It's time to get organized!

It's that time of the year. Everyone (except DH) makes resolutions. OK - not everyone. I don't really make resolutions either. But I make goals. Goals are way easier to reach because there's a definite end to them. I was digging through some paperwork and found some resolutions (goals) from a while back and I'll share them with you another day. Very interesting!

But one of my challenges is that I have a lot of stuff. Is it too much? Probably, but my mindset is that if I have the room to store it, then I have the right to own it. But if it's not neat and tidy, it becomes an eyesore and hard to manage. I've made leaps and bounds in the studio over the past couple of years. I would say that for the most part, things are where they should be and I can easily find pretty much anything. There's still work to be done but the more projects that I finish and NOT start any new ones, then the outflow is greater than the inflow and that's a positive.

On that front, I made HUGE leaps and bounds this year. Despite everything that happened in the house yesterday (wait for it - it's HUGE), I did manage to get two more finishes done. I was aiming for three, but that didn't quite happen.

I got the binding on this 30's half log cabin quilt. And now it's in the pile of finished quilts. That's finish number 86 for the year.

Finish number 86 for the year

I also managed to get these small journal covers completed. They're from the same set of embroidery files as the medium ones I posted yesterday. They were designed specifically for SVP by Kimberbell Designs. I love the small ones - they're so adorable. I'm counting this as finish number 87 for the year. Kimberbell Designs Creative Journal Covers. Or if you don't have an embroidery machine, you can always buy one from me!!!!

Six mini journal covers

I was hoping to get more stuff completed yesterday, but there was just too much going on. I managed to get very close to 20,000 steps on my FitBit. I did walk to the library as I needed to transfer some files from a CD to a USB stick and return some books/magazines.

Paula came to cut M's hair. She's had long hair for years and decided that now is the time to let it go!!!!  It's not an easy decision. I'm sure that most of us were in that boat at some time.

M and her long hair

The first snips..............

ACK - there's your hair M!!!!

Lexi had to get in on the action to see what was happening. She, however, was NOT interested in a haircut.

Lexi watching the haircut action

This is the final pile of hair!!  That's a lot of hair! 

That's a lot of hair

I'm just realizing this morning that I did NOT get a picture of the new M. And it's a wee bit early, I don't think she would appreciate me waking her up to get a picture. There are photos on IG and Facebook I'm sure. Let me see if I can snag one.


Oh - here's one.

M's new do!

I know - you're thinking that was NOT enough to keep me away from the sewing machine. But wait - there's something HUGE that happened downstairs. Let's take a peek. I'm so flipping exciting, I was like an adult in a calorie-free candy shop!!!!

For anyone who has been in the studio, you've probably noticed that there was an issue. A BIG issue and it involved this.

Books in front of the small bookcase

Books in front of the project shelf

Box of books hidden in a corner

Books on the newel post

And more books on the floor in front of the large bookcase

There were two other spots where books were residing in magazine holders or in a box. Let's just say that it was a major problem. You're not allowed to judge me. Yes - I have way too many books and magazines. I know I do. I have one weakness (OK I'm in denial - but just follow me here) and it's that I LOVE books. Whether it's to buy them, read them or just possess them. I have a definite weakness for books.

I must admit that I'm much more careful about what I buy these days, but I still buy, but not nearly as much as what I used to.

So there's a lot of books that will not fit on the already huge bookcase.  What to do? What to do??

Well, there's this big empty wall in the studio and I've been thinking of doing this for several years and decided to buckle down and make it happen.

Big empty wall

I had someone in a while back (before the fender bender) or I might not have gone ahead with it. Yesterday was delivery day. I moved everything out of the way.

Stuff is moved out of the way

And this is what was installed.

My new bookcase!!!!

Oh my - doesn't get your heart racing???  I could barely wait for them to leave.

Once they did leave, I had to decide how to tackle the mess and what to do with everything. I decided to tackle the magazines and started sorting them by title. Obviously, some of the titles are more popular than others.

Sorting the magazines

Remember - you are NOT allowed to judge. We each have our skeletons in the closet - this is mine.

Most of the magazines have been roughly sorted by title

Now there are many of those magazines that will be read and tossed. Some I might offer to someone else to read, but not many. There are some that I do want to keep, but I'll bet that there are lots that can go. I'll be devising a plan with the magazines as I go through that mess.

I did go through some older ones last night - I'm going to save that experience for another day. Oh yes - you get to share vicariously in my magazine fetish.

And now look at the place.  This is the big (now middle) bookcase. No books in front. I need to get rid of that blue tub in the corner. That's for later.

The middle bookcase is now easy to access all shelves

It's now easy to access all shelves on the project rack

No books in front of the small bookcase

No box of books to trip over by the cutting table

Anyway - I think you get the picture.  It does make that corner a wee bit smaller, but I'm sure we can all manage on a sit n sew day. I'm so excited and I have to make it a goal for this year to keep slogging at those magazines. I need to whittle the piles down.

There'll be lots of gaps in the large bookcase and I'm hoping to put some of the projects that I'm working on, on the shelves. I'm not there yet.

But it does mean that I need to find a place for these nine tubs of fabric. This is my Northcott stash. One bin for solids, a couple for blenders, etc. This is leftovers from projects (I've made a LOT of projects with Northcott fabric) and I don't want to get rid of it because I'm still working with them a lot and need it to make projects. I use a lot of it for my QUILTsocial posts as well. I do have an idea where the tubs can go. But that's going to have to wait for another day.

Nine buckets of fabric stash that need a new home

It's all about taking one step at a time and making it look good while I'm at it.

The table tops are covered with stuff, but that's stuff that I hope to get cleared up by the end of the year. Well - and my samples that need to be made for upcoming classes. Oh yes - there's never a dull moment or lack of something to do at my house!!!



I hope you get a chance to do some purging, sorting, organizing as we move forward into the new year. There's nothing like having a clean slate of some sort to work with. Goals are important as well so if you haven't started to set goals - set them!!!!

Don't forget that we have the Facebook group - Motivational Monday.  It's been great to have a like-minded group of people who are focused on finishing UFOs. This group gets stuff DONE!!!  If you're interested in joining, head on over to Facebook and make a request to join.


On that note, I'm out of here for today.

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!