Sunday, December 18, 2016

While Pat went on a grocery run this morning I went down to the shed to pull out our Christmas tree and decorations. I had to move some tools and boxes to get at the tree and the ornaments; the other trunk of Christmas decorations was buried too deep to access. I thought with what I found in the first trunk I had enough. I also dug out a few more of the decorations that I keep inside the house (several quilting pieces, wall hangings, and Mum’s cross stitch) and started decorating.

When Pat got home from the store we put away the groceries and he set up the tree; I’m sure I could figure it out, but he likes to contribute! Once the tree was up I started hanging ornaments. We have such a great collection that we have received over the years; some are hand-made and others are just as precious for one reason or another. The first ornaments on the tree this year were from Elizabeth and Madison; I think the mouse from Elizabeth was made when she was a Brownie, and Madison’s was probably made on her second Christmas (you know the one where she strutted into the house with her boots!).

Once the house is decorated it feels like a good cleaning is in order; I’ll do that tomorrow. For the rest of the day I’m going to work on a cross stitch project.

And I will be back to the shed tomorrow because even with all the boxes I brought up from the shed and out of the closets the Christmas mouse hasn’t appeared. I probably would have forgotten about it except when Christy called she asked if the mouse was singing. There hasn’t been any sun yet today so I think the mouse will wait another day.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

It may be Saturday by the calendar but it feels very much like a Sunday to me. Perhaps that’s because we are headed to the Coffee House at Cranberry Hall tonight. The coffee house is generally held on the last Sunday of the month but that falls on Christmas; it’s on a Saturday this month because there is something else booked into the hall on Sunday night. Ever since I woke up one morning, several years ago, and had no clue what day it was I keep closer tabs on the week.

I cleared another corner today. I feared that I wouldn’t be able to do any more cleaning (and clearing) until I rearranged some of the furniture. Rearranging the furniture is going to mean I have to clear off both surfaces which are buried several layers deep. So I was able to put that off for another day at least.

In my cleaning I managed to empty a couple of bins but they were refilled very quickly. I was able to get some of my fabric photographed and inventoried – that is what is sitting in the green and white bag. At some point I’ll inventory the drawers where these particular fabrics belong but that will probably take awhile.

I was able to combine a bin of yarn into a bag (that is the blue bag with the yellow strap) that already held yarn. I’d like to be able to store all my yarn in the room across the hall but, at this point, there is still way too much for that. The four big bins that are stacked hold my Christmas fabrics, my novelty fabrics, my neutrals, and my Community Quilts (that need to be finished). The smaller clear bins on top of that pile contain a new project. as well as my much-loved bin of reproduction fabrics; I have made two quilts from it and still have lots left. The other small pile between the yarn and the bins are my own projects that need to be quilted and my Guild block of the month project  (I’m 3 blocks behind on that one).

The bags in the corner between the wall and the dresser are just empty fabric bags that I use for carrying “things” to and from “places”. The bin under the bags contains crewel embroidery, cross stitch kits and other projects (some of them Mum’s) that haven’t been started; I didn’t take the time to actually sort through it.

Eventually I would like all my fabric stored in this particular corner and all my in-progress projects on the opposite side of the room. That can’t happen until I clear that opposite corner and/or finish up some of my in-progress projects.

Friday, December 16, 2016

I noticed during my Christmas sewing that I changed threads more often because my new thread holder was sitting in front of me and I realized I had lots of threads that would perfectly match what I was sewing. With that in mind I decided I wanted my thread holder close at hand (it had balanced on the edge of my cutting table since I brought it home). It was too tall to fit the cabinet that was beside my desk, but if the cabinet and my filing cabinet were switched it would work well. I worked on some accounting and paperwork this morning and I realized that having the filing cabinet closer to the printer and computer would also be a good thing.

So the moving began. In order to be able to move the cabinets I needed to take out several of the drawers and before I put them back I did a bit of cleaning. There wasn’t a lot that could be discarded but the few things I found have been added to a bag that will go to the Economy Shop. I found a folder of recipes from who-knows-where so I looked them over, kept a few and threw a bunch away. I’ll enter the ones I want to keep into my recipe program and that will take care of some of the paper. I had a couple of photo albums in one of the cabinets and I think I have an idea of what I want to do with my photos; it will take years to accomplish but perhaps starting with those two small albums will be my proof-of-concept. I was nearing the end of my box of shredding but I more than refilled it when I cleaned out the filing cabinet before it moved.

I took a short break and ran some errands after lunch. There were a couple of parcels that needed to be picked up at the Post Office, I wanted to stop at the recycling depot, there were a few things we needed from Walmart, and I had a book to return to the library. I stopped at the recycle depot first and found out that the light bulbs I wanted to recycle had to go to Rona; no problem as they are just down the block. When I walked into Rona they had a display of windshield scrapers and I needed one; they were $17 and I certainly didn’t need one that badly. I wandered around looking for the automotive section but found an employee who said they didn’t think they had any scrapers other than what was up front. He also said my light bulbs could be given to the cashier. By the time I got back to the cashier there was a lineup; after five minutes in line I was told where the recycle bin was and it didn’t need the cashier’s help to access.

By now I was thinking I would stop at the liquor store but that posed a problem. The post office outlet, the liquor store and Walmart are all in the same mall. But where to park? If I parked at the back of the mall it would be easy to get the large packages of paper products from Walmart out to the car. But that meant I’d have to walk through the mall with both my liquor and my parcels and I didn’t have any idea how large the boxes might be. I opted to park near the liquor store and thought I would get my parcels, stop at the liquor store, and then drive around to the back of the mall. I realized the packages were too big for me to carry along with the booze I felt I needed by this time, so the parcels and I went directly to the car. I drove around the back and did my Walmart shopping (I found a scraper for $9!). When I got home I just walked across to the library.

I spent the rest of the afternoon picking through my threads. I have the thread sorted by type, as well as a few extra boxes that contain my specialty threads. The bobbins have been sorted that way as well.

I’m afraid the next set of tidying up is not going to be a small one-day job – it may take weeks. But I think I deserve a little fun so I’m going to do a bit of cross stitching, or maybe crocheting, or maybe finishing up some of those sweaters from the works-in-progress I discovered yesterday.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Between an appointment at the bank this morning and the Guild party this afternoon I managed to make a little progress on my cleaning. I picked the room that I thought would take the least amount of work, but I’m not telling how much from this room moved across the hall to my sewing room to be taken care of at a later date.

I did most of my Christmas wrapping in this room, although I managed to keep the paper put away as I used it. It has been my ukulele practise room and I spent so many hours here working on the Advent calendar cross stitch. It is also where I keep the kids toys (for the few times that they visit) and generally, it is less of a mess than my sewing area.

While I was cleaning I did an inventory of the projects I have either started or are waiting to be started. Fortunately, in this space, there are more things waiting to be started and fewer works-in-progress.

Granted there is still dusting, vacuuming and a few “extra” things that need to be done but overall it is a useable room again. I want to get rid of the blue chair; I had been using it for my ukulele but I’ve moved my ukulele downstairs as Pat and I have been playing a few songs together. I’m hoping I’ll practice more if the instrument is handy while I wait for a kettle to boil or something to heat or cook.

The doll carriage now holds my most recent cross stitch projects – a couple that are in progress and a few more that are kitted and ready to go. Natasha’s Basket (as I refer to it) has my incomplete knitting and crochet projects; I have a crochet basket I’m making for myself and there are four small sweaters that will be going to the Salvation Army or BOND once they are done. The wicker basket is full of wool felt kits and patterns; fortunately there is only one work-in-progress. Dad’s cedar chest is full of quilt kits that I had almost forgotten I had.