Desk - Part the Second

No, I haven't been spending any/much "serious" art-making time in the studios. Why? Because of The DESK.

It was with serious intent that I planned this week around Cleaning The Desk. So far.... so not too bad.
This is how it looked at start of week. I am not Proud of this, and a 2008 photo found of same desk showed it in much the same condition, though with different "clutter." But... some, uh, of the same...

Yes, I put every single object seen here here. For a reason. There are always reasons. But now there are reasons to move on, and so it began...

Time periods were broken down to twenty minutes sections. No great reason - "twenty minutes" works best for me. So far, thirteen chunks of twenty minutes have been put to use on this project.

After forty minutes on Monday the desk looked like this:

There are a few visible clues to what's been improved, but they are hard to spot. However, I know the parts that are "better" here, and why. Not too many things have been tossed away, but lots have been moved to places where they are better off. The Box has even been addressed - I understand if you cannot tell.

Image Three is yet another evidence photo. My brain doesn't well remember how things WERE; therefore, it is best to shoot photos as proof that progress is being made. It's kind of like a "Spot the Differences" game.

More hours of cleaning have gone on since these first images, but there are still many to go. And other parts of life have to be lived as well. I am often an "all or nothing" sort - so doling out hours to particular deeds can be tough. And, odd is sounds, I am FOCUSED on this Desk Project. However, it is time to make some art now. Or do more bookkeeping, or make supper.

Tomorrow brings proof that I am being Serious about this Desk Thing. 

Perhaps it's time for tea and contemplation. And maybe a piece of toast. 

Here's a toast to Organizers/Cleaners everywhere! 

Fare-thee-well,

Sue the finder of a few lost things!

Oh Oh

It is 8:20 A.M. I am still here in the recliner. Sucking up the Facebook. I'd planned to be elsewhere by eight. But a few topics were interesting.... and Goodbye, Time.

However, I'vee walked an hour worth of laps through the house, worked the ol' spine and arms out with a kettlebell, and listened to some wise words spoken by Seth Godin.

The day is grey and cold, and I will hope that the old yet feisty mini-van starts on the first try. Planning to spend a certain amount of time with (mostly) good people at breakfast. And then back to work on The Desk.

Note to self:

Focus.Focus.Focus.
Then take time to play.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Desk and Journals - 8

Back at the task.

 Here was the drawer this morning - sigh.

Slightly disheartening? NO! Three 15 minutes Challenges later we have a lighter drawer, 17..... 17.....professionally printed To Do Lists - argh, and a bunch of paper squares cut in sizes from 3 1/2" to 5 " square. Useful little beasties - some to keep. Some to bring, TODAY, to American Gothic Antiques. Will also share several To Do Lists - woo hoo!

To Do Lists = Guilt about not filling out To do Lists? Not anymore. My lists are kept in small spiral notebooks that keeps the lists together - for better or for worse. Much better system for my little brain, but it keeps the non-checked-off items in plain sight. I use only one notebook at a time, so even though the un-done items stay at hand,  the checked-off items give a tiny thrill of accomplishment. We all need tiny Thrills of Accomplishment from time to time.

Tiny Thrill? Seeing the wooden bottom of the drawer! A sew square inches of emptiness of paper! Huzzah!

Baby steps. Baby steps. Maybe I'll grab a bag from the drawer and bring it to work today. A bag of paper and our smallest paper cutter? It will be "busy work," but part of the Big Challenge. Justify! Justify!

And what would an organized junk paper drawer look like? I'm planning on 4 to 6 plastic bags with different sized papers. Not helter-skelter. Neat. Purposeful. Possible? On to it.

Time, also, to keep applying to the various art festivals. Not may favorite part of the process, but that's the way the system works. Makes me want to keep sorting junky paper, but then the bears couldn't go visit all those events in the Midwest that they enjoy being part of (poor grammar - yup).

On to the tasks on this nippy day. Bundle up if going out in our beloved Midwest! Have enough gas in the vehicles, and non-slip foot-ware on your feet. Chopper mitts and serious boots are dress code for the day!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Desk and Journals - 7

Well, well, some progress has been made.
This past week I'd settled in for a quick 15 minute stint on the giant pile of mysteries and a bit over two hours later (yes, I was in The Flow....), well, The Space Was Empty. Where there's been Chaos now was a Zen-like Void. The old wood appeared. A dust cloth appeared also - and woo hoo - a magnificent large hollow clean space came into being.

This was not a baby step. This was a giant stride - at least in my eyes. I left it empty until the next day - and occasionally opened the door  - just for the Joy of knowing this part of the Challenge was Completed. When YOU complete a Task or Challenge or Mission please allow yourself a bit of Pleasure in the Having Done. Don't go immediately to the next item on the list. Have a hot cup of tea or a cold glass of beer and simply gaze at your accomplishment. Remember this. "This, too, shall pass."

So what of the papers???? Well. Armed with an awl, ruler, foam core, needle, waxed linen thread, and such, I've begun making more Junk Drawer Journals. They are not perfect. Some are not pretty. All are somewhat useful, and each one has been a bit of fun to create. In fact, I don't feel much like making Real Art right now. Or finish with taxes.... It's pleasant to sort and punch and stitch and embellish these little nothings of reuse/recycle.
There are twenty journals so far. One's been put to use. One's been given to a friend. Others await their missions.

They hold Potential. Ideas. Sketches. Quotes. Grand Schemes. A child's first scribble. The birth of a novel. That's the magic of the blank page - no matter the size. In fact, the smallness and scrapiness of those volumes might just leave a person feeling less worried about ruining a beautiful and "precious" JOURNAL. I'll bring some along to art fairs - to give to those folks who say "I WANT to draw, but - " Heck, here's little sketchbook. "I want to write, but - ". Heck, here's a little notebook. No excuse now, right?  Write. Draw. Enjoy your new bit of Personal Potential. It's only paper - and a bit of waxed thread. But it could change your life.... (If you'd like one let me know.)

On to the rest of Groundhog's Day. May yours be Happy. The squirrel in the patio seems to be enjoying it - we would do well to follow its example!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Desk and Journals - 6

Hmmm.
Yup, a couple more fifteen minute sessions at the old paper hoarder. It's not the desk's fault. I crammed  into it every piece of paper, all the pens, pencils, and other bits of muse and mystery that this nice old desk now holds.

(Wow - watching the squirrel gymnastics competition going on in back year. The little red one is giving the larger black and greys quite the challenge. And both squirrels and chickadees are chowing down. Storm is coming, but we should not be hit as hard as folks in other parts of the Midwest. Stay safe and warm - folks, and beware of those sneaky icy spots.)

Anyway - what might be hiding in a large doored desk space?
*Paper patterns for making model horse saddles. I haven't made a saddle for years and years - but I couldn't quite toss those - so off to a different paper bay they go.
*Way too many commercial/fund-raising "to do" list lists. They are now in the paper drawer... awaiting decision as to fate.
*Notes taken from internet information about my hometown, Gurney, Wisconsin.
*Heavy cardboard tube holding thin sheet of pure silver - once again, from those saddle-making days. Todd took it away. It's somewhere else. That's all I know.
*Weirder, still, a large black Coach purse - stashed behind a wall of papers - for TEN years. Yes, I own too many Coach purses - never noticed it missing. It contained one dollar, an assortment of Sharpies and other pens, a few seriously outdated coupons, a list of goals from April 2003 - some of which have still not been accomplished, and small bits of this and that. It's now hanging in the closet with the other lovely purses. (Most of the time I use an un-named black leather  purse-backpack that would have been a one dollar garage-sale purchase - except that as I was handing the lady the dollar she said, "Oh, just take it." O.K., and thank you.)

Today's fifteen minutes? Who knows?

Another Thank You goes to the guy on the phone from the Wisconsin Tax Office who patiently helped me through this year's tax filing. I sent him kisses through the phone after all was done and done. Last year I blew two hours attempting to submit information, and then simply wrote a letter, printed the forms, and wrote a check. Learned last year not to leave everything to last possible moment. It might cause stress which might affect tinnitus. Woo hoo. Yesterday was better.

So, on to the day.

Tips?
 Don't leave most stuff till the last moment.
 Put a list of goals somewhere where you can find it several years later.
Do something for a little while almost every day. Accomplishments might add up!

Tomorrow? Possibly, Lesson on making Kale Chips.

"Energy and persistence conquer all things." - Benjamin Franklin

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Pitched many paper pieces, but many still to go.

Desk and Journals - 3

Wow.
Today I heard a doctor say something I never thought I'd hear a doctor say. It was concerning being able to see my heart beat in my chest. "You are a thin person," she said. Not that this stops the constant ringing buzzing in my head - but some days ya take what you can get. And she also said, "Your heart is really good." Yup. So here goes Appreciating my Really Good Heart constantly rattling in my skull. Ye ha!

On to other stuff. Also thinner are the widths of paper piles on and in The Desk. Hooray for Recycling. And putting things in more proper places.

One half of shelf section is almost paper-free. Whee?!? How are your piles and stacks doing? Just asking.

There is even less a papered area now. Several non-current receipt books have found their way to an Old Business part of the house, and some quotes on scraps have been written in journals. It's hard for me to toss an original scrap, but it seems that the more one tosses the easier tossing becomes. Whew.

My newest audio-visual treat is "Downton Abbey" on Netflix. Still working through Season One. Stitched a small journal while semi-paying-attention to current episode. I don't care about following every little detail of the series, so can follow along well enough to multi-task a bit.

A minor miracle of Junk Drawer doings: Tyler needed card-stock strips for a piece of full-sized body armor he's making. Yes, paper body armor. Man-sized. Anyway, in the Paper Drawer were many many many strips of card-stock - saved from greeting card adventures. Here ya go, Tyler Lad, and thanks for asking! One STILL cannot tell that we have removed any paper from that drawer........ It's like the magic porridge pot that keeps filling up on it's own. I am not even smiling as I type this.

For a change of pace - here's a cranky bossy bear that came alive during Tara and my latest visit to The Bikery. (Pre-last-Saturday's-Green-Bay-Packers loss....) I was playing with the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. Finally getting somewhat comfortable using it. I don't know who she is - but I did get the message.

Simply - MAKE A DIFFERENCE. You know how best in your world. I'm still figuring how best in mine.

Now it's time to send some greeting cards and magnets to Stone Fern Gallery in scenic Stockholm, Wisconsin. Then maybe pick up a pastel stick and make a few marks. you'd be surprised at how infrequently that gets done lately. No excuse. The stuff is sitting on the studio table. "Pick me!" "Oh, please pick me! You know how much you like Orange..." "What about me?" "Are you ignoring ME for a reason???" Scary when art supplies start speaking to a person.

On to the ringy chingy day. On to putting that Good Heart to better use.

Oh, and we still love you, Green Bay Packers.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Desk and Journals - 2

Progress.
We love Progress.
We have made Progress.
 No, you can't tell that many sheets of paper or missing from the scrap paper drawer. Only evidence is a plastic bag of folded sheets AND one completed journal. Woo hoo. It's an ugly journal, but functional, and kind of cute in a 'Why did you stitch gold jump rings along the spine?" sort of way. The jump rings are FOR FUN. And to use them up. They are from twenty-plus years of making model horse tack. Yes, twenty- plus. And there are LOTS of little bits (literally) and things still around in nooks, crannies, and plastic containers. One container has been on my desk for nineteen years. It still holds tiny leather laced reins, waxed linen thread, needles, thimbles, and more miscellaneous stuff than I care to relate. But fewer gold jump rings than it held yesterday. Hooray!

Work in progress. I told you it was ugly. But the paper will hold words and sketches and that's what counts.

Here it is a bit more completed:

The two ribs are card stock trimmed from various cards. Couldn't throw those away. Can't use them all for tiny grocery lists. So they've been glued and stitched to be functional and decorative. Bland, yes, but we'll call it "Subtle." Later I plan to rubber stamp text on cover. It's not thrilling - but it's done. Yes, a small deed done. Junk Drawer Journal Number 1.

Progress has been made on cleaning/organizing desk, too. Yahoo! Escaped photos and some papers are back in their proper containers. Do not ask about the large Eye looking down. Our house has things in it that have no good answers. I still miss the small plastic Glinda the Good Witch standing atop a jar containing a small preserved scorpion. This sat on a kitchen shelf for some many years, but is gone now. Mysteries....

Two days ago I attacked the upper right-hand shelf. Small progress - but progress. Any clear space is lovely to see. And to dust. Found tiny journals that had only a few sentences. They were moved to bookcase journal section. Found art fair application forms from 2010. Recycling these, among lots of other paper bits. We will NOT be found dead under piles of tiny paper bits. At least not this year!

So, more baby steps.

And much more to do. (Should have turned the Yellow ducky around so it could have a quack with Frida Kahlo.) And, yes, I still have stray Brett Favre trinkets here and there. But now one can see wood and space and hope. And the possibility for tea.

Hmm. Tea. Yes, it's tea time again. No, the lovely rice-ware pot won't be put to use. A bag of herbal something will get plunked into a mug of micro-waved water. But friend, Karen, has sent some wonderful teas from New Zealand and that old pot from college days will soon be put to use. Might have to empty it of other mysterious contents first. Oh well. Just part of the price of this on-going Challenge.

Hoping yours is going well. Yes? No? Maybe? Back to it? Always, back to it. With frequent breaks for real life.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Challenge 1 - Desk and Journals - Day 1 and 2

I do not hoard paper.
I do not hoard paper.
I do not hoard paper.

However, It's really hard to toss away, however small, a piece of paper. The one that has no marks on it. the one that's scrap from trimming paper. One that's big enough for a tiny drawing or a short sentence.

These all head for one drawer in my work desk. This drawer is very full.

I'm not over-fond of the term "lightbulb moment" - but recently, while still in bed trying not to hear my head ding, well, I had one.  Not lightbulbs but scrap papers morphing into a bunch of small journals! Simple stab binding "books" of many shapes and sizes.  Yes! Rid drawer of stash. Make semi-useful items. Use some. Give others away. Another Challenge. I (we?) need another challenge...

Well, a combination of challenges. Back to the desk. This antique kitchen work desk has been in our home for nineteen years. It is my friend. It saw me through most of my model horse tack making career - the plastic box in the back still holds remnants of this former life. It's convenient and well-used. 30 Day Challenge - clean and organize this paper magnet once again. Year Challenge - keep it clean and organized. And create tiny tomes from it's many mysteries hidden within those drawers and doors.

On to it. January 2nd - the Adventure begins! Because this cannot take up the day I decided set a time limit of from 15 minutes to one hour to choose, trim, or fold papers. And/or attack desk clutter. Make this Fun. Remember to make this Fun. Come to the doing Joyously. Consider the "baby steps" in actual inches. If a cliche must be used use one. "Remember the pyramids weren't built in a day." Remember this desk won't be cleaned in a day. And have a vision of final outcome. On to it!

So - here we are so far. A variety of folded paper papers - different sizes, different weights, different textures. All in one plastic bag - waiting for the next move.

I don't have any great hopes for making this paper into anything but functional bundles of repurposed pages. But the drawer will be be lighter, and maybe some of the completed pieces will lighten the heart of a person or thirty. There are red adhesive hearts in one desk drawer - among other Decorative Mysteries. Hmmmm. Time to start Day Three.

A 30 Day Challenge can be a marvelous attempt. YOU know what your choices are. Choose one. It's only 30 days - but it IS 30 days. Or start shorter and create a 10 Day Challenge. It will add a bit of spice/purpose/reason to get up in the morning to the day.

If you complete a challenge let me know. You could receive a useful journal in which to document your next Challenge!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue