Finished Sewing Room (Studio)

I realized I never posted about my FINISHED sewing room. I know I said I would call it a sewing "studio", but apparently pretension doesn't suit me and I've just not ever been able to make that word stick in my mind. Ah well.

Here are some pics. I really, really, REALLY enjoy being here! Despite the very small space and the mess it's in. One day it will be completely organized (yeah, right!)

Inside Out Origami Flowers

I've been busy again in the sewing room. I rarely get time for so much playing around, but I guess that's what happens when you feed the kids pizza rolls and stay in your pjs all day!

This is a fun fabric folding technique I saw on an episode of Simply Quilts featuring Rebecca Wat and her book "Fantastic Fabric Folding". It's very simple and I've posted the instructions with pics HERE.

Have fun!

Cupcake Pincushions

I spent a good amount of time yesterday trying to figure out how to make these little cupcake pincushions I saw online. I played and played and finally came up with a rough idea of how to.

Here are my results.



I had just cleaned out my daughters closet (well, SHE cleaned it out and then I went through her cleaning and dug up this nifty colorful sweater) and thought I'd try it out. I'm pretty happy with the results and am thinking I'll make some up and give as Christmas gifts next year or throughout the year as the need arises.

Moving on...

Man are my abs sore today from a little 10 minute ab routine I found on tv. No crunches involved which is good since I can't seem to do those right and thus...no results. Today, however the pain in my gut is testimony to the effectiveness of this little routine. Yippee!

She's baaaack!

Boy it's been a long time since I've posted here. I basically set up this blog and then waltzed away from it for...oh, it looks like 6+ months! Well now I'm back. It's a new year and a time for new beginnings. Not resolutions mind you...those only fail. Just a time for a fresh start...new habits, new ideas, new adventures.

My first new adventure is a return to a more health conscious lifestyle. John and I are attempting to lose some weight. 10lbs a month is our goal and thus far I'm at 5lbs down! Whoohooo!

This is my favorite way to exercise currently. I used this video and others in her series to lose nearly 30lbs last year. It seems too simple and almost weird to think that you would "walk" and not be outside (or on a treadmill), but I'm telling you...try it! It's a good work out and low impact to boot.

Walk Away The Pounds by Leslie Sansone

10,000 steps a day keeps all sorts of diseases away!

So 5lbs in 2 weeks...sounds good, right? Well, hubby is down 15lbs! Men! It just doesn't seem fair, ya know?

Well, plan on seeing more of me (or if all goes as planned LESS of me) in the future

Sewing "Studio"

Since I started quilting, I've wanted my own space to sew in. Right now I'm relegated to a little cubby on one side of our long and narrow basement....but...change it is a comin'!

Last week John told me he'd help me clear out the exercise room (really more a dump all room since we don't use the exercise equipment in there!) (blush) and that I could do whatever I want with it and make it my very own sewing "studio" (I'm not sure what criteria a space needs to meet in order to be called a studio rather than a room or nook, but I like the sound of it and so...it's going to be my STUDIO. :-))

Here's what it looked like after all the boxes and what-not was cleared out. (no comment on the "locker room blue" paint...it looked more periwinkle in the store...seriously!)

And now...here's my new color scheme with key lime green. The color isn't quite "true" on my computer, but I hope it is on yours...it's very "icy" and color reflective (thanks for the tip Kathy!)


Big difference, huh? I plan to cover all of the wires and sump pump and all the yucky stuff up with fabric/curtains/sheers along the wall. Fortunately they're all pretty much on the same wall and should be easy to camouflage.

What to do about that floor? It's too uneven to paint and embellish, so I might just have to use throw rugs...hmmmmm....thinking, thinking....

Beautiful Music

My next crooked quilt is not quite finished yet. I still have to find the "right" border fabrics. I'd like to do a smaller border in red, but alas....I made the mistake of buying too little of the red fabric I used in the quilt and have yet to find a match for that precise shade. Who knew there were so many colors of red?! And then I'll add a broader dark brown outer border...again...WHEN I find the right fabric.

I chose the center fabrics with the instruments on them mostly because of my musical family. With two guitar players, a cellist/pianist and all of them vocalists/composers, you can imagine that we have melodic and harmonic tones filling corners of our home at pretty much every minute of every day. Up until now, my contribution has been as number-one-fan (and "roadie" of course!). Now I can join in the "song". I don't have a name for this one yet. How about, "And the Band Played On"?

Quilts in Motion

I've really been enjoying this new piecing technique I learned from a library book "Crooked Cabins" by Pat Sloan . It's very freeing for the geometrically challenged like myself. There's little that can bring me closer to using "bad words" than mis-matched points or corners DESPITE measuring and re-measuring before I cut my fabric!

My first quilt I did about a month ago and was all scraps I had on hand (well, mostly...I did buy some of the blacks). I call it "Movin' and Groovin" (thanks Jodes).