The things I have learned....

Let me speak from the heart.... I have too much stuff!! I tried to think of ways to say this, an endearing little line about she who dies with the most....wins. But in reality she who has the most is a slave to it and is always finding places to put it! I have so many passions..in art, in creative endeavors, in needlework, in home keeping, in cooking and baking, in gardening, in books, in music, in decorating, my family, my faith, my Lord... the list is endless...but so is what I have accumulated over the past 25 years. Now in saying that, there are treasures I will not part with and there are things needed to pursue those said passions. It is good to have a library of great books, it is good to have those treasures that create special memories in the home or further my artistic inspirations. So please do not read that I am going to the minimalist side....I am a memory-ist (my own word). I love to be surrounded by treasures of times gone by, those gifts from my Mom, my husband, my children, making my home a reflection of those that I love and what brings me joy. I love the sound of buttons as you rustle your hands through them, lace as it shows such a feminine side. I love to read Cookbooks as thought they were novels. So my home is still a reflection of me. But today, I took the inspiration from a wonderful blog by Heather Bullard. She took time to redo her bookcases and found out things about her and what her focus would be. I am going to begin tackling room by room...So here is what I did today...

In my sewing room is a walk-in closet and an attic closet. Neither one of these could I walk in, so moving boxes were purchased and taped together, and the clean out began. If I couldn't remember the last time I used it, it went in the goodwill box. If it was broken or no longer able to be used, it was tossed. If I loved it and knew what I would use it for, I saved it..

The following pictures give a glimpse of what I am donating....

What I discovered about me...

1. I absolutely love baskets..but I became a basket case when trying to keep them all.

2. I had around 25 lamp shades -varying sizes...I guess we were all wearing lampshades to the party...turn out the lights the party is over!

3. I love to organize..but I had so many different styles of organization that nothing was organized.

4. To recycle, repurpose is great..except when you have over 30 pairs of jeans...So, I am going to let others have a pair of wranglers, rustlers, huskys and bootcut. It is good to share.

5. It didn't hurt to let those 5 boxes plus a few bags go like I thought it would. It actually is freeing... and it is wonderful not to trip over all those things just to get a piece of ribbon or fabric.

Here are a few pictures of the closets (sorry some are dark..there are only tap lights in the attic closet)...

You can see that there is still plenty to create and sew. But you can also see the floor!!! It is a great feeling to clear out - not just the physical but the emotional and spiritual as well. We can feel free when we clear out those overflowing closets, but the Lord also tells us that our freedom is in Christ when we clear out the old and let him bring in the new. I know that for my sewing room..only that which is precious or a treasure will be brought back in. And I know that the Lord will only bring in the absolute best he has to offer...Won't you clear out with me....you closets, your cabinets, your heart? Until next time,

Blessings,

A new year....new Joy

After Christmas has been put away, I long for a soft palette of creams, calming wintery whites and a touch of vintage silver. I am not a neutral gal as our home has many colors throughout. We often tease that we have the Red Room, the Blue Room and then the Ocean Room, just too mention a few. I am a lover of many colors as some create energy, drama, or a sense of relaxation. But after the reds, greens, lights, ornaments, Snowmen and Santas- it is good to just have simple, soft and soothing.

I hope you have already found joy in the New Year and that your daily living is enriched by those that you love and love you in return. I hope your New Year's Resolutions include finding joy in the everyday. Sometimes that is harder than the typical resolutions such as weight loss, fitness, spending less money (of course, those are on my list too). Joy can come in so many ways. We tend to think of joy as a life without challenges, sorrows or just inconveniences. Let me turn that around....Presleigh received a Thesaurus for Christmas (She was bored with using the same words), So I thought I would look up Joy - so here are some words we can use to see that there is indeed joy in our lives -- Delight, triumph, great pleasure, jubilation, joyfulness, bliss, exuberant, happiness, gladness, rejoicing, treat....this brings to mind someone I know who has beaten Cancer..She triumphed - She has Joy! my son, had an accident at the Gym on Tuesday and has a compressed vertebrae fracture - I am rejoicing that he does not need surgery, nor a brace - He will heal in time and have no permanent damage, just some inconveniences... We have joy! In these two circumstances, many times we don't see Joy...But if we look harder, Joy lies beneath what is seen. I pray that your journey into 2011 will be filled with wonderful times, wonderful people, realized dreams, exciting endeavors but above all,remember, There is joy in our journey...

Until next time- Blessings,

P.S. I am not sure what happened to my font...It's kind of wierd!!

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