Spring Challenges at the Shoebox Ranch

I've been completely overwhelmed trying to clean my house in case the landlady follows through with her plans to sell it. So I've had little time for crafting or designing or blogging. But I can't stay healthy without creating things so I spent an entire day in a mall crocheting, people watching, and forgetting my problems. That was last Saturday. This Saturday I stayed home to clean since we are running out of time, but I still plan to get back to that crochet project today. I haven't even touched it since I left the mall!

To make matters worse my boyfriend is sick too, but has to work anyway since his job offers no paid sick leave. It is basically sink or swim (or swim until you sink).

On the positive side, my hypnosis has been paying off. I have 3 hypnosis clients that have paid me for sessions, so I can at least pay a few bills and keep gas in the truck.

Spring is here and the birds are serenading me. I have a new roadrunner lurking in the yard as well. And the chipmunks are out of hibernation and running all over the place eating the peanuts and almonds and corn from the critter feed mix I get at Winco.

So I'm crossing my fingers and hoping we don't lose our home and that the universe smiles upon us. Think good thoughts for us.

Free form spiral medallion for the back of a vest or jacket.

Cleaning Day

A handyman is coming over tomorrow to see what repair work the new owner wants done inside the apartment. So my art schedule flew out the window so I could clean. Yesterday we were also out of town most of the day picking up the truck from the mechanic and delivering merchandise. Tomorrow isn't looking good either because the repairman will be here. We don't know if they are starting right away or just making notes. It could be over in an hour.  As the saving goes, life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.

I am working on many projects though. I'm crocheting some granny squares out of scrap yarn. I've been really good about not buying any new yarn. I want to use up all I have first, which could take years. But if we have to move, I'm scared I'll lose everything, so I'm using it while I still can. I have a snood that is almost finished. I have a vest that is knitted that's almost done too. It won't do me much good in the heat of summer so I need to get done with it. Taking a day off won't kill me. It will just make it more fun tomorrow.

Spring Cleaning Starts Early

So far today I've moved a lot of junk to reclaim my sewing and drawing area. I wrote about it here: Sewing Area I'm just taking a break now. I have a long, long way to go. I can't wait to move the bigger pieces of furniture. Right now it's just drudgery sorting things and pitching things and labeling stuff. I hate this kind of work, and yet no one else is going to do it. The cats think it's a great game though. They think I'm building them a rec room and perhaps I am. It's a good thing they don't have opposable thumbs or I'd put them to work. It's a beautiful day but a little windy, so I'm going to be stacking boxes outdoors so I can make room for vacuuming and rearranging my drawing table, and 3 tool chests.

This thing with the egg cartons on it is my drawing table. I haven't seen the top of it in about 3 years.

Sorting and Tossing

Today I'm doing one of those tasks that most of us hate. I'm going through boxes of projects that never quite made it.  Embroidery Christmas stocking parts that were too tedious to hold my interest, a mermaid doll I cut out and sewed and turned and then abandoned, old purses I never went through so I could give them to a thrift store and so on. I did find about $2.00 in change I added to my car fund in a giant pretzel barrel. And I found some momentos of my daughter's wedding in Vegas. Quilt projects that need to be sewn into pillows or potholders. And letters from penpals that stopped writing when e-mail took over the universe. I still have a long way to go but I have a headache from all the dust I've inhaled.
I did find some clothes that had gone missing. One is the red dress I need for my wardrobe project. It's all good, but not much fun.

Sorting and Cleaning

We literally spent the entire day cleaning out boxes, sorting projects, and repairing the water damage as best we could. I'd have dozens of things to list on Etsy if I'd just finish up some of these things. We really need either studio space or a storage unit, but can afford neither. I'm sure a lot of artists are in the same boat. We are nowhere near done with the task. And company is coming tomorrow night. Ack! But I just can't clean any more today. I'm spent.

Sometimes I'm so silly

For the last few days I've been lamenting that I had no more canvases to paint and no money to buy more until I sell something. Then today I suddenly remembered I have a whole bunch of hard shelled gourds I've been meaning to paint, so I spent the afternoon scrubbing them and getting them ready for art projects.