Cleaned my closet....almost..still working on it.......

I started cleaning my closet yesterday and I am proud to say I have a clean closet and 2-3 bags of clothes to donate and/or sell. I should have taken a before picture.  I took everything out and was just going to dust off the shelves and rod "when what to my wondering eyes should appear" but soot on everything!  Soot, you say?  In a closet with no vents or windows?  How could that be?  Well, let me tell you........candles!  Yep!

I burn candles all the time and love them especially to mask the "animal" smell that might be lingering in my home.  I had to get Dawn (the grease cutter) and scrub down the shelf and rod and also my plastic containers.  So, first no fireplace and now no candles.  I guess beeswax candles don't have soot but I've used soy and they still have soot.  I'm thinking it might be the perfume/oils in them rather than the wax itself but what do I know?  Not much, except there will be no more burning in my house.  I'll be using my little warmers and my little crock pot with simmering potpourri. 

I have 1/2 closet empty except for the shelf  as I put my containers back.....and some supplies that were in the hall closet.  Some of these containers will be emptied too as there are heels in there that I will never wear again as long as I live. LOL! 

  

 This is a better place for the tp and kleenix as it is right next to the "mistresses"  bathroom. Those notebooks are my journals...each one holds a year's worth but those are only the ones I've organized...I have over 15 years worth of journals!  I need to get more notebooks when I go to Staples next time.

The shelf and rod are not bowed but they sure look like it in the picture.  I have plenty of room on the floor now too but I want to replace my laundry baskets............

with something like this..........

reason being, the laundry baskets with the holes all around them tend to let in pet hairs and I have to wipe them out every time before I put my clean clothes in them.  Plus, the rectangles are awkward getting in and out of the closet and I've banged my knuckles more than once.  So, it's settled....I'll be getting 3 of those bucket type tubs for my laundry and they won't take up as much space either and I like the handles better. 
I'm thinking of putting a small dresser or bookcase in there too for shoes or miscellaneous items such as scarves, belts, etc. as those are all taking up drawer space right now...well, not the shoes.  I've sorted through my hangars and I have a whole shopping bag full of those to take to the thrift store too.  My Spring/Summer clothes are in the guest room closet.
Hmmmmm......now what to do with this stuff?  LOL! 

But to make the day worthwhile, in a different sort of way, I made some homemade bread in between my bouts with the closet.  Carbs are helpful when you are letting go of so much.  Goodbye career suits and high heels and clothes you will never fit in again........ever!
 So here's a before and after........
 BEFORE:

 AFTER:

YUM!
Happy Trails!

Cold Tuesday but the "warmup" is coming tomorrow!

I didn't get off to a very good start this morning....my kitchen t.v. "bit the dust" and I'm afraid my printer did too.  Hmm....they're plugged into surge protectors but why both at the same time?  Then, the phone rings and it's Dish Network wanting to know if my Dish is working alright...coincidence?
I did manage to find out that I can take old electronics to the recycling center "when the white truck is there".....so am I supposed to ride around with all my old electronic equipment in  my car until the "white truck" arrives?  Thank goodness the Recycling Center is not too far so when I take my other things if I see "the white truck" I can run back home and load up the dead t.v.'s and other members of my electronic graveyard.

Meanwhile,my girls always lift my spirits...............this is Grace...for some reason she REALLY believes we can't see her behind this curtain....

I finished a few books and I think I forgot to tell you about some of them..........
Town in a Blueberry Jam is a great new "cozy"mystery series with recipes and a great plot and storyline.  This is the first book in the series and I plan on reading more!

This book is old and written by a minister who lived in the woods in Michigan.  He believed the spiritual was all around us in nature.  He had his own church where he was pastor but these writings and his own pen and ink drawings came from his walks and experiences in nature.  This is a "keeper" and will go in my "keeper" bookcase.

This is  my next non-fiction that I'll be starting tonight.  It's a pioneer woman's journal.  I love these types of books.  This is a library book.

I made 15 bean soup yesterday...I love this picture of all the different beans while they're soaking...... 

 Here's the 15 bean soup package.......it might be a Southern product but I'm not sure.  It's very frugal and very tasty.  I always add a ham bone or ham meat to it and serve it with cornbread.

I found that an empty Coffee-mate container is great for sprinkling ice melt. The lid screws on and off for filling.....

and the pop-top is great for the sprinkling.

Well, time for some of that soup and then an evening of watching the Olympics.  Stay warm and safe!
Happy Trails!

YOP Sunday

What a great week this has been to be trapped inside! LOL! It's icy out there and there have been no sand trucks or plowing done here.  The garbage hasn't been picked up for a week and I don't think they've delivered any mail either.  It's beginning to melt now as we are finally above freezing but meanwhile I've been getting things done and the Olympics are on too!

I started off the day with some cinnamon rolls to give me energy to blog! LOL!
I finished the cross stitch portion of the book mark.  Now I need to sew a backing and tea dye it. 

I washed and blocked the scarf for my daughter and it's ready to send off.

This is the giraffe in progress....I'm up to the neck now and ready to close off and stuff and then the appendages are after that........

I finally pieced together the backing for my grandson's wall hanging/grow chart and I'm ready to "sandwich" and pin baste next.

My one son received his hat in the mail and loved it.....what's not to love when it's -10 F.  I also included some O'Keefe's hand cream and a bag of 15 bean soup.....sort of a Winter Warmup package.
The hat for my other son is on the decreases now so it will probably get done by today and then I can send his package off later this week as tomorrow and Tuesday we are supposed to get more snow!

I need to do some crochet for a change or in conjunction with the knitting and I found just the project!  Not that I need another one but when you see something that takes your breath away you just have to give in.....it's your soul speaking to you! This came by way of Faith...as in the person....who posted about this last week.........(be still my beating heart).  This is her version and after researching others I still think hers is my favorite.

 

 This is Emily's version.........

This is the original version...........

And this is the book "from whence they came".............the pattern is by Doris Chan but came out of a book by Kim Werker.

So, "needles" to say, I need supplies!!!  So this week I will be placing an order (and putting a second mortgage on the house....no, just kidding) and I do needs lots!  I have nothing in the baby yarn category or baby fleece category to make anything for the Preemie Project.  Since way before Christmas I've only been working on gift items it seems but hopefully once I get supplies in I can balance projects better as in my "round robin" plan of  making something to gift, something to give and then something for me.
I hope you are all doing great and the warmup is coming....it really is!  Happy trails until we meet again..........