Sometimes you have to “make room” or “clean house” in order to move on. In Feng Shui, I understand they call this space clearing and letting go. I have been a thrifty, frugal, “tight as a duck’s bum”, penniless, bargain-hunting hoarder for a very long time, so letting go is like cutting an umbilical chord for me. Ouch!
However, in the spirit of lusting after some new tools – pencils, for instance – I thought I ought to go through all my stash (and I have given away an awful lot of stuff recently), and divest myself of certain things that are gathering dust! My criteria is: If I haven’t looked for it or used it in the last 6 months, it should go. Here’s what I have been sorting through this week!
It might not look like very much, but there are 5 clear tubs of fabric flowers there, which have all been sorted by colour now. Lots of these are 3-4″ wide and perfect for stamping or cardmaking, etc.
Some of these are tulle, velvet, with glittery edges… so pretty but they need to be used not kept in a tub! So these are to be sold. I have a large collection of vintage photos, cabinet cards and postcards which I have also started to sort and list in my Etsy shop. Some will be listed as originals and some will be available as digital downloads – I just have to make time to get it all done! If I had a boyfriend with blonde hair, I’d use this adorable baby as a photo card for his Mother for Mother’s Day… hehehe!
And then, there are the charms and findings and the bracelets I’ve been itrching to sort out for sale! If I can only find my pliers… 😉
See the little fish? Keyfobs for anglers, phone charms for anglers… we’ll see! I am very restless though – may just have to get messy this weekend. However, at least I have finished knitting some wristies for my friend Lyn and this morning I am off to deliver a painting for a friend’s new baby’s room, and to have a chat with the organiser of the Village Craft Fair that was fully booked today.
16"x20" canvas for Zaine
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Altered Art & Stuff... 
Marit
/ March 12, 2011I’m a hoarder too… I cleaned everything last year but I’m not ready to do it again! When Spring really sets in, then maybe (just maybe….) I have the courage to go through everything again and ‘let loose’. You’re a very brave woman! Enjoy your weekend my dear!
Kim Mailhot
/ March 12, 2011I have been thinking that I need to do this with my studio too. Just too much stuff. I have been imagining what it would feel like it there was some air, some space, rather than drawers and an armoire and even underneaths of desks jambed with stuff in boxes. Spring is springing here, and so are my “letting go” impulses. A good thing I think !
Enjoy the purge !Oh, and definitely get messy asap !
billiescraftroom
/ March 14, 2011Hi Rosie
OMG only unloved for 6 months! Eek that’s most of my craft room!!! I’m a bumble bee crafter. I go all excited about something and mad on it, then go onto something else. But in time I revisit things and I love it when crafts will work with each other and can be combined in some way.
My best tip, store stash by type. I have an art part, stamping, bookbinding, embellishents, tools. This may just be a dedicated box to each thing (or a whole cupboard for stamps (not fessing up to that)). But when stuff is in categoties its easier to find things and they are more likely to get used 😉 I might not be able to tell you exactly which drawer something is but I’ll know what area to find it in.
I blame the dyslexia, without being mad organized I have NO idea where things end up. I have a tote which has ‘stuff to alter’ in it. In there lives the kind of sale items that were a silly price and couldn’t be left in the store, or stuff someone was going to throw away and you think you could do something with it.
All power to you though girl, de-stash for cash, for what you really want sounds like a good plan. As you say very cleansing for the soul as well as the cupboards 🙂
Have fun
Billie
PS Sorry for the essay 😉