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| Lake Champlain February 2026 Photo via phone from a camera |
Have a Lovely & Warm Weekend
Almost a week into the organizing, down sizing, and declutter project, I've had it! I ache. My hands look and feel like sandpaper. A pinched finger, in something I don't remember what*, really hurt bad. It is funny only remembering the pain. At the time, I was sure it was bleeding.
My shoulders will ache awful when kept in one position too long. My neck is sore on one side, then the back and then the other side. The bad bone-on-bone knee is very sore. Otherwise, I feel all right. The major portion of the clear out is finished. I now will rest, do laundry, and take breaks sitting in my room admiring all the effort I put in to make it look nice.
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| Apple leaf on a steel tray circa 2010 |
Easy. Methinks it’s the warmth of the company of things surrounding us, a crew of comfort saying we belong. Out the door with stuff can feel like leaving the team. For where!? Most things were bought at a thrift store. I’ll think of donating as stuff being with the home team.
Gladly, I notice that there are many more things at the thrift store that I will not buy because the prices are above thrift store range. I imagine for resellers, high prices can devour a percentage of their profits. Add higher shipping costs would make reselling online more difficult.
Times changing doesn’t feel like it use to. Currently it feels to me that it has a no thru-way sign because the change leaves too many of us behind. It’s not worth the time to go along the out of touch highway.
Going to a thrift store is like attending a community event. Folks are always friendly and engaging. Finding and seeing treasures is a bonus.
After down sizing, I dread buying stuff. Unless I will use it and it is not on my buying ban list, I will not buy it. All my stuff space is occupied until enough goes out the door.
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| A favorite thrift store purchase Aluminum tray |
I sat there this morning sorting a basket of junk drawer stuff thinking. Why? How many ballpoint pens does it take for me to face the fact that store sell pens, not refills?
Evidently, that number is 3 dozen give or take, not counting the pens thrown away already. On the good side, I tossed a handful of things saved for a reason I don’t remember.
A bonus of down sizing and organizing stuff is the mind set. Going along my way, everything I do, make coffee, cook, look for gloves, put away clothes, I reorganize, adjust or add something to the donate pile. A little voice like a Greek chorus sings, When’s the last time you used that? Give it away, give it away. 🎶
Tomorrow, (today if I push it), the project will be finished. Thursday is a thrift store donation day. That is my end goal for the touch down.*
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| Corner clutter in waiting |
*Change of plan. Drop off on another day
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| Old craft project circa 2004 uncovered during craft stash sorting |
Before 8 AM today, half of a major chore is finished. After breakfast, I’ll take care of the rest until I break for lunch. Done with a tuna sandwich and hot chocolate, the second decoupage layer goes on the first metal cabinet and the base application goes on the second cabinet to round out the afternoon.
A happy surprise, the second container I open clearing out stuff earlier, is the very box of old book pages and illustrations I need for the metal cabinets.
Stashing things, found objects, fabric, paper, wire and such is put to better use when only the best is kept, and kept well organized. Otherwise, it takes on a junky look that lacks inspiration.
A craft material stash is never junk. It is as good as any brand new art material.
Where are you going?
Today, tomorrow, next week,
it is always some place
you will be.
A recent package is a thick brown paper from Amazon. I don’t have a use in mind, but I know there will be one. First off, thinking its a cool paper for a pinecone bunting.
Saving package materials happens in waves. Most ends up in the recycle bin. More than once I’ve used a saved weird piece of styrofoam. Ya never know what might come in handy.
Do you save package materials to repurpose?
Anyone can declare a fun off-beat holiday.
I made up a fun holiday years ago. I’ll have to search my blog because I don’t remember the date. Anyway, I am declaring another fun holiday, Time Flies Day, on the first Friday of February. In 2026, 6 February is the first Time Flies Day!
The day will commemorate all those lost hours we spend on the Internet that fly by so fast it makes the days go by faster as well.
Mark your calendars for the first Friday in February. There will be a blog party here with refreshments, cold coffee, dry toast and crusty cheese canapés. 🥳
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| Cold Coffee |
Spinnaker is the name of this font. A spinnaker is a type of sail, the one at the front of the bow full of wind/air that resembles a beer belly. If you look at the two ens, then you might feel a sense of billowing.
Do you feel the puffing out of January 2026 leading us into the next eleven months of adventures?
If not, then please try. Methinks we can do with glorious wind in our sails. For a few minutes every day, embracing our inner peace can be good.
Then, let’s get onto griping about what needs a good trashing. Shake out the venting you don’t share! If jumping up and down isn’t possible, then wiggle out the debris of what disturbs you.
February 2026 begins tomorrow.
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| Decoupage in Progress |
As I was sulking about finally having the energy only to be foiled by a simple thinking error, I decided to start an easy long waiting project.
In 1998 I bought two small metal file-storage combo cabinets. If I had to choose a few pieces of furniture to bring with me, they would be in the top five. (Lamps don’t count as furniture.)
Loving print as I do, I’ve decoupaged old books to them and painted them over the years. Now it is back to the old book decoupage look.
The base layer will dry for a day or so before adding the top layer. Then a burnt sienna antiquing coat, sealer and done. Maybe.
Sitting there feeling defeated, I just so happen to sort the magazine rack I had to move out of the way to get the cabinet out.
Yankee Magazine covers add a huge country vibe to my decor. I have several editions from 2018 to the current one. What if instead of book pages and illustrations, I use the magazine covers to decoupage!? No, the colors are too bright for that application. A better idea is to frame in a group. There’s a vertical between doors space that’s a perfect fit.
So, that’s what I did yesterday instead of doing laundry. Today there’s laundry to do. I’m also making homemade pizza.
