Where Bloggers Create Studio Tour!

I've been soooo looking forward to this event...  Thank you so much Karen for all of  your effort to make this happen.  You won't want to miss the other fabulous spaces either.  Here's a link back to Karen at My Desert Cottage for you....  Just click HERE.

Karen's space is SPECTACULAR!  You'll want to see that, for sure.  But look at mine first please...  It'll look a whole bunch better...  it's gonna be pretty pitiful after seeing Karen's.   :-)

I am CRAZY about Cath Kidston, so that was my inspiration ...  It's so HAPPY isn't it?

I have a teenie, tiny studio space, but have SO much stuff tucked into every, single nook and cranny.

I've tried to get things as organized as possible....  Whew, is that ever a tough task....  If you're an artsy girlie, you'll exactly what I'm talking about.   So many things carry over from one project to another.

Secondly...  I LOVE STUFF...  really love it.  Yep, one of those hoarder kind of girls.  I admit it.  There it is.....  in black and white.      :-)

Here we have my work table ...  I made it... yep, sure did.  It works great.... lots of storage behind that little curtain.  I also made the bigger scalloped shelf and the one with points.  Those little babies hold a lot of goodies.  

Try to ignore the hideous office chair.  The new one  I ordered was really poor quality, so it's going right on back.    I had an old one before that I had made a sweet, 'lil slipcover for, but it was so big and bulky I could hardly move the darn thing.

Making every, single inch count was a priority Chickies...  Just look at all that goodness on crammed onto a six inch wide shelf...   :-)

I've had this odd, old sewing machine table for about a century now... I'd love one of those dandy Koala, fancy ones........... but one would never fit into this beensie space....  And, this one works just fine.

Edward Scissorhands, where are you?  I LOVE the things... probably have at least fifty pair....  

Ugly lamp shade?  Feather boa is the fix!  You can barely see it back behind that stack of books, but that jar with the ribbon?  It's full of precious notes from my daughter.  LOVE it.  And, it was one of my most cherished gifts evah!

No, there are NO diamonds to be found...  but it was easier to write that on the tag than "little, fake, stick on rhinestones"...   :-)  And, more colored pencils.   These are watercolor pencils...  Can't have too many colored pencils.  Seriously.  You can't.  At least that's exactly what I tell the Hubbster.  * I have HUNDREDS of 'em.   :-)   

I bought those two small, fancy 'lil shelves at the thrift store...  just perfect for small stuff...  

Rolling right around to the crammed FULL side of the room.  So happy that you can't see this wall before you're actually IN the room.  But, let me tell 'ya...  I have A TON of stuff stored here.  I just bought the Billys at Ikea knowing how fantastic they would be....  Three of the regular sized ones and one that's skinnier.  Fills the whole wall!  I wish I had been able to buy matching and beautiful containers to use, but that would have been super, duper expensive so I used mostly what I had already.  Yep, PENNY PINCHER...  Tilly Tightwad, for sure.

  

The little child's chair doubles as a footstool and a step stool to reach higher things.  Short.  Yes, I AM.

I bought the little drawer do-hickie at the thrift store for a couple of bucks.  It was part of a vanity, but with some wood filler, paint and knobs it's just great.  

See that adorable red heart up there?  A gift sent to me by Sue at Rue Mouffetard..   I LOVE her.  Thank you SUE!

You still here?  Wow...   :-)   Geeee...  Thanks!

New chair, Ikea.  I swear, I couldn't make the slipcover as inexpensively as they sell them.  And, those shelves!!!  ...  See, I couldn't fit another thing in there!  Packed as full as possible...  Everything is marked, but I want to make a "map" of everything as well.  I'm going to print the pix on regular printer paper and write on each container what's inside.  And, eventually make new and fancy tags.  Right now these will do.

This stool serves as a ............wait for it..........stool...   How clever am I?..... and as an end table when I'm using my chair...  need something more that that little lamp, but where........WHERE ..........would it fit?  

So DEAR Chickies...  there you have it...  TINY... I think my space is about  9 X 10 or so, but it really is my HAPPY PLACE.

So glad you came by.  Now, pop on over to see lots and lots of wonderful places Where Bloggers Create!

Huggies and Lovies...  

Spencer

xoxoxoxo

PS....  Can anybody explain to me how to make my pictures bigger and not run into all that stuff on my right sidebar?  I cannnnnot figure it out.

The Good, The Thrilling..........And The Downright YUKKY!

Hello my little sweets!

No, I didn't drop off the face of the earth...........I can't believe it's been more than a week since my last post........I've been one horrible blogger, haven't I?

Things have even changed on Blogger since I last posted.  Was there an e-mail with the new instructions that I missed?  YIKES!  I HATE learning new technology.

So, here's my story.........

Get a cup of coffee and kick back........this is one heck of a long story.

Well, first of all I know you little dearhearts know that I started blogging to help ease the pain of losing my sweet Mummy.........and that I wasn't moving forward on ANYTHING for a whole year.

There's a nice little Health Food Store not too far from my house that was offering a lecture for people of "my sort"......I am ALWAYS all over anything like that, so I zipped myself right over to that little class.  WOW!  I learned some great stuff from the sweet little Life Coach....Josie.  And, she offered a free one hour private appointment to anyone, at the class, who would like to partake.......and partake I DID!  She helped me set up a little map to help me make a plan, stick to it and GET A REWARD!  I'm alllll about the reward system.  Oh yes, that's right up my alley.

I actually ended up talking with Josie for about an hour and a half, left our meeting and came home and whipped up the cover for the daybed and bolster pillows for the den!!!!!!  I was so thrilled with myself......

Our agreement was that I would sew the cover for the daybed, measure for the curtains and cut out the bolsters so I was way ahead of my little schedule.  Isn't that great?

Ok, so now I'm on a roll!  And, feeling much more motivated and ready to move along.  I'd like to get the darn spring cleaning done while it's still spring this year!

I always finish all the sewing first so I don't have to stop and make things while I'm cleaning AND it gives me inspiration to continue.    :-)

So, here's the thrilling part...

I've mentioned before that back in the 80's I had a love affair with BLUE.  I did my entire house in blue.  Different blues, mind you, but BLUE, just the same.  EVERY ROOM.  It didn't take long and I sooooooooooooo HATED blue.  I swore I would never use it again.  NEVER.

Well, obviously many years have passed since the 80's and I started loving it again.

I decided that I would do my bedroom in blue this year.  That clean, yummy Scandanavian blue.

My sweet and adorable hubbs is a salesman.  You may have noticed the economy hasn't been so good lately?  Yes, that did effect our little family so I had to figure out how to do this little re-do on a shoestring.  No problem!  There are loads of thrift stores around here and I decided my budget for the whole re-do would be $100.

I can do this.    :-)

See that yummy little stack of blues?  Oh yes.......I was on a roll.  That buffalo check?  Yes, that would be my very favorite.  I was so thrilled I nearly did cartwheels in St. Vinnie's!!!  It's an Ikea duvet.  Four yards of 80" wide fabric for TWO DOLLARS!  Perfect condition.  Ahhhh.....  Isn't God soooo darn good?  One of these days I'll tell you my carpet story but this post is already going to be a book, so I'll hold that thought.

See it there?  OH SO pretty.  It makes me soooo happy.

The blue and white stripe on the bottom is the backside of a Pottery Barn duvet.  It was 4.99.  The front was so beachy-cottage-y....DARLING....but not in my plan.   :-)

The little blue check is a JC Penney sheet........    3.99

The top two fabrics are blue sheets as well........   3.99 each.

I was so hoping for more of that Ikea duvet fabric.  It's by far my fav. 

UNBELIEVABLE.........I walked into the Goodwill........and there was a KING sized duvet.......never used. No kidding?  I nearly cried I was so excited. 

I'll need lots of yardage........curtains, pillows, dust ruffle.....and then the bathroom window, sink and shower curtain.  I was in HEAVEN.  I couldn't sleep I was so excited.......dreaming up my plan.

Remember I said The Good, The Thrilling and the Downright YUKKY?

The first duvet had been used and I'm sure washed many times.  It was slightly lighter than the new one.  No problem.  I'll wash the new one.  Hmmmm....still a bit darker. 

I'll wash it again.

Still a bit darker.

Ok......I'll add a teensie bit of bleach.

Still a bit darker.

Ok.....one more try.......just a touch of bleach.

 How the heck can this happen?

Now, you'd think it could possibly get bleach hot spots.........it could turn out too light.......

But THIS?  What the heck?

I wanted to throw myself on the floor and kick my feet while screaming at the top of my lungs.

And, it HAD to be the bigger duvet too. 

Nuts.

Why didn't I just leave well enough alone?

I could have used the darker one for the bedroom and the lighter one for the bath.

Trust me when I say the difference was so slight no one would have noticed.

I've searched the internet.  I've looked in alllll of the local thrift stores.

My darling hubbs even drove me to the Seattle Ikea in search of replacement.  Yeah........you guessed it........they don't carry that duvet anymore.

Now I'm going to have to be VERY creative to stretch that happy little check.

Have you ever ruined something you were sooooo thrilled to find?

Several years ago I had been out shopping and saw a parking lot sale at an apartment building......Hmmmmmm.........Maybe better stop, right?

OH MY GOSH.......most of it was "why didn't you throw this stuff in the dumpster"???....but when I got to the last little table it was a dear little German older lady.  Her table was LOADED with the most exquisite vintage china I've EVER seen.  It was DIRT CHEAP!

I spent about twenty dollars for two large bags full.

I smiled to myself all the way home.  I couldn't believe my good fortune.

I drove in the driveway, thrilled to share my finds with the hubbs.

While I was standing there squealing with delight I changed my bags to the other hand.....dropped both bags and broke every single piece.

Weeping at the memory.

I hope this little post finds you all well and happy.

I've missed you soooo much.

Thanks for waiting for me!

Huggies and Lovies!

Spencer

xoxoxoxoxox

And, The Pillow Makin' Continues.....

Oh YUM......how totally delicious is this old linen tablecloth? It's the most beautiful linen I've ever found. A lovely "hand" to it....and look at this yummy embroidery. It was handmade, for sure. It actually had a seam down the center of the cloth!

Now, I don't normally cut up ANYTHING that's in perfect condition....but whack this I did!

I thought it would really be better to cut it up and enjoy it than to stick it in a drawer unused.

Right? Yeah, maybe not, but I soooo wanted pillows out of it.

Thankfully an old tip from high school came back to me. Now, that in and of itself is a REAL miracle. That was a LONG time ago! :-)

If you try to cut linen it just gets all wonky. That would never do. If you pull a thread it will leave a perfect little line in the fabric. If you cut right on that line it's a sure bet it won't be wonky....in fact, it will be PERFECT.

I cut off the bits on the sides that had the hemstitching on it....and crocheted little vintage buttons across the edge....

I can't really tell you how I did it....I don't really know myself. I'm a lousy crochet-er....and just sort of faked the whole thing. Shhhh....I'm not really admitting that. Not here on the www. :-)

I wanted to be able to get full use of the entire tablecloth so I incorporated that little bit of lovely embroidery. Isn't it sooo pretty. I think the woman who made this would be happy to see her glorious work displayed.

Stitch that little gal up with a bit of piping and voila!.....Looks like a pillow to me!

More coming soon. I'm going to finish this darn den, come heck or high water.

What does that mean anyway? Anybody know?


So my sweet little chickie friends....

Thanks again for coming to see what I've been up to.

God bless all of you. ABUNDANTLY!

Big smoochies!

xoxoxox

Spence

Could this FINALLY be the solution??? I have tried everything I could think of to organize the mess in my car for YEARS! Baskets, tubs, totes.......you name it. Still, every day, I have stuff flying all over everywhere! YUK! I wanted something with loads of pockets and handles so I could take it in and out of the house easily and short so the "stuff" would be accessible. I didn't want the items inside to be hidden.......too hard to find AND I don't want somebody breaking into my car to get my HANDBAG only to find the little tote full of coupons! Not that I'd like them to find money, but you know what I mean! :-) We went to Hawaii last October and found this yummy reproduction barkcloth.........perfect for this project, I think! Now I'm hopeful that I'll easily be able to find my shopping lists, coupons, lotion, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, lip gloss, pens, notepads.......and on and on and on........I even made a side pocket to hold my water bottle. It was soooooooo hard to make. I have a nice sewing machine........NOT a professional one by any means. I backed the pieces with iron-on EXTRA HEAVY duty pellon........my sewing machine DID not like it and I had to fight through the whole darn project. Somehow, in the "old days" when the fabric was thick one could just plow through it anyway. Hmmm.....not anymore........it just blows a fuse on these new electronic numbers. I broke two needles too.......but in the end, although not a perfect sewing job........I have a tote to bring in and re-load with all the things I need when I'm going to the store (and a book......just in case!!). Yippppeeee! Now, if it works I'm going to one reallllly happy girl!

Oh.......and it looks wavy because of all the little gems I have stuffed into the pockets.... :-)

Wishing you a WONDERFUL and Blessed Wednesday!

Spencer