New space

YOU GUYS! I got a new studio space in downtown Ann Arbor!! I moved all my stuff in last Friday and have been gradually getting everything unpacked and put back together. How fun is this?? So let me give you the big tour: when you first walk in, you see this room (pardon the squalor...still unpacking!):

studio swatches

And then off of the big front room there are two smaller rooms, one where my sewing machines will live (last pic in this post), and the other where the computer-blogging-fabric design-photography stuff will live:

rae computer room

It is a bit weird to see my name on the door. I keep thinking, "IS THIS TOTALLY CRAZY?" but the thing is, nearly every successful endeavor I've had in my career as a professional blogger/designer-person has been rooted in some decision or idea that was totally spontaneous, and if "crazy" means I move forward, then I'm going to just take the leap and go for it. By contrast, it seems like when I premeditate or overthink things they always seem to backfire on me. Crazy is a good route for me, I think.

So what am I going to do here? I don't exactly know. I was thinking maybe I could hire an intern or something to press and fold all my fabric (KIDDING. Sort of)...but I need to really sit down and make a thorough list of things I need done to see if I could truly keep one person busy working for me here (Elli and Jess work remotely in Texas and Missouri, so waaaah, they won't be able to work with me unless they move, hint HINT). Karen's already promised she'll come and work here with me occasionally, so maybe I can get her to sew for me. And of course my Ann Arbor friends are welcome to stop by!!!

rae newsewing room

I have dreams of it being a place where I could have sewing socials or even teach the occasional sewing lesson, maybe even a class...I don't know, maybe host small events of some sort. But all that takes quite a lot of work, and because I'm already planning on teaching a few sewing classes at Pink Castle Fabrics at their NEW location here in Ann Arbor this year, the stuff I do here would be in addition to that. For now I'm happy having this be my work space.

Anyway, this is the "before" post. I'll make sure to show you more photos once I get it all souped up. Do you have any fun ideas for my little studio space? And who's up for coming to visit me in Ann Arbor?