And he thought it was his idea....again!

I often make suggestions for projects that I would like my husband to do around the house. Not nagging, just suggesting.
One recently was my suggestion (last fall) for him to tear out the closet in the sewing room (it is only 7.5 ft by 10 ft) so I could have a wall of shelves for storage. "Too much work!" he said. "It's a bedroom and needs a closet." Okay, I let it go. Then we were watching Hoarders and I asked if he thought I was a fiber and craft hoarder. He hemmed and hawed, but didn't actually say anything. I took him by the hand and led him to the sewing room. "Where do you propose I store my stuff? I only have cardboard boxes and a card table." He looked around for a minute and then said "You know, if we took out this closet, we could put a bunch of shelves here!" Brilliant! And he truly does not remember me mentioning this last year! He has an artist's brain, (and keeps it in a jar in the closet! lol) Anyway, the room is done except for new flooring(!) that will go in next month.

The most recent event was this past week. I do all of the office work for our business, which is a lot of paper! I haven't had a desk to work at for the 1 1/2 years we've been here. I work at the kitchen table, on the couch...wherever. And I have stacks of papers and things to file in almost every room of the house. I suggested in January that if the piano was gone from the office, I could set up my desk there (yes, I have a desk. It has been in the shop since we got here, as there was nowhere for it to be.) He didn't want to move the piano because he MIGHT sell it. Anyway, last week I spent an hour looking for a receipt. DH said "You know, you really need some office space and a desk." Arggh! Yeah, I know! He looked around the office a bit and said "We need to move the piano, then you can put your desk there!" Yay for the idea! He wanted to put it in front of the bar in the livingroom. (You know, those old dry bars from the 70's?) Thankfully, it wouldn't fit there. So on Saturday we ripped out the bar. Can I get a hallelujah! That is another project I wanted done since before we moved here! THREE projects done!!!

Result: The bar is out. The piano is in the livingroom. My desk is in the office. I have a bookcase to assemble to put all the file boxes in.

Life is good!

Oh, I got rid of a ton of stuff too. Yay, YAWYK!

Oh, and since so many of you enjoyed the David McCallum eye candy, here's another one!

Cathy B

I'm in love with my shredder...

I just finished shredding a box of paper. Some of it was junk mail, but a lot of it was receipts, old checks and check registers, credit card statements...stuff that I don't want anyone to get their hands on.

In the olden days I would take all such stuff to the credit union and they would put it in their shredding bin. After I got my own shredder, I really went to town! Shredders don't cost much for the peace of mind they give. I think I our shredder cost $39 at Walmart.

I had my identity stolen 20 years ago, and occasionally something still surfaces. Don't wanna do that again.

As for what to shred and what to keep---I keep anything that may concern our taxes for 10 years, sealed in a box with the year written on the outside, after taxes are done. We have our own small business, so documentation is very important! After 10 years I shred all the contents of the box except for the tax return copies. I only keep credit card statements that have to do with the business. The others are shredded when the next statement comes in.

We use the shredded paper as packing material when we ship puppets. I put the shredding in a plastic grocery store or walmart bag and tie it firmly closed. Free packing, going green!

Today's pic is of our backyard where we lived in Minnesota until last year. Beautiful, isn't it? DH just couldn't take the long northern MN winters anymore.

Well, time to alter shirts to fit puppets. Quilts are more fun!

Cathy B

More stuff gone, and a bonus pic!

Well, more stuff is leaving.

48 cassette tapes (trash--I don't even have a player any more!)
3 clothing--donate
2 clothing--trash
2 clothing--sold

It is so liberating to get rid of things! My favorite de-cluttering gurus are Peter Walsh and Marla Cilley (Flylady). I love to get into the psychology of keeping and getting rid of stuff.

My current 'eureka' is that I only have the space I have. If I have more stuff than will fit in that space, something has to go. Simple, but profound.

Today I have been sewing arms and legs. DH makes ventriloquist puppets (puppetsandprops.com) and I do the sewing and altering of clothes. We send 'em all over the world, which is kinda cool.

Now for the bonus pic: David McCallum from the mid to late 50's. No reason to post this other than he was so cool looking. This pic is from a great movie called Violent Playground.

Enjoy!

Cathy B

More stuff Gone-gone!

Well, more stuff is out of my house. Yay! I got rid of:
4 planks, 2 to the trash and 2 to a neighbor
10 pieces of clothing (6 to trash, 2 donations, 2 sold)
4 cupboard doors (to the neighbor)
1 dvd player (donation)
1 window screen (trash)
1 bag recycling (trash)
4 boxes of expired food (trash)
4 cell phones (donation)

So 29 more things gone.

I have a lot of sewing projects I am doing for other people, which will really up the total when they are done. If only it weren't so stinkin' muggy right now! That's an Arizona monsoon for you!