A place of her own - Serendipity Studio

A magical place to create and play and learn for my sweet Haileybelle. We started with a nice, deep countertop with plenty of storage underneath.

A fabric skirt with chenille ball trim

         and some vintage pillowcases

 keep clutter hidden and add a touch of charm!


We surrounded the counter with floor to ceiling shelving on both sides.  A piece of scalloped wood trim painted white encloses her space and gives it that special touch.  

I happily realized that I have found the perfect place - across the top - to showcase my vintage children's books.  More serendipity!

She has her own bulletin board which she can decorate however she chooses. Check out the blue and red ribbons from county fair two years ago.  I'm so proud.  She was only 7 when she got those! 


She has already raided my sewing room and completely filled her shelves underneath with fabric and trims.  


I think the crowning touch is the Hello Kitty sewing machine.  So sweet.  She has her beginner sewing and quilt books and is ready to learn.  She already grabbed a doll body from my basket and used her scraps to dress her.  

She found a box of scrapbooking items and was off to make something to hang on her bulletin board.  With her and her brother running around both talking to me at the same time and trying to  visit with my daughter and son-in-law I never got a chance to look at it.  After they left I came down to shut off all the lights and read what it said.  I love it.  I love her.  I am so blessed.  

OVER THE MOON!!!

Yes, I am over the moon.  You will see why in a minute.  I was going to post next on Hailey's sewing area, but last night we put the finishing touches on the side of my new Serendipity Studio dedicated to painting and paper mache and glitter, and I am so excited about it I had to share.  
Originally I painted all 4 walls pink, but then decided it was just too much pink and kinda boring.  I thought about how I would love to have this studio on the first floor with windows and a beautiful view, so I decided to make my own.  

I painted the wall blue with a cheery sun and dreamy clouds. . . 

                    Added some flowers . . .

               some sweet little bluebirds . . . 

  a clothesline with vintage aprons hanging . . . and yes, of course, I will be painting those clothespins and adding polka dots . . . 

We added a countertop  with tons of storage underneath, which by the way I have COMPLETELY filled with just art supplies. . .

I made a fabric skirt to cover all the supplies, and we put up a sweet little picket fence to give it more dimension . . . 

 I wanted it to look like I had a window view of a pretty yard in the country with a picket fence and aprons drying on the clothesline. . . my version of Heaven.


Now that I have a space dedicated to painting, there will be no more of this . . .

paint and brushes and body parts all over the kitchen table for days at a time.  My family will be so happy.


Now I have this!!!

Like I said, I am over the moon.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!!  Thanks for visiting.  I still have lots more to share with you.  I'll see you then! 
  

Serendipity Studio

http://www.etsy.com/shop/VendulkaM

Oh no . . . it's happening again.  I am smack dab in the middle of a huge project with multiple other projects started and waiting in the wings, and I find something else.  Seriously, is this the cutest thing you have ever seen?  I actually said that right out loud when I saw it. It makes me happy just to look at it.

It's not my fault.  I can't help myself.  Here's how it happened.  I was just minding my own business, taking a quick peek into Etsy, looking for a crochet pattern.  Because I love crochet.  LOVE LOVE LOVE.  I'm not really very good at it,or should I say experienced,  but I will attempt a few simple things now and then.  I actually searched crochet patterns for a sweater or shrug, (which I found by the way), and somehow ended up on this wonderful Etsy shop.  

http://www.etsy.com/shop/VendulkaM

 I am ordering  these  purse patterns. I think I will make these for both myself and my sweet little granddaughter Hailey. 
And this little purse pattern I am going to get for Hailey to try to make herself.  She is just learning to crochet and also loves it. The pattern says it is a beginner pattern as well.  That is a little hedgehog on the purse.  How cute is that?! She wants to enter something crocheted into the County Fair this summer, and I think this would be perfect!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/VendulkaM

Last, but not least, was this "Spring Birdie" pattern  with these darling birds.  Ohmygosh.  I love these cute little birds. Can you hear me squealing?   I seriously need professional help.  I know I do, and I don't care. These last couple of years, when I hear myself saying weird things or do crazy things, or get mad at myself when I am not organized (or whatever it is I have determined is a flaw in my personality or character), I just shrug it off and tell myself it is part of my charm.  Yeps, that's it, just part of my charm. This will be  my new way of thinking about myself.  These things that drive me crazy about myself or my little um, eccentricities shall we say, are not flaws, but little things that make me uniquely me. 

I will make tons of these sweet little birds in pretty colors, and probably have them all over my Serendipity Studio!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/VendulkaM

Here is a link to the Etsy shop where you can find these patterns: 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/VendulkaM  
She also has a ton of lovelyl photos on Flickr, here is the link:
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/vendulkam/

Oh yes, remember I said how I started off looking for a VERY simple shrug or sweater pattern?  I found this.  I love it. Feels vintagey and fresh and fun to me.   It says it is very easy, beginner, and can be completely customized.  I will make it longer since I don't want my sweater to end right at my pudgy stomach.  Just a little longer will work for me, ending a few inches past my belly button is what I like best. These shrugs are so popular and so cute, but if you have a little extra somethin' somethin' around the waistline (like me) that you are self-conscious about (like me), then this shorter length probably isn't for you either!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Carlitto

I will probably make one in pink and one in a pretty shade of  teal.  No doubt there will be a crocheted flower on them with a pretty vintagey brooch or button in the center.  Hmmmm, maybe a little crocheted bird?  I'll let you know. 

 Here is a link to the shop where you can find this shrug:   http://www.etsy.com/shop/Carlitto  

See, I got sidetracked again.  ADD, for sure! I meant to post about my progress in my Serendipity Studio. So here's what's happening.

We purchased the cheapest cabinets we could find at Menards, and I used a milk paint to try to make them look shabby chic.  Lots of painting and wiping back and sanding down, but I finally got a look I was happy with.

Luckily my son and nephew were home to help bring them in to the basement. Out from the pole barn, into the house, and down the stairs we go.

 I'm sure they were thrilled!

We got them up on the wall . . .

and added some under the cabinet lighting.

We put a little piece of trim to the cabinet bottoms to hide the lighting, and voila!  We have cabinets!

My husband painted and put up crown molding where the ceiling meets the wall on the outside foundation walls.  Not trying to be fancy, but you could see the insulation so it was necessary.  

 
I hope you are enjoying my little adventure.  Next step is the countertop.  See you then! 

Serendipity Studio . . . In The Beginning

I promised you I would be sharing my latest adventure, the making of my new craft room, Serendipity Studio, so here we go!

My sweet husband built me a sewing room in the basement about 2 years ago. I was thrilled, because he built this house 7 years ago and I had been waiting, waiting, waiting . . . and had all my stuff in boxes, boxes, boxes. 

I would sew and paint on the kitchen table, and had things pretty much scattered all over the house.

 

 

When the sewing room was FINALLY finished I was SO happy, and got busy opening boxes and organizing.  You could hear a lot of  "Oh, so that's where that was" and "I knew I had this somewhere" coming out of the basement as I opened them.  I was a little surprised at how much I had actually accumulated.  I had duplicates of many things - notions and tools and even a couple books - because I could never really find anything.  Remember, I had about five years of things in boxes . . . and when I went to work on a project and I couldn't find what I needed,  I ended up going to the store and buying it. 

When my sewing room was finished I LOVED it and felt that I was the luckiest girl in the world. I never dreamed I would have such an amazing sewing room of my own.  As I continued unpacking, I was  shocked to see all the fabric I had accumulated.  I will just take a deep breath and say it . . . "My  name is Julie, and I am a fabriholic."  There.  I said it.  It's really nothing I didn't already know, but now you all know.  And I know for a fact I am not alone. Anyone out there considering the possibility that you too are a fabriholic?  It would be fun to hear back from you on that!  Luckily my granddaughter will be learning to quilt, so I will designate an entire shelf of fabric for her, in her own little special space. 

I have so much stuff in that sweet little sewing room. I am going to take out all that is not related to sewing and quilting and move it into it's new home, Serendipity Studio.  I can already hear my sewing room sighing with relief as I empty her contents.  I should try to think of a name for her too, shouldn't I?  Here are some pics of the basement as we were getting started.  

My son and my son-in-law pouring the "knock down" material into the machine.  This sprays out a texture onto the drywall, which is already up and waiting, thanks to those two fine boys.  Lucky for me I had three boys, because only one of them is into this sort of thing. The other two are computer guys! See, if you have many children your odds are better of having someone that specializes in something!!!! 

The "knock down" sprays out of that blue funnel thing and they just go in a back and forth motion to evenly coat the walls.  Some of the walls will be the actual outside foundation  walls with no drywall, and it will look a little nicer with some texture.

  

We painted the room the most beautiful shade of pink.  I loved it. 

 Can you see the darling ceiling fan?  It has dimensional zig zag lines on the glass bulb that look like ric rac, and it has tiny flowers on the blades that look like polka dots.  Plus it is the prettiest shade of pink.  I saw it and grabbed it up so fast, I was certain it was made just for me!  I'll try to get a better pic of it later.

Then I decided it was too much pink, so I would paint one wall blue.  I have big plans for that wall.  More later on that.

Yes, I am a dork.  I was actually having fun. I was about to do some decorative painting on the wall.  I'll show you that soon, once I finish it.  Remind me not to wear that outfit out in public.  I thought I looked thin in it until just now.

  

I'm really getting excited about this.  I hope you are enjoying watching it all happen!

 

Serendipity

 

ser·en·dip·i·ty/ˌserənˈdipitē/

Noun:

The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: "a fortunate stroke of serendipity". I love that word.  Serendipity.  I even enjoy saying it aloud.  It rolls right off the tongue in a happy kind of way, almost musical! Are the things that happen in our lives serendipity, determination, or are our fates planned when we were created?   Whatever you believe, I think we all can agree that "a fortunate stroke of serendipity" is a welcome thing. I have a huge project going on right now.  My sewing room in the basement is bursting at the seams. The room that opens up to it was supposed to be a family room.  We have decided we don't really need a family room, and it seemed perfectly logical (at least to me) to expand my crafting area!   An overflow sewing room, a craft studio, call it what you will!  I am so excited!   Talk about serendipity.  We have been saving pieces of lumber and all sorts of building materials over the past several years for the family room, so we have plenty to work with.  Literally.  And now, it is time to get started!  I promised my husband as soon as the room is done I will clean and organize the entire basement.  He's no fool.  We live in fear that the Hoarders show will come knocking at our door to film an episode in the basement. Is he building the room out of love, or to get out of the awful job of cleaning the basement?  Probably both.  I have been trying to think of a name to call the new room and have finally decided it will be called my Serendipity Studio.  After all, it is "Serendipity" that it just happened to turn into a room for me - and it will be a "Studio" to house the excess from my overflowing sewing room.  I am going to put all things not directly related to sewing or quilting into the new room - painting, crochet, knitting, embroidery, papercrafting, paper mache, and of course glitter!  All my vintage collectibles gathered over the years. . . figurines, books, aprons, doilies, and handkerchiefs will finally have a proper home.    My granddaughter will be delighted to find her very own sewing station, with a brand new Hello Kitty sewing machine . . . just for her.  She has the soul of an artist and the love of creating. My daughter, her mother, also has an artist's soul but doesn't realize her potential . . . yet.  Believe me -  I have plans for both of them! I really want to encourage them in any way I can.  The sewing machine is supposed to be for her birthday in May, but we'll see how long I can stand it before I give it to her!  My daughter and I have great difficulty keeping a gift a secret until the right time.  She will usually call me and tell me she is so excited that she got the most perfect gift for me and wonders if I can't stand waiting so she can tell me now.     After much prompting from several of my sweet blog buddies, I have decided to share my journey from beginning to end and let you all in on the excitement. I protested that I didn't think anyone would be interested, and they promised me that some of you would.   I sincerely hope it is as much fun for you, following my progress from post to post, as it will be for me.  Get ready . . . . set . . . . GO!