Studio Fun

As I continue the never-ending task of organizing my studio, I added something fun. Check out the framed flowers. Bright colors. Fun. Fun. Fun.

I also found a great way to organize and display my handbags. Instead of 20-someodd bags draped over Minnie Mannequin, which makes getting to the one I want a huge problem as it always seems to be the bottom one, I found these great cascades that hang atop my studio door. Easy to get to each bag, and it's quite a nice display.

IQF-2

I have been busy with company. Our son was in from Florida. What a nice visit we had. Also, we ate very well: seafood at Babins's on the Kemah Board Walk on Sunday night and great sandwiches in Galveston on Monday at the Sunflower Bakery. We also walked a bit on the seawall and drove around the island (Monday). Plus we got lots of visiting/catching up done.

I've also been busy REorganizing my studio. Thanks to The Fabric Organizer by DeNiece Designs (see photo at left) for getting me started. This is a great product. I bought 20 of the large and 10 of the small Fabric Organizers, and I must have more, more, more. I can see the fabrics clearly and they are easily accesible. I love that! And to make this product even better, it's made and sold locally by a young lady in Spring, Texas. I'll be calling her soon to order more. I'm rearranging everything so I can put a majority of my fabrics on these little jewels. Check them out at http://www.thefabricorganizer.com/. Here's what I have to show you so far (see photo at right) of my REorganizing.


I also want to share just a couple of quilts that I snapped at IQF. There were so many gorgeous quilts, and I took so many pictures. I'll just have to share a few at a time.





This quilt is entitled "Abandoned" by Lynne Morin of Kanata, Ontario, Canada. Techniques: painted, machine applique, machine quilted. Design Source: a photo. "A photo of an orphan in Africa inspired me to think of so many 'abandoned'."








The next quilt is entitled "Moving Forward", also by Lynne Morin of Kanata, Ontario, Canada. Techniques: painted, machine applique, machine quilted. Design Source: Based on a photograph. "This was inspired by my niece who is looking back in the photo, and also looking back on her life so far. She is moving forward by making changes in her life."

Storage Shoe-In

What do you do when you have an empty outside corner that's wasted space in your closet and need more storage? You wrap it in shoe pockets.

LEMONADE

It's old. It's trite. But it's so true. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And that's what I did.

I had been working on a passport wallet/purse. (See http://www.yayamade.blogspot.com/2009/06/day-tripper-1-sold.html, (Day Tripper). Since I design as I go, I sometimes end up making several mock-ups before I get the finished product. I had really slaved over the last one, which was to be my first Day Tripper model. I had worked very hard to get it just the way I wanted it. It was done, finished, except for the YAYAMADE iron-on label. Well, to make a long story short, I melted the entire front off of the thing. I said a few choice words, you know, "rats" and "darn" (yeah, right) and, yes, I did cry. And I wondered how in the heck I was going to get that goop off my iron.

Here's the lemonade part. It peeled right off the iron (it had cooled). And it was an intriguing plasticy substance. So, ta-da, I have discovered a new art medium. It's strong, it's pliable. I took a small piece and appliqued it onto a piece of fabric. So, there you go. You never know when life will give you lemonade. (The pics show before and after the iron fiasco.)

MY MACHINES

Here's what I work with. Both are Vikings, the One Plus and the serger is the Huskylock 936, a 5 thread model with coverstitch capability. I must confess I've never used the 5th thread or done the coverstitch. I think the way to go would be to have a second serger; one to keep on cover stitch and one for regular serging. The embroidery part of the One Plus is now rendered useless pretty much because of the new technology, but I use it mostly for sewing anyway. Someday I'll get a newer model for embroidery that's easier to use. They now hook up directly to the computer; no more of the little disc thingys. Much more convenient, I expect. I had a Janome, which is also an outstanding machine, but gave it to my daughter when she became interested in sewing last Christmas. Also on my wish list is one of those embellishing machines.

MORE DECOR - 7/27/2008

I made a bulletin board. I had found a frame at Hobby Lobby that was 17"x43" in the super-dooper sale section for a mere $14 or so. I covered a piece of cardboard with some green upholstry fabric that I found at Wal-Mart for under $6 and placed it in the frame. Voila! A beautiful bulletin board "on the cheap". It looks very nice. I like it a lot. It's so fun to have a project turn out the way I imagined it. Here's a couple of pics.

MY CREATIVE SPACE - 7/4/2008

Thought I'd post some pics of my sew-craft-office room. I framed my Vestival patterns and added wooden letters spelling "CHIS" above them. These are on the wall above my serger. I will have to paint "Chis" though. The current white didn't show up as well as I had hoped. I think I'll do them in the same green as the matting in the pics.

I found some great pegboard. It's white, made from plastic. Great for my larger notions.

The cross stitch pics were done by my talented sister. I just recently reframed them.

The hat rack shows off my running medals, retreat name tags and some little sequin purses.

We just finished some major redos on our house, and I got the sew/craft/office space I'd been wanting. What I had before was just too cram-full of stuff on the walls, on the floor, everywhere. I culled out a lot and planned ahead for what I wanted to accomplish. I still have too much stuff, but it's better organized, and I can actually get things done. My closet is wall-to-wall shelves and storage drawers. I love my space.