Little Steps

Clutter, clutter everywhere! Inside my head and all around me! I realized a week or two ago just how much all this is slowing me down, so I've been taking little steps this week to reclaim my space and attend to the details needed to reclaim my Self.

Today's focus was on making thank-you cards for people from whom I have recently (December and January) received blog candy. I don't really know what the protocol is on thanking the givers of blog candy, but it seems to me to be appropriate to send at least a hand-stamped card.

Here are two cards I made using the Simply Sent kit called Note of Thanks, which I received from Elizabeth Fortuna as candy along with a pack of love notes with envelopes.


Stamps: Note of Thanks
Colors: Melon Mambo, Whisper White
DSP: Melon Mambo Patterns DSP
Punches: Scalloped Oval, Oval
Big Shot: Beautiful Wings embosslit
And: Melon Mambo Polka Dotted grosgrain ribbon, white gel pen


Stamps: Note of Thanks
Colors: Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Crushed Curry
DSP: Rich Razzleberry Patterns DSP
Punches: Scalloped Oval, Oval, 1" Circle
Big Shot: Beautiful Wings embosslit
And: Melon Mambo Polka Dotted grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Pretties Kit

Kimberley Morris is the other generous soul I'm thanking for blog candy. She sent me two packages of felt snowflakes in two sizes, a stamp set, a punch that matches one of the stamps, and the Winter Bright Simply Scrapping kit plus directions on how to assemble a whole mess of cards using the kit. Pretty awesome!

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As I mentioned above, I've been really struggling with clutter lately. I live in an apartment that's too small for the amount of "stuff" I have -- or maybe I need to stop buying stamping supplies and invest in some decent storage solutions. My desperate hope is to be moving to a better apartment the first half of this year, though, so my plan is to see where I land first, then figure out how to organize the new space.

Meanwhile, my home health aide (Deborah) has graciously offered to help me start packing for the move as well as wage a war on the dust that's settled everywhere. This week we attacked my largest bookcase. All the books on the shelves were packed away into moving boxes and the bookcase got a thorough cleaning. Next we took 10-15 smaller boxes of stamps that have been sitting around waiting to be played with, and organized them onto the empty bookshelves. Here's Deborah with the freshly revamped bookcase:


As you might guess, getting rid of close to fifteen boxes piled up against walls and crammed into corners has greatly improved the appearance of my living space. Are these all my stamps? No. I'd say the bookcase currently houses about a third of my Stampin' Up! stamps, and (shhhhhh, don't tell anyone) I have boxes upon boxes of non-Stampin' Up! rubber tucked away as well. Let's not even get into paper, ink, tools, and embellishments! Ask me where anything is, however, and I can find it within a few minutes. Good thing I have a mind like a steel trap! (Yeah, right.) Until I move, what I have works for me -- and that's the important thing.

Here's another shot of the bookcase I'm oh-so-very proud of:


Down at the bottom is my set of Harry Potter books, just in case I decide I want to read someday!

ETA: Those black blobs you see in front of the stamps are my traditional-style Stampin' Up! punches! As you can imagine, I'm absolutely thrilled that they're now offering punches that close and lock for easier storage!

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Coming up (not forgotten!): Ten sympathy cards and forty Build-a-Bear cards