Over 2 Million Views! Unpacking plus Adding a Fireplace in the She Shed

Holy cow! I happened to glance at my stats today for this blog.

It just rolled over the

  two million mark 

for page views! 

I can't believe it. They are actually over 2 million times that you people wanted to see what I had to say???

I am humbled and grateful that you keep coming back to see what's going on with my fiber creations, check out my motorhome modifications, or see what we're doing with our house projects or grandchildren or pets.

I thank you all, everyone of you, for tuning in.

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I would also like to ask for prayers or kind thoughts of healing 

for a family member in the ICU today. 

All good wishes are appreciated.

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Now back to my catch up blog posts about the she shed room. I took some time off from posting blogs in October, so these are an effort to catch up to the point where we are now in present time.  (we are almost there!)

Yesterday's blog post was about putting all of the fixtures and cabinets etc in place.

Now it is time to start unloading the zillions and billions of boxes, I kid you not, that have been stacked up filling one entire stall of the big garage. Well, maybe I am exaggerating a little bit. Looking at the prizes in those boxes, my heart was bursting at the seams.  It was unpacking day!

As Steve hauled in the boxes, 

he re-claimed his space in the big 4 stall garage.

He made new shelves for other things that would 

remain stored in the garage for now. 

He suspended framework from the rafters and put on 4x8 sheathing for shelving. These are totes of other supplies, and our Christmas decor, camping gear, gardening items and extra "stuff" we don't need in the house or the she shed. 

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Back to my unpacking in the She Shed! 

Some of these things have not seen the light of day since I started packing them away in February, in an effort to get ahead on the packing before moving at the end of April.

Honestly, it was like greeting old friends again, opening up these boxes and taking out my tools. Seeing my weaving shuttles, unpacking my sewing supplies and finding my sockknitting machine gear coming out of the boxes.  It was a fond trip to reacquaint myself with my lovely toys.

As I unpacked each box, Steve carried the empties out and collapsed them down. We had a lady stopping by picking up our empty boxes for her own eventual move. She didn't mind that they were scribbled with things like weaving, spinning, knitting, quilting... lol

He would bring in five or six boxes at a time with the dolly cart and I would unpack. So many decisions to make at a time, figuring out what needed to go here and what needed to go where. Trying to find spots that made the most sense. Grouping things where I had weaving supplies in one area, quilting supplies in another excetera.

I started unpacking and carefully setting up my sewing machines. 

Even my grandmother's old Singer sewing machine made it in perfect condition. I'm happy to say that nothing was damaged during the move. Nor was anything lost or misplaced!

I started to fill my big bright room with fun toys! 

The big mid-arm quilting Janome machine was set into it's place of honor on the rails of the quilting frame. The carriage device is level and it is smoothly rolling back and forth without any need for adjustment or shimming of the frame. That is a testament to the careful laser leveling of the floor joists during our flooring installation! 

Two of my cherished Tools of the Trade table looms found a perfect location nestled in under the quilting frame until I need to weave on them.  They can then be clamped onto my white rolling bench that doubles as a coffee table over in the seating area. 

I gave that rolling bench a fresh coat of paint,

and it makes a great little coffee table 

or extra seating in the room.

Steve also helped to carry in the large cast iron back warping beam to the big rug loom. It takes two people to carry it in, and set it into place. Then I could reattach the treadles, the harnesses and slip the front reed into the beater. Back in February, I had carefully taken the loom apart and left this portion fully warped and threaded, then wrapped up as a big bundle in rag straps and plastic during the move.   Ahhhh all set up now and ready to weave! 

It was so much fun. I hope this is the LAST TIME that I ever have to pack and unpack my things. This is it. The final house!

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While I was doing that stuff, Steve started focusing on finishing another important feature in the room.

A week or so before, we had run up to Sturgeon Bay to check out a natural gas free-standing fireplace. It was in very nice clean condition, already had the auxiliary blower installed, and the seller was only asking $100. We didn't quibble, loaded it up, and took it home.

Steve had already pre piped in the gas line and checked for leaks before installation of the floor and sub floor. We knew right where this beautiful little fireplace was going. Centrally placed between both sets of French windows, we could view the flickering flames from just about anywhere in the room. We got it hooked up and tested again for leaks. Everything was safe and sound.

We do have ducted in central heat and air conditioning to the she shed.  This was an add on idea that we thought would be handy as well as cute. What a beautiful little stove to add a little extra warmth on a chilly morning or evenings while watching tv. It's thermostatically controlled along with a very quiet blower that kicks on and off. The pretty flames flickering up and around the ceramic logs has a very realistic look.

After owning three other homes with real wood burning fireplaces, we have decided that in our old age, we enjoy having the natural gas log type units instead. We had installed a natural gas fireplace in our last home in Chilton too.

No more scrambling for kindling, matches and paper to start the fire, cleaning out the ashes afterwards, worrying about downdrafts in the chimney blowing sparks into the room, not to mention having to cut and haul firewood anymore. Although I did enjoy the smell of wood burning over the years, since I injured my lungs a while back, it's harder to deal with smokey situations or strong odors.

Yep, a click of a switch 

and we are enjoying the flames 

and the warmth 

of a realistic-looking fire! 

The little white enamel coffee pot is for decor only.  It doesn't even get warm up there, but I liked how it looks so homey and sweet.

Combined with the ceiling fan up above blowing the air around, we noticed a lot of the heat goes right up into the open doorway into the rest of the house. I am sure it will assist with the winter heating up on the main floor as well.

While I was still getting acquainted with all of my fiber tools, fabric, yarns, and toys... it was taking me well into the night to sort and store and arrange each item. Steve made himself comfy with his feet up on the ottoman, in front of the new fireplace! 

(yes, those are HIS toes!)