Studio

Busy, Busy

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Things are rather busy around here, with ready-made orders and made-to-measure orders.  I’m busily re-stocking my dwindling fabric supply (well, just a few of the regulars are dwindling, the rest is still VERY MUCH there), re-ordering shipping supplies (new stickers, address labels, thank you cards, etc), cutting new orders out, sewing them together, and getting things packaged and shipped.  I’m happy for the business, and enjoying the go-go-go.

These all shipped out today for various spots around the country and globe:

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We also bought a new treadmill, so that’s been playing a big part of my morning routine.  😉

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I finished up “The Tale of Halcyon Crane” by Wendy Webb on audiobook yesterday.  I pretty much listen to audiobooks the entire day long–at least, when I’m in my studio.  So, I go through a LOT of them.  I was so pleasantly surprised by my parish library’s selection, both online and in-house.  I enjoyed “The Tale of Halcyon Crane”–it has most of the things I look for in a book, really–ghosts, mystery, history & a huge old fully furnished inherited Victorian home.  Put those in a book and I’m there. Though I get a wee bit jealous over the house inheritance.  I’ve always wanted to inherit a beautiful old home full of history, secret passageways and lots of STUFF.

You can find the book here:  http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Halcyon-Crane-Novel/dp/0805091408

This Week

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This week has flown by, and I haven’t accomplished 80% of the things I wanted to accomplish.  I guess weeks like this happen every once in awhile, right?

This week, I’ve been:

Finishing up work in the photography/shipping studio (still more to do):

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Working on new patterns that will be used in an editorial shoot scheduled for next week (!!!), and that will be offered in the shop after that.  I first made them in a heavy ticking, as that’s what I had on hand, and I didn’t want to cut into the nice (and expensive) wool I have that will be what the final results are made of:

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I love both the hat AND the capelet.  *swoon*

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Working on a pair of knit boot toppers that may or may not be part of the same shoot:

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I really need to learn to crochet.  It goes so much faster.

I’ve also been working on a new costume, which means combining 3 different existing patterns into one, and changing them rather extensively along the way.  But, in the end, I’m hopeful that I’ll have a new full costume to offer on a made-to-order basis:

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All this in the midst of a few orders and an intense desire to cook big dinners with lots and lots of veggies.

I always mean to snap pictures of my cooking, and prep, and final results.  But my pictures never come out as lovely as food bloggers’, and my kitchen isn’t NEARLY as lovely.  I really need to get on the kitchen re-do that I’ve had scheduled in my head since we moved in.  FIVE YEARS AGO.

A Peek

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A peek into the studio, where I’ve been organizing and moving things around.

It started with the fabric stash, which was pretty much just shelves (and floor space) of fabric crammed in by color (or mostly so).  It looked like this:

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After a sweet lady at the fabric store told me about using comic book backers to help fold things uniformly–a trick that has, apparently, been around for awhile but was new to me–I decided this had to be fixed.  I thought one weekend and 200 backers would suffice.  WRONG.  Two weekends (and 2 work days) and almost 300 backers later, it now looks like this:

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It felt never-ending, but it was so worth it.

Re-organizing the fabric stash ultimately led to re-organizing the rest of the studio.  I didn’t snap a before picture, but this corner previously held all my shipping supplies and a drafting table.  Those have been moved to another room (pictures later, once I get it all set up), and new shelves were purchased, assembled and set up in the corner for even more (desperately needed) storage:

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And, the corner I sew in stayed the same, but got more pictures and doo-dads on the walls:

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My inspiration board had to move, too.  Right now it looks like this:

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I love inspiration boards.  All the walls in my house would look like that, if I didn’t think I’d get hauled away to the nut-house when family/friends came over.  For now, this one cork-board will have to suffice.

Now, I’m off to work in my newly organized and clean space!

In the Studio

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I’ll be shooting my winter knits session this weekend–extremely excited for that.  While I had to scale down my original intention for the set, I’m happy with the current ideas bouncing around my head.  I need to find a few crucial set pieces, which is today’s project.

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This Week

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Happy 4th of July!

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I’m celebrating by working. 😉  Gotta grab the time when you can.

I’m cutting out a pretty cool costume, actually.  I have the awesome task of making this costume:

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Into a women’s version!  So cool!

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Blueberries were out this week at my grandfathers–yum!  I froze these babies, and have been nibbling on them periodically, savoring and saving them as long as possible.

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Some leggings went out early this week.

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Over the past weekend I got the urge to paint–I do this every once in awhile.

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I’m never as happy with the outcome as I want to be, but I love the process.

I have a whole haunted theme going, and a few paintings to complete.  Two are in various stages of completion right now, none are completely done.

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I reorganized my pens/pencils/markers.  I’m a little too pleased by it.

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Hope you’re enjoying a lovely day off.  If only a BBQ were in my future….sadly, the husband was called out to a job yesterday and will most likely be gone through the weekend.  And the kitties don’t grill.

Prep Work

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Taking a wee break from sewing the actual outfits that will be worn on the runway.  Instead, I’m focusing on sewing up a few things that will be for sale at the event.

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Yes.  Yes that IS a giraffe print tunic dress hiding in there.  That fabric was a remnant that I purchased on a whim at least 10 years ago.  I could never figure out what it wanted to be, but then I pulled it out while thinking of spring tunic dresses and tops, and poof!  It found it’s calling.  I kind of love it.  Like, a lot.

There’s a very full stack of items to sew up for the show.  One thing at a time.

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In a fit of ignoring the sewing for a few minutes, I hung up more thread storage the other day.  No more baggies of thread on the floor by the machines for me!

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It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a gratuitous kitty picture.  So, I give you Mimi.  Yes, that IS a beautiful blue sky for the first time in what feels like weeks of gloom and rain.

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Changing It Up

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I have now officially taken over 2 of our 3 bedrooms.

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Of COURSE I waited until I was all alone to tear down the guest room and re-create it as my photography studio/staging area/stock room.  Queen size mattress, bed frame and box spring?  NO PROBLEM!  Those puppies now live in the garage.  Where, sadly, my car no longer can live.  It’s retaliated by succumbing to an enormous crack in the windshield.  Well played car, well played.

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The room is pretty bare bones right now, but it serves the purpose.

Some day that awful panelling will come down……SOME day.

More and more excitement builds as little things fall into place.  I only need to secure two more models, I have the song for the runway show, and I ordered a big ol’ box of pants hangers today.

Now I get back to sewing-sewing-sewing!

Light

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It’s just a cheapo (and, let’s face it, kinda ugly) lamp that had been living in a corner on our sun porch, but I can’t help but absolutely love the golden glow it gives from it’s new spot in the studio.  Something about the quality of light, the placement of the lamp, makes me cozy and comfy and long for the space in my studio to put a giant overstuffed sofa with tons of pillows.

Of course, it would only be covered in fabric (and kitties).  But I’d love it just the same.

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