Still on task

I'm still on target with my P&O (purge and organize). Nothing as dramatic as last week. Fortunately there are no more rooms in this house that need that much attention. But when I get to the garage . . .

This week I concentrated on drawers in the furniture and the two bookshelves in the main living space. The guest bathroom, the hall closet, the hall bath and the laundry room. Sounds like a lot when I write it out but they all went rather quickly. Lots of empty space now exsists.

My new collection of Empty Space

This was FULL of plastic shopping bags that are now recycled
I use reusable bags these days

I purged a few books out of these shelves
That's a HARD thing for a book-lover to do

Mrs.RGS

I hate to complain . . .

But the weather this winter has been cold and miserable. More snow this morning. I'm wearing two pair of socks and two sweaters to keep warm.

But I feel bad about complaining when families just north of us and families just south of us have had to deal with this:

Mrs.RGS

Plate

I am completely ignorant about dinnerware makers. Crystal and silver makers as well. I recall a friend bragging to me how her husband just returned from a business trip in Europe and bought her some Waterford crystal while he was there. She might as well have been talking about Wkeosicjnme as far as I was concern. I know how I must have disappointed her by not reacting with enough enthusiasm. Growing up poor has left gaps in my refinements.

So, when I find pieces that stir my emotions I'm happy to go on the Internet and fill in the blanks.

I found this great plate sitting all by itself on the shelf of the Goodwill store.

I searched for Nancy Green on the Internet and discovered how exciting her work is. A set of 4 of these plates are $60. Also, I noticed that on my computer the center of the plate appears to be blue but in real life it is turquoise.

I'm hoping to stumble onto more of her work in the future but until I do I'm really loving this piece. I think it is just begging to hold some chewy chocolate cookies from a recipe that I got years ago from my DD.
Mrs.RGS

By Popular Demand

Here is another look of the Before and After

I have finished two of the four projects that I found in the process of cleaning. It is such a pleasure to work in here now.

Goal Number One continues

I am so grateful to Melissa at The Inspired Room for helping me to keep on task with what I've been calling my P&O (Purge and Organize) project for 2009. Every day I do something toward my goal of creating a beautiful clutter-free home. This week I tackled to one room that held the most shame for me. My craft room. It had become the "stash and dash" room. The place where I'd drop anything that I didn't want to take the time to actually find a good place for or that I was promising myself I'd get to some day. Sort of a 10 foot by 12 foot junk drawer.

Before photos moving from the right side of the room to the left

After two and a half days of P&O

I took two large boxes to the Goodwill and one medium sized bag of stuff went into the garbage. A handful of things belonged in other areas of the house.

I uncovered four projects that could be done quickly that I had buried so deep they were completely forgotten.

There's a song in my head -- "I can see clearly now the shame is gone . . ."

Mrs.RGS

I can't figure it out ... Can you?

One of the blogs I enjoy is It's Lovely. I'll take it! Sara Lorimer collects and posts photos of properties for sale. Not just any photos. Just the unfortunate photos. Such as a recent one of a living room that has a used disposable diaper tucked under the coffee table.

A few days ago she posted a listing that just keeps haunting me. I can't think of a rational reason why this house is the way it is. Every explanation I come up with the owners being a little crazy.

The one-owner house was built and furnished in 1955. The family lived in the basement not in the home's first level and appears to be frozen in time. It is as if the place is waiting for someone who never arrived. If it had been owned by a single person I'd say that they were expecting to get married but got jilted and never could bring themselves to live in the house alone.

Pop on over to 1955 and see what I'm talking about. (click on the 1955 to go to the site)
Mrs.RGS

Quirky Car

No, this isn't my car. I parked near this car when I made a quick stop at the library. When I came back out there were 4 or 5 men standing around the car reading the writings and studying the figures.

When I pulled my camera out and began taking pictures the camera shy men disappeared.

See anything you like?

Mrs.RGS