Day 14: Sewing Room

Today I'm thankful for my sewing room. We turned one of the extra bedrooms into a craft room and Doad has labored in love for me to turn it into a really beautiful space. It's still a work in progress but I love it and I love creating in this room.  I'm so excited to show you some pictures!  But first, you guys, I have to apologize.  I'm a super terrible photo taker and these pics are like the worst.  I tried to retake some but it's just not working so forgive me if none of these are pinterest-worthy.   ...and if anyone wants to give me some photo-taking tips, I'm all ears! ;)

Before we even moved into this house I dreamt of having a wardrobe turned sewing table for my craft room. My husband is amazing at making dreams come true and he found this beautiful wardrobe on craigslist and turned it into this beautiful piece without so much as a pattern!

This is the before picture.  It was a pretty nice wardrobe to begin with, but Doad just made it so "me" and I love how personalized it is now. 

Here's a pic of the table that he built to go inside.  It folds up and you can close the doors when it's not in use.  He's such a genius. :)

 Then he made it even more beautiful and painted it!!!!  <3

He even built me the cutest little ironing board so I can just swivel in my chair while I'm sewing to press my seams.  Love it!

Eeek! And look at those handmade shelves! See what I mean about labor of love?

This thread rack makes me smile. I love all the bright colors! :)

Ok, so moving onto the rest of the room.  My husband surprised me with this canvas one day. So sweet! I'm thinking a cute fabric bunting would look great on this wall. Not sure what else it needs. Any ideas? I also need to declutter that desk... And maybe get rid of the ladder ;)  #reallife #itsmessy

These fun decorations sit on top of my piano (opposite wall from the photo right above).  I have been contemplating painting the piano since we moved in, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet.  I really love the idea of a colored piano, but I'm afraid it will overpower the room.  Ah, decisions!

I have so many favorites in this room, but these lights are definitely one of them.  Every craft room should have fancy lighting in my opinion.  They are still being hooked up, but already make me feel so classy and glam.  ;)

So there's my craft room!  Again, I apologize for the picture quality and for the selective shots of the whole room.  We are still under construction in here, but hopefully I can do a big reveal post when it's actually "finished".  I hope you were still able to get a glimpse of why I love this room so much though.  Not only is it fabulously adorable, but almost all of it was done by my sweet husband.  He made and painted that sewing table.  He built and installed those shelves.  He bought and hung several of those pictures.  And he installed and wired those lights.  I walk into this room and not only do I feel peace and beauty an inspiration, but I feel love and sacrifice and care.  <3

We're moving!!!!

After several days of waiting (soooo not easy for me) we have finally heard good news! Praise the Lord!  

To recap what's been happening with our moving adventure: Our appraiser refused to make some minor changes on our appraisal and demanded that we get an entirely new appraisal done.  We found this out only a couple days before we were supposed to close and had to reschedule our settlement date as well as our moving date.

I'm still a little frustrated about that, but mainly just happy that it's over and we can move on.  The appraiser finished Monday evening and the underwriter approved the loan last night.  HUGE sigh of relief! 

Our new plan is to close tomorrow (Eeeep!) and move this weekend.  I am dying with excitement and so so ready to be done living out of boxes.  Our house looks like a maze of cardboard right now.  

I am also way stoked to have a whole house to decorate!  I have been slacking on my "Pinterest-ing" until things were more finalized, but I have a feeling that will be taking up all of my free time soon. ;)  My first project is gonna be the craft room/office, I think.  I am on the hunt for an old armoire that can be repurposed into this beauty:

Cottage Hill

Is this not the awesomest thing you've ever seen?  And hubby has a huge, new garage for projects just like this, how perfect! ;)  I shall be posting soon with some more of my favorite ideas so far.  

Weekend Ramblings + Shop Update

Oops!  Missed my Thursday post.  I ended up spending that evening in the ER with a family member who was having some severe pain.  Thankfully, it just turned out to be a muscle sprain/spasm and not something more serious, but we were there until 3AM so a post was just not going to happen.

Friday evening was Doad's work Christmas Cocktail party.  I'm not much of a partyer partier party-er? (see I can't even spell it) but I really enjoy going to this event.  It's fun to have an excuse to get really dressed up and I like getting to know the people that Doad is spending his day with.

I also really enjoy pretending I'm rich and go to fancy, expensive restaurants on the normal - valet parking included.  Doad's company chooses a new restaurant in Baltimore to host the party each year so we have gotten to experience several fun little places thanks to them.  This year was a place called Bond Street Social.  They have amazing lobster fritters.  I want more.  The end.

When we first walked in, I thought the place looked like a very upscale, formal dining type of place.  We were in a back room behind a cool sliding door/wall with our own live music and bar.  Ooh la la :)  The party lasted until about 11 and I thought surely the rest of the place would be empty, I mean who comes out to eat at 11?  ... I'm so not a city person... The rest of the venue had now been turned into a club and was absolutely packed.  As we elbowed our way out the front door, I realized how much of a fuddy duddy I really am.  I love this stuff for about one night once a year, but I could never imagine going out like this every weekend.  It's fun, but exhausting!

So here I am, Saturday evening, JUST getting to my post.  Oopsies!

I had planned to share the newest addition to my Etsy shop.  But better late than never right?  :)  Here it is, my brand new Chocolate Floral Tote.

I hope you like it!  And I hope you click on over and take a closer look :)

Have a great weekend, everyone :)

Dreamin' Big

One of the reasons I started this blog was to document my journey to achieving some of my big dreams.  Although I don't always voice them out loud, I have big, crazy dreams for the future.  Dreams like having a big family, adopting, taking my big family on a missions trip to another country, homeschooling, owning my own shop, traveling the country, learning Spanish, and taking my parents back to Disney World like I promised them when I was 13.

Well, most of those dreams require a decent chunk of money and time so I am learning to have patience while I dream.  :)  But I am able to work on a couple of them right now.  For instance, Doad bought me the Pimsleur Spanish CD's* for my birthday one year and we are verrrrry slowly working our way through them.  I think we average a lesson a month haha.  But we're doing it together and hopefully one day we can travel back to our honeymoon spot (beautiful Dominican Republic)and put our Spanish to good use! [There I go dreaming again... ;)]

Another dream that I am taking a step to achieving is opening up a shop online!   As you know, I have been sewing quite a bit lately.  Several people have encouraged me to sell some of my products and I've decided to take their advice.  :)  I'm really excited and a little bit nervous.  There is a lot of planning that goes into opening up an online store. And a lot of questions that need to be answered.  Which storefront should I use?  How do I price my products?  What type of branding material do I need to get right away and what can wait?  

I've been working my little tushy off to research and prepare and sew, sew, sew!  I am planning to launch the weekend after Thanksgiving, but wanted to post about it now so that you all can share in the journey.... and maybe also give me some advice?  :) The planner in me is freaking out a little bit at all the unknown's of starting something so new to me.  However, the dreamer in me is so sooooo excited to be doing this.  I know I just need to start small and work really hard and learn as I go.  But I really would appreciate any support, advice, and words of wisdom from those of you who have been there and done that.  Some of my big questions are:

What storefront do you recommend and why?

What are your best organizational tips for running a handmade business?

Do you have any favorite resource sites you'd like to share?

I really can't wait to open up shop and show you all my latest sewing projects.  In fact, I think I might just have to give you a sneak peak now!  Tell me what you think:

Looking forward to posting more about this soon!  And to hearing all your wonderful advice *nudge nudge* ;)  Have a lovely weekend, everybody!

*Affiliate ad

Helloooo, Etsy!

It's here! I finally did it!  After being sick all week, a trip to Massachusetts and back, and dreams about my mile long to-do list every night this week I am proud to announce the grand opening of my shop, Sew So Lovely!

I'm so happy to be reaching for this dream and can't wait to see where it leads.  I have dozens of ideas for new products and am super looking forward to doing some sewing this week so I can bulk up my listings.   I hope you will check out my little shop and tell me what you think.  And just in case you need some convincing...

Click the picture to go take a look!  Happy shopping.  ;)

Sewing projects #2, 3, & 4! :)

I have been having way too much fun sewing lately and have neglected to take pictures of my projects once they're done.  I finally rounded up the pieces I've made to show off to all of you!

Ta da!!!!

Project #2 was a present for my youngest sister, Jade.  She loves owls almost as much as I do and I was super, super excited to make this tote bag for her birthday.  

Project #3 was also a present.  When my bestie saw the tote bag I made for my sister, she had to have one too.  :)  I decided to make her one for her birthday as well.  She loves Tinkerbell and her favorite color is green.  Don't you just love those green polka dots peeking out from the inside??  They are my favorite part about this bag.  :)

Project #4 was sort of a present to myself. :)  My amazing, sweetheart, husband bought me an iPad for my birthday and I needed a case for it.  Not too shabby, right?  Check out that zipper!  (My first one!)  I love having the pocket for my headphones and charger cord.  And the fabric - super LOVE it!  I want to make a whole closet full of adorable items with this fabric.  Soooo so cute.  :)

*Since drafting this post I have been quite busy sewing up a storm.  I just can't get enough.  :)  Stay tuned for more sewing project posts soon.... and maybe a chance to get your hands on one of these beauties!  :)

Well that's all for now, friends!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Ridiculousness and a Confession

Two quick stories:

1.  I've been so excited about my sewing projects that I pretty much thought about them all day at work today.  I was even hoping to maybe get the new pattern and cloth cut out before smallgroup tonight so they would be good and ready for pinning and sewing on Friday when I go to mom's house and hold hostage her sewing machine.  ;)

Here's a sneak peak of what's coming....

I was thinking all about it on my way home from work and then I turned onto my street and I saw the MOST RIDICULOUS road block ever.   Three teenage girls decided that the street would be an awesome place to hang out.  They were laying down IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!!!! 

 Seriously?  Really??  

I just stopped and stared at them for a few seconds.  And then I waited for them to move.  And they just laid there, flip flops off and all, texting on their phones.  WHAT?!?!  If the horn on my car was working, you can bet I would have honked it and honked it good.  But it wasn't.  So I had to just drive around them and stare with incredulity.  Doad thought they were crazy too.  He was waiting at the door for me and laughing - I guess I looked pretty stunned.  But can ya blame me?  Crazy people.....

Ok, story #2... this one is shorter.

I had smallgroup tonight.  And I love it.  And I love the girls I get to meet with.  They are great friends and prayer supporters and I'm super thankful to know them all.  Buuuuu-uuuut...... I was so excited about sewing that's all I could focus on tonight.  :(  I'm sorry, girls.  And I'm sorry, Jesus.  I promise I'll be more focused next time.  Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.  :)

Ok, two posts in one night?  I sure like to do things in spurts.  Good night friends.  :)  

Sewing project #1: Blue Owl Tote

I have really been feeling the creativity fever lately and it has sparked in me a desire to learn to sew.  I have absolutely no talent when it comes to the drawing/sketching side of art.  Doad disagrees with me, but I think he just likes my childhood artwork for sentimental reasons ;)  He's sweet like that.

I did learn to knit and crochet as a child and loved it... for like a minute.  I have so many half-made scarves, it's embarrassing. Sometimes I still think about picking it back up again and finishing all those scarves... maybe someday.

 Anways, the point is that I'm not very artsy, but have been feeling the need to do something creative and make something beautiful.  Ever feel that way?

I decided to give sewing a try.  I saw this way cute bag online that was WAY out of my budget, but thought it might be possible to sew something similar.  I'm still working up to that bag, but the one I did sew for my first project this past week will more than do in the mean time. 

Isn't she beautiful??  

I'm so happy with how it turned out.  And proud! I guess I do have an artsy bone in my body after all.  I mean, I did follow a pattern, being a concrete, sequential type of person and all that.  But not too shabby, right?  

This was my first stitch ever sewn on a machine.  Sorry for the poor phone-camera quality, but this was a momentous occasion after all and could not do without a photo - high quality or not. ;)

I just love the little owls, so adorable!  Still can't believe that turned into this:

Teehee, I'm almost giddy with excitement! I made something! And it's really cute!! :)

I've already picked out fabric and a new pattern and CANNOT wait to get started on project #2.  :)  It's sort of a surprise for someone really special and I can't wait to give it to her!  Aaaand, to post pictures of it on here.  The fabric is just tooooo cute! I'm super, super excited!

Ok, enough gushing, Jess. Calm. Down.

How about you?  I'd love to see what projects you are currently working on.  I promise to gush over them with you. ;) Email me, K?

JessicaDanae7@gmail.com :)