Bedroom is done!

Obvs, my bedroom is done. I'm particularly proud of this project, because not only have I never painted before, I did this all by myself! It was a little intimidating, and there were moments where I wanted to shoot myself in the head, but once it was done, the sense of accomplishment made it worth it. Kind of like going to the gym, you don't really want to, and you're hating life while you're there, but once you're done it feels really good.

Anyway, it took me a couple days, and a claw for a hand by the end, but it's done! With only one little blip... At one point, when I was painting the side of the door molding, I was trying to get up in a little crevice, and ended up unknowingly leaning up against the other molding that I had just painted. I had a stripe of white paint from my shoulder allllllll the way down to my hip. I wish I had taken a picture! Oh well.

All of my furniture and stuff was stashed in the guest room while I was painting, and it was a mess. I don't like messes...

The wall color I used was Behr Silver Screen. It has a little bit of blue undertones, which I love. The trim was just some off the shelf white semi-gloss. One day I'll even hang stuff on the walls. Maybe.

Charlotte digs it :-)

Bedroom Progress

So I've been working on painting the bedroom all weekend, minus yesterday afternoon when I went to a machine quilting class. I did two coats on the walls (to cover the pink!) and today I did the trim.

Here is a picture I took Saturday evening after the first coat.

Finally Feeling at Home

I've lived in my house for almost 11 months. It's taken a long time for me to feel like it's really mine, to feel comfortable here. That is because my mom was diagnosed 4 days after I closed, so I never got that "honeymoon" period with the house. In fact, I was pretty resentful for a long time that I was "stuck" here, and  didn't have the freedom to leave Richmond.

This house reminds me of Mom being sick, of our last family Christmas party where she had started to lose her hair and her voice.

It reminds me of coming back after she had died, to get clothes for the funeral, and sitting on the couch with the lights off, feeling desperately alone.

It reminds me of everything I won't have a chance to tell her, or ask her, or share with her.

While she was sick, and for a long time after she died, I went home (to my family's house) every chance I could, every day off from work. The last couple months I've actually started really spending time here. About a week ago, for the first time in forever it seems, it hit me that this is MY house, and it's a great house, and I was excited about it being my place.

I'm taking some vacation from work this week, and I decided that instead of going to the beach or whatever, I was going to stay HOME. In Richmond. And feel at home here. I'm actually in the process of painting my bedroom, which was supposed to happen within the first week I lived here. I'm taking ownership of my home, and making it mine.

So anyway, here are the before pictures!

As you can see, the color is awful. I'm surprised it hasn't driven me crazy yet, but I guess I've been distracted by bigger issues. Also, one day I will have real furniture. The bedside tables are the only furniture in the room that weren't free! Also, the curtains don't match and desperately need to be hemmed. At least I hung them in the first place! Those and the blinds are really all I've done to this room since I've moved in.

Stash Building

So I've been working on my stash building skills lately. I tend to have a problem buying fabric when I don't have a specific plan for it. Since I understand the importance of having fabric on hand for impromptu projects, and since I do a good percentage of my quilting in the middle of the night when the stores are closed, I've been making an effort to buy a little bit of fabric for a "rainy day".

Here are some of my recent spoils - these are from two of my LQSs, the prints I got just because, and the solids are actually for two projects that are still in the planning stages. I'm not working with patterns, so I'm learning as I go about pattern design.

These are from a new (to me) fabric store I found online, and the prices were so good, I ended up buying 7 yards for the same price 4 would have been at the store. Yay!

So pretty.

Sandy Frankenstorm

I grew up just a couple blocks from the water in Virginia, so I'm used to hurricanes and flooding and big storms. So moving to Richmond a few years ago it was interesting to see how other people prepare. Luckily for us, the storm has moved on up the coast, and left us with little more than some heavy rain. Good sleeping/sewing weather!

I was a little worried that the creek behind my house would fatten up some, but it looks ok. I didn't even lose power! Thank goodness!

My thoughts and prayers are with those who live up north! I hope everyone is safe and dry!

Charlotte

My kid is so cute I can't think straight.

"Studio" Take Two

So I actually put forth the effort of taking pictures of the sewing room with a real camera, and here are the results -

Here is the sewing table - the cabinet on the left holds fabric, patterns, etc.

I made the design wall with some batting, binder clips, and command strips! And I was too excited to hang it to take the time to press it...

The cutting table and some of the stash. Please ignore the junk under the table. One day I will go through that...

The pegboard!! My fave! :-)

Gratuitous stash shot :-)