Lost and Found...

My good SU scissors have been MIA for months. I've looked high and low--but not high enough! Even though it feels like 70 outside...I am in the middle of switching out summer clothes for fall and winter. Hence a trip to the attic--darling husband unloading 3 large storage boxes...and, in the bottom of the second one...here's a roll of packing tape (ok-I was labeling the boxes as I went), a screwdriver (no clue---!)and, drum roll please...my SU scissors (which I was probably using, at the time, to cut the tape for the labels)! Lol. My first grade teacher, Mrs. Fassett, always said I would forget my head if it weren't attached. And yes, I am a SHE (side-tracked home executive!) I am just laughing and shaking my head. My best-laid plans of getting organized...! Oh well. I am down to---finishing our bedroom! We moved mattresses around yesterday (although I am still hoping Santa shows up with a sleep number bed! or a hot tub...mini cooper would be nice...oh-wait-side-tracked--Uh-Hum....) and now doing the clothes swap thing. Then its down to odds and ends. Later today I will confer with hubby and see what pics to rehang. Tomorrow it will be straighten up and then wait for company on Wed. I think...I cannot say how good it feels to have decluttered. It's taken longer than I hoped/thought-and there's still my craft room to go---but it's been SO WORTH IT! I am hoping next week I will have some crafty things to post! Break's over! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon ps/thanks for the good thoughts and prayers-no mystery pain attacks! : )

Whew...! So what the heck was (IS) it, Anyway?

It's been a PAINFUL week! I have few clues--but after learning on Tuesday that a good friend had passed away, I was hit with another "attack". It started just under my breastbone in the middle this time, radiated to the back and, on a scale of 1-10, was at an 8 for about 3 hours! Repeat again Thursday night. My "I am going to get to the bottom of this" attitude while waiting for the new doctor appt. on Dec. 1st kicked in---I researched gall bladder remedies (as that's what they said back in Sept. although my symptoms then didn't match up with gb) and as I was coming home from the grocery and doing a "diary" in my head of events (stress involved in each onset), food (dairy was different--more of it...) the lightbulb clicked. I was---allergic to milk and eggs as a child. I outgrew it-and developed different (food) allergies. But I have had a lot of dairy lately and, have to confess, cheated with some of the foods I know are no-no's. I eliminated dairy yesterday, tried some home remedy recipes for gb--and made it through the night with NO PAIN! Interesting! Very, very interesting. We shall see what happens from here on out. Going to be a great weight-loss program as there's not much left I can eat! Lol. Anyone with any ideas, recipes for low-fat/dairy-free ---PLEASE pass it on! I am also wheat, corn and soy allergic! My next goal is to find a dietitian/nutritionist who can work with us. My darling husband has done an AWESOME job but cutting out dairy---eliminates A LOT MORE STUFF!

I am back on track with decluttering our bedroom today and preparing for company. I am proud to say that I have stayed on the Flylady program and there's not much to do in the rest of the house as far as "home blessing hour"! Just the usual tidy! It also made the nights of pain and days of recuperating easier---I was able to RELAX instead of looking and piles of clutter and thinking "oh---I should be doing" or worse-getting up, going on and doing despite my health!

I am actually getting excited about some things I want to make and do for gifts for Christmas-cards that need to be done, etc! Simply because, after decluttering, I have TIME on my hands to do it with! Off to finish! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

Decorating Disaster...

or could've been! As you know, I've done the MAJOR Flylady declutter and redecorated while my darling hubby was out of town for a week. Being up at 4 am, bed at 10+, you can only imagine the work that got done (I do work part-time!). And you saw the picture of the new sign above the front door. Well, while he was driving home yesterday, I was off driving my goddaughter and I to a crop in Myrtle Beach. He came home, walked in the door and the sign above the door promptly fell down--and hit him on the shoulder! Poor hubby! First he had been driving 7+ hrs, I wasn't home to greet him-and the house, although clean and neat(er), looked like strange territory at best! And to be bonked by a sign...! Oh so not good! But, being a good sport-he did say he likes what I've done! And I do, too! It was nice to get up this am and have things in their place-fix breakfast and lunch with minimal clean up and struggle, and I even took time this afternoon to finish the pages I started at the crop yesterday! GO ME! The photos are not the best---if anyone has a way to deflect glare from the page protectors-please share your secret! These pages are done with the Close To My Heart divided page protectors as well as the new Flip Flaps! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the flip flaps! It is an AWESOME way to add a ton more pictures to your pages! The interactive-ness of them makes them pretty cool, too! I took a 12x12 page, added a 4x12 and 8x12 (top and bottom respectively) and instant added page(s). The little overhang at the top is from the 4x6" flap I added to the front of the the smaller flap (the donkey photo) that overhangs the bottom of that flap. I actually had an "oops" and had to go back and decorate that! Most of the papers are Close to My Heart (not sure who did the pumpkin paper-that was ACM or Michaels purchase), alpha stamps CTMH, the pumpkins are from Verve Stamps Bountiful Harvest set. Better go clean up from my play time! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

It's finished...

or as finished as its going to get for now! While I didn't get all the rooms decluttered---I am well, well on my way! I managed the living room, kitchen, two baths and two out of three bedrooms! That leaves one bedroom and my craft room! GO ME! I have filled two large garbage cans---and it's still going out the door! I am laughing at myself...I rearrange-and decide it still looks too cluttered-and take away more! No, it's not down to bare walls and a minimalist look (don't think that will ever be a problem!)--but there is SPACE and room to breathe. The eye and mind can actually appreciate what's there as you can actually see it rather than tons of stuff that it doesn't know what to focus on. I am thrilled. Not sure what the darling husband will think--I hope he likes it-loves it-as much as I do. He's on his way home today! Been gone a week and let me tell you, I am looking forward to getting back into a somewhat normal routine. I've been up most mornings by 4 am and working hard, fast and furious each day until about 10-11 pm. You see, he had a house, I had a house, he lost his parents--they had stuff...and STUFF has just multiplied. I finally got to the point where I could let go of a lot of my stuff--yep, thanks, I enjoyed you-go bless someone else or file 13. What I can't let go of just yet-attic. Take those first steps. It may seem overwhelming--but you can do it. Start with 15 minutes. You will get so motivated...you won't want to stop~! If I've not convinced you-go look at www.flylady.com and www.thedaoofdoing.com. I've got a little more to do then its off to church and a scrapbook crop with my goddaughter. FUN!!! I promised pictures-and I will-tomorrow! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

The Pressure is on...!

Ya see-it happened like this...Theresa came-and we conquered! We moved and removed and reremoved furniture! And pictures---and moved some more! We accomplished a lot but it wasn't done...that fat lady hadn't sung! I kept plugging but in raiding another room for some silver candle holders--I decided I needed silver polish. And Coke. So out I went--I didn't even bother the change out of my ratty cleaning clothes-and of course ran into three people I knew! And well, on the way home, the car just drove itself into the thrift store parking lot and threw me out and inside! Lol. I couldn't resist! But I found TREASURES! See the pillows--$2! They match my slip cover PERFECTLY--and are a lot cheaper than the $15 each ones! The "I like it Hot" trivet? Well-that will go perfectly above the stove--! And these little bowls--two are white with a beautiful aqua blue and the other two are a cornflower blue (darker than they show here) with a pretty robin's egg blue inside-$1 each! Too pretty to pass up. In all fairness, there is a basket by the front door that I KEEP ADDING TO---to go out the door to the thrift store! Sending out a whole lot more than I brought in! More photos later---and the PRESSURE IS ON! I have the kitchen to finish and three bedrooms to tackle yet and it's got to be done by bedtime tonight! Tomorrow is church and a play day with my goddaughter and darling hubby will be home as well. I cannot say enough how FREEING this major purge and clean has been! I kept going back and sitting in the living room last night marveling at the changes just from removing clutter--rearranging the things I decided to keep that I adore! I've sent things to the attic-and brought things down. I can change things out as I wish. But if I don't love it---it's left the building. Flylady talks about this all the time. When I'd find myself second-guessing, trying to hang on to something, I would just stop and picture the look on the person's face at finding that "perfect thing" for a song-just like I did today! It made it easier...to let it go. If you gotta-take a photo of it. That way you will always have the remembrance but not the clutter. Well-time for more coffee and back to it! The kitchen is almost together and its on to the bedrooms! Photos when its finished! Until next time-happy stamping and scrapping. Oh-here's a glimpse at my front doors. While yesterday was warm enough to have the doors open--today I have the heat on! Go figure! Blessings, Sharon
ps-yep--that's the ocean you see between the two houses! ; )

Go check this out...

SEE YOU AT THE CROP--SEE THE POST BELOW THIS ONE FOR CROP INFO--THANKS!

So--I FINALLY got a whole nights sleep (the first in days!)--and it feels so good! The "boys" all behaved quite nicely and were quiet as church mice and I had no pain through the night (woke up with a few aches from sore muscles but am functioning!). So here I sit with my coffee and reading e-mail before I start the days decluttering...and I read a testimonial to Flylady. The gal talked about wanting to have more time to do her art work---as did her friend--and they got on the Flylady bandwagon. They started their own blog to document their journey. Well, the first post was by Tracy---and she was showing the treasures she "found" in her house to repurpose and use in other areas (like my mugs I used as planters that were gathering dust and taking up space in the attic!) and she posted a pic of her cat, Briar Boy snuggled in between two pillows-could've been my INKY! So then I go on and I read Kel's post--and she talking about how things just weren't working with she and her husband....and she went to counseling...and how we use the word "try" in our language and hey---I've had my share of husband issues of late---and her story sounds a lot like mine---I clicked with these two gals in two posts! It's all about Flylady--making time for what's important and changing our screwed up ways of thinking---and doing!

So go check out http://www.thedaoofdoing.com/ --I cannot wait to have another 15 mins. to read more of their blog! I am so excited!

More trash---went out the door last night-linens and towels and---you know-the ratty thread-bare mismatched stuff that just takes up space. So what's staying is all getting a fresh washing today, and also what can be donated will, too-the rest is in the trash bin-even bypassing the rag bags-we already have TONS of those. This is what I worked on last night---my "fun" time! I had framed the larger picture of "THE KISS" as I call it (Theresa took this on our wedding day-we were married in our new sanctuary at church then did family photos on the beach afterward.) but it looked "lost" and lonely. So I added the little glass dish of grass I found for $5 at a local consignment shop, tied some SU ribbon on it (I LOVE that ribbon! SO SOFT and easy t use!) and it still was lacking! I had what I thought at the time was an extra pic of "THE SMILE" on my groom's face and just trimmed it down and tucked it in the corner. Bingo! I either just lucked into it or its that 3-thing they talk about in decorating but I LOVE this new arrangement on the corner of my desk! Of course I had supervision! He was actually up there checking out a spot on the wall above it where I had taken another photo down. I think he thought it was a bug as he was all tense and ready to pounce and Momma could just see it wasn't going to end well! It did-this is what he did instead! AHHH--looks like he's loving on it and thinking "this is my momma and poppa!" Brook says I project too much!Theresa comes today to help me decide what to put back up on the walls where. I am asking for prayer here---you see, my darling husband has 3 boys (he lost the 4th a few years back in a motorcycle accident). He LOVES his boys. And I do, too. They are fine young men and we're gaining great daughter's-in-law...but our walls had become scrapbook pages--literally every wall space had photos of some sort chronicling their childhood. When I started cleaning, I took ALL art and photos down--except for the one living room wall that has some shelves with recent photos---and the "case" of photos that are on two walls above my desk (photos below). I've asked Theresa to help me pick and choose-even maybe move some furniture although our nest is quite small and not a lot of options. But like I said, darling husband isn't here right now, and I am sure when he sees the finished project, he's going to be in shock. I am and I am doing it! It will look a lot less cluttered-I feel like I can BREATHE---but there will be a lot less photos as well. I will tuck them in a place that they will be accessible-and I am willing to even make books for them if he likes (although he just scanned thousands of them and created photo books for each of the boys and us last Christmas!) What I am getting at is---I don't want him to feel I've mmm, "minimized" the boys in any way--I don't think it's healthy to be surround by so much of the past that you sometimes miss the joy of the present and the past makes the present a bit tainted by "well, I won't get that time back again..." Not sure I am making sense-just pray, please, that he will take time to digest the differences and live with it a few days or so rather than just reacting to the shock. In all fairness, I have also packed away some of my knicknacks and photos, etc. as well--we can always change things out later on and have something new and different. I am blessing others with the things that I just don't absolutely love anymore---and it's so freeing! I am so much more relaxed even though time is running down and I still have a lot I want to do--it will work, it will happen-I am so much closer to my goal than a week ago--I just keep repeating that to myself. Oh-and on the pictures-I can always tell him "well, honey, we keep hoping for GRANDKIDS and we need room for their pictures when they come along!" wink. Back to it! Until next time-happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon