Practicing what I preach

What can I say? The Happiness Journal is working WITH me, and well, I'm HAPPY!! Look what I read last night. 

Quote from the Happiness Project

After the day I had, this was the absolute truth. I was in my glory as I tidied. I also got some day job work done and am SUPER excited about the results. I made progress on the writing - all is good. 

Remember what I've been "preaching" about getting the monkeys off your back? Well, it's one thing to keep telling you that; it's another to get some monkeys off my back. 

Probably a month ago, when I had a spurt of interest in clearing the office, I put several things on the kitchen table/counter (room to work) and left them there. I worked my way through them, but one thing remained. 

It was taking up a lot of room on the kitchen island, and well ---today (yesterday) was the day to get that done. It's a picture frame that I no longer wanted. I wanted what was IN the picture frame, but I no longer needed it framed. 

I had to get a screwdriver to open the frame. 

Performing surgery on a picture frame

The picture had been professionally framed, so I had to remove the tape from the matboard. 

The frame disassembled

Then, the next thing I knew, the pictures were swapped out, and the frame was back together. 

The swap is done!

This was the art (spray paint) I had purchased many years ago in Vancouver. It's very cool, but I no longer want it. I have a picture and the memory - I do NOT need the actual item. The matboard size and color matched it perfectly. Seriously? I procrastinated on that job, which took about 20 minutes. 

The spray paint artwork in the frame

WHY or why do we let stuff hang around? What about the artwork I removed? Well, I was going to use it in journal making, but it's sort of laminated (it's the front page of The Montreal Gazette on the day I was born - not that I was born in Montreal!). The best thing to do is photocopy it and distress the pages. So I have to think about that for a while, and it's now in the scrapbooking area. I'll ask my journal-making expert what she thinks. 

Once that was done, I was off to do some errands. I had a 10 KM loop - Chapters, Petsmart, Value Village (to drop off the frame and a donation box), and Harvey's for takeout lunch. 

I didn't stop long in any one place as the little guy was with me, and I had a specific list. I was home in a little over one hour. When I got home, I emptied the car - I HATE leaving stuff in the car. And it all got dumped on my nice, clear kitchen table. 

The results of my shopping trip

And more stuff got dumped onto the cutting table. 

The cutting table

I got the kitchen table more or less cleared off. It's super easy to put things away when they have a home. Actually, I cleaned everything off of it except the EXIT Game, which stays. 

The cutting table was also cleaned off, but no picture of that. Then, it was round two for the kitchen table. I looked at stuff in the front hall that should be put away or dealt with. And that got put on the table. I went to Diane's to pick up the last quilts and scraps from her, which also got added to the table. 

Round two for the kitchen table

And now this is what the table looks like this morning. I have two new pairs of sandals I'm trying to give away, but I must make arrangements to visit someone. The slippers are still in my possession and two newspaper articles that I read last night, but I need to do some research for my Dad, so they got moved to the office. 

The kitchen table is almost clear

And as easy as that - the kitchen table and counters are now clear. The more you keep these things clear and DEAL with the stuff, the easier it is to keep them clear. If the things you buy have a home, there shouldn't be any clutter.  

I'm getting so much better at this. I'd go out and buy stuff, and it would never see the light of day. It would get winged onto the office or basement floor, and years later, I was still opening bags. That will NEVER happen again. How silly of me to do that. 

Here are the last three quilt tops from Diane. They have been added to the pile, and I will get there one day. That day just isn't now. 

The LAST three quilt tops from Diane

Here's something else to consider when putting things away or tidying up. PACKAGING!!! I bought a brayer a while back, and it got tucked into the digital cutter supply drawer. Well, I needed that brayer yesterday, so I opened the box. Good grief -- what a HUGE box for a little tool. The packaging is GONE! The brayer is in the tool drawer. 

A lot of packaging for a little brayer

I went to find a zipper pull repair kit for a sweatshirt, and YES, they have them at Fabricland. When I went into the store, I had left my phone in the car, so there are no pictures. But they no longer sell rayon thread that we would use for satin stitching or machine embroidery! I guess they never sold much of it, but they have expanded the number of colors for polyester and cotton Guterman thread, which is good. I wasn't looking to purchase a rayon thread but had been alerted by Ronda. So I made a point of looking when I was there. 

I wouldn't mind getting some more colors of cotton thread, but I do NOT have room to store anymore at this point, so I'll have to wait until I empty a spool or two. Gosh -- I'm so disciplined, I'm scaring myself. I was so focused and worked SMART, not hard yesterday, that I'm truly scaring myself!  

But I happened to glance in the knitting section and found these yarn needles, which I was looking for. I'm a little peeved because when I got home and looked at the packaging, there were supposed to be THREE needles in there, and one is missing. The item is too small to return. If I were within walking distance, I might, but get in the car and make a special trip? The item cost me less than $4.00. 

New yarn needles with a loop at the end

The missing one is probably thicker and longer, and these are just fine for what I need. It was the last package on the shelf. Yes -- just did some research and the missing one is thicker and longer. I don't need it. 

Three sizes of yarn needles with loops

I will say that the "experiment" I did yesterday for my day job? Well, I'm jumping up and down! What I created is EXACTLY what I want, and it stitched out perfectly (OK -- there is one small glitch, which I'll try to fix before I go forward, but you would never know as it's in the stitching process), and all the tools and supplies worked like a charm! 

It's amazing when you take the time to learn your tools and are not afraid to experiment. The more you do, the faster and easier it becomes. Remember that 10,000 hours thing!!! That was a "kill two birds with one stone" project, and I'm thrilled. I double-dip whenever I can! And since almost all I do involves a sewing machine, embroidery software, or other software, it's easy to double-dip! 

I've got a busy day ahead of me as I edit one more blog post and get to work on the project for the final day. I'm almost there! 

OH -- here's something for you to read and download. There is a new download of some of the articles for QUILTsocial. You MUST download this one. I have several articles in it, including Quilting with your serger (get a preview of my upcoming Facebook live on February 21), PLUS other GREAT articles about using a serger/cover stitch machine and another series on using a sit-down quilting machine, and much more. It's a good issue -- read it online or download it!!

I shoveled the driveway TWICE yesterday, neither time took long and thankfully I did it twice. I expect many people didn't bother since it's going to be mild, but who wants to walk in SLUSH? I even shoveled the sidewalk (twice) for the house two doors down from me, as no one lives in the house, and no one shovels the sidewalk. Little Bear and I like to keep our feet dry if we can! 

This morning the driveway is clear of the little bits of snow leftover from shoveling, which is good. I need new rainboots and will arrange to see if I can swap my sandals for rainboots today! It's going to be super wet for the next couple of weeks, so I'm going to need them. 

On that note, it's time to get the day started. I'm off to spin class and then loads to get done in the house. I don't think any tidying will happen -- WAIT --- there's isn't much to tidy outside of the office! Yeah me!! I LOVE this new way of working. Gosh, I wish I had "learned" these habits years ago because I wouldn't be "wasting" my time now tidying. I could be sewing or reading or whatever. Sadly, I didn't. However, it means that I can spend the next 30 or 40 years of my life not having to declutter (just do a quick daily tidy), and I just found a whole pile of FREE time!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!