Wool Bean Bags Are Back!

These colorful and softly felted wool bean bags are a favorite plaything in our household.  Mostly because they are one of the few things the kids can toss around the house without being scolded.

Our bean bags have become towers, cities, roads, and even been planted as farm crops!

....or, perhaps a rain shower?

organizing the little things

Here are some clever decluttering solutions for your workspace using things you might just already have in your kitchen.

Wire baskets from ikea are great for ribbon storage.   

Spice jars  and canning jars from Crate and Barrel are wonderful for storing all those little buttons and findings.  

Mason jars are perfect for organizing all those writing utensils.

A magnetic knife bar affixed to the end of a cutting table is works nicely for all those frequently used tools.  

the little hem design studio is relocating!

We are trading in our seacoast studio for the lakes and mountains!

What's the best part about moving?  Organizing!  The thought of having a clean canvas to set up a design space is thrilling!  Our new studio will have a lot more natural light and space in which to work. I love colors.  They make me happy.  I wanted the studio to have a white backdrop and let the materials shine brightly in this new space.  

There is nothing I dislike more than cleaning. Fortunately, I have a special someone who loves it. On the other hand I absolutely love organizing.  Despite his constant argument that there is no difference between the two, cleaning and organizing are not the same.  The abundant coffee stains on my desk don't even garner a second thought, but a green colored pencil mixed in with the blues, or a hole puncher in the scissor container will send me in a tailspin.

I love repurposing everyday objects as fun ways to organize.   Here I used a kitchen cart to store fabric bolts and the drawers are great for hiding those small things like tape, glue, and small tools.  I've organized my colored pencils by color in small mason jars and placed them in a store display that I got from a local shop that sadly closed its doors. Working with fabric and knowing how a little piece can go a long way, I have a hard time parting with scraps. However, scraps can easily become the messiest part of a sewing studio and these wood bins are great for separating the types of fabric scraps by material for future use.

Storing patterns is also a challenge and if not done neatly, it can get ugly.  Therefore, I don't get too creative and simply hang my patterns on pattern hooks separated by size dividers.  Some people will organize patterns by the pattern itself and include all the graded sizes together.  I like to organize my patterns by size because I find it easier to locate.  Drafted patterns and any instructions are place neatly in a binder.     

I'm so excited to finally have a workspace big enough to house all of my sewing machines.  Ikea has a great table top that is 24" x 79" which is a perfect sewing surface since you don't need that much depth for a sewing machine and gives you extra length for all your machines or added space for cutting.  TIP: Don't forget to check Ikea's As-Is room.  I was lucky enough to find these table tops for $10 a piece!