Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Yippee! Stash enhancement updates!

I received my order from Needle In A Haystack today. I was so looking forward to this! It doesn't look like much for all I spent. It adds up very quickly doesn't it? Good thing I pay the bills in this household.

I got 2 pieces of Belfast, Laguna with gold and white metallic threads for ornaments, and a piece of lambswool. Stitching with this Wichelt will be the test as to whether I can stand it or not. So stiff! I do like my fabrics to have a little more body.

Also got a variety of Crescent Colors (which I have never used), WDW and GAST, a couple of Kreinik threads, some beads and Wisper.



I didn't work today, so I holed up at home, enjoying the snowy weather from inside. I managed to get some post Christmas cleaning done, but I am so ADD when it comes to cleaning! I can find a million reasons to take a break. That is why the vacuum cleaner is still sitting in the middle of the room and one bathroom is half cleaned.

When I clean, I tend to get distracted, and start to organize instead of just straightening. I also get bummed out because I know that a room really doesn't just need a cleaning...it needs to be painted and generally "fixed up." I'll leave now with a photo I just took from an upstairs window, looking out over our back yard and into the neighborhood.



3 comments:

Karoline said...

Nice stash Barb :)

Jean said...

Hi, Barb,
I relate to so much of what you say in your blog! I, too, get too distracted when I clean and even though this is a stitching blog, I want to share a technique that works for me and keeps me on task. I call it my 10 mintute whirlwind (or 15 minute whirlwind). First thing I do is set a timer and challenge myself to get as much done as I can in that amount of time. I work really fast! I don't allow myself to get distracted from the room I am in. I just pick up things and put them away really fast (or whatever the task I need to do- vacuum, etc) I keep reminding myself that it's only 10 minutes and I can stay focused for that amount of time. I reward myself at the end by reading a blog or something I would like. If I don't finish in the allotted time, I agree with myself to do it again later. It's funny but when you have a short amount of time, you work faster and the results are pretty amazing. It fuels me to see such progress! The hard thing is to stop after the timer rings. But I find it an important step for me because it keeps me from getting on overload by doing the same thing for too long.
One other technique I use is a "circle technique". In my kitchen, I start to the right of my sink putting things away and wiping the counter, and continue around the room till I'm back at the sink. I finish washing up anything that needs it and put it away and voila! Done! I save time because I don't get distracted by other areas of the kitchen. I know I'll get to them.

Have a great day!!

Jeanne said...

Love your stash Barb and you are totally right, it sure DOES add up fast! Lately I can't seem to get out of my LNS without putting $100 on my Visa card, hence I am staying away until March I hope. I absolutely detest housecleaning. In my old house I would clean the whole house on a Sat or Sun morning. Now it takes me all day which is just way too much work. So I do it in chunks - one evening I will do the bathrooms, then another time I'll vacuum half the house,etc. I miss having everything clean at the same time but life is too short to spend so much time cleaning. (and I need more time for stitching of course...)