mermaids

Isn’t it pretty? It followed me home from IKEA. This was just what I wanted for the corner of the living room. The right color, the right size, the right shape. The little throw pillow *will* be replaced. I am thinking about something with a print or design, not solid, something to bring out the blue walls and white trim in the room. The lamps I want for the room are mercury glass, so some silver would also work for the pillow. Since I have been looking for some handwork projects, an embroidery project is brewing in my head. The sofa also needs throw pillows, which will be predominately red to tie in with the chair. I have some gorgeous red silk that Hubski bought in China. It will need some sort of embellishment, possibly a geometric pattern of tucks and folds. I have a fuzzy vision of all this in my head.

IKEA is always fun. There are so many nifty things, so many great colors. Shari commented that she likes a lot of IKEA’s things, but the colors are a bit bright, not her colors. That is what I *love* about IKEA! I have a hard time finding things I like at regular furniture stores because everything is so muted and calm. IKEA is definitely more fun with a friend, especially who gets as excited about storage boxes as I do.

Monday morning, I infected Sue with spontaneity virus. I woke her up at the crack of dawn so we could meet at IHOP for breakfast. Her family was as confused as mine was by the rapid departure to meet “a sewing friend.” Sue was as enjoyable and personable as her blog and emails. We talked a great deal about the joys and “joys” of raising boys who march to their own drummers. It felt like I had known her forever. I promised to make another trip to DC, but with a little more advanced notice.

On the way back home, I stopped by GStreet Fabrics. I am desperately trying to reduce my stash. Part of me said I should be a good girl and skip GStreet altogether, not set myself up for temptation. But how could I drive all that way and *not* go to GStreet?!?! Finally, I decided to go, but only buy fabric if it was truly special. “On sale” did not count as “truly special.” There were a few things that were pretty, but nothing stood out as “truly special.” I left the store empty handed. Yes, you read that right…”empty handed.” I bought nothing because there is so much in my stash that is way prettier than what I saw at GStreet. It felt weird to not buy anything, but it felt even better to know that I didn’t buy just to buy.

The drive home was not bad. Tom kept me company and kept me on the right track. (I will write a big review of Tom later.) People on I95 do *not* know how to stay in their lane. Those white lines are on the road for a reason, people! The boys were very happy when I arrived home. It was kind of nice for me to be the one getting the big “welcome home” reception. It was all the sweeter when I discovered that the boys worked on their school projects while I was gone. Today, we were able to relax and enjoy our last day of the long weekend.

Pantone has selected “Blue Iris” as the Color of the Year.  Ok, I did not know there was a “Color of the Year,” but I like it.  Coincidentally, this is the same color we just painted the living room.   I knew I had good taste.  ;)  Hubski wasn’t so sure about using  such a dark color.  He  now loves it.  The color really  pops with the wood floors and white  trim work.  Now I need to make some throw pillows for the taupe leather sofa.  Some new lamps would  be nice.  We rearranged the furniture which means  we  “need” a nice little upholstered chair for the corner. 

Seeing how nice the living room looks, I am inspired to paint the dining room.  That room has lots of architectural details which will make painting a much more complicated process.  When we repaint the dining room, we will need a new tablecloth.  Maybe I will finally get those prints framed. 

Looking at all the pretty paint colors made me think about the master bedroom and bath.  The beige walls are sooooo boring.  Of course, there is also lighting to think about…..

By all accounts, I should still be sleeping. I never outgrew that infancy stage of needing to eat every 4 hours. Ravenous hunger awakened me before day break. Yesterday’s activities should have me collapsed from exhaustion, but they also worked up quite an appetite. It’s hard to sleep when your stomach sounds like you swallowed a roaring lion. So, I am up before dawn having a pre-breakfast snack before I make our traditional Saturday morning cinnamon rolls. No, I do not make them from scratch. They come from a can because I am not Betty Crocker. We are not a very traditional family, but cinnamon rolls on Saturday morning is etched in stone.

Silly me thought I would not be called to substitute the first week of school. Yesterday, I subbed for a special ed teacher. Another teacher’s child became ill at daycare, so I gave up my planning periods to cover her classes. Despite the back to back class schedule, it was fun to see the students again. It also gave me a chance to see the new 6th graders who moved up from the elementary school.

After school, Hubski and I painted my new sewing room. Trading Spaces has nothing on us. Over the years, we have become quite an efficient team for painting a room. The paint color is called “Oh So Pink” and it is gorgeous. I am teasing the boys that it is Hello Kitty pink. It is actually a very soft shade of rose. I never had a girly room. Growing up, I never lived one place long enough to justify unpacking, much less decorating. I was happy to have a bed. So, in this household full of males, this will be my girly haven.

As if that were not enough for one day, after a quick dinner, I spent 3 hours at the dojo. I got my orange belt, no longer a total newbie. A sixteen year old girl tested for her black belt. Wow! She was very impressive. She broke boards with her hands and feet. She fought off two black belt guys simultaneously. She showed skill with weapons. I pity the boy who tries to get too fresh with her. I might be 102 before I can test for my black belt. I wonder if they take points off because you use a walker?

What’s on the agenda for today? Moving all of my sewing equipment to the new room and setting up the training room. Oh, and let’s no forget, “keeping my fingers crossed that the Ottobre Woman shows up today.”

Some people have asked how I could sacrifice my sewing room for my children.  Don’t mothers sacrifice enough?  What about “me time”?  Quite honestly, I am mostly satisfied with the amount of “me time that I get. Hubski and the boys have always been so supportive of my sewing.  Considering how much they do for me, it seems like the right to do.  Besides, some people who sew have no dedicated sewing space.  I am grateful to have a space, no matter what size.  I will make it work. 

The second big question has been how I, the staunch “no toy guns in this house” mom, could allow my children to study martial arts and weapons.  Well, I still will not buy a toy gun or violent video games.  Due to his physical issues, C cannot participate in most sports.  Much to my horror, taekwondo was suggested.  It took some effort, but I found an instructor who focuses on strengthening the character as well as the body.  After years of struggling thru school due to an undiagnosed learning disability, the discipline and focus of taekwondo kept him from dropping out.  He has devoted his life to helping students use the discipline and training of martial arts to improve their bodies and their minds.  

The instructor’s positive outlook and enthusiasm are contagious.  While the students are stretching, he slips in little life lessons, little motivational chats.  Safety is always the top priority, with fun running a close second.  He is a great role model.  This summer, the boys convinced me to give it a try.  (The class is for teens and adults so I am not the only adult there.)  It is an amazing workout.  In just a few weeks, I have noticed improvement in strength and flexibility.

For us, martial arts training is about physical conditioning and mental discipline.  The classes are an hour or more of using muscles one does not use in day to day activities.  Memorizing the different forms for each belt test is hard, really hard.  It is not about “kill and maim your opponent.”  It is all about learning what you body can do and how to control it. 

It looks like I may be moving again. No, not the whole house, just the sewing room. When we first moved into this house, my sewing room was in the downstairs study. We discovered that being right off the foyer was not an attractive place for a sewing room. Creativity can be a messy process. Since the boys had outgrown the need for a playroom, the bonus room over the garage became my sewing room. We set up the downstairs study as an actual study for the boys to do their homework. We put in bookcases, a large work table, and a computer desk. It has been fabulous to move their homework from the kitchen table to a dedicated space. They can leave out research books for term papers and keep reference books at hand. I took great delight in setting up my new sewing space. My desk fit perfectly in a little nook. There was good light and lots of room for my tables. I painted the walls and put up shelves just where I needed them. Now, I may have to start the process all over again.

The boys have been studying taekwondo for about a year. They enjoy it and it has been good for them, physically and emotionally. As the result of moving to larger space, their dojo is selling off some equipment. Martial arts equipment is expensive, so this is a good opportunity. They need a big space to use this equipment. The boys are now training with martial arts weapons. To practice safely they need a big space. The biggest space in our house, other than the living room or family room, is my sewing room. Gulp.

If we buy this equipment and set up a taekwondo practice room, my sewing room would be moved to a spare bedroom. The room currently houses all those odds and ends that don’t have a permanent place elsewhere in the house. It is a perfectly lovely room, but smaller, much smaller than the bonus room. There probably will not be room for me desk. However, our bedroom has plenty of space for the desk.

The rearranging is all quite feasible. The end result will most likely be perfectly acceptable. We will find a space for everything. What is not appealing is the thought of all the work involved. The boys would definitely be a big part of the process. However, we all know the bulk of the planning, implementing, and organizing would be my job. Hubski has said we would paint the new room, move my shelves, and patch the holes they leave behind. Why couldn’t this have happened at the beginning of the summer instead of two minutes before the beginning of school?

I am tempted to paint the new sewing room pink so the boys will never want to claim that space.

It is a good thing this wallpaper is so incredibly expensive because, despite my strong attraction, it is probably only pretty in my head. I love this wallpaper for two reasons. First, if you look carefully, the design is actually hammerhead sharks. Aquatic motifs always rate high in my book. Second, you can actually color this wallpaper yourself. Yes, I know….it would take forever and one can purchase wallpaper that is already colored in, but I *love* to color. What child has not looked upon a wall as a giant blank canvas? Well, I never quite got over that. In our old house, I did a huge “under the sea” mural in the boys bathroom. The original intention was to distract the eye from the ugly, old avocado green tile. It definitely was distracting. There were sea creatures everywhere….even a mermaid. In other areas, I did geometric and abstracts. Thus far, I have restrained myself in the new house. I am not sure how much longer I can hold out.

There have been requests to see my sewing room…. as it is at this very minute… no mad dash cleaning for company. Eek! To be honest, it has looked better and it has looked much worse. Because I have been on a long term sub assignment, I have not done much sewing. The boys have spent more time sewing in here than I have! Part of the disarray is due to their work on their Odyssey of the Mind costumes and props. In the midst of subbing, I am also one of the coaches for their team. After the competition on Saturday, we will be able to clear out all the props and supplies and I will also have much more free time. Woo hoo! Ok, back to the sewing room…..

When we first moved into this house, my sewing room was in the downstairs guest bedroom. It is a beautiful room with vaulted ceilings, an enormous palladian window, and a big walk in closet. The room over the garage was a playroom for the boys. After a couple years, we noticed the boys did not need a playroom anymore but they did need a study. As the amount of homework increased, the kitchen table was no longer a good option. We decided to turn the downstairs room into a study and move my sewing room upstairs to their old playroom. The study is right off the foyer which means every one who came over could see all of sewing mess. We set up a large worktable, bookcases, and computer desk for the boys. They can leave the work spread out on the nights when they don’t get their homework finished before dinner of if they have a long term project.

We cleared out the toys from the room over the garage. There is no closet, but the room is larger than the downstairs study. To highlight the angles of the walls and ceiling, I painted the room yellow, green, and blue. Some of my fabric is still stored in the closet downstairs. Some is stored under the skirted work tables. Overall, it has been a better use of the two rooms for our family. Here is a view from the doorway:

The room is roughly the size of the double car garage beneath it. I try to clean up after each project because I find too much clutter to be distracting. However, it is difficult to have a well stocked sewing room without some clutter.

To the left of the entrance is my cutting area. The table is the ubiquitous craft table from Jo Anns. There is plenty of room to have both sides extended, but I find horizontal surfaces attract clutter. My scissors, rotary cutters, drafting rulers, tracing pens, etc are kept in the plastic drawers in the corner. The silver “white board” is great for making notes or sketching quick ideas. Behind the cutting table is a short bookcase which houses some of my sewing books, completed gifts, and fabrics waiting to be put away.

My machines are set up in an L shape to facilitate moving from one machine to the other. I try very hard to keep the table area around each machine clear so there is room to work with fabric. I have Bernina serger purchased second hand 14 years ago. It is a true workhorse. My sewing machine is a Viking Lily which I would not trade for anything. My second serger is a Pfaff 4872 which I purchased at an estate sale.

Next is my ironing area. On the table behind the ironing board is my White 3300 embroidery machine. Since it is not used very often, it is not a problem to move the ironing board. My stablizers, threads, CD’s, hoops, etc are stored in the drawers in the corner.

Last is my computer area. My desk, file cabinet, and computer tower fit perfectly in this little niche. There are more piles than usual on the desk because I have not had a chance to clear out paperwork lately.

So, who wants to go next?

In an effort to create a serene space for the boys to do their homework, we are redoing the study. It should not really be considered a “redo” because it was never actually “done” in the first place. The walls were still boring “builder’s beige” and there were random items placed in there “just for now.” We cleared everything out to put a lovely lavendarish blue called “Monet’s Lilies” on the walls. Even the name is soothing.
However, we don’t want the boys falling asleep while doing their homework. The crimson rug we picked up on the way home from Atlanta gives a great punch of color, as well as adding some coziness. The bookcases went back in. The boys spent the morning organizing all the books like a real library. My inner nerd loves to see all the books alphabetized and standing at attention.
Though it does not have internet access, the older desktop computer will stay in the room for word processing purposes. The table where it once resided has been pulled into the middle of the room so the boys can sit at either end to work simultaneously. That means the computer needs a new home. I picked up a small computer table which should fit the space nicely. However, it is “ready to assemble.” Sigh…..it is never as easy as the instructions claim….if you can find the instructions…..if they are in English…..
Wish me luck. I am about to open the box. This will be a test of my problem solving skills and spatial abilities. If DH helps, it may be a test of our marriage. If the boys help, it may be a test of my commitment to not choke them.

Since the house had been invaded by painters, I decided to keep the boys occupied with making braided friendship bracelets. While showing the boys how to do it, I reminded them that it takes a while to get the hang of it and to not fret over a little mistake. The three of us were happily braiding away when I noticed a mistake in mine. I started painstakingly ripping out those tiny little knots. After I went through this for third time, C tells me to lighten up and not worry about making it perfect. He pipes up with“Perfect doesn’t exist other than the word and the concept.”That is my new mantra for life. My children inherited my issues with perfectionism. Given how early in their lives we saw evidence of it, I am convinced it was way more nature than nurture. We’ve worked hard to let go of perfectionism. Apparently I need to take lessons from my 10 year old son.

I’m always telling the boys that sometimes you have to do things that are less that exciting. As much as I enjoy sewing, there are some types of sewing that I really detest. Home Dec would be on that list. I finally forced myself to sew skirts for my sewing tables to hide all the junk underneath. While I am thrilled to have my studio look more tidy, sewing big rectangles of fabric is not my idea of good time. Onward to more interesting sewing projects!