Fun Summer Stuff for Kids to do...

I have looked forward to this summer for a long time.  Jake is about to enter middle school in the fall and Laura is a preschooler.  They are old enough to do activities together and Jake isn't too cool yet to hang with Mom and the little sis.  I always dreamed of having kids.  Being a mom is all I ever wanted to do and I always loved the idea of doing little things together. Last summer kind of got away from us with the high heat indexes, illnesses, and scheduling issues.  It was a special summer, but not in the way I imagined. 

So this year, we made a list of things that we would like to do together.  Hopefully, most of them free or cheap to do.  And most importantly, fun to do together. 

I will be typing up the list and posting later. 

Changing tactics...



I can't express the sense of freedom that I have now that I have gotten rid of 29 of the 40 trashbags of stuff in this challenge.  I can see the difference in my house.  I am so pleased that some of my items are going to people that can really use and appreciate them.  I am proud that I am making a step towards being a better caretaker of my family. 

However, I have learned a lesson in this.  It was 40 bags in 40 days.  I completely left off the 40 days part as I started because it felt so good to see those bags adding up.  Don't get me wrong, I had a real clutter issue happening in my house so stuff needed to go and it neeeded to go right. now.  So while it is good that I was running around on a purging adrenaline rush, there was a purpose by design in designating it 40 days. 

For one thing, trying to run a house around 29 trashbags is a little challenging.  It is hard to set the table when you have to wade through bags sitting on your kitchen floor, lol.  The bags were lending to me having a feeling of chaos.  You know how when you are cleaning out a closet or room or garage and you get everything out, you can see the job ahead of you and it is overwhelming.  So overwhelming that you want to quit.  Yep, that was me the last couple of days. 

So I am going to slow down a bit.  I am still dedicated to accumlating 40 bags. I will probably surpass it since I have some bulky items to go through. But I don't think I can keep up this pace.  My house needs a little TLC now. 

So now that I got the overall clutter under control, now I am going to be purposeful and tackle hot spots in my home.  I am going to make a list of areas to be worked on and take my bags out as I go along. 

So maybe this challenge will not only free me from materialistic tendencies and make my household run smoother, maybe I will learn some patience and moderation.  Jumping in with both feet is a good way to get started, but steady really does win the race. 

22 bags...crazy crazy crazy...

I am in total shock.  I can't believe that we have 22 bags of stuff that we don't want.  Except for a few moments while going through Laura's clothes, this has been relatively painless.  How can it be that we have that much stuff.  We really do live in a modest home and really aren't that materialistic, I swear. 

I will have to say that this has been contagious.  Even the kids are jumping to donate some things.  I have found that I have to step back and let them.  I want to hold onto their things and it surprises me that I do have these attachment issues with their things. 

But I can already tell the difference in my house.  I know that I feel a little lighter around my shoulders.  I never thought we would make it to 20 trash bags, but now I am thinking that 40 is really on the horizon.  I haven't touch the excess Christmas decorations in storage. 

This is a big lesson for me.  I need to only keep what I absolutely love around me.  And even then, if it interferes with my family's joy of life or the efficiency of running the household, it doesn't belong here. 

I am a little nervous to drive to Goodwill tomorrow.  I have a van full of bags already. I will have to circle back and pick up the load in my kitchen that I have waiting. Those poors at the drive thru are really going to earn their paychecks as I unload my junk on them, lol.  I think that is when reality will set in of what I am doing and what I have completed.

17 bags so far.. oh my!...



Seriously, day 2 of my 40 bags project and I am in shock.  And I am pooped. I can't do anything patiently.  I always jump in totally obsessed and can't slow down.  It's my quirk. :) 

Now 17 bags sounds like I am some kind of hoarder.  I am not really.  I just managed to accumulate a lot of stuff and was good at storing it.  Well, not that good at storing it or I wouldn't need to do this challenge, right?

Now some of the bags have some bulky items, so it isn't like I am some super hero of decluttering. However, I have cleared out a lot of items.  Already, some of Laura's precious clothes are at a little girl's home filling out her wardrobe.  That was hard for me. I did keep out a few cotton items and going to start a nine patch quilt for her out of that fabric.  Maybe it will be a baby quilt for her baby someday.  But now, her closet is so much roomier. 

Both of my kids wanted to pitch in.  Even Laura wanted to donate some toys to kids that don't have any.  Of course, she went for things I wanted her to keep.  I had a real moment there when I realized that I was holding onto her dolls more than she was, lol. 

Basically, I have been going about my house willy nilly and tackling hot spots. However, as the clutter departs, I am going to concentrate on things like junk drawers, my pantry, laundry room cabinets, the craft box, and so on and so on. 

I can't say what a good feeling it is to be doing this.  Right now, my house is a wreck due to having bags and piles everywhere.  But tomorrow, things will start coming back to normal and I can already see a difference.  I really think this will help me be a better mom and wife.  That I will have the hospitable home that I should. 

I just have to wonder... if it is day two and I already have filled 17 bags, exactly how many bags will I fill?  Surely not really 40... but maybe... :) 

40 bags in 40 days...

I had a "light bulb" moment today.  I was perusing blogs as I often do when I came across an idea.  It was a challenge for Lent actually.  40 bags in 40 days.  I had seen this idea before, but it really attracted me today as I have been struggling to get organized and have been miserably failing. 

This challenge is a mission to not only declutter your house, but help you lessen your dependence on things.  To simplify, but enrich your life.  How many times have I wanted to do something fun, but didn't because my house was a mess? Or if I did something fun, I felt guilty, because I knew what was lurking behind closed doors.  Life is short and to put off what you want to do or to waste time pushing piles of stuff around is senseless when you think about it.

What was interesting was this blog.  When she said that commenters had said only hoarders could collect 40 bags of stuff in their house, she replied to them that while she lived in a modest house, a homeless person could fit all their worldly belongings in a shopping cart.  How much you have and need is a matter of perspective.  Then when she gave tips, it hit close to home.  "If you are sitting in front of baby clothes and you can't give them away even though your child is grown, you might have attachment issues."  "If you won't get rid of something because you might need it someday, you might have fear issues"  This really struck a nerve with me.  Guilty as charged. 

I began to think, could I really collect 40 trash bags of stuff from my house.  The thought actually panicked me a little.  And then that alarmed me that it would "panic" me to get rid of things.  Exactly how attached am I to "things" when I know those "things" are getting in the way of the life I want to lead? 

Last week, I had already sorted my clothes closet and had been amazed at how much easier it was to dress with less things to dig through and maybe fall on top of me. lol.  So I said, okay, Nancy, you are supposed to be leading a life that doesn't include fear.  Go get that trash bag. So I did.  Three trash bags later, I have organized kitchen cabinets.  Yes, you heard me... THREE trash bags later.  How did I cram that much into my tiny kitchen cabinets.  I discovered I had 4 canning funnels.  Two Frankenstein head ice cream bowls.  5 pink water bottles.  How needs that many funnels?  Or why keep Frankenstein bowls to use for a few days in October?  I mean... really. 

So the game is on... I am doing this challenge.  I might not do a bag a day.  I think my goal will be 40 bags. Just fill them up.  Just do it. With my clothes closet, kitchen cabinets, and kids toys, I might have a good lead.  But can I really do the painful items?  My precious cookbooks?  My crafts?  Gasp, my fabric? 

So we will see... hopefully, in 40 days, my life will be much lighter, less burdened by unused and sometimes forgotten junk.  It might be painful sometimes, but I think a well run home for my truly precious husband and children is much more important.  I want my home to be welcoming and warm.  Not a tribute to the fact I am a packrat, lol.  Wish me luck!  :)

Craftsy block of the Month for Feb

I was on pins and needles to see the new patterns for February.  I knew what they would be from the clip in the introductory video.  I love the Balkan puzzle one. It is from the 1930s.  My favorite time period.  The Chevron is kind of funky, but after doing it, I really like it.  I could see a whole quilt being made out of it.  Zig Zag style could be cool for a kids blanket or a picnic blanket.  So I might be doing some small quilts of these patterns later on.  Just add it to my bucket list of quilt projects.. That never ending wanna do list, lol :D

I used my first two colors of blue and purple in these next blocks and added a bright yellow.  I think yellow is always a good little color to sneak onto a quilt.  This color combo reminds me of modern whimsical quilts. Not my usual palette, but I am loving it.  So now to find similar colors in my stash.  I would like to keep it in the blue and purple zone, but if not, it will just be scrappy. I have scraps leftover from the blue and purple and will try to stretch through out some of the other blocks to keep some consistancy if possible.

Drum roll, please.  My blocks of the month:

Chunky Chevron

Balkan Puzzle

Craftsy Block of the Month quilt...

I decided to try something new. I am so bad at planning each and every detail of a project that I tend to make it overwhelming or I start to wait for the perfect time, fabric, place, etc.  So I see this free Craftsy.com class to take for a BOM quilt.  Now the blocks I see so far are soooo not my style. I am not a asymmetric, artsy-fartsy type crafter/sewer.  I like traditional... balanced quilts.  But I decided to break free from that.  I am going to make this quilt.  It is 20 blocks in one year.  I will learn paper piecing, foundational piecing, etc.  It will be fun. I have decided to go completely scrappy.  No real hard planning of colors.  In fact, tonight I let Laura pick the colors.  She did a good job, I must say.

This month is all about slash quilting. You sew strips in your block, then you just cut it. Sew again, cut again, sew again, cut again... you get the idea.  I absolutely loved it. You really couldn't go wrong.  What a freeing moment for me, lol.  No planning, no real nail biting... just went with the flow and created. 

So here is what I have made so far...

Asterisk block

Wonky Pound Sign block