Before and After Sewing Room

My sewing room is in the front porch of my house. Which is awesome most of the year and freezing cold in the winter. I sew in the kitchen from November - March. In the winter it becomes the catch all room and then every spring I clean it up so I can sew in there again. Summer of 2013 I finally organized it so it looks awesome and I can find everything - well most things if I am honest! I love it! Winter 2014 has been extremely cold and I can hardly wait to get out of the kitchen and back into my sewing room in March.

BEFORE

 

   The Rocking Chair sat in the corner of the kitchen in Westwood Cottage.  Altough difficult to see the table is a drop leaf table that Grandma and Grandpa refinished.  It sat in their porch covered in plants etc.

 

 

 

 



      

                   Gotta  love IKEA storage. The picnic baskets belonged to my Great Aunt - Alveretta Pansy (her real name) Grandma's Sister.

Hats that both of my Grandmothers wore, framed hankies, Grandma's jars full of buttons and old sewing baskets.

 

Hand crank Singer sewing machine and antique sewing basket.

 



It's all in the Words!

In Westwood Cottage this cross stitch picture hung on the wall near the stove.  Grandma stitched it on linen and framed it herself.  I had it re-framed and now it hangs in my kitchen along with the cross stitch picture I made for my kitchen.  I remember her saying to me "I'm not dull!" and she was right!  I am reminded of her everyday when I look at the picture and the lovely times we had in Westwood Cottage.


Grandma Westwood's Cross Stitich



Joanne's Cross Stitch



Before and After Bathroom

Nearly eight years ago we moved into our house that was built in 1890.  The previous owner went sponge painting mad and we are still changing it.  This time it was the downstairs powder room. 

                                                             BEFORE
 

Almost forgot to take a before picture!  Lifting peel and stick fake parkay look floor, old oak look vanity, brass 3 bulb light, grungy taps due to previously rusty water supply, and. . . . . .

The Sponge Painted Ceiling!



AFTER

We painted the walls and ceiling a grey blue (polar drift) colour and the cabinets blue cascade.  Replaced the floor, hardware on cabinets,  light, mirror, taps and towel bars etc.  It is really, really nice.

And we finished it off with the "storage wars" picture on the wall.  The picture came from a hotel and was left in a storage unit.  We helped to clean it out and brought the picture home.  George, took it apart, fixed the mat and painted the brassy gold frame black.  It fits the room perfectly and gives it a mediteranean feel.  And of course no room is finished until it has headless Roman statues in it!

Before and After- Upcycling Vintage Linens

For the past 6 years our "Parlour" has looked like this.  Nice but dark.  So a few weeks ago I decided to make some changes.  With $26 and and some help from my vintage linen collection here are the results.  Looks pretty good - lighter, brighter and less masculine. It was nice to be designing again and to let creativity do its magic.  Hmmm I wonder which room will be next!

This picture shows the table runner I hand fringed and two of my pottery projects.  I hand sewed the vintage doilies onto the pillows.  Vintage linens have a story to tell.

                                                           Two of my husbands paintings on the walls.