It's outta here...

OMGosh...now I understand how "hoarders" are born.  Yes I know there are professionals who disagree and say hoarding has something to do with how we're "wired" or something like that.  But, we have all walked into a relatives house in the later years of their life and wondered "why do they have all this 'stuff'?" 

I believe it all happens quite innocently and at a snails pace.  Before you know it you have piles of "stuff" around you, every closet and basket is full and overflowing.  The task becomes sooo overwhelming you decide to ignore it rather than sift through years of magazines, recipes, pictures, clothes, etc...  Well before it gets that far, I decided to nip it in the butt - as they say.

Clothes are not usually a problem.  When you have growing kids, you go through their closets at least once a year, usually twice.  My closet is next...if its too tight, not been worn in a year or out of style...it's outta here!   I'm always amazed at how many t-shirts I give away and the next thing I know...t-shirts...lots of t-shirts! How does that happen...grrr.

Paper, paper, PAPER--everywhere!  I LOVE trees, hate paper! I LOVE magazines, hate paper!  I LOVE getting the mail, hate paper!  In my house it's known as the paper tiger. He sneaks up behind you and before you know it "he's" on top of you and you can't breathe.  Well, NO MORE! I have gotten my mail under control. When I get the mail I immediately go through it and either throw it away (sadly most of it goes bye bye-what a waste of resources) or put it where it needs to go.  Magazines, however, have been a problem for me.  First of all, you cannot throw away a magazine that hasn't been read from cover to cover. Fail...yes you can...its ok, the magazine police aren't coming to arrest me!  After some inspiring words from my friend Lana, I knew I could tame the magazine tiger as well.  I was/am committed, and I succeeded!!!  I went through 15 years (yes FIFTEEN) years of magazines and tore out recipes and articles I wanted to keep, mostly recipes from my Country Woman. I reduced stacks of magazines (probably 8 feet) down to just a 1/2" stack. I have been receiving Country Woman Magazine since 1995, and I absolutely love it.  Which was probably why I still had every issue since 1995.  I must admit, I feel better. I will be organizing them into a binder.

But first, I'm going through my crafting office.  I'm weird.  First I have to purge everything, and then I can get my creative juices flowing to create my recipe binder and start crafting again.  It's coming along and I will share more pictures as it all "comes together".

A first for us...

My dear friend, Beth and I used to work the Vacation Bible School kitchen together at her church.  Their VBS is the biggest in the area, usually have between 150 and 200 children.  We had so much fun coming up with menus, making wagon wheels out of rice krispy treats and fellowship the entire time.  That was about 6 years ago (but we "worked" together for about 3 or 4).  Beth and I are still good friends, although we don't get to see each other as much :( 

Every year on the last day of VBS they have a little carnival for all the participants.  They have blow up slides and bounce-a-rounds, cotton candy, hot dogs, snow cones and lots of games for the kids to play (prizes are candy)...and its all FREE.  Oh almost forgot..they also have a full band that plays Christian rock music, very cool.

Well this year Beth asked me if we could bring the Camaro out because they were wanting to have a small car show to go along with the festivities...gives Dad something to look at too.  Of course, we agreed!

This was our first car show...and I have a feeling it will be the last!  Frank was extremely uncomfortable with people getting too close to his car, especially the little ones with snow cones in hand.  However, it did allow time for the guys to sit and visit, tell old hunting and racing stories...that's always a good time.

The black cherry 1967 Camaro w/ the picture in front is ours, the green Monza is Beth's husbands and the blue truck (my personal favorite) belongs to Beth's Father in Law.

Organization...ahhhhh

A beautiful friend of mine (thanks Ma) invited us to her lovely home yesterday to craft.  She has extended an invite before, but I was never able to accept.  My daughter, Mom and myself arrived a little before lunch yesterday. 

When she opened the door we were greated by her gentle giant, Brody.  Unfortunately I didn't get any pics of Brody.  He is the size of a large laborador but with the colorings of a border collie, with soft fur to match.  He immediately took a liking to my daughter...probably because she plopped herself down in the doorway and began petting him...and didn't stop for the next 20 minutes.

Lana gave me the grand tour of her home...absolutely beautiful!  Simple, clean, very welcoming!  Lana is very very creative.  Example, in her master bath she bought two fabric shower curtains so she would have enough to make the style of shower curtain SHE wanted plus matching curtains for the windows.  She made the quilt/bedspread for her bed, so pretty.  Also inside her entry way is an old-fashioned crank phonograph player, and it still works!

I love everything country and her house is right up my alley! Everything matched, was clean and put away and it was sprinkled with antiques...what's not to love!

Now I have to tell you my favorite part aka le pista resistance'!!!  Her crafting room!  So organized and functional.  I guess this is the feeling people had when the Beatles came to town.  I want my entire world THIS organized!!   Not only did everything have a place, it was in its place, labeled and still looked inviting...not utilitarian.  I was so inspired I didn't make a single card but I cleaned out and sorted my scrap paper box...yeah!  I think the thing that most impressed me was while she purchases everyday things from the store for storage and/or decoration she alters them to work the best in her situation (take the 2 shower curtains for example).

Her craft room is probably 10 x 12' and the amount of crafting material and tools that are not only stored, but easily accessible in her room...WOW!  I could go on and on (obviously)...I didn't even tell you about her creations adorning the walls in her basement aka friend crafting studio. 

Lana and my Mom are both wonderful, crafty women...if you would like to check out their blogs just click on their names.  I hope you are inspired, just as I am.  Right now I'm going to go through a few more (of many many) magazines to pull out the articles I NEED and pitch the ones I don't.  Happy Organizing!!!

Stitches in time...

As many know I have many many interests; paper crafting, baking/cooking, reading, animals, family and so on.  Life is so short, shouldn't we try to enjoy as many "things" as we can?!  I used to sew alot when the kids were smaller.  I enjoyed home decor mostly.  Made all the curtains in my living room (there are 7 reg. size and 2 small ones), small lap quilts, speaker covers...things like that.  Also made a few outfits for Mo, some PJs for the family one year, too.

My sewing machine has been closed up in its cabinet for a few years now.  All I sew lately are buttons.  Kinda miss it actually.  My blog following list reflects my many interests.  This morning I happened on one who decided to turn her passion for creating into a business...as many women (and men) have done.  After all they say if your passionate about what you do, you'll never "work" a day in your life.  She has a great giveaway going so if you're curious why don't you stop over at the Princess' Blog  I'm planning on buying the Old Blue Eyes pin...very pretty!

Have a wonderful day everyone...take time to enjoy something your passionate about today, we never know what tomorrow will bring.

Happy Father's Day!

Wow...the weekends sure do go fast.  My dear hubby has been working 12-hour days at work the last 2 weeks, and it's expected to continue for at least another 2.  Therefore, we decided that after racing we would pile into the motor home and head south for an overnight camping trip.

The kids and I spent the week washing, waxing and stocking the motor home with yummy supplies.  If we would've gotten stranded it would've been at least a week until we were hungry...hehe.  We had cereal and donuts, sausage and eggs, taco salad fixings, steak and corn on the cob, dried meat - cheese & crackers, hot dogs, chips, strawberries and cherries, candy and lots of water.  While Frank & Jon were racing (Jon is tied for the lead again, yeah!)...Mo and I got everything ready to go. Of course, Sidney thinks she's driving...her favorite spot in any vehicle!

Getting home from racing and down to the camp site was questionable for a while.  First the van blew a tire just as they got off the exit ramp (close to home).  So after a quick change, we got the van and trailer home.  The guys got a quick snack since it was now about 2 o'clock and they hadn't eaten yet.  Then we loaded the last few items (toothbrushes, blankets, dog...stuff like that), and headed on our way.  Unfortunately, as we were going down the hill from our house Frank radioed me on the talkers (aka walkie talkies) that he had no brakes.  Back to the house...  After about 2 hours and a trip to several stores to find the right size compression fitting (3/16 NOT 7/32)...we were off again.  This time we made it!

We stayed at a different camp site this time.  With the exception of two pop-tents we were all alone...and I never saw the people who owned the tents.  We set up camp, built a fire and got food ready.  The kids went for a little walk..not too far (Morgan isn't as adventurous as Jon...he got "lost" for about 3 hrs last fall and was "rescued" by some horseman).  Mo brought me back a fist full of daisies...the lake they went to see was surrounded by them (white and yellow).

Sunday morning we (I) awoke early and started the fire and read for a while enjoying the peace.  Only the sounds of the birds, the wind rustling through the trees and the water rushing over the hillside greeted me.  So much better than trains, cars and barking dogs. The only thing that could've made it better was if I would've remembered my coffee, grrr.

So after our yummy breakfast we went for a beautiful walk.  Mother nature sure knows what she's doing!  A beautiful little pond complete with a beaver dam.  Our path took us through where the beavers gathered their wood.  It was fun imagining them "cutting" down a tree, hoping on board and riding it down the hill to the water...too many pixar films for the Franjko's.  Deer prints were everywhere.  Big ones accompanies by itty bitty ones...we didn't get to see any Mama's with their speckled babies though. 

The woods were spectacular.  The sound of babbling brooks, sun reflecting off the underside of healthy green leaves from the lake below, flowers of all colors, wild raspberries and butterflies chasing one another around.  So calming and relaxing...renewing.

Next we headed to the shooting range.  The guys are hunters with a passion for weapons...they are hunter gatherers after all.  Jon brought along his .410 and Frank brought his new "toy".  We only spent an hour there...it was very sunny and I didn't lather on the SPF 70.  Back to the shade of our camp.

Our last meal at camp consisted of pepperoni roll hobo pie and hot dogs.  Then it was time to pack up and head for home :(  Fortunately we made it home with no problems (unless you count stopping for the dog to throw up--we did on the way down too)  We finished our wonderful Father's Day with strawberry and banana shakes along with our meat, cheese and crackers. 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!