Yup!

It’s so sassy!

Let’s just hope I can make it look this good tomorrow after I take a shower… But so far I love it!

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Well, I’m humming along with my de-cluttering efforts.

I took a break from doing drawers and headed outside of my bedroom to deal with my overstuffed bar.

I have a problem with collecting too many glasses. Perhaps because my bar looks like this.

Er… Yeah… I’m really just being hospitable. Really, I don’t have a drinking problem…Seriously!

Anyway, I’m not willing to part with my sweet collection of vintage state glasses or my collection of vintage pink elephant glasses. And, yeah, I’m keeping the murano glass cocktail set too.

And I couldn’t part with my beloved little shot glasses that my were my grandmother’s. And I adore the Sandwich glasses goblets and don’t even get me started on how much I use my majollica goblets. I tell you–they make the wine taste even better! Or the green little glasses that belonged to my Great Aunt Lil…

But I’ll part with these too big martini glasses and misc. wine glasses that don’t have a match. And although it’s kinda tough, these sweet little juice glasses are going too. It doesn’t make sense to hold on to glasses I haven’t used in four years or so, right? Hopefully someone else can use them and enjoy them as much as I did at one time.

If anyone in the Bay Area wants them, just ping me and they are yours!

OH, and I did do quite a bit of filing. Like probably two years worth. Seriously.

I swear, I do have a more intriguing life than to blog about this, but getting rid of clutter is so wonderfully cathartic and a huge undertaking for me–even if it is just one day at a time. I can’t tell you how much better I feel every time I deal with all of this. Every week I make more room –even just by removing these two dozen glasses helps–and get more stuff out of my house that I don’t use so I can breathe deeper.

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Because last year’s new recipe a week goal was so much fun and so doable, I’m going to do it again!

I thought about doubling it, but then I rememebered that this is suppose to be fun, not necessarily a contest. I’m not the cooking stalwart that say, Julie is, but hey, it’s fun, right?

So, this week I actualy cooked two lovely new meals. One from Martha’s that was featured in her January issue. I love those four course pull outs that she loves. It makes me want to start subscribing to her all over again!

And I also made this: bourbon salmon. Doesn’t it look healthy with its charming side dishes of edamame mixed vegetables from Trader Joe’s and some nice wild rice? Desperately easy and oh so good! Perfect for weeknight dinners!

With a nice glass of wine and a nifty home-made napkin that I finished off with red bias tape (a leftover from my Thanksgiving craftiness that still keeps giving), it makes for a nice-ish picture!

It say “nice-ish” because there are so many lovely photos of food photography, like this one for CHOW.com’s salted hazelnut brittle. Isn’t that picture gorgeous? It takes quite a brilliant photographer to turn brittle into something as gorgeous as a stained glass window.

Or some of the yummy things on my favorite blogs like Alicia’s snugglesome blog or the quiet beauty of 3191. I really want to be a better photographer to do justice to the subjects and for my blog. Hmmm… Perhaps another goal for 2008.

Anyway, have a nice weekend, everyone!

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The world says there are two kinds of knitters–people who knit for themselves and people who knit for others.  I see the benefits of both camps. As a knitter, you spend so much time to create something that is often times doesn’t highlight the effort and time that went into it. People like it, but sometimes they don’t see the layers of what it takes to create a knitted gift. It is way way way easier to of course purchase something.  And the yarn alone can be twice the cost of what you can often buy in the store. And the time that one knits it is, of course, priceless.

That is why only other knitters fully understand and appreciate an item that has been knitt for them. Truly understand.

I hope the DomiKNITrix fully understands how much I completely appreciate this gorgeous scarf she knit for me. I appreciate every quick pull and twining her hands made with the yarn. I appreciate her knowing choice of color palette. The sincere thought of–this IS for LESLIE.  It is truly awe-inspiring when you think that someone spent hours–many evenings creating something for you. Not just plucking a gift up in a shop, but taking time out of their life to create a one of a kind object that I can wear and love. You truly can feel the love and the warmth. The time the effort. I can’t believe it. It’s really quite magical. Domiknitrix gave me a hand knitted scarf! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

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Well, I’m still plugging away on cleaning out the drawers.

Last Sunday I started with the goal to clean out four drawers, (since social engagements kept me out too late to come home and start cleaning). But two drawers in and I was completely overwhelmed. My brother told me that it’s best to do it no more than for short bursts–15 minutes at a time. And it’s true.

However, not only did I clean out those drawers I found things and properly righted them. Often times things aren’t finished. How many times have we started projects, taken things out and left the remnants on the dresser, the table, the floor?  Or crammed them into the wrong drawer because someone was coming over?

It is damningly too easy to put a broken necklace in a drawer and forget about it. Which is what I did. But that Sunday, I had Eric fix it.

And I found in one of the drawers I was cleaning out this darling lady bug bell for my bicycle. That I bought 2 years ago. But that Sunday I finally put it on my bike.

I know. I know. These things so so insignificant. So small. But with every drawer, I feel that I am helping make room in my world and my goals and to help make life more livable on a day to day basis. After all, it is the little things in life that can bring you the most joy.  My sweetie and I have two goals to do by the end of the year and one of them is buy a house. I don’t want the clutter to follow me to the new house. So getting through everything now is essential.

Stay tuned for next week, which will all be about FILING! Whoo hoo!

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So, in part of my desire to end clutter, I gave Eileen a birthday/Christmas present that wouldn’t just sit around her apartment getting dusty. I gave her a the gift of a tattoo instead!

Eileen was such a trouper. Here she is an hour into the tattoo.

With the gracious help of Kelley, the proprietress of Painted Lady Tattoo and uber tattoo artist, Eileen got the tattoo that she’s been wanting for two years. I must say, this tattoo shop was so charming. The walls painted the most relaxing mint color and Kelley has kitted the place out in a vintage Aisan theme. I swear, even SFBayGirl would be delighted by this place!

Eileen had a very specific idea of what she wanted, based on a small design she had created awhile back, but after talking to Kelley her vision changed.

It’s amazing how much insight tattoo artists have in helping make sure that the design works and took Eileen’s idea and made it work for a tattoo. Thank you, Kelley!

As noted by Eileen, “The three hours just flew by and it felt like it was being licked on by kittens! (I am so totally lying about the last part.) ”

But Eileen loves it. And really, who wouldn’t? So sweet and femine. And having it on a bit of an angle, helps it look more natural. Just wonderful.

Perhaps this will make me me get my f-hole tattoos much sooner….

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Well, there is always something so inspirational about the first day of the year. The rehaul of eating and drinking habits are evergreen items on my list. But I really want to deal with my clutter demons. Sometimes clutter is just so overwhelming that you much chip away at it one step, one day at a time.

I wouldn’t say I’m horrible with clutter, but well, things do pile up. And one of the top ways to stop that is getting rid of the items that cause the clutter. I don’t want people to come into my house and see clutter–but instead the charming items that I treasure. Not the pile of books or clothes in the corner of the room.  My friend Penelope always used to say–”Every thing has its place. Every place has its thing.” And it is quite true. Now how do I start?

One drawer at a time.  I remember one week, my darling friend Dana decided to clean out one drawer at a time in her bedroom. Why not take it to the next step. Do one until there aren’t any  more drawers.

Yes, you see where I’m going with this one. In fact I’m going to start my own little organization revolution–one drawer at a time. No more than 15 minutes a day. And I’m not going to just move stuff from one drawer to the next closest drawer. I’m going to put things away–give them a place.  I am taking the pledge. A Drawer A Day! 

Starting today.  And I’m starting with this ultimate repisotory for crap! Yes, the bedside table top drawer.

Which started looking like this:

And in less than 10 minutes turned into this:

Wow. Just 10 minutes and already I feel better. More sane. Like I’m truly moving forward. Which is always good. And yes, things were thrown out and put in their proper place.  Why do I have seven pens in this drawer and not a scrap of paper? And what is with the 30 odd pony tail holders?

Truly humbling stuff.

I think this blog would be rather lame if I started just shooting photos of my drawers. Wouldn’t that be ghastly? So, I’ll just save that for Mondays. Start the week out with a bang–looking at the accomplishements of the past week to egg me on to continue it for the next week.

Wish me luck and feel free to join me on my Karate Chop on Clutter!

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