Simplification Sunday: Week Eighteen

I flopped out on my bed, tired as usual, for a few minutes this afternoon before scooting off to meet one of my favourites for some time with caffeine and ceramics. I was looking at my new earring pals - likely but not definitely pink stegosauruses - and thinking about my new year's resolution. I'm doing well and making progress with my stuff, but my life is sure not any simpler. I'm thinking next week I'll implement my zero-sum policy. I'm on the verge. Especially after hauling home lots more stuff from the rummage sale. I need an outward flow of stuff from my house, and an inward flow of destressing and resting.

Anyway, this week I:
- tackled my steamer trunk that was rammed full of unfinished projects and fabric my aunt gave me. I identified the few projects to finish and bundled the stuff I wouldn't use for Goodwill and put the usable stuff in the wash since it had that mothball vibe about it from living in the trunk.
- gave my wine rack to my sister for her shoes. It was just collecting dusty wine bottles under my supervision.
- added three more pieces of clothing and a few miscellaneous things to the heap for Goodwill.

In non-material simplifying, I have a question for you - how do you deal with email that upsets you? It may be from work or a friend or a volunteer thing or anything, but I want to know how you cope with email that is not-happy making. Do you reply? Wait to reply? Call the person? Go see them in person? Ignore? Delete? I hate how much email burns through time in my life and I'm trying to do better with that.

uh oh. 

Church rummage sale, sister and I partook in "fill a box for $10 in the last 15 minutes". 

Simplification fail. 

Treasure hunting win. 

I did abstain from all bead and yarn buying though! 

Snail shells

rockin' old greeting cards

four picture frames

fish floating candles

gift bags

two pots

vase

cookie tin

tupperware set

moon light

Harry Potter chess set

Simplification Sunday: Week Seventeen

New Year's resolution going strong! This project doesn't really count for my resolution because I started it at Easter . . . and I shouldn't be starting new projects when I'm trying to finish old ones. However, it's done! It's great! And I like that it is a supremo yarn busting project. I get my yarn from Goodwill in bulk lots, so I end up with a lot of weirdness and a lotta ugliness. My last garbage bag full of yarn had a small mountain of red and white ugly squeaky acrylic yarn in it from Eaton's. Yes, Eaton's. And I don't think it was 1999 Eaton's  . . . maybe like 1979. So this yarn really needed to find a home. I was at a loss until my knitting pal Jen made fun of owning a set of size 19 needles, "What am I ever going to do with size 19 needles?" "Give them to Erin!" I said. And so she did.

(For the knitters looking at this - it's four strands of worsted weight yarn knit as one. Three white, one red. Necessary to be bulky enough for the broomsticks I was knitting with. It took nearly 7.5 lbs of yarn. Six 1lb balls of white, twelve regular balls of red. Plus three more skeins of red for the border. The border is a simple crochet stitch gone around twice. At least I think it is. I don't know how to crochet and was improvising with one knitting needle, but it works. About 100 stitches across and dunno how many rows. Makes for a good twin bed sized . . . I think . . . you didn't really come here for details I hope . . . )

Which brings me to this week in simplifying: 

- no more yarn in 2012 . . . and maybe beyond. I have four huge baskets. That's enough. There will always be more yarn to be had, but I need a moratorium so that I can use up what I have. When I finish my other blanket and can put all my yarn in one basket, then I will be free to buy more. 

- cleaned out a few containers of craft supplies and threw out all the black yarn I had (gross . . . what on Earth would I ever do with black yarn . . . blech).  

- added things to the ever growing mound of stuff to take to Goodwill . . . few pieces of clothing, kitchen things, picture frame, knick-knacks . . 

- put an empty Rubbermaid bin by the side of the road

I might be close to implementing a zero sum policy for my home - something in = something out - but I'm not there yet. If I do it preemptively I will feel like I am punishing myself and then I will rebel. 

I have lovely friends. I really do. Morgain was off on a mega-adventure getting married in Colombia and she thought of me when a vendor was selling these dishes on the beaches. How cute is that? I love it. It is so pretty. I will have it until I am 85 at least.

Presents: $0, thanks kitteh!

Simplification Sunday: Week Sixteen

I have been doing so so so well with my bead buying moratorium. Just like I promised myself, I've not bought any beads in 2012 apart from when I've been out of town. And I've been destashing beads and necklaces left and right. I'm thinking I might have to do the same with yarn and fabric. I fell prey to the rush of a silent auction and ended up with another 17 balls of yarn! But lookit the deliciousness of this Icelandic lopi yarn! So scratchy. So ready to turn into this poncho. Ack!

Anyway, yarn aside, this was a good week for simplifying.

- I tackled my linen closet and came face-to-face with my possibly maladaptive addiction to bedding. Whoa! But I parted ways with a small stack of things and affirmed that I don't need new sheets anytime before I turn 47.
- Got rid of ALL my paint and spray paint. It was all crusty and useless, so I dropped it all off at Lowe's for safe disposal. Gonzo!
- Also started another mountain for Goodwill . . . I am on the cusp of implementing a zero-sum policy for my home. The cusp, I tell ya! The cusp!

Oh man. Boston was great. Greater even when I found this retro styling beer stein at the Goodwill by MIT.

International treasures made even more affordable by strong loonie: $1.99 USD // $1.98 CDN

Simplification Sunday: Week Fifteen

Fattie workin' on her latest knittings. To be unveiled later this week.

Whoa and whoops! 48 hours after a return from Boston The Clan descended on Chateau Erin for Easter. Definitely chaotic and messy times at my place. I did, however, manage to borrow the parents car and drop off my Mountain at Goodwill. Gonzo! And I threw out an air mattress with a slow leak that only served to make my poor sister feel rather sore and unwelcome in my home. In an ideal world I would be finding and fixing the leak . . . but Lord knows my life is far from that kind of ideal.

Boston or bust!

Boston totally rocked my socks! I had a really satisfying six days prowling around, seeing the sights and catching up with my friends. My friends and I chatted like it had been 9 days since our last beer together . . . not 9 years. I felt so foolish for letting so much time pass without a visit. Can't let that happen again!

This is Oscar sitting on me to make sure I know he is the boss of the house. 

This is a real meal deal deep fried Mars bar. They taste like a deep fried Mars bar, and after an order of fish and chips and two pints, my body was unhappy with this decision. However, any day that sees (even culinary) adventure is worth living.

Need I say more? One of only three Marimekko stores in the United States. I had the usual paralysing experience of WANT WANT WANT and I whimpered over everything. I settled on a pricey bit of fabric.

This is Kismet. She is an important robot. I met her at MIT. I like her.

And the New England Aquarium is always grand . . . if overrun by children.

Only one more year in Toronto then I can move on to new adventures. Only 80,000 words stand between me and Iceland/New Zealand/Switzerland/Mongolia/Wisconsin . . . . 

Simplification Sunday: Week Fourteen

Image source, thanks!

This is short and sweet. An autopost in advance of my voyage to Boston! How excited am I for a spring vacation? I am so excited to see everything and everyone who is there. 

This week in simplifying I put my cell phone bill on autopilot. 

That's it. But it'll be nice not to think of it anymore!

See you soon with my own pictures of Boston.