November is here!

I left October with a bang! I accidentally threw my cell phone in the wash with my jeans on Halloween! Ack! I finally decided it was a goner yesterday and went shopping for a new phone, what an eye opener that was the cheapest phone for my plan was $220!!! I didn't buy it just went home wondering now what?

I may have a new to me phone tomorrow one of my son's has a friend . . . well you know how that goes and thankfully I will have a phone for the weekend. It's hard to not have that phone on hand all the time!

I've been working on some crafts for a bazaar I go to each year and of course my house has been left in the dust, literally! It is dusty, cluttered and just plain messy again.

It won't be long before my grandkids are here for Christmas so I have to get back on the cleaning wagon!

Talk to you all soon.

Weddings, kids visiting and another clean-out

My son and his three kids came to visit me last Thursday and they stayed until Monday morning.  My nephew was getting married so the kids stayed with me for a few days. My son is really into the decluttering of his mom's house. . . it's been a while I must admit since any of the kiddo's could run and just play in my house.

My clutter has taken over and it's not pretty. While I am home alone it doesn't seem so bad but you add in three, or five or even all of my grandkids it's kaos! Of course I have a purpose for everything I have picked up, but of course no one else sees my vision or feels I have the time to begin or even finish half of them.

It was a bit of a struggle with my son during this time, I got crabby, he was accepting of the crabbiness, and a lot of my treasures made it to the back of my pickup truck. At some point I gave up the arguing thinking I'll just pull everything out when he leaves (I haven't done that) and at times total dispair thinking I'll just call the Salvation Army and have them come and clean me out!!!

There isn't much "junk" in my stash, at least to my eyes but my truck is full and ready for a trip to the dump.

My nephew's wedding was wonderful, I spent a lot of time helping my sister with set-up, food, clean up, etc. the bride was beautiful and it was a great day.

Well, until next time

Good intentions

Well my life is full of good intentions, I started my purge on a rainy day and then it came to a crashing halt . . . I found some crafting supplies and began crafting! Wait, wasn't I cleaning out?

My piles in my garage are getting larger, a garage sale will be in my future with chairs, crafts, projects that I haven't gotten to, along with the other bits and pieces I'm willing to give up.

I have been a bit sad this week, my dad's birthday was yesterday he would have been 81. We lost him two years ago to bladder cancer which had matastisized into his spine.

I promised him I wouldn't begin any new projects until I had finished the ones I'd already begun. It's so hard to not start something new! I must have ADD, although I have finished a few of the bigger jobs, my kitchen remodel is almost done and I built a mantel in my living room.

I've worked on finishing the larger projects and began and finished some smaller jobs around my house. I hope I'm making him proud, one more cupboard to build and I'll be done with the darn kitchen.

Til next time . . .

The "Purge" begins . . .

Today it's raining in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, so I am cleaning house. As I mentioned in my first post, I am a self-proclaimed hoarder. I must say though that my hoarding isn't to the roof hoarding, I don't have any pet skeletons or poo anywhere in my house. I also don't have dirty dishes or rotting food in any of my rooms. I just love "stuff" and have collected way too much of it. I have dishes, tea cups, candle holders, chairs . . . way too many chairs! But I do love them so~! Toys for the grandkids, stuffies, dolls, games, and dress-up clothes. . . I see a garage sale in my future.

I'll be back in a few days with a progress report, today I am going through my cd's, vhs movies and dvd movies I have so many but it's time to let some go to a new home.

A new beginning . . .

Well, I've gone and done it now! I've created a blog! I've enjoyed many blogs over the past year and a half, so many of these women and men are so inspiring not only with the crafts they share but also the peeks into their lives.

I am looking for gainful employment at 55 years young. I had an awesome job with the government but as things would have it budgets were cut and I was let go along with 24 of my co-workers. That was over a year ago and still I am looking.

I've done some small jobs, enough that my friends and family think I should venture into the world of handymen & handywomen. That my friends is scary! What if I fail? What if I cannot sustain myself and my home with the small jobs I get?

So many of the bloggers I admire have given hints and tips on how to start your blog, how to start your business, and I have read every one of them thinking can I do that too?

I love a good bargain, maybe I could buy low and sell higher? I love creating items, maybe I could make some things and sell them at a bit of a profit? I love repurposing things, maybe I could buy, repair, paint, and sell at a profit?

Do I have the determination? Do I have the drive? Can I stay focused? Do I know how to make money this way?

Well there is only one way to find out. I hope to start soon. I'm almost afraid to put a deadline, an actual date to begin this venture.

I have many items in my house I can sell, because you see . . . I am a self proclaimed hoarder! I have a good eye, can see a high end item at a low price and purchase it, but can I let go of these items?

It's time to find out. Please join me in this adventure I hope it will be fun, but know it will be hard work.