Resolution: Makeover

You would think with most of all the Christmas gifts completed and all the wonderful, glorious, potential, possible quilt projects awaiting, the creative juices would be flowing.  Well, they are not ... for me, anyway.

For months I have wanted to do a mini quilt, and for weeks I have thought about the AAQI mini quilts I would make and donate.  The above picture shows my pitiful attempts.  There is the selvage four block mini that looked OK until I started quilting it.  I can blame that on a sewing machine malfunction.  Then there was an attempt at a circle quilt  and a batik landscape.  They are not cooperating.

Oh, and I almost forgot this brilliant reversible block.  The pink side doesn't look too bad.  You can see I quilted around in a block...white in the middle, then pink around that.  So, on the pink side you see the white block.

On the white side, you see the pink quilting more.  Not as cool as I thought.  Plus, the pencil marks did not come out like they are supposed to.  UGH!  Back to the drawing board.

I was excited to finally quilt and bind my small embroidery color wheel project.  It was going pretty well, I thought, until I noticed that I cut the striped fabric for the binding strips the wrong way.  There was a limited amount of this fabric left in my stash and now it is gone.  I may just leave it as is.  If I decide it doesn't look too bad, I may donate it to AAQI.

So, here is where the makeover comes in.   I have decided my sewing area is part of the problem.  It needs a makeover!!! It is a mess which means I can't concentrate, focus, and let the creativity flow.  I mean, the problem can't be with me, can it?! (Don't answer that.  It's a rhetorical question.)  OK... I have to warn you...the following pictures are not pretty.

This makeover will take awhile, and I plan to do it in my own sweet time.  The first thing that needs to be done is change the name from Office to Studio.  It's a mental thing, I know, but I think it will help.  Don't you?

You see, in a formal life I was a CPA.  If you look closely up top, you'll see my credentials ;-)))

So my space has always been designed and revolved around that occupation.  Even though I haven't practiced in years, my office still looks like...well...an office.  Can you see the shelves for tax books; the cubbies for paper clips, envelopes, staplers, rubber bands, etc.; the file drawers for client files and tax returns; the spot for the printer, copier, scanner, computer?

Then there is my closet...actually, it isn't as bad as this picture makes it look.  It is a rather large closet, but shaped strangely so it is hard to get pictures.  There are lots of shelves.  Unfortunately, those shelves are all filled...with boxes of photos, scrapbook supplies, rubber stamping supplies, jewelry making supplies, quilting fabric, quilting supplies, more books, papers, envelopes...you get the idea.

Here is my machine.  Believe it or not this is the AFTER picture.  You should have seen the little sewing table I was using before.  I have a design wall tucked in the left corner, and a bulletin board to post ideas I get my from wonderful bloggy (is that a word?) friends.

Here is my ironing and cutting area.  This is one of those folding, rolling tables which I love, but it never gets folded or rolled away, so it takes up a lot of space.

Whew!  Sorry that took so long.  If you are still with me, what are your suggestions for turning this into a Studio from an Office?  I think I have a nice space to work with.  It isn't a dream studio, but I can live with that.

I would like to better organize the areas I have into quilting/fabric, embroidery, paper crafts, scrapbooking, etc.  At the moment, my fabric is sort of shoved on shelves as I purchase it rather than by color or fabric line.

How do you organize your sewing area?  I would love to hear about your space and benefit from your suggestions and experience.  Thank you in advance.

Have an amazing day!!!  I hope to have something to share with you for tomorrow's Sew and Tell Friday!