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I soon discovered when Paige and I decided to do Etsy that I had out grown my small loft as my sewing space. I was in denial for quite awhile. But as I was making the OU quilt it became apparent that I couldn’t sew a quilt that is actually bigger than the space I’m sewing in.
So, I made the decision to turn my master bedroom into a studio. I hired my neighbor Nick to help me out with the project. First things first….the design wall. We removed all the furniture and hung a 8′ x 8′ design wall on the largest wall. It’s 2 4′ x’4′ insulation boards taped together and covered in batting and screwed into the wall.
I bought 2 6′ tables for sewing. Now the SewMod girls won’t be squished around the kitchen table when we get together at my house. I still need to find some chairs for the tables. And when sewing machines aren’t occupying the table I can use it as an extra cutting space for the bolts.
This wall will soon have bookshelves for the fabric that are coming in.
I did have to leave the treadmill in here but tha’s ok. Daisy uses it to jump into her favorite spot on the window ledge. She likes to sit on her quilt and terrorize the neighborhood:(
I moved my dresser, which didn’t even have any clothes stored in it, onto the loft. I’m using it as a desk for Etsy, designing, and storing some of the Etsy merchandise in. It fit so perfectly there. It was like it was meant for that space. And I’m definitely replacing that awful chair. I’m stalking something at Ikea:) Just haven’t committed yet.
My Aviary quilt looks so awesome on the banister.
Now my bedroom is downstairs in the tiny “office”. Iv’e adjusted pretty well. We painted my bed, which was the color of the dresser that’s on the loft, black, and I ruffed it up a bit to look worn. I think it turned out really nice. I wanted to that for some time now. I’m glad I went for it.
Everything I needed ft in here, including Daisy’s bed, and most importantly my flat screen. I don’t think I would have made this move if my most loved tv wouldn’t have fit in here:)
The tuffet is being used as my nightstand.
I even had room to display a few quilts.
I think it’s time to have the girls over for a little sewing, don’t you?
Paige’s tuffet was featured in digaliggins Treasury on Etsy titled “Sugar Rush“. Isn’t it a bright a cheery collection? A Treasury is a grouping of favorites in a certian style that a member chooses and creates. Being on a Treasury means added exposure on Etsy, so we’d like to send a big thanks to digaliggins for choosing us!
We would also like to announce last call for the Tuffet Class Sign -Up. Next week we are going to set the dates for the classes. We have one full class and almost a second. If anyone is in the Chicagoland area and would like to have a fun day of sewing and leave with an awesome footstool that you can impress all your neighbors with, then let us know. We would love to meet you!
We’re so excited!! Our first fabric line came in yesterday!…Yay…happy dance around the living room. Paige came right over after work so that we could share the excitement of opening the package together.
It’s the Heather Mulder Peterson line called Artful Home from Henry Glass.
Paige already has a million ideas running through her creative brain on what to make with this. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.
I think my favorite is the green and blue daisy “bubbles”.
Thanks for all your support and comments. We love sharing our journey with our blogging friends:)
I hope everyone has a chance this weekend to relax and create something special!
I was definitely in the Easter mood while stitching Birdie & I wanted her to have a “Pastel Paas” thing going on. So I stitched her in pastel variegated floss & I found these cute little Easter egg buttons at my local cross stitch store to decorate the tree with.
Thanks for another cute block Little Miss Shabby. I’m having lots of fun stitching these!
Andrea and Vicki came over on Monday to do some sewing, eat, gossip, lust over some new lines of fabric. You know, all those things girls do when we get together:) We can always count on Vicki to have the latest and greatest and if you haven’t seen Fig Tree’s new line, Strawberry Fields, then you must run to the quilt store. Sooo pretty and we’ve determined that it matches my kitchen perfectly…hmmm another project? Yikes!
So, back to my title. I was so easily distracted by the sweetness of those fabrics. Now onto the sweetness of gumdrops.
Can’t stop making gumdrops. So easy, so fun. So cool looking!
Andrea made the 24″ one out of Amy Butler fabric and polka dots and mine of course is the OU one:)
Holy tower of gumdrops!
The cubs one is my fave! It’s going on the Esty site along with the kiddie one.
At least these don’t make you fat.
Enjoy the weekend everyone. I’m going to be busy, busy. I’m rearranging and changing so check back next week to see what I’ve been up to!
Come on y’all sing along! This is something to sing about. We whipped up one of the OU quilts for a friend.
Paige did the quilting and oh my, she did an amazing job!!
Would you just look at how the OU stands out with all those whimsy swirls.
And when you turn it over the OU pops off the backing since she used a white bobbin.
The quilt is really easy to get together since its a log cabin.
I think this makes my 3rd OU quilt. Just spreading the Sooners love y’all!
If you’re looking at the time stamp for this post…yes, I was up that early writing. I only had about 45 minutes of sleep. Lots on my mind tonight, or should I say today now. Paige and I have had a rough go of it lately.
I’m sure you’ve heard the song Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield. If not the lyrics are here. To me, this seems to be the journey that Paige and I are on. Uncertain, unplanned, 2 girls trying to write a future for ourselves.
Family, friends, jobs, ex’s, tough decisions…all these thing tend to weigh heavily, especially when you try to close your eyes…ugh.
Life will try to kick you in the teeth if you let it. So, after about an hour, through the tears and pain, I came up with my short list of things that make me happy right now. Random thoughts, actually…this seems to be the way I deal lately.
1. I’m awaiting the Crapapples to bloom. The world never smells so good.
2. Listening to the Doves coo outside my windows.
3. Crack of the bat when the ball hits it. It’s almost baseball season y’all!
4. Paige talking about her mom. To me there’s a sweetness about it that lingers long after:)
5. When someone favorites our Etsy shop. Baby steps, but gratifying.
6. The way Daisy licks her lips when I’m making her dinner & when Paige’s Kitty rubs against me because I miss mine so.
7. Telling “baby” stories about when Russell was little. Some are totally inappropriate.
8. Paige’s story about how she, accidentally, gave a bunny fermented fruit and he basically passed out drunk. Don’t worry he hopped away later:) Paige don’t hate me for telling that…k. It just cracks me up every time I think of it!
9. That 70’s Show. I’m still addicted to it. And frankly, I don’t think I would have made it through my divorce without the laughter this show provided me.
10. My brother telling me he loves me every time I talk to him or text him. I don’t know why, but I always do a double take on that one. Its kinda funny that you torture each other for so long as kids but still love each other:)
11. Friends, Friends, Friends. I can’t image a day going by that I don’t talk to a friend.
Think of any random things that make you smile right now? I wanna hear it.
Ok…it’s 4:30…you think I can sneak in an hours worth of sleep before I have to get up?
The SewMod Gumdrop Party was Sunday. We met at Vicki’s house and I wish I had taken a pic of the food bar she had set up where we each made our own calzone and sodas. Kelly brought chocolate chip cookies and Pattie brought gourmet chocolate cupcakes stuffed with marshmallows. I know, you’re hating on me right now for the lack of pics. I’m so sorry!
We had a great time, as usual! Thanks Vicki for being a great hostess!
Meet SuperCool Kelly. She made her gumdrop in a black and tan with a cute polka dot top.
Vicki made a kids one for her nephew Kenny.
Looks like Auntie Vicki is taking a break on your gumdrop Kenny:)
And finally, mine and Paige’s. I used Central Park by Kate Spain and Paige used some calming green prints from her stash. I found hers to be very soothing colors.
These were so easy to make! I’m definitely making more. I think maybe a Cubs one for Russell and an OU Sooners one for the Etsy shop. Wouldn’t that be a fun one!
What’s next you say? How can we top tuffets in February and Gumdrops in March? Well, April’s party is going to be cooking lessons from Kelly’s friend, the chef at Cooking Fools, in downtown Chicago. Unfortunately, I won’t be attending this party but I look forward to Paige’s post and seeing what foods everyone learned to make. I’m sure I’ll be missing a great party…bummer:(
Good morning everyone! I thought I’d share a few pics from the quilt show Kathi and I worked in Morris, IL.
This is the Quilt In Joy booth. Sorry about the glare. We had to add our own lighting because it was so dark in the banquet room. There’s Beetle Boy right in the middle. Everyone loved him!
We had really great neighbors. This is Backyard Quilt Shop from Fort Atkinson WI. Kathy and Butch have this shop in their basement, run an auto workshop next door, and she also does custom quilting. Can you say super busy couple! They’re working on 7 years now being in business. She had some really good stuff in the booth. A Yellow Brick Road quilt done in Rouenneries fabric. Yellow Brick Roads bore me to death and I said I’d never make another, but I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
Quilter’s Destination, from Arlington Heights, IL was on the other side of us. Specializing in Crapapple Hill embroidery and beautiful fabrics, so you know I was hooked there. They had tons of embroidery samples made up. And Pattie and Wendy were sooo nice!
My fave’s from the show…
Lifesavers
And of course a Crapapple Hill quilt.
This is the backing fabric for a Christmas quilt I had to get a pic of.
And guess what. There was a bed turning event at the show and the quilter was showing her wholecloth white quilt that had been marked in blue that wouldn’t come out….shocking, I know…ugh. I’m feelin her pain! I think hers is worse though. Hand quilted and it had silk batting..uh oh!
Ok, I’m off to work now! Have a great spring weekend!
Cleaning..no, but I seriously need to. Spring is much harder on my house than winter especially with a dog in the family.
Remember this vision of Christmas goodness?
Just got it back from the quilter and she used a blue marking pen on it. Need I say more? I really hate those things. They are very unpredictable! For starters, I’m not the girl who washes a quilt when I get it done. I like crisp and fresh. So that’s a little disappointing, but what’s a bigger disappointment is that I’m going to end up trashing something I worked hard on, cost a lot of money, cause let’s face it people fabric is not cheap, and it’s from my favorite lines of all time…ugh. I’m sooo frustrated. These are the pics of the quilt after it’s been washed a zillion times using a zillion methods. You may need to enlarge them for the blue to show up.
The blue is all over the borders also. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!…help:(
On a more positive note, I have been working on some bindings and a cute little baby quilt from the Just Dreamy line from Riley Blake.
Adorable! Can’t wait to finish this one! I see giant rick rack in this quilts future.
SewMod