A New Leaf

 

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For the New Year, I am turning over a new leaf. It is not a resolution. It is determination. Things are going to live in their places. Old stuff is outtahere!! “Focus” is my word AND my M.O. That bare counter, above, had seventeen layers of things on it yesterday. Today, I can breathe.

I am also going to work on another thing that isn’t easy for me. Watercolor.

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I’ve tried it, before, and it eludes me. Still does. BUT, with the help of Mary Ann Moss at “Dispatch from LA” I will adopt an attitude and refuse to be ashamed.  MAM is my guru.

I have another new guru in the “focus” department. She is Marie Kondo, author of “the life-changing magic of tidying up”. She is a totally obsessive-compulsive neat freak, but that’s exactly what I need. If you only own four categories of things – clothes, papers, books and kitchen stuff – she can fix you right up. Only problem is what to do with stuff like this:

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Handmade crayons are probably not everyone’s problem, but if you have any suggestions, I’m all ears!!

 

7 Responses to A New Leaf

  1. Sharon Lien January 17, 2015 at 5:38 pm #

    Weave a tote for your watercolor work and insert some of the crayons in the weaving. Just a thought.

    • gretchen January 17, 2015 at 10:15 pm #

      What an awesome idea! I would never have thought of it, but I have a perfect little loom and some great silk sari yarn…
      What fun!! Thanks so much for the suggestion!!!

  2. jeanette sclar January 17, 2015 at 7:07 pm #

    These gorgeous colors cry out for my personal go-to storage system:
    Buy the inexpensive clear acrylic box picture frames – usually at Michaels or JoAnns, these are basically an acrylic tray with 1 inch deep sides (they come filled with a cardboard box). I buy sheets of plexiglas and cut them to make lids, which you can fasten with pretty tape or real hinges. Cut a few dividers the length of your crayons and store them stacked up where you can see the lovely colors.

  3. gretchen January 17, 2015 at 10:40 pm #

    Wow, custom see-through boxes! How fabulous and useful for so many types of things. (I have crayon muffins and crayon nuggets to deal with, too.

    • gretchen January 17, 2015 at 10:42 pm #

      I somehow chopped off my comment too soon. Thank you so much for sharing this terrific tip, Jeanette! It’s good to hear from you, again!!

  4. katzcradul January 17, 2015 at 10:52 pm #

    Donate the crayons to your local preschool, elementary school, college art dept. etc….Poof! They’re gone and you don’t have to figure out where to put them!

    • gretchen January 17, 2015 at 11:10 pm #

      I would love to try ALL of these ideas, then donate what’s left. Great idea! Thank you!!

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