Settling In : :

This week the big goal has been simply to settle in. Settle into the new studio space that I'm renting downtown, and even more, settle in to how this move changes the day to day I've know for the past fifteen years that I've been a stay at home mother. Home with my babies from the very beginning, every single day until teary-eyed I watched each of them begin kindergarten. Home for the sick days, holidays and Summer vacations. Home each day to take care of the daily chores of cleaning, dog walks, laundry, grocery shopping, dishes and meal prep all while building this fabric world around me. And so far I'm finding it a little difficult to get myself ready and out the door at a reasonable work hour. This is hard people! It has me wondering, and a little worried honestly, how does everything get done? Although this is what I've been working towards for so long now, that doesn't make these first weeks of settling in any easier. It's a big adjustment for all of us that I'm sure will be worth these new transition bumps. Truthfully, it wasn't until the other day after we had moved all of my fabric stash and rolls into the new studio that it really hit me that this is happening!







Once everything was moved over, right away I decided to split the room in two -- half for my work space and half for collection & sample displays. Once all of my fabrics were back in order on my new yellow shelf, I decided to recreate a mini version of my Soulful fabrics Quilt Market display! This is the first wall you see when you enter the studio. It's been so dark this week, but it gets great light on sunny days I promise. With each new collection it will be so much fun to swap out the display on this wall!







Since sharing the news, I've received so many encouraging comments and the excitement has been so nice! At times I have felt a little bit of pressure too, when I've read things like, Maureen is opening a local quilt shop or a fabric shop. In many ways I wish that were true, and it's entirely possible that this new journey will turn into those things. But for now, because of the big things like time and budget, I'm starting out with a studio just as I've had at our home for the last five years. Only now I have the space to grow this into something much bigger! I do know for sure that I want to create a community space for sewing and crafting get-togethers, where I can teach with room for selling ALL the things that I make with the fabrics I LOVE, specifically my own fabrics!



What's most exciting is that there's just so much possibly in this space, much more than I could've ever dreamt for in the space I had in our home. I want people to stop in to visit, to show me what they're working on and to see what I'm making. I want local fellow fabric lovers to see in real life the fabrics that I've designed. I want folks who have never sewn before to stop in and feel inspired to learn or maybe purchase something I've made with my fabrics!



Here and there throughout the last couple of years, I'd go on a little making spree for a holiday pop up shop that I always wanted to have but was never able to fully organize and make enough finished goods for. Well I started unpacking those finished items and gifts onto my shelves and it's exciting to see the beginnings of what a little shop area will look like!





Once I'm home from Quilt Market stocking these shelves will be priority #1! For the first time I'll have the room to make a dozen of a pillow design if I want, rather than just one to make and blog about! I can't wait to see how things change and what gets made in this space in the weeks ahead!

Thanks for joining me on this adventure!  xo Maureen