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Project Discussions:  Sitting on the porch enjoying an August 2016 day!  |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
3529 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
3529 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 28 2016 : 05:05:04 AM
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I am always impressed at what all of you are doing these days! Some of these UFO stashes are more work than a full time job!! LOL!! Somehow, I am not a great collector of UFO projects. I think the reason is that I was working full time for so many years and raising a family that I just didn't even have time to do much in the way of crafting or handwork. All of my efforts were small easy to finish projects for presents. Now, I have a few resources like knitting yarn, dishcloths to embroider but they all fit into a few small storage boxes. I find that strategy works best for keeping me motivated to start and finish a project because there is nothing else calling my attentions. Isn't it interesting how we all think and process hand work? We all love to work on our favorite interests, but we have very different ways of making it all happen.
I had kept many items from my parents, hubby's parents, aunts and uncles for many years thinking my girls would want some of them. Turns out, neither of them were interested in that stuff at all and I had boxes of it piled high in my dining room. So, I carefully went through everything, kept a few things I wanted, contacted and found homes for some items with my nieces and nephews, put collectibles on Ebay to go to homes that wanted them, and the rest I gave away. It took me about 6 years to do all of that sorting but it did teach me a valuable lesson. My own children have their own interests and likes which don't include a lot of old stuff from the past. So, I decided to take what I had been given and find homes for it now. That included UFOs, fabric,yarn, and craft supplies I didn't want, dishes, nick-nacks, jewelry, pictures etc.etc. Somehow, it felt good getting nice things to people now who would appreciate and use them. I think my family members would have wanted that instead of it going to one of us who would just keep it in a box stacked somewhere. It is hard to let go of things and I keep trying to learn the lessons of just keeping what I need and sharing my abundance with others and organizations that can put it to better use. I have a long way to go but I am steady working on making that lesson happen! LOL!! |
Winnie Nielsen #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Girl of the Year 2014-2015 |
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
5777 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
5777 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2016 : 07:08:41 AM
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Winnie, letting go is the most difficult thing to do. My granddaughters have been "calling" my things since they were young. Problem is, I must continue to live with their things...like my own mother's buffet, that was "called" by Baylee. My kitchen things are so hard to weed out. Cake decorating pans and supplies, various baking pans, pots and pans for every day use, etc.... I use them all, at some time. We rarely eat out.
Being a teacher, on a very limited supply budget made me a pack rat of any and everything I thought we could recycle into something cute. I still have trouble tossing jars,tissue tubes, small boxes and the list goes on and on and on. Pinterest did not help! The thing is...I am often called on for ideas, or projects...and I usually have something to do it with. So the struggle continues.
One positive: We have been told for years to PREPARE for emergencies, with food and water. So this summer, as I emptied canning jars of jelly, etc. I washed and refilled them with our well water and put them right back on the shelf. I also filled empty kitty litter jugs and empty milk jugs. After all we would need water for more than drinking. Thankfully we have only had ice storm emergencies right here. |
Texasgran |
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2016 : 08:39:29 AM
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| Winnie and Marilyn - How well I know and agree with you both. I learned from my mother, who kept things of her mother. Now I not only have my mother's things, but my grandmother's, too, that my mother had. I hate to get rid of it, but only have one son, and I'm sure he won't want all of it. It is VERY hard to get rid of things I know my mother treasured. I am starting to get rid of things, but have to choose to not go too fast. |
Linda B
quiltee
Farmgirl #1919
FGOTM for August, 2015 and April, 2017
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
5777 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
5777 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2016 : 7:03:03 PM
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| Sadly, most people do not write anything down about the treasures they pass on. I need to tag some things the girls want, because I feel sure they have forgotten the oral history I once told them. My son has never stopped long enough to be interested in my collected family memories. |
Texasgran |
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2016 : 7:18:56 PM
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| I have scrapbooks of my mothers, and really, all pictures in them, except for my mom and dad, aunts and uncles, and grandparents, are strangers to me. |
Linda B
quiltee
Farmgirl #1919
FGOTM for August, 2015 and April, 2017
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
5777 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
5777 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2016 : 7:41:06 PM
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| When my mother passed away there was a box of old photos. Thankfully I had asked who some were, and sorted and mailed them to them. I still have a bunch of unidentified photos too. |
Texasgran |
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
9588 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
9588 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2016 : 5:33:18 PM
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Oh my what a topic. I have been thinking of these very things. I have so many things and having going through so much of it lately. Since my bil is still occupying my sewing room, my sweetheart of a husband reconfigured my sewing "closet". I don't do any sewing in there but with help of pinterest we were able to take a space that just kept getting fuller for storage instead of craft storage and change it into usable space. I will use the work table for papercrafting and such. But everything was getting put in there. It was driving me crazy. So we took everything out. My bedroom was a mess for a few days. I sorted through almost everything. Still have a few things to empty and sort, but here is a picture of what we did on the end.
One side has pegboard that was there and we left that. He moved the other pegboard over the work area which was added. The entrance to the attic is in the ceiling so we couldn't go all the way over with shelves on the left wall. He made them more like stairsteps. The higher up the shorter they are. He did make one long one along the left to meet up with the table. Now I am finishing up sorting and putting things back. I went with all clear containers so it's easier to find things and also for me to see what I have available to use. The small stands have since been emptied and will be taken out of there to make room for bigger items.
In the midst of this I am getting ready to leave on Wednesday for babysitting duty. |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
Edited by - levisgrammy on Aug 29 2016 5:36:23 PM |
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
5777 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
5777 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2016 : 8:09:52 PM
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| Denise I love your new paper crafting space. Your husband was sweet to help you put it all together. Enjoy it after you enjoy the new grand baby. |
Texasgran |
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darlenelovesart
True Blue Farmgirl
6093 Posts
darlene
Loleta
California
USA
6093 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2016 : 8:12:29 PM
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I told my daughter the other day that I was going to send my old button collection from my grandmother to my grandbabies and she informed me that she wished to get them first and enjoy going through them again. I have copies of papers and pictures my mother had of our family and she was giving them to my nephew so when I had the chance I made copies. I am glad I did. but they are behind stuff upstairs. I need to get rid of more stuff so I can get to them. It is hard to do on your own. Got to do it though.
Slowly I will but it doesn't help when I get good finds from rummage sales.
Have a good day!
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Farmgirl # 4943
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for what he has done.
Philippians 4:6
Just follow God unquestioningly.
Because you love Him so, for if you trust His judgment there is nothing you need to know.
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
5777 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
5777 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2016 : 8:27:10 PM
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| It is fun to share treasures. Today I bagged some baby dresses, one very tattered, that my grandmother made for some of her babies, all of whom have passed away. Tow of the tiniest baby bonnets I have ever seen. I just want my grand daughters to look at them and see the tiny stitches, all done by hand and her b beautiful embroidery work. Yesterday I gave them the bag of their baby clothes I had saved. Many were made by me. So I will not be making those cute little quilts for them. They want to dress their own little girls in their baby clothes one day. |
Texasgran |
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2016 : 8:31:38 PM
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| That's a great new space, Denise. Great re-use of a closet. |
Linda B
quiltee
Farmgirl #1919
FGOTM for August, 2015 and April, 2017
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darlenelovesart
True Blue Farmgirl
6093 Posts
darlene
Loleta
California
USA
6093 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2016 : 9:51:13 PM
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They will love those baby clothes Marilyn and have fun playing with them.
Denise, I like your sewing closet. In this place there is only closet and it is a long one but is full.
I have to work on something to be a craft space, but in time.
Well take care.
darlene |
Farmgirl # 4943
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for what he has done.
Philippians 4:6
Just follow God unquestioningly.
Because you love Him so, for if you trust His judgment there is nothing you need to know.
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
3529 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
3529 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2016 : 05:39:55 AM
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What a cool crafting space, Denise! It was a clever solution to limited space and a huge need for more organization. I love how simple and organized it all will be for you. You are going to love having everything just where you can use it and create your projects. How lucky you are to have a handy man hubby too!!
It is interesting to read everyone's perspectives on dealing with the many family and personal acquisitions we all seem to end up at this stage in life. Somehow it all crept into a room or closet like a stealth alien! LOL!! No, actually we all know that sometimes it is hard to part with things of our past. Plus, there are the projects we wanted to do but life got terribly busy and so they still sit there for that "one day". Maybe. I have learned that it is the "maybe" category that I really need to look at and think over carefully. In my own experience, when I am honest with myself, those projects now that just sit, and after a few years ,really and truly are not of interest to me anymore. Things that caught my eye 5 years ago don't carry the same wow factor anymore. My likes and interests have changed. So, when I drill down on the question would it be worth my time now to do that project now, the answer is usually no. Not really. I would rather spend my time on doing something else. When I settle on that decision, it makes it easy for me to go ahead and move out that stuff to the thrift store for someone else to consider. Does anyone else think this way as they have gotten older? Or maybe I am just trying to convince myself that it is Ok to get rid of it? LOL!! |
Winnie Nielsen #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Girl of the Year 2014-2015 |
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2016 : 06:45:10 AM
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| Yep - I have those projects, too. The ones that were popular once but not now. Or those that were for a specific purpose or holiday but just never got finished. I'm going through those now, and will offer on Barter or just for postage as soon as I get them organized. LOL! |
Linda B
quiltee
Farmgirl #1919
FGOTM for August, 2015 and April, 2017
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ceridwen
True Blue Farmgirl
2087 Posts
Carole
Champlain
New York
USA
2087 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2016 : 07:50:11 AM
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It's wonderful read how everyone is cleaning out their UFOs. I think it was Nadine Ruggle that said "UFOs are by products of our creativity". I've been quilting for 20 years, my taste has changed. Some of the projects are no longer of interest. I either turn them into smaller projects of give it away.
Denise, what a wonderful space you have created! There is something to be said about having a room of one's own. You get in there, create or putter around and you can leave things as they are and come back to them when you have a minute. I love my sewing studio, it's my own space ...
Winnie, that's exactly what I do. I have done that with my cross stitch. I placed the uncompleted project in a baggie along with the pattern and gave it all to the mission center (an organization up the street from me who re-sale items as a fund raiser for the church activities). Let someone else be passionate about the project. You know what they say, "one person's reject is another person's treasure".
Darlene, if I can give you an advice, take the time to clean things out. You will feel so much better afterwards. It truly is so liberating. If you have a lot of stuff, you might consider a garage sale. I hear there is lots of money to be made.
Speaking of cleaning things out, I had a customer bring me a bag full of trivets, hand made pillow cases, doilies (that's a pile in the picture) and some hankies that were done by her aunt during the depression (a couple during the 60's - not pictured). I love WW2 history and how women beautified their homes with items they created during a time of scarcity. Here is a picture of the loot
The workwomanship is beautiful. I do not crochet but do appreciate the time that went into a piece.
That's it for me! Enjoy your day! Cheers! |
Carole
Farmgirl Sister 3610 - Nov 7/2011
http://www.carolesquiltingetc.com
Insanity: Doing the same thing over & over again & expecting different results ~ Albert Einstein |
Edited by - ceridwen on Aug 30 2016 07:55:17 AM |
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
5777 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
5777 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2016 : 11:38:39 AM
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| I love old pretties. Many years ago a friend invited me to drive over to a small community about forty miles away. A garage sale was set for the weekend, but we could go in early. Oh my goodness, I have never seen so many pieces of crochet and other handiwork.There were literally trunks full of dresser scarves, pillow cases long scarves, table runners, etc. Two old maid sisters lived their whole lives together, and did hand work---lots of hand work. Each piece was starched, ironed and neatly placed in a trunk. I spent $50 and hauled away tons of pretties. My grand kids have most of it now, hidden away for their own someday homes. |
Texasgran |
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2016 : 1:24:11 PM
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Great gift! I guess your customer was cleaning out, too. LOL!
My mother would send me boxes of craft supplies - from the Indian Guide, Sub Scout and Brownie days of stashing craft supplies that might be needed someday. |
Linda B
quiltee
Farmgirl #1919
FGOTM for August, 2015 and April, 2017
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darlenelovesart
True Blue Farmgirl
6093 Posts
darlene
Loleta
California
USA
6093 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2016 : 7:57:46 PM
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Thanks Carole, i don't live in a good yard sale area, but am clearing a little at a time . i took a bunch to the school yard sale and they made $90. That was good.
Being busy in the community doesn't help. It makes me tired.
Sept is not to busy, Yay! I can even work on a craft or two.
Well have a good evening everyone.
hugs |
Farmgirl # 4943
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for what he has done.
Philippians 4:6
Just follow God unquestioningly.
Because you love Him so, for if you trust His judgment there is nothing you need to know.
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - Sep 06 2016 : 9:07:42 PM
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| What exactly IS the problem with your car, Marilyn? I'm glad they gave you the loaner back. It sounds like your car is a big safety hazard. |
Linda B
quiltee
Farmgirl #1919
FGOTM for August, 2015 and April, 2017
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
5777 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
5777 Posts |
Posted - Sep 06 2016 : 9:44:58 PM
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| Power steering. They redid the steering a year ago. Now they have done it again, and today it froze up on me again. We will see. |
Texasgran |
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Killarney
True Blue Farmgirl
2114 Posts
Connie
Arlington
TN
USA
2114 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2016 : 10:04:45 AM
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 Something for all the Pumpkin lovers to try for Fall!! I love them!!
Farmgirl Hugs! Connie |
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
9588 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
9588 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2016 : 10:17:36 AM
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I do love having this space of my own even if it is just a small space for now.
Darlene, yes this the one that had everything stored in it from my bil using the bedroom. We have a plan for the bedroom when he moves out. Only craft will be sewing done in there, as we plan to build bunkbed for the grandkids to use. So it will have those, a desk and file cabinet also my sewing machine.I am so ready for a clutter free home. No more hanging on to things just in case. And if it hasn't been used in the last 6 months,out it is going. Clutter makes me tired. |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2016 : 3:09:17 PM
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| That sounds good, Connie. Have to try that. |
Linda B
quiltee
Farmgirl #1919
FGOTM for August, 2015 and April, 2017
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Project Discussions: Sitting on the porch enjoying an August 2016 day! |
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Sitting on the porch enjoying an August 2016 day!
