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Organizing, but nothing crafty going on here

I've been down with a stomach virus since Sunday night. Came out of nowhere... I couldn't do a thing on Monday, but today I was so stir crazy I had to do something. I didn't want to start a project I wasn't going to finish. I do that all to often. I haven't been inspired lately, and I guess I've just had way too much junk in my head to get me going on something I really want to do.

I've also been concentrating a little more on the cleaning and organizing side of my life. I usually do that around this time of year. I make sure I haven't put aside any stray bills. But more so than ever I think this year. We had a 401K meeting last week, and separately I've been trying to find ways to help my budget out for the past few months. I've done a real good job at cutting some things away, like reducing my phone and cable bills. My 401K was in good shape as it was and I only had to change one little thing. I was proud of myself for that. I really don't know much about that stuff. I just understand the concepts. But each year our company gives us this profit sharing bonus and I want to make sure I put it to good use and not splurge it on the wrong things. I've splurged 3 out of 10 times or so. Well, not this year, missy. I've got big plans and I will be debt free for the first time in about 20 years if things are what I think they will be.

So back to the organizing. While home today I actually filed the past few months of bills and receipts, and threw away all of those envelopes in the recycle. I put away loads of craft supplies I haven't touched in months. I actually saw the surface of my craft table and am now able to use my laptop there - or my sewing machine, when I am inspired to. I gathered an entire stack of magazines, that I subscribe to, that I have not even looked at, much less read. I sorted a pile of clothes that need to be altered, because I have lost weight!!! I love it!

I also love organizing. I've made lists of things I need to buy for the apartment such as groceries, utensils and so on, when I get my bonus. There are certain things I won't buy on an everyday basis, that I will buy when I have this extra money. I'll do the same for my craft supplies. I'll treat myself to a couple of things when I get Scott's school clothes in late Sept. He's used to the routine. We do the same every year. He's never complained. But we take care of the winter stuff in one fail swoop. Lists, lists, lists, from now until January. Cute healthier Halloween treats for all of the kids, Thanksgiving meal, Christmas decorating, parties and gifts, not to mention all of the birthdays I have from now until then. As soon as Labor Day gets here, that's it, time starts flying. Scott's first day of school is the day after Labor Day, Sept 4.

So all of that paper is out of my bedroom and into their folder. I have a wonderful stack of magazines to take to work and share with my friends then save, give away, clip or recycle - you never know. I now have a clean wicker mail basket, which I got at Target from Shabby Chic's Rachel Ashwell. The problem is that I pay my bills online and never match up the payments with the bills until the stuff is pouring out of the basket. No more of that! I have to be more diligent.

Next is the photographs. I am so glad I don't print out all of my shots anymore. I do print shots, just not of every shot I take. Only of what I want to give away, hang on my desk backboard at work, or frame. I love being able to put everything on CD. I think this is the best thing that has happened to an amateur photographer like myself. I have been doing this for the past, what, three years? I wish I had EVERYTHING on CD. Oh well, the rest of our lives will be now, at least until they invent something better. Almost all of my photos are organized. I have been given very old family photos and have to learn how to properly preserve them. I am rotating the new shots I print because I don't want 20 photo albums. One or two is fine so I take the shots out, put them in a photo box and add new photos. So I am constantly making room for new photo boxes, and adding CDs. And I will say again how much I love Flickr and Snapfish.

BBQ at work

We had this BBQ in the office, that I organized, back in June. I was only able to take three photos because every time I had the camera out to take a photo someone needed something or I was taking care of something. Then these photos became less important because I went on vacation a week later. All of my other friends were already sitting down, or helping me out. But here they are, just to give you an idea. There are about 50 of us each year.

Chris is behind David. His wife made brownies. David brought blue tortilla chips. Craig is behind Roxannes shoulder, he brought blintzs and Rox brought a homemade carrot salad.

Indy, in blue, brought taquitos. Anne made chocolate chip cookies. William, in grey, made ribs. Tanisha, in plaid, made Baked Ziti. Paul, in black, brought Haagen Daaz. Joan (one of the owners wife) brought grilled tuna with aoli sauces.

Margaret, in back of Tanisha, brought chocolate dipped strawberries. Sam, in green, helped me set up all of the tables, hang decorations and went to get ice. So many people brought food that we had leftovers for three or four days. I finally cleaned out the fridge before going away for vacation a week later. Everything was delicious. I tried things I had never eaten before and had old favorites also.

Not Much Crafting in Weeks

I have one collage to show you, but I need to take the photos during the day. The lighting in here is horrible. I'll try to post that this weekend. Then I moved my crafting area around to actually separate the area from the living room. Today I moved my computer out of an uncomfortable position. That's what has taken me so long to download my vacation pics to Flickr.com.


I was given a ton of fabric and trimming when I was in Florida. I also bought some stuff at Joann's while I was down there. I had to buy a duffle bag to bring it all home. I can't wait to dig in. I was also given a bunch of trimming by someone else before I left to FL. This weekend will be for organizing all of it.


How do all of you find the time for everything? I want to craft & sew, and redecorate, and cook, and read books & magazines, and blog, and watch movies & television, and go out to see friends, and go shopping, and walk my son's dog, and get my hair done at the salon, and take a walk, and drive my truck as fast as I can, and - I guess - clean my apartment when it needs it. But I don't have enough time for all of this. So my crafting suffers. I have to cook and clean. I have no choice. I have to go to work. I have no choice there either. Something always gets left undone, or neglected. I get so frustrated. How do you all make time for everything you do? Some of you post crafts you have crafted or sewn each day!?!?!


Although I have not been crafting much, I did go thrifting in FLA. You'll see what I got. I also received some great stuff from my paternal grandma. I was able to pick from a box of dishes my grandmother had for many years displayed in her house. I kept the ones that meant something to me. There must have been about 50 or 60 of them. Here are a couple:

Where to begin?



I got a little frustrated with Blogger and gave up for a little while. I have been overwhelmed with other things and decided to push my blog to one side and take care of my other things first. Now I feel I can dedicate some time to my blog again. Oh, and I could not find a decent photo machine in the city to download all of my saved pics to CDs from my two camera cards. I finally was able to accomplish that this weekend past. Horray!



I am coordinating an indoor Potluck BBQ/Picnic at work. We have a large lobby in the center of the main area which has hardwood floors. It's perfect. I send out an email about six weeks in advance and wait for volunteers letting me know what they are bringing, so I will have an idea of the menu. They can cook it or buy it made. Since I live in NYC, some of the staff will bring in made food. We don't care, it's the thought. Sometimes their spouse will make the dish, or dessert. This year I planned it for the first day of summer. I found these cute strawberry dessert napkins at Target and planned the rest of the decor around that. They also had gingham, plastic table liners, so gingham and strawberries it was. The napkins also had yellow on them. Red, white and yella. Some one offered to bring in Ice Cream Floats. I got the cutest cups, spoons and straws for him, plus all kinds of stuff for the rest of the party. A few years ago I bought those tiny bales of hay in the florist area of Micheal's, so I use them for leveling. Here is a shot from the first BBQ from about 4 years ago. I get better at it every year. It's ten days away and I will be finished shopping for everything tomorrow. It leaves me plenty of time for decorations. Looking at this photo, I just realized that everyone in it still works here...






I am making place cards for folks to name their dishes because one year we had a food allergy problem... This way everything will be identified. I have made pouches for the utensils out of the napkins. Just because they are plastic doesn't mean they have to be ugly! I'm going to take lots of pics and post them next week. I promise!!


The following day is Scott's 8th grade Graduation. I can't believe how much NYC Bd of Ed wastes our time and energy with graduation ceremonies. It's like they graduate every other year! But it is what it is. I just know I have to take my dog to the vet before the ceremony and pick him up after. A day off work, but full of errands.

I never used blogger because it seemed so difficult. But I'm going to try it. We'll see what happens...

I thought I should update you and let you know that my link on my first post is still good:

http://www.babytease.typepad.com/