A slow start to simplyfying our lives!

I wish I could say that I have been busy, but not really.  I have had moments of busy, but the weather has slowed us down a bit.  A lot of cold, snow, melting, rainy, stormy, warm.  A Typical winter in Michigan!!

Over a week ago I finally followed through and loaded all of my glass studio up and Tracy Bell and Melissa Mesara came and hauled it away!  It is now in lots of loving homes of Michigan glassaholics!!!  That makes me happy!!!

I am currently working on figuring out what has to go away in my craft room.  Of course it doesn't help that I bought more stuff! LOL  OK, so it is smaller stuff and I know it still may go before this is all over, but it was a great $$$.  It is punch embroidery, that I did years ago.  My first plan of attack on the craft room is to use up as much as I can and finish projects that I have all the pieces and parts for! Then we will dump the big stuff!

As I mentioned, I found a pile of supplies for punch embroidery cheap and it has great resale value so that was the original thought.  But since embroidery is one of the things I regularly do and plan on keeping, I thought this would add to the ability to really get creative with it!  We shall see!!  I remember using this to blow away fellow students when I had to put presentation boards together for Design Classes.  I could whip up miniature carpet and rug samples for my boards!!!  Those younguns didn't know what the heck it was, but it sure looked good! LOL  Here is my haul....less than $10!!

Kylee had a bout of back problems, but ANOTHER Vet visit and she is good to go now!  Dozer is just the sweet boy he always is!!  Other than being skinnier than I want, the Vet said he is healthy as a little pony! 

So next on my hit list is the Front Closet!  I know there are lots of things to get rid of in there.  I just got Todd's Varsity Jacket out of there a month ago!  But anyone need cement duck clothes, bags of dog hair, and enough coats and jackets to keep two more families warm!!  Time to downsize, donate, and chuck!!!

Dilly

Loosing it!!

Ok, so my goal for this year is to simplify my life, by finding new homes for all our stuff.  However I think I went way past my goal already!  If you know me at all you know my photos are precious to me.  My home, computer, phone, closets are filled to the top.  Heather even got me a scanner that will put my photos on an SD card for Christmas.  That will allow me to take all of my photos with me. 

So when Christmas went up, a lot of photos in frames were taken down to make room for decorations.  I have a vintage pedal sewing machine base, with a HEAVY piece of glass on top that holds framed photos of all my kids and our family.  Then on my mantel were brand new photos of both the grandsons!  I put them all in such a special place that I can't find them!!!!

I have gone through all the places, drawers, cabinets, closets that I have typically stored the kind of stuff in over the past years. Nada, Nothing, Not a One!!  I even went up to the guest room/present wrapping room to see if the got carried up there.  We are talking a dozen framed photos from 5x7 to 10x13. All that leaves is hitting the basement where all the Christmas stuff is boxed up!

Now that would be bad enough, but I actually can't find the "Simplify" sign I bought as a funny to hang on the wall to motivate us to downgrade all our stuff!  Yup, that is gone too!  It made it into the van, but after that it too is missing!

So I am loosing it, old-timers disease is hitting!  I hope you all keep it together!
Dilly

2013 Ready, Set.......Go!!!! SIMPLIFY!!!!!!

Well did you make it to midnight?  I was asleep when the text messages started from my kids about 11:30pm.  That woke me up and I just made it to midnight laying in bed tossing and turning!!  Yah, I really know how to celebrate!  Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade those text messages, it means everything that our children remember us as they start a new year in their lives.  They have been calling home for years and it is something we look forward to!!!  I love that they each make the effort to remember year after year!!

So how's your year going so far, have you made a resolution, or a goal for 2013?  I gave up on resolutions, I just screw them up.  But I do have a couple of goals, first to take off another 20 lbs, just to give my good health another boost!  Then the BIGGIE is to get rid of so much stuff we have accumulated, or as a sign I saw last week that inspired me enough to purchase it and put it up in the house.  SIMPLIFY!!!  It was such a nice idea!!  Just  too damn bad I can't find the stupid thing!!!  Yah, that's a good start to the year!!

I did manage to simplify one major thing.  The Christmas tree is empty of it's ornaments.  All the personal ornaments are sorted into piles, and the Christmas tree has been spoken for!  It's a beautiful tree I picked up at an auction 7 or 8 years ago.  It was actually the Toledo Public Library's tree.  They spent the big bucks on it and I got it for $5!!!  It is headed off to Shannon's home for a new life with little kids presents piled under it!!! 

There was a group of hubby's and my ornaments, and as I knew and feared I went through a few Kleenex.  Then hubby came up with a great idea.  I put those ornaments along with a few gold and white balls, some berries, cinnamon sticks, chestnuts, gold leaves, and the big gold bow with the red white and blue ribbon on it that has adorned our Christmas trees for years in a box.  On the box is the label, Mom & Dads ornaments, please add these to whatever tree or as decorrations at the home that is being used for our family Christmas!  We have promised the kids we would always make an effort to be home (wherever all of them are) for Christmas!  That helped me get through the rest of the de-Christmasing of the house!!!

Now only the Christmas Village to go and that is already going to Shannons House.  To be put up when they move to bigger digs!!  Everyone agreed they would rather it stays together, than break it up, or sell it!  So, it might be a few years before Dillys Village gets set up again, but I am sure we will all enjoy it when it does!!

So I have started the decluttering my year is officially started.  Oh and I almost forget I got this photo from Heather.  This is the 3rd of my large Christmas Project and the biggest sucker of time.  This took 3 months with daily goals of so many rows to get this one done in time for Christmas.  It is a popcorn pattern afghan with our grandson Xavier with the Monster Feet staying warm under it!

I hope all your wishes come true and your goals are met in the upcoming year. 

Happy New Year

Dilly