Studio Makeover: Week Two

This is what my dining room looked like when I emptied out the studio two weeks ago. It really isn't this bad anymore but still it's pretty hard to deal with. Wait a minute, let me look around. Ya it's bad... it's really bad! I haven't done a thing towards the studio makeover in over a week which means I haven't done a thing about the state of my dining room.

Why? Tablecloth Week! Tablecloth week trumps all decorating and organizing. Throw in the fact that I haven't had a day off in weeks, then mix that with the temptation of a 3-day weekend and I haven't done a thing! Not. One. Thing.

Which leads me to a bit of day dreaming... My mother has 4 sisters, two of which live very close to her and they are there for her. When things get out of hand at my mothers house they rally and come to her rescue. They'll spend the weekend sorting and cleaning up what every room has gotten out of hand. I need a sister that close to home! My sister, Debbie, lives about 1200 miles away and is the mother of 2 young kids. I am sure she needs me as much as I need her! : )

Since I don't have a sister to spend the weekend with me I've decided I need a housekeeper for a week! A week should do. A paid friend to bail me out! : ) Someone to sort the laundry and do 50 loads of wash. Wouldn't it be great to have someone that would actually fold and put them away? Just saying. Someone to sort through my piles that have their own piles. Someone to get on the floor and really clean it. Someone who does windows. Someone to take a load of items to the Good Will. Someone to water the plants, heck someone to plant the plant that remain unplanted! (I guess this means that I need a gardener too!)

Then I need a handyman for a couple of days. Someone to finish my cutting table, because honestly I am little bored of that project. Once he's done with that then he can finish painting the trim in the studio. While he's here he could paint the trim in my kitchen, it really needs refreshing. We'll save the bathroom projects for his next visit. 

Basically, I need a household staff. I am not asking for much, am I? Right... 

Well, I guess the family that I have here with me will have to do. Watch out kids, you've got a long and hard week ahead of you!!! It's Home Ec week at the McCants Homeschool. We'll save the woodworking class for the cute hubby!

Local Shops: Azalea Garden Center

Tucked in the back of an empty parking lot of a long forgotten and demolished mall is my most favorite place to buy plants, pots and soil. The family that owns and operates Azalea Garden Center have become friends and have watched my kids grow up. Mike and Marianne's lovely garden center is located in the old Azalea Mall parking lot at the corner of Brook and Westbrook Ave. When you go, tell them I said hi!

Every boy needs a Pokemon house

To you and me it looks like a dog house but to this 10 year old it's a extra special Pokemon getaway. In just an hour and a big handful of boxes, my son and I made this cute little house. I wish I could show you the inside, it's covered with pictures of his favorite Pokemon characters.

He's read, played games and watched TV while in this thing for weeks. My only question is, how long will this be in my living room? Good thing I am not a neat freak or a design Nazi or this would really bother me! ; ) 

The last big building structure, the kitty tower, was in my living room for months!! At least Aidan uses this one, the kitten was tired of it after a matter of days.

Photo Credit: Anna Maria Horner

Check out what the sweet UPS man brought me today! All four of laminated cottons from Anna Maria Horner's new fabric line, lou-LOU-thia! I'll be back soon with more photos soon! The big floral print WILL be on my table by Sunday! : )

Tool Wish List: Scalloped Fabric Scissors

Photo Credit: mmmcraft

Here's a little pair of scissors that I've been dying to get my hands on! I've been looking for a pair of scalloped scissors that would work on fabric for a couple of years and I finally found them. 

You know how it goes, you see some great crafter (Linwood Avenue) promoted on a site like Design Sponge, so you go to her website and click around until you find a link to another cool crafter (mmmcraft). Then your clicking and reading all the good stuff she have to say and then you find it, something that you want, need and have to have! So your off to some other website that sells cool toys (tool-tron), I mean tools. And that's how I found the scissors I've been dreaming of!

What do I want to use them for? Laminated cotton of course! I think that these would be so great to use for quick and fun projects. Just think about how cute a little laminated cotton tablecloth would be with the hem line cute in a tiny little scallop. Just perfect for summer dining alfesco!!! 

By the way, we've got 4 new laminated cottons coming in tomorrow so come on back to see all the goodies!!! Off to buy my scissors of scalloped love.

Looking like a real place to work!

Studio Makeover: Week One

I emptied out half the studio and said good bye to yellow walls this week. I must say that I love-love-love the color, it's so bright and happy!

I built the a Galant table for the sewing machines... 

... and another one for the computer! It even has a key board drawer, so very ergonomic!

Aidan and I built these cool shelves that attach to the table top. We left the back off the second one so the printers could stack up. LOVE THAT! But what really rocks is having a desk with a work surface for the first time every! I'm not sure what to do with that, but I'll work it out. ; )

I'm also digging the old peg board that I painted turquoise. I reconfigured the board, it's amazing how much stuff you can get a 2'x4' sheet of pegboard. 

 Maddie helped me hang this pegboard today. I am so happy to replace all those 3M hooks, now I can move everything as needed. Easy-peasy!

 

Friday afternoon, the kids and I sat on the studio floor and watched The Voice while I put these together. They are for the new cutting table that I'll be making next weekend. For now the old folding cutting table top will have to do. We've got tablecloths to make this week so no more playing decorator until they are completed. 

I replaced the old white bookcase with these two wire shelves that I stacked. I like them for several reasons: it's wider and deeper so I get more bang for my buck and it's open on the sides so that area feels more open now.

As you can clearly see, I have a lot of work left to do but I am pleased as punch to be back in the room. Next weekend I'll tackle the cutting table, hang wall shelves and finish painting the doors and trim. Then it's back to IKEA to get the right bases for the new chairs (I messed up) and a few more of these great drawers! (Aidan and I had a blast building this, they're a wild puzzle.) Then it'll be time to make and hang some new roman shades. Wait till you see the great fabric I'm getting for those!!!

I figure it'll be 100% complete in about 2-3 more weeks!! I can't wait!! Yay!!!

I'll be back with a full room shot tomorrow, the sun fills the room with pretty light and the turquoise blue looks so wonderful. 

Viva Cinco de Mayo!

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo I thought that Modern June should have a sale. Take 15% off your custom Mexican oicloth tablecloth order. Enter CINCODEMAYO at check out and save!!!
We know that you need time to measure your tables and pick out your favorite oilcloth (see our 45 oilcloth swatches) so the sale ends on Sunday!! (Sale excludes laminated cotton tablecloth orders)

Studio Makeover: shipping and handling

 OOOOOOKKKKKKKKK! That's a really big roll of poly tubing...

Kathie (Shipping Junie of Love... yes, that is her official title) and I have been dreaming of the day when we can ship our chalk cloth goodies and our rolls of chalk cloth and laminated cotton more efficiently. For years we've been cutting down Uline's long poly mailers. We've cut them lengthways and widthways, so that we cut down on waste and costs. They cost us $1.70 a pop, so getting four packages out of one mailer was good business. We've also reused the poly tubing that the bolts came it. Often splitting them in half. It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done cheaply.

 

I started squirreling away a few dollars here and there to buy a big roll of poly tubing. I figured that we needed to have it on hand before we made over the studio so we could plan on where to put it. HOLY COW, was I right about that! This bad boy is gigantic! I placed my MacBook in the shot so you had an idea of just how big this thing is.

Well, we had planned on attaching it to the wall that the cutting table butts up on to but I don't think that's such a great idea. Mr. Modern June would have a total fit about that!!! Officially, I am not allowed to hang things on the wall. It's not because I am girl, it's just that I really suck at it. ; ) Heck, I doubted that the rack would really stand up once the roll was put on. Engineering is cool, just like magic!

Who knows where this will end up! Stay tuned...

Kathie likes how easy-peasy it is to wrap up orders now! Yah, I made her happy!!!

Last Minute Mother's Day Sale

We're having a little last minute Mother's Day Sale! All our aprons are discounted this week. Order by Wednesday so Mom get's it for her big day. Let us know it's a gift and we'll add a card and wrap it up pretty for ya!