To purge or Not to Purge

Let's face it we all have too much stuff.The thought process as to why we need it differs from person to person of course,we all put value in different things.

Open any cupboard or drawer and you will see a  lot of junk that you just can't get rid of because you MIGHT need it.

The truth is you most likely don't need it,well at least not all of it.

How many elastic bands do you really need?

How many dead batteries can you fit into just one drawer anyway?

I have been following this other blog and we have a bunch of ladies that are taking the 

52 week challenge

and also this facebook page

I'm an Organizing Junkie

There are so many tips to help you oranize your stuff but really..how about just purging some of it?

I know for me I bounce stuff around thinking I will find a spot for it later..as long as THIS spot is neat and tidy.

Well I don't have a huge house so it bounces around a lot.

I'm not sure why I feel like I need to keep everything maybe because growing up my mom didn't keep anything.

The funny thing is,the older I get the more I realize,I don't need this stuff cluttering up my house.

Last summer friends of ours had a house fire.It destroyed their basement and everything else in it.The fire didn't reach the upper floors but the smoke did.The whole place is a write off.I always thought that would be great!

You would be able to purge all that stuff you have been saving and not feel guilty about it.Then go shopping for new stuff!!

The reality is,it would really suck.

Along with the stuff I hate but keep due to guilt..I would lose some treasured mementos.

SO..I have decided to live my life guilt free.If I don't love it..it goes.Now mind ya I do have some things that have been handed down to the kids from various grandparents and in just a few short years..it will be their problem to deal with.

Until then I am boxing up all that stuff.purging the stuff I can and organizing things so my house functions correctly and in the case of fire..I will know what to grab first.

Scrappy stuff...jewelry...kids..

no wait kids first right...my bad..

.If I have the chance to get back into the house,I want to know exactly what I am going after so I need to be able to find it.quickly.

In the case of our friends,she had enough time to get the kids out before the smoke took over but that isn't always the case so I want to be prepared and I want to live a simple,clean life that doesn't overwhelm me every time I look at it.

On a side note..anyone want a huge collection of crystal?Cheap?

 

Bread maker I am NOT!

I have been trying for weeks now to make homemade bread.

Not only is it better for you..it's cheaper!

Well that is if it actually turns out for you,which none of mine have.

I don't know what my problem is but I can NOT seem to make this stuff.

I have made buns and they turned out..OK.

I can make pretzels and they turn out pretty good.

I just can't do bread.

Yesterday I tried again and failed.

But Chris..you say..it looks pretty good.Well yes it does until you factor in that it should look like this..

 Deals to Meals

AND factor in that it didn't rise AT ALL until finally 3 hours later when  I said "what the heck" rolled it up and threw it in the oven anyway.

THEN

once it came out and cooled we cut into and tasted it..

all I can say is it tasted like...umm whats that stuff we used to eat in Kindergaren??..

Oh I know paste!only this tasted like dried paste..(don't ask me how I know that)

Ya it was..not good.

I have spent countless hours,mixing,kneading,punching and cursing this stuff not to mention the amount of flour I have gone through..well I give up.

Even the.."you can't get an easier bread recipe" recipe,eludes me.

I did however find a great use for the stuff

Yep,I am making a cake for a friend and this was perfect for testing out the topper.

Skewers go right through it and it's pasty enough to hold them without falling over..

.heavy enough too.

BTW I do not plan on making the cake from scratch..I have learned that lesson all too well.

Shabby Chic Jewery Holder

January's Design Team challenge is Ice.

When I think of ice I think of diamonds...maybe because that is my birthstone,maybe because they are just so darn sparkly...

Whichever the case,I decided to make an upcycled jewery holder.

Most of the time my stuff is jumbled in a ball in a drawer so I thought I would maybe also get some organizing done.

I started with a cheap(75c) item from the thrift shop.I think it was meant to hold keys.

 

I painted the whole thing a couple times with white paint.

Once dry I sanded all the edges and roughed it all up,exposing wood grain below.

Next I took my TH ink pads and rubbed them across the flat sections and corners to distress it a bit.

I rubbed brown ink along the edges also to give it an aged look.

Then after choosing my papers,I glued them all down on the flat surfaces and began embellishing.

This paper line is Lost and Found~MME.I love it and it will go perfectly in my daughters room..oh ya did I mention,this will never hold all my stuff so I gave it to Emma.

I also used a paper towel holder to match that will hold her bracelets.

I used the same technique and wrapped paper around the post.I also added some detail to the bottom.

I love how this turned out and it was so easy.I plan to make one for myself but maybe on a bigger scale.

BLOG HOP!!!!

If you've just stopped by for a visit,head on back to Ambers blog to begin the hop.

You should have gotten here from Miwas blog. 

If you haven't already guessed..I'm Christina but my friends and family call me Chris.

I made it to the next DT for CC and I couldn't be any happier!

Well I could if I was sitting somewhere warm typing this post..

Brr it's cold here.

 There are a few things you should know about me.

I snort sometimes when I laugh.Can't help it.

My favourite flower is a pink tulip.

I had the most awesomest (that's a word right?)car when I got my licence...

a 1978 Camaro!!
I miss that baby.

My favourite colour is green..no red..no pink..wait I can't decide..ask me tomorrow.

I am not a perfectionist as my mother likes to say..if I was my house would be much cleaner than it actually is..I just like things done ..
my way.

Nothing wrong with that is there? 

I mean when I am working on a project I do want it to be perfect don't we all?

I think my first project turned out pretty awesome..even if I do need to tweek it a bit...well maybe my mother was right....

I always wondered what it would be like to live in the 1800's and  have to wear a dress like this all the time. Might be interesting..they scrapbooked back then didn't they?

My second entry most of you have seen and it's one of my favourites.Not sure how I'll ever top this one.

I loved making this house.I added so many little surprises that each time you look you see something new.My DD couldn't keep her hands off it so now it sits up on a shelf until next Halloween.

Well those are my projects and I'm sure you'll love the next one you're about to see at my good friend and fellow Canadian Corries blog.

 Just in case you get lost..

 Amber - http://ambaju.blogspot.com/
Jenni - http://wishiwasscrappin.blogspot.com/
Kathy - http://upinthenightwithkat.blogspot.com/

Jasmine - http://wildflowerford.blogspot.com/
Mary - http://mkbugs.blogspot.com/
Nina - http://ninastimeout.blogspot.ca/
Polly - http://pazasproductions.blogspot.com/
DeeDee - www.umwowstudio.com
Miwa - http://miwannascrap.blogspot.com/<----you came from here
Chris - http://thriftysisters-chris.blogspot.com/<-----you are here
Corrie - http://corriescrafts.blogspot.com/<-----you are going here
Karen - http://karey2005.blogspot.com/
Julie - http://muddypawsinkyfingers.blogspot.com/
Becky - http://onceuponadelight.blogspot.com/
Laura - http://lauraannsbreakfastpizza.blogspot.com/
Michele - http://stuffbybelle.blogspot.com/

Happy Hopping!!!

New Year,New Team!!

Well 2012 is over..finally.

We all escaped the end of he world,actually it was a pretty nice day.

Since life didn't end,I guess we'll have to keep working on our Design Team projects for Cropchocolate.

 Join us this weekend for the New design Team Blog HOP where you will get to meet the new team and see some amazing projects!

Januarys theme was ICE.

These next three ladies all had very different ideas of what ICE is.

Jenni aka mom2two created this great layout of her family ice skating at Rockefeller center..how cool would that be!

 See her post HERE

Next belle made this really neat magnetic board to hold her altered mouse traps.These are really cool.This project reminds me of Narnia.Check out the instructions on using tin foil,that's right 

TIN FOIL!

HERE

This week is Jasmines project.I just love her little house all covered in ice.

Isn't this cool!Check it out HERE

Great job ladies!!

I have two challenges from Cropchocolate to show you first off,we were challenged to do a project based on another DT's project.

I chose Miwas Halloween cake from this post

 

This is my version.

This weeks challenge was:

From Karey2005 and by belle:

The extra stress of the holidays are over so we thought it would be an awesome time to de-stress! The challenge this week is to create a card, lay-out, or other project using distress ink, distress paint or other techniques for distressing paper (sanding, tearing, etc).

I did my first layout of the year!!

 The colour is a bit off and I am not sure I like it now but it fits the challenge and it's done.

See you soon!!

My Favourite things...1 year in review.

So a couple ladies over on CC have decided to showcase their favourite things that they have done this year and I thought maybe I would join in..

AS you will notice not all of them are scrapbook related.

 I don't remember why I did this acrylic album but one lucky person got it in the ,mail.It was a challenge but I liked it and since I don't use mini albums I thought I would just give it to someone that does.

 I love this layout and about two minutes after completing it..I lost those stamps...somewhere in my scrap room but I have yet to find them...

 This past spring we were informed one of our cats had feline leukemia and we were advised to put him down.This picture reminds me of how much we love him...and we chose not to put him down..he is doing well and hasn't been sick since.So glad I listened to my gut instinct instead.

 This was a challenge based on your favourite book.Inside is a dragonfly for DRagonfly in Amber.

I added a picture of my mom as a child also but she told me it looked better without it so I removed it..

 This past Thanksgivig we went camping and it was honestly my favourite camping trip ever.

This was my bigest project and I did this for Octobers DT.

Probably the most time consuming but I just love it.

Lastly my most favourite of them all...

 

Hope you had a great year and see you in 2013.

Winner

 And the winner is....

DenisePDecember 18, 2012 2:29 PM

Super cute! Those spiders are neat...I wonder if the legs are the only solid bead part or if it is all beading. Either way, very pretty! Love the boxes, too. Can't tell if that's the lovely celery ribbon or just the buckle, but it goes so well with the box! =D

Congrats!!

As soon as I hear from you I will get your little spider in th email.

Have a Happy New Year!!