Wednesday, September 24, 2014

A Dream Come True

I have had craft spaces before.  Cramped craft spaces.  Spread out over several room spaces.  A sewing space here . . . a beading place there . . . set-up . . . take down . . . spread out on the dining room table . . . always in the way!

When we first moved here I claimed what was once the nursery for the previous owners for my crafting space.  It's a small L-shaped bedroom.  (You may remember reading about me putting the quilting table together.)  I never shared many pictures of that room because it never really came together in a very functional way . . . always cluttered and never enough space to properly put things away that made them accessible when the time came to use them.

Also upstairs, is the master bedroom and a full bath.  This bedroom was the hubs' when he was living here.  My bedroom is one of the two on the main level.  (We have separate bedrooms because he has a c-pap machine and tends to growl when he moves around . . . a lot . . . all night . . . not conducive to sleep for me.)  Now that he's living in his own condo and working out of town (except for weekends) the master bedroom was empty . . . he sleeps in the guest room on weekends.

Empty no more!!!!

Welcome to my new and improved STUDIO:
 The quilting table sits in the middle of the room . . . accessible from all sides.

My cross-stitch threads for my personal use are to the right of the windows next to the shelves that house all my favorite charts waiting to be stitched.






My "professional" cross-stitch threads (Gentle Art & Weeks Dye Works) hang on the closet doors arranged by color along with the samples of Weeks Dye Works fabrics.  Great light from the double windows to pick just the right colors for my designs!  All my Nebby Needle market stuff is stored in that walk-in closet along with my linen stash.




Then we have the collection of fat quarters for quilting and pincushion backing.  That cute yellow bug sitting on top of those shelves is my radio/cd player . . . gotta have music while I work.  The drawer cabinet is filled with small pieces of linen (just right for pincushions).  On top are my wool and silk threads . . . and above that is part of my vintage postcard collection . . . I love old postcards!

The hubs gave me a magnetic knife holder for Christmas that makes the perfect place for my scissors above my sewing machine.  My daddy made the sewing machine cabinet.

The other walk-in closet houses all my scapbooking supplies and boxes of pictures to go through.

In addition to all my creative space, I have a workout area.  In the armoire is a tiny combo tv/vhs player.  I can watch (or at least listen to) tv or play one of my workout tapes.  I have my exercise ball, my step my daddy made for me, free weights and exercise mat.

 Overflowing storage with yarns and felted wools . . . and yes, I like to collect frames for small projects.











The color bins hold my chart collections, trims, ribbons and more yarn.

I still have some things to put away, but this is going to be so great!!!

There is an unfinished room (part of an addition) that is on the other side of the wall where the sewing machine is.  This will eventually become my bedroom when the hubs retires and moves back home permanently.  He will take my existing bedroom downstairs.  How perfect to have the entire upstairs as my own!!!!

No need to feel sorry for the hubs . . . he has an entire building (25 x 51 feet) out back that he fondly calls "Train World".  And . . . he's living in a 4 bedroom condo where he has one bedroom as his "Train World" there as well.  We are both feeling very spoiled and loving it!

Life is good!
~*

Friday, September 12, 2014

Is That Autumn In The Air?

They're talking about a "cold front" coming through . . . supposed to be 80 degrees today and a high of 71 tomorrow with the low being 58 tomorrow night.  I love fall but, somehow I feel like I missed summer.  I've been so busy this summer doing other things that my love of gardening has been sorely neglected!  My gardens have never looked this bad . . . I'm embarrassed!  The only advantage to the neglect is that my butterfly bushes have seeded themselves everywhere!!!
I have plans for all of these volunteers.  I'm going to plant them along the back wall to soften the view of  "Train World" (our very large outbuilding).  The butterflies and humming birds will LOVE it!

Been busy designing more freebies . . . if I were a smart business woman I should have just packaged all of these together in one set to sell  . . . but, who doesn't like a freebie!?!

Halloween is just around the corner so get busy!



The colors in order of symbols:
GA 7063 Onyx     GA 7041 Apple Cider     GA 7059 Pumpkin Pie

I stitched this on Weeks Dye Works 35 ct. Beige Linen
R&R Chenille trim: Smoke
The design measures:  136 x 47 stitches

Enjoy!  ~*