Thursday, January 24, 2019

Sewing and Sunshine and Sorting


One of the blessings of Denver is that if it's not snowing or raining, it's sunny. At least a good part of the day. And since we are a mile closer to the sun, said sun both melts the snow and ice quickly and feels generally ten degrees warmer than the actual temperature. Yesterday, it snowed a bare three inches and then the sun came out melted most of what was unshoveled on the streets, sidewalks and paths. Yesterday? Sunny. Last night and today?  Windy and snow showers, maybe an inch, maybe more. This afternoon and then Friday? Clear and then sunny again-with a high in the mid fifties on Sunday.

Which means I am never suffering from SAD or the like, I am out of the house almost every day of the year, and the shorts, t-shirts and sandals stay out year around (albeit often with socks). If there is a downside to all this, it's that the end of April can be the snowiest time of the year-which is why most of my excursions are in April and May, including an upcoming one to Chicago.

Meanwhile, it has to be said. That goal of cleaning, decluttering and organizing a room of month? I overstepped myself when it comes to my poor little sewing and craft room. Originally this smallest bedroom was my son's, which he took willingly. However the second bedroom was too BIG to be a sewing/crafting space (I want to be able to move from place to place in my chair on wheels) and my six foot six son and his extra large queen bed and headboard needed space. So I turned around and changed rooms out in a weekend. Without changing the greenish color on the walls, or doing much of any thing else. Add to that the fact that I was creative and used what I had when I unpacked mid 2013. I had moved from built in storage shelves, and I cobbled together an unused desk, two baker's racks, and shelves and bins in the small closet (I took the door off). 

Quilts in progress, yarn projects in progress, yarn, fabric, and up in the left hand, jars to be used for salves and bath salts and the likes-and that's just what the photo actually shows.

I haven't done a lot of organization since then, I've never painted or upgraded this room, and I've added a hobby (or two or three or four) along the way. I do sewing, quilting, drawing, painting and other art, weaving on a small loom and experiment with lotion and salve and natural recipes, all in this room! And occasionally, I use it as an office. Good Grief! 
 
I forgot to make the jewelry  making thing (hence the toaster oven). Right now leftover mailing boxes are storing things for homemade soap and other stuff-a trip to the container store will be due sooner rather than later.

On top of that you have my goal of re-using  and digging deeper this year, so I am loath to throw or donate that odd fabric or half skein unless I am sure that I cannot put it to good use in this year-be it for charity or another purpose. to date my  organization has included putting all the pieces of felted wool in bins in my bedroom (because I have stair difficult I have a corner of my bedroom which I use for some seasonal bin storage as I await help from those who can carry up or down). I've also gotten rid of a bag that included torn pattern pieces that could no longer be used (I kept the envelopes to use for cards or college). I've re-organized the myriad of storage drawers in said room so that all like items are pretty much together, although I have not eliminated a thing (Sorry Marie). I've gotten rid of a quilt rack that was taking up space (I'll hang projects on my wall), I've organized the fabric on hand, and made a written list of unfinished projects and what if anything I need to finish them. I've also, within the limitations of stuff, done my best to clean areas of said room.  
That poor green really is as bad as it looks. I use a large white piece of art board when I photograph normally, or am trying to plan a quilt!
The good news? This is a goal, a plan, not a commitment. Other rooms will take much less effort, and since I'm "doing" in this room multiple days I week if not every day, I can (hopefully) work on that organization thing in between the creating thing. 

Today, said studio is also an office, at least briefly!

And this summer, we'll see how much it costs to empty the room, paint it a nice cream color and put everything back in, because I have quilts and art waiting to be hung.

It sounds like a good plan, anyway.

11 comments:

  1. You know Marie Kondo can help you with this. HA HA HA
    And btw, socks with sandals for real? Why not just wear shoes then?
    I have always wanted to ask someone who wear socks with shoes that very question. Inquiring minds want to know Barbara.

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    1. Well, in my case, because I find shoes VERY, VERY uncomfortable and have sensitivity on the tops of my feet. Also, many sandals (for whatever reason) actually have better support than shoes, and if you like really nice hand knit or wool socks, they dont fit in regular shoes. So in non slow cold, I will bright, sometimes wool socks with San Antiono Shoes sandals and jeans or leggings. Never mind that sandals let me wiggle my toes.

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  2. We used to spend a month in Colorado every year and I've always been fascinated with how they can get snow but by noon it would all be melted. That doesn't happen here in Michigan.

    I don't think we ever really get our craft rooms finished because we're always adding something to the mix. Sewing, making jewelry and making salts and salves is quite a variety! You will love having cream walls when you get to it.

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    1. I know I will-so mugch lighter, even though the green is pale. I could not live in Michigan or much of the upper midwest or the northeast these days. Many of my retired friends are former mid westerners.

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  3. I have been working on my sewing/craft room a bit every day. Once I get some projects completed the room should be pretty much the way I want it to be. I did actually rid myself of tiny balls of leftover yarn, but that's about it.

    God bless.

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    1. I figure a little bit every day is better than nothing at all..

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  4. I thought of you the other day, Barbara, when I visited a fabric shop with my cousin. It was so well curated, such a feast for the eyes. I've seen so many references to Marie Kondo lately. What's organized to one may not be to another. Re: weather. My son spent 8 months in Australia on an ag exchange. His host commented - what's with you Canadians and the weather? I think it's the variability. Yesterday was a case in point. The temperature in the morning was -36C; it was -12C by suppertime. It certainly affects how we function in a day. And still the closets aren't purged.

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    1. yes, the variability. fifties Farenheit this weekend and then a blizzard type thing on Monday and then warm again. Which is why I dress in layers and yes, wear socks with sandals or crocks, lol.

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    2. And yes, I could use more fabric.

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  5. Organizing always makes me feel better. Now that we have downsized I am trying very hard not to let "stuff" creep back in.

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    1. Im into the organizing part, not the getting rid of stuff part, lol.

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