… the day after

SInce I knew that I would not be shopping (long story - but you will never find me at out in the hub-bub of the-day-after-Thanksgiving-shopping-mania. . .)

I thought about getting down some Christmas decorations from the attic. . . but I started some laundry instead. . .

Then I kept walking past my studio & I couldn't take it any longer. . .

Now, don't get me wrong. . . I really love my studio space. As my business has grown - so has my studio space. Since moving into my house almost 10 years ago - I used a back bedroom - right off the family room for it & my office. . . Then it got a bit crowded & so my office was moved out & took over the guest bedroom & the studio could expand a little. . . then last year after I began to outgrow my bedroom size studio space, I moved it out to where the family room was (as really no one was using the family room any longer. . . except me to walk through to get to my crowded studio room . . .). It was a great move - but also made my studio visible to anyone coming into the kitchen area.

I have some great storage pieces that I've kind of "collected" - but that work for me. One is some tall wire-shelf kitchen storage shelves on wheels. My Dad & I made a top for it from a discarded melamine desk back - that my Dad framed out with some moulding & then I painted it a creamy white. It worked wonderfully for many years as my cutting table as it stands at about 38". These days it is more of the ironing area & the shelves store everything from threads, to unfinished projects, to fabrics I just cant part with.

Then I have my "newer' cutting table that it made from two white trestle pieces that I got from IKEA a few years ago & a solid butcher block for the top. I love this table & it sits in the center of the studio & gets used for so many things. . .

There's also a former oversized coffee table that is now against the wall & is the line-up table for fabrics & upcoming projects. (Which is a nice way to say it's covered in baskets (& has baskets lined up under it) & piles of fabric. . .) :o)

Then - under one of the large windows (which I love for all the light they bring into the studio) is a great big farm table where my sewing machine lives.

There's an armoire angled in a corner - between the two large windows where a TV still lives. There really wasn't anywhere else to put it - & it is nice to have it there & have a movie on when I'm working for long hours in the studio.

BUT . . . because all of this is so visible these days. . . the wire shelves on wheels - with all their contents 'exposed' - has been grating on me. . . & so it was time to do something about it. . .

See this fabric?

Anyone recognize it?

It is the main floral from 'Seaside Rose'. A 3 Sister's line by Moda. . . Vintage-y, soft & beautiful & classic. . . (sigh) - it is - my favorite fabric.

Seriously. I mean. . . lookie . .

I first saw it when I attended my very first Quilt Market. I didn't have a booth yet & was checking out Market & the quilting industry & was too intimidate to even go up to the Moda booths. . . But, I l-o-v-e-d this fabric (& the whole line as well) so much that I went home & opened up an account with Moda & ordered lots & lots of bolts of Seaside Rose. (I still can't bring myself to use up the last of what I have from that order & that was several years ago!) Anyway. . . Moda re-released the fabric as one of the 3 Sisters Favorites. . . as well as producing the print in a wider 54" width for Moda Home.

In the past year - the fabric/print has been slowly phased out (to make room for wonderful new designs!) & when I noticed it. . . I couldn't help myself. . . I still loved it as much as when I first saw it & still had visions of curtains, pillows, slipcovers. . .

(Can you guess where this is going? . . .)

So now I am the proud owner of bolts (& bolts) of both the quilt weight (42") & the home furnishings weight (54") of it. I still have plans for creating my dream living room & bedroom using this fabric. . .

. . . I'm in Seaside Rose heaven.

So, when it came time to 'dress' my storage table in the studio - there was no question. This was the fabric that I would love to be greeted by every day!

I simply made four panels (two for the front - that could be pulled open to access the shelves - & one panel for each side). I attached cafe rods to the underside of the shelving top that we had made with simple screw-in cup hooks & then slid on the panels (with very simple rod-pockets) & that was all there was to it. . .!

. . . & in about one hour, I had this!

Not a bad way to spend "the day after" Thanksgiving!. . . (& you should see the silly grin that I can't keep off my face every time I walk into &/or past my studio!. . . Can you imagine when I get in there to work!?! There may be fits of uncontrollable giggling!)

I hope that you enjoyed your "day after" Thanksgiving. . . (even if you did go shopping!)

Tomorrow. . . I think there will be boughs (& tiny white lights) making their appearance all over the house. . .

. . . Won't that look good with my new table skirt?! (grin!)

;o)

xo, Bren