creative little daisy

Sewing room makeover take... three?

I've lost count to be honest. You have to live with a room a while to learn what works and what doesn't. Especially so for a working room.

While Casey was away becoming one of the few and the proud, I took over his room. I figured the Marines owned him for at least four years, he wouldn't be needing it. At the time it seemed like the perfect arrangement, but it wasn't.

About a year later, I moved things around again. It was better, but over time, it just wasn't working either and eventually became a junk hole. Not at all conducive to creativity. I just wanted to close the door and pretend it wasn't there. Except it was. It was there, and I may have had a bad dream or two about it. 

Think I'm exaggerating? Brace yourselves folks, what you are about to see isn't pretty.

Are you ready?

Now you know why I haven't posted any sewing projects. I'm not sure I could even find the sewing machine.

Yea, bad. Real bad.

Let me say one tiny thing in my defense, I had already started some of the reorganization when I took these photos. You know, things get worse before they get better.  I had pulled things from under the table and piled them on top. The other stuff, like mount lampshade over there, that was there already.

Then it got even worse. You see, to implement my plan, most of the furniture in the room had to come out. There was a lot of stuff hanging out on that furniture

Enough ugliness, it's giving me the heebie-jeebies.Lets get on with the afters.

Wall to wall work table and all it cost me was the price of the legs. It's the same hollow core door I'd been using as a cutting table, only now it's fourteen feet long instead of seven

No new furniture was purchased. Almost everything was reused and repurposed. I did purchase a new plywood top for my cutting table and legs for the work table. I also purchased tissue paper for the pom poms and a small amount of molding. It was a use-what-you-have makeover for sure.

I reused the computer desk by taking the top off, turning it upside down and putting wheels on the new bottom.

All the closetmaid components that were below the cutting table were reused in various ways. The book shelves were placed under the work table.

This one was turned on its side to hold storage boxes and the printer. I made the little shelf to hold my silhouette with a scrap of plywood from the new cutting table. Did you catch that? I said I made that shelf. Yep, me and my kreg jig. It ain't much, but I did it, start to finish, all by my lonesome.

That's not all folks. I also made this thread rack. Alone. Just me.

These shelves? I hung 'em.

I recovered the chairs with fabric I bought a while back and never used. (Hancock Fabric)

I also pimped the closetmaid cabinets that serve as bases for the new cutting table.

I added beadboard backs, beadboard wall paper to the sides and baseboard around the bottom. Oh, and some corner trim on all the corners too. 

You're looking at my stool aren't you? I know you are. It was free. Yep, free. Don't hate.

I was at my cousin's, next door,  he was finishing the edge of my plywood table top with his router and I spied that stool in the corner, dusty, stuff piled on top, and I shamelessly begged him for it. Not really begged, but I let him know if he didn't love it to pieces, I'd give it a happy home. And he said OK.

I spent hours, no joke hours, trying to get the placement of those two cabinets right this morning. I measured and moved, measured and moved. I just knew the first thing Mitch would say when he walked in the room would be,  the table isn't straight. He has one of those eyes. He picks up the slightest offness and it drives him crazy, and when he points it out to me, after I've slaved over some project, it drives me crazy. Like I want to beat him to death with a level or something. I kid.

So, in an effort to keep him from pointing out my nonsquareness, I measured. A lot. I even got the laser level out. Not that I knew what to do with it, but it was there. Moral support, I guess.

One of the bases has drawers and holds my patterns.

The other one has doors to hide crafting necessities.

My books were in the closetmaid book shelves under the cutting table before. Now I can see them all.

I made the cover of this one. Well, not me, but one of my projects.

I was already storing yarn in this bushel basket. I just stained it gray and recovered the little top.

The pegboard was just moved from one wall to another.

Same plastic jars for ribbon storage.

I think I am going to paint the doors on this cabinet with chalkboard paint and I have an art piece planned for the wall above the work table, so it's not 100%, but I couldn't wait any longer to share.

I'm thrilled that I got a new room without going out and buying a bunch of new stuff. I forced myself to used what I had and I couldn't be happier.

I made a prom dress

For my desk chair

Inspired by this fancy, dressed-up chair.

More of the same quilt used for the seat portion was used  to make a cushion cover for this chair, also in my sewing room.

Evolution

I've enjoyed all the sewing room/studio makeovers happening lately . Haven't they been inspiring? I remember when I painted, ahem... I mean when Alyssa, Kelli, and Wendy painted my sewing room, how exciting that was. Of course it doesn't stop with painting, no that's just the beginning.  All the shelves and tables and cabinets have to be moved to paint and you want to take care in putting them back. The books and fabric are stacked more neatly. More attention is paid to organization. My sewing room re-do started in December and has been evolving ever since. One change necessitates another. This is a room to be worked in, so above all,  it has to be functional. Practical overrides pretty unless you can find a way for practicality to be pretty. What is comfortable and workable for one may not be for another. That said, initially my focus was on the aesthetics of the room. I wanted it to be a pretty sewing room, a place I enjoyed spending time since I spend most of my day here. Over time the aesthetic is still important but changes have been made in the name of function. Raising my cutting table four inches was one of those changes. What a difference! Thank you Mitch!! Only one slight problem. What about my sewing machine? It was on one end of the cutting table, now it's too high. Here's my solution.

These plastic stacking storage drawers were under the cutting table. I rolled them out and put a shelving board  (left over from another project) on top. Voila, a free, functional, sewing table. I love this set up so much. Almost everything I need is at arms reach but somehow, I don't feel cramped. The sewing table is the bottom part of a U shape. To the left is the cutting table, to the right is the ironing board. Behind the ironing board is my wall of curtains that hides my fabric and book shelf. Right now my fabric is neatly folded, thank you Monica, but if I don't want to look at it, I just pull the curtain. The pegboard behind the sewing machine was something I had asked for last Mother's Day, if I remember correctly. It was purchased, just never installed. I gently reminded him by showing him how organized Erin's work space is. It worked. He framed it out with some molding, hung it and I painted it the color of the wall to soften it a bit. I needed a corkboard to keep up with notes and important dates and other small bits. I covered an existing framed corkboard with a thin layer of batting and linen. Pockets were sewn randomly on the linen to hold small things, inspired by Sally's amazing wall pockets.

Maybe this new setup will increase productivity, if only it could block blog reading. Now that would increase productivity.

Corners of my home, outside and in

Outside:: Snow was forecast for today. Not much snow, just a little snow in the morning ending in rain by afternoon. When we woke up there was no snow, just a little rain.

 

Within an hour it looked like this. Geat big snowflakes quickly blanketed the ground. So pretty, but short lived. It is already becoming a slushy mess as the snow has changed to freezing rain.

Inside::

I wore him down. Finally some art on my walls done by my husband. He made a stencil (lots of cutting with an exacto-knife) from a tree he sketched on poster board and painted it on these linen covered canvases I love them. (the canvases and the husband)

Work Corner

I spend lots of time in this room. It's been the subject of previous  favorite corners posts, but today I'm giving a different view, a tighter shot. Focusing on some of the paraphernalia that clutters this corner. The stuff that has become part of my everyday. Necessities if you will. I don't know if I could qualify one thing and the most important because they all work together. Of course the sewing machine is essential,but more than my scissors or cutting table?  In the short time it took for me to go from timidly sticking my toe into the waters of sewing to being fully immersed I have acquired quite a bit of stuff. It has taken over this room that used to be known as the dining room. Since I do much more sewing than cooking or entertaining it seemed logical. The fabric, oh the fabric. it seems to grow and grow doesn't it? I've had to get a bigger shelf twice now to house it. I think it's time to take a look at some of what I haven't used and likely won't and find someone who will put it to use. My work table is what was my dining room table. This 5 foot cutting mat fits perfectly. I have my sewing machine at one end and use the other end for cutting. Next to the sewing machine I keep those frequently used tools close at hand. Everyone has their necessities, tools required to get the job done. Some of the tools I've found invaluable are good sharp scissors, rotary cutter (with a sharp blade) and ruler, good sewing machine needles, denim needles are a must for sewing through multiple layers.  Hemostats are very useful for turning narrow things right side out. I love my pen with disappearing ink, use it daily and my little army of seam rippers...it's a love hate relationship with those guys. Fusible tape has become one of my staples. Great for putting zippers in. It adds an extra step but doesn't take long and eliminates lots of mistakes. Not really tools but necessities in my arsenal are chap-stick, my inhaler and a cup of tea. Not hot tea, ice tea without the ice. What's in your arsenal, what could you not get along without?

One more corner shot. My little shadow, he doesn't let me out of his sight. Ever. Seriously.

This is his radar look. One ear up. Notice the redness in the corner of his left eye? The vet calls it cherry eye. It looks painful but I've been assured it isn't. He suggested we have it removed, the gland not the eye, when he is six months old and goes under the knife to remove his puppy dog manhood. Shhhh don't tell him.

Corners of my home and my new friend Ami

Is Thursday Favorite Corners day? I haven't posted a favorite corner in a while and couldn't remember. I'm posting this corner today because it has a new resident.

Meet Ami. Her name means friend in Japanese. She was a gift from my friend LLA. What a way with words this lady has. And it's no wonder with all the books she reads. How does she find time to make so many precious little bears? I don't know but I'm so happy she surprised me with my very own A is for ... bear. A is for Ami. You can see in the picture that Miss Ami is hungry and I caught her trying to eat this entire chocolate cake. I don't blame her, just look how yummy it looks with its perfect icing and delicate flowers. It was made by the talented hands of Grace. She is the daughter of Vicki (Turkey Feathers).

The well dressed bear and tiny cake are sitting on a shelf in my sewing room surrounded by other wonderful handmade items that I have purchased or have been gifts from other bloggers. I love looking at each of these treasures and thinking of the hands that made them. I also have two memo boards full of cards and other little items from my new found friends from all over the world.

And because the first shelf doesn't hold all of my ever growing collection, I have a shelf on the other wall. I may have to add more shelves, but I don't mind.

These pictures can be viewed at flickr with notes.

Hey! Who's chair is that anyway?

This is supposed to be my chair in my room! This is what I find every time I come in here to sit in my chair. Do you like the pillow I made last night? Maggie seems to!

My Corner of the World

Most days I spend 10 to twelve hours in the room that used to be our dining room. I start my day there drinking my coffee and checking email and blogs. I spend most of the day in there sewing and usually at the end of the day I spend some time at the computer again. Its not the dining room anymore, it's my room. My sewing room. My little corner of the world. Here is a look around the room.

This is the view looking in from the kitchen. Come on in.

The picture on the right is looking back into the kitchen.

I bought this chandelier over a year ago. It has been in the garage in the box. Mitch painted it for me this week and hung it yesterday. I have ordered some crystals to hang from it.  The little foot stool in the picture on the right is a bushel basket that I use as a trash can. I made this little top for it with some foam I had and a clock I wasn't using anymore. It was the perfect size for the top of the basket. I just stapled the fabric on and instant foot stool. Now I think I'll get in that chair with a book and try it out.

Outdoor corners of my home

These are pictures of my front and back porches. The front porch runs the whole width of the house. I thought when we built the house I wanted a wrap around porch. I live in the south after all. In retrospect I am glad it isn't. As much as I love the porch I don't use it as much as I would like to and if it were bigger that would just mean more square footage to sweep. The back porch is screened in. Essential for porch sitting in NC.  Anytime the temperature reaches 70 degrees we have mosquitoes that look like small birds! The floor of both porches is concrete. A little stain and some pin striping tape and it looks a lot like tile. Mitchell and I did  the back porch first. He did the measuring and taping. (the hard part) Then we just rolled on the stain. I used a product specifically made for concrete. It's a stain not paint. I sponged on a lighter color to add some dimension and love the results. Kelli and I did the front porch and the lines are not nearly as straight but it looks good none the less. The stain seems to be holding up well to the weather. It has been at least 4 years since we did the work and it still looks great. You can click on the flickr thing in the left column to see these pictures with some notes or to see more stuff we've painted around the house. And yes those Christmas pillows are still on the front porch. I am thinking of buying a cheap plastic table cloth to make some summer pillows. You know the kind with the flannel backing you can get at walmart for less than $5.00. I make pillows to go on that porch every summer because the sun fades them so bad and they get really dirty. My thought is the table cloths come in decent looking prints and since they are plastic they won't fade and can be wiped off to clean.  What do you think??

Someone Stop Me.... Please!

OK I love reading blogs! I love seeing what talented real folks are creating. It is such a source of inspiration. Addictive inspiration that is not conducive to getting anything accomplished if I don't log off the computer and put my hands to work on something besides the keyboard! Like a kid in a candy store, that is what I am looking at lovely pictures of pillows, purses, soft toys, pin cushions, warm inviting corners, noodle soup.... on and on it goes. If I want anything to post on my own blog I need to stop reading every one else's! I have two purses to make and a curtain. And just so I have a picture to go along with this post. I have the apron bug! Patterns were on sale for $1.99 at Hancock fabrics so I bought two apron patterns and a couple of purse/zippered pouch patterns. I keep buying purse patterns and never use them.

And here is one more. This is one of my favorite corners of my home. My bath tub. I love a long hot bath. It has always been a source of comfort for me. I go there if my body aches or my soul aches. For more great pictures of favorite corners go here.

PS... This blog is only about a week old but I have already "met" so many nice people. Thanks for visiting and keep saying hi! I love to make new friends.