one reason to keep your books

I don’t usually buy books. I go to the library. I rent a lot of books. I pay a lot of fines. I read whatever my sisters put into my busy hands. I happily spend birthday gift certificates that Kristin gives me to the King’s English. I am given novels, which I read and love, but then which I pass along and forget about until I see the title at a yardsale years later. What you don’t see are the children’s books and cookbooks. I do buy those, but haven’t gotten to them yet. Some of these books came with the house and I just haven’t gotten rid of them yet.

So my bookshelf is just puny in comparison to those of my friend Sonya, who first introduced me to this fad. And even her collections pale against this. Though I have to say that Sonya’s books are more accessible (ordered by subject first, color second).

Zach had this great prank idea, that we would sneak into Kristin’s house next time she’s out of town and do this to her mondo-multi-room book collection (currently meticulously arranged by subject and sub-subject). I laughed til I cried as I contemplated the total friendship breaker that would be for her!!
Zach is still convinced that the humor here would outweigh any other relationship risk.

new craft room-BEFORE pics

I haven’t been this excited about a home improvement project since…EVER. I have never had my very own sew-craft-studio!!

Zach is putting such thought into this room for me! It is a small, south-facing room with a low ceiling and a bank of windows. The room was a later addition to our 1896 house, added on to our added-on kitchen!. An old stove pipe sticks down into the room. That will have stay for a while, at least until we can afford to re-roof the addition. The worn concrete floor will be scrubbed and painted a glossy chocolate brown (paint left over from the dining room floor).

Earlier this winter Zach moved the clothes dryer out of that space and nearer to the washer (this required diverting and lengthening the gas line to suit the new spot). He also ripped out an ugly, rickety, poorly built wall that was made of planks laid horizontally.

Underneath the old sheetrock he found an original cedar shake exterior wall. We are planning to leave the shakes exposed and paint them shiny white.

We salvaged a white, pre-fab shelving system from my brother’s closets, which Zach will mount against the east wall. That’s where I’ll pile my HUGE stash of fabrics, sorted by color of course. I’ll also have room for baskets of yarn, roving from KnitSonya, WIPs, and dozens of jelly jars holding notions. Under the windows he will build a fabric-cutting table with deep shelves underneath for big rubbermaid storage space.

I lack the ability to put these into a panaramic view, but perhaps you get the idea:

The west wall will be built soon and will have that door you see on the floor. Against the inside of that wall, Zach will build a sewing machine table. This room is actually tiny, so we’re trying to figure out the absolute necessities and best possible design. Of concern is where I will fit a fold-down ironing board.

My favorite feature? Sunshine…even on a cloudy day. This room has true, clear, gorgeous light!

Please send me your suggestions for SMALL studio/sewing spaces!

The Boogedy’s Ark

My mom and dad made this wooden ark for me when I was teeny tiny. The ark has a hinged ramp, old rickety casters, and a nylon rope for pulling around.

Originally, the ark had an entire set of handmade stuffed animals (sewn by Mom), but only these two remain. The others were loved to death:

When my mom had grandchildren, she and dad made an ark for each of my brothers and sisters and their new little families. For that project, my dad cut out sturdy wooden animals and my mom painted them in fanciful colors. Now I have a set of those. The gallery below shows them up close.

I have hung onto this ark through countless moves, facing much mockery from Zach. But, he now admits my wisdom in keeping it. The ark appeals to every single child who has ever visited my home, and I always find the animals paired up and tucked into their stalls when kids clean up the set.

These last two photos show the interior loft and the little door for the giraffes to poke their heads out, respectively.

All photos are relatively low-quality, since the Boogedy races over to play with the ark any time I set up a photoshoot!

Forgive me while I write, once again, about chickens

Each winner of the chicken-naming contest received one of these handmade chicken magnets for their fridge. Meldrick (red), Lady Tremaine (aqua), and Ugly Betty (green).

The chickens are made from home-dyed woolen fabrics and felts, yarn, cotton floss, beads, sequins, and stuffin’. They have strong magnets sewn inside. This was a fun project for waiting in line at the DMV to register the van on April 30th.

Here you can see them together, holding up our household “star chart”. Our 7-year old great-niece lives with us and is such a picky eater; almost as picky as her mom! So we created this start chart so that they both can earn stars for trying new foods. When the chart is full, we have to buy them a prize! Zach and I earn stars for turning down foods that we really shouldn’t be eating (my chart should be full of donuts and breakfast cereal, but so far I haven’t turned down much!!)

The lovely ladies (ok, they could still be gents)

Thanks to everyone who entered the chicken-naming contest! Here are the winners.

My sister Jeaka successfully named our suspected rooster, Meldrick the Magnificent. Meldrick is now practicing his crow, and will be leaving his sisters to live in Sandy as soon as he starts waking up our neighbors.

And these two dames are Lady Tremaine, Evil stepmother in training (on the left, Thanks Kaitlyn!) and Ugly Betty (suggested by Aunt Sue).

Winners, your prizes are in the mail! Sneak Preview: