Studio and Travel Organization

It's still January, so I can still say welcome to the new year and a new decade. I have tons of new stuff coming down the pike and even some older stuff I haven't shared yet. But first up - the #kidgiddystudio requires a bit of organizing, destashing and overall cleaning up. I've lived in my house for almost 20 years - and I am feeling this "20 year itch" to make some changes (like out with the old - in with...nothing new). Have you ever felt this way? This is the longest I have ever been in one place all of my life, which is so strange to say and feel. But it's true and that means stuff has moved from room to room after baby number one, and then moved again after baby number two, and then again after starting kid giddy, and during renovations, and whew - I'm out of breathe.

My Potter desk above tends to get covered in the WIP's and to-do projects, but I love being able to have a small design board here, my serger and my collection of Aurifil threads on the ready for quick switches and fixes.

For the past 7 years, I have had my studio space above the garage (you can see the start of it here) and what once was fun moving into, is slowly starting to feel suffocating because I create all of the time and make really really big messes. So last weekend, I started clearing 10-20 year old things out of my closet to make more room for thinking and breathing. I'm not done yet - but just getting started is feeling great. I'm letting go of said "things", continuing to organize and can see pretty stuff on my walls and desk again.

Those are some photos I took of my space last year and neglected to share here. I'm working towards this level of clean again...but better...less cluttered. I love having all of my Artbins filled with fat quarters, and my Sterlite bins filled with their own category of things under my cutting table and love that they are easily accessible. The large cutting table pictured above was custom made for me based off of a drawing I gave to the manufacturer to fit the space and to provide the highest level of (easy to access) organizing opportunities. You can find out more about my table by visiting this kidgiddy studio post.

I'm also organizing more of my slow stitching and on the go sewist stuff. I am still making a #SewPlushPlanner for metalsmithing class and all my metals, but I've also recently finished this Sew Plush Planner for my cross stitching and embroidery. These Aurifil Floss spools were not up on my wall, but previously haphazardly snuggling in a pouch. Sad spools. Now they have their own little spot and nest together when the sew plush planner is closed. You can fit 21 different colored spools in this format which is perfect for most cross stitching projects...and of course you can rotate as needed.

These new add on pages are coming soon, but you can see more of the original Sew Plush Planner here and find it in my kid giddy Etsy shop. The original sew plush planner I made houses my "on the go hexie" wares. I'm working on one sew plush planner for a different work in progress and one for my crochet needles and such too. I still have a feeling I'll need a few more! What would you put in yours? How do you stay organized? How do you decided what stays and what has to go? Do you have big plans to change things up this year...in this new decade?

Thanks so much for visiting and I hope to see some ways you organize your space and your sewing travels needs. Feel free to share info below and also on Instagram by tagging me @kidgiddy.

Disclosure: I received the floss and threads from Aurifil and this post is a challenge for some of the Aurifil Artisans to share ways we organize our spaces and things, but the opinions and comments provided are always my own. Thank you.

Kid Giddy in Where Women Create

Can someone please pinch me - I still can't believe it... I'm in Where Women Create Magazine.

In the late summer of 2011, I saw Heather Bailey on the cover of the WWC magazine. I had just met Heather briefly while attending my very first quilt market and had to get the magazine, soak it up and dream. Someday I thought, I'll be in this magazine. Not by way of prophecy, but more so a wish, or a goal, (and seriously high hopes). My craft room wasn't as pretty as the spaces in WWC, but it worked for me and as small as it was, it was a great way to start. I was proud of it and loved every inch. I tried to find Jo at the next CHA to see if she would be interested in my craft room, but that proved difficult.

I should've emailed her, but I ended up writing a book and began negotiations with Sizzix to have them produce a line of dies with me. At that time my husband and I also began major renovations in our home. The new studio was in the works and my once cute craft room became our make shift bedroom. My space was gone. After a long 6 months, the studio space was nearing completion so I decided to get in touch with Jo again at the next trade show I was attending. I met Jo Packham while attending CHA2013 during a random encounter in a hotel lobby. I think I acted like we were best friends...even though she didn't know me at all! lol. I decided to share my interest in having my then almost done studio shared in a future publication. After seeing Jo more often at quilt market, things clicked. I got an email from Jo after quilt market in May 2015, and the ball was officially in motion.

I lined up this local photographer (Kevin Brusie) that my husband had worked with on previous jobs and had him come to the studio. After all these years, regardless of how excited I was, I was so nervous and wanted to be on the other side of the camera.
Kevin asked me to go about my day and do things I would typically do in my studio.

I started cutting out some of my Sizzix Fox die pieces in one area, pinned a little and started sewing. He captured it all. Even the way I tend to stand at my cutting table every single day...barefoot (in summer when it's not freezing) and one foot behind the other.
There were so many amazing pictures that Kevin captured, which were shared in the magazine. These pictures in this post, we're not, but were some of my favorites so much so I had to share them.

We probably could've done a fun spread of just out-take and photobombing pictures. This one had us all laughing for a while. Kevin took a picture of this pin "Are you wearing space underwear? Cuz your butt is out of this world." on my magnetic board. The pin was from my retail days working at an Express store in the mall, 20ish years ago. All of the associates had to wear one of many different pins with a different pick up line. As Kevin was photographing the spur hanging around the neck of my 1/4 scale body form, someone thought to put the pin on the butt. So we did. I couldn't let this photo go unseen. Lol

We tried to coax our daughters out of hiding to get in a few pics, but they refused most of the day. Eventually, I got my oldest daughter to come hang out, and take a few pictures with me. Except...she remained a bit cynical and sarcastic in her smile to ensure the pictures wouldn't end up in the magazine.

We laughed about that for a while. She's a smart cookie.
I'm so grateful to Jo and her team at Where Women Create to give me the opportunity to share my space with everyone, and to share my story. I hope you'll pick up a copy of this issue at your local bookstore before it runs off the shelves. You can also get it on stampington.com

For those of you that haven't had a chance to read Where Women Create, they are allowing me to giveaway a copy to one of my readers. But that's not all...they are also generously giving a copy of Where Women Create Business, and Where a Women Cook. Have you read them yet? Before recently, I hadn't read an issue of either.

I had this image of the CEO corporate world in WWC Business but was pleasantly surprised to find it's an extension of Where Women Create from the business side (and still all of the eye candy). In business we all go through ups and downs, we learn a lot in our journeys, and have a willingness to share those moments to help others. This magazine is chock full of business tips and pick me ups for those down days. It's proof we are not alone and there are always brighter days ahead. 

I used to love cooking before having kids. As my girls got a little older and were eating regular food, they became picky eaters and my desire to cook changed. Now being gluten free (not by choice) has me disliking food and my kitchen at all costs. I eat healthy, but I don't prefer to cook and be creative. Maybe this magazine is just what I need to get back into my kitchen. The stories and recipes have me wondering if I can quickly find the passion again.  

For your chance to win one of these three publications, find the above image on my Kid Giddy Instagram page for more info.

Sign up below for my emails to get info about new patterns, new dies, future sales and other fun stuff. The first one is coming soon...don't miss out on the first bit of giddy goodness.

Kid Giddy Studio Series Part 3

As I was prepping the photos for this Studio Series Part 3 post, I began to realize that it was spring then too. The sun was coming out more, the skies were bright blue most of the time, and the air was much warmer. I can still hear the hammers, the plastic walls, and the guys shouting out numbers for cutting the next piece they would need. If this is the first you are coming upon my Kid Giddy Studio series - you can check out Studio Part 1, and Studio Part 2.

The computer room walls were coming down soon so we had to do a massive overhaul of the stuff I had stashed in there. Basically it was a room full of business stuff - memory boxes and family history stuff...oh and all the other "home office" stuff a family accumulates. It was crazy - it took me many days/ weeks. Just looking at it is exhausting! 

Now let's talk about the honest craft room! This was after about 3 massive changes. The desk with the computer on it - was once my sewing desk. When our bedroom was being dormered we actually moved our bed into this room! The desk with the sewing machine on it - was once downstairs in the computer room and moved up after that pic above was taken. The cutting table was folded down a bit, and moved to a wall to the right of the frame. The bed went under the window and against the wall. Not very comfy - but with an attitude of gratitude and realizing people live in cramped quarters on a regular basis - we didn't complain. That lasted about 2 months. This was the set up after those 2 months - and chaos resumed. Luckily I was done with the book - no more writing, sewing, or editing for it. I tried working on some other projects but I couldn't find half my stuff. Oh well.

Our daughters were so excited when I told them this would be the one and only time I'd let them purposely put a hole in the wall. They quickly grabbed the safety glasses and hammers and got to work. Family Fun magazine shared my picture from my fb page on their facebook page - that was pretty cool. At first - they tapped the wall. I don't think they even dented it. lol. They had such a blast - but I was getting nervous as they pulled the hammer back towards their faces - so we called it quits for a bit on that. Happy to say no one got hurt, all was well.

Outside the guys happily take a break - but unknowingly become a part of my blog post while I catch them eating lunch. They questioned my incessant photographing in the beginning - but they got used to it pretty quick and even smiled or posed. Love this candid though of Paul (left), Ed (center) and Darold (right). I even remember the conversation - Ed went to get them lunch and brought back only one dessert. It didn't go over so well. This is the new doorway for the entryway (what used to be called the breezeway). It's nice to have covering overhead when it's raining to unlock the door.

Up in the studio - things were getting done.

Brandon the electrician was running through the house, studio and basement running wires up through the walls. Light cans, outlets, switches - check.

I tried to get the girls pic in this same spot - so here they're just chilling with a hang loose and peace.

The studio was then sprayed with a beautiful shade of sea green insulation foam. That stuff is amazing. I might have to get me a can.

This is a picture of the cozy away room looking towards the front of the house (and temp studio stairs). The pink insulation was once the outside wall of the computer room that is coming down, and the old window too. 

This used to be a long skinny and dark hallway between the computer room and the laundry room (doors on the right). Once the beams were installed - it was pure happiness and total brightness.

Once in a while - we spoiled the guys with awesome treats. I think the cupcakes were from my daughters birthday celebration at school - but we purposely made extras so they could have some too. The girls just liked to leave them "sweet" notes (pun intended). I can't help but laugh every time I see this one.

 This special little door was a huge source of jokes throughout the renovations. I was originally calling it a fairy door - but Paul and Darold said it would be cooler if it was a "hobbit" door. lol. It was alays a topic of conversation. I still can't believe my husband let me keep a little hole in the wall for a fairy door (like the ones in Ann Arbor Michigan). I've kept it a secret for a long time - but glad to finally share it. 

The drywall was put up and the studio was mudded. The wood flooring was brought in, and the ladder was left behind. I saw the A. My husband said we just needed our new barn door for the cozy away room - so it would be A-Z. I reminded him we still had the little barn door that used to be up above the garage doors. It was perfect. We kept the door. Still not sure what to do with it - but I couldn't let them toss it. One day I will figure it out.

Here are the girls getting ready to leave for karate class - but took a moment to show that we now have doors on the studio closet...The left doors are half size so it wouldn't interfere with the huge cutting table that would be right in front of it.

The doors were removed so they could be painted white - but the flooring was done so we captured that moment too.

If you are going through renovations - capture it all. It's so much fun to see all these pictures. I'm grateful to know we got through all this craziness. I don't miss the noise and dust - we create enough of that on our own - but I do miss the guys. They were a barrel of fun. Next week the staircase in the entryway goes up. Fun times!

Kid Giddy Studio Series Part 2

I know - it's been forever since I posted the Studio Series Part 1, but at the time of renovations we were pretty much "out of our minds crazy", as well as craving some sort of privacy. I got to the point where I had so many people coming and going through my house for 8 months and couldn't post more pics and feel like I had more eyes on the inside. When I should've been writing the part 2 post, it was also a very difficult time because one of the guys that had been working on our house renovations, was in a severe car accident. I was truly at a loss for words, couldn't celebrate the blessings of our new studio, when another person was literally clinging for life, so I hope us needing and wanting privacy doesn't come across as rude.

Now that much time has passed, I felt like it was too late to post the series - but after some convincing from JJ Heller on instagram, I decided to keep at it and show all the durings - so I can show you the before and after (which is killer). I'm feeling like I can finally "open the doors" for a peek inside the rest of the transformation. As the studio began to take shape, the entryway began to be torn apart, and opened up to make room for the stairs up to the new space.

This is the back side of the studio. The wall to the left is a small wall with a window and down inside you can see the small bits of our cozy away room.

This is Cameron. He's rather quite - but not really. I think he wants people to think that, so when I caught him in a talkative mood - it was fun to chat with him. This is when they were taking the roof off of our breezeway, to make room for the entryway stairs. I don't recall the guy in the red shirt - he was only here a couple of times.

This is the view from the front outside. The tarps made a tremendously loud noise during every windy and stormy night - often keeping us awake. Drove us nuts - but we counted the days, knowing it would all be worth it.

This is Paul in the torn apart breezeway. He's the guy that I would swear was from NY every time he talked - but he's from Maine. The door leading into the house was covered in plastic - the only barrier from all the dust and chaos (and no lock). The space where the ladder is - is all new space. It was never there and will be the staircase and bookwall. Yeah!

This is Paul again. Breaks my heart to see this picture, as he was the one in the terrible car accident.  I was talking to him about how crazy they were to be up on roofs - they had no fear - at all. His response was most likely "what? this is nothing" or "what - you're kidding right"? Such a funny guy. He's on the tongue & groove ceiling in the entryway.

This is the inside tongue and groove ceiling with metal collar ties. We wanted 3 major things in this renovation - wood, metal and stone. This def satisfies the wood and metal. The wall right there was my old bedroom window.

My girls look so little in these pics. This is my oldest and she always questions why I'm taking pics. This was their whole life last year. These things should be recorded too. It was total chaos everyday.

Each day my girls came home from school everyday, there was something new to see and discover. They marveled at the drastic changes in the beginning, and remained in awe as things took their new form. This is my youngest in the back of the studio where the stairs used to be from the garage up to the empty space. This hole was finally covered up.

I think this is Paul on the ladder and Kyle in the bottom valley of the soon to be roof line. We have a full entryway ceiling and temp stairs at this point. So excited to see more progress.

The longer these guys are working in your house - in such a personal space - they become part of your family. You just can't stop it from happening. It amazes me how hard they all worked to make this space for us. To make our home our dreams come true. Giving them hot cocoa, fresh chocolate chip cookies out of the oven, chicken noodle soup in the winter, and ice pops or simple ice water in the summer, never seemed like enough. I'm so thankful everyday for all they did and still to this day my heart breaks for Paul and his family. His recovery has been miraculous - but is still a very long and difficult road. I know you don't know him - and I can honestly say I only knew him as much as he worked at my house. But I know he loves McD's Apple pies - and I still owe him a homemade one (I told him I refused to buy him a McD's one - but would be happy to make him an awesome homemade pie - to which he has agreed to wholeheartedly). I know he will happily capture a bat in the middle of the night (according to the story he told me). I know he has an amazing wife and awesome kids, because he talked about them all the time. I know his smile lights up a room, he can make anyone laugh, and his compassion is worthy of emulation. If want to learn more about him and his recovery - you can here at Paul's YouCaring website. If you are so moved to donate to his family, to help with their medical expenses - I know it will be appreciated and blessings will come to you. If all you can offer is prayers - that's awesome too. Thank you!

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what's new....I will have more studio update pics soon - so be on the look out. I hope you all have a great Monday!

Kid Giddy Studio Series - Part 1

More than 9 months ago my husband and I began renovating an empty space above the garage to accommodate a new and much larger studio space for me to work in and for all of us to create in (it's not just my space but sometimes I pretend it is - after all we are all artist - so we all need the creative space).It's been a long and stressful process but the end results are beginning to show and we couldn't be happier! I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel (and through all the dust)! Thank goodness we are working with an awesome contractor and his really funny crew - otherwise this would've been impossible to get through.

So here are some before and in progress pics..... 
This is Ed. This is what the space looked like before (minus all that gorgeous light). No dry wall. No insulation. Nothing.

This is Kyle. They are all daredevils - made me so nervous...they were putting up the structural beam and took off one side of the roof...

The day before a storm and we had a little bit of a roof and side wall. I'm sure some critters sought refuge in there every night - but don't tell me - I don't want to know!

 This is the new side dormer from the back view.

I went up and looked out and found this guy...Mr DJ.

 I was finally starting to feel the creative vibes flowing - we had one side up and one side to go.

We used to have stairs in the back of the garage that led up to the space. Eventually that would be closed off - so they had to raise the roof on the entryway to accommodate the new stairs...

That's my cutie husband checking out the progress...notice the snow in the valley of the old roof line?! All this was done in the thick of winter. It was bitterly cold - thank goodness the guys had handwarmers - I couldn't do what they do!

While the studio was being created...my girls were getting creative leaving a message under our new bedroom rug for any future homeowners...if there ever will be. They were home from school due to the Blizzard on Feb 8th!

The sharpies are not acid free...but hopefully they will last a lifetime or beyond under the cover of the rug. I guess we will have to wait 20+ years to see! The girls (and I) had such a blast doing this! I highly recommend it.

The best part of doing all the renovating is picking all the new light fixtures, paint colors, and all the little details. I'll be sharing some of those pics too - stay tuned! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll come by to see more of the finished pics as I (we) continue to "move in" to the space.