Mike surprised me on Labor Day by suggesting we drive to Ikea to pick up this computer workstation I’ve been drooling over for the past couple of years with no intention whatsoever of using it for our computer. Mike says it’s my anniversary and Christmas present – meeting anniversary (this month), not wedding anniversary. Aren’t I lucky to have a husband who celebrates two anniversaries every year? =)
I’m hoping this will be my solution to sewing without having children climb on the table. I can lock the machines in the cabinet by putting a child lock on the doors, and I finally have somewhere to store my fabric, which actually mostly consists of clothing I’ve collected from family members who humor my questionably sane desire to repurpose all old clothing into new things.
I can’t call the cabinet thrifty, but my sewing stash is, and this is the best solution I’ve come up with for having a (child-proof!) sewing corner in a limited-space home (although I lived in a few apartments before moving here that didn’t have space for this corner). I’m especially proud of it because, although Mykel built the main frame for me, I managed to put on and adjust the doors and hinges all by myself – with all three children “helping”.
As for the giveaway, I’m offering a crayon roll like these to whoever can guess what the first present Mike ever gave me was. If you wish to earn entertainment points, give some ideas as to how he chose your guess of a gift for this girl he was “not dating”, only spending every spare moment with. If you have a preference for crayon roll colors, put that in your comment and I’ll match them if I have those colors in my felt stash.
If nobody guesses correctly, the winner will be chosen randomly – unless someone leaves me a particularly entertaining guess, in which case I reserve the right to subjectively choose them. If more than one person guesses correctly I’ll choose a winner randomly from the correct guesses (unless one correct guess was particularly entertaining, in which case they may win instead).
This giveaway is open worldwide; just expect your prize to take a while to arrive if you live very far away. If you know this story and want to enter the giveaway, make a suggestion as to what it could have been instead (fitting within the limits of my hints).
I’ll give you a few hints: it was very practical, relatively thrifty, very G-rated, and immensely useful. And last I heard, it was in the possession of a graduate student whose name I no longer remember.
This giveaway ends at 9am Eastern time on Friday, September 18th (the actual meeting anniversary).
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
I have something from IKEA that nearly looks the same and it is MY AREA; but it is in use for laptops when needed and it is not only for sewing. The day will come. I knew I could find some good orginazatioonel ideas on your blog! :) Thanks, Mary Anne!
I'm guessing he didn't buy you a crayon roll ;) Was it flowers?
That looks like a great idea for your sewing station!
I have no idea what your hubby bought you but i'll take a random guess… a tv? =) I'm no good at these guessing games! =)
missylovsjesus at yahoo dot com
Im guessing it was a DATE planner, as he wasn't really Dating you ….tee hee birdson@roadrunner.com
I'm thinking his first gift to you was a really sturdy backpack. Maybe he saw you lugging your books around in (ultra thrifty) grocery sacks and could stand it no longer, so he picked up a thrift store bargain that matched your beautiful eyes. :) Not that he was really noticing them at that point or anything… :)
I'm guessing on a digital planner/palm pilot. Possibly a used one, since that would make it thriftier.
i am thinking he gave you a prefilled address book, because you two really weren't dating and you might need it to call up a potential boyfriend… i would choose a lovely pink and purple crayon roll if i happen to have the most entertaining answer. thanks! clallen at ntin dot net
That looks like a great storage solution! I just got a desk at Ikea for my sewing machines too.
I can't, for the life of me, think of what he might have gotten you. Perhaps a lap desk?
Whatever is Mike's guess is my guess, too. :)
Seriously, it's the sewing machine.
Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com
http://www.mikeleonen.com
Twitter: AboutParenting
Maybe the first present was the engagement ring? Eh??
onlycancan ta hotmail tod com
Your sewing stuff looks great in that computer desk! :)
oh my that is really nice for all your sewing stuff. What a nice husband. Our "meeting" anniversary is this month too!
Hmmm…well, there is a story behind it. What could that be? I'm guessing this was eventful…that he gave you something that would give clues that he liked you. Ah, but I have no clue what…so how about he baked you a giant cookie that said "Go out with me" (or something similar)
ecaria at hotmail dot com
Hmmm, I have no idea, but I can't wait to find out. :)
I'm afraid I don't have any guesses, but I just wanted to say that I also love my IKEA storage solution for crafts. We have a dish buffet with a locked bottom portion. Once we moved to our new place, we had enough storage in our cupboards for all our dishes, so I took over the buffet with all my scrapbooking supplies. I have LOVED having secure storage that the kids can't get into.
Hmm, I will say a box of crayons. Maybe he wanted you to revisit your childhood? Now at least you know how to make rolls for them!
I think it was something small – for some reason thinking more of a measuring tape or something else related to sewing :)
I am guessing it was a book. Maybe a dictionary or something. Mike maybe said, In this book lies every word except, for the word that describes how much you mean to me."
But the way you are asking makes it sound like the gift was really odd, like a toaster. And he said, "Things are getting toasty with us."
Congrats either way on the new sewing nook.
I think that it was somethingfrom the"men playground" like saw or drill nwith feminin touch (pinkmaybe ;))
Wow! I'm not good at guessing games. :-) Could it be a…oh, I don't know! The only thing I'm coming up with is sewing machine and it has already been guessed!
By the way, I answered your question about the books on my blog.
I am guessing a book, maybe a cookbook.
Ok, so I have really no idea but a calculator fits all of those criteria…and a grad student might need it to learn how to be thrifty (i.e. price comparisons)
What a great idea for a sewing corner! You did a great job assembling it too – from the looks of it!
If I win, anything "girly" would be appriciated. Thanks!
PS Your post reminds me of a story about my father in law and mother in law. They met when they were working at a company together. Maybe you need to know my father in law for it to be a funny story, but he tends to fix things with rubber bands and paper clips, frequents second hand shops, etc. Anyway, the story goes that they started dating after he fixed my mother in law's shoe with a stapler (the bow had fallen off).
Hmm, I thought sewing machine too, although that would be an amazing gift for a man to choose ever, let alone when you're not dating (maybe you had a rip in your jeans?). I think I'm going to go with him giving you an old pair of his jeans as my official guess. Love the cabinet! Great idea. I can remember eyeing those awhile back when we were in an apartment without enough room for it too.
I'm guessing it was a sewing machine. (Is that too much for someone you're "not dating"?) If I win my girls would love a pink crayon roll.
I am guessing a pen or a towel (maybe you were at the beach?) Things you would give a friend, not a girlfriend. And by the way, great idea for the computer hutch! Good way to keep little ones safe from the sewing machines and the sewing machines safe from the little ones! ;-)