Scene of the Blog Featuring Valerie of Life Is a Patchwork Quilt!

As anyone who has a weekly blog feature can tell you: it ain't easy. That's why I was so relieved and happy at the response to my shout-out for help on Twitter. Through my original cry for help and its countless retweets, several people came to my aid.

Valerie was one of the cavalry. I'd never visited her blog, Life Is a Patchwork Quilt before, but I love quilts, so it was only a matter of seconds before I was there.

I was impressed, and Valerie's blog has been added to my Google Reader. Her blog is an expression of herself: she reads and talks about a wide variety of books as well as art and quilts. The badge for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative caught my eye as did the selection of her books on a LibraryThing widget. (I love those things!) The title that has stayed in my mind the longest is The Australian Heritage Cookbook. (No, she lives in Colorado, folks.) If you haven't met Valerie, please take the time to visit her blog, Life Is a Patchwork Quilt, and say hi. You'll be glad you did!

Let's get to Valerie's creative space, shall we? Don't forget that you can click on each photo to view it full size.

We moved to Colorado two years ago. With the move into a new home, I was able to gain my own office/library. We actually have books and bookcases all through the house, not just in my office, but the office is where the majority of my books are. My computer is in this room, so this is where I blog.

Here is what you see of the office from the doorway. My office is in the basement, next to my studio, so I go back and forth between the two rooms a lot. My kids often need to use my computer, so during the school year there are usually papers and homework scattered about. These pictures were taken during summertime, so there is temporarily a semblance of order! The books stacked on the desk right next to the monitor are those waiting for review. The number of book generally range from one to about five. On top of the file cabinet next to the desk are a variety of poetry books and magazines -- I like to grab one to look at while my computer is booting up or re-starting (it's slow!).

Here you can view the two bookcases against the wall across from my desk. My dad built both of them (not at the same time) years ago. They are made out of oak. On the monitor's wallpaper, you can see my three kids :-). This picture was taken this May when my oldest son, standing in the middle, was having his 8th grade graduation ceremony. And, yes, I usually have a cup of coffee with me at my desk.

The third bookcase in my office was also built by my dad. It was actually built to hold a fish tank on the top, but I designed it to act double-duty as a bookcase also. I gave up keeping fish years ago. The books inside this bookcase are mainly quilting and craft related books. I'd prefer to have this bookcase in my studio, but there isn't any room there. Stacked on and around this bookcase are mostly poetry books. I have a hard time putting them on shelves, because I rarely read through an entire poetry book at a time. But, when I consider one done, I'll find room for it on one of my shelves.

I have a rocking chair here, but I use it to take quick look through a books or books, rather than cozying down to read for a length of time. It's not sturdy enough for that.

I'm a little embarrassed to share this last picture with you all, because it shows how out of control my TBR is. But I will show it to you anyway. This is my office closet. The TBR has exploded over the last few months, mainly because I just keep finding really good deals at my local library's book sale shelves. Usually, hardcovers are fifty cents and paperback (including trade) are twenty-five cents. I recently went through all these books, and more or less organized them by genres. I have one section which is set aside for review copies and books I've won from give-aways. I try to keep those books to the forefront when I'm choosing what to read next.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed taking a glimpse of where I blog, and thanks to Cathy for allowing me this opportunity to share my blogging space with you!

Isn't Valerie's office wonderful? I love the light streaming in through the windows even though it can make photography more difficult. I love the summertime calm of the room, although it's very easy to visualize it when three children need to get homework done.

Valerie's father did a fabulous job building those bookcases. I am having a major fit of envy right now. Of course I had to see if we have any books in common on those shelves, and we do-- Earlene Fowler's Benni Harper mystery series is just one example.

You may think your TBR closet is shameful, but do you realize how many bookaholics are going to see this photo and start drooling? (Not that I'd ever do such a thing. Not me. I'm wearing a drool-proof bib.)

Even though my mouth's a bit dry over the closet and the bookcases, I also have to admit that I'd love to take a peek into Valerie's studio-- especially if there's a quilt in progress. Thank you so very much for answering my distress call, Valerie. It has been wonderful to take a look at your creative space. We really appreciate it!

Who will be featured next Wednesday on Scene of the Blog? Stop by to find out. See you then!