I just can't help some things

Some things I can help, like the above (notes on these guys at end of post)

Some things I just can't help. Like this: AND these:

....but some things I can help....like this:

So how are my resolutions going? Well, the house is decluttered, destashed, clean, and sparkling as evidenced by the Mickey Characters and the pantry and the receipts from the Salvation Army. Well, most of it. The first few pictures of this post would point to the contrary but those are just going to take time to declutter and destash. Time to knit, time to scrapbook, and time for grandmunchkins to grow a bit (not that I'm in a hurry for that!)

On the other resolutions? Well, I haven't bought any yarn and I've logged 90% of it into Ravelry so I know what I've got. That was a suggestion from the Destash group I joined in Ravelry. It was positively scary and felt a little like I'd placed a weight on myself since there was so much of it and so much I'd forgotten. Contrary to what the picture of the stash shows, which, by the way, is only 2/3rds of it, it is also now organized. But I may have to carry this resolution to 2009. As far as no new books? I may have to toss this one. I ordered a book back in November and it was just released this month. Don't think that counts. However! Mason Dixon is releasing their second book in September. I'll be pre-ordering it but along with a book for one of the grandmunchkins for Christmas- so does that count?
On other fronts: I've been making progress on the quilts that never end. Hopefully they will end this week? There have been some good things on TV lately and it's been bitter cold here so rather than escape the basketball or hunting and fishing channel and hole up in my sewing/scrapbook room, I've been stitching in the cozy living room, which, by the way, is really the only room we heat to a comfortable temperature. The public broadcasting, Masterpiece Theater, is presenting many of Jane Austen's works in film. Love Jane Austen and I've only read Pride and Prejudice. After seeing Northanger Abbey Sunday night, I'm gearing up to read it. I have all of her books so I don't have to spend anything!
As for the Mickey characters: I made these 12 years ago while we were building our house in the anticipation of a Disney themed kitchen. The kitchen is still my favorite room in the house and full of bright cheerful Disney stuff. But they, Mickey and friends, had not been cleaned ever and in my desire to clean and declutter I made the decision that if they wouldn't wash, they would walk. So with trepidation I washed them and lo and behold they look pretty good...like new!

It's Tuesday yet again....

So how am I doing on my resolutions? This writing and checking up every Tuesday is really helping me stay on track. I'll have to remember that next year.
*not buying yarn or books or scrapbook supplies? Check mark, and still the checkbook register and Visa show no signs of a slip up. The cash I've had occasionally has gone to Starbucks.
*destashing, decluttering, cleaning closet by cupboard by closet? Another check mark and the receipts from Salvation Army and Goodwill to prove it. Actually it's been more room by room and 2/3rds of the house has been decluttered, destashed, straightened, and cleaned. Yet to go is our daughter's room and the hall closet. The dining room, including the buffet, and my clothes closet and dresser were completed this week. Hmmm, my daughter's room. This is the scary one and should have been first. Her orphanage upbringing where she had nothing and when she did get something it quickly became community property has installed quite a pack rat mentality. I tried destashing a bit this morning and everything I asked if she wanted to keep I received a positive shake of the head. This may be a hard week for this resolution!
*Bible reading? WooHoo! Another check mark!
Now if I can only declutter, destash some of the mountain of yarn...but first finish those quilts! I am getting rid of scrapbook stuff but that's because I catching up scrapbooks!

It's Tuesday again....

Something finished..see below..but first....

updating myself on my resolutions. Still not buying anything but I am going to order more pages for scrapbooks and adhesives since I caught up everyone's scrapbook! Everyone that is that had a photo album in process. That was big, really big, since I hadn't done any since the 3 babies were born in July. Now I get to start on the albums for our littlest and newest grandmunchkins! Whew, 6 months worth of pictures! And they change SO fast in such a short time.

(As an aside: I started a photo album for each of my grandchildren and add pictures/scrapbook pictures of them as I take them or their Mom sends them to me or pictures of family gatherings and make it personally theirs but it's my memories of them)

On the cleaning front I'm ahead of schedule! The kitchen is done! Including the pantry! There must be 50 cupboards in that room alone. (Well, at least it felt like it!) But they are clean, sparking in fact, organized, de cluttered, and there is space! Which will not be filled up thank you very much. I made my second run to Goodwill this morning. And rewarded myself with a cup of coffee at Starbucks. (DID YOU KNOW??? HAVE YOU HEARD??? They now have sugar free MOCHAS!! sorry for the shouting but I am SO excited!!!) But now it's time to take a little break and pick easier drawers or cupboards. Must finish the quilts that never end by weeks end with pictures and my back is having a flair up. The Vicodine isn't really working so lifting grandmunchkins is enough for now.

On the New Testament reading....ouch....still struggling with how I want to do this. Our Pastor is preaching on a passage in each New Testament book per Sunday so I toyed with the thought of reading through a book a week...very doable...so I started Mark last night so I'm ready for Sunday.

And so on I go...to the quilts that never end! Hopefully pictures this week~ but for now I just need to add buttons and the cowboy sweater is done! I have discovered about myself that I need to feel like I finish something when I'm involved in long projects like the quilts (that I've been working on for 9 months). Hence, the break for scrapbooking, the other quilts for Christmas, and the cleaning. I've accomplished something that didn't take too much time away from the quilts.

Resolution Tuesday

So 2008 breezed in, literally, (we have a breeze blowing here) and I faced up my resolutions. I decided each Tuesday I'll check on my progress. Maybe it will keep me on track and help me keep the resolutions. So how am I doing on this first of the new year:
*new yarn or knitting books? Nope, but I placed a nice order, actually two, from Knitpicks last night for sweaters I must make in 2008. Babies grow too fast don't ya know. And I want to knit a scarf from silk this year.
*new scrapbook supplies? Nope, but a small order from Stickerville for some new stickers. And I do mean small. Mostly baby related to go in the grandmunchkins scrapbooks.
*reading through the New Testament. Hmm, that may be a problem. The Daily Bread that I use to read through the Bible picked this year to change it up. Now they have you reading through the Old Testament Monday thru Friday with Proverbs thrown in. And the New Testament on Saturday and Psalms on Sunday. I think I'll have to spread out the New Testament reading myself for the week and add the Proverbs for good measure.
*cleaning a cupboard a week? Ahead of schedule. I cleaned both bathrooms in the last few days. I never thought I was a pack rat. I'm re thinking that after just the bathrooms. And I consider those the easy rooms!
2008 marches in! Happy New Year!

Resolutions for a Knitter and Scrapbooker

So 2008 is fast approaching and for the first time in several years I am going to make New Year's Resolutions. In the past I made the same ones everyone did: lose weight, etc. The only one I ever kept was reading through my Bible in one year. That was a resolution worthy of making and worthy of keeping and it changed my life profoundly. However! This year I am focusing on being a good steward of the time and money God has given me. Both of which I have not been since retirement one year ago. So without further ado, my resolutions for 2008:
*I will not buy any yarn in 2008. Projects must come from my obscene stash. This works well with the KAL I have joined. I already have the yarn for the KAL I have joined and for the gifts I want to make.
*I will not buy any new knitting books (or crochet books, or quilt books). Again, the number of books I have is obscene and I have attempted to de stash a few but the ones I kept have patterns I definitely want to make...so let's get with it and make from the books I have! In preparation for this resolution I bought Ann Budd's book of patterns with a gift card I got for Christmas. That should be a stash buster/gift maker. Not to mention the numerous free patterns on the web AND the 4 magazine subscriptions I have.
*I will not buy any more scrapbooking papers, stickers, etc EXCEPT white pages and page protectors and glue. Again, a stash buster.
*I will read through just the New Testament again this year. With watching grandmunchkins, my time is limited but this is doable and I can really focus on what I'm reading each day not just "get the daily reading in".
*I will destash one cupboard/closet per week. Nuff said...Goodwill here I come!
I lost the weight I needed to before I had major back surgery a year and a half ago through Prism which gave me a life style change that mostly keeps the weight off (with a little forethought and restraint) so it's wonderful that doesn't have to be a resolution. The resolutions I picked I'm praying God will help me with and will make me a better steward of the gifts of time and money He's given me.