When we bought our house last year, we were thrilled to find that it also came with a wonderful, quirky, and full-of-character old carriage house. The bottom of the carriage house is a very long and narrow (by today’s garage standards) garage area with a few dark and mysterious storage rooms (remind me to tell you the harrowing tale about how an old sink out there broke during the winter and hot water went streaming up to the ceiling and left  me standing in the water, trying to hold a broken knob on the spouting knob and call everyone I knew to “help me!” and it was 15 degrees outside. It’s one of those ‘funny after the fact stories 😉 )

   Above the garage is an apartment, full of old timey details and many little rooms. Since we moved in last year, my brother has been renting this apartment from us, living there with his two big dogs, a German Shepherd and a Weimaraner– known at our house as ‘the Germans,’ while my spaniels are ‘the English.’ As you might imagine from your history books, the Germans and the English are best kept separated! 

   We’ve loved having them just across the yard, and Jordan was pretty much a model tenant. However, he’s decided he’d like to move on to more modern digs and so…..I am soon to have a lot of extra space (which I wont complain about!) and although I’m sad to see my brother and his pups go, I am nervously excited for what this new building will mean for Audrey Eclectic Folk Art!

   I don’t know specifically what I’ll do until I actually get myself moved in and start working in this new space. I do know that it will be really nice to get all my painting stuff and craft show supplies out of the house– as my painting methods seem to turn into ‘total wreck of art supplies’ in a record amount of time!

   I’m planning on using the two back rooms with the big bank of windows for my painting space. There is also a bathroom and kitchen, and then three other room used for….well, to be determined! I think one would make a good storage and shipping room. A good change from packing up prints on the dining room table! That will leave me two more rooms though, and so I’m thinking of perhaps using them as display rooms– and perhaps doing special open house days for people to come and shop.

   Something else I’d love to shoot for– especially since Im not going to be doing shows this year– is a St. Nicholas Day Open House, since St. Nicholas Day falls on a Saturday this year, so it seems just too perfect to pass up.

   There is a ton to do to get to that point though. But these are the ideas that I’m mulling over. The studio wouldnt be moving over til August, so there is time. I wanted to share this with you though, and share my excitement! I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to grow, and can’t wait to see what the future brings!~

   Well, off to start the day!~
Talk soon,
H