365 Days of Colour - Flower of the Day 230 - 236

Understanding

Understanding comes through experiences, the 'Aha' moments and sharing with others.  It can be hard to understand why at times we go through the hard times with the feeling that it will never end, but one day you are able to look around and celebrate coming through.....  

My favourite reflection this week is Day 230, 'Time to wake up and smell the chocolate' - I love dark chocolate especially the 85% Cocoa one (and it's good for you!).  The quote by Jeffrey David Lang, on Day 235 really spoke to me 'There will be times in life when impossibility is felt, but then there are dreams - and dreams allow us possibility. and is reminding me that I need to give my dreams the right foundations.  And the scripture that will keep me is Day 236 from Psalm 139:5 - Thou has enclosed me behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me.  

What area will you be focussing your time on this week?

Day 230

Reflection 

It’s time to wake up and smell the chocolate! 

Quote 

I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.....John Muir 

Scripture 

Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace..Psalm 37:37 

Day 231

Reflection 

Time to change your style! 

Quote 

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. ---C.G. Jung 

Scripture 

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you..1 Peter 5:7

Day 232

Reflection 

You are a dear friend and much loved 

Quote 

Every time you don’t follow your own inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness. ---Shakti Gawain 

Scripture 

I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me for I have redeemed thee...Isaiah 44:22

Day 233

Reflection 

You inspire others to be who they were called to be 

Quote 

Good art is not what it looks like, but what it does to us. ---Roy Adzak 

Scripture 

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me  with songs of deliverance...Psalm 32:7

 Day 234

Reflection 

Step into the light and shine like the star you are. 

Quote 

There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it.....Mary Little 

Scripture

Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted...Matthew 5:4 

 Day 235

Reflection 

You can become whole again 

Quote 

There will be times in life when impossibility is felt, but then there are dreams - and dreams allow us possibility. ...Jeffrey David Lang

Scripture 

Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His loving kindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments...Deuteronomy 7:9

Day 236

Reflection 

It’s time to take action 

Quote 

Art is about paying attention. ...Laurie Anderson

Scripture

Thou has enclosed me behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me...Psalm 139:5 

Clearing the Clutter Challenge - Day 12 and 13 - Ephemera and Magazine cuttings

 

Nearly half way through the challenge and understand just how big a challenge I set myself.  Want to make it as practical as possible so that I don't find myself being overwhelmed and lose interest along the way.  Being flexible I understand the most important thing for me to do now is to for each area decide what needs to happen to it.  I had half hoped to be super efficient and have all the areas locked down by the end of the month, but I have not been feeling it, and had lost enthusiasm, was change too bigger price to pay!!  

 

Rome wasn't built in a day, and my collection won't be cleared in a month but it can be better organised the Pottery Barn has some interesting 'schedule systems' ...little and often rather than all at once and fizzle out.    How too when the cares of life come and weigh down on us we feel as if we need to solve the problem there and then, but often taking a fresh set of eyes, talking about it, looking at the possible benefits that may come out (lessons we can learn) then we can see the problem in a whole new way.  

One of the things I knew about the collection was that I wanted to clear it, and knew I had to look at the individual area, why was I keeping it, what could I use it for, could it go to a better home, how long would it take to clear....then when you do have 15 spare minutes it can go to one of the tasks on the list that has already been identified.  So, back to the list.....

Ephemera 

I have got quite a lot so after going through them decided to use a lot more attachments to my paintings and journals, looking at ways to use more of it in my work especially some of the smaller pieces of work....I will also be using more in the journals and assemblage art that I would like to do. You can find some free printable ephemera at Sweetly Scrapped to get you started.

News paper/ Magazine cuttings 

I had seen some of Teesha Moores work and wanted to do some myself with the cuttings.  I put them all in a large folder, and will separate them into categories to make them easier to find.  Some of the images will go into my source book and I want to find a space to put my dream board.  A virtual way of combining the images that I like as been the pinterest board.  Do you have a dream board? Are you are on Pinteres?  leave your details and we can have a look.

Clearing The Clutter Challenge - Day 11 - The Filing Cabinet

The filing cabinet is hidden behind the plastic containers, this whole area will be getting an overhaul

The Filing cabinet is a Big Job.  There are 3 draws filled to capacity and I will need to go through each section and get new file holders, get rid of files that don’t need to be there.  I know that this was an area not for one day, but probably one week if not more.  To start with I got plastic wallets and will look through files to see what could be dumped. I will also make sure that all loose filing is put away.  I also found whilst going through the in-tray work that needed to be actioned, so will spend time doing this as well.  It can be difficult not to drown in paper, there are some things you need to hold on to because of the legal requirements, and most people keep their certificates from birth, graduation etc.  With the inside of the cabinets sorted the outside would also be great to change, and rather than the black wood to have some sort of design on them.  Mandy P from Fabric Paper Glue has a great design that she put on one of her cabinets and also check out her pinterest for more great ideas, if your looking for a tutorial on how to change the look of your cabinets heres a handy one at Piccadilly Market .

With the new technology it would be great to see how effective having everything computerised, but then you wouldn't have all that lovely ephemera to work with??  How long do you hold on to your paper work?

Clearing the Clutter - 30 days of change

I am trying to make myself more accountable in clearing my clutter and working on the little hoarder within me that loves to gather - I meant collector! The Try Something new challenge for this month is definitely testing me to the limits!

I am a collector of things that serve a purpose, or will do some day.  I realise my dad was a 'collector' of power tools, DIY equipment.  I had thought I kept but a few of his keepsakes  but the more I look around my collections I find more things that used to belong to him, some of which are tools I use now in my mixed media (so thanks dad - holding on to them did serve a purpose!).

Much to my protests, my son is showing tendencies, though he doesn't seem as discerning as I would hope and he is on my list of areas to deal with - I guess most parents can relate to the messy teenagers room, not sure if he will let me do a before picture - I still keep threatening to put a photo up on face book!

I often find myself watching the programme called Hoarders.  What pricked my interest was the 'Hoarder specialist' talking about the attachments that the individual had to a range of different things, and that many of the things were kept to fill an emotional hole, but for some the more they collected the bigger the hole became. I guess my attachments are my reminders of my past, or a memory, and as we reflect on them we can choose to hold on or let go.

I have made a list of the areas that I will be covering over the next 30 days.  I realise that some of these areas will take longer than 30 days as the aim is to clear them rather than just throwing one item away....so my 3 draw filing cabinet will more than likely take a bit longer, but the idea is to make a dent, to see what has to be done, make a note and if necessary come back. Some of the things on the list include sorting emails, and poetry. I have written poetry for years, and they have stayed in books gathering dust, it's time to either show them the light or move on.

Here are my 30 tasks....

1.    Sort the contents of my hand bag/s
2.    Clothes that don’t fit
3.    Tatty un-wearable clothes
4.    Old makeup/products
5.    Old jewellery
6.    Recycled Paper/Shredding
7.    Old paints not used
8.    Shoes
9.    Fabric
10. Paper/card
11. Filing cabinet
12. Ephemera
13. News paper/ Magazine cuttings
14. Computer photos
15. Emails
16. Books on shelves
17. Recycled painted materials
18. Old bags not used
19. Poetry to sort
20. Pod casts recorded
21. Rubber Stamps in draws
22. Pencils/graphite/charcoals
23. Stored frames and unused art material
24. Magazine subscriptions
25. Typing to be done
26. Freezer
27. Garden – weeding/cutting back and pruning
28. My sons room!!!!
29. Garden picking up leaves from palm trees – recycling
30. Photography – art work

As I look down the list I can see already there are some things that I have an emotional attachment to and I might find that I start delay tactics in an area that I don't want to delve further in, perhaps each area reveals something that I wanted to subconsciously keep hidden.  I am seeing it as a journey, learn something new not only about myself, but about my space.  I am not an expert, I have read a lot of books on organising, which always seems easier when your doing it for other people, but there is no attachments.  So as I pull back my sleeves and don my 'I mean business face' and recycle, repurpose and give to charity I am going to expose, reveal, renew and regain my space as a place of peace, tranquillity, and most of all creativity.   What areas of your life will you be reclaiming this month?