Just What Have I Been Up to?

Sometimes life has a way of taking over, but I thought I would stop and share a few pics, lest you thought I dropped off the quilting world altogether.

 After getting home from the coast....a little painting was in order.

And as usual I spent time rearranging my studio....I'm always trying to find the best layout. It usually takes me several tries. I had to find the best spot for my expandable quilting desk. A perfectly good excuse for moving "EVERYTHING" around....so I tell myself.

After all, one never knows when one might need to support an ever-growing project.

 

And since my design wall was simply too small for this ever-growing quilt, I expanded the design wall as well.

Below are are some shots of my ever-growing quilt that I started in Krista Hennebury's class "Improv Under the Influence"while in Victoria.

Of course, once I started....I couldn't stop.

And yes....I turned into a QAYG (quilt as you go) project.

More details to come on this one...rest assured.

My youngest daughter is getting married on Saturday....so this the size it will stay until after the wedding.

Help....I'm on Organization Overdrive!!

In other words,I am becoming obsessed......... NO, I am obsessed with creating the perfect work space, when we all know there is no such thing. So Instead of quilting I'm moving things around and sort of making myself crazy. Anyone else relate to that??

 This turquoise cart from Ikea just had my name written all over it!!

 Pretty isn't it....I love that I can roll it away when I'm not sewing at the cutting table....my Bernina is sunk into the cutting table with a hydraulic lift, so convenient.

 Never underestimate the dollar store when it comes to containers....all the clear ones are from the dollar store.

 I even had my drill out yesterday to hang some shelves etc.

 It's coming along!!

On another note: Look what a certain person, in my household, left tacked to my design wall!!!!

As if I would take him to the fabric store with me....I'm not that dumb, then he would actually hear me say the words "I'll take the whole bolt".

Every Nook and Cranny

Yes, believe it or not I'm still at it.....trying to find a home for all of my supplies. Seriously, I'm filling up every nook and cranny. 

Even though this is the storage area of my studio, I still want it to look inviting! Last summer I happened on some amazing Marimekko fabric for an unbelievable price.....I decided to display some of it and hide some of the storage bins at the same time.

 When all else fails don't forget to look up.....it's amazing what one can hang from the rafters!!! Also never underestimate the the value of the simple S Hook....Ikea carries them for a pretty reasonable price.

As you can see one can never have too many.

Even though I didn't manage any sewing, during Autumn's nap time I did manage to get some work done in the sewing room....I even had my drill out!! 

Balancing Act

Not only am I a quilter.....I'm a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a friend. Often I fall short in all of the above, because finding balance is not always easy!!

 This week I'm in Grandma mode, as I have my little Autumn Claire (15 months) for the week....her parents and big sister are in Mexico, for a much needed vacation. Smiling brown eyes and dimples.....need I say more, we are so in love!!! There's a reason women my age don't have babies.....every evening my husband and I fall into our easy chairs exhausted, even though she is good as gold.

Just as I have more than one role so does the space I live in.....my quilting studio has to serve more than one purpose. I have the toys for the four grandchildren in a bedroom right next to my studio....this room also serves as a guest room for out of town guests. As you can see the playpen is all ready to go for my wee girl.

 My studio has to function as a family room and a home office as well as a sewing space. The cutting table makes a great craft table for my three year old granddaughters.....I love to nurture their creativity. My biggest challenge so far is to make the space look good (the stairwell from the upstairs is very open), have it function well and be safe for when the little ones are here.

The glass door hides a multitude of equipment.....needless to say, I have a lock on the door. Curious one- year olds and long-arms don't mix all that well.....I have a fear that my one year-old grandson will think of the frame as monkey bars.

As you can see, my fears aren't totally unfounded!!!

Behind those doors it's still a work in progress!!!!! During nap time I try to keep working, on getting this organized.

I even managed to finish this little sweater....I started it almost three years ago, sigh!!!

Sooon very sooon I hope to get some quilting done.....the quilter in me is feeling neglected!!!

IMPULSIVE???? Me???

So, I'm a tad impulsive now and again!!! Just what can I blame it on.....the weather, moving weariness??? 

 Here is the latest addition in my almost set up studio. I have to admit it's a pure luxury item, and I'm not even sure what set me off in this direction....perhaps my underdeveloped free motion skills. 

 There....all put together, the table doesn't take very much space at all, with the drop down leaves and another nice feature is that the height is adjustable.

Now to figure this baby out.....pretty straight forward actually!!

Let's see where this takes me.

Progress

Slowly but surely, slowly being the operative word.....I'm making progress. In between moving my multiple piles of stuff, I'm actually starting to check a few things off the list.

 I was able to reuse my multiple panels for creating the design wall or should I say design walls (what can I say, one can never have enough design walls).....I had stacks of these panels sitting around, just waiting to be put up.

Having a black design wall, as well as a beige one is really helpful when auditioning fabrics for a project.

 With the two left over black panels, I created a display board for smaller finished pieces (sort of artsy, don't you think).

 A new door was put in (by my handy husband) letting lots of lovely light into the long arm area. Since there are no windows in this part of the basement this door is just the answer.

Naturally, I couldn't resist putting the rest of the panels in here. We even managed to get the long arm up on the frame and all wired up again.

Oh, and take a look at that fancy lighting!!!! These lights used to hang above the pool table at the old house. The pool table was donated to a good cause and we thought these lights would be wonderful above the long arm!!!

Trust me, there is still much to sort and organize but progress is being made!!

Back at It

After spending the week recovering from the Christmas and New Years festivities, I'm savoring the joy of having the house to myself, for a few days. 

 Yesterday morning was spent clearing the last deadline off my desk....now I'm really doing the dance of joy!

 My sewing world came to a grinding halt over December, as did my basement takeover and design wall obsession. I cleared things up as best I could, so the kid's from Montreal could have the basement for 10 days, but now I'm back at it.
 All in all I'm happy with my progress...there are still things to sort, but It's a very manageable list now.

My creative, chaotic brain is usually at war with my visual  need for beauty and order so it's an ongoing process  battle to keep things from getting out of control. I have the ability to create tremendous messes whenever I'm in the middle of a creative funk....which happens on a regular basis.

I'll take you on a little tour.......

I did leave the little play kitchen downstairs for my grandchildren....the rest of the toys are upstairs in the play room (my old office).

 

 

Wasn't it nice of me to leave my husband his pool ball rack??? 

I even hung my knitting bags on hooks.

Now it's time to get some actual sewing done.....
I can't wait !!!!

I'm Taking Over The Basement....Gallery Style

In keeping with my belief, that our homes should serve us, rather than the other way around.....I'm making some changes. 

Spurred on, by all your positive comments regarding  yesterday's post I'm taking over....I mean really taking over the whole downstairs.....gallery style

Here is the TV area that nobody ever sits in. 

Our needs change as our families grow. When we first moved into this house about 12 years ago, our two daughters still lived with us....now it's just my husband and I. 

We prefer sitting upstairs, where's it's brighter and warmer, even though there is gas fireplace down here. These open concept houses can be a pain to heat in our cold Canadian Winters.  

Besides, my husband turned one of the rooms on the main floor into his man cave and the TV up there is bigger....that says it all doesn't it..... I mean men and their TVs. 

Here sits a lonely pool table that gets used a few times a year for an actual game of pool. 

Oh, and we did eat Christmas dinner down here last year....that works really well.

I use the pool table on a regular basis for laying out large projects etc. but the problem with pool tables is that they take up so much space, in order to actually play pool. Did I mention I've already taken over the two downstairs bedrooms??

I even set up a kids corner down here for my little grandchildren...but they are still to young to play down here alone. Some switching of rooms is going to happen....I think.

I thought I would start by taking over the wall space....that won't bother those rare pool players

The whole gallery type design wall is so addictive. 

Thinking it would be nice to make a large black one, I bought some black felt instead of batting and it seems to work quite well. 

Plus the felt was half price....I just can't resist a good bargain.

 

 

The fabric doesn't stick quite as well to the felt, as it does to the batting I usually use, but the black is just so striking.

It will be a great place to display finished quilt as well....but they will have to be pinned in order to stay up.

Projects look so different on a black background.

Maybe I'll make that one panel bigger....no sense wasting any wall space.

My next step will be to remove some of the bulky furniture, from the seating area and bring down my computer desk....then the majority of the toys can go up to the room where my computer is now. 

I hope some of that makes sense. I get tired just thinking about this, but I've been mulling over the idea for some time. I'll keep you posted if I actually get at it.