Hiding something?

So I'm very keen on organization and since I have a very small space to work with I have to be pretty sly when it comes to storing everything. If you have a room like that, try this. I found and old orange tablecloth from the 70s and a funky orange and yellow valance from a thrift store last week. My husband gave me a funny look an asked,"what are you going to do with those?" Well I only spent $1.75 on the whole lot, so even if I didn't exactly know at that moment what it was intended for, it seemed worth it.
Well today I cut that table cloth in half longways,
sewed the raw edge to the top of the valance,
and sewed scratchy sided Velcro in 5 spots on the back.
I found some industrial sticky soft sided Velcro in my husbands studio and stuck it along the bar on the underside of my table (making sure that it was placed according to were the Velcro on the valance was),
then I stuck it on and ta da...
A nifty hiding place for stuff under my table!

Ahhh..now that's better!

Where It All Happens

I come from a big family of very creative people and the most important part for me when I'm creating, is the space I'm doing it in. Most crafter's have a work room, studio, or craft room, there's lots if names for it. But every one is an original and has a system, even if it's a messy one. This summer my dad and husband helped me make two big white shelves to add to my organization and I'm loving them! Whenever I'm not in the middle of a project I always try to keep that room neat and tidy, because I know that as soon as craftiness starts a tornado will appear and tear up the place. But in the middle of that process I know where things are and I can reach them quick. You know how our brains work faster than our hands, well that happens to be my downfall. I can think of too many options at once and if I don't try one right away then I lose then all. Anyway here's a peak at my space still in the aftermath of a project I finished last night.

I also wanted to share with you some things that have come out of that room over the past few years.

Easter egg bean bags I made for my students at school,

yo yo branches I added to spice up my curtains,

a funky glass framed mirror that my husband uses when I hog the bathroom,

My experiment with hand warmers last winter. Knitting is not a skill I have mastered yet.

An adorable wall hanging I made for my friends who got married last year.

My favorite non-seasonal wreath that can hang on the door all year,

and my trusty old patchwork sewing basket, that's actually new, I just liked making it look old!

There's a whole lot more to come.

Thanks for reading.

It's a good start

So here it is! The start of my giving ventures mixed with my new shop.  I have always loved making and giving my projects away, but now with a little encouragement from my husband I'm taking the entrepreneur step and selling a bit too. Hope you like all the fun things I've made for people I care about. Then you can have a look at things you can have too. www.littlebitsbyabbie.etsy.com

This lovely quilt was made for my sister who graduated with a Masters in Divinity at seminary this year. She and her husband travel the world as missionaries and I thought it would be wonderful for them to have a map they could record their travels on. It took me just as long to finish this one as it took my sister to finish school. Well lets just say God only took 6 days to make the world and with all the detailed cutting and applique it took me a little longer! It was worth it and I was thrilled that it turned out so well.