tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79554460731031272372024-03-19T04:00:45.741-04:00Wombat ArtDigital scrapbooking, photography, paper arts, card makingJeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.comBlogger639125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-21179569944233658632023-12-03T20:54:00.002-05:002023-12-03T20:54:59.728-05:00Mr. Wonderful and My Dream Worktable<p> I saw a hack about creating a worktable with storage underneath long before I married Mr. Wonderful. I thought it was pretty darned cool, but I didn't have a way to put the thing together. I used a drop leaf cutting table that was small, didn't have any storage, and was a bit wobbly. </p><p>Today, a dream came true. I got all the parts and the total cost was less than $400.00. Mr. Wonderful put the thing together for me. I finally have a cutting/work table with storage beneath it. Yahoo! Celebration! Much rejoicing! There is joy in Mudville! </p><p>This thing is large. My current cutting mat does not cover the entire work surface. I'm using the additional area to host my cutting rulers and my pattern weights. I've got several cutting mats that I could put around my main mat to extend the cutting area for dressmaking. For quilting, I've got more than enough area to work on. </p><p>TLDR: I got a worktable that I've been dreaming about for years. Mr. Wonderful built it for me in one day! </p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-44901048290802962682023-11-24T18:58:00.001-05:002023-11-24T18:58:25.918-05:00Moved to Arizona<p>I left on a Thursday, November 16th. The movers had finished up around 1:00pm, and after I cleaned the apartment a bit, at 2:00 pm Bon Bon and I hopped into my truck with a few boxes of my craft things that I didn't want to trust to the movers. I took my new sewing machine and many of my sewing notions. I drove 2,500 miles and arrived in Kingman, Arizona at about 8:30 pm on Sunday. </p><p>I'm still waiting for the moving truck to catch up with me. It will be anywhere from three to five more days. I can really start moving into the house. I will have my furniture and the rest of my wardrobe. I'm also waiting for the kitchen things. Pots. pans, and foodstuffs. </p><p>In some ways, I feel like a newlywed moving into their first place with a spouse. I've done long distance moves before. Each one has been different. Unfortunately, there is a slight similarity with this move and my move to the apartment in Leesburg. I've got a nasty cough and low energy. All I really want to do is laze on the sofa. I kind of want to knit, but mostly, I just want to surf and play games. Knitting takes up a lot a brain work and I just don't feel like braining. </p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-26243284753582920822023-05-19T15:49:00.000-04:002023-05-19T15:49:56.946-04:00Furniture Wrangling <p> I have two work tables that need to be put on their legs. I have one dresser that I use for fabric storage. One of the work tables will be put on Singer treadle sewing machine bases. This is something I long dreamed of being able to do. Fantasy furniture? However, there’s only me to get this furniture moved. I’m no longer able to fling these pieces around. Perhaps after I get over this bronchitis, I can do it. But not right now. I’m not even sure that I will be able to get this stuff out of my truck and into the apartment!</p><p>This is a bit depressing. I wish I had more faith in my ability to deal with things that require physical strength. I used to just do things, and not doubt myself. The little old lady inside my head doesn’t want to admit she is older. </p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-86615498871029634612023-05-12T06:12:00.000-04:002023-05-12T06:12:51.698-04:00Downsizing and Decluttering <p> These two words are a smoking gun for many people. Getting rid of things? Why? Because they serve no practical purpose, they carry emotional burdens through negative memories, or they are taking up space that is needed for things that will improve life. I no longer have the space to store things that are of little to no practical or positive value in my life. I have plenty of room for the good stuff. Not so much for things that hold less positive vibes. </p><p>Some things are tools. Tools act on supplies. Knives cut, rulers measure, wrenches adjust. Perhaps tools are duplicates, low quality beginner tools for a craft or hobby I tried and hated. Or they could be the starter set for a hobby I enjoy. But they are tools. It’s easy to decide about tools. Do I use them? Would I replace them if I lost them? Could I donate or sell them if I don’t keep them?</p><p>Other things are supplies, like paint, fabric, glue, or thread. Thread doesn’t keep for years, it ages and becomes brittle. Paint dries up. And, tastes change, along with fashions. Remember the age of the chevron? That fabric with the zig zag stripes isn’t going to make a fresh, cute pillow anytime soon. Many supplies have gone out the door. </p><p>As a quilter, I am aware of the pressure to save every single itsy-bitsy scrap of fabric. That pressure is ridiculous, and in my opinion, unhealthy. If one person’s trash is another’s treasure, it is still trash to half of the people. It isn’t worth the time, energy, or space for me to save scraps. </p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-27405123949760580612023-05-11T18:27:00.002-04:002023-05-11T18:27:33.682-04:00Sanctuary<p> I am attempting to create a sanctuary for myself. A place where old wounds can heal and new dreams can grow. The ideal sanctuary that I created in my dreams is far away from where I am right now. I’m renting a one bedroom apartment that leaves a lot to be desired. The floors are not level, the place was horribly filthy when I moved in, and so on. There is no magical creation of a good space to be. I have to clean, sort, unpack, put away, and make sense out of a chaotic pile of random boxes of stuff. </p><p>I packed in a bit of a hurry, and many items were not packed in an organized way. Fabric got wrapped around dishes, towels got wedged into boxes of books. It kept me from having to purchase packing padding, but it makes it hard to be systematic when unpacking. </p><p>I’m also still downsizing and decluttering my things. While I have long needed to do this, the amount of mental effort required is sucking a lot more energy than I had thought it would. I have reached a point where I just can’t face another box that I will have to sort through and make decisions about. It isn’t making the decisions, I’ve figured out some very effective ways to choose what to keep or not. It’s just that making those decisions over and over again takes energy that I have run out of. I need to be doing something that restores my energy. I need to be creating something. </p><p>Because I’ve had to focus on the basics of kitchen, bedroom, and bath, I have zero space set up for working with fiber. In order to create, I will create food to eat. I have been mentally designing skirts and sleeves, but I can’t do pattern work now. I’m going to make bread and prepare ingredients for future meals. It won’t be freestyle cooking, the way I used to, but I’m hoping it feeds my creative energy a meal as well.</p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-66999604138947887502023-04-04T08:37:00.000-04:002023-04-04T08:37:12.566-04:00Naming My Trials and Tribulations<p> I have found that giving things names that point out the silly side of them defangs them a bit. I can recite the silly name, sigh, and keep moving. </p><p>Getting out of the house where I am staying isn’t a simple task. I have no ‘dump spot’ by the door and I am often carrying more items than I safely should. I have declared the task to be the equivalent of crossing a river with a wolf, a sheep and a bale of hay. That is an old logic puzzle. You have a rowboat that will carry you and one of the three items. To succeed, the wolf can’t eat the sheep and the sheep can’t eat the hay. Think outside the box, I’m sure you can find the answer. </p><p><br /></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-37038430087300114832023-02-06T00:19:00.001-05:002023-02-06T08:15:32.675-05:00Three Moves Equal a FireMy mother said, "Three moves equal a fire. You need to settle down," to a
co-worker that kept hopping from apartment to apartment. I know Mom understood
that from having to move repeatedly as a child. Anyway... <div><br /></div><div> Later this week, I
will be loading a bunch of boxes into a U-Haul trailer and taking them to Burke,
Virginia. I am moving out of Wisconsin. Yes, me. Myself. I. Not we or us. Just
me. Sigh. Not a fire, but almost as good. I've gotten rid of all sorts of
things. Still not quite as much as I would like, but I have sorted out my sewing
stash into three different stacks of materials. </div><div><br /></div><div>Stack number one is the stack
for quilts. I've got one quilt that's an actual kit and another that's a pile of
well-chosen fabrics. This is my smallest stack. </div><div><br /></div><div>Stack number two is the stack
for clothing for me. It's a larger stack than I thought, but the fabric is all
stuff that I want to use for items I already have the patterns for. I don't plan
on needing to purchase clothing for myself for a long while. </div><div><br /></div><div>Stack number three
is the stack of stash that I can turn into items for sale that will become cash.
This is the largest stack, but since I was able to connect with several women in
the throes of their own de-stashing fits, it cost at most, $2/yard. For really
nice quality fabric. An entire armload was free. I have been poking my toes back
into the craft show scene. Mostly I do domestics as in kitchen towels, bowl
cozys, grocery bags, and the like. Even better, I am getting the patterns from
YouTube, so I don't pay for them. I've been collecting them into a book so I can
grab it and look up the dimensions I need to cut to get sellable product from
each piece in the pile. When I have a more permanent address in Virginia, I'll
register my business. For now, in Wisconsin, I fall into an exemption class and
don't need to do that. </div><div><br /></div><div>If the fabric doesn't fit into one of the three stacks, I
don't really want to keep it and in most cases, I haven't. However, fabric makes
great packing material. Pun intended. I am using fabric instead of paper to
cushion my fragile items. I really enjoyed watching my delicate tea set get
safely packed away at the same time a heap of fabric got used to protect it. I
didn't have to pack the fabric, I used the fabric to pack.
</div>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-24781340104984820612020-11-15T18:55:00.000-05:002020-11-15T18:55:30.654-05:00Spinning Wheel <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FzAWZX4hPtI/X7G_czuvOAI/AAAAAAAAA9c/KcTP0OYoF2AXlnL9EEegQoTkJKvwoRODACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FzAWZX4hPtI/X7G_czuvOAI/AAAAAAAAA9c/KcTP0OYoF2AXlnL9EEegQoTkJKvwoRODACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3382.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OpBaRo2JsE8/X7G_fpzp7sI/AAAAAAAAA9g/GOaZhT7Cvn4mhAXBcyNpRbG73n1n2xh8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/IMG_3383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OpBaRo2JsE8/X7G_fpzp7sI/AAAAAAAAA9g/GOaZhT7Cvn4mhAXBcyNpRbG73n1n2xh8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3383.JPG" /></a></div><br /> This is my Pipy spinning wheel. I'm trying to sell the darned thing... Interested? <p></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-66888602021727683642019-07-11T18:08:00.001-04:002019-07-11T18:08:28.469-04:00Puppy pictures!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NRN435s41cQ/XSezBKa5EwI/AAAAAAAAA1o/tglmCh62iPUWeKixZQhoXG7vCpBGMXAFQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NRN435s41cQ/XSezBKa5EwI/AAAAAAAAA1o/tglmCh62iPUWeKixZQhoXG7vCpBGMXAFQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2287.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-usjJ7k9A3dU/XSezQsNDQNI/AAAAAAAAA1s/YnJvBovEsXEcWzXCl20tpdR5bYhOrrJcACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3263.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-usjJ7k9A3dU/XSezQsNDQNI/AAAAAAAAA1s/YnJvBovEsXEcWzXCl20tpdR5bYhOrrJcACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3263.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-63360528060668127832019-06-21T17:51:00.002-04:002019-06-21T17:51:30.080-04:00Well, Shit!Yesterday, I posted on a forum that I'd been a member of for over ten years. I was trying to say goodbye, It's been great, but my head is just not into this craft any more. Today, I wanted to check in and see who had said goodbye, back.<br />
<br />
Nope. I've been permanently banned from the group. All my comments, all those years of discussions, deleted.<br />
<br />
Other People's Children...<br />
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<br />Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-58203002042454339352019-06-19T16:06:00.000-04:002019-06-19T16:06:04.540-04:00Limp Pile of Pink Linen I saw an ad for a Bento Bag that seemed to cost a heck of a lot more than it should. I looked up how to sew a bento bag and it is stupid simple, but still has plenty of room for getting fiddly bits wrong. You need to hem certain sides of the bag before assembly and if you don't do it right, you will have <i>issues </i>at a the very visible intersections at the front and back centers.<br />
<br />
I've been sewing things for long enough that I did not have any problems. However, I chose to use a lovely, soft linen that I have far too many yards of. Sigh. I now have a bento bag that is a shapeless pile of pink linen.<br />
<br />
I wanted to test the pattern and figure out if it would make a thing that I could use. The pattern works. My fabric choice does not. I have canvas that I could use to make a bento bag that would probably work quite well. Or I could create a lined version with not much effort. But not today.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-17080298071746064322019-04-11T12:33:00.002-04:002019-04-11T12:33:38.220-04:00Dog Harness for Bon BonBon Bon needed a secure harness that didn't get anywhere near his trachea. I was working on sewing one for him, but didn't have the right hardware in my stash and couldn't find it in the size that I wanted. Hubby has HUGE hands and can't manage small clips and buckles easily. I was also failing to create a harness that I liked using fabric. It would gap in funky ways and looked awful. I had a set of criteria I didn't think I could meet in a single harness.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Must actually have a clip to close, not close by having the lead clip on to it.</li>
<li>Clip must be large enough for husband to open and close with his large hands.</li>
<li>Must not get anywhere near the trachea.</li>
<li>Must be made of sturdy fabric, leather or webbing.</li>
<li>Minimal sagging or gapping.</li>
<li>Must be small enough to fit. </li>
</ul>
<br />
I spotted a harness in Wally World that had the exact hardware set up I had been looking for. The webbing wasn't too wide, but it was too large for my 4.5 pound dog.<br />
<br />
I got out a seam ripper and a pair of scissors. After a few trial fittings, I was able to sew a harness for Bon Bon that fit him, is adjustable, has the hardware that we need and doesn't get anywhere near his trachea! Total cost was about $7.00 and 30 minutes of cutting and stitching and trial fittings. <br />
<br />
Now that we have one that's good, I'm planning on getting another harness, taking it apart for the hardware and sewing one that's not adjustable, as the sliders are not in the best spot for comfort.<br />
<br />
I make lots of Bon Bon's things. I had to cut down his raincoat, as it was too large for him. I can find shirts that are small enough for him, but not much else. Frankly, I think even his food and water bowls are too large, but they are the smallest I could find.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-78432068467709954242019-03-22T01:31:00.001-04:002019-06-19T16:06:45.801-04:00Stuff ShiftingI did some decluttering of my needlework book collection. I also sorted my references and got them in order by both subject and size. I found several texts that I knew had to go. Instead of re-shelving them, I did a <i>stuff shift </i>and created a pile of texts that I wanted to get rid of. That pile has outgrown the space I designated for books I want to get rid of and is now a problem I have to solve.<br />
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I must now actually deal with the pile of books that I have created by stuff shifting. Stuff shifting is <b>not</b> decluttering. It is the shuffle that makes you think you are decluttering. Unless the clutter leaves your house, you haven’t decluttered.<br />
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But what about the things that are in a box, ready to go? Nope. Shifted stuff in a box. But I put the stuff in a cupboard (or wherever) because I want to use it for such and such project. I can’t see it any more. Isn’t that decluttered? No. You have done a stuff shift. Just because you can’t see it, if you know you want to get rid of it and it is still in your possession, it is still clutter and you need to deal with it.<br />
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In short, it ain’t over until it is out of your house. Period.<br />
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Some of your decluttering time has to be spent on using the things you have saved for a project on actually completing that project. If you can’t do that, you need to acknowledge that the project is a dream, and get rid of the shifted stuff you set aside for that dream project. Either that, or pay someone to do the project for you.<br />
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I have a lot of scrapbook pages that I want to scan, so I can save the digital file and get rid of the large, bulky scrapbooks. The scrapbooks are shifted stuff. I must set aside time to scan before I can stop shifting the scrapbooks and get rid of them. Many of the pages are too large for a home scanner. I will have to pay to get them scanned. Then the scrapbooks will not be shifted, they will be gone.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-76917039264485762952019-03-15T16:03:00.000-04:002019-03-15T16:03:23.462-04:00The Size of a LifeIs your space too large for the life you are living?<br />
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When we had visitors and adult children that were needing space in our house, we needed a house that was large enough for them. During the years we lived in Florida, we had friends and family staying with us more often than not. At one point we were a 6 person household with a three car garage and four bedrooms. I had three sets of dishes and stacks of sheets and towels. We used the space. Now the kids have houses of their own. Our life still includes them, but we don’t need to include space for them in our house.<br />
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In many different ways, we can downsize and simplify. A nest doesn’t have to be empty, it can be a new and smaller nest.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-19753656557679634882019-03-15T12:37:00.001-04:002019-03-15T12:37:40.076-04:00Inbox Clutter and ShoppingEvery so often, I go through the emails I get and do an unsubscribe binge. Usually, I simply delete emails, but when the pile to delete gets to be too big and annoying, I stop instantly deleting and start doing the unsubscribe and then delete.<br />
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This helps me clear out the mental clutter that is digital. It also helps me avoid random shopping on line that is encouraged by these emails. Not that I actually do random on-line shopping. These days, I go grocery shopping and that's it.<br />
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I recently looked at the pile of boxes of stuff that I have in our basement and I realized that I've not only made a dent, I've made a big dent. If I had to move out of this house tomorrow, I have less stuff than I had when we moved into this house. A lot less.<br />
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I'm working on getting rid of even more stuff. This is the stuff to get rid of that is difficult. I have to find a market for it. I've got an inkle loom and a spinning wheel to get rid of. The first step is to get pictures, and the second is to post them on a buy/sell website that has people that might actually purchase them.<br />
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<br />Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-60600917891611791522019-02-26T11:43:00.001-05:002019-02-26T11:43:31.188-05:00The Burden of AbilityThis step is a mental step and it took me a while to organize my thinking into something I could put words to. I call it the burden of ability.<br />
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My mother wanted us kids to be busy. She made sure that there were always a variety of craft projects available to us. I learned to do many things and as an adult, I kept adding to my skill set. I picked up new and different hobbies like some folks try different restaurants. And that also required that I collect a stash of supplies, tools and references.<br />
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When I decided to simplify, I thought about what I really liked to do and the kinds of things I wanted to continue to work on. Sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet and photography were the things that I always liked and returned to, time and again. I call them "My Big Five." I stopped working other projects and got rid of a lot of stash that went with them.<br />
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After several months with this mindset, I realized that I don't miss all the other projects. Nope. Not a bit. I have reached a level of calmness with my crafting. I don't wander through craft stores seeking something new to do. I don't even feel the need to go into a craft store much. I've got a few complex projects on the table and they are enough.<br />
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I have not even thought about going through my stash of books, tools, and supplies for My Big Five to see if there is something that I don't need. I consider them to be on an untouchable list. Truth to tell, I don't have a large yarn stash or even a large fabric stash.<br />
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By choosing what I want to do, I feel a lot less burdened about getting rid of stuff associated with what I don't want to do. The things that I held on to 'just in case' are things I can't imagine using again. Now I need to figure out the most effective way of getting rid of them.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-4075830125131657312019-01-30T15:29:00.001-05:002019-01-30T15:29:22.300-05:00Holy Icicles, Batman! It's COLD!Yeah. This morning I woke up grateful to be warm and to have a roof over my head. It was about -20 degrees outside and a cozy, warm temperature inside. Thinking about how lucky I was to be cozy made me very, very happy.<br />
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I'm getting over a cold, so the projects to be completed pile isn't getting a lot smaller very fast. Eh. I'd rather not have to rip out errors from illness induced foggybrain.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-50727803941272027842018-12-17T23:14:00.001-05:002018-12-17T23:14:23.967-05:00Designing a Tiny HomeI love looking at unique tiny houses. Not the shiplap, cookie cutter tiny houses for sale that are smeared all over Pinterest. I have realized several things. I would never want a tiny home with a foam cushion atop a storage box that calls itself a sofa. Nor would I have a television in my tiny home. I would require a place to sew and a place to sit and embroider or to knit. Bookshelves are a must. I'm not into composting toilets. I don't need or want a bathtub. A washer/dryer is a must. And most important, I don't need a kitchen with a four burner stove, full-sized fridge, and a farmhouse sink. Two burners are enough. A middle sized fridge is fine. A loft is not necessary, but a cupboard bed would be great.<br />
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My basement studio is 13' wide and 30' long. If the ceiling were higher, I could easily live in this footprint. That's almost 400 square feet. In tiny house space, that's a lot of space.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-39295639671932431502018-12-17T10:42:00.001-05:002018-12-17T10:42:11.486-05:00Why Does the Pile O' Projects Have to Go?Because eventually, I won't be able to finish them, even though I might want to and have the time to do them. My vision is in the slow process of failing. My glasses are getting more and more complicated and are not as effective. I can't change this. I can't delay it. It sucks.<br />
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In my dream world, all the projects that require good vision will get done while I still have decent vision. I will gracefully, gradually shift to projects that don't require the ability to see tiny threads and accurate placement of the needle. I'm not sure that will actually happen, but I can try.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-10174087874329185582018-12-16T09:49:00.000-05:002018-12-16T09:49:14.311-05:00Minimalism Meets RealityThere's a side to minimalism that folks don't talk about.<br />
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On a limited income, there is a lot of difference between 'Do I want that?' and 'Can I afford that?' Extra pillows? A decorative coffee mug? Your thirty-fourth pair of shoes? Those things are all optional and are the kind of things that a minimalist will eschew. They are things that a person on a limited income doesn't even bother to consider. There is no questioning if it will bring joy, the fact is that buying extra stuff means there will be no food on the table, no shoes on the feet, and no heat in the home.<br />
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Minimalism is for the rich. If not the actual rich, then the folks who have achieved 'enough' and can look at 'extra.'<br />
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<br />Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-8633648126517697632018-12-14T11:24:00.002-05:002018-12-17T23:04:41.547-05:00The Pile O' Projects"Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." Thomas Gray.<br />
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I had to go digging through my tools and such to find the exact one I wanted to complete a Christmas gift. The gift would use up stash and make my BIL quite happy.<br />
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Sigh. No good deed goes unpunished. I found another project for the Pile. This one is a knitted gansey on tiny needles with dark blue yarn. The pattern is rather complicated and is one I designed. Don't look impressed. Designing a gansey is a matter of selecting the patterns you want to use and sticking them into a set of generic directions to make one. <br />
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The Pile is growing again. Drat.<br />
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No! It isn't growing. I'm not really starting new projects. I'm finding old projects that I hadn't finished. The Pile O' Projects is simply being identified.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-31543952437649939612018-12-13T11:08:00.002-05:002018-12-17T23:05:11.416-05:00Minimalism and the 'To Make' ListExperiences over objects.<br />
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Time to focus on <b>what </b>you are doing and not what you are (or are not) using to get that shit done.<br />
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Well, what do you know? It's working! This is the smug post about the success I'm having. No eco-tourism for me, though.<br />
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I had set aside the projects that were on my 'To Make' list in a pile 'o projects when I did the 2 + 2 = 5 declutter and re organize of my studio. I created a clear and clean space in which to work and solve the problems that had kept me from completing projects. I wasn't thrilled about the pile o' projects, though. I was worried that the pile would just get pushed around and not worked on.<br />
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In the first full day of studio use after the re organization, I completed four different projects that had been hanging over my head and making me feel guilty. FOUR. Then I dove into another project that would require a bit of effort, and it's down to just the hemming. Yep. And the hemming is going well.<br />
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That pile of projects is halved. Halved, I tell you. I'm now moving through my studio searching for projects to add to that pile, so I can attack them and finish them off. I hate to admit it, but I am finding the occasional stalled WIP (Work In Progress) that I add to the pile. But at least, I've identified them and can finally get them finished.<br />
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<br />Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-69307737956522490152018-12-12T10:50:00.000-05:002018-12-12T10:50:10.300-05:00How to Minimalize and or Declutter in Three Easy Steps<b>Step One</b><br />
Throw out all of the things you don't like, don't use, and don't need. Get rid of the boxes you used to use to store that stuff, too. Anything that makes you feel fat, guilty, or disorganized has got to go. Buyers remorse? Trash it.<br />
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<b>Step Two</b><br />
Do not go shopping for things you won't like, won't use, and won't need. Brag about how little you go shopping and how you can now feed your entire family on 35 cents a day. Save your money for experiences, like travel to eco-tourism locations that are suffering from the footprint of the eco tourists.<br />
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<b>Step Three</b><br />
Write blog posts about steps one and two. Feel smug and superior while earning an income due to the clickbait that covers 45% of the screen real estate on your blog.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-41202438566610447832018-12-10T15:30:00.002-05:002018-12-13T16:49:14.153-05:00Why is Easy so Annoying?I got one of the 'No Sew Throws' to make as a gift. I quilt them and don't do that fringe-and-tie nonsense. This one has the lines to cut the fringe printed on the front. In big, fat, easy to see print. The marks don't wash out. Sigh. I need to cut my 72" throw down by at about 5" on each side before I sew it together. As I'm laying it out, getting ready to start trimming, I notice that the marks aren't even. One side is almost 6" and the others vary, down to 4.5".<br />
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Thank goodness I got this on sale. If I'd paid the full price for this project, I'd be even more irritated. As it is, I just get more and more grumpy each time I think about how much time and effort I am putting in to rescue a project that is supposed to be quick and easy.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955446073103127237.post-3137736973516888142018-12-09T13:50:00.001-05:002018-12-09T13:50:44.231-05:00Ergonomics, ShmerganomicsErgonomic standards are for human bodies that are pretty standard. I'm taller than average, with arms that are long for my height. I do not fit the average set up for a sewing work surface.<br />
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When seated like shown in the picture? There is barely room above my knees for a table.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBrR7NdtxuyoIcZ8hMkUg01ACToxtzdtuB6uCjL4DauYpQ1XhOpEgjGy09yhL_0oN8VvocPZ_KZyaElcvfX4qyiXTEV1mrgRjNhTA_nBRUS74jzrXaJ_9ccBA2EKRH7SOhKBJ4oQMgrAV/s1600/sewing+machine+ergonomics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBrR7NdtxuyoIcZ8hMkUg01ACToxtzdtuB6uCjL4DauYpQ1XhOpEgjGy09yhL_0oN8VvocPZ_KZyaElcvfX4qyiXTEV1mrgRjNhTA_nBRUS74jzrXaJ_9ccBA2EKRH7SOhKBJ4oQMgrAV/s1600/sewing+machine+ergonomics.jpg" /></a></div>
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Where the words "knee angle" are? Nope. The table fills the space when it's me sitting there. My elbows aren't somewhere at the bra line. My elbows are right at the top of my hip bone.<br />
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This may be why I sew with my shoulders up by my ears.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789130461760232028noreply@blogger.com0