Creative Organization

Hello, all,

Like many of you, waste is actually painful to me. It doesn't seem right not to use what we have, or spend $$ on things that end up later in a donation box. Case in point, this:

a nice hanger for pants that seemed like something Mr. B could use. Except he didn't. It wasn't expensive, came in a bag with several other wooden coat hangers that were in service, but still. Then, while working in our bedroom and the closet a light dawned, revealing that scarves aren't a big part of my wardrobe because folded in a drawer it never occurs to me to put one on. Now, hanging on a rod, it is much more likely:

Out of sight, out of mind is all too accurate, and doesn't just refer to people by any means. It's a very minor aha moment, but is working well for me so far.

Take it easy!

Michele

January Score - 2014

Hello, friends, 

I hope your week is off to a good start. My Monday has so far been dutifully spent at home, cleaning and organizing; sadly, there is nothing wonderful to show off from the effort, but surely credit is given for trying? I hope so!

A lot of bloggers are doing best of posts from the previous year, and I hopped on the bandwagon too. Mine are going to be best score/find per month from last year. 

It didn't take a lot of thought to choose this as the primo pick from January. It was new, with tags still attached made by Jan Constantine. A search on the internet showed one smaller than this, 10"x 14" versus mine which is 18" x  13". The one online was $67. The one in the picture was $2.99. Score! Nothing in the past twelve months has diminished the pleasure it gives me every time I walk past the chair it's currently in near the front door. 

Let's hope we all find something equally as thrilling before the month is over for 2015.

Moving right along

from the dining room debacle, today the bedroom got a bit of much-needed effort concentrated on it. I don't know if you have this tendency, but my first impulse is to clean and neaten public rooms and the kitchen and leave our room till it is in a bad way. After removing the terrarium/holiday decor it was clearly time to change that. Since the nightstands are new and fairly neat, the dresser was where the concentration of effort was. 

Everything was removed, cleaned, emptied, wiped or in whatever way necessary sanitized. This was also when I moved the art work up higher towards the shelf.

Here is the shelf. On the right is my first experiment using an embroidery hoop to display a vintage handkerchief. I've picked up a couple more at thrift shops so will experiment with those in the near future. And there you have it. The room also got dusted and vacuumed so is in good shape to finish up on Friday.

May you have a wonderful weekend ahead!

Michele

Plan B

Hello, all,

Wow, we are nearly halfway through the first month of the new year; as usual, time is flying. Or at least it feels like it when you're this age!

Yesterday the destruction of my attempt to have live plants indoors was revealed. Here is what we're going with now:

Back to fake succulents. The one in the silver cup was found at Dollar Tree this week and is very realistic. It was put in the silver cup, it came in plastic. The others were from thrift shops, as was the Mercury glass container on the right. It has a handle and is almost like a small ice bucket. It was 50% off a $4.99 price tag at Value Village the week after Christmas. 

I like the combination of succulents and silver.

Here are some more fakes, three miniature tea light candles. Their bottoms were wrapped with washi tape to spiff them up a little. 

Today this and going to Bible study were about all that got accomplished, but at least the cats shouldn't be interested in these plants now.

Have a good one!

Michele

The unrealistic optimist

Hello, friends,

On January 9th, I wrote about this:

my experiment with live plants indoors. That was then.

This is now.

Less than a week later the disaster that shouldn't be such a surprise.

The traumatized plants are back outside. They've got a better chance surviving the weather than our bad kitties. Check back tomorrow for Plan B. Meanwhile, may your projects turn out better than mine.

Michele

Oh, what a relief it is!

Happy Tuesday, everyone, how is January going for you so far? Cold and wet has been the name of the game here, pretty steadily.

Once upon a time there as an old lady who liked to do crafty things. She wasn't especially good at it, but enjoyed the process, once she got started. That often took a while, because of the struggle to find materials and supplies. A hint read on the internet in one of the multiple articles that always appear at the beginning of each year about organizing changed all that, though. Behold, the new, improved system and admire the new reality here:

A clear plastic shoe bag that hangs over the top of a door from Amazon is the hero. 

Pipe cleaners, paintbrushes, scissors, glue all have their own pockets, and are clearly visible. No more delay to making something because glue has gone awol, or trim nowhere to be found. 

Markers for drawing have a slot and touch up markers for wood furniture a separate one. Push pins and tacks are in baby food jars sorted by color and all the paint samples are together, ready to grab and use. 

Before, everything was in some kind of container, a box, basket or tin, but not accessible without dragging those all out and rooting around, a poor method if there ever was one. It should be light years easier to do anything from now on. Thank you, internet, for suggesting this handy dandy solution to keep many small items available without making a mess!

Have a good one,

Michele

Let there be dark!

Hello, all,

Before we ever moved here I bought some rods and curtains for the bedroom, thinking that it would be better to have an extra layer between us and the two streets (we're on a busy corner) than just blinds. Mr. B balked. Who knows why, but he resisted a full six + months before bowing to the inevitable, getting out his drill and level and installing the rods. Then, much to my delight, he was furious with himself when he saw how much better we slept with the light and sound blocking material on the windows. It was very difficult to refrain from saying "Well,DUH!" but I managed somehow. Here is the room with the new additions:

The side wall window. The one in the front, behind our bed is a different height. Mr. B. put the rod the same as this one, though.

Freckles seems to be rather skeptical of the project.

One last look. It is a relief to finally get this crossed off the list at last. Now the room is done, insofar as having a rug, appropriate furniture and some relief from noise and streetlights. Now, to start the campaign for a rod in the library and pray it doesn't take another six months! 

That's what we've been doing. How about you?

Michele