Continuing My Journey

 

It has been a week of cleaning (yes Spring cleaning upstairs is done, except for the cupboards), organizing and decluttering. The more I declutter, the more I feel like I am following the right path towards a simpler life. 

I have managed to find the floor in the sewing/craft room over this past week. Pretty sure there is more I could do in there, but I am leaving it until I get some items out of the house. A few things will be going with me to the Silent Auction at the family reunion, and then hopefully Kurt will be removing the 100 pairs of mittens from the house as well. That will actually add to the floor space by some 5 or 6 square feet. 

There are also the clothing items that I plan on trying to recycle into something new or if unable to do so donate. Once that box is gone, more floor space will open up. I hope to get started on those next month and finish them up when we come back from our trip. 

Lots was donated from that room as well. Slowly, slowly I am letting go of things that no longer feel necessary or that I no longer am attached emotionally to. 

Pretty much the only reason I managed to get so much done over the last couple of weeks is because we have had lots, and lots of rain. Now we need heat and sun to get things growing rapidly as I want to get a few things dehydrated, picked, frozen and canned before we leave. 

List making continues, and that really is enabling me to sleep better at night. It shuts off my thoughts about what needs to be done and stops me from worrying that things might not get done that need to be done. Life is so much easier to live when anxiety does not rule me. It is also much easier to feel like I am getting that much closer to a simpler life.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Moving Forward

 If there is one thing I have found out on this journey, is nothing is ever smooth. There are times that for every two steps forward, I seem to take at least one step back if not more.

Still there is more forward movement and I am extremely happy about that fact. This week however the forward journey is hampered by the fact that a home needs to be cleaned from top to bottom and I seem to be one of those that feel two top to bottom cleanings are necessary every year. 

This year the first top to bottom cleaning is a bit late and I am slightly flustered about that. Especially as I thought I was keeping up with things by doing a bit extra cleaning each month. Seems I wasn't as good as I thought at that at all.

However I can see a change to be made and will of course make that change. 

This cleaning is helping me to declutter and figure out what is important and what isn't and having Harvey help out with things like taking the shades and such down for me is cutting time off the routine. It is simplifying my up and down movements, and enabling me to get more done so I can once again enjoy a slower pace. A couple of days or a week of constant cleaning and then weeks and months of tiny smaller cleaning tasks is just about perfect.

My slow down yesterday was watching a bunny nibble on the weeds and grass in our front lawn. Today it was working a bit longer on the weaving. Tomorrow it will be walking up and taking the time to attend the birthday of a 90 year old friend. Simple things, that really do make life more enjoyable. 

Simplicity can be work, but the work involved can be lots of fun.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

A Lovely Journey

 Summer is here with all the joy that heat and sun can bring. It also brings higher energy costs due to air conditioning. However I am trying to combat that by having lights off during the day, using appliances to cook our meals (or the stove top which does not heat up the house), and Harvey helps by planting a vegetable garden. 

Rising prices mean living a simple life is probably the best way to handle that. I am finding that spending time doing the things that I love, looking for sales (even if that means a bit longer shopping) and kind of reverse planning most of the months menus make life a great deal easier on this old body.

I enjoy the process of mending, and making do. Substituting is becoming second nature and taking advantage of cooler, rainy weather or the early morning to bake definitely makes life easier, even if doing so was not on the to do list for that day. 

Eating later in the day would be my preference, but Harvey seems to like the 6 pm dinner (or supper) time, though he does not mind a slightly later meal (like by 15 minutes or so). 

Slowing down and enjoying each task, making cleaners or foraging for salve contents is awesome. Cool enough tomorrow will see a rhubarb cake and rhubarb muffins made for the freezer. Using what is available is not only frugal and thrifty, but leads one down the path to simplicity. After all what could be simpler than eating and using what you have grown yourself. 

There has also been a decision by me that I will enjoy the body that I am in. No more worrying about losing weight, as I manage to get out and walk more, or work in the garden things will even out. And if it doesn't, well my boys and friends love me exactly like I am.

Life is so much better without excess pressures from outside, and while I do know the world is not in the best of places right now, I can only control what I can control. That means my own small world and when possible the greater world around me by doing small and significant changes to my life. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless. 

Towards A Simpler Life

 

 It seems as if all the various books, blogs, and vloggers that I have been checking out, that say they are Simple Living adherents seem to say the same thing. One must spend loads of time decluttering and organizing the remainder. 

Now I can see the decluttering, but when I watch many of them begin the organizing portion, I see them out purchasing items to organize with. In many cases these people have gotten rid of organizing items to begin with. In other cases I noticed that they just wanted a more "matching" way to organize. 

Isn't that just adding more "stuff" in your home? Wouldn't it have been simpler to just keep what you used in the first place? If you wanted matches organizers, perhaps covering them with wrapping paper would have made a much better choice?

I have had the same storage and organizers for years. Some are getting pretty worn, but until they no longer serve the purpose I purchased them for, they will continue to be used. I have patterns stored in binders of all different colours, but I covered them with wrapping paper and put a homemade label on them as to what is inside the covers. 

I had bought some boxes made of heavy cardboard years ago and those hold my embroidery threads, machine embroidery threads, serger/overlocker threads, small triangle patches, 2 1/2 inch fabric strips, some yarn, some transfer patterns, projects I inherited from my Mom, zippers, bias binding, sewing needles, pins, and items that are used on each of my sewing machines. All have a homemade label and I can see at a glance what needs to be used and where to locate the item. 

I want to leave a smaller footprint on the earth, to me that is simplicity. Time to sit on the deck and listen to the birds. Watch the garden as I hang clothes out on the lines. Plant food or flowers and herbs that can give us joy. 

To me living simply is using what you have, learning to look after what you have, and not accumulating more just to organize what you already have.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

A Simple Life

 

My moving towards a more simple life, is probably not the same as most people. I am not madly going through closets and cupboards getting rid of items. Instead I am methodically deciding what will help make my life easier and what is cluttering it into chaos. 

In reading the book on minimalism I have started to chose those things that make sense to my standard of living and what makes me happy. 

One of the things the book talks about is the turning of hangers so what one knows what one wears in a month or two in your closet. Hello, I live in four seasons and my closet contains summer sundresses. There is no way I would be wearing those in the feels like -40C weather (or colder) that we go through in the winter. Thus those hangers would never be turned around. Same can be said for winter wear when it is 40C above. So I will just continue the trying on and if it does not fit or bring me joy things will be gone in the various seasons. 

Perhaps my most definite move towards a simpler life is enjoying what I already have. That includes those appliances that make my life easier. My wrists since I broke one twice are no longer able to knead dough for bread or buns like they used to. My bread machine and KitchenAid help immensely in that area. My yogurt maker works wonders when I make Greek yogurt every second week for pennies a batch. 

Using my electric roaster or the toaster oven help me save on using the big oven on my stove. I need to do this rather simple thing a bit more often during the year. 

Over the years I have either inherited or purchased yarn and fabric. It does not make frugal sense to bundle those up and give them away. Simple living means making the most of those items by using them for clothing, gifts or knitting/weaving/sewing for charity. One of my projects for this month is to recycle handknits into balls for new projects in the coming year.

One thing I have learned on this journey is that simplicity and simple living means different things to different people. 

I will of course keep using items up, enjoying what I have and moving towards making and enjoying the quiet times that simple living means. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Moving Towards Simplicity

 

Decluttering possessions is probably the easiest way to start living a simple life. Those possessions that keep us away from family or stop us from living a life based on our values, or in fact just deplete our bank accounts are not necessary. I do have many appliances, but most enable me to cut down cooking time and give me a chance to visit. 

I have also come to realize that I do not need two closets full of clothes and have been gradually ridding myself of those items that do not fit my body now and those that I just do not love. 

Slowly but surely I am removing myself from time commitments that also stop me from enjoying a slowed down life. I never realized how much time I spent doing things that did not fulfill me or enable me to take the time for a nice long walk or curling up with a good book.

Debt held us back from enjoying a simple life as well. We no longer have debt and that is so wonderfully freeing. Do what ever you can to lose that weight. 

It is amazing to me how much simple living incorporates frugal and thrifty living. I suppose one could have one without the other, but the stresses of a life full of things, of debt, of always trying to keep up with others really do not allow for a simple life. Letting go of those things or ridding ourselves of those things saves us money and allows us to rest.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Moving Towards Simplicity

 

My quest today on the way to simplicity was to get more room on my rather small kitchen counter. This was not an easy task as everything on it at this point in time is used or in the case of the jars of dehydrated herbs will be used whenever needed. 

I did manage to get a bit more room by moving the KitchenAid mixer on top of the portable dishwasher, and by getting all the spice mixes, and soups in a jar labeled and into the gift baskets. There is still way too much on one side, but slowly things will be used up and the area cleared. I really need to make my way through all my teas as that would clear up a great deal of room. I do wish that I could set up a coffee/tea station, but I just do not have the space for that. 

Next move towards a simpler life will be going through the drawers in the kitchen once again to see what I can declutter and perhaps make room for other items I have stored away and really do use almost every day.

Still more winterizing must be done inside. Nothing too expensive, but I do need to get those insulated curtains for my sewing/craft room and figure out what to do with the lace curtains I replaced. They are still in very good shape and I wonder if in the new year I could make some produce bags from them. I would love to hang some heavier curtains over the front and back doors to cut down even more drafts from entering the house, but those may have to wait until next year. 

Harvey had his truck into the dealership today for an oil change and a check of the block heater. Turned out to be a bit more costly than we thought as the truck needed a new block heater and a new plug in cord. Still we were quite happy that the total cost was a bit less than the one quoted, it was enough though. As Harvey says now we have a new battery and plugin on the SUV and a new block heater and cord on the truck, should be set for the winter for sure. That will definitely make life much easier and simpler over the winter. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 After promising myself I would stay home, I decided to go out for a quick cup of coffee. I don't know why I keep doing it to myself, but I went out for coffee to my friend's place. The one who likes to argue with me, and of course after being less argumentative has gone back to her usual angry self. I think I could say one thing and she would automatically say I was wrong even if she knew I was right. I think it is much better for my mental health right now if I just stay away for longer periods of time, that actually seems to help.

It stayed pretty cool today and the wind was fairly strong and has picked up as the day has progressed. Supposed to be even cooler tomorrow. We got a bit lazy today and decided to wait another day before heading out and doing the last of the leaves and putting away a few more pots and such. 

Worked on my projects today, and the sewing machine decided it was going to act up a bit. I could have gotten a bit more completed if I hadn't had to clean the throat plate out as often as I had to. Perhaps the machine needs a bit of a rest???? If that is the case I will perhaps cut out Harvey's pajama pants tomorrow and work more on the embroidery. Right now I am leaning more towards needing 9 embroidered blocks. Just to make the quilts wide enough to at least lay at the end of a bed. The rubber backing needs to be sewn on Kris's woven rug so I could get that done as well. Thus giving my machine a bit of a rest and me getting rid of some frustration over the cleaning of the throat plate. 

Could also make a few more spice mixes for the gift baskets, and figure out what to do with some rather tough kale. It is a bit hard to eat it in a salad, but today the last of that shall be eaten. 

Simplicity wise, my hall is nice and clean. Much easier to keep clean now as well. Next up is to work on what is under my desk. The top is pretty good as I did go through lots of the papers and removed or filed them away. The drawers could use another tidy as well.

Off to get supper started as Harvey needs to watch the ball game tonight. Hopefully the Blue Jays win this one, though after 18 innings last night both teams could be plenty tired. Hope to get some of you visited as well.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Living Simply

 My move towards a simpler life this month is cutting back on projects. I am just going to work on those projects that are what I consider necessary to finish for Christmas.

Decluttering will take place as well as another path to a life where I am not so surrounded by things. Really I have too much stuff!! I can do with much less and there are many items that I never use or have never used. Sometimes I can not believe how much clutter I have let into my life over the years.

Physical clutter does not make it an easy move towards a life of simplicity, and in fact I think that might be why I am not sleeping well. A cluttered life means a brain that keeps right on churning with ideas and things that one needs to have completed. 

So over the next year I will be focusing on decluttering more, using up as much of the craft supplies that I can, and using up those cleaning supplies that seem to have gotten pushed to the back of the cleaning cupboard. 

I am going to concentrate on enjoying life more and perhaps doing less. I am beginning to prefer staying home or just visiting family. I don't need the angst of going out for coffee and being told in a round about way that I know nothing. I want to take some classes, spend time with a good book and concentrate on my faith a bit more.

My meals are already fairly simple and in actual fact my cleaning routine is as well. 

I enjoy all the blogs I read and have learned so much from all of you. Many of you have helped me decide on what is best for me and how to live a more simple and uncomplicated life. 

Life is meant to be lived to the fullest, enjoyed and that is what I have decided to do. 

Harvey and I sat by the fire last night and as we enjoyed each others company I began to realize how I filled my life with busyness and did not take the time to talk.

I hope to keep the fire of moving towards a life that encompasses family more and busyness less in mind as simplicity begins to take over my life.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Friday Simplify

 

In the way of simplifying my life, and the fact that I doubt very much my back will take a real big planting time, I will be trying to do less container planting of flowers. Harvey, has really cut down on the garden, and is trying to get me to cut back on flowers as well. 

I really like having lots of colour in the yard, but he is right. So this year I am going to concentrate on getting more perennials into the circular bed, on herbs and medicinal plants, and perhaps do a few containers of things like carrots, cherry tomatoes, and lettuce. 

Also I am going to refuse to purchase craft items or fabric until I use up what I already have in stock. There are times I feel like I have a yarn and fabric store in my sewing/craft room and will never be able to use everything up. I am doing better though so that is a plus. So many projects to get done, and there never seems to be enough time to do them and enjoy the outside. I was thinking of starting to spin using a drop spindle, but man I have enough hobbies, so adding one more would be detrimental to my mental health. I will stick to quilting (simple patterns), sewing, knitting, embroidery, counted cross stitch, using my Cricut, and weaving. 

I noticed the dandelions are poking their heads out so it is time to collect the flowers to make salve this year. I need to get some shea butter ordered. Probably more containers as well.

Hmmm, doesn't really sound like simplifying does it?

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Simpler Living

 

In my quest for simplicity, I am spending more time decluttering and using up items that have been around for awhile. Not only is this helping me downsize and move towards a life that enjoys the stop and smell the flowers mindset. 

It is leading me to realize we all have way too much stuff surrounding us. This from someone that is surrounded by craft supplies, appliances, and other such items. 

This week I have removed the old sound system from my television set. Amazingly it left spaces open to move the plants I am overwintering inside into and I still have extra space. The sound system quit working this year so will be put into the electronic disposal area. 

I have been kind of downsizing my yarn stash as well. Nothing new has been added and lots is getting used up in various projects. 

As far as appliances are concerned I do use all of them and plan on using them more often as the price of electricity goes up. Plugging into 110 is much less expensive than using the oven at 220. 

There are certain items I hope to send home with our sons at Christmas. Thinking the wine cooler that we never use could go home with Kurt, and the small Christmas tree that we have now replaced with a larger one with Kris. We shall see what they say. If neither is wanted we will list them on one of the Garage Sale sites and see what happens. 

While I would love to get rid of our TV package, until Harvey gets a television that allows streaming of something other than Netflix or YouTube that is not a feasible alternative. He loves his sports so we will spend the money to allow him to be able to watch those. Well at least until I can convince him to do something else. 

Slowly but surely I am heading towards a life that is lived slowly and intentionally.

My mouse seems to have quit working so I guess it is time to go and set the table, visit you all and make supper.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

Simple Living

 

Why is it the more I try to head towards simple living, the more complicated it gets? 

I have been trying to move away from disposable paper items and while that is a wonderful idea, I am beginning to think things get complicated first.

I made that first batch of tinkle cloths, and while there was enough to last just over a week, me being me thought perhaps more would be much better. After all having enough for almost two weeks would be wonderful... Right?

Then there was the wish to have cloth napkins. I had cut apart an old tablecloth that wasn't being used and got 15 made, but was that enough? So this month I went through my fabric and found smaller Christmas fabric pieces, and a cotton plaid fabric that wasn't big enough for anything really clothing wise and made another 14 napkins. 

Now I know this will actually simplify my life eventually and also be cost effective, but right now it seems that living simply is a touch more difficult than I thought. Is cutting down on paper products actually a way to simplify or is it more of a cost cutting endeavor? 

Is decluttering really simplifying, or is it just ridding the house and myself of things that I no longer find useful? Is cooking every day a way of living simply, or is it something that I need to work on by doing a couple of days batch cooking a month. 

We always look back at our parents/grandparents and think how wonderfully simple their lives were. But were they really? I can remember my mother scraping wax off the floors when all of us kids were in bed, because there was too big a build up on the floors and she had to wax them the next day to get the shine back. I also remember her polishing the hardwood floors and the sound of the floor polisher late at night. 

I can pretty much count on one hand the number of times we had food delivery, Mom cooked every night that I can remember. There were times I got home from school late and had to make my own meal because Mom and Dad had taken my brother to his hocky game. Thank heavens for eggs and hot dogs. Ate a great many meals using those items along with cheese.

I can remember her sprinkling clothes and getting them ready to iron the next day. She ironed almost everything, even my bras. 

The more I think of life growing up the more I realize what seemed to be simple living really wasn't in the term I think of. It might have been simple for me, but not for my parents. At least unlike my grandparents Mom did not have to cook on a wood stove, we did not have to heat water and fill a tub for baths and dishwashing. Meals were hearty but simple and budgets were followed to the letter. 

However simple living right now to me means using what I have to the best of my ability. Sewing by hand when I can, learning to weave to make my own fabric eventually, learning new skills to depend a little less on stores, and taking advantage of every day to be thankful for what I have and what I can do to slow down the pace of everyday life and enjoy the moment. Now that last is something I need to work on a bit harder.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Everybody have

Mid-Month Goal Update

 

I am a bit later in posting this, but some of my other list (spring cleaning) got in the way. 

1.  Copy 14 tried and true recipes and get them in the album. Done

2.  Work on cross stitch.

3.  Sew shorts. Done

4.  Sew top. Done

5.  Cut out a summer tank dress. Done

6.  Quilt the baby quilt. Working on this

7.  Start knit tank top. Actually almost completed

8.  Shred papers. Done

9.  Make an appointment with my prayer partner. Done

10. Go to the accountant. Done

11. Transfer fall/winter and spring/summer wardrobes. Done

Things are moving along nicely. I should be finished the quilt by Saturday or Sunday. The knit tank top should be done during the early part of next week if I am lucky. I think that I just might have to start adding to my goals list for this month, just so I have something to do with my hands in the evenings.

Cleared out all my drawers in the kitchen and did a spring clean in there. I am taking a break from cleaning tomorrow (well the spring cleaning at any rate) as my prayer partner will be dropping in. Things are being decluttered and put where I can reach them easily. I do need to do something about my cookbook collection. I have way too many. Any ideas???? Many a time I think that I should scan them and put them on a thumb drive. Having so many cookbooks to choose from is a daunting task when looking for a specific recipe. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Simpler Living

 

As most of you know I am on a quest to make our lives a bit simpler. Not that anything in this day and age can really be considered simple. 

Our world is getting more and more complex and what we need to do is work through the complexity. Firstly we need to acknowledge this and view this as a challenge. Then we need to look for the answer to that challenge. Instead of saying What can I do?, ask ourselves instead What will I do?

One thing I have learned is not to go to extremes. Take your wardrobe for instant. If you are still working, don't whittle things down to 2 pairs of pants, 1 blouse, 1 dress, a couple of skirts, and a few t-shirts. That will never work. In my quest to simplify as things get badly worn or no longer fit, I remove them from my wardrobe and donate them, or if they are in really rough shape, cut into rags, or material that can be used in another project. 

This just goes to show that pairing ones wardrobe, household items or even credit cards below a sensible level is not simplicity but could be an emergency waiting to happen later on. 

Leaving things undone (like not making your bed, or doing the dishes) is not simplicity. In fact I feel they take away from living a simple life. In fact doing these types of things could even lead someone into becoming a hermit. After all since you won't be entertaining any longer why take baths as often, why not eat out of the pots that you cook in rather than keep using your plates.....

Having a simpler life does not mean doing without, it is just a different life. It is not one of doing without, it is doing with just a bit less.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Saturday Roundup

 

No real pictures this time around as nothing was really finished. I did manage to get all my supplies out for this month's projects and that is a very good thing. Means no running around trying to find what I need. I will need to get out the safety pins when it comes to sandwiching the quilt. Hopefully I will get that done tomorrow.

The snow has started, but at the moment it isn't too bad. The wind is very strong from the east and so is more or less blowing down the street and not really sticking anywhere. That will probably change as the snow finds the small cracks in the pavement and begins to build up over time.

I have been doing some reading in my Simpler Living book. The author talks about how this isn't a new fad but one that is centuries old. He talks about the Puritans and there simple life, then about the Quakers and their simple lives. 

I love this passage in the book; "Today the movement is so widespread that the term simplicity means many things to many people. Among the many definitions are the following: more time, less stress, more leisure, fewer bills to pay, less clutter, less to clean and maintain, greater peace of mind, and spirituality. Your quest for simplicity may encompass one or all of these notions."

Just goes to show that simplicity means different things to different people. I also think that what stage of life you are in would be a big factor.

What does simplicity mean to you?

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.