Life has been pretty hectic lately. With a wedding in two months, a major behind-the-scenes project and the kickoff of Halloween costume shoots, sleep has become a rare luxury. Before I head to Chicago for Lauren’s wedding tomorrow, I wanted to share a peek at the total insanity that took place in the studio before its polished reveal. These photos show the studio as it really is most days—what I call organized chaos. Jeff calls it, “Are you ever going to clean up?” Either way, this is the real, behind-the-scenes version of the space.
If you’re not interested in how the studio came together but enjoy a little game, try spotting the fairy piñatas that hung around for weeks before they turned into those dancing emoji pieces. Either way, here’s a look at the chaos and the creative mess that preceded the neatly staged photos.
First things first: the white floors. I’ll get into more detail on those below, but they were a deliberate design choice. I also removed several outlets along the main walls because they interfered with photo shoots—keeping only the outlets beneath the windows and along the gallery wall.
This shot was taken just before the couch arrived—timed perfectly for our Brand Market Workshop. Jeff and I built the shelves and the craft table over several late nights in the studio to get everything photo- and shoot-ready.
Right before the Brand Market, we filmed a video for Balloon Time, which explains the abundance of pink, aqua and flamingo props around the studio that week.
It took another two months after the workshop to get things in order for a proper photoshoot. Since then, we added a large floating donut and a pink SMEG fridge—fun touches that completed the studio’s look.
A note on white floors: I had them painted, repainted and sealed, yet they still show wear and can yellow if the sealer isn’t applied perfectly. The takeaway is that white floors deliver a bright, clean look, but they demand daily maintenance and regular scrubbing to stay pristine.
We tested different arrangements near the fridge, and many of the items initially placed on the wall eventually became decoration for the bulletin boards inside my craft cabinet. The party cart evolved too and now holds a microwave—very practical when you want to eat in instead of going out every day.
So what do you think—horrified or delighted? I admit it’s a bit chaotic, but when your work requires lots of materials and props, some level of creative clutter is unavoidable. If you’re a fellow craft hoarder, take comfort: you aren’t alone.
If you’d like to see the studio in person (I promise it’ll be closer to the finished look), there are still a few spots available for the taco piñata workshop. Come make a taco piñata, enjoy paletas, and take home some serious swag—plus a first-hand look at the space and how it functions when the cameras aren’t rolling.