My OMG for June wass to pack up the craft room in the de Jong Dream House If you haven't seen it in it's glory, you can take a tour here.
Depending on how you look at it, my June One Monthly Goal was either really easy or really hard. It was easy in the sense that all I had to do was sit back and watch the movers pack up the craft room in my beloved de Jong Dream House. But realistically, it was really hard because change is hard. Whether or not you choose it or are chosen for it, change is a disruption to normal. Living with a brain injury, for me, means that routine and organization are necessary for me to function reasonably well. Moving is chaos, and I don't function well in chaos.
I mentioned in my original post that once we knew we were moving, my goal was to finish a specific few more quilts before moving day. I could not have cut it any closer!
In May, I was able to finish three quilts.
Big Lake Blooms was sent to my hometown in Minnesota for a fundraiser.
Theo's Milestone Quilt made it home to its new owner in time to commemorate his first month of life.
Omigolly Miss Jennifer went to our school secretary.
June is when things got hairy! I had one quilt left to finish, the school year was ending, and the movers were set to arrive a week earlier than we originally planned.
The night before the movers came, I had the top of Coded Thank You pinned and ready to quilt, and the binding prepared.
I should have saved myself some time and made a single print binding, but I was deep into my code theme and lots of little pieces to say "thank you" in Morse Code.
I woke up ridiculously early on moving day to start quilting.
By the time the moving truck arrived at 10, the quilting was mostly done. Much to Niels' chagrin, I would pack for 20 minutes, then quilt for 5 minutes. I really wanted to finish the quilt before moving because I knew it would take a few days (weeks? months?) before I would be settled enough to quilt in the new house.
We actually moved in two days. On the first day, we cleared out the second floor (bedroom and craft room) and lower level (so many books, and memory totes, and media!). The crew came back a week later to get everything that was left on the main level. So on this day, I was packing up the bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs, as well as my craft room during my intervals.
Fortunately, I keep most of my supplies in totes so I saved the crew time in having to wrap things up.
By the time the truck was filled and ready to make the first trip up to the Lake House, I had finished quilting.
By this point, the tough-looking movers were cheering me on. But they had a job to do. I was able to get my binding attached while they took the bowling alley top of my craft table.
While the guys wrestled with that beast, I used the unbored door that used to be the top of my craft table to clip and iron the binding.
When we returned for the second load, I ran upstairs to finish the binding while the crew removed items from my room.
It really came down to the wire.
The room was nearly empty by the time I finished.
My cheering section, aka the movers, volunteered to help take a "finished" picture.
And just like that, the craft room at the de Jong Dream House has become a bedroom in someone else's house.
We've been completely moved into the de Jong Lake House for ten days and it's still chaos. As expected, I have not done any sewing. I have been running on adrenaline for so long that my brain just gave up. So I've been doing a lot of sleeping and only a little bit of unpacking. Our new kitchen cabinets are installed, but we don't yet have appliances or counter tops. Our new family foyer has been painted and has flooring installed, but no cabinetry. So that means we have mudroom, laundry, pantry, and kitchen items in our bedroom, and our "kitchen" is a couple of portable tables with disposable dishes, a crock pot, and toaster. It's overwhelming but the end is in sight.
Also overwhelming is the current state of the new craft room, Vesper View Studio.
Maybe making sense of that mess will be my July OMG.
To see more pictures of my progress, check out #VesperViewStudio on Instagram. To see what I'm currently working on, follow me at deJongDreamHouse.
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Your new crafting room is going to be wonderful!!! Well done on getting your Thank You quilt finished...amazing what we can do when we have a HARD deadline!! It turned out fabulous!!!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more that change is hard. Self imposed or not! I cannot believe how determined you were to get the Coded quilt finished! Kudos to you and I hope you get some sort of settling in done very soon!
ReplyDeleteDang - you did cut that close! Enjoy the new space.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story of finishing your quit as the movers packed up around you! Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly goal.
ReplyDeleteWow!! I've missed a LOT since my last visit to your blog!!! Best of luck with finishing the remodel on your new Lake Hous
ReplyDeleteYou did it! So fun that the movers cheered you on.
ReplyDeleteOH My gosh!!! What fun - being cheered on as everyone is taking your stuff!! you do a lot better in chaos than you think - and the pressure. Hope you get rested and can unpack your new sewing room - it looks amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, you really did go to the very last minute! Your new craft room looks overwhelming right now. I'm not at all surprised that you have been sleeping a lot! I hope all the cabinetry and unfinished things are soon done and you can start to settle into routine again. Congratulations on finishing your June OMG.
ReplyDeleteYour new place is going to be beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI was truly amazed at how you snatched bits of time to continue your sewing DURING the move! Here's hoping your new set up is as lovely and functional as the one you are leaving.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, she persisted. Good for you. It's amazing how much you can get done in 10 and 15 minute snatches of time. The quilt is fabulous. Hope you can get your new studio straightened up so you can have some piecing "therapy."
ReplyDeleteWow! How cool to have everyone cheering you on as you rushed to finish that quilt. Your new house looks lovely and will soon be in order. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.
ReplyDeleteha ha I can only imagine how my spouse would be if I kept trying to sew and pack. WW3. lol. Good for you, and you did it! Yes, rest is important to recharge the brain. What a job moving is, even with movers to help. Your quilts are wonderful, btw.
ReplyDeleteI hope the settling in is going well and that you are recovering. It's a hard gig moving, I can't believe you stuck to finishing that quilt in amongst it!!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome job on completing your beautiful quilt, down to the wire! Finding a spot for one thing at a time, and one box at a time. You are doing a fantastic job!
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