BEST SURPRISE EVER!!!

big news, my friends...BIG NEWS!

i have the best family in the world.

i got the surprise of my life today. 

for more details about the surprise aspect...check out my personal blog.

long story short, practically my whole family has been plotting (behind my back) for like a WEEK!

and i hadn't a clue. not a clue, i tell you!

and yesterday my two older sisters spent the whole afternoon at the house organizing and fixing up the upstairs sewing room as an early christmas present for me!!!  i was simply speechless. 

instead of having the sewing machine table in the little alcove...as was originally...they placed it slanted in the corner. they also found this CUTE vintage chair! AND they painted "whimsical" and found frames with the letters in "fancy". (ssshhhh "a whimsical fancy" is still a secret). isn't that clever?!

instead they have a nice bench (with baskets underneath for storage) along with adorable pillows and a vintage-y curtain.

they added a curtain over the window seat window and then next to it...a rack where there are baskets hanging holding ribbons and my hot glue gun and such! plus some boxes for MORE storage setting atop . 

and over that...they hung my cute mini painting/picture that sara (my sister) had gotten me. i've been wondering where to hang such a small picture! they're genius.

the other wall now holds my folding, cutting table...my dressform (mandy), and my desk (which is now slanted as well). 

eeee! well. i am agog and aghast. and so very very pleased!!

and truly in LOVE with everything they did. 

now all that remains is for the floors to be re-finished and the windows fixed.

and who knows when that'll be done. but i'm cool with that.

and i cannot WAIT to get to crafting/sewing in my beautiful new room.

a set of drawers! with a secret desk.

we were at salvation army looking for a petite desk for the upstairs sewing room!

aaaand...i came across this beautiful set of drawers.

i thought, "since i need some storage space, this would be perfect!"

little did i know what when you pull open the top drawer...

out comes a desk! not a drawer!

PERFECTION

the only problem was, we had forgotten to measure how tall the wall is in the room.

you know...up until it begins to slant.

so we looked up this blog on our phones.

trying to figure out the measurement.

we decided to get it.

and turns out...we had SIX inches to spare!

and so...another addition to the upstairs sewing room! :)

project organization.

and so the hard part begins.

organization.

YIKES!

any suggestions, tips?

slowly but surely.

paint, paint, and more paint! and yet we're still not done! the yellow is finally done. most of the blue (except around the windows and inside one closet) is done. and the white trim was just started last night. I'm personally not a big fan of painting...but it's fun seeing how nice a room looks with just a bit of paint!

the windows have to be replaced...but that won't happen too soon. also, the sconces have to be put in (and shall be, tomorrow). the window seat is done, but I'm still painting it (which is why the cushion isn't in it...). 

and you can't tell...but the insides of the little cupboards are blue! so cute!

as far as lighting...there are two track lights...one on each side of the room. with a DIMMER SWITCH! also little sconces on each side of each alcove. they are to be installed tomorrow.

so...what do you think?!?!

color scheme.

for one...I found this painting that really inspired me. I love, love, LOVE the colors in it! sooooo...we went to Lowe's (where I had an embarrassing accident involving a loose lid and a cup full of sprite, sigh) and got some corresponding colors.

the yellow is for the walls.

the blue...not only matches a cute little sewing table I already own...but shall be for writing "sewing in the past" on one of the slanted walls...and we're also considering painting the little alcoves blue. what do you think?

and the pink. perhaps some roses to go along with the "sewing in the past"...or something. we aren't sure. but we got a 1/2 pint. and I'm sure it will be used somewhere.

and then...white for trim and doors.

WHAT DO YOU THINK!?

Lots of ideas!

Pictures found here.

Some of my favorite tips from articles that can be read here:

Sewing Room Storage

Organizing a Sewing Room

Sewing Room Organization

◦If you keep bolts of material and if you have the space, place two open backed bookcases together. Most average size ones will fit a bolt of fabric nicely.

◦Decorative glass jars can be used for small items such as buttons and bobbins

Peg board has rows and rows of holes that you can hang hooks and pegs in. This solves your problem of spools of thread and bobbins. Mom also hung all her scissors on the peg board, tape measures. LOTS of notions can be hung

•Use a mirror with 3 sides if you can spare the space . It gives you the best idea of what a garment looks like.

•Use a power strip on a table or easy to reach area rather than under your machine where you have to constantly bend under to turn it on and off

•Use a bulletin board to display projects, material used, sewing ideas or needs list.

•Store everything that you need for a current project in a box. Include the material, pattern, lining, buttons or any embellishments.

Pictures found here

More inspiration here

cleanliness is next to godliness...

This weekend was spent cleaning the upstairs room. sweeping, cleaning of cobwebs, mopping, mopping, mopping, and cleaning the baseboards. fun fun fun.

before.

wow.

morgan...the moppist

rebecca...the raggist

after.

can you hear the "hallelujah" chorus?

Step Two (clean) - CHECK.

And now I'm off to blow my nose and rid it of all the dust.
~Rebecca

P.S. thanks to Morgan and Maddy who helped with the cleaning process.

P.P.S trying to decide paint colors, etc...more on that soon.

the BEFORE pictures.

This is for those of you who have never seen the Upstairs Sewing Room...clean...people like me, because this is my first time too!

Walk up the stairs.

The...DOOR.

The window seat (still in construction mode). 

Two cute little cupboards/storage...things. 

Notice the slanted walls??

So ends STEP ONE - emptying.

Cute Idea

I saw this picture and had to share!! It looks like mini clothes on a mini clothesline for decoration...isn't it adorable?! :)

A cute bird wall decall. In this room, they had another bird sitting on top of a picture frame or above the door. Too cute!

Fabric

I found this sheet today at a thrift store. Its Shabby Chic, a cute brand from Target.

Its 5' by 5' ...pillows maybe...

Whaddya think girls?

These made me happy...

I googled "Sewing Room" and these two, I guess, doll house rooms popped up. They're just so cute!

This first one reminded me alot of the actual room we're using (I think it was even titled upstairs sewing room) with the slanted ceiling and all. I love the home-y feel! 

I like the organization in this room. Especially the ribbon holder in the back left. Also the bulletin board over the desk. 

Just to clarify...I definitely don't want the room to look exactly like either of these...they are just for inspiration. :)

A couple of items on Etsy that caught my eye...

Sewing scissors vinyl wall decal

Sewing Warning Sign

(okay - not exactly old fashioned - but it's fun!)

Color Scheme Inspiration

Here's a pic of my blog banner from the "sewing in the past" blog...

Stained Glass

we could do different stained glass pictures on each little pannel thing on the broken window. A different little bird, or flower, or bobbin, or whatever on each one. http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2010/03/guest-tutorial-blogger-taylor-of.html

Beaded Frame

http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/2010/03/shabby-beaded-frame.html

Frames are just so springy and cute! And so crafty looking!

The Snow Ruffle Pillow

http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2009/12/winning-tutorial-snow-ruffle-pillow.html

This is possibly the cutest pillow I've ever seen!

Spray Painted Pillow Slipcovers

http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2010/02/tutorial-spray-painted-slipcoversboy.html

I'm in love with these pillows! And they look fairly easy...and SO cute! :)

Hanging Fabric Baskets/Pockets

http://www.themotherhuddle.com/?p=3028

With different fabrics of course that matched...but I still like the idea. Perhaps over the sewing machine??? What do you think?

Hey Buddies

So...I told y'all about making this blog in order for us to share ideas, pics, tutorials, etc. that we find. Anywho, I can't wait for any/every thing that y'all find and I can't wait to get started!

~Rebecca