Final details...

I have groomed about 20 pets here so far. I am currently "tweaking" the lay out, where I keep my tools, and how to have things set up for maximum efficiency. It is a very much a fun work work in progress. Overall I am most delighted with how the space has turned out. After months of dreaming and planning, it has exceeded my dreams. It even smells wonderful! I need to replace this small table, which holds a Keurig coffee maker and a dish with home baked goodies, with a larger one, but you get the general idea. Here are some things I love about my studio: My vintage trash can. My very funky, chippy paint storage cabinet. It holds most of my tools, hides the shop vacuum and the high velocity dryer is attached to its right side. So handy! My view on every side is lovely, a gift I must not overlook. I have wonderful, deep window sills to hold little vignettes of loveliness. I pick the flowers from my gardens and the meadow. I love the ways the blues in the lamp and painting and little antique dogs tie in. My original plan was to have the grooming table situated so that I worked facing the window. I found that I needed to have my tools closer at hand and easier to reach. By turning my table so that I face the chairs, I have a window sill to keep my small hand tools on (in neat little boxes.) This makes them far more accessible. It also gave me a place to put the wooden caddy that hold my clipper blades, and I can open the storage cabinet easily to reach anything else I might need. I think this will be a very workable arrangement, and I like the way it looks, as well. There are so many pretty things in my grooming studio. It is a place I love to be in.

Details...

From the start, things have fallen nicely into place with the development of this grooming studio. Once the main tools, furniture and decorations were all together I thought I'd like to have a toy box with some fun things in case a child came to visit. Then my second official customer gifted me with this... an adorable vintage toy box. Note that the "grass" color goes perfectly with my floor color! See what I mean? (Ziva likes it, too.) Flirt and I both think that the pretty towels in the white wicker basket are nice, too. I love the way the blue lamp and the painting and the Staffordshire dogs all tie in with each other. And I like the way the squishy dog bed ties in with the floor. The dogs just like that its squishy. I have one crate now, white, and it does not have too much visual impact, which is a good thing. There is a second crate coming to match it, a bit smaller. I've added a comfy "rodeo" stool, and I think the details of my project are pleasing and complete. Three more dogs coming tomorrow... I can hardly wait.

Drum roll, please...!

The studio has been plucked from my imagination and plunked down into the magical space that has been created. It is even more wonderful that I ever anticipated. I have groomed several pets here and am gradually adapting my tools to the way I work. The animals are responding beautifully... they are calm and relaxed as I work. The human customers who have stayed seem to enjoy the place as well; one man said, "It's so relaxing here," I glanced over at him as I brushed his dog and saw him happily snoozing in the comfortable rocking chair. To say I am delighted would be the worst kind of understatement. My dream has come true.

Oh my goodness!

The inside is almost done! The outside door needs paint, the little deck needs a railing, and there are a few exterior details to finish. The floor gets a second coat of paint tomorrow, and once that has cured we can move the tub and STUFF in. Giddy. That is what I am!

More paint pictures...

I'm not sure if this looks any different, but it IS. The wall that the windows are on and the end walls are completely painted, as is the ceiling. Tomorrow the wonderful painter will be back, and paint the wall that joins the house, both doors and... drum-roll, please, the FLOOR! We are in the home stretch and my delight knows no bounds!

Big changes..!

Today some big changes happened. There has been a rhythm to this project, flurries of activity separated by days of nothing. The painter was here. The ceiling has been sanded and painted. It looks fresh and clean and lovely. And where there were electrical wires poking out of the paneling, there are now nice, neat outlets, and switch plates. All the new trim wood has been primed as well. I was very excited to see that my funky cabinet had been moved in, anchored securely to the wall, and... TWELVE electrical outlets are neatly tucked inside. This is a true delight... all my electrically powered hand tools will be cozily tucked in there with outlets to spare. Bliss! There are also outlets every 12 feet all around the room. A gracious plenty. There is a separate outlet for my dryer, which is very exciting. It was a warm day today, but when I stepped out into my new almost studio there was the most lovely breeze blowing in through my new windows. I am going to love this space.

Carpentry FINISHED..!

And the carpentry is finished inside! Tomorrow, the painter arrives. Next week the exterior finish work will happen. Words cannot express my happiness!