Greetings friends, on a cold, grey, wet Monday morning – a wonderful time to sit down and write a long overdue blog post!
April turned out to be a very busy month that saw me spending very little time in my ‘Create Joy’ room. I mostly entered it to sort through the stuff that was being temporarily stored in there while the sort out and make over was going on.
I returned home from my trip to Wellington on the 4th of April and threw myself into my make-over with zest. These things usually take me no longer than a few days but his time it dragged on for the rest of the month.
Having had my appetite whetted for sorting and decluttering with the first garage sale I found I went to the next level. I became ruthless. Anything that lived in a box or the back of a cupboard because one day it might be useful, or if it was being kept for the day when my beach cottage miraculously appears, was sent to live somewhere else.
The sort out is complete. The make over is complete. Orlando has laid claim to his new favourite sleeping position. The kitchen is burbling away happily producing trays of alfalfa sprouts, bottles of kombucha and milk kefir and even water kefir which turns out to be a remarkably tasty, fizzy, ginger-beer like pro-biotic drink! Who knew!!
The garden has been tidied and sorted to survive winter’s sun-less days and to keep the lettuce and spinach coming for as long as possible.
The wardrobe has been halved, the shoe supply though has doubled….. really cute red suede ankle boots, grey calf length boots, brown lace inset boots [my favourites] and some cute little house shoes…..
The month was not without it’s challenges. Good Friday saw a huge downpour of rain hit us and my conservatory quite forgot its reason for being and thought it was a sieve. For 48 hours there was a big noisy cool air dehumidifier blasting the heck out of the place to dry it all out. Never-the-less two woven cotton rugs were ruined along with several items that were being stored there while the indoor chaos was in process. Still, the upshot was that got rid of more stuff – and the conservatory is now pristinely empty except for one treadmill machine waiting to be listed on Trademe! Anyone want a treadmill? 🙂
April was also the month that saw my hours on Skype skyrocket with fun international blogging friends get-togethers, and even more Happy Mail arrive.
Linne at A Random Harvest has recently opened an Etsy store where she is selling the lovely silk, hand-dyed scarves she makes and I decided to shout myself a couple because the colours are so gorgeous, and because I wanted to support her new enterprise. In her inimitable fashion Linne added a few extras to the package and made me wait while she made a little something extra. The package arrived early on the last Monday of the month and, as we had decided to Skype for the opening of it, I had to wait a further four days while Linne got herself ready to Skype. Anyone who follows A Random Harvest will be aware of the ongoing practising of ‘Anticipation’ that Linne conducts in her blog posts – I am now a graduate of her classes!
Even Orlando got impatient “It is ever going to be opened?”
But eventually, the following month, 🙂 the big day arrived
Here is Linne, after inspecting the seal on the package and pronouncing herself satisfied that no undue tampering or peeking had taken place
Now that was pretty much the end of my photographing of the process – I was far too busy unpacking and oohing and aahing over the contents. I also got to have a chat with Linnes 92 year old mother – an amazingly young and vibrant being who had contributed a hand knitted bag holder for the kitchen. One of those super-dooper handy little things that you never knew you needed until you have one 🙂
Here are a few photos of the contents laid out a day or two after the visit with Linne when I realised I had nothing to show you:
There were originally two huge Canadian chocolates, but one got eaten 🙂
And here are the scarves. I ordered the green and blue ones and was completely surprised to see the beautiful amethyst one also included. Made of silk, tie-dyed by Linne and with handstitched edges. Just beautiful!
And here is the ‘little extra something’ a beautifully made cushion, Linne’s contribution to my make-over, being canoodled up to by a sleepy kitty
And now it is May. I know because Kris Kristofferson has been and gone and I was looking forward to that for over four months. As YD said, we have now seen the last of our legends and can die happy 🙂
The weather is decidedly wintery, the house is ready for anything, I have shoes to go anywhere in and there can be no more prevaricating. Work can begin in the Create Joy Room. One Contented Crafter Organiser will be up for grabs soon. Stay tuned folks.
Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!
The Contented Crafter 
Wow, I’m impressed at your decluttering. …And I love that photo of Orlando staring at the parcel, just willing it to be opened!
LikeLike
It’s great isn’t it – it was really starting to annoy him – particularly as it was in his way as he likes to use this table as his own personal promenade…. 🙂
LikeLike
I think the least Linnie can do is award you a Diploma in patience for that wait! I commend your newfound skills ma’am…I doubt that I could have lasted as long ;). Orlando willing that box open, vacated and left fallow for his hairy rump to occupy…OH the evil’s going on in that face! ;). LOL on Linnie and her checking…lucky you have good sticky tape at your command eh? ;). You got to be my last blog read this morning as I slowly wade (drown) through my RSS Feed Reader…can’t seem to face the “Purge” button although I really should. Can’t let go of all of the possibilities lurking in the wonderful blogs that I follow. Gorgeous post, gorgeous shoes, gorgeous Linnie and gorgeous crafty possibilites…just GORGEOUS 🙂 “Bring on winter!” 🙂
LikeLike
While the world would NOT have come to an explosive end if you had not read this post, I am thankful that you persevered long enough to make it to ‘T’ – simply because I like hearing from you 🙂 I have forgone blog reading this morning in favour of bit-stripping on fb 🙂 My avatar needed to change out of her summer get-up and into more suitable attire for wintery days ….. another happy, mindless hour I shall not see again! I should probably do something about Orlando’s avatar too – he looks alarmingly like Richard Branson wearing a crown 🙂
Have a great week Fran! xoxo
LikeLike
ROTFL! He does doesn’t he? 🙂 Wouldn’t mind a bit of that Branson cats moola though 😉 Ditto on the great week Pauline and hugs from sunny but 3C Tassie 🙂
LikeLike
The shoe supply has doubled. Admit it: that was the whole point of the de-cluttering operation, wasn’t it?
LikeLike
Just like a man to get straight to the heart of the matter!
LikeLike
International Skype sessions sound like fun.
LikeLike
They are – I highly recommend them 🙂
LikeLike
Pauline, you are so clever!! A tech whiz. Maybe it’s your craftiness that gives you the patience and inclination to patch things together, to make lovely things…I LOVE your little shoe dance. (you have such dainty little feet…mine are peasant feet, wide with bunions, and since I’ve been in Hawaii going barefoot, not pristinely clean, either!) That picture of Linne Skyping is WONDERFUL! I love getting hits of two of my favorite bloggers at once, especially since I’m so late to the table these days. Orlando rules. 🙂
LikeLike
Going about bare footed is one of the best things we can do for our health and well-being and connectedness to the earth – so yay for you!! I love to walk bare footed in the summer – but not so much at this time of the year – hence the house-shoes as I decided I needed to be a little less slovenly and stop living in a big pair of woolly socks all winter long. 🙂
It’s a great pic of Linne isn’t it – she is such a lovely, kind, generous person. I am loving her scarves!
Orlando totally agrees with you!
LikeLike
You inspired me! I spent the last two weeks digging through every nook and cranny in my house to clean out all of the stuff we hadn’t been using. The local ballet company is having a yard sale and they got the lion’s share. It feels so good to be rid of the clutter!
LikeLike
I am pleased to be an inspiration for anything – so I accept being one for cleaning out gracefully! And I am sure the ballet folk are well pleased too! Do you yourself add ballet to your other inimitable talents? I aspired as a child, but alas gravity intervened 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Pauline, busyness is apparently infectious… via the blogosphere!! I have visited this post four times since Monday and been dragged off by some pressing task or other… My email box overfloweth also!! Can ‘t seem to get on top of the apparently endless ‘to do’ list since the return from Ireland last week… So it was with great joy and the promise of more ‘mind space’ to come (like you, I love time and space to be creative in!), that I finally read to the end of your post – and felt your return to serenity and abandonment of all things busy and distracting!!! Nice shoes by the way… but why didn’t we get to see the others???! Have a great Friday and a very beautiful snugglesome weekend! : ))))xoxox
LikeLike
Is it very bad of me to just hit the delete button when my email gets too much to handle comfortably? I send a great many posts, reminders, offers, random in formation and sometimes important notes to the ether pit and keep only those I really,really want or need to read……
My snugglesome weekend started yesterday when I tucked myself up on the sofa with a nice cuddly rug, a nice cuddly cat, a good book and a mug or two of homemade chicken soup. It’s worked wonders and I am back in shape today! I’ll be full steam in the creative room from tomorrow on – the way is clear!
I shall try to come up with something for all the other shoes – just for you 🙂
Hope you are settling back in, going away always ensures lots to catch up on when you return, and you went away for a long time! Was Monty joyously pleased to see you all back? Will we get a post full of flying legs and bouncy ears and general happiness at seeing his boys again?
LikeLike
Thanxx Pauline – all good sound advice… Unfortunately half my emails are work or school or volunteer effort or Mummy related so unless I can ditch one of those (no way!!), I think I’m stuck with the email overflow!! But thankfully I have Monty as my daily antidote! He was completely beside himself when we walked through the door after 19 days away… but we were so excited to see him that no photos were taken!!! Have a fabulous weekend! : )))xxx
LikeLike
Did you ever feel like New Zealand was so far away, that no one would ever find your blog? Sometimes I felt that about being in North Central, Alberta. Yet here we are receiving packages from around the world and sending them too. It’s just unreal to me at times. I remember seeing a Coke a-cola commercial decades ago, they’re all singing, “I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony” and holding hands as far as you can see. That’s what I envision these friendships do.
Your Gif made me snicker because it looks like you’re dancing…hehe, look at those cute little feet 😀 Too fun! Now, honestly, do you ever get tired of smooching kitty toes? Sweet little Orlando has the cutest tootsie toes 😀 I love how they’re perfectly pointed out. Orlando looks like a teeny tiny kitty to me. Petals weighs 6.6 lbs and she seems little compared to Blossum.
You really got a treasure box of goodies to enjoy, that’s really nice of Linne to pack an extra scarf and all the other goodies too. Alys’s friend Laura does fantastic tie-dye. It’s something I’ve always thought was a cool look. Very 60’s which are really trending this summer in fashion. How fab to speak with her mom on you Skype, WOW 92!! I wonder if that’ll seem old when we get there? I use to think 50 sounded ancient and this year my baby bro turned 49, we’ll soon all be a half century old…..YIKES!
LikeLike
He is secretly a ballet dancer Boomdee 🙂 He weighed in at 6.5 kg a month or so ago, which was almost half a kg down on the time before that……… He is long and slim but solid – if that makes sense to you. That makes him about 12 ibs. He is light for a Maine Coon – they can be double his weight!
I remember being very young and having a huge wow moment when I heard my first adult refer to knowing someone for 25 years. This year my best friend and I celebrated meeting 32 years ago. And I also remember the day I figured I would be 50 when the new century rolled in and did not believe it was possible to live that long 🙂
Age is a funny thing — ‘you are only as old as you feel’ rings true for me these days. I have come to see that old age is where you believe it is. I see people younger than me who look so much older and vice-versa.
I quite like getting older – I feel freer and get to wear a purple hat if I want!! 🙂
LikeLike
What a detailed post to keep us updated on what’s happening at your end. It looks like April just rushed by barely taking the time to give us a quick wave. You’ve been busy, I ought to take a page out of your book and start giving boxes and bins new places to reside. I am not inclined yet though as I am inundated with my work life.
I love it when you get happy mail😄 Just reading about your gifts and seeing the photos make me happy. The scarves are beautiful! All the “extras” are lovely too.
Have a great week, Pauline. Oh, best wishes to you with the treadmill. Mine is currently the most expensive clothes hanger I have ever owned😄 I definitely don’t need another one.
LikeLike
I have never in my life before been the recipient of so many generous gifts – it is like Christmas every month here. It makes me feel very warm!!
The scarves are beautiful, I am just sorry it is woolly scarf weather and not silk scarf weather at the moment.
Those treadmills always seem to end up holding things they were not designed for. Mine became the place where I kept seedlings, Orlando’s catmint supply and empty plant pots.
What an ungainly and expensive shelf!! Can’t wait for someone else to have it thinking they will actually walk on it 🙂
LikeLike
That photo of Orlando looking at the package cracked me up!
The scarves are such beautiful colors, and I’m sure the chocolate was delish!
In terms of the decluttering: when I was bedbound after my wreck, my mother and sisters when through draws, closets, and book shelves and donated or threw away so much stuff! When I came to my senses, week later (really months), a few favorite things were gone but in general I was thrilled!!!
Good luck with your continued efforts and Happy May!
LikeLike
I think we are the only ones who find that pained expression funny Laurie – he really did want to see what was in there. But then, because it was opened somewhere else, slept through the whole thing! Both bits of chocolate are now ‘disappeared’ Luckily I have friends who come calling 🙂
Your way of decluttering is maybe not the best way to go about it – but I’m pleased to hear you were thrilled with the result! I am determined to follow that rule: something in, something out. We will see how that goes.
Thanks for the May wishes, but as I was telling someone else in your neck of the woods, May tends to be not even mildly amused in this hemisphere, much less ‘merry’! We are hunkering down for a long, and possibly harsh, winter. Of course it won’t be the long white of yours, but may be quite frosty, icy and chilly anyway. We’ll see how that goes too. 🙂
LikeLike
You’ve had quite the month of April, Pauline. I’m sorry to hear about the heavy rain and subsequent damage, though you’ve definitely found the silver lining in it all. I’m so curious to see the reveal once you’ve finished your home.
Yes, this Skype with Bloggers thing is pretty amazing. I’m so glad you got a face to face with Linne. How sweet that you waited to open it in front of her. And you spoke with her mum, too.
Are you still doing your page a day project, or have you put that on hold until your house is complete. I’ve found myself looking forward to those picturesque updates.
Hi Linne [waving], it’s me, Alys.
Orlando, I hear you have a new spot for the cooler days ahead. Do tell?
LikeLike
I’ve been taking photos this morning for the reveal.- it’s either too dark and gloomy or like this morning, with the low winter sun shining in, the photos have come out quite dark……… I may just have to go with what I have, this place is too small to get good shots – I need a Laurie to pop over with her camera and tripod 🙂
It’s funny you should ask about the day project. I am a little behind, but have notes and half finished cards which won’t take too long to do. I was thinking not to bore you with them and there you are wanting to see them. 🙂 Thank you!!
My busy little fella has become quite somnambulant! I am having trouble adjusting to this lack of a shadow and his constant sharing of cuddles and other purry and chatty interactions. I go looking for him as it is so quiet – and there he is in the same spot absolutely out to it. Luckily for me I still get held down in the evening by a strong little fore-paw and invited to brush, tickle, rub, massage and pet as much as I wish. 🙂
LikeLike
You’ve been making good use of your time! And I bet you’ll feel very creative when you get back to crafting, after your time off!
LikeLike
I’m not feeling at all creative just yet – just vaguely nervous, which is what happens after a while away from the processes I guess. Wish me luck!
LikeLike
oh my those scarves are just beautiful!!!!! I love the colors + you have inspired me to “purge” my home as soon as I get my plants in the ground. I have done nothing but keep my nose to the dirt-lol. It will be done soon.
Kris Kristofferson oh my goodness, that is a name I have not heard in years. I remember I had a record of his I wore thin back in school + that was a LONG TIME AGO .”sunday morning coming down”…lol…oh my, a long time ago!!!
LikeLike
I have loved KK since I first heard him in 1970 or 71 – the man is pure poetry! He has never stopped working you know – writing, movies, ‘The Highwaymen’ TV, touring….. This was his version of an ‘unplugged’ show and everything was just so laid back – just his voice and his acoustic guitar. It was a wonderful two hour KK extravaganza! The man is still entirely beautiful to look at and listen to, including ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’. 🙂
LikeLike
he did have an interesting voice + I enjoyed it back then, but geez, I had no idea he was evern around-lol. Shoot now I feel old!!!
LikeLike
Spring is a great time to purge. Wow, what beautiful scarves! I love all of the lovely colors, Linne is very talented!
I hope you have a wonderful week, Pauline!
LikeLike
It’s actually autumn here Jill – well pretty much winter now really. I am much given to a super sort and clean and rearrange anyway at this time in order to accommodate the long hours spent in-doors as winter approaches 🙂
LikeLike
Wow! You have been very busy! I agree that decluttering is a great thing to do. The scarves are so lovely, I must check out Linne’s shop too. Hi Orlando! 🙂
LikeLike
Orlando pricked his ears up – he would smile at you if you were here 🙂 Glad to hear you will check out Linne’s shop. 🙂
LikeLike
It’s so lovely to catch up with what’s been going on in your life, Pauline. And – a face-to-face chat with Linne – how wonderful! And her beautiful mum, too! As with Wendy, I would love to have been a fly on the wall during your Skype session because I find yours and Linne’s comments back and forth in the blogging world so entertaining! I’ll bet there was plenty of dry wit floating around! And, yes, you have most definitely graduated from Linne’s anticipation class 101!! You waited how long before opening that enticing package?!?! When one from the beautiful Boomdee arrived at my doorstep, I ripped it open within two minutes! I really need more discipline! (Help, Linne!) Aren’t Linne’s scarves heavenly – and I hear you are creating something pretty heavenly yourself! A little aqua birdie told me! Great post! Big hugs to you and the ever debonair Orlando! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
LikeLike
Good Morning Dani! That package sat on my table for 4 days before it got opened. I am so good at anticipation now, I never even gave it a shake! Currently I have two colourfully wrapped book-like presents sitting on my table, which arrived yesterday morning from my eldest daughter. I am guessing they are sent for Mothers Day, which is next Sunday as my ED is currently in Bowral for the week at a book conference. So they will sit there for six days and I am pleasantly anticipating what may be contained within 🙂 I am so Graduated With Honours!! 🙂
You shall have a first peek at your tutorial in action on my next post 🙂 Big hugs to all in Teddy and Tottie Land xoxo
LikeLike
🙂 I love reading your comments, Dani.
LikeLike
Me too ! Dani, you do spoil me so so bad xoxoxoxk
LikeLike
Aw!! What a beautiful collection of goodies!!!!! and how lovely you got to talk to Linne face-to-face 🙂 🙂 I wish I could’ve been a fly on the wall, that would’ve been great fun. I need to get mine up and going and I am promised a chat with her – isn’t this modern fan dangle technology just great!
A shame about your conservatory though, that sort of thing is just a hassle with winter approaching.
We have been doing alot of tidying up and purging around here too and have quite got the bug and judging by the amount of “stuff” around the place it was way overdue.
LikeLike
It was lovely talking face to face with Linne, she is a sweetheart! I have been making Skype contact with a lot of bloggers recently and it is just lovely! I highly recommend it, I just love all this new fangled technology!! 🙂
I also highly recommend the purging thing – I feel so much less burdened and somehow my house feels cleaner and lighter too – it must work into the aura I think 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, I think you are right about the energy thing, I certainly feel when the house is lighter.
She is a sweetheart and I imagine it’s really nice just to sit and chat with those you know through not quite so personal media 🙂
LikeLike
De-cluttering definitely lends itself to feeling lighter. Stuff can really bog us down. Visual clutter is overwhelming, and stuffed cupboards and closets make us feel defeated when we can’t locate the things we want. I’m paraphrasing, but I love the quote saying that if it’s not beautiful or useful, out it goes. You’ve got that in spades, Pauline.
LikeLike
That was my little mantra whilst sorting Alys – only I added in ‘currently’ to the useful part – thusly ridding myself of the millions of things that may be ‘useful one day’. I can see that is where hoarders get themselves into difficulties – everything has the potential to be ‘useful one day’ and I was certainly holding onto a fair bit still – despite several years of gradual down-sizing. I’m sure you come across this loads in your professional life!
LikeLike
I sure do. I’m so impressed with your dedication to the process. People also hang on to things for sentimental reasons or out of guilt. They’re often relieved when I “give them permission” to let things go. It’s liberating.
Less cleaning, dusting, crowding, storing, worrying. Lots of good comes of it.
Go, Pauline!
LikeLike