Yep, I'm Back

I'm back. I am not going to promise anything, but my goal is to be more consistent with my blog. Thinking on it, I just lost interest. But it was, and still is, my only link to the outside world. So to keep posting I need to make it interesting for ME. If it's interesting for YOU too, FANTASTIC!

To catch up on what has been happening for the last year(?) would be way too long. And boring. But the upshot is I moved. Again. I am back in the original house I had moved to when I first came here to mom's property. Thankfully, everyone has agreed they are now in the home they wish to stay in, so no more moving! Maybe.

Now on to content. I have been journaling for years. Mostly boring, all written, nothing to grab your interest (or mine). Then I came across "Bullet Journaling". Wow. You can make it fun, who'd a' thought that? What caught my interest were:

• The INDEX! OMG such a simple thing but so needed for me! What an amazing concept.
• Can make it however you want, "minimalistic" or scream in your face rainbow.
• Collections. I would write lists upon lists and inventories and ideas all the time. Then I would lose them. Sigh.

The "Bullet Journal" concept incorporates all this and it was things I did already, just in a more organized way.

I am not going to go into how to start a Bullet Journal or any of that. What I am going to show you today is one of my "Collections".

 I was having to go through multiple storage containers to find what I wanted... which always seemed to be on the bottom. So I labeled the containers "A, B, C..." etc. and wrote down what is in them. I labeled them ABC so when I have multiple containers emptied (Christmas) when I put things back up or get rid of stuff, I don't have to relabel, just update the inventory.  Now I can just look in my journal when I need to find something and know exactly which container I need to get to, and my containers don't look so messy with different labels, which may or may not apply!

The numbered boxes is from when I moved and just haven't found a home for it yet or it's my daughter's. Yes, when I moved every single box was numbered and a short inventory listed as to what was in it. THAT was a huge help! I could then unpack what I needed (or asked my daughter to find box #? to finish up what we were doing)

It's all in my journal. I am so happy with it. Now I know which container I need.

As you can see, my journal is a simple $0.50 composition book. You can go all out and spend $10 -$50 on a journal, I don't have the money for that. Same for special pens and so on, I use pens from the Family Dollar and regular Crayola markers and colored pencils.

Taming Embroidery Thread

Wild Embroidery Thread

Do you use embroidery thread in your crafting? I do, and I inherited a bunch of embroidery thread from several places... And it is a mess! I have 2 boxes like this left to "tame" and thought I would share with you what I am doing.

First I need to explain that I go as cheaply as possible in organizing my (our) craft supplies. But I still want a pretty, organized, inspirational, craft room. I had looked at the stores and online to see what I could do and there were all kinds of nifty things out there, that I could not afford. So I turned to my trusty 3"x5" index cards. I am a firm believer in index cards, I have panic attacks if I am out!

3"x5" index card

I folded it in half, short end to short end.

I cut on the indicated lines.

Then folded the flaps inwards. I didn't cut them off as I felt it gave it more stability.

Wrap your embroidery thread around the center. I also added the color information and brand, etc.

I included any washing instructions on the "back" and cut a small slit at the top to secure the end.






And WOOT! I have beautifully tamed embroidery thread that I can easily see. Once all of it is finished I will organize it by color.

I will tell you about my containers in the next post!


Love to all,
EW

Cleaning the Other Side...

This is the next to get tackled with the cleaning bug...

My table and freezer. So I am told.

 This is right across from the table and behind the couch for the living room.

 This is the wall directly opposite from the sink wall.

 This is the wall with the stove and sink, it is the other side of the bar and it is where my chair is.

 See that bit of beige? That is my chair.

This is the window beside my chair. Hubby had made a shelf for me. I already started with my collection of sand and water from different locations (I ask for that instead of souvenirs) But it was in all kinds of different plastic bottles - this looks soo much better.... except for the mess above it. Yes - that is bits of Christmas decorations I forgot to put up... 2 years ago.

I've got my work cut out for me, but I am only doing a little at a time, basically what you see in the picture is what I tackle at a time. If I tried more than that, well, it wouldn't get done!

Clean Kitchen

Cleaning the kitchen has been a chore and a blessing at the same time. If I had to move it at all - it got cleaned! I thought I would post these now even though am still working on the lower cabinets, everything I am doing now is "behind the scenes" so to speak, so figured I would go ahead with them :)

I know it may seem just a matter of DO THE DISHES!!! But oddly, that is just 2 days of dishes - seriously! Which is why I cried when my dishwasher broke... now it is a glorified dish strainer. Anyway, EVERYTHING got cleaned: Stove hood; filter, spice jars, spice rack, utensils, utensil drawers and holders, etc.

For some reason I cannot get the pics to go side by side - But I think you can pretty much tell the "befores and afters"