Just In Time

Hello again, dear friends.  After being on layoff for 2 months, they've asked me to start back up tomorrow.  I really hope I remember how!  I thought I'd have another month before the tuxedo industry kicked back in but apparently not.  Before all this happened we had planned to replace the floor in my studio/ office.  Luckily, Rich had a long weekend and Hunter was able to come install my new floor ahead of schedule.  I knew scheduling it while I was using the room for my office was going to be a disaster.  This is my cutting/ ironing and painting station.

Every art studio needs a big screen TV.

This was what was under the carpet all these years.  Ew.  The crazy thing is that they had this butting up to actual hardwood floors.  I bet it was spectacular when they also had the mirrored tiles on the walls...

Bookshelf, fabric yardage, thread, ribbon, bead storage.  The boxes at the bottoms hold my kits and templates.

Here's my sewing table and office space.  A realistic, messy view...

Truman's bed... he was so freaked out with the house being torn apart for the last few weeks that he's refusing to leave the bed now that it's all back together!  Honesty, Rich and Melissa are almost as freaked out.  Nobody likes change around here but me.  Rich is thrilled I'm going back to work, only because I won't have time to think of more house renovations.

A good look at the floor.  It's a luxury vinyl plank.  I'd only been using this room for a week when I dumped BBQ pulled pork and chocolate cake onto the old carpet.  Here's hoping this is a little more Heather proof...  It was a HUGE job that took a solid 2 days but they did a great job!  I'm super happy to finally have the studio just the way I wanted it!

During the last month, I didn't do a whole lot of stitching since I was busy with the kitchen cabinets and then the floors.  I did start a Quilt of Valor that I've had in the kit bin for almost 10 years...

Last year, I bought these embroidered blocks at a quilt show.  The stitching on them is exquisite.  But, she stitched through the fabric and batting.  So, I have a quilt as you go situation.  I butted the blocks together and stitched them in place.  Pinned the border & batting together and attached it.  Then, instead of making an applique sashing, I decided to use rick rack.  Big mistake.  I've been stitching rick rack down for weeks... It'll be cute in the end but it's a lot more work than I planned on.  Literally, the story of my life...

I did finally finish my Ireland crazy quilt book.

I was super gung ho on this in the beginning.  I thought I had plenty of ideas to fill the 5" blocks but as I went along, the ideas dried up.

So, I went on to Etsy and bought a bunch of charms that reminded my of my trip.  I re-did the flowers on the block below.  I like the more mellow color scheme a lot better than what I had originally.

I don't think I made any changes to this one.  I liked it the first time out.

This is a re-do as well.  I changed out the clover button in the top left corner.  Rich had given it to me for our anniversary several years ago, I knew I'd get to use it some day.  The cross in the bottom left was my mom's.  I've been saving the tiny clover beads forever as well.  The rose is a broken piece of jewelry.

That fairy door opens up.  Now I need to find the right picture to put in there.  It turns out that the Ireland island was printed on both sides.  I made it dangly with the airplane, passport and rainbow.

Other than that, I've still been working on Sue Spargo's Toned Down Sampler.  I'm about a week behind on that due to the renovations but I don't think I'll have too much trouble catching up.  Hope you're all safe and healthy!  Talk to you soon.