Saturday, March 6, 2010

~*Studio Progress?*~

Hello Dear Friends & Happy Weekend to ya! Many of you may find this shocking, but we back to working on my wanna~be~studio! YIPPEE!

We have lived in this home for 3 1/2 years. Part of why I wanted this home was because of the old, abandoned farmhouse located on the property... just across the driveway. I knew instantly that I wanted it as my playhouse... aka my studio.

The old farmhouse needs lots of attention & repair... but the roof doesn't leak and the walls are stable. It doesn't have any plumbing and the electricity needs replaced... but we said we could make~do on a small budget.

The house does have tons of natural light ~ lots of big windows and high ceilings. While the house is only three rooms, they are large and roomy. Personally, I think the house is darling & can feel inspiration running through my veins when I'm in it... even in the disastrous state it is in.

Over the past few years, we have done some work on it... but it has been in small spurts & still has many things needing care and re~done. We painted the outside a barn red, Tony built a darling porch on the front, and we have torn out the old bathroom. (There is no plumbing left in the house because of all the frozen pipes over the years. The busted pipes won't be replaced & really don't need to be because the house is only across the driveway... we can head home if nature calls.)

We stopped working on it when we discovered the root cellar was full of water. YIKES! Then, over the winter, our four outdoor kitties have been living in there... sleeping snugly under a heat lamp to stay warm.

Well, last week while in Lenexa, the topic of my studio came up. Ginger asked how it was coming along. I explained to her that we haven't done anything in it forever & that I was very discouraged. She told me about a studio she had several years ago in a building behind her home. Well, after talking with Ginger, PatiJane, Sandra, and my sweet SIL Robin... the excitement of the studio has returned! So today I went back to work!

The cats were moved to Tony's remote control car building, hair and liter were vacuumed and cleaned, and wallpaper removal was begun in the center room. Tomorrow we may head to the home store to pick up some sheet rock for the main room. As for the root cellar... well, we are still debating what direction to take with that. (either fill it in or get a sump pump... my desire is to fill it in, but we will have to see what we can afford to do)

It doesn't look like much now, but I'm seeing lightly, textured walls painted a soft, neutral shade... to hang cross stitched samplers. The floors will also be painted with a rich~looking porch paint... a place to set out those primitive, hand hooked rugs. In those big rooms will be auction~find furniture... that may also be refurbished with a lil' paint or stain. Of course, I'll have to have a few comfy chairs to sit & work in... for myself and visitors. The herb garden has been planted by the front porch... so cuttings will be displayed for aroma and beauty throughout... making it a cozy lil' playhouse/studio. Dreaming is a good thing!





Wishing you all warm smiles... and a big THANK YOU to Ginger, PatiJane, Sandra, and Robin for igniting the motivational fire to get back to work on my dream!

Betty

31 comments:

  1. That is a lot of work, but you will be so happy when it is done. It will be so nice to have your own space.

    Debbie

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  2. I wouldn't mind having a little place like that. I'd even be satisfied with one room and a porch with a roof to shade it!
    Happy stitching.

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  3. What fun for you! I love Lenexa--it's a great place.
    I live there so I guess I can say that huh?

    Have fun and a great weekend.

    Melinda

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  4. Good for you! I am sure you will reach that dream and be glad for it!

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  5. You've got your work cut out for you Betty but from your dream I can just picture it too!!! I hope it becomes a reality for you very soon.

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  6. Oh it all sounds so fabulous. How wonderful to be able to do that. I look forward to seeing your progress.

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  7. What a project! I'd love to have a project like that! You are so lucky that it is on the property and you can do it at your pace! It will be fun to see your progress!

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  8. good luck! i would love to have such a building on my property.

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  9. That is so neat, I can't wait to see the completed room and I know you can't wait either:)

    Rondell

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  10. Oh Betty! It's going to be some good labor, but your clear vision and dream will get it to prim cozy perfection! I can already picture all that you have planned! With the weather getting warmer and sunnier... the energy you need will arrive! :-)

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  11. Oh Betty,
    This is SO exciting! It's fun to find people who can see beyond what a house IS to what it can BE....can't wait to watch your progress....just seeing it in progress makes me giddy!

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  12. Yes! Dreaming is a good thing! I have my own dream of a little studio/shop! I'm looking forward to seeing yours all done...I know it will be awesome!

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  13. Betty, sounds like you have the perfect place to create. I know it will be cozy and comfortable. Your dream just makes me want to come over and hook...OK, help too! Best wishes and I know all of your hard work will pay off!

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  14. I am so excited for you! I would love to have space like that. One thing I would recommend though: Think about a septic tank or something to get a working bathroom. My mother has a studio in her backyard sans bathroom, and it is not so easy to deal with. We wish she had put a bathroom in. It would have given us so much more flexibility. Just my unsolicited two cents worth. Karmen

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  15. Oh what fun!!! Much work but fun work (in my opinion). Good luck to you and I will send you strangth vibes!!

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  16. How exciting to have your dreams revitalized! Lots and lots of HARD work, but the results will be amazing. Please keep us posted!

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  17. How lucky to have such a place to work on and do anything you want to make it your own. Can't wait to see the progress, know it will be hard work but think of what you will have when you are all done and sitting in a cozy place working on some of your favorite things.

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  18. Oh...don't abandon your dreams....I have been there and you will regret it!!! What fun you will have with your little cozy spot...stand strong. Dianntha

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  19. Oh Betty I'm so envious! I love it!
    I love old houses. Before I moved here I lived in an old house and there's nothing like it. Now, there's always something that needs fixing but it's worth it.
    I wish I had my old house back actually.
    You do have alot of light in there and it looks like those are hardwood floors. In my old house I was amazed at how much just getting someone to buff it. I would think about that, it's not expensive and then just put some clear coat on it. If you paint it it's alot of upkeep and it covers that beautiful old wood.
    I'm happy for you!

    Jennifer
    Feathers in the Nest

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  20. I would love to have an entire room for crafts! I'm stuck to corners in the dining room or family room. When you finish, you could have your own open house/shows.
    Laura

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  21. Oh this is going to be wonderful when it is finished! Looking forward to following your progress!

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  22. Wow, you have your work cut out for you. I am sure that it will look beautiful when you finish. I hope that you continue to post pictures as you go along.

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  23. Lots of work ahead, but with your talent, your creativeness, and those little touches you do so well, it will be a place of prim perfection. A warm and darling place to create until your hearts content!

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  24. That is so much work, but the results are going to be so wonderful. You will have to take pictures along the way so that we can see if from start to finish!

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  25. I know just how you feel about waiting on a studio.We have been talking about mine for about 3 years. Hubby did get a few things done before it got cold but then it stopped.Maybe we should have the "race of the studio". I will put some pics of mine on my blog soon.

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  26. Oh I'm so glad your back to working on your lil' house. Keep plugging away on it and soon you'll be relaxing in a chair stitching away and enjoying all the walls covered in cross-stitched, hooked rugs, and needle punches.

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  27. How exciting Betty! The wood floors that I see in the second pic look in really good shape... are you going to re-finish them?

    We live in a century home, so I know all the work that goes into fixing it up. It is worth it all in the end. Have fun! :^)

    Tracey

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  28. I can already see the finish...wish I was there to help! It would be ready in no time. Work in the studio and lemonade on the porch...fun.

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  29. Oh Betty. I am so glad you have started back working on your studio. It looks like it will be a great place to create. Keep up the work. It will be well worth it when it is all done.

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  30. Wonderful and so exciting. I hope you will keep us posted on progress. This would be such fun to have.

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  31. That is about the COOLEST studio ever! I lived in an old farmhouse once and I loved it! I can't wait to see this one all finished with samplers and hooked rugs. Oh, I wanna come help! :-)

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