Focus on Life - Week 26

Week 26: Free Space

We have reached the half way point of the year!

For this week you have a "free space" to

photograph whatever you would like

in whatever way you would like.  

I decided to show you some of the colours in my garden...

To see the 'free space' photos of the other participants, click on the links below...

An InLinkz Link-up

De-Clutter Project 2014 - Week 26

In every corner, behind every door and in each drawer, I'm discovering new things! Or should I say, they are things that I'd long since forgotten about?  I did not think you could hide and stash that much stuff in one house! Apparently, you can.

I finally managed to convince my son to get rid of the two sets of broken speakers that were cluttering up my living room. They had not been working for such a long time and were stacked in a corner collecting dust. I have no idea what his attachment to them was but I'm glad it's broken at last.

That is a big problem when you are trying to de-clutter your home...other people's stuff. You don't understand their love for a particular item, any more than they understand your passion for vintage glassware (or whatever). And it's just as hard with them to part with their childhood comic books as it is for you to part with some of your doll collection.

Everyone in your household really has to be 'on board' with the de-clutter project in order for it to be completely successful. You can pare down your own belongings and personal space but you cannot toss out or donate their 'prized possessions', no matter how tempting that might be some days. And you are fighting a losing battle when others keep bringing more stuff into the house as fast as you are getting rid of it.

Progress was definitely made this week though. Being able to convince my son to see the futility of keeping some the items he's been saving was a good first step. I'll keep working on him. *smile*

An InLinkz Link-up

Focus On Life: Week 25

Week 25: Be Colourful

There's nothing more fun than being colourful...

full of interest, lively and exciting.

My weekend was filled with colour. Faery Fest in Guelph, ON is always a fun event with colourful costumes and characters.

The English Morris Dancers were a whole lot of fun to watch.

To see the colourful photos of the other participants, check out the links below...

An InLinkz Link-up

De-Clutter Project 2014 - Week 25

Well, week 25 has been about as unproductive as last week was. Aside from taking some books and an ugly old mirror to the thrift store, not much else was accomplished.

This is a busy time of year for me, lots of weekend vending events and, therefore, a lot of preparation for them from Monday to Friday. I met with my pewter supplier and picked up the new cloak clasps and pendants I need for Faery Fest. This is always a fun two day event and I might even make a bit of money too.

I did receive my very first artist trading card in the mail this week. My swap partner is very creative and I've learned a few techniques that I had not thought of using. I'm so delighted with the time and effort that went into creating it.

What area do you intend to tackle this week? What do you think you will find? More importantly, what will you do with it? I hope you accomplished more than I did this week.

An InLinkz Link-up

De-Clutter Project 2014 - Week 24

Week 24...that was LAST week. What a disaster that week turned out to be!! I won't bore you with all the gruesome details, just suffice it to say that anything that could go wrong, did go wrong...at least twice. There was NO de-cluttering done at all, not a single bit.

And in the midst of all the chaos, I had to prepare for a big vending event on the weekend. We attended a two day renaissance festival that turned out to be a fairly good time overall. I must admit to being a bit surprised to turn around and find a blue police box in the middle of an empty field though. I wonder how that got there?

With a little bit of luck, this week should be a bit more productive. We'll have to wait and see though. I have another event to get ready for this coming weekend too.

What area do you intend to tackle this week? What do you think you will find? More importantly, what will you do with it?

An InLinkz Link-up

Focus on Life: Week 24

Week 24: Have Fun!

You have one simple assignment this

week, have fun taking photos.

Don't think, just snap.

You never know what you might capture if you close your eyes, turn around and take a photo. Some of the best pictures happen by chance, while trying to snap a photo of something else.

I went out to my back yard and started taking random photos at odd angles and in different directions. The photo above is one small section of the 'lawn'. I think the weeds have taken over! At the same time, it looks kind of interesting. I wish that I knew what all those plants are.

To see the fun photos of the other participants, check out the links below...

An InLinkz Link-up

Artist Trading Cards

I needed to get interested in a new craft like I needed a hole in the head...but it's happened.

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

What are they, you ask? Artist trading cards (or ATCs) are miniature works of art the same size as modern trading cards (2.5' X 3.5"). They are small enough to fit inside standard card-collector pockets, sleeves or sheets.  

Cards are produced in various media, including dry media (pencils, pens, markers, etc.), wet media (watercolor, acrylic paints, etc.), paper media (in the form of collage, papercuts, rubber stamps, found objects, etc.) or even metals or fiber. 

The cards are traded or exchanged with others via snail mail. The ATC movement developed out of the mail art movement and has its origins in Switzerland. There's a number of online groups where those who wish to swap cards can connect.

They are not typically created to be sold, but when they are, they would be referred to as Art Card Editions and Originals (ACEOs).

There are lots of online tutorials to help you get started. They are fun to make and fun to share. I'm addicted.

Here are some of my first card creations...

Halloween Prototype For An Upcoming Swap

Prototype foe an Upcoming Owl Lovers Swap

Focus on Life: Week 23

Week 23: Let's Get Silly

This month, we are finding the fun

in photography. For the first week,

catch someone being silly!

We've all had a BAD HAIR DAY, right?. My silly photo this week turns out to be a silly 'selfie'. Actually, it might be more scary, than silly. I'll let you be the judge.

I had a bit of fun altering the photo too.

To see the silly photos of the other participants, check out the links below...

An InLinkz Link-up

De-Clutter Project 2014 - Week 23

The de-cluttering challenge of the week...

How do you evaluate craft supplies and decide what you should keep and what needs to be liquidated? 

Let's start by asking ourselves a couple of tough questions.

1. How long have you had it?
2. Are you realistically going to use it in the next year?

If your answer to those questions is, 'I don't know', then you probably need to consider parting with it. Use it or lose it 'should' be my standard policy on such things but that's easier said than done, as I can attest to.

I've been agonizing over this for days now. It's time to make some decisions. I've set up three zones to help me with this; keep, trash and donate.

Alright, the yellowing polyester stuffing that has been around here since my boys were young can be trashed. (My sons are 38 and 36.) I think the plastic beans that I'd intended to make bean bags with can probably go too.

The fabric has already been sorted and categorized. All that I've kept is the good cottons for quilting and some larger pieces intended to make medieval garb with for the renaissance faires we go to. The polyester/cotton and 'unknown' fibres went to the thrift store.

Now we get to the yarn. I have not done any knitting in a long time, yet I still have a ton of it around here. The local daycare would probably love to get some of it for their kids craft projects. I think that most of it will go there.

Next we come to the beads and beading supplies. I can't even begin to look at that stuff yet. I'll think about those 'tomorrow'. *smile*

What area do you intend to tackle this week? What do you think you will find? More importantly, what will you do with it?

An InLinkz Link-up

De-Clutter Project 2014 - Week 22

I know, I'm late posting. May and June are busy vending months for us, and there is only so much time in a day to accomplish everything you want/need to.

The top of my desk was getting 'out of control' again. It became apparent that it was time to sort through it all and put everything where it belongs.

I don't 'purposely' set out to allow it to get like this. However, for some reason, the top of the desk seems to be a convenient dumping ground for all manner of stuff.

Let's see what is here this time...

- paper punches
- a wooden lucet
- hand-made lucet cord
- TV channel changer
- bills to be filed
- paper craft supplies
- recipes
- coins
- beads

Most of it has been put away now. My camera battery needs recharging so I'm unable to take a photo tonight. At least I can see the top of the desk now. I'm resolved to keep it mostly cleared this time. I wonder if I can follow through with that. Time will tell.

What area do you intend to tackle this week? What do you think you will find? More importantly, what will you do with it?

An InLinkz Link-up