Today I want to finally share with you finished photos of my studio. Yep. I’m calling it a studio now and not craft room. Want to know something funny? I apparently tried to make this name change back in 2007 when we redid it but I guess it didn’t stick. This time? I promise it will. If you need a refresher, here’s what we did to the room in 2007. And here’s how we updated it in 2010.

It was useful and great for wrapping Christmas gifts but it often became a catch-all for junk. I blame no one but myself for that, it was just so easy to pile stuff up in there since I didn’t really use it much. A  year or two ago I started thinking about how I didn’t like the dark red anymore. And I started thinking that maybe it was time to freshen things up. But we were in the middle of redoing our middle room upstairs for Dale to use as an office and it just wasn’t the right time. Flash forward to this summer: I bought a Cricut (as I have told you many times now) and along with that machine comes stuff. There’s heat transfer vinyl and regular vinyl, there are cutting mats and tools, there are blanks such as bags and t-shirts and glasses to be embellished, and also the machine itself. Plus a heat press that I just so happened to pick up a few weeks ago.

Anyway.

I had a serious conversation with Dale about painting my studio and rearranging the furniture and also stealing from him the horizontal file cabinet we had bought from a friend that he planned on using but hadn’t actually gotten around to using just yet. I explained how perfect it would be for the Cricut with those big deep drawers to put all of the stuff in and, well, the rest is history.

I chose a pretty shade of yellow and Dale painted all the walls the same. It’s a smidge brighter than I wanted but I’m happy with it. Dale also painted the floor white – something I had to really convince him to do.

I still have those cabinets from Ikea but we moved them under the knee wall that’s to the right as you come into the room.

I had always wanted to put them there but couldn’t because it put the yarn right at Mason’s level and that cat just couldn’t resist a good (i.e. expensive) skein of yarn. I still miss him but I do like this arrangement so much better.

I think the room looks bigger and I adore the blinds we got from Budget Blinds. They are Norman Smart Privacy Cordless 2 1/2 inch faux wood blinds with a crown molding valance at the top. We got them for this single window as well as the double windows in this room and in Dale’s office, too. (And also the living room and bedroom and bathroom after I fell in love with them.)

The Cricut sits on that file cabinet and it’s a great spot for it, easily reaching my laptop when it’s on the center island and I’m using the Cricut Design Space software to create projects.

I had my painter extraordinaire, Jen, refinish the little bureau as well as my Nana’s sewing machine table in white chalk paint with a stained top. I love the way these came out – so bright and they look great with the other pieces in the room.

I snagged that blue and white striped chair from our guest room and it’s big and comfy and perfect for reading and hanging out. The light fixture is new, too. I really wanted a chandelier that would hang down but it wasn’t practical for the space so I went with this one. It was very affordable and throws great light and it’s super stylish.

Lots of things didn’t change like the trompe l’oeil fireplace, the yarn sign from the fabric store where I used to work, and that big center island from Ikea. But it still feels like a brand new room to me and I’m inspired to work there frequently.

So. That’s my studio. How do ya like it?

 

Well. I don’t know about how the weekend went for you but for me that one just flew by. Sometimes I think the extra day off makes the weekend feel shorter instead of longer. AmIRight? Here’s a recap, with photos.

There was Friday with Jackie. He’s a fun companion, that’s for sure. I had to run an errand to Home Depot in addition to our regular grocery store trip and Jackie was all in for that. We got back to my house, had lunch (late) and then played until Grandpa got home. So fun.

There was Fondue Date Night for Friday Night Snacks this week. We dipped bread, pretzel nuggets, apples and asparagus into some really great cheese fondue. Delicious and warm and satisfying.

Saturday was spent crafting in the morning (I made myself a shirt for the season) and then in the afternoon we went furniture shopping. I’m happy to report success – we found a couch and two accent chairs that we really love and that we in the budget we had set – and not so happy to report that it will be 7 to 10 weeks until our special order (the chairs, not the couch) is ready for delivery.

All that shopping left us hungry and thirsty and we went out for a really nice dinner at a local place where I had been a month or so ago with Hannah but Dale hadn’t tried yet. Our waitress was friendly and attentive and the food (calamari and Brussels sprouts for apps and a shared plate of carbonara for dinner) was fantastic.

On Sunday we worked in the garden a bit – yanked out the finally dead geraniums and vinca and cut back the other things I hadn’t cut back last month. Dale raked. I came back inside and put on my Christmas movie shirt and the Hallmark Channel. We had a small plate of snacks and meat loaf for dinner. Comfort food season has arrived!

On Monday we walked in our local Veterans Day Parade. I was with my colleagues from town.

And Dale was with our fellow Kiwanians. It was a warm day and the crowds were enthusiastic and it felt great to honor our Veterans by doing this.

We went out to brunch after the parade, made a quick stop at the grocery store, and then spent the rest of the afternoon at home. I read for a bit (The Nickel Boys is excellent) and Dale stacked some firewood. We did some reorganizing in the mudroom together and then I made this sign with the Cricut. It’s perfect for how we love to combine November and December.

I made soup for dinner, we got caught up on TV and then went to bed pretty early because all that weekending really wore us out!

photo credit today goes to my talented friend Crystal of Crystal Clear Photography

One thousand flags stand proudly on our town common right now in honor of Veterans Day. These flags represent love and honor, sadness and grief, valor and bravery and other ideals. But they also represent people. Soldiers who left home, some who did not return, and some who did return as veterans.

Today we honor those veterans and I think this quote from Abraham Lincoln appropriately says why we should:

Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.

Let us be the citizens who care for our brothers (and sisters) by honoring and thanking them, not just on Veterans Day, but on every day.

I had a very nice and super relaxing weekend, made especially so by the fact that I stayed in comfie clothes from Friday night right through until . . . well . . . right now because it’s about time to get ready for work.

Here’s my recap:

I met Jo-Ann for a great cappuccino and avocado toast on Friday morning. No picture of the avocado toast though, Mary! I had a meeting that morning and then spent the day running some errands, finishing The Water Dancer while reading on the deck, and puttering around.

There were Friday Night Snacks, of course. And the movie Dracula from 1931. Not scary. Pretty lame, in fact, but I suppose the newness of talkies needs to be considered when evaluating that one.

On Saturday Dale and I planted the bulbs I bought from White Flower Farm. Spring Me is much more ambitious than Fall Me and my enthusiasm resulted in an order of 100 assorted daffodils. Dale dug the holes and I planted them in and among the perennials in my front garden bed. I also took the opportunity to clean things up out there, cutting back the dead coneflowers and black eyed susans and doing some other trimming and weeding. I haven’t yanked the geraniums and vinca vine out of the window boxes yet as they are still blooming. And I saw that woolly bear caterpillar. My sources tell me that the wide brown band means a mild winter ahead. I’m ignoring other signs which indicate differently and just generally feeling hopeful.

I did some work with the cricut and made this tray as a donation to the raffle table at a craft fair where I work. I later decided there were too many bubbles in the vinyl and took it off and need to start over but at least I got a photo of it first. I also made a quick run to our local butcher for steaks for dinner. We enjoyed them with some garlic mashed potatoes, oven roasted acorn squash, and a new Christmas movie on the Hallmark Channel. (don’t judge me)

I made eggs for breakfast on Sunday and we relaxed and ate and read the paper together. We had discussed possibly shopping for a new office chair for Dale but both agreed (without even discussing it) that the cold rain falling outside made staying home much more appealing. And that’s what we did.

I wound yarn for a new project. Dale built a fire.

We watched the Pats beat the Browns while enjoying delicious snacks.

It was a really wonderful weekend.