People ask me all the time...

How it is that I manage the responsibilities of a large family and running my own business.

Most of the time, I skirt the question with a smile or say something like "yeah, I am busy alright..."

Truth be told, I have an amazing husband who has always supported my dreams, including motherhood and entrepreneurship. Aside from that, I am influenced by a host of internal and external factors. At the forefront of which I would say is an autonomous spirit and the current instability of our economy. Said spouse, is an airline pilot, who at the present moment is doing his best to enjoy what he likes to call ITR (involuntarily temporary retirement), more commonly known as unemployment.

So, how do I do it? Pockets of time---that’s the key to my success. My day is comprised of brief segments of productivity. A lot can be accomplished in 30 minutes or less!

Busting at the seams...again!

When my husband and I established Watermelon Wishes, in January 2006, our dining room served as the company headquarters. Within six months, bolts of fabric, batting and notions were stacked upon the table and chairs and the room resembled a mini factory. Consequently, we made the decision, to convert the guest room into a sewing studio which has served us quite well. Since that time, we and Watermelon Wishes have been blessed with continual growth and are pleased to find ourselves once again “busting at the seams.”

After much debate, as to whether or not we would move the company out of the house, we decided to remodel the basement instead. Albeit tempting, the benefits of working at home outweighed the grandeur of the quaint second floor Main Street studio we had in mind.

The renovations are underway and it is my intention to post regular updates here. Upon completion, the new space will offer us 360 square feet with designated areas for cutting, layout, sewing and shipping; in addition to ample storage for our beloved collection of fabric, notions and supplies.

Week 1: Formerly an enormous play room, the first task was to purge and organize the toys which would no longer occupy the space and the adjacent storage room. This is something I like to do at least once a year anyways but nevertheless an overwhelming job which takes several days to complete. In total, four loads of furniture, toys and clothing were donated to the Salvation Army.

Week 2, 3 and 4: We moved the remaining contents to one side of the room and my husband commenced to painting (I am forbidden to paint…lots of funny stories there; but I’ll have to share another time.) Still in progress, this part of the project is taking much longer than we had hoped because the paint fumes are downright noxious to me and obviously aren’t good for baby to breathe either. So, he has to paint when “babes” and I are elsewhere.

Nevertheless, progress is being made. The ceiling has received a fresh crisp coat of ultra white paint and the drab yellow that once covered the walls has been updated with a beautiful shade of blue which reminds me of the tropical waters of Megan’s Bay in St. Thomas. This color (Sherwin Williams Georgian Revival Blue SW 7609) is going to look amazing with the white plank floors we’ve selected!

Week 5: This week my husband is finishing painting the trim and doors. That should be complete by mid week and then we can install the floors. I am so excited to see how the floors are going to look. Last night, I took the opportunity to define each function of the room. I want to be certain not to buy too much furniture and at the same time I need each "station" to be 100% functional. Currently, the lack of layout/cutting space is our primary issue. In the new studio, we will have 4 large tables: 1 to cut, 1 to sew, 1 to layout and 1 to ship.

Week 6: Finally! This is when it all comes together. My husband finished the painting early in the week and my son helped him install the floor Friday. On Saturday, the girls came with us to Ikea to shop for furniture. The next two days were spent assembling furniture and moving in. All hands were on deck.

Week 7: I have been working in the new space for 3 days now and I love it! (See photos below) It is so nice to have the space to tackle multiple projects at one time. I especially appreciate the over sized counter height cutting table. The independent sewing stations offer space for my machine and serger while offering storage for finished projects and my ever growing fabric stash. In a nutshell, the new studio has exceeded all of my expectations. Here is a great big THANK YOU to my husband and children for taking the time to help me create a wonderful space. I love you!

Tools of the Trade

I love the notion of re purposing classic household items, such as this laundry drying rack (left), for use within my sewing room. By utilizing my vertical space, I am able to layout several orders at one time. Heavy duty plastic clothes pins serve as dividers for straps and key fobs. Bolts of fabric are suspended on the wall (top right) via inverted pot lid organizers. An inexpensive solution which allows for maximum ventilation and accessibility.