In my own little corner in my own little world...

Can't you just hear Cinderella, in Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical version, singing "In my own little corner, in my own little chair"... as you see my colorful new pink broom and orange dust mop next to my A1 Quilter's apron so beautifully hiding the obvious (a roll of batting!) Guess I sorta feel like Cinderella - just looked it up on google to find out how to spell R&H and wikipedia says "the title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed into a remarkable fortune"

Well, that's a tad drastic, even for me...but I can relate to her sweeping up (grin) as I've been trying to dig out from all the remodeling. And I can relate to circumstances being changed .... but certainly not suddenly (as remodeling has taken its tole) but remarkable none the less.

So here's my progress thus far...and it really is just one little corner in my own little world...the other corners of the room haven't come together yet (grin).

This is the longarm side of the newly remodeled studio. Bare in mind, I do have two longarms now, but only my faithful original A1 has it's corner all nice and neat and ready to get back to work.

The above view is to the left as you look into my room. The couch at the far left of the photo is located in front of my exterior window and separates my two longarms. As fore-mentioned, the area housing the new A1 isn't ready for public viewing just yet... nor the view if you were looking right as you darkened the door to the studio - that's the sewing side and it's in despairing need of organization...a story waiting to be told. Sigh.

In the meantime, wanna take a look behind my longarm?

How do you like my shocking pink floor? Can you see the raspberry trim peaking out? Unfortunately there's not enough of it showing in my room after all the hard labor of painting it... I just have so much stuff lining the walls. Ah, but I know it's there and I like it. Matches my basket....my inspiration for my wild coloring.

And behind the curtain (quilt)?

Some of my fabric stash as well as drawers holding customer quilts. My original intent was to just drape a quilt across the top to make a counter area for my things, then decided that it was a good way to show off another shop sample - this one is called The Goose Flew East and was made after we sold our goose-neck trailer years ago after coming off the road as national special events operators (we sold Ben & Jerry's, Nestle, Dove, and Lemon Chill at places like Kentucky Derby, Indy 500, Oshkosh Airshow, Houston Rodeo, NASCAR and such)....so good memories....but the real reason it was chosen was (1) because it fit and (2) because it shows an example of all over/edge to edge quilting proving once again that not every quilt needs to be custom quilted.

So, is the remodeling over you ask? Yes and no. The contractors have finished their part, now we are doing the final painting of cabinets and the tedious task of moving things back in. Never in my born days did I realize just how much my passion of quilting had accumulated so many much needed items! Fabric here, books there, various tools, batting (oh my the batting! and it comes in so many varieties! 80/20, 100%, wool, bamboo, poly, soy...) There's a lot of sorting and putting up to be done and it's not a quick task. But yes, the hired help has completed their portion...

This project hasn't been without some calamity. In previous posts I've shared about the accidental unplugging of the freezer, or should I say the accidental I forgot to REplug the freezer event....well, add to our version of the Hee-haw song "if it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all"...

On Saturday a week ago the workers finished installing the flooring in the newly enclosed laundry room....on Sunday I washed a load of clothes, noting that the hot water didn't work, so just simply switched to cold until hubby could take a look at it...with all the things going on it slipped my mind...fast forward to Wednesday a week ago today....what's that smell in the man cave? No one else seemed to smell it...fast forward again to Friday night trying to have dinner and a movie in the man cave...yep, now it was no question about it. Something stunk...and it wasn't Pixxie's bed (which had been moved in there due to the living room being taken over by all the POD items)....poor Pixxie, being so displaced for so long.

Long story short, we discovered the carpet under the couch was wet. Yep, the man cave shares the same wall with the laundry room and seems the hot water that wasn't working was indeed leaking, a slow steady leak for almost a week...

Fortunately, it's only a small area, but it did require removing the padding and drying out. It's still waiting its turn to be replaced...oh so many things to do! We've started calling this the Money Pit....will we ever have all the rooms back to normal again? Sigh.

In my own little corner in my own little room... One corner at a time. It will get there. And it's going to be great!

But I have trusted in Thy mercy;

my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.

I will SING unto the Lord,

because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13:5-6

Two P's in a POD

Only two P's?

Hum...recently I think I've experienced a lot of P's...Plans, Phases, Passion, Patience (or lack of), Persistence, Perseverance, Progress....and a little Pleasurable Playfulness along the Path...although that wasn't a true Picnic....

What in the world am I rambling about now? What is the Purpose of today's blog and why Prolong the suspense?

Well, in Part it has to do with my Passion of quilting and taking advantage of an opportunity to increase the Perimeter for this Pleasing Pastime of mine... and it all began with the Pursuing of the re-Placement of our roof instead of the Previous Patching Performed Post Ike (Hurricane 2008)....

Yes, by the Provision of the good Lord we now have a roof over our heads that no longer leaks. This was Phase One of our Plans... (And because I hear your cry of please I will slow down the P's, well, maybe).

Phase Two (sorry, don't know another word to substitute for phase...well, I could have used development or episode, but I like the word phase...) Uh, hum. Phase Two of our repairs would be to replace the ceiling in the living area and the studio that had been damaged due to the leaky roof....but Phase Two got interrupted by my Perception that now would be a good time to enlarge my territory...so Phase Two got Pushed back to Phase Three...How's that for a Prologue.

You see, my Plans have been in the dream stage for a long time now to remove a Partition behind my studio that separated it from the "laundry room" and back door....a good sized room.

All that was Preventing me from this additional growth for my quilting Passion was this one wall...
Disclaimer: you have to realize that these Photos on either side of the wall were taken in Progress, Prior to removal of the wall but after the removal of lots and lots of stuff. Imagine that junk drawer of yours, you know, the one where everything gets dumped in when you don't know what to do with it? Now imagine an 8 x 20 junk room and you've got the Picture! Disclaimer Number Two: none (I repeat NONE) of the things stored in this area could be considered Junk - more like displaced items that need a home (or should I say Proper Placement).

Okay, back to my Jericho wall....you know, the one that needed to come tumbling down... Well that wall also had a closet attached, so that came down first...

Okay, clarification here, those buckets aren't dye buckets as someone asked (a logical question considering I'm a quilter)...they are buckets full of wheat kernels - the type that one would grind up to make whole wheat bread. In my earlier life I was the Little Red Hen and baked 40 loaves of bread every Thursday for a health food store...but that's a whole 'nuther story. These buckets have been moved more times than we'd care to confess since those days and now that they are exposed to the light of day I hope to once again bake bread, only not on a large scale, just for family and close friends...

Once the Paneling was removed from the laundry room side of the wall it was revealed that it was a true Jericho wall and would need lots of Persistent Pounding for it to come down! This house was built around 1968, with our Purchasing it in 2005 (found another P!!!!). Obviously it was well built - ship lap (or tongue and groove - a nice word Picture) makes for one strong wall! Something to be thankful for during storm season, but not during remodeling...

I thought you'd enjoy my Preparedness. I Purposefully Protected my longarms from any Possible Pieces of rubble or dust from the Project...

Oh, and for the record of this Proclamation, here's the Profile of the laundry room area showing my Procrastination of Pursuing a Palatable Practice of Provision for order.

Ah, sometimes it's best to fall back and Punt...we called in Professional Participants and that wall came out without Protest!

As did the Partition around the water heater, which Presented a Problem and Propelled us along yet another Path Pushing back Phase Three to Phase Four, or Perhaps from a different Perspective, Phase Two became an upgrade now known as Phase Two Point Five (2.5 for those I've Perplexed with my Prolific Publishing of P words).

Yes, it was Prudent that we not Play around with the Possibility of the Past Passable leak becoming Problematic in the Perceivable future, so in Popped a new water heater in the middle of our best laid Plans.

Now isn't this a nice Perspective, Progress at it's best. Phase 2 and 2.5 are near Perfection. I can begin to visualize the Possibilities of this Portion of the Project and it's most Pleasing.

With the wall removed the Preparation for Phase Three must be carefully Planned...the replacement of the ceiling tiles...

Oh! Stop the Press, I forgot! It's time to Primer and Paint over that Preposterous Paneling that has Plagued me for years! Phase 2.9 Perhaps?

Here's a Peak. Although in some light the walls have a Pinkish cast, they are really a Pale Purple... Purple Mist according to the Paint Pail.

Have you been Perplexed and Puzzled over the POD at the Preface of this Post? Well, here's the Proof that it has a Part in this Play by Play ramble of our remodeling...

I could write a Preamble and a Point by Point outline on "How to move your studio and living area into a 16 foot POD" but I am too Pooped just recalling the Procession of Packing my Provisions into such a tiny Pocket.

All this must go into that? I Pondered...

We Poked and Prodded and Pushed ....
As we Painstakingly Packed with Persistence (and Perspiration!) Do you see my Palm tree, my longarm heads and my sewing machines? These are a few of my Precious Possessions (but not to be confused with my Purpose for living).

After a Period of time, which seemed like a Perpetual Parade to the POD, the Prep work was done, leaving only a few Precarious items Present in the rooms.

Pursuant to Professional Prodding I Painstakingly covered the longarm table, thread cabinets, and sleeper sofa in Plastic to Prevent dust from Permeating in areas that I don't wish to be Polluted.

Preparation for Phase Three Performed. Time for some Postponed Pleasure, the Perks of Persevering .... a walk in the Park and the Pursuit of high Priority Purchases (new jeans)....

The calm before the storm.

Little did I Perceive the upcoming Postponement....I was Prepared, but the Procession was Prolonged...An emotional day full of Pouting, as I was Perturbed at the delay and Pestered everyone I knew with my Problem...a day that would have been better spent in Prayer for Patience...I've since repented.

Today was a new day! Full of grace and mercy. While my faithful Pup Pixxie and I set up Peripheral Provisions in the back yard under the Tiki Hut (to not Put out the workers or be in the way of Production), the Process has begun - the removal of the old ceiling!

With Piles to Prove it!

My Perspective has improved, I know it's a long Path on this Phase Three....and that I'm sure to be Perplexed at times. (and Pester my friends)...but I'm too Pooped to Ponder those Possibilities. I think it's time to call out for a Pizza!

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version, ©2011)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.