Fall Free For All

 So instead of a spring clean I am currently working in a Fall Purge. I am still on the road of purging, cleaning and organizing that started with my retirement. Its a slow but steady program. I may never get it all finished but I cling to the fact that I am actually getting somethings done AND that I am actually still working on it. Baby steps but it all adds up over time 

At long last I got upstairs and managed to get the majority of my closet cleaned out. Its been on my list since long before my last day of work. I happen to have the worlds smallest walk in closet and it was packed to the gills thanks to my "toss the crap in there"method of putting things away.   It was starting to get dangerous to open the door. Not to mention, I had some storage tubs in the green spare room that I was hoping to go in my closet to get them out of the way. End result at long last I forced myself back up stairs during the day and went to work.

I just want to take a second to mention that making a second trip up the stairs during the day is sort of like asking me to allow you to yank a tooth without pain meds, Its a fate worse than death and I will avoid it at all costs. I feel actually doing the trip its a major victory in and of itself.

The lighting in the bedroom is crap so I apologize for the poor picture quality. Showing off my stellar photographic skillz again.

Before

There was more in there but I forgot to take a picture right at the start. I hauled out what I needed to and soon my bedroom looked like this

Then I dragged the storage bins into the bedroom so I could try and work them into the closet. My poor green spare room was starting to look like a store room.

I used the tried and true method of three piles, keep, trash and donate. Once I got going it really did not take a great deal of time, where the storage bins once sat now looks like this.

Yes that is correct, The storage bins found a spot in the closet. The three drawer plastic unit that was in there taking up space and not being useful was removed and they took its place. I also added another bin that was under my bed. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. The three drawer unit will be put out by the dumpsters so it can find an new home with someone who can use it. I will take pictures at some point when I am in the bedroom with  a decent amount of sunshine.

I got two garbage bags of textiles to go to recycle, and the rest has been put back where it belongs and now is neat and tidy with easy access. That is the most important fact, easy access. It is for me that's for sure. Trash has already gone out to the dumpster which is another miracle. I can bag the stuff no problem, its just actually getting it to the dumpster that is the trouble. Sigh, I am my own worst problem.

Textiles bagged and waiting to go. Those will be gone in the next day or two. I still have a few boxes to look through but other than that the closet has been scratched off the list.

I then turned my organizing skills onto my scrapbooking paper. I have two bins of the stuff and its gotten into a right mess. One is patterned paper and the other is solid colours. I actually started with my this years photos. I made sure they were all in the right order and all together in events. THEN I tackled the paper.

Patterned paper was sorted into events (ie Christmas, Easter, Birthday Etc) and what was not specific to an event or place,  into colours. I also made an index to give me an idea of what events I had paper for and where it might be found in the pile. In doing this I found some pages I will for sure use in this years album, Squeeee

The plain paper was sorted back into colours. This took some time but oh my it is so nice to have it all done and tidy once again, All ready for this years scrapbooking weekend

I have also been doing the things that I love best in the midst of all this organizing craziness. I got the butterfly quilt quilted, Its the top that Princess Diva gave me and she thought might work for the raffle quilt this year. I still have not taken a proper picture of it but I will. I am a bit behind on the quilt pictures.

Its so pretty and old fashioned. I love it. It washed up very well. I had my doubts about the butterfly applique but it did not fall apart in the machine, Win Win.

I have even got out the fall decor. I decided not to do the full house this year but I did put out a little. I do love fall and all the fall things. I have a bit of a pumpkin obsession.

Yes Pumpkin spice is something I look foreward to every year. I love it!! 

I got surprise cookies delivered to my veranda this week. I shamelessly begged on Facebook and they appeared.

So yummy and so timely as I was just sitting down to a coffee break when I found out about their arrival. I do have some lovely friends.

Other than that I have knit five dishcloths and and now going to turn my attention to Christmas gifts. I need to get working on them if I plan to make things for the big day. 

I still have cleaning to do upstairs but as I like to tell people I am pacing myself. Can't do it all in one day. I am also really making myself shop the house. I am now making myself take some time, even if I am positive I don't have something in the house that will work for what it is I need. I quite often will find something that works. Saving myself money and not adding to the excess. Reduce, reuse, recycle. I'm learning, I am slow but I am learning.

Hope all is well in your world.

Toodles,

Linda

The Furnace is cutting in!!! WTF????

 Man, the furnace ran in the spring for far longer than made me happy and now its kicking on far to early in the fall. I woke up in the middle of the night and heard it running!! So far this morning its come on a couple of times. This is far too early for these shenanigans, I am not a happy bunny this morning. I like the cool weather but we should not be needing the heat on just yet.

I have to admit I do  not have much to share in the way of blog post material. The last few days I have been enjoying coffee visits from friends, puttering about the house, continuing the never ending story of trying to bring organization to this place. I am making headway. Teddy Bear and KitKat have both made mention of how the place is looking good these days. I am so happy that its not just me that can see it. My greatest joy is the kitchen is staying decent. No endless piles of dishes and stuff all over.

I have finished the raffle quilt. Once I get it washed I will take pictures and post them. I now have to figure out a way to raise some money with it this year. Ticket sales will be problematic with the Covid virus putting a damper on everything. Stupid virus. Not to mention I am no longer at work where ticket selling was so easy, people came to me to get them. SO now I need to get my thinking cap on and come up with some clever idea.

I can now move onto the quilt I am going to make for Best Friend. She has given me her Dad's ties to use. I want to get going on that. I have another top ready to start quilting, A gift from Princess Diva's mom. I also have two quilt tops for myself that are ready and waiting their turn to get quilted. I have to get backing material for them and I will need to get some more quilt batts. I have used all but one that I had on hand. Some of these things are not all that easy to come by these days. Lots of folks sewing a quilting these days.

My mask making count is up to 37 now. Not bad for someone who thought they would not make any of them at all besides a couple for myself. 

Kids are back to school today, Oh I pray that it all goes well and does not spark a swell of the virus again. Lots of pictures of the kids heading off to first day, wearing their masks, Its a sign of the times. 

Ok I am not a student headed back to school but I had to show off my new mask. I found the material in my stash and could not resist making one for myself. I like to think it suits me.

So my goal this week is to actually start cleaning in my bedroom. The closet is a black hole that needs an organizing like nobodies business. I have hopes that it may happen today but my will is fading fast. Maybe tomorrow. 

Toodles

Linda

Autumn is on its way

 Last week you could feel it. The seasons shifted, one to the other. There is a coolness in the air, the nights are chilly. The daylight has a softer filter and the  green of summer is giving way to the pretty colours of autumn. So I felt it was safe to put the autumn wreath out on the veranda. This weekend I will try to get the fall decor out to dress up the place. Fall is my most favourite season. Spring comes second but fall is a solid first. Summer is too hot and winter has only got Christmas going for it.

I have been making masks. I think to date I have made 32 of them. I managed to get some elastic on Amazon and ended up with more than I bargained for. One really should read things more carefully when ordering.

If you don't you get 100 yards of the stuff  butfor a decent price ( that was in my favour at least.) I, then, promptly did this. Skeins of things and I are never friends.

 After much swearing and sweating I got it untangled and sorted. Some of it has gone off to Busy to assist in her mask making. I have more than I will use in ages so I was more than happy to share.

I have had lots of veranda visits with dear friends these last few days. The Hostess stopped by first, armed with coffee and breakfast. ( not obligatory  to a visit but very welcome) We had a lovely chat. It is so nice to sit on the veranda and keep up with peoples lives. Another nice thing is Miss Miles called this week as well. As she lives a couple of provinces away and I am now retired, we can chat easier with the time difference. The Banker and her Sweet Baboo are back from their travels. Its good to have her back home again.

Other than that not much is happening here. Housework, sewing, crocheting, quilting, knitting ..... you know the normal sort of thing. I was to go a visiting this next week, to my other sister-in-law, Granny S and Zoomer (my oldest great niece) but I have called it off for the second time. Every time I think I'll get there, the virus kicks up its heals and scares me back into my comfort zone. I am going to leave it for now and let time tell me when I can go.

Today for excitement, I picked up my groceries, hauled the garbage out AND put the dumpsters out for collection.(a major feat for the resident of this house to have both happen at once).  Took the bags of textiles to those recycle bins, then treated myself to breakfast out. I mean can you handle it?? Its all go around here, no end to the excitement. 

In all seriousness I have rather content. I would like to be able to go visiting my family but I am content to stay home. I cannot believe that it is five months to day since my last day at work. I like to putter and potter about the house. My routine is changing. I eat more meals in the kitchen, I'm getting better and keeping things from piling up. I am working my way through the purging and sorting, I have started a list of things I need to get done to and around the house. If you do not put it out here, the universe does not know what you need. My bedroom is big on my hit list. Actually the entire upstairs  needs a good seeing to. Plus I have the stuff to recover my kitchen chairs, need to get on that as well.

Still cannot say if our scrapbooking weekend in November will be a go or not. Its in the hands of the virus but I am forging ahead like its a go. I nearly have the raffle quilt finished and I have a theme for the silent auction donation basket. The Banker and I usually do one each year. It gives me a chance to make a table runner. I do love to make a  quilted table runner.

I have decided I want to try to make a tumbling blocks baby quilt. It involves sewing Y seams and I have seen a tutorial on how to work them and now think I can conquer them. A crib quilt will do for a start. I like to have some on hand just in case. I have a girlie one tucked away for future use, so this one will be more masculine. 

Wish me luck!!

Toodles

Linda

Wednesday Whatnots

I sort of forgot I had not done my weekly post. Sometimes I wish I could post more but I really do not have enough fodder for a day by day post. I can hardly manage a weekly one and even then I repeat myself more than I can to admit to.

So on with the repetition, I have continued to clean and purge. There is a lot of stuff in this house and rather a lot of it needs to go on to other places. It needs to be recycled, trashed and donated, This is what I have been working on since I retired. As a result this happened in my dining room

I went to move the bookcases that make up my sewing table to get the junk out from under them. It turned into a major cleaning episode. Not that that  wasn't a good thing in the end. I never found what I started out to find but the junk got thrown out and the floor got swept for the first time in ages.

The next new project is that I have found a new use for all the plastic grocery bags I have accumulated lately. Pick up grocery shopping does not let you use your own bags. I have rather a lot of plastic bags piling up at home and I do not want to throw them out. So I tried making a bag out of the bags. Basically you cut them into strips and crochet them into a reusable bag.

This takes some time and its a bit of work but I found it fun.

I have made one and am now working on a second bag. They are strong and softer than you would expect. I am very pleased with the outcome. I also love that I have found a use for all those bags that were headed for the landfill. I have donated and given away all that I can, this was a relief..

I finished my wall hanging, I just have to get it hung up. I have the spot picked out, I just have to move furniture to hang it and that takes some working up to

It one of my favourite bible verses. I found the picture on Pinterest and did my best. 

I had a relapse the other day. I sent an order to Michaels for a metal crochet hook to make my bag of bags and I bought a punch

Just when I thought I got over my addiction to purchasing punches I fall off the wagon. Sigh. I am already plotting scrapbooking pages with this pretty little flower punch.

I started to quilt this years Safe and Warm Raffle quilt. I am not sure how we are going to do the fund raising this year. Covid is going to make ticket sales problematic but I have faith we can do it. So putting all my faith in the fact that things will work out I got on with the quilting

I also got my hair cut for the first time since pandemic lock down. I had just had a cut at the last minute before everything shut down. For that I am grateful. It needed cutting for sure. I have to say it was weird getting a cut done while wearing a mask.

Happy result.

No Cook has suspended our regular Friday get togethers for the future. Teddy Bear and I still have supper together but its not the same as with the whole gang of us. A resent Covid flare  up in town set us all back in the fight against the virus.

Today I woke up cranky and could not settle to doing anything. Probably because I had not made a list. I function better with a list. I made another mask to day. It was a very simple pattern but it gave me grief to the point of wanting to pitch the machine across the room. Finally got it sewn up and then I did this to my mask elastic.

Its bad enough when this happens to yarn but elastic is a nightmare. So me and my cranky mood forced myself to do battle with the rats nest and I won at last.

Now I really should get the last of the laundry finished, I need to move the compost dumpster, take the textiles to the recycle depot and get back at quilting the raffle quilt. So that's it for now.

Toodles

Linda

Scratching at the Surface

 In the last couple of days I have been spending a lot of my time just simply putting things away. Its a never ending job in this house. Honestly the woman that lives here is splendid at getting things out but piss poor at putting anything away!! ask her Mother she will confirm it. Woman really needs to smarten up. So for the last while that has been the order of the day. Put things away, throw out the junk, recycle what can be recycled and get it to where it should be. Make the place look like someone cares.

I was going to sew masks this afternoon but I wandered into the sewing room and was suddenly fed up with the bags of papers on the floor. So I got to shredding. One garbage bag later and I was done.  I even gave the floor a good sweeping. First time is a rather long time.

I think, at long last, I have the old documents taken care of and I am up to date. Just need to stay on top of it all now. I also filled a laundry basket with recyclable stuff. I will spare you a picture of that but trust me its full. Paper, cardboard, plastic, it all seems to pile up. 

I got those two tote boxes under the table in the craft room. I am seriously doing the drunken monkey dance of joy over this one.

Now you see them:

Now you don't:

That's because they have moved to a new home. A quiet secluded little spot where no one will kick them EVERY SINGLE TIME when they head to the computer. My toes are happy happy happy.

Its nothing short of a miracle to find actual storage space in this house. 

Storage space is not the only thing I have found in this house, I found a spot for the printer. Yes I really did, honestly

Just the right place to put it. Its such a little thing but I really need to have one. See how cute. Now I just have to get it plugged in and working. One thing at a time.

Making this space meant I had to deal with finding new homes for all of this:

Like a bloody game of dominoes this house. I was tempted to just leave it all where it was sitting but that would turn me into beginner hoarder and that is not happening.  I got to work and found spots for it all. Today(at least), my counters in the craft room look like this.

Today I declare that the surface has been scratched and I hope that I can keep the momentum going. I feel like I could work for years and never see the end of it all. I just hope I can finally learn to put things away instead of leaving them out and that I can keep plugging away at the current state of the place. My dining room will look much happier once the dumpsters get emptied this week and I can haul the new stuff out to them. Tomorrow I shall get at the sewing of the masks. A never ending string of things to do. Sigh.

Another miracle happened this week I actually cooked!! I made a chicken dish and it was rather tasty.

Found the recipe on Facebook and gave it a whirl. Super quick and easy, I will make it again. Baked some potatoes with it and felt very accomplished for once. I really need to do this more often. I have such a hard time trying to figure out supper. It keeps me stumped more than I care to admit.

I finished my wall hanging. I will get it up and in its place and then I will share a picture of it. I really am pleased with it

Well I should get back to doing something, not sure what but something.

Toodles,

Linda

And We are Off Once Again

 So we have had another outbreak of this awful virus. 64 new cases in the city in the last couple of days. Sigh. We got complacent, people got lax on what they were supposed to be doing and now we pay the price. I had planned to go to Regina to visit my sister-in-law and great niece this week but those plans have been put on hold. While I don't think I have gone anywhere to be exposed I have done No Cook with people who are out amongst the real world everyday.  I decided to err on the side of caution. I will stay the blazes home until it feels safe again. We have cancelled No Cook for the foreseeable as well. 

Yesterday I woke up in a bit of a funk. I had to drag my butt out of bed with my head already frantically building mountains out of the things I needed to do that day. I really am my own worst enemy. So I mooched around for the best part of the morning and all I managed was to get the laundry down to the main floor, the compost bin to the front yard and breakfast made. Not accomplishing a lot, but at least up and out of bed. Not laying down with the covers over my head willing the day to go by.

Then The Hostess breezed onto my veranda, bringing coffee, blueberry muffins and a happy positive attitude. She was a true breath of fresh air. My funk took flight and was replaced with a good positive mood. We had a lovely "veranda visit". Catching up on all the news that is the news and then she took a stab at my weeds. She totally ignored my protests of "no no I can do it myself" and got about half of what was left to do, out of the ground and into the compost bin. I cannot tell you how happy this made me.

I truly have the bestest friends ever. So once she breezed off again to attend to the rest of her day, I got my self up and without too much thought, I finished it!!

This makes me happier than I can possibly express. I thought this job  would take me a week and now its done. The lilacs are slowly growing back and now the snow-on-the-mountain can work its way into the patch. There is still much to do but thank goodness much has been done My lesson to be learned lately is less thinking, more doing. The thinking always gets me into trouble.

I then I finished my wall hanging. I found a picture on Pinterest that I fell in love with. I drew out a pattern and set to work. Its one of the bible verses I feel is personal, it was part of my Mom's funeral service and I think its linked to a lot of the women in my family. I have been at it for about a week or more now.

Its now ready to quilt and then bind and then hang it up. I am seriously pleased with the results. Nothing was purchased to make it, just some black embroidery thread. Its been made from scraps left over from other projects. I just love those fat little folk art sheep. 

Today I have managed to get a grocery order. I plan to make this last for some time as I think I am going for groceries far too much.  I need to start using some of the stuff I have on hand. Thankfully I have a reasonably supply of non grocery items so I should be good to go for a bit. I even have a chicken recipe I am going to cool up tonight!! Go Me.

So today is laundry, a trip to the basement because I thought I had turned on the water to the tap outside but I didn't, dealing with the dishwasher (empty and start to refill) and then some sewing. The Hostess picked up her Maple Leaf Runner yesterday so that is off my list. I am going to make another because Agnes and I are doing a Canada Day themed basket for scrapbooking weekend.

I have changed the veranda decor to a more late summer theme. I am big on seasonal decor and veranda is a good place to do this.

I have decided I need to spray paint those tins that hold the flowers in the window box. I was not going to originally but the more I look at it the more I think they need to be an off white. Its too busy this way.

I have also been once again sorting and organizing material. I had two smallish tote boxes and a basket full of scraps that I dragged out when I started the wall hanging. I am happy to say they all have been sorted, some colour sorted and now the fabric is in better spots. 

 

The top picture is some material waiting for the sort and  purge, the bottom picture is the empty totes with a bit of fabric that is going to recycle. All of my really good 100% cotton fat quarters are in one tote now. The rest of the fabric is now bagged up in colours. Something I have wanted to have done for a very long time.

My next project is to get these totes hidden under the tables in the craft room. I have high hopes I can do it. Wish me luck.

I also spend a portion of each day, or I try to, devoted to putting things back where they belong. In this house with me in charge, that it a never ending job. Its coming along but as always it is slow going. I still need to clear a spot for the new printer. Oh my that is going to be a job and a half.

Onward and upward!! Once more into the breech.

Toodles

Linda