Out With The Old

I've taken advantage of extra time at home this year to declutter a bunch of things. Knicknacks, clothes and shoes I won't wear, outdated décor, and stuff we don't use any more are out of here. I've learned that I don't really need so much to be happy. Simplicity is my goal. The house is lighter and local thrift stores are fuller.

During a sewing room closet cleanup, I discovered this quilt top from 2015. I had put it aside, anticipating that I would add more strips or a large border. I thought about it, but I decided that it looks fine as is.  And now it's finished, ready to be gifted!

Out With The Old is made from 3” strips left over from other projects. This one was rotary cut since I didn't have Accuquilt yet. I used a cream and tan medium floral print for backing and binding on this 45” x 47” lap throw. Quilting with tan thread, I started in the center, sewing a straight stitch on either side of the seams.

I have determined that I don't really like unfinished objects (UFO's) laying around my sewing room. They make me feel stressed, end up stacked in my way or forgotten on a shelf. I enjoy my work better if I sew one project at a time. Everything stays neater: it's rarely perfect, but it is functional.

There are two more found UFO's awaiting my attention, but they've been added to my “In Progress” list. I do like to cut one or two quilts ahead of time, but I keep them corralled in labeled bins on one shelf under my cutting table. I design constantly so hundreds of ideas are stored on my computer. I guess I'll never make them all, but I will most assuredly try my best. It's what makes me happiest.  

Curate your space

to make room for

your happiness

On Every Corner

A new year and a new decade has arrived! Like most folks, I like to do a reset in January. Wrap up year end items. Clear out clutter. Consider what's next, what makes me happy. For me, a fresh start is energizing.

Today's quilt, On Every Corner, is one I finished just before Christmas. Green, cream, navy, and rust prints were cut into strips and squares and arranged in a diagonal pattern. I worked up the design in EQ8 software before cutting with AccuQuilt.

Fabric for the backing and binding is a grayish tan cobblestone print. I quilted with tan thread, using a straight stitch along the seams, keeping the diagonal lines toward the center. These calming colors would be right at home in a mountain cabin, don't you think?

What's next for me isn't difficult to figure out...I already have a huge list of quilts to make. Modern, vintage style, large and small. My sewing room is clean and organized. The only thing now is to decide which one to cut first.

Accuquilt dies used:

3 ½” x 6 ½” rectangle 55005

3 ½” square 55006

Pursuit of happiness =

more fabric,

more quilts,

more time in my sewing room

Make It So

2019 is just about here.  

Time for reflection, recharging, and resolutions.

Toss what's not important.

Embrace your favorite things.  

This is the beginning of anything you want.

Honey, I Broke The Closet!

I knew I owned lots of clothes...but I never realized how many until one of my closet rods broke!

One night we heard a crash and couldn't find anything that fell until later when I opened my closet door. WOW. A two inch hardwood rod had split in the center and pulled down the bracket that held it. Good grief, do ya think I need to get rid of some things? There were more than a few laughs about just how many outfits a retired woman needs.

When we got back from the beach last week, I started purging clothes based on what I wear now. I did this several years ago at retirement, but  I bought more and apparently don't get rid of much. To be fair, some of the extra clothes were my mom's. This time I have four huge bags for donation. I also sorted the guest room closet, which stores my off season things.

My sweet husband and I have installed a new closet system with a few custom modifications (stronger this time!). I love the look. Hopefully now I can keep organized and contain my addicting clothing habits. A photo of the broken rod might be all I need to stay on track. 

 

And, yes, I was too embarrassed to shop for clothing on Black Friday.

Flat Horizontal Surfaces

Why do my tables, benches, and countertops attract stuff? It seems like I'm always clearing off the coffee table, kitchen and bath counters, desks, dressers, and, oh Lord, my sewing tables!

I'm a visual person and I love having pretty things around me. But I really like them neat and organized. I try to put items away after I use them, but, on the other hand, I want frequently used objects at my fingertips. Hmmm. Maybe too many projects at once? Or just too much furniture?

And, is a dust magnet somehow imbedded into all these flat surfaces? Hey, I have an idea...I'll put little dust mitts on Callie cat! She is clearly attracted to tables.

Y'all have a good week. I'll be dusting, tossing clutter, and making the counters shine.

Clutter

is nothing more than

postponed decisions.

– Barbara Hemphill

From Another Point Of View

Last week we had almost six inches of rain in an hour. Our basement ended up with over an inch of water on one side. We spent four hours with two shop vacs, pulled up sopping carpet and moved shelves out of the way. It's finally dried out, thank goodness.

A crisis can make you look at things from another point of view. It certainly made us ask some questions: Weren't we going to clean up down here last winter? Why in the world do we have so much stuff in the basement? Did we really need to keep that? Why was this cardboard box on the floor?

Live and learn. It's not like we are hoarders. Well, maybe we do hang on to a few potentially useful objects “just in case” or for future projects. Most of those were on shelves. At least we didn't put back as much as we took out. Decisions are easier to make when the consequences are fresh in your mind. If we didn't even remember having it, we surely don't need it now.

Looking at the bright side, nothing important was lost. The basement floor has been mopped and there's no more carpet. We vacuumed behind shelves and under the stairs. We have fewer items down there and a plan to eliminate more. 

I like this point of view.

You Know It's Spring When...

you just have to air out your house

drive with your windows down

hang the sheets outside in the breeze

then the sneezing begins

those pretty Bradford pears bloom

(and begin to stink)

the grass is suddenly a brilliant green

(mowing isn't far behind)

you see people wearing shorts with a sweater

or other unfortunate revealing combinations

because one day it's 80 degrees, the next day there's frost

so you keep flipping between heat and AC

you have an uncontrollable urge to:

clean out your closet

pack away coats, boots, and dark colors

wear something cheerfully bright

redecorate, lighten up and toss clutter

buy tulips for your kitchen table

clean off the porch, then just sit for a while

listen to the birds sweet song

bite the head off a chocolate Easter bunny

get up and walk off those winter pounds

let the sun shine on your face

explore the garden center

and so on...

Just pick something and do it. Enjoy Spring!

Sewing...and More

Lately I've been spending my spare time doing what I love...sewing! After my last project, I freshened up my work space, put away scrap pieces, cleaned the machine and changed needles. Beginning a new project in an organized space helps me engage more creative brain cells. Several more designs are already awaiting my attention. I'm looking forward to a retreat to my own sewing room several times a week. It may be cheaper than therapy.

Once I finished in the sewing room, I focused my efforts on the kitchen pantry. New shelf liner and a couple of graduated racks for canned goods make it look nicer. Labels keep things organized and easy to find. Soon, I'll work my way through the rest of the cabinets—laundry room, bathrooms, hall closet, office—to sort and purge.

What's the upside to all this organizing? I'll have more time to spend living life, doing what I enjoy!

Useful Notion: Being organized isn't about getting rid of everything you own or trying to become a different person; it's about living the way you want to live, but better. ~Andrew Mellen

Pulling, Cutting, And Tossing

That pretty much describes last week at our little hacienda. We pulled weeds, and in this heat I'm wondering why we still live on five acres. We cut back shrubs and tree limbs that have been growing like crazy. And of course, we mowed grass. A condo started to sound pretty good once the heat index crept up to 108.

I'm just thankful that out in the country no one cares if your yard isn't perfectly landscaped. I was reminded why we enjoy living here when I saw a little fawn walking down our driveway. What a cutie, or at least I thought so until he made a beeline for his lunch buffet...my morning glories!

A rainy day was spent clearing out two hall closets and bathroom cabinets, tossing stuff that we don't need anymore. I've learned that simpler is better, so I was ruthless in my purging. I tossed a big bag of trash, and have a nice load ready to take for donation.

City Blocks

After all that manual labor, I took a day off to design and sew a quilted tote. I started with a pack of five inch dotted squares and cut borders and lining from a multicolored striped material.  The result is City Blocks, a 17” x 15” bag perfect for a laptop, groceries, or library books. 

Several more designs are in my mind for this week. I've got to use up more of my stash before the next fabric sale begins.

“Tossing clutter is like pulling weeds.

You have to make space

for beautiful things to flourish.”

~Katie Scarlett

The Simple Summer List

Here's to a summer of simple pleasures! The important things in life take time, so make an effort to slow down, simplify, and make this summer easy, breezy and fun.

Do the fun stuff: Go out for ice cream or a root beer float. Take in a movie at the drive-in. Escape into an interesting novel. Drink sweet tea, margaritas, or ice cold beer on your porch. Plan a road trip to explore someplace new. Count fireflies. Go to a dark spot and stargaze.

Lose the clutter: Less is better and easier to keep clean. Put away knick-knacks and heavy accessories for the uncluttered feel of a vacation retreat. Swap out dark colors for pure white, light sage, luscious melon, watery aqua, beachy blue, or pale gray.

Lighten up meals: Use the grill or crockpot often to keep the kitchen clean and cool. Seasonal veggies and fruits are plentiful and inexpensive for refreshing salads and side dishes.

Get back to basics: A simple summer wardrobe of lightweight pants, shorts, sundresses, tees, and camp shirts with sneakers or sandals will keep you cool and make laundry day easier. Leave the fussy hairstyles and heavy makeup behind.

Forget multitasking: Immerse yourself in each activity. Observe your surroundings and become aware of your senses. Experience life fully. Don't plan every minute; live on island time and let each day unfold to see where it takes you.

“Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair...”

~ Susan Polis Schutz

“Summer, after all, is a time when wonderful things can happen to quiet people. For those few months, you’re not required to be who everyone thinks you are...”

~ Deb Coletti 

 

Refreshing Change: Sewing Room Update

Spring is here and I made good on my threat of moving furniture in the sewing room. I did it all by myself in an afternoon. I will admit to having felt slider feet on two tables and wheels on another. 

 

I put the sewing table back-to-back with the cutting table in the center of the room. I can walk all the way around with easy access to my wall mounted ironing board, design wall, and storage cabinets. This new island is directly under the ceiling fan/light for nearly perfect illumination. An Ott-Lite bulb in the swing arm fixture plus a small Ott-Lite lamp gives me more brightness at the sewing machine. 

  

My scrap basket organizer and two drawer units are tucked under the island, along with the serger, since I don't use it as often. A simple backless bar stool gives me a place to perch at the higher level cutting table. My desk and wicker chair now face a window beside the closet.

I really like this layout, plus moving things around provided an opportunity to clean and declutter. Things that don't belong somehow have a way of migrating into this room (I blame the cat), but I put them back where they belong. I have two large bags and a box of purged stuff in the car for donation, and I tossed some old magazines after cutting out a few dozen pages for my idea notebooks.

There's more organizing left, and I thought of several other storage ideas, but the room is more functional and less messy. It feels like a little retreat again, a refreshing place to escape, and it only took a day. I highly recommend moving furniture around and creating a new look for spring.

You never know what treasures you have, 

until you clean your room.

Cleaning is just putting stuff in less obvious places.

I can't clean my sewing room 

because I get distracted by the cool stuff I find.

Excellent Suggestion

A Clean Slate

It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do! I've been meaning to paint our living area and my little office (Earnhardt shrine) for a while now. I kept putting it off because I didn't want to deal with moving furniture and taking everything off the walls. Well, I finally got around to it last week. The soft grey is a perfect neutral background. I love the results, all clean and fresh and neat. Baseboards, floors, and shelves are shining. 

 

The best part is that I edited what went back into each space. Fewer knick-knacks and pictures give both rooms a peaceful feeling. No clutter. Believe it or not, I didn't rearrange the furniture, at least not until I get a new rug. I have a few boxes of Dale 3 collectibles stashed in the closet, and a load of other stuff headed for donation. 

 

It's energizing, creative, and satisfying to freshen up our home. A little paint doesn't cost much, but it does make a huge difference in appearance, attitude, and outlook.

Useful Notion: Fresh paint is like a brand new notebook, an empty shelf, or a new day. You get a new perspective and a choice of what you want to change. 

"You have a clean slate every day you wake up.  You have a chance every single morning to make that change and be the person you want to be.  You just have to decide to do it.  Decide today's the day.  Say it: This is going to be my day." --Brendan Burchard

Simply Easier

My focus on back to basics is well under way. It's refreshing to look at my home with a new perspective. While I go about my normal routines, I take a few extra minutes to find ways to simplify. If possible, I make changes immediately. More extensive ideas are put on my list to implement later.

This shelf was stored in my hall closet for a couple of years. I love it but didn't have a good place for it. Now it hangs above the dryer in my laundry room, holding blue Ball jars filled with laundry products. It's pretty, it's handy, and I don't have ugly plastic jugs on the dryer. Those are now hidden in the cabinets over the sink. Clear space for folding clothes, and it only took about ten minutes!

Speaking of clothes and shoes, I've been purging them as well. Two large bags are already gone and I have three more ready to haul to Goodwill. Fewer clothes means less closet clutter and time saved figuring out what to wear. And I don't need so many dresses or high heels any more.

The emphasis is currently on our bedroom since new carpet is on the horizon. We'll have to move everything; a real incentive to pare down what comes back into the room.

The process of streamlining is satisfying, so I'm in no particular hurry. Looking for ways to reduce clutter, finding hidden treasures, organizing and decorating are fun for me. Making life easier along the way is an added benefit.

Useful Notion

  

“Simplicity is making the journey of this life 

with just baggage enough.”

~ Charles Warner

Callie Cat watching the goings on in my sewing room
during the fabric sort last week

Out With The Old

I believe I've had enough of 2013. Yes, there were good times, fun, and happy days. But there was a lot more stress, sadness, and difficulty than usual for me this year. I am determined to put all that behind me; to move forward into 2014 with a clean slate.

To that end, I have been cleaning house, both physically and mentally. Cleaning and organizing my home puts me in a positive frame of mind. I function better and feel more motivated when things are in order. Purging things I no longer use or need gives me room to enjoy those that I love. Eliminating clutter frees up time and space.

Tossing out old thoughts and negativity clears my head and opens up space for happiness and peace of mind. I'm keeping the lessons learned but losing the difficult experiences. I'm hanging on to happy memories but letting go of sadness. I'm steering away from negative people and moving toward those who make my life better. I'm purging old habits, excuses, and time wasters, so that I can be free to explore new paths.

These last few days of 2013 are for clearing out the old, so I'll have space for what comes in 2014.  Here's hoping for a Happy New Year full of joy and laughter!

“Life is overflowing with the new. But it is necessary to empty out the old to make room for the new to enter.”  -- Eileen Caddy

January Kick-Starts My Creative Mind

Carnival

My brain has been in overdrive lately, coming up with ideas for new craft projects. I've made lists, notes, and sketches for clothing, quilts, bags, sweaters, and home decor. Everything I see triggers another brainstorm and my magazines are full of sticky notes. Sewing and crocheting relax me (except when I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea). I love the creativity of designing, the fun of choosing colors and supplies, and the satisfaction of completing an item that someone will use.

During the holidays I crocheted a simple vest that I named Carnival, and made a simple knit top to match it. Last week I finished a new granny square vest called Teal Then. I didn't have a pattern, just started crocheting and designed it as I worked. With the warm weather we've been having in Tennessee, I hope I get to wear them more than once or twice. 

Teal Then

January also makes me want to clean, get rid of clutter, and organize. It must be all those magazine articles, or possibly a side effect of taking down Christmas decorations. Whatever the reason, the result is a neater house. And I find things I knew were here somewhere. So far I've tackled two closets, the pantry, the laundry room and several drawers. In the sewing room, I put away bits and pieces from end of year projects, filed magazines, and sorted fabric. I'm sure a trip to the Goodwill donation drop-off is in my future.

Oh, and yesterday I sewed a cute black and hot pink wallet for my mama.

“A design isn't finished until somebody is using it.” --Brenda Laurel

"Anyone who has ever cleaned out a closet and taken stuff to Goodwill knows how liberating it is.  You feel lighter, your mind feels clearer." --Cecile Andrews

Let Go To Make Room

Toss these things:

• Old ideas
• Distractions
• Difficult people
• Guilt
• Perfection
• Negative energy
• Clutter
• Others' expectations

to make room for these:

• New possibilities
• Simplicity
• Calm focus
• Increased creativity
• Happiness
• Renewed passion
• Serenity
• Positive momentum
• Personal satisfaction

Let go of something now to make space for new and amazing possibilities.

“We must learn to let go as easily as we grasp
or we will find our hands full and our minds empty.” ~ Leo Buscaglia

Squirrels, Pack Rats, and Other Pests

Have you seen evidence of them lately?  For the most part, they live along the fringes of society, but it is not uncommon for a family of them to move into a home. These pests can bring a great deal of trouble and are difficult to remove if allowed to settle in. They can be quite vocal, annoying and boisterous. Most can cause substantial damage to your home if allowed to remain there unattended.

Squirrel nests are messy, cluttered, and usually dirty. The animals are very persistent, invasive, and destructive. They expect others to tolerate and even welcome their presence. They can be aggressive if threatened and are flexible opportunists. If a squirrel has taken up residence in your home or attic, the only practical way to remove them is by trapping or professional removal.

Pack rats collect, claim and hoard materials in order to decorate their nests. A peculiar characteristic of a pack rat: if they find something they want, they will drop what they are currently carrying, and "trade" it for the new item. (They take your stuff and claim it as their own.) They are particularly fond of shiny objects and old junk. The critters consistently move their treasures around, rearranging and perhaps hiding them within their nest, but they never really get rid of anything.

Some of these pests are nocturnal, poking around your house during the night looking for food and leaving a mess in their wake. A few are active during the day in human dwellings, frequenting closets, pantries, bedrooms, attics and basements. They expand their living area to fit whatever space they can find, becoming territorial after they take possession.

Beware the squirrel and pack rat. Recognize the signs so you can get rid of them as soon as possible.

“You can't be friends with a squirrel! A squirrel is just a rat with a cuter outfit.”

– Sarah Jessica Parker