7.25.2012

Scrapbook Space Update

I bought an Ikea desk (and its many parts) from a friend yesterday, and since it was in the middle of the basement, I put it together today and moved stuff off the tables and onto the new desk.  It looks great and I have a lot more room! AND it matches the big cabinet where I hide a lot of junk.

So....scrapbook room before and after:
Notice the old restaurant table--you can't even see the little table under the bulletin board!

The new desk! A little longer, a few more shelves. 
Love it!

You might be wondering about my fathead in the background.  It's my favorite baseball player of all-time, Mariano Rivera, #42 on the New York Yankees. (currently hurt, but let's not dwell on that)

Here's a close-up of the shelves against the wall, just for my friend Denise.  She doesn't like that teeny-tiny shelf on the top, but I think it'll work find holding the punches, as long as it's up against the wall.  Also, it enabled me to get rid of one of my totes.  I'm going to be selling a bunch of stuff on ebay!


7.19.2012

Sewing Room Before and After

I think the sewing room is finally finished.  According to SOME PEOPLE in my house, I do not have another inch of space.  Hmmm...I'm looking at that blank wall above the dress forms thinking that a little shelf would look perfect there!

The journey started last winter when the basement got finished and I moved all my scrapbooking stuff down there.  I had a whole room just for sewing stuff, but more important, for inspiration! I hated sitting in that room working on projects--it was so dull and boring.  But now, I love being in that space.  Lots of little bits were inspired by Pinterest, but many are my own little bits and pieces put together.

One of my favorite areas is the wall above the bookshelf.  I picked up a printer's tray at an antique shop in town, and then I began filling it with vintage spools, needle cases, and sewing tools. 

Window treatment before.
Window treatment after.
Main area before...okay--during.
Main area after.
Back wall before.
Back wall after.

Sewing table before.

Sewing table after.

Bookshelf before.

Bookshelf after.

7.09.2012

Sewing Room Updates

I've been working on the sewing room lately.  It became the catch-all room when I was packing for my Italy trip and moving winter clothes out and summer clothes in, so I had some digging out to do! I can see the chaise longue again, which makes me happy--there's a place to sit!

I posted about the bunting the other day, but here's that area of the room completed:
I bought one of the decorative dress forms online last summer, and my sister gave me the awesome one for Christmas, and I just picked up that short one at Hancock Fabrics for 60% off last week.  I think three is a good collection.

I hung the bulletin board next to the sewing table and have already put a few things on it--it's such a pretty design that I hate to cover it with all kinds of junk. 

On the back wall, I've been adding frames and pictures and things, and I have a couple of more things to add before it looks totally balanced.  I don't know what those things will be yet, but when I find them, I'll know!
On the far left, I hung the thread and notions puzzle that we put together a hundred years ago, hanging vertically this time.  I moved it because of a new addition that will hang above the bookshelf.  It's not ready yet, but when it is, it'll be posted here!

7.08.2012

Sewing Room Bunting

I've been making bunting for almost a year now, and I always made two for the house: one for the mantle in the den and one for the sewing room.  I realized, in May, that the St. Patrick's Day bunting was still hanging in the sewing room, and that's when I decided to make something to hang there that will be permanent and more fitting for a sewing room.

Here it is!
I know it's hard to see the pattern from the wall, but the fabric is all sewing-related.  I got it from Keepsake Quilting as a pack.  Here are some closeup photos of the fabric:
I'm working on a few other additions to the sewing room and will post more pictures soon!

7.07.2012

Bulletin Board B&A

A couple of months ago, my neighbors were moving and twice a week with their garbage, they threw out all kinds of treasures.  I picked up a clothing rack that I donated to the lost and found at school, and I also picked up this bulletin board:
It didn't look quite this good--it was definitely used--it even had pictures still on it!! I threw away those poor people I did not know, saved a Punky Brewster pin, and put that bulletin board away until summer.  Last week at the store, I picked up some spray paint and Frogtape (my favorite new tool!) and set to work:


First, I spraypained the whole thing yellow.  That was fun, mostly because it wasn't 104 degrees outside like today.  Then, after a few geometrical issues, I got the diamond design just how I wanted it with the Frogtape and spraypainted what was exposed with the grey paint.  The paint got a little clogged, I think because it was 104 degrees outside today.  (Hmmm...read the directions first: use between 70-90 degrees.) On the plus side, it dried really quickly.  Here is the end result.  I'm going to hang it in my sewing room. Fun and easy!!