Wednesday, May 24, 2006

I read somewhere that if you can make yourself do something for 30 days then it becomes a habit. So I'm challenging myself to write just a little something every day for the next 30 days no matter how tired I am and maybe I can get back into the blogging habit.

It's been a really busy time at work for the last 2 months and it didn't help that I took a week off for retreat in the middle of it. And I haven't been feeling real good either so I've just had no energy by the time I get home in the evenings. And since Niles decided to stay for an extended visit he's been making me go thru stuff in the sewing room and take a good hard look at whether I'm really ever going to use all that fabric or finish all those UFOs and the answer is NO! So this stack of boxes you see here with Niles standing on top are all full of fabric that is leaving my house forever! My sister will be coming in tonight for a few days and she gets first pick. Then I thought I'd take it to my bee meeting with me a box a week and let the girls there have second pick. Whatever's left will go to the guild's charity project. I was rather merciless in my culling and mostly only kept the quilt shop stuff and little of the Walmart/Hancocks/JoAnns. That wasn't my criteria when I was culling stash but I noticed that was the way it was turning out as I was packing the boxes with the culls and restacking the remainder back in the cabinets. Back into TWO cabinets not THREE! So that leaves me a whole cabinet empty for the piles of other stuff still laying around the room.

Besides fabric I went thru a lot of my UFOs and decided to send a bunch home with Niles. This is one of them. I think it's very pretty but I have lots of very pretty tops that have never made it into finished quilts. So it's time to let some of them go to someone who will finish them and get them to people who really need and will appreciate the quilts and not have them just sitting in a pile on a shelf.

I put on a mystery for my online group's anniversay one year using the butterfly blocks. They sat around in a baggy for a couple years until I was digging thru my stash one day and came across the floral piece that my aunt had given me a while back. For some reason I thought of the butterfly blocks and when I dug them out the blocks and fabric were a perfect match for each other.

Even though we didn't get the sewing room finished Niles was getting a bit homesick for his Mommy so I sent him home Monday with the items you see here. A couple baggies of UFOs, a stack of tops, his FQ packet from retreat, and his new traveling case so he can be safe on his journeys. He was in a bit of a mess when he arrived! He was NOT AT ALL happy with the treatment he received for the postal workers on his trip out here and is sure hoping his new case will make his return trip and subsequent travels a bit smoother riding.

19 comments:

Patty said...

I always enjoy reading your blog so I hope you will write a bit each day ! Niles is keeping you busy. Hope he is helping : )

Pam said...

Nancy, The butterfly quilt is wonderful! I can't wait to see what other treasures you are sending home with Niles for WTIL. I am glad Niles could be with you for this time, the bonus for us is he has been busy eslewhere while we prepare for vacation (so he has not been under foot, asking each hour "is it time to go to Disneyland?" "How many more days until we leave for vacation?". Nor has he been home hiding things from us and being a typical little mischevious gnome and etc. My grandkids are giving their parents fits with questions and we have had a reprieve from those same questions from Niles. I am excited to have him home...I'll send you an email this evening... Hurry home Niles.

Hanne said...

The butterfly top will give joy to someone when it is done - it is very beautiful.
Good going on decluttering !

Anonymous said...

Nancy, I can only say...I wish I was your next door neighbour!! Not only would we be able to gab and quilt together...but I could - help - you with your stash decluttering!!

Laurie Ann said...

Glad to have you back in blogland!

Anonymous said...

welcome back to blogland! What an amazing job culling you've been doing! Bravo!

Cher said...

wow, ruthless indeed Nancy! way to let go and get on with having only quilty stuff you love. Niles must have been a good influence I would say. What a nifty traveling case he will be enjoying! I hope you do find yourself writing a little each day and maybe that could lead to a little ten minute of sewing each day...it's amazing how doing a little each day can add up and overall make you feel less tired. great to hear from you!

Linda C said...

We have missed you--a lot--Nancy and worried that something was really keeping you tied up. Work or the moving the home to the lovely spot you showed us. Sorry to hear that you have not been feeling well on top of all that. Work and stress wearing you down??

So good to hear from you! That scamp Niles must have been a good helper egging you on to cull the stash. WTIL is getting some lovely tops!

Evelyn aka Starfishy said...

Yeah! There's our Nancy! Busy cleaning out the sewing room some more with the help of Niles, I see. Very impressive and nice of you to share. If people had not given me my first scraps, I would not be the quilter I am today. I hope you are feeling better - good enough to blog a little bit at least, and not too worn out from work. Welcome back.

Cheers!

Evelyn

Silverthimble said...

You should be patting yourself on the back for culling your stash for such good causes. You now have an excuse to fill the empty spaces with new fabric. *VBS*

Mary Johnson said...

Nancy, glad you are back - I missed you. The butterfly top is great and will make a great quilt for someone - good for you for sending that one and others on to be completed and donated.

ForestJane said...

I was getting worried, glad to see you back posting! Was thinking you and Niles had run off somewhere together. :)

Congrats on both cleaning out the stash and cleaning your sewing area! And I'm sure the butterfly quilt will be loved and appreciated somewhere.

Jeanne said...

Welcome back, Nancy! You've been in my thoughts!
Jeanne

Anonymous said...

catch up Nancy, catch up!! I love to read your blog!

Finn said...

So good to see your post again, my fancy nancy..I miss you..all the way back to those old days of getting started with these blogs..*VBS* Remember those??? Oh ya...good to see your post again!!

Its hard, the deep purging, but it sure feels good to have abit more space, and less obligations..you did good girl!!!

Laurie said...

Nancy...glad to see you back!!! you can do it! Even if you blog every OTHER day...AWESOME! Missed ya!
Hugs
Laurie

Passionate Quilter said...

welcome back Nancy--although I haven't been around the ring completely in a while--I did miss you! And way to go in decluttering your sewing space--always a good feeling. I do love your butterfly quilt--bet someone is going to be happy to get it. And I love the little traveling suitcase for Niles--I bet he was happy too! :)

Hunter said...

So good to "read" you Nancy.

I've been culling, too. Books, old papers, photos...just think how much lighter we'll be. (Not to mention all the room we'll have for new stuff.) LOL.

Darilyn

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