writing…

studio organization, take 3? 4?…


after deskW

Originally uploaded by rteest42

Yeah, well. I didn’t make it a resolution. But I DID start it before January ended. Just.

It’s a never ending battle, my desire to have all my things accessible, yet to have space to work with aforesaid items.

This time, I am trying a different way.  I consider this “after’ grouping level one. I know there is more that needs doing. Further organization, and definitely more purging. However, the first layer has been completed, in that all my fabric tools have been corralled onto the window side of the studio, and the scrapbooking/altered book/rubberstamp/floral supply/paints etc have made it to the other side.

Jewelry will for the moment stay with fabric, as it works well, fitting on one shelf. However, if when I move on to the wall side, and can tighten up/toss I could envision jewelry moving there. That would open up a bit more space. But I don’t think its important that they move. More important is making everything accessible.

I also do my creative writing here, and my photoshopping and scanning. (oh, and writing to you, from right there in that closet!)

So, step two is going to be continuing with fabric. I have a goodly supply sitting on the ironing board. That needs to be sorted and stored by either color or by project. I would like for it to all make it into one of the available containers.

Step three will be more daunting. Attacking the scrapbooking wall. I really need to edit the amounts and kinds of things that are there. I need to think about whether I can envision myself using things, no matter how cute they are.

Wish me luck!

New Years Day 2009

If you are a sometimes reader of my blog (And, indeed as I am only a sometimes WRITER of said blog; I can’t ask more of YOU than I do of myself) you may recall that about 11 months back, I made some late entry “New Years Resolutions.”

Well, yeah, that worked well. No, really it did. In a way. I DID get a good deal of Genealogical stuff scanned. But, I discovered a great deal more, and inherited a small collection of Nana’s photos, AND I never did get them all clean and shiny and up on line, so…

Let’s call it a wash, ok? No harm, no foul.

Tomorrow is a new day, and all that rot. I played with some the other day, and discovered that at least four generations of us have the same mouth. (What do YOU think?)

I could spend all my time editing them, bringing them back to life. It’s fun and keeps me from housework. Right there is reason enough, if you ask me.

However, it keeps me from quilting. (Somewhere in the studio are a few dozen unfinished projects) And from editing MY OWN photographs, burning CD’s, getting them on line and trying to sell some. Oh, and writing – It keeps me from writing –(I’ve a Fan Fiction story I’m 150k into, my hero is lying, gravely injured in a hospital bed, yet, here I am, goofing off. It’s no wonder my muse has up and left…)

So, do I do the New Years Resolution thing again? Or do I put my money where my mouth is with the whole Reduce, ReUse, Recycle theme and recycle LAST YEARS RESOLUTION(S)?

One ‘goal’ is going to be not taking plastic bags. I sew. I can make bags. For a buck I can BUY bags at the store. And do I NEED a bag for a roll of THREAD?? (thanks Kerin, for the inspiration)

Hmmm. Ok, that is a selfless resolution. Onto some selfish ones.

I will QUILT!!! I will try very hard to buy only SOME fabric. And I will even try to make said fabric have a plan! Not just become part of my Fabric 401k, (which by the way, despite the economy, is holding steady. A yard is a yard is 36 inches)

I will get off my duff and try to get some of my photographs SOLD. (wanna help?)

I think that’s enough. Don’t want to overdo the whole planning my life thing.

Another year over, a new one just begun….

And what have we to show for it?

New friends were made,

Old friends re-discovered.

Goodbyes were said,

But greetings were offered.

We experienced vast Historic days.

We strove to laugh in many ways.

New places were discovered;

Old places once again uncovered.

Happy news out weighed the sad;

On balance, it was a good year.

With more of the same to come! Happy New Year 2009!!

(Oh, I do have an interactive part to this New Years Resolution thing… I want YOU to resolve to leave me COMMENTS!!!!!)

What I am Reading Right Now..

Reading has always been an important part of my life. I can recall fondly sitting in bed late at night as a little girl, with a book about Jesus as a boy. It had him learning to walk, and a pillow tied to his bottom to keep him hurting himself when falling. It was liberally illustrated and someday I will look for the title, if only to prove I am not making it up!! (If YOU know the book, do tell!!)

 

My favorite story book was Pickles the Fire Cat, and the Magic Fish. I loved Harold and the Purple Crayon, and Little House on the Prairie, and Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew and ….

 

My tastes have changed some since then, but reading is still an integral part of my life. I go the gamut, from flossy historical romance yarns about frivolous heroines to far more literary options such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  One of my favorites of all time would be Douglas Adams Hitchhiker series, all 5 parts of the trilogy.

 

 

I got hooked on Stephanie Plum a few summers ago, totally not the thing I would lean toward, as the books were THIN. I am not much for thin books. I love a hefty 1000 pager any day. But, hooked I was, and after devouring the 12 that were existent, I found that I was unsatisfied with the lack of ending and thus began my journey into Fan Fiction (you can read more about THAT here)

 

 

But I decided last month, to revisit the Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon. I read them once about three years ago. And I am so very deeply immersed in them (up to book five, The Fiery Cross, at the moment) that I dream Jamie and Claire. Really. Here we have SIX books, over 1000 pages a piece!!! Heaven!!! And a writer who has made everything so incredibly real that my mind can not turn off!

 

 

I have tried to explain to my husband, who thinks it very humorous indeed, that when get caught up in a book, I lose track of time. And I lose the ability to put the book down, for fear of missing something. You can ask Arlie about that. How many dinners were late because my nose was in a novel??

 

 

This is so humorous to Timmy that he tells it to people, embellishing to the point of me sounding slightly weird. He sees it almost as I believe that the book is a TV show, and I don’t have my VCR on. But that isn’t at all what I mean.

 

 

Surely one of you out there understands?? Surely someone can appreciate being so deeply involved in Ann Rice’s The Witching Hour that you would need to pull over on the road to finish the chapter that you had to put down before you were ready??

 

Support me here folks!!!

Sorry, no pictures to go along with this post…. And please, do respond!! I would love to know that people actually READ here!!!