at the same time.  Here I would like to share my tips on how to stay productive at the optimum level:

• Clean the Clutter Weekly

I used wait till an occasional guest visit to clean my desk area. But that only resembled more like tossing all my stuff in the closet and closing the door. This year one of my new resolutions is to spend Friday tossing old papers, organizing and labeling supplies, and putting all unused objects where they belong!

• Find Storage Solution 

Not a priority in the past, but it can be a lot of fun to decorate storage areas to fit your decor.  Check out lots of DIY ideas on how to dress up your old file cabinet or bookshelf  (both in my studio need more attention).
P.S. Updated studio pictures are coming soon :)

• Keep Cords organized and Out of Sight

Via

Tip from Martha Stewart: Eliminate tangles under your work area by feeding all cords through a hole drilled in the desktop. Then plug the wires into a power-surge protector strip mounted on the underside of the desk. Keep cords in a coated wire basket (available at housewares stores) suspended under the desk with wire hooks. Tags identify where each machine wire comes from.  

- Great ideas!

Duni Studio
(I wish I was as organized as her)

more here from Invisible Crown 

• Pick Pretty and Fashionable Stationary and Accessories for Your Desk 

Maybe it just old fashion but I still love to use handwritten notes and thank you card for my friends and customers. I feel more connected and more personal about good old paper and pen. During the holiday shopping I found so many stylish accessories for my desk .... 

can't wait to dress up my desk in the new more updated modern style:) 

via

• Make Inspirational Boards

I know what are you thinking .... another pinterest advertisement.  And of course you are right about .... I love the ease and convenience of my handy tool Pinterest.  But in time .... and I'm totally doing it .... I would like to create a real visual board.  It's nice to be surrounded by an inspiring wall while you are working!

via

Do you have your favorite organizational tips? 

I would like to share them if you have something on your blog just give me a link to add them here.

xx, Lana

End of Summer Art Reflection

Summer is almost over and I'm very happy that it was a busy time and exciting as well.   Lots of traveling, new artworks, nice relaxing weekend trips, and great community support from my fellow teammates. 
Thank you for the following bloggers, google+ friends, and especially Jessica from Creative Index for featuring me and publishing my interview in your blog! Your blog is amazing!

Read more ARTIST LOVE featuring my art here: http://www.creativeindexblog.com/

"In the right hands, a flower will always feel fresh. With my art I see inspiration in the flower, especially the elegant peonies. I strive to interpret nature and make it my own. Best of all, these will keep their bloom all year round."

"I don't sketch what I'm going to do when I begin an abstract piece. My art just flows from me, to my brush, and then to my painting.  What I leave out is just as important as what I put in."


More about my creative process, vision and plans read in my recent interview with Jessica from Creative Index  here

• Care to share any tips that help you to stay on task and follow your creative life?

Here is my tip for today: "Do the things that frightens you most, then the rest of the day is a breeze." 

LOOKING FORWARD TO A BRILLIANT FALL AND THE LAUNCH OF MY NEW WEBSITE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. 

THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THE JOURNEY SO FAR,

XX, LANA

Discover Your London Style

I think London has so many eclectic trends...so it is hard to really pick the most recognizable. I know it sounds weird to name a few like red phone booths, best taxi cabs (seriously London's cab drivers are the best), or Big Ben. But it took me awhile to really fill the spirit and sense of the very touristy bustling city. I had some memorable inspirations I would like to share with you here. 

La Vie En Blues 

You can buy anything at London's famous department store, from a teddy bear to a pair of diamond-encrusted high heels. Which I'm  prefer :) I love mixture and eclectic fashion style of London.

I had the pleasure of walked many of the London bridges this summer. From the moment I stepped on Tower bridge,  I knew I would capture it in a painting.

Enjoy the London inspired collection at my shop: LanasArt on Etsy posted this week!

Spellbound at LanasFineArt

Thoughts for Today

I love to paint.
It is vital to my life.
I paint wherever I am.
I paint from a feminine, fresh, youthful and very passionate perspective.
Fashion is my muse. The colors of summer are my delicious palette.
The subject in my personal work is predominantly a reflection of my thoughts at the moment.
I'm fascinated by faces, the inner beauty of the woman and by the beauty that surrounds me.  This is how I choose to create my life and my art.

Five THINGS that make me HAPPY

Today I decided to get down to business and clean out some things for the summer arrival of my youngest son after graduating from aviation academy. I did what I NEVER thought I would do....
I threw out (not true.... I carefully placed on the curb for recycling :) all of my beloved ..... magazines!

Never mind that they broke my husband's grandma's dresser with their sagging weight or that I can probably find every single image that was ever in them in Pinterest now. It was still a nostalgic moment for me!

5 things that make me happy..... so here goes:

1. Art and every part of it - Making it, Sharing it, Talking about it, Selling it, and Discovering it...

2. Traveling and seeing new places and learning about new cultures ... getting inspired .... and enjoying their culinary tidbits...

3.  ETSY community and a lot of new opportunities and of course more new challenges every day..... 

 4 .  A good book makes me happy - this one I got from my last trip to Paris and now it is on my nightstand... or a new Project Runway episode (... I can't wait for a new episode ... hopefully this summer :)

5. And last but not least, What Makes Me Happy: 

My boys' big and small accomplishments and as mom my opportunity to enjoy those small moments together that make for unforgettable memories.....

Congrats!

This list can go on and on .... If my list has inspired you let me know what is on your list of favorites!

LIFE IS LIKE RIDING A BIKE 

in order to keep your balance 

 YOU MUST KEEP MOVING.