my hideaway

My life has been so hectic the past month or so, I barely have time to myself.  But today is a day off and I’m catching my breath by spending time here in my favorite space.

My sewing table is just an old, old desk that I painted, but I love it and its perfect for me.  My work table is also very old.  An old wood table that I covered in batting and fabric.  I iron there and work there and am content there.

All my supplies are near and handy, right next to my machine.  See those wood spools in jars on top of the bookcase?…love ‘em!  Mr. Sunshine and I made those shelves for our daughters when they were small.  We had it filled with books that they took to bed with them every night.  Now that bookcase is a good memory as well as great storage space.

Behind my work area is a chest of drawers where I keep my ongoing and to-do projects.  And it’s pretty full!  Always something that needs to be done.  I just need a chest of drawers full of time to go with it.

On around the room is my fabric, thread and ribbon stashes along with the cutting table and rulers.  The tall tower is my littlest scraps…too small to fold but too pretty to toss …I find myself going through those drawers a lot looking for a perfect piece  …especially for applique.

Did you notice the little boy cookie jar on top of the thread cupboard?  He keeps an eye on me while I sew…and he brightens the room with his smile.  It was my grandma’s cookie jar.  I grew up looking at it in her kitchen.  Always fascinated by it.  My grandma noticed and told me it would be mine some day… and it is.  And I’m still fascinated with it. 

The closet doors are the only space I have for a design wall.  And it works just fine.  If I need more space I use the floor in the spare bedroom next door LOL.

Above the design wall are two words….”Awesome” reminds me not to be too critical of my work.  Just enjoy it and be happy with the outcome.  Its usually not as bad as I think.  Years ago in an art class, a teacher taught me snap my fingers when I liked how something was going.  This is kind of the same thing I guess.

“Laugh” is a lifesaver for me.  Several years ago I had metastasized breast cancer and went through six months of aggressive chemo.  Very traumatic, to say the least,  but I used to look at this word on the wall and remind myself to keep a cheerful attitude…and laugh at my bald head instead of cry when I looked in the mirror.  I got through it just fine and I’m glad I kept smiling.  Now this word reminds me of that.  It gives me strength.

Today I am really appreciating my favorite space….my small hideaway from the world. 

…and because of it, tomorrow I will be ready to dive back into that busy, busy world out there.

little projects

This week I made myself a new Sunday bag.  I kind of made this up as I went along so that it would fit my tablet perfectly.  It dresses it up for Sunday best since I keep my scriptures and lesson manuals on my tablet.  Nice and handy.

And the wall quilt for my grandkid’s play area is finished and on the wall.  This corner of our house is in the basement so the light isn’t great for picture taking.  But it really is a bright and cheerful addition to the family room. 

My latest read is “Remembering Isaac” by Ben Behunin.  Mr. Sunshine and I met the author one day a few months ago and when I invited him to speak at our book club, he came!  …and everyone loved him!  He has written several books.  This one is about a young man named Jake, who is a village potter finding his place in a small Pennsylvania community with a long history of pottery.  The author is a potter too and I see him in this book.  I am almost half way through and really enjoying it!

sidetracked!

In a corner of our family room we’ve set up a play area for the grandkids.  They head right to it when they come to our house because they know they have fun there.  We try to keep it stocked with interesting things to do.

When I saw this project in Curiosities & Mischief by Nancy Halverson, I loved it! and knew it was the perfect addition to the play space decor.  My two other quilt projects were set to the side and this little one squeezed in instead.

 

This time of year its easy to be sidetracked anyway. It is finally nice outside and we’d rather be out there instead of in here.  Sunday Mr. Sunshine had a great time with the grandkids and the wheelbarrow.  Reminds me of him with our kids when they were little. 

Good times.

 

I’m almost half way into a new book, Eighty-Days by Matthew Goodman.  It’s a true story about Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, two women news writers in the late 1800’s, who raced around the world in different directions.  It is really good.  I have a hard time putting it down and take it with me everywhere I go.  Not necessarily because of the suspense of the race…but its fun to read because its a good story and well written.

But if you know who won…don’t tell me… ☺

a couple of good days

Hope everyone enjoyed their Easter as much as we did.  Ours was spent with our kids and grandkids and was such a fun day.

Then the day after, I was finally able to sit down at my sewing machine again.  It’s been a couple of weeks.  I made some progress on my grandmother’s double wedding ring.  I’m halfway done with the “eyes” now …about 40 left to go …give or take a few.

And I finished a Sprig block this evening and that makes 19.

…it was another good day.

 

 

Tonight I’ll be taking a new book to bed with me.  It’s Murphy’s Law by Rhys Bowen …about a young woman, Molly, who’s running away from a murder she committed in Ireland and heading to America where another murder mystery awaits her.  I think its early 1900’s times. 

I’ve only just skimmed through a few pages but it looks pretty good.