Trading Spaces

Saturday morning Mike and I had coffee together. It is not often that we get to sit down for morning coffee together. Usually I am the problem, often leaving for work about 5:30 a.m. We were enjoying a leisurely moment, making plans and talking about a variety of subjects. It was nice.

As we were talking about our plans for a rare day with no obligations, I told Mike that I was planning to clean up the Rose Room. Funny Side Note:  I just looked up the post about naming my craft room. I had decided to go with Kate W.'s suggestion that I call it the Paisley Room. Somehow, over time, I find I often call it the Rose Room. I don't know when that change took place! It is the room where I do a lot of my creations for Wyoming Rose Boutique and where I also have a lot of leftover craft items from my Grandma Rose, so I guess that is how I started just saying the Rose Room. Paisley Rose sounds nice, though, doesn't it? Maybe I can combine the two names.

Anyway, no matter what you call the room, it had become a big mess of halfway completed projects, mounds of fabric and yarn for future projects, as well as miscellaneous items that had no other room to call home. It was time to overhaul. I wanted to go through each item, discarding, sorting and organizing as needed.

Mike then made a comment about moving his music room, full of, well, musical stuff. He'd been considering moving it upstairs. Well, we got the bright idea to switch rooms. So, we did!

First, we moved all of Mike's musical instruments, bookcases and other things out. They had nowhere to go yet, so his stuff ended up in the family room and living room. Then, we moved all my stuff down to his old space. It was not pretty.

I did not take time to do all that sorting, discarding and organizing I'd planned. We just picked up and hauled it down. What I am showing you in the photo above is only the tip of the iceberg.

Once the old Rose Room was empty, we began collecting his stuff from around the house and moved it in. We must have gone up and down our stairs a hundred times. Well, maybe not a hundred but it was enough to exhaust me.

By the time we had everything in its new home, we'd pretty much used up the entire day! It was kind of fun, though. It was a bit like moving but we didn't have to forward our mail or anything. We've lived in this house over 9 years. That is a personal record for me but it is also likely why I've accumulated so much.  Maybe the gypsy in me is what enjoyed the weird trading spaces day.

Now, I can start organizing, sorting and discarding. THEN, I am going to get back to the business of being creative!  I can't wait!

My Mom's Sewing Machine

I have something I want to show you!

It's my Mom's sewing machine and cabinet.  She decided her sewing days are behind her and she has given it to me.  It had to hang out in the basement during all the carpeting hoopla, but it is at home in the Rose Room now and I am so happy!  I set it up so that when I sew I can face the room instead of the wall.  I love seeing all the stacks of fabric as well as the colorful yarn.  I think it is inspiring.

This is the front side of the cabinet.  Mom used it for many years so it has some character.

One year she had some puppy troubles of her own and the cabinet developed more character yet...

Here's the fancy part!  The sewing machine is nestled down inside the cabinet when not in use.

There is a cool lever that makes it smoothly glide up to position when I am ready to sew.

I'm excited to have this in my home.  It feels like having a bit of my Mom here.  She used this machine to sew such beautiful things!  She made men's suits, lingerie (not for men), beautiful quilts and clothes for our whole family.  She used this machine to sew for many others over the years as well.  She sewed a LOT!  I remember coming home from school and finding her sewing most days.  I'd plop myself on the bed (she didn't have a Rose Room so she sewed in the bedroom) and blabber on about my school day.  I can't imagine that I had much that was terrribly interesting to say but she listened as though I were fascinating.

My Mom made my wedding dress on this machine.  I had a clear vision in my head of the dress I wanted but we couldn't find a pattern to match.  Mom had me just sketch the dress.  In case you don't remember, I only carry the artistic gene, I do NOT draw well.  Nevertheless, she managed to get the idea.  She measured me one morning before I went out the door and when I returned that evening, my wedding dress was on the hanger! 

I am not the seamstress my Mom is, but I do love to sew.  I'm so grateful that she taught me to sew and crochet as they are two of the hobbies that bring me the greatest joy.  It is just so wonderful to take pieces of fabric and turn them into something pretty to wear or a quilt to keep you cozy for years.  It was also wonderful to have a Mom who took the time to show me what she was doing and to encourage me to create things for myself.  Thanks, Mom, for the sewing machine and for the memories!


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