January 13: A Few Improvements

It's minus 9 as I type this at 9:30 in the morning.  We have a predicted high of 10 today, so that's something to look forward to!

I spent most of yesterday labeling containers in my studio. I went in there to straighten things up and quickly realized that I had three problems related to organization.  First, I had too many little containers on the table tops. For instance, I had four pencil cup holders near my sewing machine and several holders for pins. Ben had just fixed a troublesome drawer right next to my machine so I consolidated the little containers and put them into that convenient drawer along with a container of little note papers.  I left one pin cushion and one pencil cup with my favorite writing utensils out next to my machine. Wow, that cleared a lot of space. 

Another problem was that I regularly label containers with black Sharpie on blue tape.  Works okay, but I realized that I can't easily see the labels.  Seems like I'm always looking for a needed container and can't find it quickly.  Clearly I need  BIG labels on white paper so I can see the suckers.  I took hours, but I no longer have this.....

....but this.  So much easier to see. 

I relabeled everything from boxes of art supplies to drawers of fabrics.  Here's the notebooks in process.  What a difference. 

And my last problem was I really wanted to keep my cutting table free so I could use it anytime without having to clear stuff off of it.  Even when it was "clear" I always had a box of rotary cutters and about eight rulers laying on top of it.  So I moved a table that had been near the door to the side of the cutting table  so it can hold the cutters and rulers.  Not only did it leave the cutting table totally free but I can now sit on the day bed and use the table as a desk for typing or drawing or whatever.  

Whew!  A lot of work.  Today I'm actually going to sew in the new arrangement and see how it works out. 

Meanwhile, Ben has been busy making a big improvement in the living room.  The woodwork over the fireplace had become a sea of nails and nail holes over the past ten years as I hung quilts up there. For each one, I just hammered in the nails and hung the eye bolts on the quilt slats on the nails.  This worked but made a mess of the woodwork.   Ben thought there must be a better way and found a new hanging system, much like those used in galleries.  It's taking a bit to perfect it, but already it's way better. 

And if all that wasn't enough, we finally got the glass on our new bedroom doors covered.  We've been living with butcher paper on the glass for several months as we figured out what type of coverings to get, and we finally settled on a film that offers privacy while letting in the light.  A company called Sun-ease installed the film and we decided to leave the top foot of glass open so we can see the treetops outside.  We're quite pleased with our choice! 

Well, I'm off to help get our Sunday brunch cooked; sausage, eggs, and pancakes.  Might hold us until we go out to dinner tonight up the mountain at the Flagstaff House to celebrate the 21st birthday of our two nephews. It'll be even colder up there, but I'm sure we'll have a cozy and happy time.   For so long neither Ben nor John had kids and then, boom!, within just a few years there were three.  Something to celebrate for sure.