Oh my—what happened to yesterday? And now a brand new week starts! Did I get any sewing done? None! And quilting? None!
So, while this decluttering is great, I have to learn to balance my time a bit, as I don't want to give up one for the other!
Actually, a good/bad thing has happened because of this decluttering. I'm actually spending more time in the office on the computer! But I managed to get all the follow-ups completed and out the door yesterday. I have one document that I need to proof this morning before I send it out. And I did a smidgen of prep work for this coming weekend. Can it be true that I'm able to keep on top of the paperwork? Can my befuddled brain be a result of the mess in the office?
I did some sewing the day before and finished my monthly commitment to the UFO club.
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| My completed Christmas ornaments |
I dug out a container with some Christmas ornaments that had been started but were still in progress. For some reason, I finished ONE - the cardinal and it was in the stash of finished items, which will have to be dealt with at some point.
YES—I know the contrast between those trees and the background fabric isn't the best. I was a newbie when I started these. The backings were cut, the trees were paper-pieced, and the fronts were ready to be embellished.
So, rather than sew beads on as per the pattern, I dug out some sequins. Guess what? I dug out that plastic bag of sequins that had floated around the house forever. Why? Because I had left it on the cutting table in preparation for this task.
I used my sewing machine (Designer EPIC 3) to sew the sequins. Yep -- you have the tools - let's use them. The Designer EPIC3 and other HV sewing machines with built-in sequin stitches have a single sequin stitch. Try it out!!
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| Sewing sequins on with the Designer EPIC 3 |
Then, I cut the fronts using the mitten-shaped template, sewed the two sides together, and added the cuff. The last thing was to cut the shank off some large gold buttons and hot glue them to the top of the tree. And there they are - six more ornaments done! I'm going to work on another one of the designs this month. I think there are eight different images in the pattern. I'll work on them until they are done, and since there's a virtual retreat this coming weekend, this would be the perfect opportunity to putter with something small.
You are going to get a chuckle out of this. So, where did that little container of sequins come from?
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| The container of sequins |
Notice there are needles and pins in there, as well as some odds and ends of floss. In all the years of moving that thing around and its being in a plastic bag, which wasn't practical, it never occurred to me where the sequins came from.
But if you remember earlier this week, I repaired M's Christmas stocking. Then I put two and two together and realized the sequins and floss were from her stocking! OH MY GOSH!!!
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| M's Christmas stocking |
I made that stocking for her when she was young; now she's closing in on 29. That was obviously in the days when I had zero clue about clutter. So the floss bits were tossed, the pins were put with the rest of the pins, although these pins look like crowbars, the needles are set aside to be put away. The sequins were put into a small tin and then into the drawer where they should have been stored many years ago. That's the drawer I search for when I'm looking for sequins.
Yes - I think I'm getting the hang of this!
But that reminds me of what's in some of those drawers and bins in Studio B. There is loads of stuff that I will never use—not just fabric. It doesn't need to be reorganized—it needs to go! But I'll get to that when I'm ready. I can't do everything all at once, so I'm so happy to have the luxury of time to clean up this mess.
I've even given myself the task of perhaps getting rid of the four-drawer filing cabinet in the office. Yep -- I will see if I can get rid of ALL the paperwork. DH has a small two-drawer cabinet in his office, and I consulted him about it last night. Before I did that, I had a peek and found a file on M's car, which she hadn't owned in years! So I'm sure between the two of us, we can manage to keep what we need in that two-drawer file cabinet. Once the filing cabinet is gone from my office, I can use the pull-out filing drawer on my desk. Which can't be used because the filing cabinet is in the way. Does anyone want a four-drawer filing cabinet? It's free, or it's going to the curb! Look at me - I''m ready to toss the thing, and I still have three drawers to clean!
And that desk drawer is another story. I should open it as far as possible and take a picture to show you what a professional organizer will "make" you do. It wasn't very practical, but to her credit, I may not have been ready then, yet I paid her to do stuff! She was a professional ORGANIZER, not a decluttering expert, although they should be both.
I sorted through the pet folder while I waited for various things to happen while working at the computer. Good grief—how many rabies tags does one household need? I pulled them off the paperwork, and now I need to remove them from the plastic bags. YES—I know I could toss it all in the garbage, but the plastic is recyclable, so I'm trying to do my part. They used to hand out rabies tags, but thankfully, they no longer do.
Just for the record, since I found the invoice, Miss Sparky left us in August 2015. I remember I was riding my bike with a group on the Greenbelt Tour and came home for one day so we could take her to the vet. I knew before I left that she wouldn't last long, and I was very happy that I could be there for her. It's always sad to lose a pet. Would it stop me from getting another one to experience the joy? No!
As this paper goes out of my life forever, it's important to document those important moments. I'm sure Sparky's end of life would be documented if I looked back in the blog to 2015.
So, as I wait for files to load or to save, I'm going through the next folder of crap! Once this is done, I'll see what's left, but I might need your help to let go of some of this paper. Actually, there are some things I'd like to keep, such as invoices and authentication certificates for artwork. I'm sure there are a few more. But let's get rid of the garbage I know doesn't need to be kept.
OH, DH lied to me. I asked him about a couple of blue filing boxes he had in his office. Perhaps I could use one temporarily while I finished my decluttering. He said they were under his desk and empty. I just checked - BOTH of them have crap in them. Hmmm --- we're going to have a chat this morning. I want ONE!!! It's TEMPORARY, and both boxes can go when we are finished with them. Oh my -- M will have a glorious time dealing with us when we're gone because there'll be ZERO paperwork except for our wills for her to deal with! I hope she appreciates all the time it's taking to clear the mess up!
If you listen to Messie Condo, you'll realize that I've graduated to the really hard stuff—the paperwork with emotions attached. And I passed! I'm able to get over the emotion and toss what is really garbage. I mean, who needs bills from pets that haven't existed for almost ten years? But, like most things, it gets put away and forgotten. I'm itching to open those two blue boxes and the drawers in DH's office. I bet 3/4 at least could be tossed. Will he even notice? No - I'll let him do it! I should put them by the sofa so he has a job to do when he's watching TV. Yes -- that's what I'll do!
So, if you think your house is neat and tidy and clutter-free, how much stuff is hidden behind closed doors that no longer needs to be there? That's the stuff that needs to be evaluated!
On that happy note, I'm on my way to spin class.
Have a super productive day!!!
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