What are you addicted to?

There are so many thoughts going through my head this morning. I heard some disturbing things yesterday. You've been in this situation - you might have been on a train, at the grocery store, in the airport, at the dinner table, and what is everyone doing? 

They are on their phone! And what are they doing? Endlessly scrolling through countless Social apps -- Facebook, IG, X, Pinterest, Facebook, IG, X, WhatsApp, X, Pinterest. It's ENDLESS scrolling. 

The sad thing is that you are devoting YOUR PRECIOUS hours left in your life to being entertained by total nonsense! What are you thinking? 

Do NOT YELL at me for that because you can't deny it! I have basically turned off notifications on my phone—it is a completely SILENT device. The phone rings? I don't hear it. A text comes in? I don't hear it. Do I care? I do NOT need to be connected to the world until I am ready to be connected. Before you yell at me - I get it that some people may need to be connected because of health issues, family matters, or whatever. But do you need to respond to every text message immediately? 

I will admit that from time to time I get caught up in watching reels, but after a couple, I remind myself that most of them are AI-generated, have ZERO point, and are a complete and utter waste of time. 

I hear stories from my friends that they meant to look at Pinterest for five minutes, and hours later, they are still scrolling. Or they just spend an hour checking out Social media platforms. 

What I don't get is why we are so interested in OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES and yet we don't care about our own? You could have been stretching in that hour, you could have been having a phone conversation with a family member or friend (GASP - does anyone do that anymore?), you could have been tidying up your house, learning a new skill by watching a YouTube video, or reading a book, or any other multitude of things. 

I totally get that these apps are addictive, and guess what? They were created that way! Those reels with their 1-second intro and enticing titles. They are made to grab our very short attention spans. But what many people don't realize is that this addiction to your phone is as bad as an addiction to ANY OTHER substance abuse addiction. Yep --- it's an addiction. Remember when the iPhone first came out? Many of the bigwigs in Silicon Valley, including Steve Jobs, would NOT allow their family members (or maybe just their children) to have one because they built it to be addictive. 

We're going to have to start the 12-step program for phone use. 

Sometimes people say they are bored, so they reach for their phone. Did you know that being bored is a VERY GOOD THING!!! We need to be bored; our brains need to have a break from the constant barrage of information. And then we wonder why everyone is so anxious and impatient these days. Yep --- "If I don't get instant gratification for anything, I'm not happy." 

Our world is quickly becoming a very sad place. Trust me, I'm not perfect, but I have greatly reduced my screen time - no TV since 2010. I confess I haven't even watched the Olympics, aside from the Opening Ceremony. I only have two social media accounts - IG and Facebook. I might check them a couple of times a day, but I'm probably in each account for a maximum of 10 minutes a day, unless there is a special event, like Quilt Con or the Olympics, in which I spend a bit more time. 

I'm not wired any differently than anyone else, but I have made CONSCIOUS decisions to not get addicted! I'd really like to remember who taught me Grade 7 Social Studies, because whoever it was, that is the class I remember the most. We were taught all about how companies market to us and try to suck us in. Gosh -- I wish I could remember more about that! But that fact has remained with me for years, and I still live by that. 

But all that brings me to the current book I'm reading, called The Brain at Rest by Dr. Joseph Jebelli. His research has led him to believe that our brains are so overworked that we are heading to significant issues with our brains, which can lead to breakdowns, forms of dementia, stress, anxiety, and many other ailments. He equates those little things like forgetfulness (not to age, not to dementia), but to overloading the brain so that it can't handle the small details of our lives. 

He talks about just sitting and doing NOTHING -- not even with a cell phone, which is an onslaught of verbal and visual diarrhea to your brain. Open and empty your brain every day, meditate, forest bath, or whatever you need to do, but our brains need to rest! That is how people rejuvenate, and often after a rest period, you come back to your desk, with a new perspective and filled with ideas. 

Hmmm --- not to toot my own horn, but I do this EVERY SINGLE DAY and most days - I do it twice, once with the girls and then on my own. I don't listen to audiobooks or music. I just look at my surroundings, I let my brain just wander, and I've had so many exciting things happen on those walks. 

Why don't you try it? Turn off notifications on your phone, then schedule a time once or twice a day to check your social platforms. Can you do it? I dare you!!!! The predominant use of my phone is the CAMERA. I will NOT get rid of my phone, but I refuse to let it dictate my life or waste my precious time. 

OK --- after that rant! Let's see what happened yesterday. 

Another call from Microsoft - at least they call when they say they will. But not fixed yet. More information gathering, and the support rep will go back to their engineering team. It's all about two big kids who can't play well together in the sandbox! 

I have to update the BIOS on my HP computer, and then there will be another call from Microsoft on Tuesday. 

Look at that roof of ours. Yep --- that peak in front is an issue. Is it the valleys? The pitch of the roof? What causes the snow to not melt quickly? I'm not worried - the ice dam is gone, but I need to follow up with the insurance and an engineer this week. 

Still snow in the roof valleys

OK -- I was trolling Facebook (on my limited allotted time) yesterday and spotted this. Isn't this a nice thing? 

YES --- we need to do this!!!

 

What nice thing have I done for others recently? Well, in my Colour My World class, I know a few people are struggling with timing issues -- they may have a health problem, be moving, or whatever. I have offered to give them a few extra classes (for free) after we formally finish the class. I want them to be successful in completing their quilts!!

Speaking of Colour My World, here's what my quilt looks like to date! 

My version of Colour My World

I've used bright batiks, and I absolutely LOVE the quilt. It's coming together nicely, and there has been some seam ripping along the way, but for the most part, it's been amazing to work on. We still have a lot of work to do before the final reveal in June, but I am confident the class will succeed. 

Here's an interesting situation that has happened to me. I've been a quilt teacher for 25 years and have enjoyed meeting all the students, seeing their creativity, and listening to stories of how I have helped and inspired them over the years. What I particularly like is seeing the students and their skills grow -- I push them hard sometimes, but when that lightbulb goes on, that is what teachers live for! 

I wrote an entire story about this, but I think I'll condense it to this. 

As a teacher, what is better: 

Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day?

OR 

Teach a man to fish, and he eats for the rest of his life? 

My job is to teach them to make, sew, and design blocks, NOT to give them a pattern, unless there is an absolute failure with the patterns/instructions from the designer. I'm just there to guide them. 

Whatever will I do with that, Miss Murphy? She thinks the entire house, especially Studio B, is her sleeping spot. I often catch her around the corner in the stash room, completely happy to be by herself. However, when she needs attention, she DEMANDS it. I think she knows that she has to turn her brain off every once in a while. Maybe she has been reading my book! 

Fast asleep in the corner of the stash room

Then last night, I had to lay my quilt on the floor because the design wall was full. This is what happened. 

MOM - are these for me to test?

Oh yes -- she got even cosier as she stretched out in full. So the quilt rows 1, 2, and 5 have been assembled, and I'll have to do 3 and 4 this afternoon. What a silly girl!!!!! 

I remembered to take a picture of the painting that Cynthia painted of our dogs. This was not a favor; I commissioned her to paint the picture. I love supporting artists because that is how they make their living. 

This is Little Sammy on the left, and the detail Cynthia put in the tail is incredible, and it's exactly like Sammy's tail was. I gave her photographs of the forest and the dogs, and this is what she painted. The only artistic license she took (with my permission) was to paint the background sky. You can't really see the sky in the forest. 

The dog on the right is Miss Lexi, and the dog in the back is Sparky, who had already crossed the Rainbow Bridge at that time. Miss Murphy hadn't arrived at the time. Sammy passed before the painting was done, but we knew it was imminent. 

The girls BEFORE Muprhy

I'm sure that Murphy is miffed every time she looks at it, which must be often since it sits on our fireplace mantle in the family room!!

I have lots more to share, but I've run out of time. 

There is a Virtual Retreat today, starting at 3 PM. Here's the link. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89869001291?pwd=h57kT9axwTnd2xtJvuO0z2UOmUo45w.1

Meeting ID: 898 6900 1291
Passcode: 136711

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Through the ages........

OOOPS --- yes -- I knew I misspelled WAZE and didn't have time to go back and check it. It is WAZE!!!! 

But here's the thing --- I used Google Maps yesterday to get to my meeting even though I knew where it was, but I like using it to give me the ETA (estimated time of arrival). I used it there and back home. When I left the house, it estimated I would arrive at 8:11, and I arrived exactly when it said I would, even though there was traffic. It had precalculated the time I would arrive BASED on the traffic. And if there was a sudden change, as on the way home, it adjusted the time. I get notifications of construction, objects on the road, etc. 

As I say to DH all the time, if it works for me, why should I change? It's never gotten me lost, it's never messed up my plans. It's easy to check on my computer before leaving, and I use Google Maps all the time for other applications, not just driving. So I'm not knocking it before I try it", I just don't see a reason to switch. But thanks for the information! When I hop in the car, it already knows where I'm going if I checked my destination online before leaving the house. And sometimes, it already brings up the destination based on my Google Calendar. I don't even have to search - it already knows where I'm going. And it's easy enough to give Google verbal commands to go anywhere. 

In fact, Google Maps has corrected me on occasion. If I only give it a partial address, it knows where I'm going. And once I gave directions to a place that had a different name. It corrected me and told me the CORRECT name of the place. How cool is that? So when something is working, don't rock the boat! 

You know me and technology - if something works --- don't touch it! I equate this to whether I want Apple or Android for a phone. Hands down - I'll take Android any day. I have my reasons, and see no reason to switch to Apple. I won't go into detail, but I'm very brand loyal. VERY brand loyal! 

And you have to love the voice commands with the CarPlay products. I needed to send DH a text when I was on the road. Of course, I'm not in Africa, so I'm not touching my phone. Trust me, they text and drive all the time! So I decided to try the voice commands. I asked Google to send a text message to him. But WAIT ---we don't really text, we do WhatsApp. Will that work? So I asked Google to send a WhatsApp message to him, and it did. It sent both. WOW  --- OK -- I'm not a total idiot, I know how to respond to a message that comes in, but I hadn't initiated sending a message before. I'm not a big messenger person. I rarely get any messages in a day, so it's not a big deal! I have a tiny circle of people I'm in regular touch with, and I like it that way! 

It was a great meeting and I always learn something at the meetings. There are some excellent new products on the way. Of course, I already knew about them, but it's good to get the official word that is communicated to the stores. Plus, just chatting with the other team members brings you up to speed on many things. I just say after what seems like a very long break, I feel a bit out of the loop! It's time to get back in action! 

I'll be hosting a 'What's New' event for PFAFF and Husqvarna Viking on September 23 at Stitch by Stitch in Kingston. If you're a mid machine user, you might want to come and see what's coming. It's pretty exciting!!! This is an in-person event. Even if you are not in the market for a new machine, come check it out. It's a great way to stay informed about the technology, so when you decide you want a new machine, you have some idea of what to expect. These are not your grandmother's sewing machines! 

While some of the business matters were being discussed, I sat with my laptop and designed projects for my upcoming Facebook Live this week. I'll be using the PFAFF machines for that event, but the inspiration can be translated to your machine of choice. Oh yes --- of course, I want to make some new samples. So I have a bunch of stuff designed, and I've pulled fabric or ready-made items, and I'm ready to stitch. 

First, I needed to clean that machine, as it's been a while. 

It's cleaning time

Oh -- there was a little bit of lint in it, but it's all clean and shiny now. 

A "wee" bit of lint was removed

I dug into one of my bins of fabric to find things that are fall-inspired, and I found this. I wirelessly sent the design to the PFAFF creative icon 2 and pressed START, and it's stitching out. As a matter of fact, while I'm writing, I can monitor the progress of the design on the Creativate app on my phone. You have to LOVE Wi-Fi-enabled embroidery machines. And having said that, if you don't have one and the top of the line is out of your budget, you may want to come to the What's New next week at Stitch by Stitch! 

Let the embroidery begin

Oh -- as a matter of fact, while I was sitting at the computer during the meeting, and loading some designs, I had the choice to send the design to my laptop or my computer. I accidentally sent them to my computer twice, and when I got home, the designs were sitting there waiting to be used! Yep --- this Creativate network is the best!!! 

Now, if I had smart dogs, and I had left the embroidery machines on, I could have sent the designs to the embroidery machines. The girls could have pressed Start, and it would have been stitched by the time I got home. How wonderful that would be!!!

I found this photo transfer in the basket of dog fabric! Oh my goodness, this was taken many years ago. Of course, that is M, who hasn't lived here in over 10 years, and Sparky, and of course, our little Sammy. OK -- I don't have a favorite dog! OK --- it's hard to forget Little Sammy! She was a rescue and had many issues, but we worked them out. But how can I ever forget her - she bit me once (my fault for surprising her) and I have a split thumbnail and will for the rest of my life! 

My girls!!!!

I'm not sure I should show you the following pictures, but OH MY GOD -- how we change. 

I was looking through the filing cabinet the other day and found these. I'll just give you the dates they were taken. I won't mention where the pictures came from - I think you can figure it out. 

OH -- I look like I have a bird's nest on my head! And I really look like my Mom in that photo  - at least when she was younger. 

1987

This was obviously my punk rock era! And am I on drugs or what? 

1993

This is my softer, Suzie Homemaker phase. I even curled my hair, but I bet it didn't stay like that for long! 

1998

Obviously, a very bad hair day. This looks like a mug shot! 

2004

Seriously? I'm not photogenic at all, unless I smile, and that at least gives me somewhat of a good image! Not so with these ones! 

2009

A little washed out in this one and zero smile! You probably won't notice, but I wore the same shirt in the 2009 and 2014 photos. I still have that shirt, and it looks as good as it did the day I bought it. Actually, I don't think I bought it - I think I got it as swag at a fundraiser. Or more likely, DH bought it at a golf tournament! 

2014 

At least I look somewhat distinguished in this photo, with that slightly raised chin! The hair is definitely better, but where's that smile? Where's that twinkle in the eye? Nope -- just a dead stare! But that's what they want, so that's what I give them! 

2024

It would be fun to set that up into a morphing video. I'm sure AI would do that for me, but I just don't have time to mess with that. And no one needs to do that. 

I managed to get one embroidery machine up and running today, and my goal is to get the other one up as well. I would love to get five new samples done today and five more tomorrow. I also have to set up the space with all the cameras, but that shouldn't take too long. 

There's so much paper crap surrounding my desk, but I won't be able to touch that until after September 27. I know that many people have been signing up (by paying) for the Colour My World class. I will acknowledge those hopefully this weekend. It's a time challenge to send out individual emails, so I'll think of a way to make that happen. 

I see a dumpster in the driveway of the empty house two doors from us. That house has been empty for two years. It had been rented out to a very large family or a very busy family for several years, and they trashed the interior. I've no idea how badly it was damaged, but the homeowners were heartbroken. And it sat for two years because they didn't know what to do with it. I'm guessing now that there is a dumpster, that they are going to renovate and sell? I'm not sure what their plans are, but it would be nice if someone could make use of the house rather than it sitting empty. 

Well, on that note, I'm out of here! It's going to be a busy day, and I'll be focused on organizing the space while the embroidery machines work away, and then I have to collect stuff for the machine embroidery workshop this weekend. If you are in the Windsor area and want to know all about machine embroidery, that is the place to be. You can contact Heather at Thimble Quilts and Sewing. Check it out! 

I need to change the thread before walking the girls. I can't afford downtime today!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

The emotional side of decluttering

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. 

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!!

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? 

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!!!

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!!!

Ciao!!!! 

Can Artificial Intelligence write better than a human?

While not much was done in the decluttering world yesterday, I still have lots to share about the previous day. 

I spent a good part of yesterday writing a blog post. The subject matter was easy, but I struggled with it. It's one thing to pop off some writing that is just fluff - like in this blog. But when it comes to something a bit more technical, it needs to be written so it's straightforward and easy for others to understand. 

So I ran up and down the stairs to double-check facts on the sewing machine, and I almost wore out the User's Guide! I got the most recent post into a pretty good state last night, but I like to sleep on them and edit them with a clear head. I'm halfway through the find edit! Hopefully, it makes sense! Then, two more posts to write, and I'll be done with that set. 

Could I have used AI to write that post? I use Grammarly, which is a form of AI, and I find it helpful to tighten up sentences, punctuation, and especially spelling, although I do a lot of it myself. However, I find that AI wants to keep changing the sentence's meaning. 

Shoot—I can't think of a good example at the moment, but it often wants to put the qualifier in the WRONG place, so while technically the sentence is structurally correct, it doesn't make sense. Well, it might to some, but it's wrong! The next time it happens, I'll try to screen-capture it and show you. So I'll keep using Grammarly, and while I have a love/hate relationship with it sometimes, it works for me. 

What I'm finding with my writing is that it gets easier and easier the more I write. The sentences are easier and faster to edit, and I'm learning to be a better writer!

So, something very weird happened at our house last night! DH was out, and I was alone with the girls. Miss Lexi was being a pain. She would bang on the door to come in and then run away. It's like she wanted someone to come outside and play with her, and Murphy and I were busy. 

I shut the lights off on the main floor and was downstairs sewing. At one point, I heard Lexi bang on the door, so without turning on any lights, I came up and opened the back door. She didn't come in, and I immediately shut the door and returned to work. There's nothing like a UFO deadline to keep the midnight oil burning! 

When I came up for bed, I thought I'd try again to get her in. The light was on in the kitchen, and when I went to the door and opened it, I turned to look at the sofa, and Lexi was sleeping on it! WHAT? 

She must have tricked me, and in those few seconds when I opened the door, she popped in! It freaked me out because no one else was in the house! 

I have the two UFO Zooms this morning, and everything is prepped. See how calm I am these days! I have a busy week, five Zooms next weekend (lots of prep work), and the virtual retreat, so this week is going to be heads-down. I still have a lot of writing to do as well. 

But enough of that, let's have a look at what happened in the office. Some might say I need to work faster and stop shuffling papers from one place to another. Technically, you are right. However, this is MY decluttering journey, and I'm doing my best. I am "savoring" each piece of paper one last time before it permanently leaves the house. I am learning to let go so each decluttering task is subsequently easier, and I have the luxury of time. I'm also enjoying all the newly found free spaces, so yes - I could work faster, but at least I'm working at it! Baby steps, and before we know it -- all this paper will be gone. Will it be gone from your house? 

I have this shelf on my desktop, which takes up a lot of physical and visual space. Does it need to be there? I started investigating what was on the shelf. Hmm—a few knickknacks, which I'm choosing to keep. And only a little on the other two shelves. 

My cluttered desk

I opened this "book" and found ONE piece of paper. So now I have designated this box as my daily "to-do" box. It looks prettier on the desk than a ragged pile of paper. The trick is to train myself to open it daily to get some work done. 

The pretty "to-do" box

I removed the items from the shelf and then moved the shelf somewhere else. It's a temporary move, and eventually, I'll get rid of it. But imagine my shock when I moved the shelf to find this! A GOLD thread. I swear, those little bits of gold thread are like glitter! I've found them in many places! 

A gold thread

A quick digression, I have some Storage magazines. They are older, but that's OK. There are ideas in them. Do I need ideas? Even though these are dated, there might be a good idea or two to help me. 

Storage magazine

HOWEVER, organizing (storage) and decluttering are NOT THE SAME!!!! You should NEVER organize until the clutter is gone. Now there's a fine line there, but if I organize all my crap, it might look prettier, but it doesn't reduce what I have. And I "love" this quote I found in the magazine. 

Seriously? This is just wrong! 

Seriously???? Just shove the junk behind a door and call it a day? I think not!!! That is just being lazy, and you are buying pretty storage when you may not even need it!!! Or certainly not as much as you think. 

How often storage is a HUGE factor in remodeling the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room. And I get that there are some fantastic storage solutions these days. I'm all for compact, neat, and clutter-free. But I will NEVER rent or buy storage just to hide my clutter. I've been there (bought lots of pretty boxes), and I'll never do that again. I need to GET RID of the clutter. Then, I'll find a cute storage solution for what's left.  

I looked at these items that are supposed to "tame" the paper. None of those will tame the paper. They might hold the current month's mail or whatever, but if I don't learn to clean that out, any of those options will look like a disaster before the month is out! 

Storage items like these do NOT help the clutter

There was one good quote in the magazine. I should show this to DH. 

OK -- and now back to my situation. Wait -- two more things to "complain" about in the decluttering process. 

I purchased one small thing from Uline, and suddenly, I got this massive catalog in the mail. Seriously???? Why? I called them up and told them it was going in the recycling and to please remove me from any physical mailings they do. Let's see if that works. 

A recent catalog I received

Secondly, I totally get that putting things into a box makes them easier to ship, store on a shelf, and so on. This is a sheet set I recently purchased from Sleep Country. The boxes were NOT even on display—they were in the back room. The box is heavyweight cardboard with magnets to keep it closed. Why? That's just a waste of money. Shipping costs increase because of the weight of the box. And look - you can't even reuse it as it has holes in the top. 

A pretty box that is useless

I swear, we, as consumers, have to push back and start demanding that these companies pay more attention. I would have been perfectly happy with the sheets in a vacuum-sealed bag. Less space to ship, less weight, and what the heck am I supposed to do with this box with magnets in it? Cell phones and many other electronic devices are horrific for this excessive waste in packaging, and most of it is never on display. 

And now, back to the decluttering. But it's things like those above - if you don't make the phone calls or the emails to say NO, you'll continue to get the crap. 

Very early yesterday morning, I couldn't sleep, so I got up, and this is what I tackled. This is the bottom drawer of a four-drawer filing cabinet in the office. I can hear Messie Condo's words in my head every time I start to declutter. She said to get rid of the filing cabinet and go digital. Well, I'm not ready to do that yet, but we have to start. 

The bottom drawer of the file cabinet

I wasn't sure how much I could get done, so I grabbed a few folders. Oh, my—another bunch of maps from another bicycle show. So, help me if I pick up another free piece of literature at any show. That stuff should be banned. 

More tourist maps from a bike show

It's getting so easy to toss this stuff, although the amount of dust I'm stirring up is insane!!! 

Then I continued on and found a folder labeled (hey - the folders were all labeled!) sewing machines. Hmm - what's in here. 

WHAT?????? I found an invoice made out to me for a Janome quilting machine. I don't remember ever owning a Janome machine. What is this all about? I have no idea. I tossed the invoice in the shredding pile. The invoice was dated 2005. 

An invoice for a Janome sewing machine

OK—so I can see where I had a problem. How many old Quilt Canada class catalogues does one need to keep? The catalogs are gone, but there's more in that folder that I want to look through. I'm allowed to take my time!

CQA class catalogs

I found a whole pile of vet invoices for our previous two dogs. This is cute, Little Sammy. She was rescued and was a very vicious dog when she arrived. She never lost those tendencies (if startled), but she was the sweetest little girl ever. I still miss her today. 

Little Sammy

This was Sparky, also a rescue, and I miss her too. But I don't think I need to keep any of their paperwork. They have both been gone for close to ten years. I shouldn't tell you that their ashes are sitting in pretty little boxes in the living room, along with their pictures! 

Sparky

But this is what happens to our crap that gets shoved in a drawer or put behind a cupboard door. It gets forgotten. So you MUST constantly clean and sort to avoid letting this happen. Trust me, it will take just a few minutes in any area when you have less. 

I still have to go through that folder as well. 

This is what's left of the files in the bottom drawer. And I know I can reduce that by at least 50%, if not more. Decluttering is like editing for me. I can't do everything in the first pass; I need to go back. And when you start saying, "I need to keep that too often," you know it's time to take a break. 

What's left of the files in the bottom drawer

I'm going to try to go through a few more folders today. Once I get going and have a clear head, I'm good. Imagine someone doing this in one day? I'd go mad!!! Do yourself and your kids a favor -- I KNOW ( do NOT deny) that you have loads of this crap in your drawers and doors. So get busy!!!

I laughed when I saw this. M must have been young, but she started a paper trail. The label is gone! 

The start of M's paper trail in life

I found three folders she might be interested in (report cards being one of them). I do NOT need to keep them, so they are now with her boxes of stuff so she can deal with it when she's here. 

At the end of the session, I had to empty the recycling, including the pile on the floor, and the shredding box is filling up. 

The recycling is full again!

So, what happened to that shelf? I moved it to the desk. I took all the "current" paper, and it's now in nine piles. YES - I know I just moved it, but this looks more manageable than three huge piles. And see - there's still room in front to sort or work! Not a lot, but there's room! 

The shelf became a sorter

I emptied the hanging folders out of the filing cabinet and kept half of them. Do schools use hanging files? If not, they go in the donation box. I pulled a few other things, which I have to deal with today. Now, I feel I can comfortably take 20 minutes every day (at least) and actually make progress. 

A few things to sort out today

I checked the other three drawers in the cabinet, and while there isn't a lot of stuff, they are full. So, one by one, I'll pick them off. I'm so excited about my progress. Even if I stopped today, which I won't, I'm leaps and bounds ahead of where I was just a few short weeks ago. 

Yahooo!!!!! And once all the dust settles, it'll be pleasant to work here. I have a plan for the desktop, which you have to wait to see. 

On that note, I'd better get the girls out for their walks. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

PS -- Here's an example of what Grammarly did with one of the sentences. They are NOT the same! 

Here's the original: 

And here's Gammaly's suggestion: 

Spring is coming!

 

I'm in big trouble. The weather has turned warm, and I want to be outside all day! I did a bit of yard cleanup yesterday - no jacket! I sat in the gazebo for a bit, and after my walk, I sat in the yard eating my snack. Oh yes -- bring on spring! It's going to be even warmer today! I know - that we could still get snow - I know that. 

The view from the gazebo

The fish were up basking in the warm surface water. They are far from hibernating! I had a total of three dead fish this winter, and as you can see, many survived. There was still some ice on the pond in the morning, so they were congregating around the heater. 

The fish survived the winter

But as the temperature warmed up and the ice melted, they were everywhere. Silly things - I'm NOT feeding them yet. 

I had to stop by the library, and the Canada Geese were out in all their glory as well. Do they ever go away in the winter? I seem to see them all the time. But there are definitely more of them now. 

Canada Geese

Oh boy -- I need a fact checker!!  I was looking back at these cabinets in Brandy's studio. In fact, they are from Debbie Travis, NOT IKEA, but I'm sure there are similar cabinets out there. It was the cubbies on the other side of her sewing space that are from IKEA. I'm not sure Debbie is designing furniture these days. Anyway - the storage system is PERFECT for a quilter—the best I've seen anywhere. 

Debbie Travis storage units

The other day, I had a bunch of 3½" floppy disks to go through. YES -- do you remember those? I have a 3½" drive that I bought years ago so I could read the disks. Why do I have floppies? Because my original embroidery machine used a 3½" floppy disk, and while I no longer use that sewing machine for embroidery, some of my files are still on floppies. 

What did I find? Oh my - it was quite a trip down memory lane, to say the least. 

The day didn't start well. The first floppy I loaded gave me an error message. 

Error message from the floppy disk

That did not set a good tone, and I thought that the files wouldn't work with Windows 10, but that's silly. 

When is the last time you saw this in your file structure? 

Floppy Disk Drive in the file structure

Then I had to remember that the file structure for the Husqvarna Viking Designer 1 was in four menus. So I had to check each menu to see if there was something of interest in each one. 

The menu system for the Husqvarna Viking Designer 1

And I had a laugh at the dates. These were recent dates compared to some of the others that I found. I found files from 1998, and I think the earliest I saw was 1994, which technically was before my time, but that's when the files were created. Good grief!!!

Oh my - these files have been around for a while

I found FOUR photos. This is Rocky and Sparky. Rocky was rescued from a family that was moving to England, and they couldn't take Rocky. Let's just say that we rescued him. He lived with us for at least a year before he went over the Rainbow Bridge. It seems that he got along well with Sparky. It's funny; I never remember Sparky having such a dark face. I moved those photos over to my photo folder. 

Rocky and Sparky

So I had a stack of floppies to go through. 

Floppies to investigate

Some of them were labeled. 

Some were not. 

Some came with a printout of what was on the disk. Others did not. I must have had someone help me at some point with these files because some of them had been modified. I certainly did not have the knowledge to do that at the time. 

The floppy and the printout of what is on the disk

Oh my - here are the files with the polar bears. Two of those designs are on the fleece mitts that I wore this winter. 

Polar bear designs

I'm learning how to use my filing system for the embroidery files. It's a HUGE learning curve for me with all this software stuff. I've still got a long way to go, but I'm advanced by miles and miles as well. That puts me in dangerous territory!! The more I learn, the more fun I'm having! 

As I was going through the files, I came across some specific embroidery files. What are these? 

Miscellaneous files

OH MY -- there are the files that I put on my parent's 50th Anniversary quilt. In 2004!!!!  I didn't need to keep those files. They just recently celebrated 67 years!!! 

Embroidery for an anniversary quilt

And then I found a file that I created for my grandparents' 70th anniversary. My grandmother had just recently passed, so technically, they didn't make it to 70, but close enough. I'm not even sure what this got put on. I have an idea and need to dig it out later today, just for my personal satisfaction. 

A file for another anniversary quilt

I found a file with four little lace stocking ornaments. 

That went as well; I have the original files - I didn't need this one with four of the same in it. 

What did I do with everything? I copied all the files to my hard disk in labeled and sorted folders. I kept the original floppies and put them and the documentation (if it existed) into a presentation folder. Nice and neat. 

The floppies that had nothing of value on them? In the garbage. 

I still have some other disks to go through, but at least those are in packages, so I know what they are. 

I have a printout for an embroidery font alphabet that I bought, and that's really what I was looking for. I did NOT find that, but I keep meaning to check the project box to see if the disk is there. 

OH MY -- I just checked the project box. It's FILLED with all kinds of embellishments. This project isn't even on my UFO radar screen. It should be - it's super cute, and I think most of the work is done. So now the dilemma - do I skip the UFO line and take on this project? I did NOT find the disk, but I found my ¼" bias tape maker and a TON of other stuff. Oh my -- I should take it on - just because!

It's Wednesday and I've been lax in handing out a decluttering assignment. How about your software? I know we did this before, but what about all those rogue disks?? Do you know what's on them? I'm determined to find those darn letters so I can finish that UFO. 

Well, on that note, I'm out of here. I've got three presentations today, and most are ready, but a bit of tweaking and a couple of samples to make. And I MUST get outside!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!