O Christmas Tree...

Well, we finally got our tree! 

It's all I really wanted for Christmas and it makes me so happy.

Other projects:

I went and bought 4 yards of red felt to make a tree skirt.  I pulled out my Grandmother's circa 1936 Singer and started in.  The fun part is getting to the edging. 

It was a really simple pattern that yielded a nice size skirt.  I'm not going to do anything other than a simple blanket stitch with some stashed white acrylic yarn. 

I'll probably come back and edit this post with the finished skirt...

Last week I had some fun making some crocheted ornaments... not bad for my first attempt

The stars didn't come out that well.  Not very pointy-points, even though I sprayed a TON of spray starch on them... suggestions anyone?

and of course, I've been working on grannies... this past week was a cushion cover. 

I just love all the ends that all my grannies have made;

 so much so, I just had to take a picture.

 (these include those from the popsicle blankie)

blocking on a towel in the kitchen...

 Now to find a pillow to cover.

I also made my mother-in-law a warm hat (should winter ever decide to arrive- 58 degrees F yesterday?!?), using yarn she chose herself at Michaels.  How nice it was for us to spend last Saturday together in Santa Fe.  She suffers from both Alzheimers and macular degeneration (loss of vision), so it was a joy to take her to see the Christmas decorations in all the stores and let her pick out new boots that fit her high arch and yarn for a hat and scarf that wouldn't be scratchy against her sensitive skin.

Anyway, I love, love, love this yarn! 

LBY, Nature's Choice, Organic cotton in macadamia and walnut,

 the "Ugly But Warm" pattern by Dot Matthews, Copyrighted 12/28/04,

although I really don't think it's ugly at all.  In fact, I think it's quite cute... maybe one for me in a nice peacock blue?  Must have a look in the stash...

De-cluttering update:

It's my last week to "declutter."  I think I set a deadline of December 31.   Did I say 2010?  What I meant to post was 2011.  ;0)

Ahem.  Anyway, I told a friend of that silly idea, that if I posted that deadline on the blog it might help motivate me to get it done.  The whole idea of "people are watching you" might actually help me get it done... um, that hasn't really happened.   But, I did get a little re-motivated after putting the tree up.  J worked until really late (he said he came home at 2 am, but I peeked at the clock when he was brushing his teeth and it was really 2:30 am- BUSTED sweetheart, ha ha) so I spent until about midnight sorting through "stuff."  That all needs to get out of the house, into the car and over to the free box before I loan my car to a good friend for her Christmas travels.  Goodness, what a car full.  I shall take photos before it's relieved of it's cargo.

Well, I must go and get some real work done... one day left to hand in a quarterly report at work... oh, reality can be so crushing sometimes. 

See ya 'round the (Christmassy) corner...

XOXO

simplify: chapter two

I took the first step and started hauling crap out of rooms.  Once it was all in the living room, I started putting things back.  Not much went back in.  I should have taken more photos.  Quite a bit went into the dumpster including my bouquets from the wedding.  So did the fake cattail arrangement that caught fire at the reception.  As J said after I told them of the elimination, "We're still married."  That made me feel better.  It's not an easy thing to let go of things.  This whole water leak thing has really helped me do just that.  I still have boxes of photos and letters to go through, but at least I have the two spare rooms put together in some fashion.

  The second bedroom has been rearranged, the bed away from the window and I put in the bookshelves from the living room.  I think they look much better in here...

And for the room I've been just dying to put together, another bedroom complete with single bed and some of my Finnish fav's....

 I can't wait to sit in the glider and hook away....

In all the mess, I found some old Christmas decorations; the nutcracker that my Mom painted to resemble a Michigan State marching band member (my alma mater) and various tealights and candles that were hidden in a box.

And our nativity that friends gave us last year as a wedding gift.

and a not-so-bad looking fake holly wreath for the door.

So, little by little it's coming together.  I still have 23 days to finish the first serious round of simplification.  The tree we'll get together this weekend.  Christmas cards and gifts are still on the list of things left to take care of. 

See you round the (simply Christmas) corner....

XOXO

simplify: chapter one

Well, I hadn't intended on this, but we sprang a leak in the guest bathroom this past Saturday night.  Before we realized what was going on, water had leaked into the spare bedroom where all of my saved photos and letters had been stored in cardboard boxes.  Note to self:  buy plastic storage boxes

So, I guess this is the first chapter of the long book

that is all about the simplifying of my life.

First, setting the scene:

every spare towel was used to mop up the flood,

cut a hole on the other side of the shower to find the leak,

...got the guys to come out after a couple of days

and put valves in to shut off the water at the leak.

 Resident MacGyver, husband J, was quick with a solution to dry out the carpet and wall:

a bungee cord, a portable fan and a space heater

got the stuff wet on the corner of the closet too,

So, I moved it all out into the guest bedroom,

mixed in with all of E's firefighting gear and clothes.

So, today will be spent sorting through all of my old letters,

and crinkled photographs.

and of course there is 6 loads of laundry that piled up with the water shut off,

 How appropriate that it is Thanksgiving week and right now I am incredibly thankful,

 as there is such thing as white chocolate Reese's peanut butter cups.

YUM-O.

See ya 'round the (dried and sorted out) corner...

 

XOXO



simplify...

This morning I sit and think ...

...why is it that everyone yearns for the simpler things in life? 

We get to feeling this way especially as we come in from the cold, looking to start our hibernation period that is winter.   We literally become surrounded by that which we classify as "must haves."  All of the impulse buys;  the things we thought would fix a sad day or at a minimum match that favorite sweater. 

I think of all that I have and all that I really need and see such excess.  Everywhere.  In the bathroom (will I ever use those hotel shampoos and conditioners?) and in the laundry room (3,576 plastic grocery bags). 

Really?!?  C'mon.

 I have set a date.  The end of the year.  I give myself until December 31.  That's a little more than a month.  I will go room by room, box by box and keep only what is necessary, what I (honestly and truly) wear and use (on a regular basis) and what I love and treasure, including what's in the white box (for another post, another day).

I will gather shampoos and baggies and say enough is enough, a little every day.

I guess J can stay.

See ya round the (simplified?!?) corner...

XOXO

the Levi Project

22 pair of Levis.  Most people don't own 22 pair of pants or shoes or anything else for that matter.  This was the Saturday morning project.  Instead of purging the whole closet, I decided to tackle one chapter of that closet. 

I actually didn't plan on doing this until I found myself staring up at the "stack" on the top shelf and wondering why on earth I have so many and why I only wear one or two and why none of them make my backside look smaller...

Step one, admitting you have a problem.  Step two, strategize.

So, I pulled them all down and laid them on the bed.  Two were missing from this shot.  I was wearing the pair that I could never live without (we all have that pair) and the other was in the laundry, meaning that it must be okay.

After a brief sigh, I started in.  Some went on with absolutely no trouble.  Checked the hiney in the mirror; it looked good (well as good as a size 12/14 hiney can look).  Those went in one pile.  Most, I'm sorry to say were a little difficult, but got them on... just a little snug.  Those went in another pile. 

Then there were the final five.  I couldn't even get them past my thighs.  Was I really that small at one time?  I checked the label.  Size 8.  No way.  I double checked the zipper thinking that maybe I forgot to release it.  Yah, that had to be it.  Nope.  Zipper down. 

I offer no other excuse other than to say that my husband makes me eat ice cream every night. 

Here's how it ended up coming out.

Two were put in the "free box" pile, headed to the recycling center where maybe someone else will enjoy my extra huge Levis.

Here's the rest:

The first two piles (total 8) are fine.  Piles three and four are future aspiration piles.

Pile 3, where there's some hope in these 5 pair...

And pile 4, where there really is no hope, but... there's 5 pair of perfectly good Levis awaiting a size 8 hiney.

So, in the end, didn't really purge, but had a good reality check.  Next week maybe I'll tackle the shoes.  Feet don't get fat, do they?

See ya 'round the corner.

XOXO