Monday, October 10, 2011

October Status Update

One of my outfits this week. The jacket is purchased and the cream corduroy pants are Style Arc Linda pants.

Sewing Room Pictures - Before

I feel like I've been absent for awhile, though it's really been just over a week. What has been going on at Chez Shams:

  • I spent the entire weekend before last working on the house. Over the last couple years I have taken over the living room, dining room and kitchen with my sewing. Now that I have a real sewing room, it's time to move the sewing out of the rest of the house. So I spent time sorting, organizing, moving. Some things went into the sewing room, and some things into the basement (formerly my bedroom). This is a herculean task and I have cleaned out the kitchen, and most of the living room, but I still have a fair amount of work to do in the dining room. It's getting there.
  • Last week I went into work twice, for fun reasons. One day to play team-building bocce ball, and another day to have a team lunch with the uber boss (my boss's boss).
  • On Wednesday, DirecTv came and I now have TV in my sewing room! For me, this is an essential part of a sewing room. ;)
  • For some reason, I was reluctant to actually start sewing in the sewing room. To be honest, I think it's because I miss my kids. But I finally forced my way through that reluctance this weekend and made a bit more progress on the coat.
  • This weekend I had several activities, which also limited sewing time. I had an appointment involving DD2 on Saturday morning. On Sunday I went to the Picasso Exhibit at the De Young with friends (so much fun!), and then on Sunday evening DD2 and I had a movie date. We saw The Third Man (1949) at the Castro Theater. It's a wonderful Art Deco theater in the Castro district that shows old films. I had never seen this film before but really enjoyed seeing Joseph Cotten and the young Orson Wells. DD2 tells me she wants to learn swing dancing and she's taught herself to play the theme from the movie (which was quite famous) on her ukulele. Kids. ;)
  • I am now back to sewing in the evenings. I have decided to take time on the sewing room "fixup". There is no rush and, for now, I can keep cutting out in the dining room.

Sewing Room Pictures - Before

Here are some "before" pictures of the sewing room. I took these before DD1 started to move out. The room was not cleaned to take these pics. I'm glad I have these to remember what a neat room she had. :)

The door on the left exits the room - this kid has always had a passion for calendars and wanted 5 or 6 every Christmas - 4 for my house and a couple more for her dad's house. The mirrored door on the right is her closet, which is now full of my in-process pieces, overflow clothing, and some fabric that needs to be hung.

Her bed and stuffed chair. When she was young, there was a chiffon canopy over the bed, which hung from the ceiling. She took the mattress but left the bed frame and the chair behind.

The view from the door. I love love the windows, the light, and the trees. The best view in the house. It's so quiet and peaceful - you would never think you were in San Francisco.

Three females and one bathroom? I could see the writing on the wall and bought her this vanity and makeup stand at the age of 11. It saved a lot of bathroom arguments, believe me. She spent a lot of time at this table.

The crystal chandelier. I feared you might think it was some huge thing, but my ceilings aren't that high. For her, this was one of the most important features in the room, along with the colors. She really wanted yellow walls, a blue ceiling, and a green carpet. "Like nature." Well, she was 11. ;)

Her desk and armoire. I gave her the tall bookcase as a Christmas gift last year. She took it with her (rats). She left behind the desk and the armoire. The armoire is now full of fabric, patterns, notions. The picture on top of the armoire is my senior picture - I was 17. She took it with her. :)

She left behind her toe shoes. While she continues to dance recreationally, she is done with toe shoes. I took a few pictures and then threw them out.

This kid started dancing at the age of three. It is her passion. Before having her, I never knew much about ballet. I didn't like ballet. At all. But after all these years as a ballet mom, I do respect it. These dancers look fragile and dainty, but are tough as nails. Blood and sweat are their daily fare.

So, stay tuned. Over time, I will update with pictures as the sewing room develops.

22 comments:

  1. Oh, those ballet shoes. So much work and devotion in those pictures. Congrats on your new sewing space but wow, it's exhausting to do all that moving. Glad you had some fun breaks. We always loved a movie house in Petaluma that showed old movies.

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  2. What wonderful pictures you have to remember that special time in you and your daughter's life! You are right about taking your time to make the room yours because then it will have everything you need in it to create!

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  3. So poignant, these pictures...it really is a rite of passage for you, as well as for your kids. One of the compensating joys of a house to yourself is that you don't HAVE to make all the changes at once. Take your time and do a lot of what brings joy to you...

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  4. Hope you begin to enjoy the room now Shams. Its a lovely space and has lots of great karma :-)

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  5. It looks like such a happy room already. I hope you have fun making it a dedicated sewing room.
    My daughter is doing her last ballet exams this month. I have somehow convinced her not to continue assessed/performance ballet into yr 12 (final secondary school year). It takes so much time and hard work!(and is not her career interest).I appreciate ballet now, although I too had no interest in it before having a dancer in the family,having children does expand your life experience :).

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  6. #1 - Love that jacket/pants/shape on you! Based on this pic, it's such a good look!
    #2 - What a wonderful pictorial memory of 'the way it was'. I can see what a special daughter you have :)
    #3 - Awesome bedroom and uber-awesome sewing room-to-be! A whole wall of windows = sewing heaven!

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  7. Oh...forgot to say...I actually loved ballet as a kid - was on toe for I think 5 years (but it was strictly fun-work for me - I didn't have the body or the talent to go any further & I knew it). I appreciate dance of all kinds, still, but I have to say I'm happy to hear that she is choosing not to beat up her feet & body anymore; it really takes a toll. :(

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  8. Sounds like a big job - but a great one - wow - those ballet shoes - fabulous photo - they represent passion, commitment, dedication, hard work and joy! And your outfit looks fab too!

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  9. Funny how we transform our houses around the comings and goings of children. First the plastic - furniture, toys, plates and cups, then the teen stage - posters, mess, clothes then in the blink of an eye they find their own space and we are left to fill the void with our own interests and styles.

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  10. My goodness, what a lot of hard work. Love the picture of the toe shoes. I am always so curious about TV in the sewing room. I tend to plunk down and just watch a whole show, but have often wondered how it goes for people. Are you mostly just listening and sewing? Anyway, it's going to be a lovely space for your potent creativity. Can't wait to see the after pictures.

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  11. Wow, lots of ballet shoes!! Love the photos of the room. Enjoy your new sewing space.

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  12. You've been busy! Love all the pictures - what a great idea to take them before the "conversion". You will have a great sewing space. If you don't want to waste space on some kind of "bed conversion" piece, inflatable beds (whatever they are called) are surprisingly comfortable and easily stored.

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  13. Thanks for the tour and the great pics of the room and the shoes in particular. I was struck by your great moldings, the chandelier, and what apear to be higher than normal ceilings. You've got some great architectural potential here. And that window, yahoo! This can really be fabulous. I know its a lot of work and an ever evolving process. I am trying a redo on my cave and it does take time. That's good as I keep getting more ideas as time moves on. You will be so so satisfied and so ready to seriously sew once this is done.

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  14. I live with a man who collects, drops it in the house, and moves to the next project. The clutter is starting to impinge on my serenity. Time for me to follow your example with that stuff in the dining room. I love your windows.

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  15. The sewing room has great bones! And Direct TV! If you got a mini refrigerator and a tiny microwave you would be prepared for anything!

    Those pants look fabulous!

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  16. What a wonderful post and window into your world. I started bawling at the photo of the ballet slippers. You threw them out??? (Asks the queen of decluttering.)

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  17. Wow, what a week.! and the picture of the ballet shoes with their torn toes... I love the ballet, we are friends of the Ballet here and go to every performance. The athleticism combined with grace and beauty just gets to me every time. and I'll never tire of watching.
    And what a beautiful window...

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  18. Wow, what a wonderful story! I love your pants! Love your jacket. Your sewing room has a beautiful view. How blessed you are to live in San Francisco, it is the most wonderful city.

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  19. The pictures of the ballet shoes are classic. Well done! Thanks for sharing all these memories with us.

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  20. Okay, those ballet shoes are getting to everyone. Sob! I'm kinda surprised, Shams, that you didn't save them and turn them into a funky scarf - sorta like a fox stole - those things with heads and claws? Okay. I'm in a mood and I guess this post proves it.

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  21. I agree with Jilly Be: love the short jacket on you. Gives you a nice shape through your waist and hips.

    The ballet shoes nearly made me cry - happy memories, though. I danced, DD danced, we still have a yearly subscription to the ballet. It's a wonderful treat to share.

    Your room is going to be beautiful. Those windows are TDF, ditto the view. What a lovely space to work in!

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