MY LOVE FOR BLUE AND WHITE THINGS.

I want my home to celebrate the blue-and-white color tradition. New, old, traditional, vintage or folk, if it’s blue and white I love it all. You might ask: Why blue and white? Why not blue-and-green or red-and-white or some other combination? Well, I’ve discovered that a focus on blue-and-white is a very positive influence in my life. When I see blue-and-white around me in my personal space, I feel harmony and confidence.

Our pro-high-tech, consumerist society is plagued with industrial chrome, plastic grays and glossy black, colors which reinforce human-inspired activity and complexity. Color therapy research indicates that the combination of blue and white is a very special one that represents simplicity, sensibility, and aesthetics. To achieve harmony and simplicity of spirit, we need to rediscover the colors of our natural world.

The combination of blue and white can help us rediscover our true roots in nature. The blue signifies blue sky and the sea and symbolizes fidelity and serenity. White is the color of clouds, stars, and candle light and stands for purity, new beginnings, and unity. When combined, blue-and-white creates a sense of completeness and aesthetic harmony. And , as far as I'm concerned, all that adds up to domestic color therapy. That’s why I want the bulk of the things I acquire, make, and display in my home to include these colors.

As I’ve pursued my predilection, among other things, I’ve finally found a set of mismatched vintage dinner plates, saucer plates, and cups that make up my blue and white table collection. I like to see all the ways that the different dishes coordinate. And collecting disparate dishes is much less expensive than heading out to buy a complete set. They’re more interesting, too.

Mismatched blue & white dishes add charm to an informal table.

Perhaps my preference for these colors at the table has to do with my fond childhood memories of Blue Willow plates. Also, I have always been drawn to traditional Japanese home decoration and applaud their simple and dignified homes. Over many centuries, the combination of blue-and-white has been a strong element of Japanese style in home and table decoration. (Of course, the Japanese aren’t the only people to emphasize blue and white, and the folk art of many countries has a blue-and-white tradition.)

So, I’m always on the lookout for blue and white finds at the thrift stores. But I’m willing to go slow. I can’t just throw out or give away a lot of things just because they aren’t white or blue. What I’ve done up to now is add some blue-and-white things to my home – for example, some curtains and sheets, a tablecloth, napkins, dishes, and a few small accessories. As you might imagine, I'm also doing my best to emphasize natural materials - wood, stone, cotton, ceramics, etc.- at my house.

So, here’s my recommendation. Try out the power of blue-and-white in your decoration and see if it doesn’t help you to have a more complete and harmonious home. Choosing these colors should also help you find the strength to focus on your personal causes. Obviously, domestic peace and harmony depend on something more than blue and white house decoration. You must also simplify, de-clutter and clean your home.

 

JOYS OF AN EDITED & ORGANIZED CLOSET

I remember a time - not so long ago - when shopping for clothes meant going downtown or to the mall with any excuse of "needing" some clothing item, or having no excuse at all. It involved hours of endeavor - all morning or afternoon - going in and out of stores, trying on clothes. And often as not leaving the stores with several items, even though I’d gone there looking for something in particular.

 

Ah, and those were also the days when our credit cards had room for a few more purchases – not minding the ever-growing balance of debt that accumulated. Shopping was supposed to be sheer pleasure. On that basis, we bought a lot of stuff. Our closets overflowed.

Today, things have changed for many of us. Shopping for clothes isn’t at all what it was.  We’ve rejected crass consumerism. We'd feel embarrassed to flaunt our exit from the stores carrying so many bags. We also know that we should carry a personal, reusable shopping bag, or at the very least, leave the stores with as few disposable bags - paper over plastic - as possible. 

 

Also, of late we’ve embraced the concept of minimalism – for the home and for the closet. We no longer like to see our closets spilling over with outfits. We’ve found that some well chosen clothes – maybe just 20 or 30 items often work very well. And we allow ourselves something new only when we’re willing to give away a corresponding item. 

My winter wardrobe of 25 ítems

 

Closet minimalism is a good way to go. I recommend it. And why worry about limited closet space when what you really need takes up just a small space? If you like the idea, start editing your closet right away. It’s easier than you might think.

 

Start editing

Take all your clothes out of the closet and inventory them. You'll see that you have more clothes than you thought. There are probably several items that you used to love, but have gotten shoved to the back of the clothes rack. Some clothes no longer fit, others show wear, and some need zippers or buttons.

To begin your inventory, make five piles of clothes on the bed or floor.

The first pile is for “keepers” - those that fit and that you absolutely love and wear at least once a month.  

The second pile is for those things that fit but require dry cleaning or some minor repair. If you plan to keep them, take care of these needs right away.

The third pile is separated out for donation, selling or giving away. It includes clothes that no longer fit, are out-dated, or those you just don’t like anymore.

Pile four is made up of torn or stained clothes that nobody is likely to want. (I never recommend throwing out clothes. You can wear them around the house or to bed, or cut them into rags (for cleaning or craft projects.)

Pile five is for seasonal clothes or exceptionally good special occasion outfits. Store them in a box or clothing bag elsewhere in the house. You’ll get them out when you need them.



 All the shoes in my winter closet. (Boots are in boxes.)

Hang the "keeper" clothes back in your closet by groups of items -- such as coats, outer wear, dresses, skirts, blouses, dress pants, exercise wear -- or in some other order that makes sense to you. You may also need to sort through and edit the rest of your clothes - underwear, shoes, and accessories - before returning them to their places. 

Then, if you think that you still have too many "keeper" clothes, here are some further editing options.

Extreme wardrobe reductionism.  

You can further reduce your need for closet space and stop wasting time wondering what to wear. Do this by simplifying your clothing needs to 6, 8, or 10 well-coordinated outfits. Keep clothes that are simple in design and of the same color scheme, so you can mix and match.  Since you are going to have fewer items, you want to choose totally comfortable items.  Get rid of the rest. You never again have to dig deep in your closet to see if there’s stuff in there that you want to wear.

You won’t need many items at all, if you adopt a personal uniform style – everything is usable, by definition. Your uniform should be one of your choosing – a look that represents your inner self or, at least, that part of yourself you want to share with the outside world. Eliminate absolutely everything else. For example, there are women who always wear a suit to work. They have 4 or 5 suits that are simple in style and neutral in color. The individual pieces of the suits can be mixed and matched to create their entire professional wardrobe. Another sort of uniform, for women who are homemakers or casual-dress workers, would be 3 pairs of khaki pants (or nice jeans) and 5 blouses or shirts in similar style but varying colors. This kind of uniform can be worn year-round. 

Don't accumulate useless stuff again
Regardless of your editing criteria, once you've reduced your wardrobe, don’t allow yourself to accumulate a lot of stuff again. Remember, your best wardrobe is one that is full of clothes that you love and wear often.

When you decide that you really need to shop, don't buy several items, when you only need one. Also, think about alternatives to going downtown or to the mall. You don’t have to buy new clothes. Nice, gently used clothes are easily found. Visit yard sales. Go to thrift shops or vintage stores. You’ll probably find something that you like at a great price.

 
Check your closets and drawers every few weeks to see if they are still in the best possible order. You’ll find that your edited and organized closet will be a long-term source of personal satisfaction and confidence.

Note
Due to "popular request" and to my compulsive need to document most everything, here is a list of the 25 clothing items and shoes in my winter wardrobe. Gym/yoga clothes and at home grunges are not included.

2 black skirts/different textures
1 blue jean skirt
1 dress pants/black
2 blue jeans
1 "dressy" dress - LBD
2 cardigans/black & grey
2 pullovers/grey & black
3 jackets/black zip-up, black snap-up & blue jean
1 blazer (still need to buy)
1 parka/black
1 trench coat/medium blue
1 hooded sweat shirt/dark grey
4 short sleeve shirts/assorted colors
3-3/4 sleeve shirts/assorted colors

2 tennis/walking and running
2 heels/ closed with tie and closed with strap
2 boots/hiking and snow
flats with straps
chunky pull-on flats (still need to buy)

Related posts. http://grandmasusansalmanac.blogspot.com/2012/09/things-to-downsize-right-away-case-1.html http://grandmasusansalmanac.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-consumerism-still-tries-to-fool-us.html

HOW I FINISHED A GRANNY SQUARE AFGHAN IN RECORD TIME AND COST

Last night, in the middle of the night, finding myself with some flu-like bug and a cough that just wouldn't quit, I decided to crochet my very first giant granny square afghan. My project kept me occupied for four hours, from 1 to 5 am, at which time I finished my afghan - about 50" X 50". Oh, and by the way, its total cost was two dollars.

Now all that probably doesn't seem very likely to you. And, of course, it's not. Not likely and not true. Except that it is, sort of.

Giant granny squares are useful and colorful items for the home.

Here's the story of this crocheted afghan.

I absolutely love to surround myself with colorful homespun items and always wanted to crochet a giant granny square afghan. I just never got around to it. And having crocheted some small granny squares as dishcloths, I was pretty sure I had the skills. But, sitting down so long to make an afghan was something that never happened - due to time constraints and general laziness to undertake such a big project that would take scads of yarn and way too many long hours. I always said that there would come a time when I would pull together some exquisite yarns and see the threads join into a beautiful granny square creation for my home. Last night I accomplished that goal.

But I didn't really crochet a whole afghan in one night. What I did was finish one - a nice one that I'm proud of.

This story began about two years ago when I was scouring the local thrift stores looking for used knitted and crocheted items. My purpose was to tear out and salvage the yarn for making scarves and shawls. I had found a number of sweaters that served well being torn out and, later, reused for other projects. I even blogged about the process. (See below.) One day, back then, I ran across a granny square afghan in a thrift shop - with nice purple and black yarn. It even looked in good condition and the cost was just two dollars. I was really pleased to buy it. Best of all, all that yarn was a medium weight acrylic that holds up well for any number of needlework projects.

Of course, it had a problem. That's why it was there, being sold for just a couple of dollars. The last row of crochet had come out and the loose yarn was hanging down - several yards worth. What's more, any movement of the blanket caused further unraveling. Apparently, no one had appreciated just how nice this afghan was and how many hours of work it represented. Being somewhat unraveled didn't seem to be a big problem for me since I, at first, wanted to unravel it, anyway. But, when I got it home, I realized that it was much too nice to destroy. So, I put it away on a top shelf to wait the time when I could repair it.

That time just didn't come around. I seemed to have dozens of projects that were more urgent than reworking an afghan.  But last night, the time was right. I realized that I was totally unlikely to sleep and I hate to spend my hours tossing around in bed unable to rest. That's when I remembered the afghan on the top shelf, a great project for a long night of insomnia.  The huge respiratory meltdown was the right moment for finishing the afghan.

I took the blanket off the closet shelf and carried it to the living room. There, after trying several hook sizes, I found one that seemed to be the same as the one used to make the square. Figuring out the pattern turned out to be very easy because granny squares just repeat the same stitches all through. It turned out to be a double crochet stitch and I settled down to work on the couch with a hot tea - actually, 4 hot teas during those four hours - along with two coverlets over my legs. It took less than an hour to redo the raveled out row.

While I was pleased to see the row now repaired, the blanket didn't seem to have much pizazz. The two colors were nice but it still appeared unfinished and a bit drab. Since I knew that I would have several more hours of wakefulness, I decided to go around the last row with a single crochet. I chose a medium blue acrylic from my yarn stash. That shade of blue gave it a bit more color but didn't cause so much contrast as to call undue attention to the finishing row.

I'm proud of my work. But, of course, it isn't the granny square afghan of my dreams. The one I was hoping to make would have been much more colorful - that according to my fantasy, at least. The truth is that I was really lucky to have found this afghan at a thrift store and to finally find the time to finish it. So, I'll say this one counts as my first giant granny square blanket, made in record time (overlooking the two years it sat shelved) and at a cost of 2 dollars.

To conclude this story and, according to my best hopes, hit the bed for a few hours of morning sleep, there are some points that I hope you've noticed here. First, there is a good possibility to find homespun items for very little money at garage sales and thrift stores. Most of them will need some work. Second, if you're willing to do a bit of repair, used needlework can be a useful and attractive addition to the home. Second, there are moments when a time slot - even a less than optimal one - will allow you to carry out a project. So, getting to work at those times is a real plus - in the great scheme of things.

I'm not going to give out the instructions for making this afghan. There are any numbers of Internet blogs and videos that do that ever so much better than I could. 

But, I do highly recommend the making of your own granny square afghan and/or the searching out for used blankets of this kind wherever they may appear.  They are really versatile as to color choices and they can be as large as you like. You just keep on crocheting until the size feels right. And they are so nice, thrown on the back of the couch or wrapped around you while reading a book or doing needlework or some other craft.  And you'll love to have your blanket, as mine is, folded at the end of the bed, offering extra warmth on these frosty winter evenings.

 

Related post

http://grandmasusansalmanac.blogspot.com/2011/07/unravel-old-sweaters-and-knit-new.html

One day later - update
Some people - like me - just don't know when to stop. Just decided to add a row of scalloping to the simple crochet edge. Well, my record time afghan may be taking a bit longer, after all. 

THINGS TO DOWNSIZE RIGHT AWAY: CASE #1 – LARGE, FLUFFY BATH TOWELS

Even if you haven’t gone through some major economic emergency that has forced you to reduce your former household size, you probably have some kind of plan to downsize and/or take the clutter out of your house. You know - in your heart of hearts - that having all those possessions is getting to be a burden and your soul longs for a lighter material life.

Downsizing seems to be about people's stuff, but it's really about their attitudes and values. And nobody says the process is easy. In fact, many people report a lot of emotional baggage around letting go. We, understandably, tend to identify with our possessions, so downsizing, for any reason, means a confrontation with who we think we are – our very identity. For example, many people with shelves and shelves (and walls) of books say that all those books mean something to them. Can that possibly be true? Of course, not. But their own identity is tied up with trying to be that person who would read all that (and more). You have to let go of that fantasy self and find a new one who says: “I’m only going to live so many more years, and the chances I read or need to look up something in all of these books is close to zero."

It’s the person that has to change. And, beside books, here's a list of other "sticky" possessions that most people find it hard to part with:

Collections of photos, mementos, and family "treasures"

Antiques and favored furniture

Clothing and other “creature comforts”

Stuff they thought they’d use in the future

On the brighter side, and if I’m reading correctly a lot of blog posts, many people report both happiness and relief when they get rid of clutter and downsize. Here's the nitty-gritty  - we all know that it isn’t good to hold on so much to the past, and things are a lot of our past. Too much energy is involved in maintaining all that baggage. And, properly done, we can let go of what we no longer need and create a better future for ourselves. So, I'm challenging you to take that step and make a healthy commitment to look ahead – instead of behind.

At any rate, it isn’t necessary to begin downsizing and reducing clutter with our very most treasured possessions. We can begin elsewhere. There’s a lot to choose from. In this post, I propose just one change that you can do today to declutter and downsize. And it doesn’t have to affect your identity or your creature comfort.

Case # 1 - The Large, Fluffy Bath Towel

Here, I talk about a creature comfort – the bath towel – and how I changed my attitude toward it over the years.

When I was a child, we didn’t have “nice” towels in the bathroom at our house. Well, most of what we had to dry ourselves with after bathing were called bath towels but, clearly, they were leftover items from years of use. My Mom, true to her past in the Great Depression and WWI, was thrifty and didn’t throw towels away until they were literally rags. Then, she used them for rags.

Tending to be small – just big enough for the purpose that they were intended for - our towels were thoroughly wet when you got through drying. That was a fact of life, and, as far as I could tell, no one seemed to worry themselves about it.  The towel, one for each of us, was hung up in the bathroom and used for a week – drying out in the approximate 24 hours between baths. We didn’t have a shower back then. When hair was washed, a second towel, often the dirty one from the week before that was still in the hamper, was brought into action.

Back in those days, regular people - those who weren’t "rich" - made no effort to put out matching towels and wash cloths. Maybe, in the living room or the bedroom, but the idea of bathroom décor just wasn’t heard of.

So, as a child and teenager, I had made comparisons and felt somewhat left out, seeing that our better-off relatives and friends had newer looking and comfier towels. Later, I saw sets of large towels with matching wash cloths in magazines and on the TV. They were ever so large and fluffy. That spelled out luxury to me.  I vowed that, someday, I would have sets of plush  towels and wash cloths that would grace my (dreamed of) large linen closet. And that they would be the heavy, fluffy type. I guess I bought in, big-time, to the media hype of having the "boutique hotel experience."

So, what happened over the years? Well, my husband and I finally got good paying jobs and the cost of cotton items got cheaper, due to foreign trade. Yes, and, for a long time, I prided myself on buying and using large, fluffy bath towels.

Years, later, came a life-changing set of crises – children then on their own, thankfully. At the end of all that, my husband and I were forced to move across country and downsize our living quarters. In the condo that we gave up – the one that I thought would be our retirement home for the rest of our lives - there was a sizeable linen closet and nice bath. So, bathroom decor, including nice towels, was, if not a priority, at least a possibility.

But, from there, my husband and I went to live in just one room in the house of a friend - along with a shared bathroom. So, a lot of downsizing went on. No furniture was taken with us, and only clothing and some personal items made it that far. Of course, I hadn't gotten rid of all of my beloved “creature comforts.” Yes, I had traveled cross-country with four of my largest and most plush bath towels along with matching wash cloths.

Also, at about that time, I began to adopt greener alternatives and started blogging about Earth-friendliness. So, a lot of things came under scrutiny. Those included washing procedures – energy-related things - like always filling up the machine to capacity, using cold water, choosing less harmful detergents, etc. I also found out that cotton, although the products are available to us fairly cheap, have a huge impact on water use and that the people who collect cotton and make the towels do so under terrible working conditions with wages that don’t even feed them well.

That’s about the time I began to look at my fluffy bath towels differently. They took up a lot of space in the closet. They took up too much room in the washer. They didn’t dry as fast as other clothes in the dryer. Also, I had, over the years, lost a lot of my former interest in matching towel sets. Bathroom décor no longer was a priority in my life.

That’s when I decided to change out my old bath towels for smaller, light-weight ones and give my old ones to a local charity. I found a couple of "downsized" towels at the thrift store and purchased another two - half the length and one-quarter the the weight of the older ones. To my surprise the new ones worked fine, and I’m happy enough using them - no regrets. So, now, I’ve solved one volume–related, material problem surrounding bath towels use. And, oh, I'm still working on some of the social and ecological ones.

By the way, I’ve yet to convince my husband. He still has his old towels. Anyway, he’s not likely to buy himself any new towels, and so eventually his towels will be lighter by wear, if not by intent. My pledge is that I’m not buying any larger, fluffy towels for me or for him.

So, this is my take on bath towels. You can get along very well without all those large, fluffy towels. Get rid of them and buy smaller, lighter versions. If you balk at buying more stuff when you already have towels, here’s an idea. Cut those big towels in half and make a pretty crochet edging around the “new” towels. I’ve wanted to that with my husbands’ towels and made my intentions known.  So far, he hasn’t let me do that.

Related posts
HOW CONSUMERISM (STILL) TRIES TO FOOL US
Take steps to use less water
BE SURE TO USE ALTERNATIVES TO CHLORINE BLEACHUse less energy at home  REDEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES, REMAKE YOUR LIFE
EMBRACE A SIMPLE HOMEREDUCE YOUR CARBON-FOOTPRINT
WHERE TP IS CONCERNED, OBSESSION WITH SOFTNESS = ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERTRY SWAPPING TO SHRINK YOUR WASTEFUL HABITS (WITH OTHER BENEFITS, TOO.)

MAKE A BRIGHT COLORED AND INSPIRING COLLAGE FOR A WALL

In magazines, I’d seen some gorgeous collages that were framed and put up on the wall. I decided to make an easy one. I had a set of colorful paper doves from the dollar store sitting in my closet for months on end, waiting for some inspiration to use them. It didn’t take me long to remember them just lying around gathering dust. I knew that they would be a great elements for the collage I planned to make.

I wanted my collage to be simple, bright colored and inspiring. So, I came up with the idea. Doves are evocative as heralds of peace and also of change. So, the doves were for peace – a bedroom needs that - and the placement of the doves would be in something of a circle. That would reflect my idea of change – the transformation that I looked for would bring more energy and strength into my life.

I had an old, wood picture frame that I purchased at the thrift store. So, that was the inspiration for size. I took a pre-cut mat (16" X 20") for the frame, set out four colorful doves on four contrasting sheets of poster boards, and cut the sheets just the right size to fit. So, with scissors, paste, and some design thought, the picture “produced itself” in a matter of minutes.

My wall collage turned out really nice, and it brightens up the corner of the otherwise beige wall in my bedroom. The doves continue to inspire me.

How to make your collage
Choose a frame (or frame size if you still haven’t found the one you want).

Select a background color. In my collage there was no background. There was just the surrounding off-white mat - a neutral color so that the bright poster board would stand out.

Take 4 (or more) colorful poster boards (could also be pieces of felt) in bright colors and cut them up so that they fit in the frame or mat. These pieces can be rectangular, as mine were, or a different shape, depending on your design.

Glue down the pieces.

Choose a repeating theme that fits well to go in each rectangle. Just as mine were doves, yours could be butterflies, inspiring words, or hearts, leaves, flowers, etc. The materials for your theme can be paper cut-outs, foam shapes, large decals, paint stenciled items, etc.

Glue down the theme items.

Put the collage in the picture frame and up on the wall.

Enjoy your wall decoration. This collage makes a great gift. If it's a housewarming gift, you can use words such “home,” “family,” and “love” - all in English or in a few different languages.

Related posts

A FRAMED PICTURE COLLAGE MAKES AN EYE-CATCHING WALL DISPLAY

A GIFT IDEA FOR A “CLOTHESLINE” WALL-HANGING MADE FOR A CHILD

REPURPOSE OLD & DAMAGED PLATES INTO DECORATIVE PLAQUES.

LIVING IT UP WITH LESS: DECORATION IN A SIMPLE HOME

MAKE A FAMILY MEMORY BOX

CREATE A PERSONALIZED, EMBROIDERED PICTURE FOR A CHILD

MAKE YOUR OWN JAPANESE CURTAIN 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TAKE GRANDMA'S 100 THING CHALLENGE

Despite the materialistic hype that's pounding at us every day, having overflowing basements, closets, garages, and drawers doesn’t make us better or more attractive people. And, it won't make us miraculously happy either - quite possibly the opposite. I think a lot of us feel that in our bones, but where do we start? A book and blog have been written about this dilemma. It’s about the 100 Thing Challenge, and it tells us how one person pared down his worldly possessions to an amazing, minimalist 100 things. He says that he’s been convinced by his experience. Here's what he recommends to reach such a goal: "Reduce (get rid of some of your stuff); Refuse (to get more new stuff); and  Rejigger (your priorities)."

I bet you'll feel joyful and spiritually uplifted, too, if you take on your own minimalist challenge. This is, of course, a tough choice to make. Many, if not most, US households have so many extra things. So, paring back to 100 – even a 1000 - things may seem like a monumental task. It’s clearly a decision that shouldn't be taken lightly – especially when there are other family members who may not want to sign on to such an ordeal.

Grandma's 100 Thing Challenge

It’s a smaller challenge, by far, than living with only 100 things but I believe it’s something we all can do and feel good about. It makes minimalism a work in progress. So, start out slow and do a little at a time. That way, it won't be so much of a burden. You’ll know that you can halt the process if suddenly you see (or feel) the need. My challenge to you is to give up one thing - duplicated in function or unused in several months - in your home every day for 100 days. Then, if you like the results you can continue giving up some more things for another 100 days, and so on. Maybe, then, you'll find just the right number of things for you - 100, 200, 300, etc.

Whatever the number of things you can get rid of, you'll be living without that much household disorganization and have more time to do meaningful things for yourself and others. Like many others, the very clutter and dust-accumulation around may be so depressing that you go out to shop for new things or plan more vacation trips - just to get out of the house.

I believe that people find grace through balance, and we can only achieve this when we take control of our own lives (not having our belongings own us) and pursue what's really important. Possessions, beyond a bare minimum, just get in the way. Having a suburban McMansion, despite the TV and movie hype, isn't “living the good life”. When we endlessly acquire more things, including duplicating stuff in our homes, we never settle in and enjoy what we've got.

Over and over, we’ve mistakenly told ourselves that life wouldn’t be complete without this "special" thing we are buying. But just as soon as this thing is brought home and tucked away, we start out the next day to the mall or the big box store to look for the next "special" thing - in what ends up being a never ending process. We mindlessly seek that momentary reward of finding that next thing - whatever it is and whether we need it or not. With this kind of consumerism, we are the dog chasing our own tail. You can just stop that cycle.

This is what the 100 Thing Challenge is about. If you try for a certain period - say, two or three months - to not buy anything beyond your basic needs, while recycling and repurposing all you can, you'll have a great sense of liberation. You will find that very few things make the new purchase cut - a useful tool, a book, a good wine, a small gift for someone who needs cheering. And, hey, you don't have to ditch family photos and heirlooms. The very best can be incorporated, into your new, organized lifestyle or given to a loved one who promises to cherish them.

Grandma's take on this challenge
If you remember, I already recommended the wardrobe editing challenge. For me, personally, wardrobe editing meant paring back to a total of 50 items. I continue to practice the wardrobe discipline - just buying a new item - usually the thrift store variety - when I really don't like something I have or have worn it out.

I give back the no-longer wanted items to charity or tear them apart, to use as fabric strips (or yarn, in the case of sweaters) to make needlework and other craft projects. I must say that I've seldom regretted giving something away or had a hard time replacing an item that later I found I needed. My personal goal is to have only enough needed for daily life and make absolutely no frivolous purchases. That means taking home nothing that hasn't been considered for at least a week. I’ll cheerfully give up just about anything with only a few exceptions. My rule is: If I haven't used it in three months, I can probably live perfectly well without it.

So, here’s where I’ve started with my own paring down process. Everything is fair game right now, except:
- Stuff that’s my husband’s
- Some few books
- Good quality and super useful tools for crafts and for fixing things.
- Collections count as one item. If everything goes in one small case, I count it as one item. But I can and will edit objects from any collection that I have.

I’ll know I’m well on my way to winning this challenge when all my personal things, including clothing, fit comfortably into a tiny room room or one small commercial storage locker.

Steps to begin your 100 Things Challenge
Put one item in the Challenge Box every day for 100 days.
Things that are "just trash" need to go out and not be included in this box.
Start out with duplicated items. Then move on to things that haven’t been used in 3 or more months
Make a list of what goes in the Challenge Box and add boxes as needed.
Take a picture of each box as it fills up, if you want a visual record.

After 100 days, you'll have accomplished these things
- Big “give-away” pile for charity
- Plans and organization to have a garage sale. To make sure that most stuff goes, try labeling a majority of items with "Make me an offer." (You might try selling the really valuable things on EBay.)
- Happier for having a lot less to store and/or dust.
- A bit more money in your pocket or savings account because you are thoroughly aware of what it means to buy and hold on to so many useless things.

Where to from there
So, I hope you start out your minimalism challenge by choosing to get rid of 100 things. You'll find it's true that the less you have, the less you have to worry about. You’ll amaze yourself at how free you feel - no longer burdened by the need to organize, store and maintain all that stuff. Just keep on paring down and you’ll feel even better. And that relief can be extended to other areas - if you're both convinced and brave. (You might try a week-long camping trip to see if 100 (or even less) items are enough to live with on the short term.) Besides your belongings, you could then move on to other minimalistic challenges that can cover other areas that tend to complicate our existence and contribute to the carbon burden of the Earth, such as:
- New digital gadgetry
- Media consumption
- Costly dietary items
- Non-essential energy and water use
- Long-distance and long-commute travel

Related posts
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A RIBBON DECKED, TIE QUILTED PILLOWCASE AND A PILLOW HEADBOARD

As we enter the early spring, at least by the warm temperature at this latitude - at the TX/MX border – I begin to think about my annual trip to the north to see my two sons, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and other relatives. And as always, I’ve got to make some handmade gifts for my dear ones. Those are usually knitted clothing items or decorations for the rooms of my grandchildren and something from the kitchen for the adults – candy, cookies, jars of jams, etc. This year I’ve come up with the idea to make my two grand daughters faux headboards for their twin beds made from pillows. So, my task - as is the subject of this post - was to come up with a design for some brightly colored, quilted pillowcases that are the focus of this project.

I decided to make two tie quilted pillowcases for each girl – one for the wall and a matching one for the bed. I’ll travel by plane or bus carrying the quilted pillowcases. It will be up to my son and daughter-in-law to provide the pillows and the decorative rods and help me put the rods on the wall. (I hope they won’t mind too much the way I get them to do extra work completing “my projects”.)

Why pillow headboards are popular
Nothing catches the attention more in a bedroom than an attractive headboard. But not all beds come with headboards, and the formal ones that can be purchased or made by a skilled carpenter are expensive. So, we have the option of creating our own informal wall treatments (faux headboards) that, colorfully done, can liven up the decor of any bedroom.

Some faux headboards include curtain rods or other horizontal tubes fixed on the wall above the bed where various attractive things can be hung. And there are several simple methods for making this type of headboard. Here, we focus on the pillow headboard. You won’t need much design talent and only rudimentary carpentry skills to make this one. And a hanging pillow headboard gives any bedroom a comfy, informal look.

More than just attractive, the hanging pillows serve an important purpose. It’s a perfect place to keep extra pillows that, otherwise, are inevitably on the floor in the morning. Beyond that, what with a longer rod, multiple hanging pillows and a round bolster, a regular twin bed can do daytime duty as a daybed.

Tie-quilted pillowcases give your bedroom a country look

About this project
With some pillowcases, ribbon, a nicely designed fabric for the quilted part, quilt backing, needle and thread and a decorative rod, you can manage to nicely display your extra pillows and find them in place (on the wall) every morning. The best part is that you may already have most of the makings for this project in or around your home.

After researching this topic on the Internet, I realized that the main problem with most of these pillow hanging projects was that they were not sturdy enough for small children and would end soon with ripped pillow cases and rods pulled off the wall. That’s why I decided to use both a top and bottom hanging rods with the hardware firmly attached to the wall by anchors or toggle bolts, along with four ribbon loops and buttons on the pillowcase.

Try out this project. You’ll be happy to know that it can be made with inexpensive materials and quickly completed with a minimum of hand sewing. According to my calculations, the approximate cost for each ribbon decked, quilted pillowcase is $20 and about $15 for the matching one for the bed. That, of course, doesn’t include rods or pillows. And you may already have extra pillowcases and fabric or find these items at the thrift store, so you might not have to spend so much at all.

Pattern for a pillow headboard and two quilted pillowcases
Materials
- 2 decorative rods - as wide or a little wider than the bed with their hardware. For economy sake, these rods could also be pipes, dowels, or even small cleaned-up tree limbs for a rustic cabin look. And, instead of commercial rod brackets, you could use industrial sized eye hooks. Open hooks might pose a hazard for children.
- 2 standard-size pillows, not the deluxe or overstuffed kind – one for the bed and the other for the wall.
- 2 standard pillowcases in a solid color
- 6 yards of 1” grosgrain ribbons in one or two colors- that’s about 42” for each of 4 ribbon rounds. (Grosgrain ribbon is relatively expensive and can be substituted with some other kind of ribbon or fabric strips that were the proper size.).
- One yard of plaid or repeating pattern cotton cloth that coordinates with the color of the pillowcases (That’s a half-yard for each pillowcase. Same for padding below.)
- One yard of fleece or other soft fabric for quilt backing. This easily could be something recycled - like an old adult-sized sweatshirt
- 8 medium-sized buttons - can be in coordinating or contrasting colors - for the wall pillow. Having buttons on a bed pillow, while perhaps attractive, isn’t a very practical option.
- Sewing needle and heavy cotton or nylon thread (for the buttons)
- Scissors
- Straight pins and large safety pins
- Measuring tape
- Drill
- Wall anchors or toggle bolts
- Crochet thread and upholstery needle
-  Soft sport-weight yarn for the ties

Instructions
Lay out the two pieces of fabric on a table. Be sure that the batting layer is slightly smaller, maybe a ¼" on all four sides, than the top fabric. Measure all sides to make sure the placement is centered correctly. Pin quilting piece in place.

Fasten safety pins where the ties are to go. It’s a lot easier to adjust the placement of safety pins than to have to try to remove a bunch of ties. Make the ties of all three layers – decorative fabric, batting, and top of pillowcase. You’ll probably need to put a piece of cardboard inside the case to make sure you don’t pin (or tie) the backside to the front side. Then make the 20 ties or the number you want to join the pieces.

Using crochet thread, blanket-stitch the quilted piece in place on the front side of the case.  (I use large, obvious blanket stitches with embroidery thread in a bright color to add even more handmade decoration.)

Put the pillowcase face side down on the worktable. Cut four pieces of 42"-long ribbon. Place each ribbon in position as shown in the picture. Fold the ribbon in such a way that the seam where the two ends meet is exactly in the back of the pillow. There should be 2 inches of ribbon, doubled, extending to accommodate the top rod and another 2 inches, doubled, at the bottom for the bottom rod. Pin the ribbon in place every 4 inches down the front and back from the side of the case. Using fabric glue, attach the ribbons to the case. Hand-sew the two ends to the backside of the case. Repeat with the other three ribbons. (The length of the ribbon extensions might have to be llonger depending on the diameter of the tube you’re using.)

Take care to sew on the buttons, as shown in the picture, through both front and back of the ribbons and pillowcase. Correctly attached buttons will help prevent ribbon slippage and case ripping.

Rod placement should be 4" more than the height of the pillow when it’s flat against the wall above the bed and centered over the bed. Attach the second rod under the first and 2" above the bed. Drill and screw the brackets or other type hooks to the wall using wall anchors or toggle bolts.

Insert a pillow into the case and hang the pillow from the curtain rod. Put the rod on the wall. Run the second rod through the ribbon at the bottom of the case and put it in place.

When your pillow creation is hung up over the bed, everyone will admire your smart handiwork. And your quilted pillow headboard can be the inspiration to do even more country–style decoration.

LEARN TO MAKE SMART, THRIFTY AND EVER SO USEFUL TIE QUILTS

In my last post, I wrote about bucket lists – a way to go about reaching some of those very personal, lifetime goals that all of us have. Now, usually, I don’t share my own most intimate goals in this blog. But, now and again, I do. And, even if I don’t mention them, my readers probably can guess what some of them are. Anyway, here goes a bit of personal stuff. One of my life-long desires has been to be a skilled needle worker. As you can see from my posts, lately, I’ve been working on knitting – and, pleased to add, doing this a little better. Another of my secret goals is to be a quilter. But, I spend a lot of time knitting and really haven’t a lot of patience – or good eyesight - for long hours of detailed quilt work. So, this post is about a technique called tie quilting that doesn’t require so many elements and works up fast. A tie quilted cover can be done in just a day or two.

Maybe you've heard about tie quilting. At least, those of you who are past fifty or have some rural background, somewhere, probably slept under one – whether you remember it or not. It’s the kind of quilt my grandmother made. We called her Maw Maw T. Raised in the Appalachian countryside, Maw Maw T. was a busy woman who lived in the city most of her married life, and as such, didn’t have a lot of time to do detailed needlework. So, when she needed an extra cover she made quilts held together with ties instead of endless stitches.

Now, Maw Maw and (Gran) Daddy T. raised a family of 4 children, plus more than a few nieces, nephews and others who lived for short periods with them, during the Great Depression. Back then, the last thing that any reasonable person wanted to do was throw out used things that had the possibility of being repurposed into something else that was serviceable. Among Maw Maw’s many "make-do" talents was transforming old sheets and blankets into curtains and drapes - window draft stoppers - and cozy tie quilts. Those tie-quilts held up very well – even better than most hand-stitched quilts do, at least better than the modern versions, I’ve seen. A couple of her tie quilts may still be around today but I don’t have one, anymore. Sadly, the only one I had – a small floor quilt/mat made for a baby, I believe - was stolen along with a box of linens and covers many years ago when I traveled by train through Mexico. Maybe my sister or a cousin still has one. (I’d like to know about that. Comments on this, anyone?)

But back to reminiscing, Maw Maw T. used to fill these tie quilts with improvised batting that included such things as torn and raveled blankets and quilts, worn-out clothing, and even flour sacks. Depending on the kind of the batting, some of these quilts were summer-weight and others were quite heavy. I used the small one that I lost years ago as my yoga mat. (Having used a collection of blankets and commercial yoga mats after that, I never again had a mat that I cherished as much as Maw Maw’s tie-quilt.)

Now, Maw Maw T. not only used blankets for the batting, but also sometimes as quilt backing. She'd tie the top material to a blanket and then attach the whole thing to another blanket. That created a double-thickness cover that really kept you warm. Back then, the bedrooms were unheated, but we slept warm under a bunch of cozy quilts, topped off with a duck or chicken feather comforter. The warmest quilts had a batting of old army blankets. The material on the top and bottom was soft and the harsh-textured army blanket was enclosed – so much nicer for the sensitive skin of little folk.

And, so to get back to my topic, if you have a few old blankets – something like those ugly, felted from use wool blankets or some pilled, polyester blankets with the satin bindings, get them out. You’ll find them to be great repurposing items and a lot cheaper than a roll of batting.  Not-so-attractive blankets are also an easy “find” in yard sales and thrift stores. And best of all, this project is great way to show off a few charming vintage sheets. You’ll be surprised at the speed and ease that covers and sheets that have been gathering closet dust can be made into lovely tie-quilts.

What you'll need for your tie-quilt
•Dense weight –about 300-count - cotton sheets. You'll need one or two of them, depending on how you’re putting your quilt together (2 sheets and a cover or 2 covers and a sheet).
•One or two blankets. The hidden, middle layer cover can be stained or a bit holey or even an old worn-out quilt. The front and back layers should be in good condition. All layers should be about the same size and everything pre-washed in warm water.  The backing cover needs to be several inches wider and longer than the top two, so that part of its outer edge can be folded over the front.
•Good sewing scissors
•50 or more large safety pins
•Heavy crochet thread
• Large embroidery needle
•Tapestry needle
•Thimble
•Strong, sport-weight wool or acrylic yarn, either a coordinate or contrast color

Instructions
Cutting and pinning
Cut front and batting (center) piece to the same size. Use a clean floor space and lay the bottom cover or sheet out flat, right side down. Tape the corners to the floor. Lay the blanket or old quilt on top of the bottom cover, right side up. Line up the edges so that the top layers are least 2 inches from those on the bottom. Trim 3 sides of the bottom layer to extend 2 inches beyond the top parts. The fourth side will be the longer, head-of-the-bed part of the quilt, and it should be trimmed to about five inches. If your quilt is supposed to be a floor mat or some decorative piece other than a bed cover, then all four sides should be trimmed to 2 inches.

Place safety pins all over the blanket, pinning all three layers together at roughly 4-inch intervals. Begin at the center and work out so that any the work will be even without the need of tiresome basting. Make sure that the blanket lies flat as you pin. Then pin along all four edges.

Tie-quilting
Thread the yarn on the tapestry needle. Use the thimble and make sure the needle passes all the way through to the bottom. Start in the center of the quilt and make a 1/3-inch-long stitch through all 3 layers. Leave about 2 inches of yarn sticking up for the tie. Knot the threads. Just take hold of the 2 threads and pass the right over left, tug lightly, then right over left, tug lightly, and then left over right, pull tight. Trim the threads to 1/2 inch after knotting. Go out from the center, stitching and knotting with about 4-inch intervals between ties. Just be sure the ties line up visually. You don’t have to be too precise in this process. Don’t do any knots where the binding will be sewn on.

Once your quilt is completely tied, trim the backing (three sides) to 1.5 inches beyond the edge of the top pieces. The top part should be trimmed to 4 inches. (If you’re making a floor mat, make all 4 edges the same width.) Fold all edges in half and turn them over the top and pin them in place. Square off the corners. Hand sew with crochet thread or machine stitch the binding in place. You’ll be through faster than you can imagine!

Whether your new tie quilt is a thin, summer weight throw or a heavy, keep-a-body-warm cover, you’ll be pleased with the results. And there’s no need for all your quilts to be designer beauties. It’s just fine for them to be well-put-together, utilitarian items. That's what traditional quilting was about - worn materials set to good use instead of being thrown out. And your tie quilt will surely be smart, thrifty, and just right for some bed or other place in your home.

There’s a lot of beauty in quilting, and this tie quilt project is something that even a total beginner can do. So, if you’re hesitant about beginning to quilt, try making a smaller version - a cuddly tie quilt for a baby. That will give you the practice and confidence you need to do bigger projects.

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REPURPOSE OLD & DAMAGED PLATES INTO DECORATIVE PLAQUES.

Of the three GREEN-Rs — REDUCE, REPURPOSE, AND RECYCLE, repurposing is more fun and brings the most satisfaction. And in my opinion, it’s also the greenest of the greens – because it requiresonly a tiny bit of energy for its reprocessing and eliminates the need to buy a new product. When an item can’t really be remodeled in any way so that it can be used for its original purpose, you can sometimes use your design skills to adapt it to another need. Thus the same product can serve us for more years in different uses or serve other people a long time before becoming recycled or - please not this- be tossed as another piece of trash into our already bulging landfills.

So what’s behind the repurposing fever? First, our society is running short of many costly resources and, second, the huge volume of products being disposed of everyday is no longer sustainable. And that’s exactly where design come in – finding new solutions by transforming an original item into something else, thus extending the products’ longevity. That’s the heart of the trash-to-treasure movement. You have an everyday item that no longer is useful in its first form, but with creativity and a bit of work, you find an attractive reuse that can be useful in your home or given as a gift to someone else.

When you transform an item into something with a new purpose, you reduce the environmental impact of the product’s industrial cost and postpone its moment of disposal as trash. This allows the “repurposer” to have the satisfaction of taking no longer used items and  thrift store-finds and transforming them into original artworks packed with both futurist vision and sentimental value.

That’s the trash-to-treasure principle that GrandmaS so happily spends time thinking about and, after some trial and error, shares with her readers. So, here goes one such project. Everybody has or comes across a beautiful plate that has a great color and design but now has a fairly visible chip or crack. Those plates don’t have to be thrown away and can easily be repurposed as decorative plaques.

How to convert an old plate into a decorative plaque.

Materials
A chipped or cracked plate with a charming design
Small mosaic tiles that coordinate (or contrast) with the colors in the plate
Tile nippers
A board cut to size as a plaque (with a cut-to-size circle if an entire plate is to be displayed.)
Mosaic tile adhesive
Premixed grout
Grout trowel
Tile and grout sealer
Safety goggles
Hammer
Work gloves

Instructions
You have choices. You can fix up the crack or chip with a bit of ceramic glue and/or acrylic paint color and keep the entire plate with a mosaic tile background. Or you can break the plate into smaller pieces with a hammer and not have to worry about any chips or cracks. The pieces don’t have to be all the same size, just be sure that most are about one-inch square or larger. (It's also possible to display the whole plate, as is, and not worry about trying to fix up small cracks or chips - giving your product more of a "shabby-chic" look.)

Be sure to protect yourself when you break the plate. Wear safety goggles or place some heavy fabric on the top before hammering. Also it’s a good idea to use some gloves when handling the sharp pieces of plate and for tile cutting.

Then take your plate or plate pieces and move them to the precut board. Create the design you like with plate pieces and tiles without applying glue. You will probably have to do some tile nipping to get the right fit. The plate or plate pieces will typically be in the middle with tiles around it, but you could also make a spiral, triangle, or some other geometric pattern. Use a notched trowel to apply tile adhesive to the board and rough up the adhesive with the trowel. This will help the pieces bond to the board.

Carefully set, not slide, the broken pieces and tiles into the adhesive using a slight twisting motion. Let the plaque dry according to the adhesive instructions.

After the adhesive has dried, fill the gaps between the broken pieces with grout. Remove excess grout with a damp sponge. Let the grout dry, then wipe off the surface again with the sponge. Make sure that the plaque is clean and dry, then apply the sealer.

Display your creation on a shelf or hang it on the wall. You’ll want to make more than one. These plaques make lovely holiday gifts.

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REPURPOSE OLD STRETCH PANTS INTO SHORTS & HEADBANDS

Remember the 3 R’s of being Earth–friendly. Well, RECYCLING (to a charity) and REUSING (giving it to a family member or friend) are the usual ways to deal with clothing items that we no longer want. The 3rd R - REPURPOSING - is probably less done but, in my opinion, a whole lot more fun. REPURPOSING means using your creative powers to modify something so that it can be used again in a new way. One item that you might not think of repurposing are those old stretch pants. Even if the pants, after many washings, no longer fit well around the waist, and have lost their original color, they can still have a new life. And, with just a little work, you can use almost every square inch of your old stretch pants to make shorts (or capris) and some headbands - that stay put on your head.

My inspiration

I had some old black stretch pants that suffered from a numbers of problems. They were slightly discolored and the waist was loose from too many washings. They also had a rip on the leg at the level of the knee. One day a few months ago, I decided that I could best reuse my old pants by making some Bermuda shorts. And I did that simply by taking scissors and cutting off the pants. At first, I didn’t even bother to make a hem. I just turned up the legs a couple of times. The fold created the “hemline.” Then, I made a drawstring for my shorts by pulling a ribbon through the doubled material of the waistband. The new shorts made a good addition to my summer wardrobe. I wear them to do housework. I also put them on under a skirt as more modest attire when I do weeding in the yard.

After making the shorts, I still had the material from the legs. I cut the remaining cloth into four bands that, at first, I thought I’d use as dust rags. Then, after a few days, I thought again. I retrieved the bands from the rag bag and tried one on my head. It was just the right size to work as a headband. I had material enough to make six.  I find many reasons to wear my headbands, like when I wash my face in the morning and right after shampooing my hair to keep the wet hair out of my face. They are also just wide enough to keep my ears warm when the house is drafty. I was really glad to find this way to fashion my own headbands. This “saves” me from the temptation to buy those cheap, imported things that never seem to fit right anyway. While the headbands I made are not necessarily things of great beauty, they're certainly practical for home use and sturdy enough to last for years

How-to-repurpose your stretch pants

Materials

Stretch pants (those that you've had a while or a "new purchase" from the thrift store)

Scissors
Pins
About 2 yards of ribbon or cord.

Thread

A few yards of left over yarn (It’s best if it’s two ply, either cotton or polyester. Can be doubled with 2 contrasting colors.)

Small gauge crochet hook

Instructions

Making the shorts is a no-brainer. Just try on the pants and mark where you want them to reach on the leg. Add about five inches more for the folds that you'll make for the hem. Take a marker and draw a line on both legs where they should be cut. Make the cuts carefully. Double up the bottom edge of the legs twice and make a couple of visible marks to where you want the new edge to be. Then sew the fold at the top and make a few more stitches along the side seams. 

If the waist is too wide, you can make a drawstring by pulling a ribbon or cord through the doubled part of the waistband. Make two slits in the waistband front to slip the drawstring through. (I use a big safety pin attached to one end of the drawstring to help in this process.) If the waistband has seams on the sides, it may be easier to make additional holes and go around the seams - rather than through. (That’s what I did. Opening up the seams and then figuring out how to close them again correctly would have been the alternative – but a lot more work. I decided it wasn’t worth it for the kind of use I had for the shorts.)

Use the leftover stretchy fabric from the legs of the pants to make two or more headbands. The stretchiness of the fabric makes it just about right for a one-size fits all headband. Just make 5 to 7-inch cuts for each of the bands, depending on the width that you want. Then fold the bands in half. Try on the headband on. If you see that the one-size doesn't work for you, then cut the band to the size you need and sew it together again in a tube shape.

No hemming stitches need to be done. Simply make a decorative crochet edging to join the two rough edges of the band together. Do this by crocheting a simple blanket stitch all around. An extra chain between the stitches will give it a little more stretch. (And, for those who shrink at the prospect of crocheting, an alternative decorative edge for the band could be turning the rough edges in and sewing on some little buttons to hold the "hem" in place.)

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A LOT CAN BE SAID ABOUT A GOOD SCARF.