Where did the summer go?

It flew by, that's what!  I always have great intentions to get so much done, spend tons of time with the kids, swim and enjoy the outdoors, etc.  Then, I look up and its gone.  I feel like I did nothing and even worse I feel like I did nothing with the kids.  Guilt sets in.  Sigh.

We did actually swim and try to enjoy some time outdoors, even with the awful heat wave going on.  Baby girl took swim lessons and now swims like a fish!  We went water park a few times and a few swim parties.  The younger two went to camp and VBS and had lots of fun.  We bowled.  We lazed around.  We went to the movies. 

Still, school starts on Monday and I feel guilty.  My baby girl is starting kindergarten and all of a sudden I feel like she's being ripped away.  What a range of emotions.  I have already warned the teachers that I will exit the building quickly come Monday.  So, that's that.

Now for a quick view of part of the summer...

Fringie flower trim added to a t-shirt.

Some slip stitching on a little dress.

 

I bought some great new books and did manage to thumb through them and daydream a little.  Nothing productive past that.  They did stimulate my creative juices though.

 Started on a major quilt project... and finished!  I'll post on that soon.

 Made some pillowcases to go with the quilts!

 

Played with beads.  More on that later.

Made a good 'ole fashioned chocolate cake.  Yum.

 

Watched baby girl work on her sewing skills.

Learned how to make my own iced coffee.  I'm saving tons of moolah!  Isn't it ironic that it is in a Starbucks cup?  haha

Made a "leather" cummerbund for my daughter's outfit.  She went to the Harry Potter premier as Bellatrix.  For just $20, she thrifted her whole outfit and she looked so awesome.  People were asking for her and her two friends to take pictures with them.  Fun stuff.

 Started a makeover project in baby girl's room... and finished.  There's a hint above.  Yes, more on that later, too.

My last photography class, Light and Lighting II started in July.  I was working with window light here and a little bounce flash.  It was really too early in the day to use this window, but I played anyway.  Once I've completed this class, I can start working on my portfolio.  That will take a little time and effort.  Hopefully, after it is graded, I will be deemed a "certified photographer", for whatever it's worth!  I don't plan to be a professional photographer, but enjoyed the courses and hopefully expanded my little brain a tiny bit!

 

Took a short road trip with the husband and two youngest kiddos to visit family.  I worked on finishing up a little quilt binding during the drive.  Sadly, the visit was primarily to see my sweet Aunt Helen who was battling cancer.  I wanted to go see her one last time, tell her how much she has always meant to me, and hug her tightly.  It was a tough trip for sure.  She was a wonderful woman whom I have always admired so much.  She passed away just several days ago.  I love you, Aunt Helen.

I did get out to have a little fun with some of my girlfriends.  Several of us went to see "Change Up".  So darn funny, inappropriate, but funny.  I'm just being honest.  Then, one of my sewing sistahs and her lovely daughter came in to town and she called up the rest of us sistahs who live nearby so we could have dinner and a movie.  We watched "The Help".  Awesome movie!  Unfortunately, Janice didn't get to come, but we are all going to see each other in October for retreat!

The rest is a blur.  Back-to-school shopping, school registration, meet the teacher, etc.  Another sigh.  I'm going to go love on my lovies a little while.  I'll be back in a few days.

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Really? (insert major sarcasm)

Let's go back two years.... On a trip to Round Top and Marburger Farms with BFF Harriet, I purchased two really cool, vintage ice cream parlor chairs (or whatever they are).  Forward one year... I purchased from a local antique shop a really sweet table with two chairs.  They patiently waited in the garage to be used.

Fast forward to last weekend... I finally got around to covering the seats of the chairs I purchased a year ago with some fabric I also bought a while back.  Spring is here, the weather was beautiful, and the yard is looking lovely.  Perfect timing, right?

So on Sunday, I put all four chairs and the table on my back patio.  I was very pleased with them and couldn't wait to add some red geraniums to the table to pretty it up.  So cute, so quaint.

Monday morning, 1:30 a.m., I woke from the sound of a storm.  High, high winds that were so strong the rain was almost sideways.  I peeked through the window at the front yard, then the back.  At that moment, I contemplated going outside to move the four chairs and table.  "Nah, its just rain."  I went back to bed.  

About five minutes later I heard a smashing sound.  It even woke my husband.  He went to check the front yard and I went to check the back.

"Nooooooooo!"  (Hands in head)  A HUGE limb from our huge cottonwood tree had come down right on top of my cute little table.  It totally flattened one of the heavy steel chairs and shattered the glass in a gazillion pieces!  And don't be fooled.  It may not look heavy, but I couldn't lift it.  It will take two of us to move the limb.

Really?

Sigh.

Last winter, we lost our beautiful patio gazebo to snow.  Cratered.  Gone.

Why do the Patio gods hate me?  I don't want anything elaborate.  Just cute.  Just quaint.

On the bright side - I'm glad I decided not to go out to move the table and chairs... I might not be writing this post.

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Take a seat!

Another project complete!  During our snow days, I was able to finish covering my kitchen table bench with the fabric that I used on these oven mitts.  I found it a while back and thought it was perfect to brighten up the kitchen! 

This is my plain-Jane bench before (no offense if you are named Jane, ok?)...

And now...

 

It wasn't a difficult process but I did learn some things along the way.  The first thing I learned - have a helper ready!  It was definitely a "two-man" show.  One person needs to hold and smooth the fabric and the other person will slap in those staples with a good staple gun!  

 

I purchased foam from JoAnns along with the fabric and some fairly thin vinyl.  I cut the foam lengthwise which just happened to be the perfect width for my bench leaving just a small piece left over.  I picked out the type that breathes and can be used indoors or outdoors because it seemed to hold its shape better.  Or so I thought.  More on that soon.  I cut each piece of foam diagonally at one end so that they overlapped about two inches, sat on top of each other smoothly, and left no visible mark between the two once the fabric was placed on top.

 

Adding the fabric went fairly quick.  Staple, smooth, tighten, smooth, staple, etc.  I finished the ends like a wrapped present.  When we were ready to add the vinyl (which had been purchased several months prior and had been stored in the studio under my counter space), we noticed it had too many wrinkles.  It was too thin and didn't hold a nice shape.  But, I had to temporarily cover  the bench with it since I couldn't leave fabric uncovered with a 4 year old and 8 year old in the house!  Disaster.  So, it was just stapled on loosely.  That drove me crazy because it kept coming loose.  After repeatedly yelling at the kids to pull it straight, I finally lost it one night and wrapped one end in blue painters tape to hold it in place!  Yeah, so unlike me.  But, better than having to replace the fabric!

I went back to JoAnn's (awww, too bad for me!) and purchased a heavier mil of vinyl.  MUCH better!  Ready to lay on the new vinyl?  Nope.  Since we had used the bench for several weeks, the foam had settled some and when we tried to attach the vinyl, it smooshed the fabric down and made a crease.  Not pleasing.  So, we pulled out the staples and re-stapled the fabric on each side to tighten it up a bit.   In the end, it all turned out to be a good thing.

We then stapled the vinyl on.  It holds up well and wipes up quite nicely!  Yay!  So that's my "Upholstery 101" for the day.

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Out with the old...

While I don't change much of my basic decor very often, I do like to rotate things during the year such as pillowcases, curtains, etc.  It is an inexpensive and easy way to make little changes here and there.  First, I made these  potholders (the larger one from this tutorial and the little one from this tutorial).  Super fun and fairly quick.  I need to make a few more to go with these.  

And, I need to actually USE them.  Yes, they are so cute that I've threatened my family not to use them, but to keep  using the old ones.  Kind of silly - like not using your pretty china because you're afraid it will break.  But, what fun is that, right?  So, I must toss the old ones and move on!

I didn't use the Insul-Brite, but instead used the silver quilted ironing board cover material that I used on... yes, my ironing board cover!  Same basic idea - protect the skin.

I decided to switch my kitchen curtain back to this one.  I LOVE this print.  It should look very familiar - hint, hint - look around my blog!  I also made something else with it that I will share soon.  It is soft and reminds me of Valentine's Day which is just around the corner.

And finally, I changed the pillow covers on my couch and love seat.  I was digging through my stash of "changeables" and didn't even remember making these!  They say the memory is the first thing to go.  But, it was a good "find" and I did finally recall making them.  I really like the pillows in the first picture because "redwork" is one of my faves and the second picture shows some fleece that I found a few years ago and wish I had bought more of it!  Yes, red is a favorite color of mine these days.

"Out"

"In"

I hope to start on a quilt for my bed.  I've been hoarding some pretty Tanya Whelan fabric for about a year now.  Maybe I'm just scared to start the project.  But, again - what good is it doing me sitting there in the fabric hutch when it could be gracing my bed?!

How about you?  Do you do the "switch-a-roo" in your home?

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My studio needed a lift!

Someone suggested a while back that I get some type of lift for my sewing machines so that I didn't have to break my back getting them from under my counter and having to put them back again.  I have thought about that for some time as it was great advice.  Since I do not like leaving much out in my studio, I am constantly taking the sewing machine and serger from beneath the counter, setting them up and then reversing the whole process.

After some thought, research, and planning, I have exactly what I need - a lift!  I purchased this lift from Rockler.  It is most typically used for heavy duty mixers. (I love the way flour is sprinkled all over the counter and lift, but the mixer is pristine and clean!)

My dear friend, Richard (who has done the large majority of remodel in my home including my entire studio) installed the lift for me.  He is wonderful to work with because first he listens, then he helps plan and calculate, and finally he completes the jobs better than most "professionals".  He builds things well and to last.  I'm pretty sure I could jump on my counter top and it wouldn't budge!  That's saying a lot!

Here is the space before adding the lift:

And voila...

This lift holds not only my very heavy Janome 9700, but my Evolve serger as well.  And, I can leave them in place and sew from both machines.  I just swivel my chair around.  Or stand at the serger which I can do every once in a blue moon!

I had intended to paint the shelf of the lift but decided instead to cover it with fabric and then a heavier vinyl.  So, late at night when everyone was asleep, I got out a few of my tools.  Who says a gal can't use tools?  You should see my toolbox - it rocks!  And yes, Gingher scissors and a sewing awl are serious tools, too!

And voila again...

 

 Both machines

 

The picture makes the room look pretty small, but it really is very spacious.  I even have room to add my acrylic sewing table next to my machine and onto the counter and I have room to my left for cutting and pinning, and also behind my chair where I iron.  The power cords run on top of the lift and under the counter to the plug.  I can move the lift up and down without bothering the cords and even better - without having to plug them in or unplug them.  (I do unplug them from my machine so there is no power serge to harm them.)

  

Now I can just put the pedals on the lift, cover the machines, pull the handy handles to release the machines below the counter, pull the curtain and everything is tidy again.  

After installation, we noticed that the lift shows slightly through the curtains.  This is because the weight of the machines makes the lift settle in that position.  So, after even more thought, I have decided to turn that portion of the counter space into an actual cabinet.  It will bring forward the lift by about three inches, giving me a little more space on the table.  It will also encase the end of the counter space below, add doors, and eliminate the curtain in front and on the side.  I will post about that later!

Thanks for stopping by.  I appreciate your time and enjoy your comments and suggestions.

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