Betsy
Betsy and I met recently through Greer Chicago. We both agree that Greer is the best destination in town for the latest in papery products, beautiful pens and pencils. We connected instantaneously!
In our initial conversations about Betsy’s desk it sounded remarkably small. I tried to imagine how she spent her time there, but figured I would understand once I saw it.
The child-size desk was designed and built by her grandfather nearly 80 years ago as a gift for her father (he was age six at the time). Originally it was painted black with ornate gold trim. Her father thinks it was given to him so that he would study more often! It was passed down to Betsy when she was six years old. In later years it belonged to her sister who is 13 years her junior.
Ten years ago it was returned to Betsy in a large cardboard box for her grandchildren to use when they visited. When it arrived Betsy’s husband restored and painted it. The desk was the first place her grandchildren, Noah & Ava, would go to when they came for a visit. They filled the cubbyholes with their treasures, art supplies & books. Now that Noah & Ava are older, the desk is Betsy’s again!
It’s situated in a petite room, perfect for this petite desk. When you walk into the room you are enveloped by books from floor to ceiling. In front of the books on most of the shelves is her collection of personal & playful trinkets. The desk sits in front of a western facing window, so in the afternoon the light & warmth stream in. For this very reason Betsy enjoys countless hours in the library {as I refer to it} gathering inspiration from her beautiful collection of books.
Beside the desk is a black leather chair where she goes to read, write in her journal, doodle or chat on the phone with friends.
Betsy spends countless hours on the phone at work, and when she is on the phone she doodles! She showed me several file folders packed full of her collected scraps of papers and cocktail napkins - her favourite doodling surface. She had many notebooks & sketchbooks stacked under the desk all filled with beautiful rhythmic flowy lines, colourful shapes, & beautiful quotes – such an inspiration!
There were more than several doodles I thought were magnificent and suggested that they be framed. I’m thrilled she’s considering it.
Betsy’s thoughts on her desk:
My desk takes me back to that unspoiled core of my childhood – from the uninhibited flow of creativity to the scent of Crayolas and newly sharpened pencils. From lined tablets and Golden Books, to my Mickey Mouse pencil box and my little brown composition book. My favourite area of the desk are the little cubbyholes that you can fill with treasures. And when I sit by the desk, my creativity seems to flow.
