Artist Studio Declutter

Please join me in welcoming the virtual tour group following 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home author Tisha Morris.


Yesterday, June 5, the tour was hosted by Yvonne Perry who published her book review for 27 Things on her writing blog at http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/

Today I have the distinct pleasure of presenting Tisha Morris's expert advice on how to handle an artist studio declutter.  Take it away Tisha . . .

How Does an Artist Keep Her Studio Decluttered?

One of my readers posed this question: What does an artist do to keep her studio clear? After all, the lives of artists, writers, and other creative people collect all types of “special flotsam & jetsam in the name of the creative process.” According to this reader, there are so many items that need to be kept that are a record of process. How do we decide if our ephemera is worthy of that?

Great question and being a former Interior Design student and one who paints as a hobby, I can totally relate!

In my blog article, What Your Home Says About You, I note that artists tend to be more right-brained – the non-organizing part of the brain. And as I pointed out, is having your home, or especially your art studio, a little messy such a bad thing? Of course not. It’s all part of the creative process, right? Or is it?

We all have a different standard as to what is too messy or too much clutter. You know when your home or studio has gotten out of control. You feel scattered, cloudy, weighed down, or creatively stuck. That’s when you know it’s time to take action.

First off, the size of your studio space will ultimately dictate how much art and supplies you can have on hand. When it comes to art, you can fill a warehouse space just as easy as you could fill a small corner of the kitchen. For example, when I decided that I wanted to convert my art studio space from a whole room to a corner in order to do yoga, I had to downsize the amount of art materials I kept. So designating how much space you are willing and wanting to take up is the first step.

Next, organizing units are essential. If you don’t already have proper storage, then these can be purchased from any art supply store. Have proper storage and organization in your studio so that you will at least have a standard for organization and have a place for everything. That way, when you know your space has gotten too messy for even your right-brain, you have bins and drawers to put stuff in.

If you then have too much stuff to fit into your organizing units, then it’s time to downsize. This is where the emotional aspects come into play – what to keep and what not to keep. If you keep items for inspiration, such as photos, cards, images, etc., then go through them to see what still resonates with you. You may be surprised how different you may feel about some of the items. Discard any items that you don’t absolutely love or that no longer inspire you.

What about your own past work? This can be very difficult. It took me several different clearings to finally dispose of my interior design projects. I had kept what I needed for purposes of including in a portfolio. For boards that I knew I would never need or use again, I took pictures of them before eventually disposing of them. It was difficult knowing how much time had gone into them. But honestly, I haven’t missed them since. In fact, I feel much lighter once I got rid of them. Every time I would see them in the closet, I was subconsciously reminded of the long hours I spent on them. I still keep a small portfolio of photos I took of my projects for nostalgia.

When your designated space for past projects gets too full, then it’s time to go through them to determine what needs to go. For me, I periodically dispose of my pieces of art that aren’t that great, meaning that I’ve improved since then. For pieces of art or art supplies that you no longer want, consider listing them on freecycle.org or craigslist.com. Taking pictures of your work is a great way to track your progress without being overloaded with projects. Clearing out old projects will also make room for new ideas and creativity. So don’t get too weighed down in your past projects. Instead, let creativity flow through you and your studio.

Guest Blogger: Tisha Morris, author of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home.

Photo credit

Tomorrow June 7 sees the tour with The Shift Guru, Barbara Joye, featuring her Q and A interview with Tisha on http://shiftguru.wordpress.com/ . Follow Barbara Joye at @theshiftguru.

Don't forget to purchase your copy of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home, by author, Tisha Morris, available now at Amazon.com

ISBN: 978-1-59652-567-2

Publisher: Turner Publishing Company 2010

Price: $9.99

Also available with Barnes&Noble book sellers, Borders and Indie Bound.

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For even more information about marketing your book online, read Book Marketing in the Digital Age, Online Promotion Made Easy.










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27 Things Book Review

Today I would like to give a warm welcome to Tisha Morris and our friends following the virtual tour for
27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home, Tisha's new book.

This is Tisha's first virtual tour and with 36 stops to make between May 11 and June 11, 2010, the tour is winding it's way across oceans. Yesterday, May 27, the tour was a guest on The Wheel of Life Podcast with Shelagh Jones http://www.thewheeloflife.org/.

Ours will be stop 21 in the tour and by all accounts 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home, is a real winner.

First time author Tisha Morris offers the reader a modern and practical approach to using the ancient tradition of feng shui. From introduction to final page Tisha approaches her topic without the affectation or rhetoric commonly found in books on feng shui. She doesn’t oversell the concepts but instead walks you through 27 Things with the assumption that having picked the book up you inherently know the principles behind feng shui are sound.

Tisha brings her education as an interior designer and her experience as a certified life coach into play as she clearly relates the art of feng shui to the reader. She offers solid advice on clearing clutter and with each subsequent chapter clear, practical advice on how to implement the feng shui principles to make improvements, change the flow of energy and ultimately manifest desires. Tisha echoes centuries of mothers by telling us to clean out the closet and keep doorways clear but, more importantly, she explains why these actions are necessary in relation to how energy flows in our homes, lives and in order for energy shifts and healing to occur. This is a strong practical guide book. The author has a pleasant writing style, presents the material in an easy manner and speaks to our core issues in a non threatening way. 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home includes a chapter about creating a vision board, information on the Bagua map, easy to follow advice on using feng shui “cures,” and closes with a plan to implement the 27 Things.

For those readers unfamiliar with feng shui practices Tisha explains just enough about the concepts to allow a lay practitioner to receive solid reward for their time investment when applying the techniques, without planting confusion about the ins and outs of feng shui itself. For readers who have already been exposed to the art and mystery of feng shui, the author assists by leaving out confusing or contradictory information and the superstitions which often impede implementation of an action plan and the needed changes. She writes with confidence that following the feng shui principles and applying these techniques will have a powerful healing impact and her confidence is transferred to the reader.

After reviewing this book I am confident that I will be able to bring about some significant changes in my own life by following the 27 things that Tisha Morris recommends. I am also convinced that I could do so without spending a dime, simply using my current possessions in new ways or by letting go of things I no longer need. I recommend 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home to anyone who wants to employ feng shui without becoming mired in research to do so. Tisha has done the home work for us and lays out the most important pieces in an easy to understand and follow format.

This is one feng shui book you will pull off the shelf time and again. You are going to want to follow this tour on to the next stop where Douglas H. Melloy will air an interview with Tisha on Aware Talk Radio:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/aware

Don't forget to purchase your copy of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home, by author, Tisha Morris, available now at Amazon.com

ISBN: 978-1-59652-567-2

Publisher: Turner Publishing Company 2010

Price: $9.99

Also available with Barnes&Noble book sellers, Borders and Indie Bound.

Those of you that are following, looking for more great feng shui information from our guest will enjoy her new iPhone App, Feng Shui Bagua Map, By Tisha Morris already has a 5 star rating with iPhone users.

I've got it and it is the perfect companion to go with Tisha's book!

Reviewed by Vonne Faroqui

27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home

Tisha Morris is the author of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home. In her book, Tisha shows in creative, basic steps how to use the art of feng shui to create an inviting, personal atmosphere in your home that will renovate your life. You will discover how to:

• Manageably clear clutter to optimize space
• Use lighting, color, and simple objects to create good energy flow
• Space clear to promote good health
• Integrate the five elements into your home to create harmony


Here is the lineup for Tisha's virtual book tour:


May 11 has two stops to kick off the tour:
• Day one of a five-day blast on Successful Woman, http://asuccessfulwoman.com/
with an article titled "5 Steps to Clearing Clutter." Follow this blogger on Twitter: @monicadear

AND

• Tisha will also be featured on Writers in the Sky Blog http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/. Follow WITS at
@writersinthesky

May 12 has two stops
•  Day two of a five-day blast on A Successful Woman will feature an article titled "The Art of Detaching From Our Stuff."

AND

• Positively Present  shows readers "5 Steps to Clearing Clutter." Follow Dani on Twitter @positivepresent.

May 13 Day three of five-day blast on A Successful Woman with "Why Change is Essential to Healing."

May 14 has two stops:
• Day four of five-day blast on A Successful Woman "Feng Shui Your Desk for Success"
@monicadear

AND

• Podcast Interview on WITS hosted by the new author's assistant and podcast coordinator Vonnie Faroqui http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/ Follow Vonnie on Twitter: @inkslngrswhmz.

May 15 Day five of five-day blast on A Successful Woman shares why you may be having a sudden urge to de-clutter your home.

May 16 Equinaut blog http://www.equinaut.net/ will carry an article called "The Art of Detaching From Our Stuff." Follow blog owner Amy on Twitter.

May 17 discusses why we hang on to certain things.[Information for this blog host was removed by request on 12/16/10.]

May 18 has two stops:
• Universal Spiritual Connection hosted by Leilani Schmidt-Graham will feature Tisha as a Web radio guest from 6 to 8 p.m. Pacific Time.

AND

• Blogging Authors operated by Irene Watson will run an exclusive article "Writer's Guide to Feng Shui Your Workspace." Follow Irene on Twitter: @readerviews.

May 19 Nickolove Lovemore's blog, Skyline Coaching,will offer an article, "Why Change is Essential to Healing.

May 20 On One Writer's Journey, Penny Ehrenkranz will offer her opinion of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home in a book review. Follow Penny on Twitter at @pennyekrenkranz.

May 21 On Chelle Cordero's Promo Page, Chelle Cordero will feature the book review she wrote for 27 Things. Follow her on Twitter: @ChelleCordero

May 22 Julie Achterhoff's Blog (http://earthwalkr.wordpress.com/) shares a unique article "What does the movie Avatar have in common with Feng Shui? Follow Julie at @erthwlkr

May 23 Shelagh Jones will share her book review of 27 Things on her blog, Wheel of Life. Follow @SpiritusShelagh on Twitter.

May 24 Inside JobJail.com with Stuart Friedman will feature an interview with Tisha: "Want to Change Your Job? Change Your Energy!"

May 25 Join Southside Broadcasting with Alex Lewczuk, as the tour crosses the Atlantic with another great Tisha Morris interview. Follow Southside on Twitter @southsidebroadc

May 26 has two stops
• Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews will share a Q and A interview with Tisha. Follow Lisa at @lisajjackson

AND

• Catheryn Taylor hosts an article about "Making a House a Home for Children" at Inner Child Healing and EFT followed by an interview with Tisha on her show Take a Soul Step over Blog Talk Radio at 5 P.M. CST.

May 27 The Wheel of Life Podcast with Shelagh Jones http://www.thewheeloflife.org/. Follow @shelagh on Twitter.

May 28 WITS' own Vonnie Faroqui will host a book review on Ink Slinger's Whimsey . Follow Vonnie on Twitter: @inkslngrswhmz.

May 29  Douglas H. Melloy will air an interview with Tisha on Aware Talk Radio:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/aware

May 30 Dallas Woodburn's Writing Life will feature a special article: "5 Tips to Clear Clutter for Writers."

May 31 Nancy Kelly Allen will host Tisha on Writing Workshop with a Q and A interview.

June 1  Writers in the Sky Newsletter will feature a book review written by a team member.

June 2 Chelle Cordero's Promo Page is back for another round with a special article "Our Divine Feminine: How to Navigate in the New World."

June 3 One Writer's Journey. Penny Ehrenkranz offers a Q and A interview.

June 4 Maxine Thompson, owner of Black Butterfly Press, will feature a book review of 27 Things.
Follow Maxine on Twitter: @safari61751

June 5 Yvonne Perry will publish her book review for 27 Things on her writing blog at http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/

June 6  Vonnie Faroqui, the owner of Ink Slinger's Whimsey blog at http://www.inkslingerswhimsey.blogspot.com/
will feature an article: "A Writer’s Guide to Feng Shui Your Workspace." Follow Vonnie at @inkslngrswhmz on Twitter.

June 7 The Shift Guru, Barbara Joye, will feature her Q and A interview with Tisha on http://shiftguru.wordpress.com/. Follow her at @theshiftguru.

June 8 Real life Spirituality with Akemi Gaines at http://reallifespirituality.com/ has a unique insight to offer in an article titled "What Do Ascension and Clearing Clutter Have in Common?"

June 9 Tisha is back for another interview with Leilani Schmidt-Graham on her Live Web Radio! show Angels Among Us http://www.bbsradio.com/theusc/the_usc.php

June 10 Tales, Tails, enTrails with Irfan Faroqui will feature a written question and answer interview with Tisha.

June 11 Laurel Marshfield's blog, Your Book Your Self, http://www.yourbookyourself.blogspot.com/ will offer a "Writer's Guide to Feng Shui Your Workspace." Follow Laurel at @BookEditorLM.

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For even more information about marketing your book online, read Book Marketing in the Digital Age, Online Promotion Made Easy.














Purchase Now!