Oops, I Did It Again....

Yep, another post about my new store. I am totally obsessed and running a bit off kilter. Another week and things should start to run a little more balanced with actual quilting going on. Yeah, go ahead and laugh. Entreprenuerism: where one works 80 hours a week to avoid working a 40 hour a week job.


Here's the front of the shop now...it's closed, so you can't see the open sign and the shades are down. I'll be working on new signage on the windows soon.

Just inside that freshly painted door, lingers the old and much abused inside of the door. But I did work on the walls to either side this weekend. There was a lot of water stains to cover up. The windows used to leak apparently. I have to all of this in small stages while keeping the shop open. So the door and trim will be painted white soon, then once I paint over the wall paper, I can paint it my choice of pale turquoise.


Why paint the wall paper instead of removing it? I rent the shop space from the previous owner and he's concerned that stripping the wall paper will ruin the drywall. He's likely right as the lower walls I painted in the picture above might have had one coat of primer over the drywall and some unpainted areas were peeking out. Plus this is a bit quicker.


I did paint over the wall paper at the rear of the shop and it turned out well once I got a flatter finish of paint and a rougher roller to add a little blemish hiding texture.


This is the machine I will use the most in the shop, a Janome 8900SE. I'm covering the wall paper behind this area with white batting as a design wall. Not sure at this point if I will make it pinable with foam behind it, nor whether we'll need to paint it first to hide the pattern (I think so).


This is at the opposite end of that wall and I'm hoping to either replace these shelves or paint them, and see about bringing in a little fabric.

But it's not completely without some free motion quilting! I sold this fabulous Janome Artistic SD-16 last week. It came in on a Monday and since we are closed on Mondays, I called my customer and she and I played with it for a while before she took it home. She's a natural at FMQ; didn't even get out the stitch regulator that comes with it.

This machine is more expensive than the Janome Artistic SD18, but I really like it. Much better visibility, more features, the stitch regulator is a big plus for a lot of people though I don't see myself using it, and the table is fabulous! You sit at the side of the head, which is my preferred position. It comes with a ruler foot too!



I feel a little like one of my kids' favorite books, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie".  If you sell a quilter a machine shop, she'll want to redecorate. But first she'll have to clean, so before she does that she'll have to reorganize. She'll want to use some turquise paint on the trim. But first she'll have to get rid of the country blue. Then she'll want to add lots of white. She'll have classes. But first she will have to make room for her students.....on and on it goes!

But I'm loving it! Even if I am totally exhausted and my brain is on hyperdrive and my body is dragging. It's gonna be so worth it!





Classes on Sale!

I'm a bad Craftsy instructor! There's a sale going on and I was too busy with the shop to let you know. This is the biggest sale of the summer, so take advantage of it while you can. Use my affiliate link and I'll get a little change while you get some great classes at fabulous prices.


While they've got painting classes, I sure with they had one on painting over this wallpaper! Carry on and watch a few for me. Anyone want to guess how much paint I have in my hair at the moment?

Sew Simple is Shaping Up!

The shop is really starting to feel like it's mine and shaping up how I'd like it. We did a bunch of painting, cleaning, and reorganizing over labor day weekend.  The front awning is looking so much better. I'm looking forward to hanging up some fabric bunting as soon as my hubby gets home next week to help me with hanging it.


Poor fella, I worked him like a rented mule and then sent him off to my family reunion a couple of states away with the three kids! He did all of the awning painting. Since I have no one at home, I was able to spend more time at the shop and continue tweaking things.


I really wanted to get rid of this 80's era country blue, and wouldn't you know it, but the grey paint with a slight blue cast to it for the awning turned out to be country blue. Since it's outside, I'm letting it slide. Besides, I think my chances of getting my hubby to repaint that awning is pretty close to negative never.


But the blue was painted white inside. Or at least some of it was. I'll probably be painting a little bit every weekend for a while. It looks so much brighter now. I also got roses on our opening day from the former owner's family and a potted flower from a friend to celebrate our first day. The little sewing machine there is a music box from my mother. Isn't it adorable?! I love getting flowers! A fact my husband doesn't remember. But Craftsy sent me flowers this week! I think this might have to be a weekly habit for me.


I added some bright color today with a full display of Glide thread! It's like opening a box of candy! Yum! I may add the thread to my online shop too.


I've got to focus on getting my sewing space set up in the shop. My family would like our living room back and my husband especially would like for me to leave 'work' at the shop. I'm not entirely sure how to integrate the two work spaces into one, but I'll figure out something.


That wallpaper though.... We're not sure what we're going to do with it. The building owner (the former shop owner) would rather us not strip it as he thinks the dray wall will be ruined. He's likely right and it would be a lot of work. I'm not sure about painting right over it, though the owner is ok with that. I've also thought of covering it up with white batting and having large expanses of design wall. It'd be handy for classes and for displaying small quilt samples. I think the chair rail and below are going to be painted a light turquoise.


I did manage a tiny bit of sewing. A bunting for the sign by the road and this disappearing 4 patch block for a pin cushion. The Tula Pink fabric over the chair above is my daughter's project. She's making her own quilt with layer cake squares.

Now I better go take advantage of my family-free time and get more work done.


Quilting Meets Street Art Inspiration

I was on the Free Motion Frenzy Facebook page and a post showing her first free motion quilting piece triggered a memory of one of my early pieces. The quilter was a bit down after seeing the beautiful work posted by very experienced quilters. The thing was? Her work was fabulous for a beginner. So I decided to share a pic of one of my early pieces.


So the feather plumes are a bit wonky, who cares? Well, I did, but don't compare your beginning with someone else's middle.

Now this piece was inspired by some local street art. I was so glad I could find these pics from 2011 because I went by this place last week and the abandoned gas station was being rehabbed into something new. Something without this incredible art.


One of these days I'm going to grab a paint pen and go do my own version! I've actually been toying with the idea of using white window marker on my shop's windows.


Which, by the way, than you for all of the congratulations and well-wishes on my new shop-owning adventure. You guys are the best.

I'm trying to get my sewing space set up in the shop so I can do more sewing, but these things take time. So much to do! Hubby has taken the kids on a trip so I am busy working on the shop as much as possible.

Would you do this to a wall of your own? Add color maybe? What do you think of it? I'm curious, leave a comment below.