The Perfect Sewing Room

It's finally here....The Perfect Sewing room post! I know you all have been waiting with baited breath! (what does that even mean?) I will keep you in suspense no longer! First though, I must show you the 2 photos I have of the perfect sewing room taken 12 years ago. It will give you an idea of what I was going for. You will be amazed at how simple it all really is....very uncluttered and just "nice" and "clean" feeling. This is the view when you are walking in the door.

 And this is the view from the windows. It doesn't show, but the sewing machine is in the center of the table.

I was able to accomplish much the same feel, however, I do believe, with the fresh paint, and new carpet, it is much improved! Here is the current view as you come in the door.

Are you swooning?? I am!!! Can it BE any prettier??? Yes it can!! Let's move on. A view from the closet wall.

 And a view from the window wall.

Remember how I told you this room has 5 walls? Well, I guess that was an exaggeration...it has 4 walls, and this semi wall where you will find the door. It gives it the 5 wall feel when the door is closed. (Notice the switch plate cover....it is a quilt design and was in this room 12 years ago. It's those little things that make the difference!)

A piece of furniture new to the room, is this cupboard my mom gave me. I keep larger pieces of fabrics here.

 Here is a view of the only other corner I haven't shown you.

Some of my favorite parts of this room include.....

This AWESOME macrame plant hanger, given to me by my Weight Watcher girlfriend, Melody. She made it herself! This little plant was starving for an environment just like this one. I could almost hear it sigh with pleasure as I hung it near the window! I want to hang another one in here too....with a Spider plant.

My curtains!! I made these valances when I got this room 12 years ago. They are darling, and since they were only used 3 months, they are like brand new...they incorporate my favorite things....quilting and Bible verses!

This little basket of quilts, with the handmade sign, Sweetheart made me more than 15 years ago.

I have lots of empty wall space, so some of these will get hung eventually. I am enjoying the clutter-free feeling for now. 

I love how this new piece of furniture fit right in....and it hides my television (which I didn't have back then).

 Let's not forget the closet....it is a sewing room's best friend! I was able to hang my stencils, and rulers and keep it semi- organized looking. My design wall is just propped up against the back wall so it can become portable if need be.

 And my favorite wall in the room. This is pretty close to looking like it did all those years ago. Added, are pictures of grandchildren that were not here back then. My grandmother's sewing basket sits under the old cabinet machine, reminding me of how someday, Emerson may have a sewing room of her own, with some of her Grandmother's treasures scattered around.

So there it is. My idea of The Perfect Sewing Room. I can not tell you how thankful I am for an amazing husband, who, when he sees my desire, does whatever he can to make it happen! Thank you Sweetheart!! I love you!!!

 

Not The Perfect Sewing Room

 Anyone who has read my blog for more than a couple of months, knows my battle of the sewing room. I started out in this house with "The Perfect Sewing Room"....I choose not to dwell on that, because I only had it for 3 months. Mind you, I felt more than blessed to give the room up....it made "The Perfect Sewing Room", but it was also the perfect "little girl's room", and so it was. From that day on, I searched and searched for a space in this house that "fit". From "The Perfect Sewing Room", I went to the "spare bedroom"....sure I shared the space with a double bed, and dresser, but it was functional. Then we were blessed with a baby boy! He took over our hearts, AND the spare bedroom/sewing room. I was totally out of rooms! I think I set up in a corner of my own bedroom from there. Of course, that was a disaster, so I was moved to the unfinished basement. Cement floors, and walls, no ceiling, only wooden rafters and SPIDERS....lots of spiders. I spent almost no time there, instead, I would drag my machine upstairs and sew at the kitchen table. (As you can tell by the pic of Sassy, I have done this many times over the years)

One day, Kyle decided he wanted his own "apartment", so we finished a room in the basement for him. This freed up a huge room...not "The Perfect Sewing Room", but it had a window, and finished walls! To make it more functional, I had to share it....with the family computer.

At one point in time, this was also the school room. It was a beautiful room, and I never complained....though it wasn't "The Perfect Sewing Room". I moved all over this room, trying to make it "fit", and many quilts were created in the few years I actually stayed put.

While in this room, Sweetheart finished another large room in the basement. Real walls, and a ceiling, and carpet. It was to be the "Man Room" where he could go play his guitar and make his music, and just get away. It wasn't long before we decided to move Kyle back to his room, as he was spending too much time in his "apartment" which isolated him from the family. It was a GOOD move. So Sweetheart said, let's just put your sewing room in an area of the Man Room....I was NOT thrilled, but it was a beautiful space.....Still, NO lighting, nor a window in sight.

But, it was a space, and the spiders seemed to not like it as much as they did in the past. Again, I spent only what time I had to here. It was "The Man Room", and always would be. I even set up a little card table in a hidden corner of the formal living room when I needed to really sew.

The lighting was always such a huge obstacle down there. I did not want to seem ungrateful, as Sweetheart was sharing his space with me. He noticed, though, and one day said, "Just take the formal living room for your sewing room." Really? How would that look? We gave it a try.

I HATED IT! It looked awful, and only lasted 2 days. Sweetheart came up with the idea to put the dining room in the living room and give me the dining room. 

It was better, but still wasn't ideal....I missed my pretty dining room and felt guilty taking over a major room belonging to the family. It lasted less than 6 months. Where could I go??? The Man Room seemed the only logical place. 

I decided I would make the best of it and thanked God for such an awesome space to create! 

Then, 12 years later, it happened. Could it really be true????? Charlotte wanted to move downstairs. It all came out of nowhere. She wanted a room where the morning light did not stream in at 5 am. A place where she could dance and sing into a flashlight, and no one would tell her to keep it down. A place where she would not have to worry about brothers bugging her while she was in the middle of a good book. THE MAN ROOM! And so, she moved. "The Perfect Sewing Room" could be again! Sure, it would take paint, and wood scratch cover....LOTS of wood scratch cover....and new carpet, but the curtains I made for the room are still packed away in the hope chest, and the switch plate cover bought for "The Perfect Sewing Room", is still in the drawer downstairs. I dug out the pictures of that room as it was over 12 years ago. I could do it! I could recreate that room!!!! And so I did. 

Next time, I'll show you "The Perfect Sewing Room"!

Room Remakes

 Charlotte's room is emptied out, and is now a work in progress. I stripped the wallpaper border and got right to work!  I had plenty of help!

Please note, that my camera has a shadow, so all my pictures have this blob in them! It takes on different characteristics every so often, but is always there :( 

I picked 2 colors, and started in. The top part of the wall is called Cottage Linen. I love it. It didn't take long to realize, this would take at least 3 coats!

It was a long night getting the first 2 coats on. Yesterday morning, I started bright and early, and finished up the whole thing around 6 last evening. Once I was done, I decided the ceiling needed a coat of paint too, so I am doing that this morning.....I already have the major part of the ceiling done, and just have to do the edges with a brush. The bottom color is called Smoky Slate. It is a green-blue-grey color, depending on the light. I LOVE it's crisp clean look. 

Next, that nasty carpet gets pulled out and a new remnant put in. Hopefully, that will happen on Sunday morning, and I can get my room put together by evening.

Charlotte is all moved in to her Teen Palace. These pics have a terrible glare from the lighting down there, but it can not be helped...you get the idea.

This is her "living area".

She has been begging for that picture above the bench forever! Now she is able to enjoy it! She has no television hooked up, but her DVD player is connected. All the kids have enjoyed watching movies down there over the last few days. I pray she keeps it nice.

Her "bedroom" is set up in the back of the room behind the couch.

On that wall to the left, outside the pic, is her vanity and the shelves that hold all her books. She is a HUGE lover of books! I think she will be happy with this set up!

That is all for now. I will be back next week when it's all done! Right now, I am going to juice my breakfast, and get back to work!

It will be good to take tomorrow off and just relax!!!

Best Friends

Isn't that a sweet sight? My girls are buds! They are even napping together!
My camera got dropped so there is now a "spot" in the lower left hand corner. I think the lens got broken :( We can ignore that, right? These kitties are so darn cute! Cammy can get up on those chairs all by herself now, so she shares Sassy's favorite napping spot in the afternoon!
Last week I cleaned my sewing room, so I spent some time down there yesterday. The room is actually quite cozy. Other than my sewing table, it looks more like an actual family room. I used the afghan Charlotte made to cover the worn couch cushions.Most of the time, I prefer to spend my time in the studio alone, but once in a while a little company is fine too.What prompted my trip to the studio? My dear friend, Winona, sent me 2 books for my birthday. HA! My Sassafras loves quilting so much she will even lay on a quilting book!!!!Both are filled with wonderful projects and I was inspired by the Log Cabin quilts in both books....see that book mark? Winona made that for me! It is GORGEOUS!So, inspired by these Log Cabins, I decided it was time to start the one I have been planning for 15 years! I got all the centers cut....I went with red for love and warmth...and got the first section sewn on all 100 blocks.All blocks are pressed and the next sections are cut and waiting to be sewn on....next weekend, or maybe Friday. I was also able to get the next 2 block backgrounds done for Henrietta Whiskers. Blocks 3.........and 4....The applique pieces are all cut for block 3 and ready to stitch during the evening hours.
The rest of this week will be very busy preparing for Thanksgiving Day. I will shop tomorrow and Wednesday will be filled with cleaning and cooking. I am sure I won't make it back here until after the holiday, so I will take this opportunity to wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings!!! May the Spirit of Thanksgiving rest on your hearts as you reflect on all the blessings our Heavenly Father has poured out on us!

Blessings~ Bren

Waking Up The Blog

When it comes to blogging, I have fallen asleep on the job!!! The grandkids have been here a lot this summer, and I have treasured every minute! Now I am on a 3 week withdraw! I learned just this morning that TJ lost his first tooth....I didn't even get to see it wiggle :( One more week and I will see them again!

In the meantime, we have stayed busy here. My mother and I took Kyle, Charlotte, and Zach to the Discovery Center one day. They all loved it! Here are some highlights.....
School officially starts for us in the next couple of weeks. We are planning a trip to Galena with the kids before our start date. Charlotte has been working hard to start her Freshman year....Zach starts 5th grade. Where has the time gone? Oh...Charlie starts piano lessons tomorrow. She is THRILLED!
I never did show you pics of my new sewing area. I am so happy I moved it back downstairs. It is a little different than last time, but I like it better this way!My Grandma's hutch is in the far corner, where it was before, and it is filled with pretties and old antique quilts. I added this cupboard to the room....it will hold bigger pieces of fabric.
On the quilting front....lets just say I have been in a rut. Not for long though. I am still appliqueing leaves and then I can get the UGRR in the hoop. I am also playing with my 9-patches. I bought this yardage of red and am toying with the idea of using it for alternate blocks....but I think I may do a fence rail in between them. Either way, it is next on the list!!!
(Blogger keeps leaving big spaces and if I close them up, they go right back....Blogging has been frustrating lately with all the Blogger glitches going on)

I broke in my new sewing area with this little runner. I even machine quilted it in the ditch *GASP* That won't be happening very often!!! LOL

Lots of Spiritual growth here. Attacks from all sides and God showing me exactly how to handle them at the exact right moment it needs to be handled. Pray for our neighborhood. We are in a battle to keep our children safe. We know and TRUST that God is in control and I am so thankful that the Lord trusts me enough to give me this task! I love it when he clearly shows me HIS way verses my own way.
More times than not, in difficult situations, we see through a cloud and are not quite sure which way to go....this time the road was well marked!!! Praise GOD!!!

I will try not to stay away so long. Now that our schedule is back on track, it should be easier to keep up this little blog! Thanks for stopping in!