Monday, June 22, 2015

Living My 60th Year --- KC is on the mend



This week had me taking KC to the vet.  It isn't generally a fun event for her nor me.  Though she seemed to do pretty well.   She spent the day at the vet to test her BG curve and several other tests for kidney, sugar, etc.

News finally came and she's been feeling badly due to an UTI infection.  Back to the vet the next day to get the antibiotic that will need to be administered for the next ten days.  Her sugar is double what it should be  - some of it due to the infection.  She will have to go back for another BG curve test some time in early July.  

I Found The Beads!    Yippie - I'm not losing my mind - just putting the stuff away in a safe place!?!  

This past week, it was one month since the resignation.  I'm loving sitting in the back of the room during the meeting this past week.  I didn't lose the day preparing for the meeting nor lose a couple of  days after taking care of all the work that would have been assigned to me.  I did do one thing, posted the Meet the Candidate notice for this coming Thursday evening all over Facebook.  

Master Bedroom Suite --- Still no information about getting the room fixed from the leaks. Though it was approved to have the engineer look at it.  In the mean time, back to minimization.  


Completed!
There is a bookcase - with lots of assorted books. Also a stack of them next to it as there isn't any room for more.  Occasionally, I'm looking for a title, stuffing more books in it, yet I'm no longer using most of them. 


Ready to Donate!
Then the week before,  it came to me --- I've not touched it since moving in.  I decided that without looking - I gave myself the okay to keep ten of the books.  

So proud to say - it is cleaned out and I've got a box of books ready to donate at the library!

Okay, if you are counting ---- yes, it is a little more than ten.  
Not going to happen.

Next to tackle - Lace pillows, not the kind you put your head on, the kind that you make bobbin lace on. Many of them had WIPs and were moved into the suite area some months ago.  

It was time to look at them and find out what there is.  Some of the pillows had demo projects on them, some with projects I'm still half done, some not started.  

Question I asked myself - how much time do I have to complete any / all of these.  Several were cut off, couple left for demo purposes.  The one pictured here had some severe structural problems that I would not tolerate when I took it off the pillow.  I cut off the dozen bobbins,  unwound them, and put them back; two pillows have projects on that I want to finish and my demo stand pillow is ready for the next demonstration - possibly late summer and the fall.  The snake pillow is ready for a beginner!
In process.....

Yes, the star project is happening.  I starched two more boards of stars during the week, put a loop of fishing line through them and hung them up.  Connected with this project was making a few more snowman scarfs for a project later this year.  Those are done and put away for now.  I'll make up more stars with the remaining yarn and this project will also be completed.  

KC is feeling better - it is amazing what 48 hrs can do for her.  This coming week will have lots to do with the farm plots.  Stay tuned.........  and enjoy your week.


Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,
doing what makes you smile,
and loving the life you live.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Snowflakes - Look what I found!


Yes, I've been away and unfortunately not making my snowflakes.

It feels like summer here.   When I wrote last time, it was winter at the end of April.  Now the snow is melted and everything is in bloom.   Lately, I've been feeling 'blessed' as much that I am working on is coming together.  The first time in a long time.

This is one instance of my work coming together.  Back when I challenged myself to make the snowflakes, it was two fold.  One to make a snowflake and second to take the time to write about the process of making a snowflake.  Sometimes we go along without a bump, then there are those bumps that take you out of circulation.  It hit one of the later bumps.

Lucky that bump didn't last for long. This past week I was taking a part the studio.  Reclaiming old projects, cutting off projects,
and deciding what I truly wanted to complete.

This one is a reclaim project.  I found another use for this thread - I needle tat five petal flowers.
I can do them in my sleep and when I'm in a meeting or waiting, I can whip off one in about 15 minutes.  Since I started making the flowers last fall, I think I made at least 50-60 of them of which I have given most of them away.  This week alone - I made/gave away nine  of them.  It is so cool to do as the recipient is surprised and pleased and I know in my heart there is a little bit of handmade lace in another home!

Okay - back to snowflakes.  I found the snowflakes in the pictures above!  Viola!  Fifteen of them, most white (10) and five of them are in ecru.  Not too sure about the ecru ones yet.  Of course - they need to be blocked and I need (to make peace in my mind) find out which pattern book they came out of.  While I've been away since April 22nd, I need eight snowflakes complete by today to keep on track to be done by November!  Looks like the crochet spirits are with me and have rewarded me with a few spares.

Therefore...... based on the 21 completed so far..... and the white ones - I've 31 completed and a few to spare.  I'm feeling back in the saddle again and look forward to posting new snowflakes and beginning to get them starched!


Monday, June 15, 2015

Living My 60th Year - I still can't find the beads

Those are now empty boxes no longer needed!
Haven't you swore that you had something, remember buying it as if it was yesterday and then you can't find it?

Lately I've been looking for several items - crochet stars, beads from the Fiber Fest this past November, additional handmade snowflakes, and 
 crystal chandelier to name a few.  

What is it with our memory sometime?  Are we not exercising the grey matter enough?  Is there just too much on our plate, that the thoughts just pass through at lightning speed?   

With picking up and rearranging that I started last November, some items seem to have gotten put in the mystery place.  My minimalist strategy has been working quite well except now I am getting to critical mass.   There are spaces now at that stage.  The studio/bedroom and the garage are those places.  

Besides lots client work, office admin work, planting at the farm, neighbor cookout/party at Jim's driveway,  it has been a good week.  Plenty productive!  Best of all, it was housekeeper week and it looks so nice about my space on earth.  

I decided to get to the studio, do a little bit each evening.  I want to find those beads.  Not in the two places where the beads should be - I looked several times.  In the mean time, I am getting distracted with the 'stuff' in boxes, bags, books, etc.  Yesterday, I decided I would dig in a bit further into the various work-in-process projects, maybe, just maybe I'll find those beads.

Reclaiming is great - it's when you undo the work that was done and have yarn/thread for another project.  I reclaimed three projects - nice work though no I'm longer interested in the project.  Two others I cut off the work and placed the work in my samples box.  It's a little box with bit 'n pieces of trying out a yarn/thread or a pattern that I've collected over the years.  


Another project is the stars project.  That kicked off my energy on Sunday.  I needed to starch them, so I made the potion (equal part's Elmer's glue and water), soaked them and repinned them to the drying board.  Later I found that I have another  19 to starch and probably enough yarn to make another dozen.   Yippie. 

It's is snowing in the studio - another one for me!   I found another fifteen flakes already
completed.  From the notations in my various pattern books, I knew I did more, though their abouts were not easily found.  While emptying more mystery bags, I found them.  This find will keep me on my track of making 50 (plus) snowflakes for this year.  


 When you are on a roll, it's amazing what you can find.  Yes I found the chandelier!  The chandelier was packed away in January in the garage so that it would not be bumped into.  Problem was I changed the  box it was packed in.  My mind was telling me one thing and my eyes were not listening.  Another mystery solved.

As for the beads - still can not find them...............  stay tuned, I know they are in that space!  I need to "see" instead of "look".   Have a great week!



Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,
doing what makes you smile,
and loving the life you live.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Living My 60th Year - A heck of a week



It's been a heck of a week.  Can't say it was one of the best, yet it is getting better as I clean off more stuff.

Geez this sounds boring on one hand, though the progress is getting better.

I've another organization that is now on summer vacation after their meeting this week.  I completed my responsibilities on Sunday and emailed off the document to the gang.  It is missing some information, yet it is as complete as it goes.

This past week we had more rain and pretty cloudy days.  Finally cleared up by the end of the week in time for the weekend.  It was Tag sale/fundraiser
weekend here in town; the Rotary was at the high school; the Art League was on the lawn of the Kellogg-Eddy house and was coordinated with the Historical Society on the same property; and let's not forget the Congregational Church!

I was on a textile shopping hunt.  I did not find any lace, though I went back to the United Methodist whom had a booth at the Rotary sale and got such a deal!  That is an enormous bucket filled with embroidery thread, couple of knitting needles for my mom's friend who teaches knitting, other bits and pieces ... and including the bucket $20! And found a small end table - for the cost of carrying it away!  It could use some sanding and painting.  Instead I'll cover it with some lace and I'll be loving live.  Found a crochet book at the Art League $2 and some gift boxes and picture frame from the Historical Society $4 and lastly a small plastic storage box, good for thread, picture frame and file stand for another $5.  LOL!  What a deal.

The studio/bedroom is almost back in order.  I'm taking my time and clearing away a few more items that do not need to be there.  It is nice to have the ceiling looking clean again.

I didn't attend to the farm too much.  The picture is the squash plot - my plot isn't complete yet.  Yeah Yeah Yeah -- I know, so much to deal with and so little time.  My green bean plants have germinated!  Kinda surprised that all the seeds didn't wash away.

This will be a big week!  Take care and enjoy your week too!


Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,
doing what makes you smile,
and loving the life you live.

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Minimalism - May - Donate and Recycle

What a great month!  

My Minimalist Challenge  from Day 21  - keeping only necessities in the kitchen is completed!  My goodness, what a difference.  I have space I didn't know I had.    What I found were dishes I haven't used since I moved in here some seven years ago.  Just because I had the space, well it is now time to determine what I need to keep because I use it.  Owning it is not a reason to keep it!  I found several vases- one of which I haven't a clue where they came from?  


At the beginning of May, I made a list room by room, closet by closet  - not too detailed,  yet enough to get it down on paper.  I find doing that type of exercise liberating.  The ideas are not running around in my head and when in front of me I can see the small tasks vs the large tasks which means something can get done.

On to the cubbies!  I've one of those 4 x 4 cubbies from Ikea in the kitchen.   I'm down to 10 of the 16 completed.  Here's the success in many ways:

- disposed of a complete cubbie of cook books and donated them to the Friends of the Library for their book sale. Really when I am looking for inspiration - I look online.

- used that open space to put my little crochet project in so that it is not stacked on the counter in the kitchen.  You can see the striped bag in the picture.

- organized/ sorted other papers and found enough space to keep my laptop bag and purse in the cubbie.  

There are four more cubbies and those will be done this month!

The Living space was another set of small tasks.  I found old magazines and old books.  Low and behold the mags were recycled and the old books were donated.  Then audio rack where I  found a box of cassette tapes - 30 tapes!  There were some great albums I listened to back then - not so much today.  So to remember those good titles, I made a list of them, and then took the box and donated them to the Friends Sale.

While donating those items for the Friends book sale - I found that the Senior Center in town has a gift/consignment shop.  When I visited, I found more lace - yeah!  I also found that they are always looking for greeting cards.  Wait, this was a bonus.  I have two boxes full of note cards - not any longer!  A full box of them has been donated and I received so many thanks.  I was grateful not to have to throw them out.


Now off to the transfer station I go - like the old toaster that really didn't work, or those power strips that don't protect any longer along with the UPS boxes that were replaced in the office.  Yeah - proper disposal is key today.  More on my bid to increase recycling here in town later on.

Another part of minimalism is to use up what you already own.  I've got a sizable stash of yarn and WIP projects (work in progress).  I purchased some yarn eons ago because I liked it. I hadn't found the right project, the yarn is a bit cranky to use, whatever!  Then - Viola, in doing some Pinterest, I found the pattern.  Thanks to Stuckathomemom.com , I have my inspiration.   It's the beginning of a baby blanket for a basket I will be making up for a fundraiser in September. 

I even looked at some of those WIP's and said that I'm not interested in that project and reclaimed the thread and yarn to use as another project.  

It was a good month.  By being present, opportunities abound about you.  I found new place to give away items and have made a few folks happier that they are enjoying.   Thank You!

June will be even better.  I've the balance of the cubbies to complete; the 2nd bedroom/studio was taken apart to fix the damage from the ice damming this winter so it will be re-assembled with a minimalist mindset; the garage is looming, now that the light is fixed, I'll be taking on small bits at a time.  My goal is to have the garage complete by July.  Of course there is the balance of the damage from the ice damming needs to be completed.  

Are you beginning to look around?  Have you found some precious minutes to be present with you?  Go ahead I invite you to take a few.... your soul will appreciate the opportunity to speak to you.




Day 21 - kitchen cabinets - only the necessities  - Take one cabinet/drawer a day
0.  Cabinet to the right of microwave -----  December
1.  cabinet left of microwave - May 9th
2.  drawer below #1 January
3.  Drawer below #2 January
4.  Drawer below #3 January
5.  drawer to right of stove January
6. cabinet below #5 - March
7.  drawer on left side of island  February
8.  cabinet below #7 February
9.  drawer on right side of island- March
10.  cabinet below #9 February
11.  cabinet above to the left of sink May 9th
12.  cabinet above sink - May 9th
13.  cabinet above to right of sink May 9th
14.  Pantry closet /February
15.  storage in garage.
16.  storage cube in dining kitchen room
17.  Cabinet in dinning room January
18.  Cabinet Below sink!!  - March

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Living My 60th Year - It rains.... and it pours

Weather changes and so does life.  Not very poetic, yet enough to make my point of this week.

Yes - that is a flood in front of the garage - about 4" deep.  The drain, that runs across the front of the garage, can not handle the water.

So this is life - It is a good life, some days are better than others.  I've got some items to cross over in my path right now.  All take courage and patience and focus.  My focus has been scattered for quite some time.  My boat has been too full.  So eliminating one of the items (resigned for position) has helped.  Yet the boat is still too full.  It has allowed for the items in the boat to take a deep breath and each of them are clamoring to be next in line.

With my "I got it done" journal, I've been able to get more accomplished, true, yet it has allowed me to appreciate what I have completed.  What ever the tools we have, use them.  Don't have tools, go visit your local library, staff will show you where they are.  Search for them online - lots of blogs out there that you can gleam some hints and techniques that may turn your head!  

The resignation - it is working well for me.  I see spots of time, items to-do that are not  my responsibility any longer and I've cleared off a physical space of stuff!  More of that in my minimalist post for the month.  The repairs from all the ice damming are beginning. 

  Nothing more, nothing less.   Some weeks are just quiet.



Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,
doing what makes you smile,
and loving the life you live.