Neater Stuff – Professional Organizational Services
July 14, 2014
Working from home with a little man has posed all sorts of challenges (it’s a wonder I get anything done) but the biggest challenge to date, has been baby proofing. The new boss-man gets into EVERYTHING.
My studio is ripe with sharp, toxic, messy, dangerous, and costly things. Even before Elliot arrived, I had been feeling as though the walls were closing in on me. So overwhelming it seemed, I enlisted the help of Susan Brun, owner of Neater Stuff.
First off the list….PURGE! Susan, being a third party (and a reasonable one at that), had no personal attachment to my stuff. She pointed out that I didn’t need every single blue bird from my wedding or bins upon bins of supplies that rarely, if ever, got touched.
It was a truck full! Most of which was donated to local school art rooms or goodwill. To think I had all this unnecessary stuff packed into my closets…no wonder the walls were closing in!
Now onto a bigger problem. I had been using two rickety old bookcases to house all of my inventory. I was terrified that my little explorer would pull them down on top of himself and there was no safe way to anchor them to the wall. (not to mention how unsightly they are….they aren’t even twins) I like to be able to see my stock of paper goods, so Susan suggested a china cabinet or furniture piece with cabinets on the bottom to keep the toxic paints locked up and open storage up top. We both spent a week hunting garage sales, antique stores and the like, and both of us kept coming back to this 1950’s piece from Two Women & a Warehouse. It was already painted, solid and a steal at only $220. Checkout that bakelite hardware!
The closets followed suit…
My packaging newsprint is now easy to reach and doesn’t require me pulling half of it out onto the floor for a few sheets.
Why I ever thought using hangers to organize was a good idea, is beyond me! I managed to purge 2 whole bins of useless supplies, which allowed for me to move my packaging supplies off the floor and into the closet. My wrapping paper is now neatly contained in a corner bin, and Nick built me this super awesome ribbon holder…
Susan is really great at re-purposing old items and working within a tight budget. During the great purge, I was tempted to completely discard an old scissor caddy. It was home to about 12 different fancy scissors, that maybe got used twice a year to make gift tags. Instead of throwing it out, we packed the fancy scissors away and moved the round caddy to my drafting table. It’s the perfect way to store the scissors and tools I use regularly. (I’m a total scissor snob, can you tell?)
The overall transformation is HUGE! I can see the floors, Vayda and Elliot can look out the window, I can allow Elliot to play at my feet in the studio without fear that he’s going to guzzle a pint of toxic paint when I’m not looking.
If you’re local to our area, I highly recommend Neater Stuff. I don’t think there’s an area, be it kitchen pantry, garage, commercial or residential that they couldn’t get organized. They can work with any budget and help you maximize your space. I finally feel like I can breathe over here. My space is functional, aesthetically pleasing, and most importantly, BABY PROOF!
Though he still likes to rummage through the mailers and recycling bin!
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Trinity United Methodist Church – Savannah Watercolor Print
October 22, 2013
Another beautiful church to paint! This one is located on Telfair Square. Hand painted and signed prints now available!
8×10 inches – hand painted and signed
©Heather L. Young
Wesley Monumental sits on Calhoun Square and has been calling my name for years! So happy I finally had time to draw it!
8×10 inch prints available in theinklab.
©2013 Heather L. Young
I have had the pleasure of working with so many Jekyll Island Club brides, that it’s about time I added this beautiful wedding venue to my collection of hand painted watercolor prints. Each print is printed with archival quality inks onto watercolor paper, then painted and signed by yours truly. For more information CLICK!
Prints measure 8×10″ and are matted to fit 11×14 inch frames.
Baby’s First Mural!
April 6, 2013
I’ve been absent, but with good reason! We are expecting a little fella late summer, so life has taken on a new urgency if you will. So many projects to tackle before his arrival.
One of which was finally updating my Dutch Island mural from many years ago. (see here to refresh your memory.) Naughty clients decided to remodel, trim down the mural a bit from one side and *gasp* tear a hole in the wall to put in double doors! (it’s okay Meghan and Bill, I still love you!)
Beveled edges are so tricky! Matching paint from 8 years ago, even trickier, but I think I successfully brought their waterfall back to life.
Oh and they had one more addition arrive in those 8 years, Sophie. It wouldn’t be fair to leave her out of the mural…
Here’s a better shot at how she fits into the mix…
Here’s a glimpse at the right side. I added some embellishments to beef up the silhouette since a few feet had been trimmed on that side of the mural. Sorry for the split shots, it’s impossible to be a shot of the full mural (roughly 20 feet wide)
For a better idea of the scale of things, take a look at the original mural.
Happy Spring y’all!
Lover’s Oak Tree – Pen & Ink Drawing
July 3, 2012
It’s so therapeutic for me to draw trees (especially Live Oaks)…Love the gnarled up trunk.
Original – SOLD
Prints coming soon!
©2012 Heather L. Young
Harper Fowlkes Pen and Ink Drawing
February 27, 2012
Love love love the Harper Fowlkes House! Beautiful inside and out, and it’s been on my list to draw for ages. (my right hand is still crippled from all the last minute details applied last night) The original has been sold, but you can bet I’ll be offering some variety of prints in the not-so-distant future.
The Harper Fowlkes House
11×14″ pen and ink
© Heather L. Young
Sapelo Sound Watercolor Study No. 2
August 27, 2011
I imagine Irene has made this landscape a little less peaceful over the past 2 days.
Sapelo Sound Study No. 2
watercolor with a splash of saltwater
9″x12″
Sapelo Sound Watercolor Study
August 26, 2011
I’m in the midst of one of those transitional times in life, and when these times come, there is no better way to clear my head than to spend a day out on the boat with Granny.
Sapelo Sound
plein air watercolor study with a pinch of salt water
9″x12″
Gordonston Magnolia
July 9, 2011
I waited months for this Magnolia tree to bloom. Complete with a sweet little swing, it is by far, the most perfect specimen I’ve seen in Savannah. While I usually work in a series, this one might stand alone. Unless, I can find the Windsor Forest Giant that my brother and I spent countless summers climbing…sentimental value and what not…
Gordonston Magnolia
11×14 inches, pen & ink on natural paper
©2011 Heather L. Young
FLYoung Studio 