New Keytamers

A couple of years ago, I solved the never being able to find my keys problem (at least partially) by sewing a little fabric collage piece to attach to my keys.  It was also a nice way to have color and design with me all the time!  Clearly, I have worn it out:

This was a single little fabric collage, with backing in a pillowcase.  Worn to bits --loved the colors and the composition. 

This time, I took a larger piece of fabric collage which has both machine and hand stiching, and covered it with tulle to keep all the bits together.  I cut three rectangles (finished size ~7.5"x ~2.5"), again attached via bright pink pillowcase backing and voila!

Now I am ready for Spring!  Hope that you are having at least some signs of spring!

Three 2014 Books

 

 

Here are three of the books I made last year.  The first is a weekly journal from January through June.

 

I started the first at the beginning of the year as a weekly journal to capture my intentions to create new habits.  All part of the getting ready for retirement!  It is 5" x 8" using commercial papers, photos and handmade papers, and bound with rings.

 

 

The second book was done July-October.  I was gone for over two weeks this summer to attend art classes (at Omega and at Quilting by the Lake), and when I got back there was the usual enormous pile of junk mail to deal with. I used that pile to make a small book bound as Dorothy Caldwell  had just taught us in the Human Marks class:

 

 

 In addition to junk mail, I used only scraps and collage materials from my (extensive) stash, and treated it as a bit of a journal.  I mostly documented my feelings leading up to the big retirement day (9/5/14).  Just as we had done in class, using a variety of papers --including papers which had already been painted or used to pick up excess paint--was a great start.  Pages are 4" x 5". 

 

 

 

The third book was done in October, and was an attempt to picture my life right now, at the beginning of the retirement journey.  Commercial papers and photographs, with a hand painted cover.  8 3/4" x 6, Cinch binding.

Handmade is Always Better

Rather than selecting an off the shelf lighting fixture for my snazzy new kitchen, I came up with a rough concept for a handmade fixture.  My electrician friend ran with it, and produced this amazing piece which hangs over the sink but lights all the appliances.

A copper frame (with color added), to which industrial work lights are permanently affixed.  Nifty low key industrial chic!

The Pleasures of Simplification

So the kitchen reno project is (hopefully) coming to an end--this is the end of week 5 and the kitchen is functioning with little bits still to be done.  And all the art/decorating decisions to come!  Anyway, this week has been about the Reload.  It turns out, of course, that doing this requires a complete rethink about what goes in the kitchen--just like a move really--and that of course means finding places for things in other rooms and that of course means cleaning closets!  I have now cleaned ALL my closets, and it feels great!

In this process, I was really confronted (again) with how much I have been a hoarder/archivist, and even worse, how I have been keeping things "just in case" that have never been useful or beautiful and will likely never be either.  Kept because well, I ought to, or a family member gave them to me, or whatever.  I also realized that all these decades of working put me on the back burner, and having closets that were chaotic messes kept me stressed and always feeling that I wasn't doing enough. 

SO, rethinking everything.  Taking everything  out (as recommended by Marie Kondo in The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up), putting like with like, only keeping what I actually like/can use now.  Separating things in prime real estate from things in (reasonable) inventory--like big packs of paper towels now on the basement shelves.  It feels so awesome!  Like a whole new house!

This would be a good time to link to some favorite blogs and other resources on decluttering and simplification:

Becoming Minimalist

Zen Habits

Slow Your Home

Clutter Busting with Brooks Palmer

My bookshelf on decluttering, simplification and other good stuff

I've done a lot of reading, but I didn't really understand the amazing benefits and emotional clarity until I Did The Work!

 

A Nice Surprise this AM

I check Jane Davies blog Collage Journeys every day and when there is new content it is always a great start to the day!  Today was especially fun as she linked one of my pieces that I did in her 100 Drawings class.  This is definitely another step out of the basement!

100 Drawings Student Work

My piece is the third down from the top.  I posted the first four previously, here is the second set of four for the same lesson: