A little break (musings)

A little break. Once in awhile I go through my "stash" and supplies to re-think what I want. Today I was going through stencils. I have collected lots of stencils, some from the dollar tree, some from thrift stores (I found a whole bag of them once!!) and collections from who knows where, like Hobby Lobby or Walmart or Michael's. One of my favorites is Stencil Girl, and I have some from them. 

I have made some of my own, and a few I got from some interesting notebooks that had stencil covers. I found a book with cardboard stencils, and used a few of them.  And some stencils that are Mendhi stencils, used for henna tattoos! Other things that you might not think of.... lace, even some interesting flyswatters.  I use them in card making, in gelli printing, in art journal pages, just doing it for fun with inks or paints or sprays. 

So there are two reasons I do this inventory, one to see if I can cull out some so others can get some use out of ones I don't use, and to remind myself of what I actually have so I will use them.  And to get myself in creative mode. Sometimes it's too much in creative mode because I stop what I am doing and create. Right now my creative surface is full of stuff and I need to clear it off before I can do anything. That's ok, it will keep me from getting too sidetracked.

I'm getting there. My next project is stickers, which I love for who knows what reason. I have a notebook of them, and a drawer of them. I like the notebook because you can flip through and see them, and they don't come off the background... but I think I have too many for that notebook, so I either need to not worry about it or cull my collection. 

I also found some projects I need to get finished. One thing at a time, right? It overwhelms me if I try to think of it all at once. I have also told myself that I am under no obligation for any of it. That helps, because sometimes when I think of things I was going to do... like a wall hanging for C or M or J (which all three had fabric gathered, but never finished) or all the card ideas I have but don't get to, or the supplies I buy or never use.... well it gets me into "I am such a failure" mode and that never helped anybody, it's just a deadly down spiral. 

So the goal for today was to get through one box of stuff. Instead, I went through my stencils. I did eventually get that box emptied. And culled out a small pile of stencils I never use and can't imagine using. So my Out pile is growing, but the thrift stores aren't open at the moment due to the pandemic, so can't donate. I'm going to see about making a few calls and see what I can find out. 

I've been going through my clothes, and I am making good progress letting go. The KonMari method is not particularly helpful to me, since it involves gathering each category into a pile and then putting them away and I don't have all that sorting room. But something that HAS been helpful is thanking whatever you are putting in the out pile. It sounds crazy, but when I talk to the item, thank it for serving me (or my mom, or dad, or whosever it was) and tell it to go bless someone else, it really helps me let it go. I have a gorgeous embroidered pillow (actually a LOT of them; I had talented aunts, mom, and mother in law) and picturing someone being delighted to have it instead of me grudgingly keeping it "because so and so made it" and I know MY kids don't want them... but by that letting it go and reminding me that someone else using it beats another 20 years in a box somewhere... well it helps me let stuff go. 

Things are memory triggers. But truthfully I don't need ALL the things my father made to remember my father. I handed out a lot of ceramics to my kids and cousins, but there are STILL MORE> and I just can't keep all. Telling them to go bless someone else helps. I still have a lot. And I have pictures of all that he ever made, since he did that. So I can look at the pictures, and smile.

Right now I have many of my wall hangings hanging up. I can't stand to let them go, but maybe I should. Blessing someone else is a good thing, not a bad thing. Some day, my kids will have to go through my stuff, and they will stand there saying, what the heck should I do with THIS?? And I should really let go of a LOT. 

Funny. I was thinking of a blouse that was my mom's. I remember thinking one time, that's going to be mine some day and then feeling guilty that I thought that. It was a really loose shirt jacket on her, so it was like a regular blouse on me...Well it's mine now, my mom is gone. And when I go to put it on, it is not a warm memory of my mom that greets me but a memory of my greedy thoughts. I need to let that bless someone who does not have that connection to it, or LET GO of my guilt. It does make me laugh. There is a LOT that is now mine that must be let go of. There's a packed garage out there of other folks' stuff, as well as my own. I would love to just hire a dumpster for much of it. 

So now I will go and find fifteen things to let go of. It won't take long. I'll be hugging coats and pillows, and thanking them for keeping my mom warm and comforting her. I can't wear them, she was 5 ft tall and 95 pounds, and I am..... larger than that. Of course that reminded me of my mother in law, also a 5 ft tall 95 pound person, who was trying to get me to try on some jackets of hers one day. They were size 8. I wear somewhere around a 12 or 14. I finally gave in and "tried" to get one one but of course it wouldn't fit. Her response? "I had no idea you were so fat". Thanks Grandma.

 But there's someone out there who needs this exact coat. And these pillows. And these hangers, and suitcases, and books.....

and I need a thrift store to be open somewhere. 

Grandma's Treasures (and more rambling!)

Learn How Book from 1941
from The Spool Cotton Company

Going through hubby's mom's stuff. We sold her house a few years ago, and he couldn't bear to go through the stuff until recently. I had seen this years ago, but it was packed in a box and I forgot all about it. I have a small later edition, but this one's from 1941. Not sure what I will do with it, but it's interesting to see what was fashionable to knit, crochet, tat, and embroider back in the 1940's. I tried to learn to tat a long time ago but wasn't particularly successful, but maybe I will try again someday. This doesn't take up too much room.

"This doesn't take up too much room." Now where have I heard that before? Nothing takes up too much room, does it? But each little thing all put together sure is overwhelming.

I got all my beading supplies together. There's a few more things I know I haven't seen for awhile so there's a few more things to come together. My daughter gave me an old CD bookcase sort of thing, and I had a few storage containers that fit there quite nicely. Now there's a few  floss containers,  with the floss I got from Loretta, combined with what I already had. Jewelry findings, beading cord, and beads round out the collection. There's two quart jars full of old and new buttons. The top shelf will hold my CD collection and a few books. On the top are my two clear sewing kits, one regular and one for doll clothes (it has teensy snaps and buttons as well as Velcro I have cut into teensy strips) I am quite pleased with the results. Now when I want to do some embroidery or bead work it is right there and handy and I don't have to spend half an hour looking for everything before I start. I ran across some hand made sculpey beads that I forgot I even made! The beads are a ragtag collection from old jewelry finds at thrift stores, as well as some seed beads, and even a few pony beads. My kids and craft students loved stringing them. I've also bought a few unique ones.

my "new" shelves

I am a collector. Mostly what I collect is small, fortunately! Some I have tried to collect, others just found me, like the old buttons. They are Mom's, and Grandma's, and Loretta's, and mine. As well as a few bags of buttons I have gotten... you guessed it, at thrift stores, or taken off of old clothes.

My attention span is not too long. I love trying new things. The best times were when I could pass on what I learned to my students. Maybe what I should do is figure out how I could teach again, maybe even volunteering somewhere. Other than that, I am just going to celebrate what I am, with a little emphasis on Finishing What You Start. So far I am not finding any other Un Finished Projects, but (sigh) I haven't gotten to the quilting ones yet... I know there's a Joel quilt unfinished and a James one Purchased But Not Started. And a purse all cut out, well, two of them. and a few baby blankets that are Mostly Done. A couple not yet cut out, and a couple with fabric purchased but not cut out. I started a wall hanging for a friend when I was living with Grandma, but when I moved it disappeared. {{ note from 6/27 FOUND IT!!!}}I bought a pattern for one for my brother, but I haven't even started it.

SIGH.

No wonder I can't figure out what My Focus for this blog is. What is my Focus for Life, LOL?
Things really ARE coming together; it just seems so slow.
 

sudsy....

Creativity is sometimes quite odd. My big plan for tonight was to do a journal page. Didn't exactly work out that way. I went into the bathroom and it splashed. I stepped in a puddle. I then looked at the sink and it was overflowing. Not pouring. Just a trickle. But it had obviously been trickling for a very long time. Turns out dear hubby had let the cat have a trickle from the faucet, and because we are in a Drought, plugged the sink, thinking he would come back in a bit and turn the water off. That didn't exactly work out. So my Creative Genius turned out to be How To Empty a Drawer That Is Full Of Water without dumping it all over the floor. Turns out, you can't quite get it out without dumping some of the water. At least this drawer. You have to pull it all the way out and tip it down, which is exactly what you do to Empty a Drawer That Is Full Of Water while dumping it all over the floor. So out came the Towels Fresh from the dryer. At least it was in the bathroom where there are lots of towels. The rugs had already soaked everything up they could. Pulling out already soaked towels made me giggle, as did the Slightly Damp Toilet Paper. and the ten boxes of soap? There were only three that were wet enough to make a slimy mess. I also found some soap I had forgotten about. Pomegranate. Pomegranate? I don't even remember anything about it. Must have been On Sale somewhere, or someone gave it to me?

Oh well.

At least I got the bathroom cabinets deep cleaned.

So what does this have to do with anything? Not a thing. But I have a Creative Excuse for Not Getting an Art Journal page done. But I wasn't planning on procrastinating, at least on that. LOL.

Tomorrow's another day.

where does the time go??

Being creative is sometimes hard to fit in to everything else. Right now, I'm only home 2 nights a week-- the rest, staying with my mother in law. I spend my days there, and so far haven't taken paints. I should. She might like it too. I got an outdoor table, so I ought to just do it. She's losing her sight, but she used to paint, and if she could get past not Being Perfect, then maybe she could...I gessoed some pages and did some more ghosting while i was there... just finished, and am dissatisfied with the results... just am so tired I can't think much less create something. Of course the beauty of painting is i can just gesso it again and start over.... maybe tomorrow, or technically today since it is after midnight.

A funny thing happened today though. I planted the sweet pea plants in the garden and found out that they are not "sweet peas" but they are "sweet peas". Not Sweet peas the flower. Sweet PEAS. LOL.... I had a good giggle, and I guess they ought to look pretty anyway but I was disappointed. I also planted snapdragons, dahlias,   and transplanted 4 peach seedlings, at my mother in law's request, because she wants to see what kind of peaches we will get.... but she's 95 and I don't know if they will be bearing soon enough. Oh well, I will do it anyway, and we will see. She might surprise me. I planted 3 kinds of tomatoes, and am preparing the beds for swiss chard, lettuce, and several kinds of beans, although not the favorite one-- blue lake pole beans. Couldn't find them anywhere. :(  I am LOVING the gardening. I get up around 6:30 and garden in the coolness. Very cool. Pictures someday.

Speaking of creating, and speaking of my mother in law, she has something new she made for lunch one day. The peanut butter and pickle sandwich was one thing, but when she added raisins to the tomato soup and loved it, I'm shaking my head.

She hardly ever acts like she has dementia.  LOL

thrifty find...

See this stuff? Junk to some. It was all in a bag at a thrift store, and $3. I had been thinking about doilies, so they are welcome. There is a star stencil with all different sizes. A scallopy crown thingy. A bunch of huge stamps designed for using on fabrics. I threw out (actually put them in a bag of unused craft stuff that I am donating to that thrift shop) those yellow things since I 1) had no idea what they were and 2) didn't know how I would use them... but the rest is in my crafty stash. I might even use that embroidery hoop, as a frame for a creation.

They had some other bags, but they were $6 to $9... so will wait, and if they are still there in a couple weeks I know they will also be marked down. If they aren't there, oh well.

that ark stamp I am seeing on a journal page after today's DOWNPOUR...