Sue's World

Buy One, Get One Free Turkeys

This is probably the only time I'll ever run to the store to take advantage of a BOGO on turkeys.  Yes, I need 2 turkeys.  Our Grace Group is having a Thanksgiving dinner next week and then I'll be cooking on Thanksgiving.  Since I'm at home during the day, I volunteered to cook the turkey for the GG.  So when I saw and ad for the free turkey, I got excited.  Sale starts tomorrow.  Now comes the challenge of making room in the freezer for the second one....  Maybe I can stuff the turkey with ice cream.  Problem solved!

Cooling Trend

Last week I put flannel sheets on the bed and it got warmer after that.  I was just considering putting the regular sheets back on but last night it cooled enough to warrant the heat coming on this morning.  What's going on?  Make up your mind, Mother Nature!

I am enjoying watching the seasons change.  Our maple tree has been bare already for a couple of weeks and our tiny little liquidamber changed its colors.  Usually the leaves fall before the change.  I would love to have another maple just for the additional burst of color. 

Enough talking...as soon as the gardeners leave (they just arrived), I will probably head out to do some work out back.  There's much to do this time of year.

Finally Tackling The Messiest Room In The House

My office/workroom.  What a mess.  I cringe going in but have developed the ability to sit down and ignore it.  Until today. 

I bought a new printer and set it up (just need a USB cable).  That started a concerted effort to clean and dust my computer cart.  Done.  Receipts recorded and tossed.  Stuff organized; other stuff filed appropriately. 

I cleared the daybed.  No more piles of stuff.  Some has been filed, some tossed, some put in the properly place elsewhere in the house.  Some went to the floor to be dealt with later.

A few things stick out:

1) If I don't want to forget something, I keep it out and that's how the piles start.  I bought some jewelry supplies from a craft store.  Instead of keeping a "to do" list, I keep the supplies visible.  BAD!

2) I keep things "just in case", mostly paperwork.  I will try to start scanning stuff and tossing the paper.  I also need to stop cutting ideas out until I go through some of what I already have.  If nothing else, I should file ideas where I've already established a working system.

3) Most of the mess is really stuff I pull out from drawers, closet, etc. and it's easy to put back in place.

4) I really do need a craft "to do" list so I can safely store supplies out of sight but that storing them doesn't equate to forgetting about them.

5) I have far too many photographs in frames in drawers.  I should pick a few more to hang on the wall and then use albums to store the rest.  Far too much drawer space is devoted to frames and photos!

On the plus side, I buy far less craft supplies than I used to.  And I use more of what I have than ever.  I need to get cracking to do some of the long-planned projects and I know I'll feel better about things when that happens.  With Christmas next month (oh my gosh; it's really close) it's a great opportunity to continue making progress and doing things I've wanted to do. 

So today's clean-up session has ended; I will get back to it tomorrow.  Clean room = increased creativity and peace. 

Goodbye Halloween; Hello Thanksgiving!

This morning I intended to start putting Halloween decorations away.  Before I knew it, all traces of Halloween were gone and now it's decorated for Thanksgiving.  It's so fun to pull things out from their boxes and enjoy decking the house out.

Fittingly, I made mom's Pumpkin Nut Crunch for my Grace Group last night and they loved it.  I served it with vanilla bean ice cream and whipped cream and it was gobbled up (pun not intended).

It won't be too long before our home is filled with the heavenly scent of turkey and all of the trimmings.  We have a lot to be thankful for!

November Madness

I had to chuckle a bit yesterday as I realized how many craft projects I have in progress right now.  Owing to the fact that some are going to be Christmas presents I'm not going to divulge much of what I'm working on.  I finished stitching another cross-stitch project yesterday.  It's a little piece that says "Faith, Love, Hope".  I am going to sew it into a little banner.  I also cut out fabric for stockings for hubby and me.  I stitched bands for each stocking.  Mine has bears decorating a tree with my name and hubby's has bears in front of a fireplace with his name. 

I queued up several sewing projects so when I actually sit down to sew, I will make progress on multiple things.  I am looking forward to spending Thanksgiving weekend at the cabin which means I need to have the remaining bedskirts ready then.  No sweat.