In Which The Lass of All Trades becomes an Interior Designer...

The new year has not even begun and yet my work is very much cut out for me already! I have adopted a number of rehabilitation projects around the house, and I can't wait to begin! This will be my Course of Interior Design [on a budget) for the year, and I have many ideas. My sisters doubt my ability to pull it together, but I'm determined! Project No. 1 is....

The room over the garage. This past year it has been used in a number of manners, including miscellaneous storage, gift-wrapping area, catch-all, and Produce Refrigerator during the heat of the summer. (It has it's own a/c unit) Needless to say, it's needing major overhaul. The reason I adopted it? I plan to turn it into A Growlery of sorts--a sewing, crafting, girls' room that will be entirely for us! (when not in use as a refrigerator. :P) I have discovered that my favorite style of interior decorating, even more than Victorian, is Shabby Chic--sort of an antique, casualized version of French Provenance. :) Here is some Pinterest inspiration for the project:

Shabby-Chic gloriousness...

Must-haves. I am so going to copy this idea!

I adore those upper shelves! what a cool way to use a sloped roof!

Gotta love this chest of drawers! It'd be perfect for keeping fabric and odds and ends!

I am hoping to do something along the lines of this cute little garland in the room, somehow

My only nemesis(s) in this project is/are the problems of that room most likely needing to be used (at some level) for storage still, as well as the fact that the ceiling slopes at an angle, starting about waist-high, so vertical wall-space is limited. :)

The angle of the ceiling is very much like this, as well as the window at the end. :)

So that's the deal for the first project. Project No. 2? It has something to do with this:

An ancient Singer treadle-machine

Turning into something along these lines:

 Yes, I'm going to be converting the dead treadle-machine into a cute writing desk. (Dad's going to help me with that. :) So, what are your projects for the new year?

Entirely Swoon-worthy ;)

If I had all the time in the world, and nothing else on my plate, I'd turn Seamstress in a heartbeat. :) But that wouldn't fit too well with the whole "BBC" thing...there aren't any nursery rhymes about historical dress-makers, are there? ;) Here are some of my inspirations when I do follow the sewing bug...
The Story of a Seamstress - Atlanta's projects never cease to elicit admiring, envious, altogether-drooling sighs from me. This is historical sewing at it's prime.


A Needle Pulling Thread-- Because an afternoon in my dear friend Joanna's company is delightful, even when ripping seams. :)

Sewing in the Past-- Rebecca is just simply adorable, and she sews costumes for theaters and plays all that amazing jazz. :)

Interview with The Young Victoria costume designer, Sandy Powell --since I was all agog over the costumes in this movie, I was hopelessly enamored with this website.

This is a hilarious website, devoted to spying out "recycled" movie costumes! Gotta love it. :)

And my absolute favorite.... Cosprop! This is the Costume Warehouse in London where the BBC gets so many of its costumes for period dramas--in the gallery you can click around and see up-close photos of all the swoon-worthy costumes, including trims and embroideries, fabrics, and more!

Ahhhh....I am seriously thinking about making something elaborate as soon as I gather together enough money to buy material and trims and things.... :) I'd like to do a combination dress of these two:

The Rose and Gold gown from The Young Victoria....

And Belle's gown from Beauty and the Beast....I would just need to decide once and for all if I look good in yellow/gold, and then decide how to fix the dilemma of it's being off-the-shoulder....but aren't they lovely? :) What sewing projects are you working on?

Ah, yes, I could easily morph from baker to seamstress. ;)