under the magnolia tree

This is what I've been up to around here.  Embroidering, well, monogramming just about everything.  I discovered that I could actually afford my own embroidery machine by reading about a fellow blogger's new embroidery machine.  I quickly pieced together all the money I could find.  I consigned a lot of the kids clothes and even sold gold jewelry from an old boyfriend!  I was so excited for it to arrive.

When I realized that I would now have TWO machines to find a place for I knew I was going to have to move into the guest room.  It worked out beautifully.  We kept the bed in there, unloaded the china cabinet of its linens and used it as a sewing cabinet.  We brought up our old kitchen table and chairs.  We moved the dresser into the closet and cleared out that closet which made a fine home for all of my fabrics.  We even moved the chaise lounge that was in Magnolia's room into this room.  We then brought a lot of toys up to the kids rooms to give them more enticement to play up there while I worked.  Now when they call for me I just tell them I'm in my "studio" which they are quick to tell me is not a studio because I'm not an artist.  Humph.

It's a sunny and warm room, the walls are a sort of blue/gray and I just love being in there.  I have found myself working hard everyday to get things done just to buy some time to be up there, monogramming, plotting, designing.  What a creative outlet for me!  I just love it.  My mom said it perfectly, "every woman needs a man cave."

To mark the creation of my "studio," I had a play date up there where I monogrammed a few things for my friends.  I am hoping over time I will get a good following of customers.  I think the word will spread quickly, there isn't a place I know of that monograms around here.  Until then, I have a lot of practicing to do and I'm certainly learning as I go.  This is only a small sampling of what I've done.  I would love to show you more but my camera just broke.  Off to get that fixed tomorrow.  :(