Decluttering, Sewing, and Knitting

 Yesterday was cool with sun and clouds and a high of 5C. The wind blew from the NNW all day. This morning it is clear and -1C (windchill -4C). Today is suppose to be sunny with a high of 7C.

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I had 2 hours to clean in. I spent it tidying up my area of which I had ignored. The fabric and ribbon I was sent was put at the top of the stairs. Next up I got out the cross stitch stuff and had a hay day. I cleaned out a basket and a shallow tub of stuff. I had a keep pile, a put away pile, and a toss pile. I found rhinestones and in with the cross stitch stuff. I was a bit miffed with myself for having craft stuff where it wasn't suppose to be. I gathered up the garbage and tossed it. The rest went on top of the fabric to go downstairs. I then polished the side table. I looked at some journals and need to make a decision on them. One will become my next knitting book, one will be tossed and one kept for ??. I ended up taking the pile of stuff to the basement and put them into the sewing room and on the coffee table. I had run out of time. 

I went in for my Covid vaccine. I was in the midst of a rush of people. I checked in, sat down and waited. I was called in about 10 minutes later. I had to wait 15 minutes and as I sat, the numbers dwindled off as it was near noon. I left and talked to family in the parking lot. I did go and get a few groceries and then home. I had no real effects from the vaccine. My arm was a bit sore and I was a bit tired but nothing that had me sleeping on the couch. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday and got the binding on one of the placemats. I sat and hand sewed it down. 

The second one is ready to have the binding sewn on and then hand sewn in place. 

I did deal with two containers. The first one was the cross stitch container. I wanted to have it down to one small tub. It will be once I have an empty pill container to put the needles into. 

This is the pile I let go of. And the bonus -- an empty bin.

I also did the basket of beads and got rid of a few vials of beads. What I kept is what I would use on fancy dresses for the dolls. I did find a container of rhinestones in that basket. All the wandering rhinestones are now in their proper tub. I need to find the rest of the beads and put them all together in one bag. It wasn't done as it was time to make dinner. Elliott had come to let me know the afternoon was gone. 

Knitting

I worked on the Gotz doll sweater last night and I will not have enough yarn to finish it. 

I am going to see where I get to and decide if I will put it away until I get another skein of yarn to make me socks or if I will ditch it. 

Thoughts

    I was happy to get the counted cross stitch and beading bins purged. I am going to do a bit of organizing of the beads so they are in containers vs bags. I would like to put them into a small tub and onto the shelf. Next up is the doll's fabric bins. I am a bit stressed about them. I know there is some emotional attachment which I am trying to work through. 

    I am trying to reach some goals in getting this house in order for the future. I am pleased with what I have got done but know I will be busy for a few more months. Once I get a few more items sewn and the memory book done, I will spend the afternoons cleaning up the downstairs. I will need to get some boxes to put donations into, bags for trash, and use some of the empty tubs for what I want to keep. My goal is to have very little left so I can enjoy calm spaces to work in. 

    Our weather is going to be the usual for November. We have rain in the forecast which is normal for this time of the year. I have decided that I will get the burlap for the rose bush and cover it on the next nice day and call the yard done for this year. I know we haven't had enough frost but I am hoping that I will not kill the bush wrapping it this week. I see others have done their shrubs already so fingers crossed. 

    I am still working on how I want next year to look for me. Some times I am grasping at straws, other times I think I have it figured out. What I want is to do things that I enjoy, feel interested in my activities and feel like what I do matters. Pleasure, engagement and meaning are three elements I am striving to obtain in my life. I will be repeating these as I work through my stuff both upstairs and downstairs. Right now I am feeling like I am accomplishing tasks that make me happy  and am working towards an environment that I can be happy and calm in. 

Today

I am heading out to New Minas to get some things I need (house and Christmas). Once home, I hope to bind the second placemat and finish it. If time, I will do some more work on the beads so they can go into a small tub. I hope to knit tonight.