studio mess...

Piles and boxes, and more piles and more boxes.

But I did fold all my fabric. Hey, baby steps.

(I hope I'm done with all this construction/moving/life organizing soon,
so I can get back to sewing. It feels like it's been ages.)

Before and After...

I handed over my keys this morning, and took this photo before I closed the door.

GoodBye old Studio!

Miraculously, everything got packed and moved all out... Moving was fairly quick and surprisingly painless. We had lots of helpers and within 2 and a half hours everything was out of the old studio and moved into the new one. Now comes the real work. I was in such a rush while packing, I didn't go though much of anything. It just all went into a box and now I'm paying the price. There are too many open boxes tossed into the "I have no idea what to do with that" pile. I'm a little frightened to post photos of what that space looks like right now. Perhaps once I have a little more unpacked later today...

the studio mascot...

is ready for the move.

too good to toss out...

I've packed most of my supplies but I neglected to clean off my worktable first, so I'm left with all this good stuff and no place to put it. I'm happy to pack all these goodies and little bits into a box and send them off to the first person to respond to this post.

Come and get it...

progress...

Tomorrow is the big day... the truck arrives. Jay, a few friends, and I will move all the boxes, bags, and poorly packed piles, and bring it all into the new studio. It feels like a big shift and I'm not sure if I can blame it on the gray weather or the last three exhausting weeks of construction and packing but I'm feeling a little melancholy about leaving this space. It's so large and bright, and frankly a space where I can spend uninterrupted hours. Ahhh, welcome change. Right?!

packing continues...

It's a gray rainy day here, and I'm back at it... the packing is coming along and for the first time in two years I can see through my shelves. Strange to see this workspace slowly dismantled. I'll miss working here.

Hello beautiful...

Just wanted to share this beautiful vase by Ayumi Horie. I envision a bouquet of flowers loosely glorifying this lovely piece.

The Auction ends tomorrow, so get your bid in asap.

ok...
now back to packing...

let the packing begin!

I have all of four days to be all packed up and out of my studio, it's going to be a rush but with my studio in the house nearly complete the end is finally in sight.

Here's where I'm beginning...

Silver Bella

While I have a moment, I wanted to share with you an event I'm attending this fall which I'm really excited about...

Silver Bella in Historic Omaha Nebraska:
a weekend of workshops, shopping, and meeting new and creative people who share your passion for beautiful handmade things...
The schedule promises 3 fun filled days:

Thursday November 12
Welcome Night, Dinner and Group Workshop

Friday November 13
Workshop Day!
Startdust Vendor Faire

Saturday November 14
More Workshops!
Bella Luncheon with Special Guest: Jo Packham

What I love about this event is the variety of instructors and the amount of workshops which come with your registration. Along with all the community events, you're able to choose 5 workshops over the three days. Here are the two Workshops I'll be teaching.

Bundle Up Birdie Shadow Box

In the heart of winter, we all have to bundle up to keep warm. This little shadow box will be a sweet reminder that while it's cold outside, our little nest is always warm. Jennifer will give tips and tricks for making simple little pom pom birds and walk you through the step-by-step creation of this lovely shadow box.

Snowman Clip Ornament

Is there a greater joy than building a snowman? He stands throughout the winter as a reminder of a day well spent. In this workshop we'll use the highest quality fabrics and materials to make an heirloom that can mark this season for generations. You'll learn the basics of dying and felting wool felt (which will be done before the workshop begins), what is and how to use Excelsior stuffing, and joy of working with the finest materials and methods which have been used for over 100 years to make stuffed animals and toys.


I'm honored to be among this talented group of instructors who will each be teaching two different workshops over the weekend.

• Kaari Meng
  
• Pam Garrison
  
• Charlotte Lyons
  
• Denise Sharp
  
• Rebecca Sower
  
• Anna Corba
  
• and of course the queen of the events: Teresa McFayden

day dreaming of lazier days

With all the work going on in the house and studio over the last two weeks, I can't help but daydream about lazier days. Last year at this time, Jay and I took what we coined the "trip of a lifetime" to the south of France. We stayed in this beautiful villa in the shadow of the hilltop village of Gordes. Ahhhh, the magic of travel. This image of myself reading one afternoon in the villa after we'd had a grand lunch, takes me back to the fields of blooming poppies, miraculous stone villages, endless wine and cheese plates, and, and, and...

for a boy...

Last Christmas, I created a special offer for people to "design their own bear or rabbit"... Slowly all the customization packets came in and I've been working on them one by one ever since.

Here's a Rabbit I finished this week for one special little boy...

another Find... for you

I was lucky enough to find a few spools of this vintage paper lace at an estate sale last year, but this website has a nice selection of colors and styles in stock and ready to order. Happy Shopping!

The list for today:

1. Finish laying linoleum floor in bathroom and laundry room
   
2. Replace washer, dryer and utility tub
3. Help Dad cut down and shim door to storage area
4. Go to my Midwife appointment
5. Paint pocket door for bathroom
6. Prime, paint and cut trim for the entrance to laundry room
7. Grout the tile surround for fireplace (which will be installed tomorrow am)
8. Pick up toilet

The big items (long since checked) on the list from last week seemed to give momentum (paint and lay the first of the linoleum) carrying us along, but now there are a million little things which have to be finished that visually don't seem to have a whole lot of impact. This visual slowdown seems to be making us all a little tired, but with move-in day quickly approaching there's no time for a day off... just a lot of breaks.
Tired but Happy
~JM

colors...

I love choosing colors...
here's the palette for the whole renovation.

another reason to love 3191

If you haven't fallen in love with all things from 3191, here is yet another reason. These two ladies made the first blog I got hooked on, and while the format has changed, there is no reason to stop looking... Stephanie recently posted this Easter/ Passover project which is of course beautiful photographed, but is also so charmingly simple I couldn't resist sending you all over for a look...

While you're there, if you like what you see check out their new print set and their lovely books.

making the new... old

Working on this old boy today...

It takes about twice as long to make a worn and aged bear, but I love the way they turn out. All that time spent produces an object imbued with obvious love.

studio saga continues...

It was another long day working in the studio. I don't know how I would do it without Jay and my Papa... they worked all night and into the wee hours Wednesday night sanding down the concrete floors to get them ready to lay the linoleum tile. It was back breaking work, and while I would have been right there in the mix about 6 months ago there was no way I could do it today, so I'm incredibly grateful to have their help.

We all woke up on Thursday morning (the gents were a tad sore to say the least) but got right back to cleaning, laying out the floor for the studio, and working on the windows. Jay and I had planned on checkerboard or stripes for the studio, and after very little debate we decided the stripes were perfect for the space... it's a little modern twist with the tiles, a little op, and a little Daniel Buren right here in our house. I'm loving the way it's coming together....

it's coming along!

Papa Murphy has been so much help to Jay and I... Between the three of us, we've got most of the space painted, the windows are out and in the process of being rehabbed, and the teeny tiny bathroom has a new light (which I proudly rewired and hung myself thank you very much). Tonight or tomorrow we'll be starting to prep the floor for the linoleum tile... who doesn't love a nice checker board floor, or maybe stripes? Decisions Decisions.

Here's a view of the fine wide hallway looking into the studio:
Hello Morning light!

The Studio is nearly all painted. I'm so happy we decided to paint the ceiling cream... it's so bright and leaves the rafters wide open. I've never understood the attempt to hide a basement ceiling and in the process lowering the head space with a drop ceiling. It is what it is, and I love the functional/honest aesthetic.

Looking forward to building the shelving which will run the length of the 20ft long space in front of the walls painted darker green paint. I think it will be a lovely backdrop for all the fabrics, supplies and cute bits that will fill the shelves.

Ok, back to work!

Another Good Find...

I'm out of the studio today, working on the new studio... so for a little eye candy I thought I'd share a recent find:


While at Hunt and Gather the other day (it's a great local shop which I'll have to post more about in the future) I found these amazing old metal baskets. Easter is over, but I can't wait to use them next year.

My new mess and future studio

I've been working towards a big move...

I knew as soon as I became a new mom, I'd need to have my studio back at home (goodbye beautiful big warehouse studio). That wasn't a hard decision, but it was difficult to decide where and how I was going to fit my 1100sq ft studio back into my 950sq ft house. We finally decided to finish a big part of our our basement (without wood paneling and drop ceilings!!!). Once finished we'll have a laundry room, a small bathroom, and I'll have a nice new studio. It's been coming along slowly but surely for the last two months and finally we're getting close... This weekend we mopped up all the drywall dust and poured out the primer. Here are photos before the first coat went up on the walls (with Jay pouring out the paint). This is the month when it all goes down, I have to be totally moved out by the 31st (yikes) so I'll be posting the progress over the next few weeks. Lucky for me my Dad came in from Ann Arbor to help Jay and I. Thanks Papa! Finger crossed we can get it all done in time!

Thank you Mama!

I have the best parents... my Dad comes out to help me work on my new studio, and he comes bearing Easter gifts handcrafted by my Mom! We all had such a good day together. Wish you could have been here too Mama! Thanks for the cute basket of Fun.

Happy Day!

I love this!

I found this old cardboard house on Ebay today... it needs help, but with a little love it could be fantastic. Hope someone bids on it, wins, and makes something amazing!

Perfectly Slouchy.

While on my rag doll kick, I found artist Mimi Kirchner on Etsy. She makes really sweet dolls ( I do so like the gentlemen!) but this photograph of one of her girls with band-aids on killed me. Check out those socks and shoes. Perfectly slouchy.


See more of Mimi Kirchner's work on her Etsy site, her website/blog, and you now can make one of her patterns yourself... now on the Purl Bee.

Aprons and Baby Bellies... continued

Same color combination... different outcome.

Today the apron is less basketball holder and more I love Lucy cute. If anyone comes to the door today, I may not even take the apron off first!

She Loved It!

I gave Hazel her doll today, and she was an instant success! They had some juice together then both were sent off for a nap...
Good Night Ladies.

what am I working on today?

well... hello there Fancy.

for the love of Hazel... shhhh it's a surprise.

I took part of the day off today to make my niece Hazel a much overdue Birthday Gift. She's been all about dolls lately, so I thought I would try my hand at making a rag doll. It wasn't until I started working that I remembered my Grandmother taught me how to sew one afternoon, and our first project was a rag doll. I wish I could lay my hands on that long lost project. I remember her being quite "folkie" in a blue gingham dress, but I can't seem to remember what her face ended up looking like. Ohhh well, just thinking of that day and the pleasure a project like this brought both then and now seems enough.


Thanks to the work of these ladies, which helped to get me thinking about what I wanted my doll to look like.

Loobylu
Le Train Fantome
The Black Apple
Laura Normandin

Check out each of their work to see why the art of simple dolls is making a comeback!

Hello!

I went outside this morning to find little green bits around some of my perennials and lots of small cracks in the soil where I labored last fall in the hopes of bunches of beautiful spring bulbs. Really, is there anything better after a long winter than the first signs of spring?

Image torn from one of last summer's Domino Magazines

Aprons and Baby Bellies...

are a ridiculous combination.

I've been wearing an apron in my studio for a number of years in an attempt to keep fur and excelsior from sticking to all of my clothes, but as my belly grows it seems to be getting a bit odd.

It looks like I'm trying to put a curtain on a basketball!
Ohhh well, practicality is taking precedence in this situation...

Thank you All!

Thank you to Everyone who came to look, shop, and especially those who tried to order but couldn't because pieces were sold (I know how frustrating that must be! I do my best to make as much as I can, so thank you in particular for your understanding and patience!). During these rough times I could not be any luckier to have all of your overwhelming support... so thank you thank you thank you!

Thank you all for keeping me in the studio and working.

My Updated Website Shop is Up!

Come see all the new pieces on my website.

I've been spending long days in the studio to get everyone finished up for the big day... happily the day has arrived and all the final touches are in place!

Happy Spring to All!