Catching Up

Lots to catch up on!

Most important, Mike had his brain scan Friday morning, and it was clear.    Lots of prayers answered!

The trip to Seattle was uneventful, and we managed to find the Ikea store on the way home by using the GPS on the phone.  It was complicated-seeming, but just following directions, we got there with no problem.

The visit was very successful, although it was a little confusing at the beginning.  Once we got the hang of where things were and what we were looking for, it got a bit easier.  Deciding on the actual desk was confusing and time-consuming, but we finally sorted it out.  Picking up the boxes and loading them was easy - except one box weighed 71 pounds.  It all fit in the car nicely, and we were on our way.

{I did some research and found out that dark spot on my photos is possibly caused by an oil leak.  There are fixes but all kind of beyond what I want to get into.  We could get the camera into a shop for repair - or get a new one.  Mike is thinking after 5 years, I could use a new one, especially with so many opportunities for pictures now.}

We spent the whole weekend on the sewing room.  Friday night and Saturday morning was all it took for the construction.  The rest of the time was ploughing through all that stuff I had packed.

Even though the directions had no words and just pictures, we were able to figure it all out.

My first thought was to get a long (59-inch) table and put both machines on it, which would have been cheaper, but when I saw the gray 6-drawer Alex, I fell in love with it for an embroidery machine stand.  So we got 2 small drawer units, one large one with casters, and one laminated top that is about 36 inches long.

This makes me so happy to see ALL these drawers - 10 of them - and 6 more in the larger one.   The quality is really good, and those drawers just glide in and out so nicely.  They hold a lot too.

It's beautiful to me.  The knee opening is a little bit smaller than I expected, but I'm used to it now, and it's no problem.  

By the time we got to the bigger Alex, we were doing the drawers assembly line, and that made it easier.

See why I like it so much!  All those drawers make me giddy.

I was hoping all my Mettler thread would fit in one drawer, but I had to use the second one for the rest plus the other brands that I've collected.

One we got them all together, I saw that they were not going to go just like I had pictured, but the final result is so much better, I'm glad it didn't work.

I turned the table with the sewing machine at right angles to the window and put the embroidery machine behind the chair.  Now I can swivel back and forth between both machines.   It's a little snug but a pretty good arrangement.  

I still have a lot of work to do, but it SOOO much better than this time last week.  

Every inch of this wall is used.  From left to right is the serger and things related to that.  Regular fabric folded on the shelves, scraps by type on top, and fat quarters and other fabrics in the drawers.  In the cloth bins are blank shirts and towels and things that need organizing.  I don't have plans for all the drawers on the right, but that will be lace, bias tape, trims, pleater and smocking things, and anything else I find that needs a home.  I made space for the ironing board and iron between the shelves, and the iron has its own little cubbyhole.

I'm okay with the ribbon storage for now.  This was an old CD case my father-in-law had, and I think it makes a pretty display.  I had bought a little stand with dowels just for ribbons, but I ended up pulling my hair out every time I had to use ribbon and had the whole thing fall apart, spilling rolls of ribbon everywhere.  Unless Graysen starts liking hair bows, I may never have to use this much.  Odds and ends of ribbons are stored in plastic bins behind, roughly color coordinated.

These will undoubtedly be changed many times, but for now I'm so happy to open a drawer and see what's avaiable instead of  opening the little plastic bins that sat on my old table.

It's good to have everything I need for embroidery right in front of me.   Other stabilizers are in a shoe bag on the back of the door.

I'm not quite ready for pictures of the bookshelves on the other side or the closets - and may never be!  

I thought about getting Mike and Ryan to build me a pegboard for thread and other things, but with all this drawer space, I might not need it.  I'll just try hanging up the thread holders.  

It's not pretty compared to a lot of sewing room makeovers I've seen, but it's so practical and the best I could do in an apartment.  I'm pretty proud of it in case it doesn't show!

Stella is getting more and more comfortable here and went out to sniff the air on the balcony this morning.  

She's still a little spooked by cars going by right below us and seeing various dogs go walking by, but we can't wait for spring to get some plants going and maybe a rug.  

Mike and I went to North Bend again today to do some checking on activities for Graysen.  For her birthday, we're going to give her some ballet, gymnastics, or swimming lessons, and there are plenty to offer.  

I just took the camera and took lots of pictures, mostly in North Bend, but the first one is the usual picture in Snoqualmie but this time on a cloudy day.

I don't know my trees, but I guess this is a birch.  It's beautiful anyway.

The first place we visited.  There is a beginner class for Graysen - Bizzy Bees - and it sounds like something she would enjoy.  We like it that she can sign up for a month at a time in case she doesn't like it.

The community center in North Bend almost in a cloud.  They offer dozens of classes for toddlers, so it will be hard to choose.

The rest of the pictures were just taking a road and seeing where it would take us.  So pretty.

Mike had been hoping to see the elk once again, and sure enough, there they were.  They were pretty far away, but close enough for me.  Two people were out in the field with them taking pictures.  Sounds dangerous to me.

Back home, Graysen turned 3 on the 13th and celebrated with the family and with their friends at the mountain house on their trip.  Then Saturday is her party at Rosanne and Lou's house.  From hearing the plans, it's going to be pink and beautiful and fun - and pink.  

Katherine has taken off on her crawling and is pulling up and seems to have her first tooth.  She hasn't shown it to me yet though.

Morning fun.  The girls aren't to the point of playing together yet, but they will co-exist, and it is so sweet.  Katherine adores her sister and laughs when she does and wants every toy she has - which doesn't always end well.  

The family at Mt Ranier Park on Graysen's 3rd birthday.  Katherine was not impressed with the whole outdoor scene.