Off & Running

In my last post,

I mentioned that one of my goals is to use my fabric stash.

Now, what I'm about to show you 
might not be for the weak of heart.

I'm actually showing you 
my stash.

Gasp! Cough! Choke!

Yes, I know.

And this is after 3 full car-loads of donations.

You see,

using the vast majority of my stash is only a "small" part of the "big" goal.

It's okay, I'll wait here and give you time

to pick yourself up off the floor after falling over with laughter.

They say laughter is good for the soul.

 I'm just helpin' ya out. :-)

(Flannel backed cozy throw.)

The real goal is to down-size even more.

I mentioned when we moved here that we down-sized by almost 40%.

I had lived up the mountain for 18 years.

My kids were 3 and 1 when we moved there.

There was a lot of "stuff" that's been sorted and relocated.

And as I mentioned in the last post,

that transition, though difficult at times, has been a very good one.

We have absolutely no desire to become minimalist~

just to make that clear.

I see extreme minimalism as reliant and unprepared

which is not something I aim to be.

 

Backed with
chamois flannel
for extra
cozieness.












But. . . 

Enoughism, I do aim for.

The computer is telling me that's not a word.

Well, it's a word in my book.

We want to keep a good supply of useful items

and things that would be useful in an emergency situation,

but the fabric stash is more than enough.

I don't want to have none,

but I have a small book shelf that 

I'm hoping will eventually house all my fabric.

That's a pretty lofty goal, 

especially considering I don't care for "quick and easy."

I like items that are made well

which often means the old fashioned way - the slower way.

There were actually a couple more totes,

but I've made a little progress already.

I started with some of the simpler and bulkier projects.

That helped to get me started.

Now I'm trying to use up fabrics that 

I don't have an emotional attachment to.

If you need to roll around on the floor in laughter again

after that statement, 
I get it. :-)

(Cowboy quilt, original design, hand quilted, pieced back.)

There are fabrics that are so beautiful in my eyes

that I want the perfect project for them and don't want to just chop 

them up for any ol' quilt pattern.

So, I'm starting with the fabrics that are easier to part with.

I have a feeling it will be a bit like decluttering.

At first just part with the stuff that doesn't matter,

then it's okay to part with the things that we don't use,

then choose favorites among the duplicates, and so on.

A little about how I typically roll with my quilting.

Though I occasionally hand piece,

I usually machine piece the quilts on my 

1918 Singer I call Gracie.

I had over a dozen sewing machines at one time.

I've decluttered and down-sized that collection as well.

I'm down to half-dozen.

That might still sound like overkill to some folks,

but they are each different and they each get used.

Once the top is pieced, I layer it and put it in the hoop

or on the frame depending upon the size.

I prefer hand-quilted quilts to machine quilted.

Machines essentially knot each stitch, and

hand-quilting is a running stitch that from the side

would look like a wave going up and down through the layers.

This allows the materials some "slack."

It's why machine quilted quilts are stiffer and

hand-quilted quilts drape around you - give you a hug.

So, I try to hand-quilt my quilts.

I'm not a professional hand-quilter,

but each one I do gets a smidgeon better.

(Note - there is some beautiful machine-quilting out there.)

 (In real life, the greens really do match.)

 (Current project being pieced: Rob Peter to Pay Paul.  An old pattern that requires scissors to cut out as opposed to a rotary cutter - slower.)

I will need to keep at it and get a lot done 

if I am to attend a bazaar or two next fall.

I also hope to get some smaller quilted items done

so that there will be a variety.

The perk of all this will be as these totes empty,

I won't be refilling them.

They will leave and we will have that much more room.

It sure won't happen over night, but

I'm looking forward to that.

(Next on the frame.)

For now, I'll just keep stitching ~

Weeeell, we'll see what happens come canning season.
Hopefully, I can at least make a good dent in it.

Blazin' Trails - Watch Out 2020!

Whew!

After 2019, I might need a nap!

(source)

It was a year of many changes for us.

The biggest change was moving from my home of 18yrs.

Then a few months later changing my job of 6 1/2 yrs.

Then all those adjustments that go with those two moves:

where the vinegar is in this grocery store,

what cupboard the tablecloths are in,

how do I do X at work?

There are so many things in a routine that we take advantage of.

Change is difficult, Good, but difficult.

So a few things looking back before we plow forward.

There have been some challenges, to be sure.

Taking care of two homes that are an hour apart took its toll on me.

Becoming my own employer is/was a particularly difficult transition.

I wasn't sure what I was "supposed" to do as there is no job description.

It's been a good transition but difficult to wrap my brain around.

I tend to put myself in the helper role rather than the leader role.

(That's so backwards from my younger years.)

My word of the year for 2019 was Prosper.

It wasn't really for financial purposes though that was included.

For me it was about the changes we made and wanting them to be good ones.

I wanted the year to be prosperous with friends, 

 family, home, work, and goodness.

Of all of that, I would say I was better at keeping in contact with friends.

I'm generally horrible at that since I'm not on social media.

So Prosper served me well for the year but I'm ready to move on.

In addition to learning, I've had to relearn.

An example was our tomatoes.

I planted 1/2-2/3 as many plants as I usually did up the mountain

and my oh my.

We had a tomato jungle!

By season's end, I was tired of seeing them

even though my inner being loved them for the winter sustenance.

What's ahead?

This is always more fun, isn't it?

(source)

My word of the year this year is Grace.

It has multiple meanings and all in all is what I'm after.

If you do a word of the year, I'd love to hear it.

I will be taking a CAD class beginning next week. Yikes!

It was kinda funny when applying.

There were questions like:

Can your parents claim you on your insurance - haha.

How 'bout it Medicare? 

Will I have graduated high school by the beginning of the term?

I sorta remember high school-heehee

Anyways, that was a hoot!

We are designing our own home and whenever the time comes

will general it ourselves.

We have some time ;-)

It will also be a huge perk with work.

I will be able to do the detail drawings required for many jobs.

I'm very much hoping to sell the mountain house this year.

We'll work on that more towards spring,

but I'm hoping not to have to keep up with 2 yards this year.

(Prayers on that one greatly, hugely, enormously appreciated!)

Along that note, I'm looking forward to the garden this year.

Now that I have a glimmer of what gardening here is like,

maybe I can plan a little more appropriately.

Beginning January 1, I am challenging myself 

to see how long I can go with no spending.

I did this a few years back and made it to April.

I will do the envelope system for groceries

and pay our regular monthly expenses but nothing more.

I don't beat myself up if something arises that I spend.

I just start again at the beginning of the following month.

The trickiest part is being mindful of what day it is so I remember to do it.

I do keep a list of things we need or could use.

They are usually in the form of an antique so are things

that take time (sometimes years) to find.

I know if a cider press came along for the right price

sometime in February, I wouldn't think twice about breaking my challenge.

It would cost me more in the long run to wait and pay a higher price.

Bottom line is, I do what I can but don't take it to unreasonable extremes.

The other thing I'm hoping is to decrease my fabric stash.

Rather embarrassing, but I donated 3 carloads full of fabric.

Much of it had been given to me, but more and more I tell myself

"I'm not a storage unit."

At one time I made most of my clothes so had quite a bit of apparel fabric.

I enjoy quilting so primarily kept quilting fabrics - totes and totes of it!

I'm hoping to do a show or two next holiday season

which if anything sells would also generate some green stuff.

There are one or two other things I am hoping to make happen,

but I'll keep those a secret so you can be surprised.

Ain't that just like me - save the juicy stuff - heehee.

I'm looking forward to 2020 and to settling in to life here and now.

I don't anticipate any major life changes this year which is a relief.

 I have found the vinegar and tablecloths and

 am figuring out what needs to be done at work and when.

Are any of you routine people?

It sure throws me for a loop when my routine is upset for any length of time.

I do pretty good with short divergencies.

I think it's because I have that base routine to get back to.

Anyways, 2020 holds many promises for each of us.

Each day is getting just a little longer and each day brings us closer to our tomorrow so we might as well enjoy it, because

tomorrow it will be a memory.

Wishing you all much Grace

and many Blessings~

A Little Corner

I don't do a lot in the way of decorating,

but this is an odd little spot in the kitchen

where I happen to eat my eggs each morning.

I was quite sick last week for the first time in years

so I've missed much of the hubub and frinzie.

That part is actually fine by me.

But I'm not a good sick person.

I'm pretty sure I snarl and growl and bare my teeth, etc.

Anyhoo. . . 

Feeling better now and am looking forward to tomorrow.

I just wanted to take a moment to wish

each of you a very blessed Christmastime.

May your day be beautiful and your worries be few.

Merry Christmas.

A Fowl Christmas

(Disclaimer: For entertainment purposes only, not to be taken too seriously.)

The blizzard just won't let up

It's blown a week straight you know

The coffee pours cold in my cup

and I'm plum tired of trudging the snow.

This drafty shack don't stop the wind

The fire spits when the snow falls in

Only two more days 'til this torture's end

I'll be home for Christmas with all my kin

I bundle up to go lay down

And dream of the feast the folks will serve

I awake to more snow on the ground

Is this really what I deserve

I throw the saddle on ol' Red

He tries to blow snot but it sticks to his nose

He's mountain grown and ornery bred

I climb atop and off we goes

We've just made it down into the trees

The wind dies down but there's still a chill

Only one day left out here to freeze

I'll stop at the cave 'neith Donner Hill

Ol' Red must know, he's actin' spry

Off once more, not many a mile

The cold bright sun has lit the sky

I'm thinkin' of grub the whole darn while

I can finally see the homestead

Ol' Red picks up his pace

I can almost taste the homemade bread

Can't wait to feed my face

As I pull in, greetings to all

Unsaddle Ol' Red and throw him some hay

Inside's the cheer of a Christmas ball

What a wonderful happy holiday

Time for dinner, we each take our place

No more cussin' "You dirty dyer"

Then the shock, it shows upon my face

On the table sat an overgrown fryer

Moral~

If there's a cowpoke in your clan

Don't make this grave mistake

Instead of pots use a cast iron pan

And fry up a thick beef steak.