Happy Halloween

Monday was a lovely day; sunny, windy and warm. The high was 16C. Tuesday morning was cooler and damp. Today may be the same. The tropical storm we had has passed. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday the Spousal Unit and I went and did the last of the Christmas shopping that needs to be mailed to BC. I have mailed four parcels with no cost to me. I'm taking part in Canada Post's free shipping Tuesday. You can ship one parcel each week free of charge. Thank you Canada Post and I will continue to ship this way whether I have to pay or not. 
While looking for baseboards and window trim, I wanted to get colored lightbulbs for the garage lights. Halloween decorations were on sale at a good 50% off so we opted for a light that covers the door. 

The black blob is a decoration that go in the way. Yes, our place is decorated for tonight. Daughter-in-law did a good job of doing it.
Anna is waiting for the kids to come trick or treating. She was a day early but she wants to show off her costume to the kids. 

She will be guarding the candy cauldron tonight. 
Elliott thanks you for the concern that he may have arthritis  but he states he has a miserable personality and is proud of it. He actually has had this personality since we got him 8 years ago. He has always attacked and bit us. We have learned to accept it from him and will back off when we see the ugly face appear. The other night it was more in fun that he swatted at the Spousal Unit. His once in a while fun and games time. 

Sewing Room

I won't get into the sewing room until Friday. I may go down and scrub the closet floor but that will be all I can do. I'm starting find life's interferences annoying. But that is life. 
Ideas on set up are coming together. It will be maintained by me keeping it up. No matter how nice it will look when I am done, it won't stay that way unless I do the work. 
I have also realized that I need to continue with sewing down the stash. It is a different way of decluttering the room. It isn't instantaneous. More like slow and it needs to be steady. 
I will not get 50 meters sewn this year and I'm okay with that. I will continue on next year trying to get 50 meters sewn. What ever I get sewn, it will make the stash less. 

Sewing

SWAP 2019 is starting up again on Stitcher's Guild. There is also a thread on sewing a wardrobe using the Vivienne Files. A couple of ladies have been figuring if they can mesh the two. Very interesting. I'm not taking part but I do plan on planning something to spruce up my wardrobe. I'm going to build a plan and try to sew and buy something every month next year. 

Knitting

I finished a little scarf for the dolls. It is really cute and I love it. 

I know I will be making more of these to go with doll outfits. I am now in the process of writing out and knitting this scarf into a shawl. I hope to have it done and written up by Sunday. 

Today

I need to do some cleaning upstairs and get the laundry done. I am staying home except to go to the library and get an issue figured out. I returned a book and they say I haven't. 
Until the next time...........................

Self Tie Doll Shawl Completed

Yesterday was warm and wet in the morning with it continuing to be warm in the afternoon. The dew point was high enough that the windows of our house fogged up on the outside. We've seen that a few times here in Nova Scotia. Today is suppose to be warm again with a bit of rain later on. Right now it looks like it is foggy. 

Lifestyle

I painted the second side of the doors yesterday the first coat. I have to check the doors, sand a bit, and finish up. Not today as we have to be out to grandson's school by 12:30 to watch his team play soccer. 

Elloitt has been in a strange mood with the weather. The Spousal Unit walked by him, touched him, and Elliott hauled off a smacked him (claws in) with his paw. He has also been crawling up on me and demanding my attention. Hopefully this will pass as he is in good health and eating well. 

Knitting

I finished the doll shawl I have been working on. The pictures are dark as I took them last night. 

I learned how to do a provisional cast on using a crochet hook as this shawl is worked in two parts. I will do the cast on a different way as I have the right sized needles to try that. I love how this shawl self ties. There is a pattern for a self tie scarf for children and adults (I knit one many years ago). 

Now I need to decide on what to knit next. I have nothing in mind except a beaded scarf. I would have to buy a lot of beads for that project. I'm still thinking. 

Today

I did a bit of house work yesterday and need to finish up today. I need to do it in the morning as we are out for part of the afternoon to watch a soccer game. 
Until the next time..............................

Fire Detector Malfuntions

Yesterday was cool and damp feeling. It started to rain last night and the temperature climbed all night. At 8:30 a.m., it was 16C or 61F. Still raining/misting and we have had about 1 1/8" of rain. Another tropical storm came our way. 

Lifestyle

Our smoke detectors have been malfunctioning. We changed the batteries but they continue chirping every few minutes. Annoying to say the least. 
I bought new smoke detectors and when we looked I had gotten battery operated ones. Ours are hardwired and we need to get those. We headed out in the afternoon to return the battery ones and get the wired ones which have a battery back up. 
We had to do our research though so that took a good two hours. I read several articles on the best ones to buy (can't get them in Canada) to what the heck do we buy. We wanted smoke detectors that would detect both fast and slow burning fires. More searching on the net and finally we found the answer. Mutual Insurance (Ontario) states to put one photoelectric detector that detect slow fires on each floor and the remaining ones being ionization detectors for fast fires. That we did. We are both pleased that we did our research before buying new detectors. In the end, we bought 2 carbon monoxide detectors also. 

Sewing Room

I looked at the closet and doors yesterday morning and they needed a second coat of paint. I was told but I had hoped I could get away with one coat. It didn't happen. I spent the morning painting the second coat. Two more days to paint the other side of the doors and the room will be painted and ready for moulding. YES!!
Of course the moulding needs to be bought, painted, put on, caulked, and touched up. I can live with that because we can move stuff out from the walls to put on the moulding. 

Random Thoughts

I am starting to think down the road of life. It is a good think. Where do I want to go on my journey for the next couple of years? 

• Enjoy our grandson. He's almost 12 and I have a great time with him exploring. We love museums and he's picked one we have to go to this coming summer. He will soon want to go on summer trips with his school so I'm wanting to enjoy our summers together. 
• Losing weight. I'm trying to focus on that at the moment. Next week, I will start tracking my points. I will need to start walking also. 
• Our house needs to be painted. Though I can paint the basement, I will hire someone to do the upstairs. I'm not doing that part of the house unless it is the closets. 
• Sew!! A biggie for me. I want to sew down the stash and have just a bit on hand. I am thinking of ways to get the finished products out of the house. (Craft sales, donate to seniors homes, etc.)
• Knit!! Another biggie. Hats for the homeless, gifts for family, items for dolls. 
• Organizing our home. I'm have a slob brain and this needs to be addressed. How others do it doesn't always fit my thought process so I'm stumbling about getting it right for me. 

I'm thinking about all of this and will be posting on it. 

Today

I'm painting the second side of the doors one coat. I would like to take up some of the plastic and wash the floor but I really should do some deslobification upstairs. Yes, I've let it go and I need to get some things done. 

Until the next time.........................

A Good Check Up

We have had it cooler than normal with wind, rain, and a few snowflakes thrown in for good measure. It is suppose to warm up and rain tomorrow. 

Lifestyle

On Thursday, I painted the closet and one side of the doors. I think I missed painting part of the underside of the shelf. I was suppose to finish the painting on Friday but that never happened.
In the midst of painting, the phone rang and we had to go to Halifax to meet the hematologist. It was short notice as they had a cancellation. Daughter-in-law took us in. It was a good appointment with the Spousal Unit still doing well. Next appointment is in 6 months. 
We had lunch at Freddie's Fantastic Fish House. It was super busy and the food was super good. It's not food for my diet but I had it anyways. I'll be good for the rest of the week. 
With the activities in our lives, the house is looking like a bit of a wreck. I've done a few things but not a lot. This afternoon I pick up the second of Dana White's books. This one is on organization. Let's hope it helps me move forward in tidying up and organizing things once again. 

Sewing Room

I'm almost done the sewing room and it is looking fantastic. After the doors and closet are done, I will remove the plastic off the floor and scrub it clean. Then it will be time to reload the room. Soon, I can sew. I'm getting excited. 

Knitting

I'm reading rather than knitting. When I finish the book, I will knit for a couple of nights and then start reading again. I still need to think about my next project. Socks, scarf, ?. 

Today

 Painting the last of the sewing room. And I need to deal with the downstairs fire alarms chirping. We have the new ones to install as the old ones are outdated. I've tried new batteries and they still chirp. Annoying to say the least. 
Until the next time.........................

The Flu and A Flu Shot

Yesterday's rain quit and we had a lovely warm day. Warm being a high of 17C. It didn't cool off with flurries last night. We got to a low of 4C and it's cloudy this morning. It is suppose to be cool today and tomorrow.

Lifestyle

Yesterday I had a touch of the flu. I only did the basic things (laundry and keep the kitchen clean). I rested a lot and read. 
In the midst of the flu, we had a doctor's appointment and we went. The Spousal Unit got the results of his blood tests. Everything is going well. We both got our flu shots. We had a chuckle in the car. Flu shots and I had the flu. 
I went to WW last night but didn't stay. I've lost 1.1 lbs since last month. Breaking the sugar cycle has helped me loose not only what I had gained above last month's weigh in but to loose a bit more. I am not tracking this week as I want to refine my eating. Next week, I will be back at tracking and goal setting. 
I was in bed early and am feeling much better today. I know it will take another 24 hours to feel 100%. 

Sewing Room

I made up the box for the extra sewing notions, put in the liner and took it downstairs to sort through my notions. Even the first three drawers of the tower were sorted. I have a few items for a friend but the rest is in the box and it isn't even half full. I will monitor this box and release what I don't use. 
I did notice that I have items that need to be put onto 2 peg boards close to the ironing board and cutting table. Easy to see and use. Those I have stored in the tower. Am I getting closer to feeling organized? I sure hope so. 

Knitting

I knit a bit on the doll's shawl. Maybe 10 rows. I couldn't do much more than that. I need to figure out my next project. 

Today

The goal is to paint the closet and one side of the doors. We are being picked up at 3 p.m. to go to grandson's soccer game. 
Until the next time.........................

Step One To My Goal

Yesterday was a perfect fall day. Sunny, cool, and beautiful. Today it is windy, wet, and warm. We have another gulf storm here. It is suppose to cool off and we could see snow flurries this evening. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday, I went shopping in the city. I needed to get some more Christmas gifts to ship across Canada. 
My first stop was at Ikea. I've been there with daughter-in-law several times. Yesterday was my solo visit. I went into the Marketplace to get what I needed. It went very smoothly. My special buy was these two pieces. 

For the sewing room desk. 

I love LED candles and this one fits the bill. If I leave it on, it turns off in 6 hours. Perfect for this person. 
Next was groceries and last was to get another gift at Michaels using a 50% of coupon. While in Michaels, I looked at the yarn for another Christmas present and saw some lovely yarn but am glad I didn't buy it. It was the wrong weight. 

I also saw this miniature Christmas tree in the village they set up for Christmas. I am watching for it to go on sale for 50% off or use a coupon for it. 

The bulbs change color and it would be cute upstairs on the server when I do a small Christmas display. 
Using the GPS, I headed to Bedford to get a pattern for daughter. I was home by 1:30. A great day. 
I have been slowly giving up sugar again. I'm sure my A1C is going to love me for that. I am back on Weight Watchers and will get weighed tonight. Since cutting out sugar and reducing portion sizes, I've lost 4 lbs. I'm making more smart choices and buying the foods I need. I'm trying to balance, carbs and protein. I eat bread, meat, eggs, cheese, fruit, and have arrowroot cookies. Vegetables are in larger quantities (I got sick of tomatoes and cucumbers in Sept.). I am using the barcode scanner on the WW app. Helps me put back things I would like to eat but can't. 
I haven't said much about my eating as I was out of control. Heat was a huge factor, then boredom, then OCD cut in big time with the sewing room. It seemed as if stress was a huge thing. But, some of this was sugar driven and a cycle. Sugar caused some issues, I needed sugar to comfort me, and it caused the issues again. Around and around I went and I had to forcefully break the cycle slowly. 

Sewing Room

One of the stops I made in Ikea was at the organization center. I looked lovingly at the peg board but I'm not ready for it at the moment. I turned my thoughts to a container for the extra/overstock of sewing notions I have. I bought a box and an insert. I will try it out for the extra notions I have. I can use it for other things if it doesn't work. 
I read a comment by one lady who said she organized her notions and put them in two containers in two locations. One near her work station and the other one a bit further away. She hasn't looked at either container and if she hasn't by Jan. 31, the contents of both boxes are leaving the house. I need to heed that advice. 
I spent some time thinking about the sewing room while driving to and from the city. I need to do the purge, organize what I have left, and look at it again in 3 months. I have to embrace that I will not be able to get my "stuff" organized in one go. It will take time and effort to get it to where I want it to be. I'm going to call this Step One to my goal. 

Knitting

I finished the dish cloth and it is really cute. It is a gift so I can't show it. It was an easy knit. I have a couple more I can knit; a frog and a jack-o-lantern. 
I also knit on the doll's shawl and the first half is finished. Undoing the provisional cast on was tense but it went well. I'm doing the boring 94 rows where I knit each row. Thank goodness for YouTube. 
I'm not sure what I will knit next. I have 4 books to read so I need to have a bit of a read-a-thon with knitting between books. 

Today

We see the doctor after lunch and have to shop for a few sale items. I am planning on doing some housework and will go to WW tonight. I may have a bit of time putting the extra notions into the box I bought. 
Until the next time............................

Looking At Organized Hoarding

Yesterday was a sunny day and any clouds that came in blew out quickly. It was cool but the humidity was low. 

Lifestyle

The Spousal Unit headed outdoors and I headed downstairs. He did some yard work and mowed the lawns. I worked on the sewing notions. When he came in we had this conversation. 

I said, "I'm a hoarder in my sewing room."He said, "Yes, you are."

End of discussion.

Sewing Room

I worked on sorting out the notions and it has become overwhelming. Not brain paralysis. Just an internal feeling of feeling overwhelmed by the amount of items I have. And it seems as if I am lacking in nothing from the notions wall in a good fabric store. Often not one, but two of each. I stopped to take a deep breath and am trying to let the feeling leave. When its gone, I can work through it with no emotion. At this point, I see it as organized hoarding is continuing as I clean up.  I really need to find a place to take the excess off my hands.  
I decided to do something less stressful and painted both the windows. Semi-gloss white. They now look fresh. Next up closet. I'm getting to the end of this room and it is looking brighter and lighter. I am really liking it. 

Knitting

I knit on the doll's shawl last night. It is coming along and the first half will be done soon. 

The pen shows the part where the other end goes through. I am knitting the point of the scarf at the moment. I think there is about 20 rows left. After that, I pick up the stitches at the other end and repeat. 

Today

I am heading into the city to shop. I have a few items to get plus some groceries. It will be a quick trip as I would love to sort some more notions and get a donate bag out to start filling. 
Until the next time..............................

Five Minutes and Done

Yesterday was warm and sunny. It was so nice after having a morning of thick fog. This morning is sunny and cool. A lovely fall day.

Lifestyle

I hauled the Spousal Unit downstairs to monitor the painting of the ceiling in the spots that did not look right. After doing it, they still don't look right and we think it is how the light from the windows hits that part of the ceiling. 
The Spousal Unit helped Son put the igloo cover over the compressor of his heat pump. It was so nice for them to do it on a sunny day. 

Sewing 

After thinking on the notions during the night and getting over the brain paralysis, I got to it and put things into their right place and the old things out. No emotion, no stumbling, no nothing. It flowed perfectly. Done in about 5 minutes. I am at the point where I will need to get some containers. I'll be looking at the Dollar Store and Ikea.
I opened the drawers on the tall tower and I need to look at all the stuff in it. There is one item still boxed in there that will be a Christmas present. I do not need it but someone else does. Some of the stuff needs to be gone, others sorted out and put into containers and back into the drawers. I have some small containers I can use. Other stuff needs to be put into its right home, donated or trashed. Truthfully, I need to use this tower more efficiently. 

Knitting

 I finished the second Messy Bun Hat and it is ready to be shipped tomorrow. 

It has a lovely sparkle to it. I'm done hats until after Christmas.
After that, I started a dish cloth and the knits and purls make a design. It is a lot of fun to do. I am half way done after starting it yesterday late afternoon. 

I also knit on the doll's shawl while I watched videos on YouTube. I go through spells of knitting and watching videos. I am not quite half done the first side of the shawl. 

Today

I have to wipe all the white in the sewing room (doors, windows, closet) and start painting. I'm thinking of starting with the windows. I have to put together a parcel to ship tomorrow and I want to go through some fabric so I can start cutting out a test project. I need to print the pattern off again. 
Until the next time.....................

On A Roll and Then Brain Paralysis

Yesterday, the weather was warm and wet. Not a lot of rain but still we had some showers. The clouds came in black and ugly but didn't have a lot of rain in them. Overnight was warm and this morning is foggy. 

Lifestyle

With it being so dark outside, I didn't paint the spots on the ceiling yesterday. With or without the inside lights on, I could not see the areas that needed fixing up. 
The Spousal Unit almost finished cleaning up the garden. He dug out the rosemary and lemon grass as they will be stored indoors. In the vegetable beds, he needs to put away the tomato cages. The flower beds need some cleaning up and I will have to help once I get the sewing room finished. 

Sewing Room- What Happened?

First was to cut out the test pattern that I missed the deadline to. I still want to make it as it is a cute pattern. 
Then, I decided to tackle more of my sewing stuff. I grabbed all the doll's hair thingys and put them in a basket. The basket is too big and I will transfer them to a smaller one a bit later on. 
Next was the two trays that I put projects into. I had some lime green fabric in one of the trays. That fabric floats around in my head. For a bit it is in the trash can and other times it is in a design. The design is winning as I have trim that has the lime green, white, and black in it to make a cute doll's dress. This is left over from a store project (Summer 2016). The trays can sit on the cutting table as they will hold two projects; one being sewn and the other ready to start. 
I then found some lace and put them into the lace bin. More thread went into the thread drawer. I was on a roll. I picked up the basket full of sewing notions. Then a small container with more notions in it. I laid it all out on the cutting table and looked at it. Scissors, pins, needles, tape measures, stitch rippers, and more. I had brain paralysis so bad that I didn't even know where to put the sewing machine needles. All that went through my head was OMG. I had to walk away. Nearly 12 hours later, I could think about those notions. They are not sentimental. Most of them I bought for dirt cheap ($1.00 or less) and some at 50% off the regular price. 

Why the brain paralysis?

I think the brain paralysis came from finding these items that I had mostly forgotten about. I couldn't deal with them. My brain needed to assimilate their purpose. When I realized some are extra stock (pins and needles) and remainder to replace items that are worn out. What is left over from that will be donated or tossed. The One In One Out rule will be used. 

Today

I plan on doing the ceiling as the sun will shine in a while. Then it will be dealing with those notions and moving on. I still have a tower of notions to deal with. 
Until the next time....................

Thoughts and A Reality Check

Yesterday's sunshine made up for the cool windy weather that went with it. Much better than cloudy, snowy weather we had on Thursday. This morning it was 12C at 6 a.m. and cloudy. Rain is forecasted for today. 

Lifestyle

We got the sewing room's walls painted. They are a shade lighter than the primer and I can't tell you why. But it is amazing. Onto the white for the closet, doors and windows and touching up the ceiling. Then scrub and move stuff back in. When the trim arrives, we will paint it and put it on. The idea of a farmhouse look in that room is materializing.  

Sewing

As I get ahead of the Spousal Unit when painting, I have to quit so he can catch up. While waiting, I try to sort my sewing stuff. Yesterday was the doll's trims. 

I got the two tubs out and started sorting into piles. It was a bit scary as I found ..... elastic. It was scary to think I had put it in the tub of trims.  It is now in the elastic bin where it belongs.

The piles started to define themselves. I put all the lace and fancy flat trims back into the container they were in. A bit of lace was tossed but the remaining was kept. I added a bag of buttons and the zippers to the tub. They are contained and usable but will get other homes later. I have buttons in another small tub and will consolidate them all when I can figure out how to contain them. I'd like to use them up and buy only for the project on hand. 

I got two more shoe tubs out. One was for ribbon. The other was for velcro, bias tape and rick rack in it. I did toss a bit of stuff and donated a bit. I see these containers as temporary. I will not be replenishing ribbon, bias tape, or rickrack. I will only buy when necessary. If I have to have a small stock, then I will have a small container. 

Thoughts

I am being ruthless. Very ruthless. It started when reading the blog where the person had her fabrics contained in containers of which they all fit under her cutting table. Next I found and watched two videos on sewing rooms. I'm not condoning people for how they keep their sewing spaces or what they keep in them. These were reality checks. Paying attention to what my brain thinks while watching the videos. Where I need to go in my journey.  
The first video was a tour of a person's sewing room that was stuffed to beyond usability in my mind. It had my nerves jangling and all I could think of was "beyond the "clutter threshold" for me. I shut it off, took a deep breath, and relaxed. It was good for me to watch what I could. It helped me identify where my clutter threshold isn't. I will say this reaffirmed what I want in a sewing room; that place that is calm and creative to my brain. 
The second video was a tour of a sewing room that was neat and tidied up. She didn't have an over abundance of items and each was in its place. It felt relaxing and creative in my brain. I saw this as at or near my clutter threshold. This is what I need to aim towards. It reaffirmed that this is what I need to work towards. 
It was great to see these two rooms and think about my thoughts as I watched them. What do I want? What can I handle on a daily basis in that room? How much is too much? As Dana White states, we need to work towards that as we clean up the clutter. It is hard work to get there and to keep it there. My brain is saying it is ready to finish the journey to having the space I want and to keep it neat and tidy.  

Today

I'd love to do the ceiling touch up if it isn't too dark in the room. We don't have any other plans for today unless the Spousal Unit goes to help Son for a bit this morning. If not, I will continue to work on my sewing room stuff. 
Until the next time............................

One In One Out Rule

Yesterday was a weather anomaly. There were snow flurries for most of the day. Nothing stuck to the ground but the air was white with those hard little pellets. Today is cool but sunny. 

Lifestyle

I got 2 ziplock bags full of the Sausage Spinach Tomato soup made and frozen. They will be nice to have on cool days. I am now looking for more recipes I can freeze and then put into the crock pot. 
After the soup was done, we scooted over to Son's to help him unload the cover for the heat pump's compressor. Light but awkward. After that we got Elliott more food. Home for lunch.
After lunch we started painting the sewing room. We got one small wall done, cleaned up and headed over to Son's house to wait for the pool guys to come. It is all about family and we were happy to help. We brought in three wheelbarrow loads of wood. One in the house and two outside in the wood holder. We then watched TV while we waited. No pool guys as they were behind schedule. Daughter-in-law was home to greet them. 

Sewing Room

With the hopes of having the first coat of paint on yesterday, I allowed myself to think about how things will go back into that room. I'm allowing myself a week to reload the room.
I have come to realize that getting back to my clutter threshold is not going to happen with this purge, I will continue to work on it over the next while. I am still looking at this room as a container. A big container that readily allows me to go over my clutter threshold. I need to look at if from a minimalistic view point; the less is best thinking. 

• I cannot buy any more fabric between now and January 1. I really should say until I have sewn down 50 meters of fabric which includes what I have bought this fall. 
• Everything needs to be in containers in the room. I need to address how big and how many containers I can have. My heart sang when one lady said she only allows herself one tub (large) of fabric for her garments. I could see it controlled in that clear tub under her cutting table. 
• Consolidate is the name of the game. I do not need notions in more than one place. They need to be kept together. I'm not sure why my brain thinks like this. I will roll thread into a piece of fabric rather than put it into the thread drawer. I will have doll hair items in two or three places rather than in its designated tub. It's how my slob brain works. I have to focus on putting it into the right place. 
• Keep only what I love. If I find something I love more, then the least loved item in that container needs to go. 
• I can declutter without making a bigger mess. I have everything out of the room so I can spend time gathering all the likes together, put it into a container and get it back into the sewing room.
• More furniture will happen when I know exactly what I am keeping without it making me feel stressed or when it doesn't overflow from the designated containers I have. I may replace tubs that are ugly with those that are cute. 

These are my thoughts and they will be tweaked to me. I do read my posts to see how I am doing and what is working best for me. 

Putting likes together into a container and if it is too full, purging what is not my favorite.  It is The One In One Out rule. I'm seeing how it works. The yarn was the big test on that. I decided I didn't need a bunch of yarn that is discontinued and hard to knit with. I kept one of each color for test projects. I'm fine with that. I'd rather have the yarn I love more. The next area this is going to work is the doll's trim container. It is spilling out into another container and it has to be contained. Maybe this afternoon I will start on it. 

Knitting

Along with the set back to the hat I am working on, Elliott decided he wanted to help me out. 

He peeled a bunch of yarn off the skein in 3 seconds flat. I had to rewind it into a ball. Thank goodness I caught him before he decided to play with the mess. 

I knit the ribbing on the hat and have 4 rows of the pattern done (1 repeat). It is moving along quickly. 

I would like to aim for 12 rows a night but I have books to read also. I'm horrid at reading a book and knitting. 

Today

We plan on painting the sewing room. If there is time, I will sort the doll's trims. I will be using the One In One Out rule. 

Until the next time...........................

The Yarn Has Been Decluttered.

Yesterday started of sunny and cool and then turned cloudy and cool. It was a bit of a gloomy day that ended with showers. Today is suppose to be cool with flurries. 

Lifestyle

I tidied up the spaces I cleaned on Tuesday and then cleaned up the living and dining spaces. So.Much.Better. There is a tiny bit of paper on the dining table that needs to be dealt with. I will do that today. 

Knitting

Yesterday I had two full hours to work on the yarn. It was creeping out of control and ending up in places they shouldn't be in. I gathered it all up except for the two balls I am knitting from and put it in front of the TV. 
The yarn I own is suppose to be stored in fabric containers in a 8 bin cube. When it starts to gather elsewhere, it is time to look at what I have and declutter. 
I took the time to empty each container and reload it with the same weight yarn. If a container got full, I had to choose what was my favorite and take out yarn that wasn't my favorite and put it into the donation bag. The only container I didn't purge was the DK weight yarn as it is all tagged to projects. I put the extra in with the almost empty bin of 2 weight yarn. 
I now have 6 containers of yarn, most of which are not full. The 7th container has two small containers with knitting needles in them. They will go in one section of the cube and the container will house the yarn winders. The only thing I don't have a spot for is the skein holder. It is too big. It may have to sit on top of the cube so it is with the knitting stuff. I have a bag of yarn to get out of the house. I need to stick some knitting needles in with the yarn as I do not like them. 
I am knitting another messy bun hat for daughter. I have cast it on twice, knit the first row twice, unravelled it once, unknit it once, and finally knit the first row successfully on the third attempt. I can proceed to knitting this hat. 

Sewing Room

I am trying to get the sewing room painted by Sunday. That means the closet, windows, and doors being painted by the end of that day. The trim won't be put on until we can get it delivered. I can live with moving stuff around to put on the trim and finish it. A small inconvenience. 
I missed the deadline for the last test project I wanted to make. I will cut it out and add it to the pile of sewing projects. I will now cut out and sew another test project and get it done. I won't need the serger for this one. Now to find the fabric. 

Today

Painting day with a short trip to town for a couple of things thrown in for good measure. I need to start cutting out the pattern and find the fabric for the next project.
Until the next time.............................

The Clutter Threshold In The Sewing Room

Yesterday was windy, sunny, and cool. The temperature dropped all day. This morning it is cool, sunny with clouds, and somewhat calm. The weather people say we are experiencing cooler than normal temperatures at the moment. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday I spent an hour cleaning up the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. It was no nice to have those rooms clean. It didn't take as long as I had thought. I felt good with the results. 
The Spousal Unit was out (again) with Son. They went to a small community just past Digby. I had the day to myself so I tackled the paper work and did the budget. I unloaded the tray onto the table and sorted the slips into like piles. Garbage was tossed and what is to be kept put back int the tray. September's bank statement was printed off. I was ready. 
I use an Excel program from My Money Coach. I use their Excel program which you can download and use as is. I will be making some changes this coming year as it's time to customize the categories. 
I slugged for 2 hours on September's column. Enter, balance, enter, balance until it was all done. I WAS TIRED. But the books were balanced. I did the Snoopy dance, had lunch and then did the first half of October. I was done in an hour. So glad to have that job done and getting rid of the procasticlutter. 
Last evening we were invited to Son's for dinner. Daughter-in-law made Sausage Spinach Tomato Soup. It was delicious and I will be making it this winter. You can freeze it and that will be on the agenda later this month. 

Sewing Room

On an up note - I condensed the elastic into one container. 

It all fit with room to spare. That is the elastic container and I have enough elastic for quite a while. I'm okay with that and am happy to have it all together rather than in two spots (doll and adult). 
On the down note - I have misplaced 4 Christmas presents in the sewing room stuff. It made me realize how far past the Clutter Threshold I am now compared to what it use to be. 
At the moment, I am starting the chapter on Craft Room. I read the title last night and could feel my body tense up. I will plug through this chapter and work on my sewing room stuff. Having the bead purged and organized and the elastic in one container is a start. 

I am at this point now and need to move forward, especially in the sewing room. Keeping that room clean and relaxing will be work but I can't get it there unless I work on it. I need to be behind the Clutter Threshold not past it. 

Today

I need to clean the living/dining room, shop for groceries and choose one more category to purge, consolidate, and enjoy from the sewing room. I need to cast on the second hat (again) as I want to ship it next Tuesday along with a few more gifts. Free shipping Tuesday in Canada is marvelous. 
Until the next time...................

Adding to the Over Whelmingness of the Sewing Room

After frost, sunshine, and a warm afternoon, we have wind, rain, and warm temperatures. It is wet out there and it can stay out there. We won't complain as we will have frost and the minus temperatures for the next couple of mornings.

Lifestyle

Yesterday was time for myself as the Spousal Unit went to Halifax with Son and Daughter-in-law to watch Grandson's team play soccer. I was out or I would have gone with them. 
I did some reading in a book I borrowed from the library called Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana White. I know I am a slob and went through the deslobification process when we moved here (yes it took a move to finish the process). But it was an incomplete process so I'm reading the book. I had a few aha moments when reading it. Some terms that struck a chord with me are
Procasticlutter - not a real word but I certainly have it. Items to go to recycling or the garbage lying on the table and counter. The full container of receipts that needs to be entered into the budget and put away. Yes, all of last month and half of this month. 
Clutter Threshold - the threshold where you become stressed with the stuff in your house. Mine is low; it always has been low. When I keep the upstairs of this house tidy, I love what I see. It is minimal and I love it. I keep going downstairs and love the family room with its minimal amount of the clutter. I enter the sewing room and BAM, I have stepped over my clutter threshold and feel stressed to the nines. My mind jumps around, I get overwhelmed, and finally exhausted. I become nonproductive. 
Container Concept - this term hit me between the eyes. When organizing, I tried to keep it all and organize it so I could

• find everything
• have it look tidy

It didn't work as I had too much in our house. Less is best for me. What I need to look at is our house is a container and inside that container is more containers. All our containers need to have items that belong together in/on them. What can't fit and is not the most loved, needs to go. We need to live in that container meaning we need room to move about. I'm getting there until I enter the sewing room. Then its gone. It isn't full but it has too much in it. I'll explain more when I go through the process of reloading my sewing room. 

Overwhelmed - a familiar word for me. I still feel overwhelmed when I look at items. The blankets on the guest room floor. They are needed (spring killer frost) but they should be in a storage tub in the second closet of our master bedroom. I need to deal with it. Now, not down the road. 

I will keep reading the book and dealing with the house. I have put a library hold on the second book to deal with organization. I need that as I'm terrible at organizing things. Maybe it is because I still have too much. 

Sewing

Yesterday I was out to buy Daughter her Christmas gift - fabric to make another shirt for herself. It gets shipped today. After 2 hours, I was tired but we got the combination. 

I have to say it is beautiful. And I have to make her piping from the bottom fabric. Of course I had to buy the other combination I picked because I loved it so much. 

I'm adding to the stash as the sewing room is overwhelming me. And I did add the bottom two of these fabrics. 

For the dolls. Yes, I'm overwhelmed. Every time I look at the sewing room stuff stored in the family room, I'm overwhelmed. Not because I don't have a room to put it into but because there is too much. I'm over the clutter threshold. It is organized hoarding in my mind. I see it, feel overwhelmed, and then become anxious. Guilt is also present. I moved it across Canada so I had better sew it up guilt. Then I add to it as I find something else I love or I want to start a niche market item. It goes on and on and on. My over active mind is giving me grief as is my lack of organization. Hence why I add to it. It is a circular thing for me. 

I spent an hour in the family room recutting out a pattern that I had done in the wrong color. I cut out the red when it should have been the black. I have the skirt cut out now and ready to sew. I need to wipe off the sewing cabinet and set up the machines. I can do it as I can't paint until tomorrow. Too dull to paint today. And, I need to dig out all of the elastic and put it into the elastic tub. Have it all in one container rather than two or three. 

Knitting

I didn't pick up the needles last night so no progress has been made. I am going to start the second hat for Daughter as I need it finished by next week. 

Today

I have to finish packing the box to mail and get it going across Canada. Setting up the sewing machine and serger and corralling the elastic is also the order of the day. Oh, and do the budget. It's screaming at me and I need to tackle it. 

Until the next time...............................

Joining Thousands of Spectators

Yesterday was sunny, cool, and windy. This morning it was clear and frosty. It is going to be a lovely day; warmer than yesterday.

Lifestyle

No videos as something is not working for me. 
As a family, we headed out to the Pumpkin Regatta yesterday before lunch. The town was busy with thousands of people coming for the parade and pumpkin races. 
The parade was fun to watch as every pumpkin being paddled across the lake was in it. Grandson was in the parade with his school handing out candies to the children. His school had 3 pumpkins in the lake. 

Along the walking trail around the lake were vendors. We saw this cute sign and fell in love with it. 

We sat near the finish line to watch the pumpkins being paddled across the lake. The cold wind hit us in our faces but watching was fun. The winner was in top condition and got across the lake well before the other paddlers. The other paddlers were a lot of fun to watch as there were one to five people in each hollowed out pumpkin. Only one pumpkin was left floating in the lake. 

Sewing

I pinned and cut out the skirt for the test pattern. I am not sure if I can reach the deadline of Oct. 18 but will work on it to see how close I can get. 

Knitting

I unwound the shawl I am knitting for the dolls and did a provisional cast on. My method can be found at Provisional Cast on Using A Crochet Hook. I did my cast on using the same color thread as the shawl and I may be pulling my hair out when it comes time to pick up the stitches to finish the project. I will keep you posted as I am knitting 34 stitches in garter stitch (knit every row) and it is pretty boring at the moment. 

Today

No painting today as I want the Spousal Unit to rest his leg one more day. Putting heat on it has helped and I will know tomorrow if he needs physiotherapy. I will head out to buy Daughter's fabric for her Christmas present. I should work on our budget and do some sewing also.
Until the next time........................

A Change In Plans

It rained for 2 days and we got 2.25". There were times it was raining heavily and .25" would fall in 15-20 minutes. Yesterday was clearer and there was a shower in the evening. Cooler temperatures as the draft/breeze came out of the north. Fall is here until the next temperature rise. 

Lifestyle

Excitement prevailed starting Friday noon. I got a call from Son saying they were in an accident, were fine, and could I come and get them. I headed out in a heavy rainfall 30 minutes west from the house. When I arrived, Son's truck had been hit on the passenger side. The other driver was at fault and was in worse shape. It took a long time to get the insurance part done. I took them to be checked out in emergency and left them there as I went to Grandson's soccer game. 
Balancing an umbrella and taking pictures in the rain is quite the feat. Grandson's team played well for their first game and in the rain. They lost 1-0. 

They play on a professional grade artificial turf which was wet. That is water at the edge of the red. A part of the running track that the run club was running on. In the spring the track will be paved with rubber. 
Grandson and I picked up the guys and they were fine; sore but nothing broken, cracked, etc. We had supper, got Grandson to his pumpkin carving, home again, and retired early. 
Yesterday, Grandson was back to pumpkin carving and float decorating. We headed out to get Son's rental truck. I went shopping and it was a fast trip as I was home by noon. 
I did luck out shopping. I found this container that I will put flowers into for the sewing room. I need to get 5 flowers that I liked at 70% off. 

I also got some Christmas presents to ship out using free postage on Tuesday. 

Sewing

Nothing happened in sewing. Or in the sewing room. 

Knitting

I finished knitting a messy bun hat for Daughter. I started a doll's shawl but will rip it out and buy needles so I can do a provisional cast on. In the meantime, I will knit another hat for Daughter. 

Today

It is Pumpkin Regatta today. 

I took this before Christmas as I love it. I'm sure we may not get near it today. Windsor is known for the regatta and growing huge pumpkins. 
We will be out and about today to watch the parade and the boating of field pumpkins across the lake. 
Until the next time.................

A Clean House

It turned cool yesterday and we turned on the heat. The rain was the final thing that made the house feel almost cold. The low got to 6C during the day and it has warmed up to 11C this morning. Still under a rain warning but the storm will be gone this afternoon/evening. 

Lifestyle

I forced myself to look at the house and decided it was house cleaning day. It was time to tidy up. I not only dusted, wiped, and swept but I washed floors. The house looked amazing when done and we sat for 20 minutes resting and admiring it. It took me 3 hours to clean the main floor (1100 square feet). 
We are fortunate enough to live in a province that promotes energy efficiency. For a month, Efficiency Nova Scotia is paying the rebate to stores to sell LED bulbs at a reduced price (you can send in your forms the rest of the year I understand). We decided to buy the rest of our LED lightbulbs at the "sale price". I wanted daylight bulbs as they are brighter (whiter) than the warm (yellowish) bulbs. I lucked out. I scooped up the pot light bulbs as well as regular bulbs to finish the lights in our house. 
While cleaning the house, I replaced all the pot lights with the LED bulbs. The living area of our house was instantly brighter on a dull day. Our closets have lights in them and I did the front hall closet. Amazing - you could see the dirt in there and I had to clean it. Next will be the laundry closet. I'm sure the washer and dryer need to be wiped. I will go around and do the upstairs closets next week. The basement will be finished when we paint. I have 5 pot lights and 2 closets left to do in the basement. 

Sewing

With the laundry done, I can wash the cotton for the test pattern. I have until Oct. 20 to finish up the dress. I'd like to make another outfit also as it is for the Gotz dolls (which I have 2). 
I have closed my eyes to the "stuff" for the sewing room. It has to wait until I get the pattern testing done. I will try to think of a way to sort out the notions first. I'm trying not to buy anything extra for storing notions in. Wish me luck.

Knitting

I knit away and am ready to do the 5 decrease rows on the hat. I should get it done tonight. There will be no yarn left over for the dolls. I'll be surprised if I don't have to use another ball of yarn to finish the hat. 

Today

We are painting the sewing room one coat and hope to go to Grandson's soccer game this afternoon. 
Until the next time........................

Overwhelmed

Yesterday was dull and grey with rain in the evening. Today is the start of two days of rain. It hasn't poured rain yet but it is suppose to. The weekend is suppose to be sunny. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday we were out until noon. Hair cuts, doctor appointments (flu shot included), books returned, and apple bought. We saw the pumpkin turkey at the farm we love to go to. 

The afternoon was slow going with wait and see activities. Life throws you curve balls and you accept it. We were in and out of the house because of it. All is well. 
I have let the house go a bit this past week due to painting and fun stuff. It is time to get back on the wagon and clean the joint up. Stuff like recycling paper, bathroom, laundry, sweep the floor. I'm working on the maintenance habits now and there are times when life gets in the way. On the good weeks we have it, the busy weeks, only certain things get done. 
As I work on the maintenance habits, I need to start solving one big problem -- Organizing Stuff. I have tried and failed quite a few times. Mostly because we had too much stuff that it was impossible to do. Now that we have less stuff, I am trying again. I bought a little basket and put some small plastic containers and their lids in it. Perfect, but I haven't used those containers since I organized them. I've started to organize the spices but I have empty jars that need filling (or do they?). I have them in the pantry but would love them on the lazy susan. I need to keep thinking on that one. I'm feeling out of my comfort zone as I'm trying to improve my weak area.

Sewing

We haven't done any more painting in the sewing room but it looks much brighter with the primer on it. Hopefully we can work on it this afternoon. I'd like to be done to the trim by next week. That's two coats of paint on the walls, the closet and doors painted. Doable if I focus. 

I got the beads out the door yesterday only to find the place I was going to donate them to is closed until further notice. They are back in the house as I need to come up with a new plan. 

I looked at all my sewing stuff and threw up my hands. It is overwhelming and my first response is to get rid of it all. Not going to happen. 

I have decided that I am going to sew it fast/give it away/sell it cheap. Decisions on the doll clothes are going to have to happen. They are mainly prototypes with a few items that past the "I can sell it" test. I know most of the doll fabric is going to be longer in disappearing than the craft cottons will be. They are mainly quick and easy projects. 

The boxes of garment fabric are pieces I love and will not part with. I want to sew for myself but I need to get back on the Weight Watcher's band wagon. The batting is for projects that I have in the making so it will stay also. 

Here is what I have come to 

I need to stop the buying part and focus on the using part. But, I need to figure out how to organize my stuff. Every item will be handled and sorted and dealt with when I put the sewing room back together. A list of what I need to buy will be developed and only that can be purchased. I've been buying as I have been overwhelmed and that is making me feel more overwhelmed. I need to become focused on what I have and not what I want. 

It is going to be difficult to organize what I have as I don't want to buy more containers. I want to have things in their place with no extras. I'm thinking on this all the time. I now need to set up my machines and sew while I paint and think. 

I think this is me. Okay, this is me. 

Knitting

I knit on the hat during the afternoon. I have almost 6" knit so 12 more rows should do it. Then it will be decreasing and done. It is turning out to be a nice hat. I have one more to knit in another color.

Between hats, I am planning on knitting this cute little shawl for the dolls. 

Cataddict's Shawl Pattern

As I have white yarn left over from the Bella Bolero I will use it. I'll set it aside to go with a cute little dress I want to sew. 

Today

I want to clean the upstairs and get a coat of paint on the sewing room walls. I am hoping to commit back to being on Weight Watchers again. I need to focus on that rather than random eating. 

Until the next time......................