Quilts: A Living Tradition by Robert Shaw: The Destiny of Things, Story 179

Quilts: A Living Tradition by Robert Shaw:  The Destiny of Things, Story 179

I love quilts!

photo via VintageToGoEasy 

handmade washi tape quilt cards here, here and here

An email explains it all!

Dear Kennedy,

I am the thrilled recipient of a wonderful book, Shaw’s Quilts: A Living Tradition, which my son recently ordered from your Etsy site and sent to me for my 63rd birthday .

It is a beautiful book that I will reference often, both as a quilter and as an avid history buff.

The little envelope of doodads intrigued me:  The penny for my thoughts is dated 2008, the year three of my grandchildren were born (aka,” The Three Monkeys.”)  The little stickers will be great as behavioral rewards for them.

The Fortune Telling Fish really brought back a wonderful memory for me!  Fifty years ago on my 13th birthday, my mother included those in the party favors.  My girlfriends and I had great fun watching the little red cellophane fish wriggle and warp on our palms.  I had never seen them before or since.  Last Saturday, I brought them to my quilting bee,( along with the book, of course) and showed my friends how to use them.  Can you picture a dozen old grannies giggling over our being fickle or in love!  My fortune indicates that I am just as passionate now as I was fifty years ago!

Thank you for dehoarding your life and enriching mine.

May you be heaped with loads of non-material blessings!

Best wishes
 

 I can't imagine how many pieces went into this quilt!

photo via VintageToGoEasy 

handmade washi tape quilt cards here, here and here

I am so thankful the book went to another quilter who will enjoy it as much as I did and now it's been to a quilting bee!  It's news like that brings me joy and keeps me motivated to continue dehoarding, so I can start quilting again.

Plus it's a bonus to hear how someone loved my doodad package and the memories of the Fortune Fish that resurfaced with it!  I wish I could have been a fly on the wall with all the giggling going on!

 Package of doodads with every order or you can purchase one here, here, here or here.

Each shop has a similar, yet different array of items in each package.

As I mentioned in the beginning, I love quilts!  And yes, I used to hoard them!  I have several quilts from my family.  I have bought many quilts and quilt tops from my thrifting days back in the 80s and I've made three quilts in my classrooms.  

My students drew self portraits on fabric for a quilt I finished that we sent to our sister school in Denmark, another was a twin size felt quilt of button nosed bunnies and one was a door contest with the theme of Africa to celebrate African American month.  

The students researched Kenya and worked in pairs to prepare a fact finding square to illustrate.  I used to collect African textiles and even had some fabric from Kenya to use in it.  It won the contest hands down and every year the library asked to display it during African American month.

---Include bunny quilt and Kenya quilt here----

The last quilt was the bunny quilt and the students completed the entire quilt themselves.  It took almost the whole year to make and they worked extra hard to have free time to work on it.  They also wrote their secrets, hope, dreams, troubles and wishes on paper and sewed them inside that quilt.  I can still feel the paper in some of the squares.

 I just love this bow tie and hour glass quilt

 from quarter square triangle blocks, especially the edging!

photo via VintageToGoEasy 

handmade washi tape quilt cards here, here and here

Saying Goodbye:  Even though I've read these quilt books front to back and look through them at least once a year for inspiration I am thankful they've gone on to new homes. (This is the second quilt book  sold, the other that sold can be seen here)

The Fowler Museum at UCLA seems to have textile exhibits often and in the 90s, it was the first time I was introduced to a Gee Bend quilt.  It was a cut and sew quilt of the back of old jeans.  The lady in the video interview said it's the front of the jeans that go first and that's why her quilt had so many pockets.  I never forgot her and can still picture her in my head.

I've seen many exhibits there that have inspired me, another one was one of religious artifacts made from trash from Peru and Brazil.  After that I've always wanted to go to the Corpus Cristi in Peru.  The exhibition now at the Fowler Museum is "Sinful Saints and Saintly Sinners."  I'm going to go see it sometime before July 20!

What I Learned:

1.  This post definitely has inspired and motivated me to make better progress in clearing the music art room, so I can find the two quilts I've started.  One is an alphabet quilt and I'm half way done with squares.  Both I've been sewing by hand and I need to find the fabric stash that goes with both of them.

2.  It's the kindness of strangers that keep me dehoarding and I'm extremely grateful to you all for sending your stories to help me with mine!

3.  I don't think anyone's thanked me for dehoarding before, so that felt good!

What small miracles found you today?  For me it's finding that my alternative to hoarding by creating Gee Bend inspired washi tape quilt cards seems to be working!

Thank you Etsy buyer from VintageToGoEasy for the motivation to continue clearing the music art room, so I can finish projects close to my heart.   I hope I'm still as passionate as you are 50 years from now!  Many thanks for the load of heaps of non material blessings!

Thank you Etsy for random emails of kind Etsyians helping me with my Hoarder Rehab journey and for helping find happy homes for over 620 items of my hoard!

Thank you US, Canada, China, UK, Argentina, Peru, Russia, Thailand and many others for being here and supporting my  HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!  

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab,  The Destiny of Things, VintageToGoEasy and now JunkDrawerLove!  There are about 107 items listed on JunkDrawerLove and relistings to each shops daily and adding new listings weekly to all shops too!  Thanks for looking!  Find something to take home and share your story too!

Here's a sample of Gee Bend inspired alternative to hoarding! 

 photo via The Destiny of Things, print available here

These cards are part of my index card series!

Related Stories:  Other Creative Outlets, instead of hoarding!

1.  Embroidery and Mending, story here.  I find this creative outlet very relaxing!

2.  Packaging Surprises, story here.  Making this forest of trees kept me busy for weeks!

All Time Most Read Story of the Week, Month and All Time:  My Louis Vuitton Collection the end of mine for the beginning of someone else.  The last piece of my LV collection, my 80s LV gold cornered wallet is available here at The Destiny of Things! 

"Harmony.  It's not what's lasting or permanent.  It is about individual voices coming together for a moment.  And that moment lasts a length of a breath, or in my instance a transaction.  That's what I think about my time here."---Frank Underwood from House of Cards or in my case, I think it's "destiny, as well as harmony."

View my House of Cards - Frank Underwood, Harmony quote double sided reversible washi tape collage art here, here and here!  It's a series of three so far! 

Happy Friday!

Sterling Queen Mary Ocean Liner Charm: The Destiny of Things, Story 178

Sterling Queen Mary Ocean Liner Charm:  The Destiny of Things, Story 178

An email story from the day of purchase!

photo via Hoarder Rehab

Here's the email:

This purchase is going to my Niece for her seventh wedding anniversary. She was married on The Queen Mary April 7, 2007. I try to send her vintage and unique items when I find them. I know she will love this...:)

 photo via Hoarder Rehab

I am so happy that this has found a home as a seventh year wedding anniversary gift as a keepsake reminder of memories from the big day on the Queen Mary and more memories to come.

I  haven't been to the Queen Mary in years and have never seen the Princess Diana Exhibit and all the other entertainment they have there now.  I think the last time I was there was for the Grand Prix.

The Queen Mary is a historical landmark of Long Beach, California.  I had my first teaching job and house there.  Interesting memories came up from this Queen Mary charm.  

Dooley's Lumberjack, Long Beach, California

For some reason, one of them is shopping at Dooley's.  It was a hardware store that seemed to have just about everything!  I guess it's because it was another Long Beach landmark and I would shop there often for classroom supplies, especially when I started teaching in Los Angeles.  Dooley's is long gone and so is the iconic lumberjack, but I still have some chalk from the store, available here, still has the Dooley's price tag on it too!  Remember their commercials?

photo via Hoarder Rehab

Saying Goodbye:  I had several of these for some reason and I think I have one more, so after this posting I'll go look for it and list it.  I do have many sterling charms and used to collect them for my mixed media art and charm bracelet, but since I'm still allergic to sterling I've stopped.

What I Learned:

1.  I've love charms! and have quite the collection!  I will need to start listing them and letting them go, since I can no longer wear sterling.  As a recovering hoarder, it's starting to amaze me of all the stuff I actually have and how far I need to go to be free of all my hoard!

2.  We've been having one family crisis after another for the past month or so, but it seems to be resolving it's self, so things can get back to normal.  I found other ways to deal with it and didn't turn to retail shopping to release my stress, worries and anxieties.  I am thankful.

Are the landmarks from your memories still around?  It seems some are and some are not.

Thank you Etsy buyer from Hoarder Rehab for sending me an email last week right after purchase.  It's such a relief to know the Queen Mary charm will be celebrating such a happy occasion.  Thank you for the memories it brought to me and the reminder that I have a lot more sterling charms to dehoard!

Thank you Etsy for another harmonious transaction with a win win situation!

Thank you US, China, Canada, Brazil, Czech Republic, Peru, Russia and Germany for stopping by and taking part in my  HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!  

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab,  The Destiny of Things, VintageToGoEasy and now JunkDrawerLove!  There are about 106 items listed on JunkDrawerLove and relistings to each shops daily and adding new listings weekly to all shops too!  Thanks for looking!  Find something to take home and share your story too! 

Check out my alternative to hoarding!

 "Eggs in Fresh Cut Grass"  

Abstract Easter Egg Hunt Art Print, available here

Other Seventh Year Wedding Anniversary Stories:

1.  Coincidental 7 year Wedding Copper Anniversaries:  Sacred Heart Mexican Tin Nichos:  The Destiny of Things, Story #10 and #11

"Harmony.  It's not what's lasting or permanent.  It is about individual voices coming together for a moment.  And that moment lasts a length of a breath, or in my instance a transaction.  That's what I think about my time here."---Frank Underwood from House of Cards or in my case, I think it's "destiny, as well as harmony."

Loteria Mexican Bingo Game: The Destiny of Things, Story # 177

Loteria Mexican Bingo Game:  The Destiny of Things, Story # 177

Going all the way to Puerto Vallarta!

 photo via blog of  paper cuts and bigger things

I received this email out of the blue from an Etsy buyer:

I received my order and love it and think that it was so cool that you included a little prize pack. The handwritten note was a bonus so I am taking time to reply. I purchased this to take to my wedding in Puerto Vallarta and will be doing loteria poolside! I thought it was such an appropriate, fun and easy game (and in perfect condition!)

Gracias!

 photo via The Destiny of Things, available here

How fun to be playing this poolside in Puerta Vallarta!  Yes ,this game is fun and easy and builds Spanish vocabulary too!  And with this game set, if you want to make the playing more challenging you can play it the traditional way by calling or singing the riddles on the back of the card, instead of calling out the numbers!

Here's how to play Loteria from wiki:

Lotería is a Mexican game of chance, similar to bingo, but using images on a deck of cards instead of plain numbers on ping pong balls. Every image has a name and an assigned number, but the number is usually ignored. Each player has at least one tabla, a board with a randomly created 4 x 4 grid of pictures with their corresponding name and number. Players choose what tabla they want to play with, from a variety of previously created tablas. Each one presents a different selection of images.

Lotería is the Spanish word for lottery. The deck is composed of a set of 54 different images, each one in a card. To start the game, the caller (cantor, or singer) randomly selects a card from the deck and announces it to the players by its name, sometimes using a riddle or humorous patter instead of reading the card name. The players with a matching pictogram on their board mark it off with a chip or other kind of marker (many Mexican people traditionally use small rocks, crown corks or pinto beans as markers). The first player with four chips in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row, squared pattern,any other previously specified pattern, or fills the tabla first shouts "¡Lotería!" (Lottery!) or "¡Buenas!" (Good!) and is the winner.

I used this game in the classroom in many different instructional ways and we used pinto beans and small rocks as markers.  It also has more games on the back of each page or tabla, which in the classroom the winners got to play.  Now and in the past I've used them in my mixed media art.

photo via The Destiny of Things, available here

Saying Goodbye:  I've loved the graphics on these since I first saw them as a child.  Later, as a teacher I thought it was a good game to play in class to show diversity and empathy.  Back when I taught, the majority of the students were Spanish learners and playing this game helped them feel more at home and gave them an opportunity to help the English learners with fun and excitement.

What I Learned:

1.  I love these so much, I use them as a reminder to myself that dehoarding is like a game of chance.  Sometimes I have no idea where it will take me and who knows what will happen when my hoard is gone.  I've mentioned this several times, but when I'm letting go of a piece of my hoard one of my favorite things to do is to collect all the things for the little prize pack to send along as a "thank you" for the buyer and a reminder to myself that I'm getting closer to a future without hoard!

photo via Hoarder Rehab, available here, here and here

2.  I bought a bunch of these games because they are cardboard like and I was going to make boxes out of them, but I haven't yet.  It's been put on my art project list!  Which seems to be working for me, so I am making progress past my hoarding habits!

In the past I've used them in my mixed media art, which I haven't found because I think I gave them all away, but I do have photos of them somewhere!

3.  I did use them in one of my project days a couple of weeks ago using the leftover hearts from the heart doilies from this post here, where I've started to make "to do" lists of art project days since so much of my hoard are things I buy for art projects, then forget about them and move on to the next project.

I'm not quite sure what to do with them, but it was fun!  And it felt good to create, instead of just buying to create in the future.  Loteria game available here and the heart doilies here.

How would you craft with them?  I've seen used on Day of the Dead wedding matchboxes, gift boxes and tags, book and journal covers, jewelry and many different mixed media art assemblages.

Thank you kind Etsy buyer from The Destiny of Things for dropping an email and leaving your story to help me with mine.  It was a good reminder to make boxes with my loteria game tablets!

Congratulations and Best Wishes to you and yours!  Have fun in Puerto Vallarta.  I loved the para sailing, horse back riding and tourist trip to see the silver makers in Taxco.

Thank you Etsy for helping me with my Hoarder Rehab adventures!

Thank you US, China, Brazil, Mexico, UK, Singapore, France, Russia, Romania and others for your visits and keeping me company with my  HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!  

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab,  The Destiny of Things, VintageToGoEasy and now JunkDrawerLove!  There are about 104 items listed on JunkDrawerLove and relistings to each shops daily and adding new listings weekly to all shops too!  Thanks for looking!  Find something to take home and share your story too!

Here's the same loteria game, but with different more modernized graphics, here!

Related Stories:

1.  Loteria Story from someone learning Spanish, here!

2.  Day of the Dead Wedding Topper made with my skull bead destash, read it here!  Thank you Jim Gould at Etsy shop, Your Tops!  Also a confessed hoarder or at least questioning it by his wife's acknowledgements!  See his handmade Day of the Dead wedding cake topper with my white skull bead destash here! 

3.  Coincidental 7 year Wedding Copper Anniversaries:  Sacred Heart Mexican Tin Nichos:  The Destiny of Things, Story #10 and #11

"To improve is to change... to perfect is to change often." ---Winston Churchill

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Character Toy and Book: The Destiny of Things, Story 176

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Character Toy and Book:  The Destiny of Things, Story 176

More of my teacher destash finding new homes!

photo via Hoarder Rehab, more teacher destash here and here

All ages enjoy this book and as a teacher, it was one of the best stories to show third graders a simple circular ending in a fun and interesting way so they could write their own.  Of course having the star of the book there, Mr. Mouse with a batch of cookies and milk added more to the anticipation of a good ol' cause and effect story.

I had two of these and this one survived my decades of teaching, although the box didn't.  I don't know what happened to his twin or the other book, but he was in a box with all my doubles.  I used to keep one for the class to pass around and use and one in the box as an example of how to take care of it to keep it nice and taken care of for future classes.

I think the only plush toy character left is Mr. Spider from the Robert Kraus book series, How Spider Saved Valentine's Day, here.

 photo via Hoarder Rehab, more teacher destash here and here

He went to a good home where everyone loves him.  It sounds like it's gone to some collectors:

We loved this book and the author's other books when our daughter was a little girl. We've kept them all this time - can't give them away - because its too much fun to go back and read them again for some laughs! We love the small copy of the book along with the actual mouse and his cookie velcroed to his hand. Thanks for shipping so fast!

I know what she means about not being able to give them away!  And it is such a fun book to read.  And the Mr. Mouse doll is very cute and detailed!  He could hold straws in his pockets, scissors for his hair cut and perhaps even a refrigerator magnet for his drawing!

photo via Hoarder Rehab, more teacher destash here and here

Saying Goodbye:   It used to be heart wrenching to let some of my teacher destash go, especially the plush characters.  I think it's really helped to write about it on this blog because I know I've come a long ways since, Freddy the Frog puppet.  I remember letting him go was traumatic!

What I Learned:

1.  I have so many memories and feelings mixed in with my hoard that's it used to be very difficult to figure it out and let go and on top of it all, it certainly didn't seem very normal to me.  However now that letting go has gotten easier because now I know my reasons for hoarding and have accepted that hoarding is not normal for me, I can see how doing this has helped me immensely.

Plus dehoarding this way has really seemed to help me unclutter my mind and to stop hoarding.  

2.  I use the library more for any books I want to read, instead of hoarding them.  And yes, I might be found in the children's section reading my favorites again! 

3.  Dehoarding my teacher destash and writing about it on this blog has helped me come to grips with the good, the bad and the ugly of my inner city teaching days and to find peace with it.

What helps you find peace these days?  I am finding peace in more things, like feeling the sun in the backyard, having a clean house and the scents of spring.

Thank you Etsy buyer from Hoarder Rehab for sending your thoughts and finding something in common, like how hard it is to give loved stuff away!  I am so happy you love the book and mouse doll with his little velcroed cookie as much as I do.  Thank you!

Thank you Etsy for helping me make connections with people who are kind enough to help support my Hoarder Rehab with the back story of their purchase and for letting me know how much they love them.  It's such a relief to me as a recovering hoarder!

Thank you US, Brazil, Canada, China, Malaysia, Spain, France, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Belgium and others for your visits and being part of my HoarderRehab and  The Destiny of Things!

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab,  The Destiny of Things and VintageToGoEtsy and now JunkDrawerLoveEtsy!  There are about 107 items listed on JunkDrawerLoveEtsy and will be listing 1-2 new things there daily and 1-2 items at the other shops!  Keep an eye open for my handmade collages and cards which is my alternative to hoarding now! 

"Giggling eggs of my 5th Easter"

Print Easter postcards I made in the 80s, here

Related Stories:  other teacher destash

1.  Freddy the Frog Puppet, here:  Still trying to figure out why that one was so traumatic!

2.  Receipt Spike and Service Bell, here

3.  Polaroid Cameras, here

Most Read Story of the Day and Week:  Mikasa Flower Bowls:  The Destiny of Things, Story 173

Most Read Story of the Month:  My Organic Toothbrush Stick called Miswak  I'm still using the same stick twig after 8 months and still loving it!  My Miswak Toothbrush Update, three months later.  

Miswak is available, here, at our HoarderRehab Etsy shop and more miswak are available at The Destiny of Things, here! 

All Time Most Read Story:  My Louis Vuitton Collection the end of mine for the beginning of someone else.  The last piece of my LV collection, my 80s LV gold cornered wallet is available here at The Destiny of Things! 

Happy Friday!

80s Binney and Smith Crayons: The Destiny of Things, Story 175

80s Binney and Smith Crayons:  The Destiny of Things, Story 175

These found new homes at a brick and mortar shop!

photo via VintageToGoEasy.  80s Binney and Smith colored chalk, here

An Etsy buyer left me a note saying that her kids at her shop love these!  Nice to know they are putting a smile on some little faces with some good old fashioned fun crayons.

photo via VintageToGoEasy.  80s Binney and Smith colored chalk, here

As usual, as a recovering hoarder I have way more stuff than I thought and part of my hoard is all my leftover teacher materials, resources and supplies.

When I first started teaching I had 28 Spanish learners and 4 English learners.  It was a full class of 32 students with varying levels of Spanish and English.  I had very little resources with 8 Holt Science books, 4 in Spanish and 4 in English and that was it for text books.

By the time I retired I had double what most teachers have because I had at least one set in English and one set in Spanish.  Teaching changed so drastically over the 20 years that none of my teacher friends or anyone else I knew could use what I had or wanted it, so donated everything to thrift stores.

It took several days with a truck to donate it all and I had thought I had donated everything, but apparently not.  As I sort and organize my boxes of hoard, I have found plenty of my teacher destash at all the our Etsy shops.

photo via VintageToGoEasy.  80s Binney and Smith colored chalk, here

Saying Goodbye:  Today I am thankful that my teacher destash has found new lives making children happy.  I still have a couple unresolved issues from my teaching days, but I'm sure after my hoard is gone and my mind unclutters I'll be able to better decide what to do about them.

What I Learned:

1.  I believe there are more caring and understanding people out there than not and I will be thankful and focus my attention and thoughts on them, instead of the angry people out there.

2.  I am thankful my hoard is dispersing and I can use this time to think about what I need to change in order to reach my goals of a Minimalistic Organic Home with a music art room.

3.  I am thankful for my friends who encourage, motivate and inspire me to continue moving forward with my Hoarder Rehab journey.

How are you doing with your New Year's Resolutions?  I may be moving slowly, but even slow progress is progress.

Thank you Etsy buyer from VintageToGoEasy for letting me know that children are enjoying the packs of crayons and I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see what they create with them!  As a recovering hoarder, it's always good and such a relief to know about what happens to my stuff!  I wonder if one day, I'll be free from that.

Thank you Etsy for everything.  This is the best dehoarding outlet I've ever tried and seems to be working better than my other attempts.

Thank you US, China, Russia, Brazil, Lithuania, Pakistan, Romania, Canada and Singapore for your visits and supporting my HoarderRehab and  The Destiny of Things!

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab,  The Destiny of Things and VintageToGoEtsy and now JunkDrawerLoveEtsy!  There are about 107 items listed on JunkDrawerLoveEtsy and will be listing 1-2 new things there daily and 1-2 items at the other shops!  Keep an eye open for my handmade collages and cards which is my alternative to hoarding now! 

  Handmade washi tape card, available here

Thanks for looking!

 

Related Stories:  Teacher Destash...

1.  Pencil Flag, Chore Chart and Behavior Reward Chart Stickers:  The Destiny of Things, Story #151

 

2.  80s Gemco Paper Clips with Box:  The Destiny of Things, Story #148

 

3.  90s Dixon Ticonderoga ORIOLE 267 Pencil Artist:  The Destiny of Things, Story #147  

 

4.  Hooray for Me Teacher Stickers:  The Destiny of Things, Story 171

 

Thanks for stopping by! 

 

"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."---Will Rogers

500 Mini Teacher Reward Stickers: The Destiny of Things, Story 174

500 Mini Teacher Reward Stickers:  The Destiny of Things, Story 174

Making their way back into classrooms and other versatile uses!

photo via The Destiny of Things, available here

Someone from Vintagetogoeasy let me know that they like stickers too and work with little children who will love getting these as rewards! 

Another person from The Destiny of Things, let me know that she's collecting classroom items before she gets her teaching credential.

And two of my friends made through Etsy use them too!  One uses them successfully with behavior cards with her grandchildren and another uses them as tape for gift wrapping !

Each single sheet holds 500 stickers which are about 1/2" squares with 16 different mini stickers!

photo via The Destiny of Things, available here

I've loved stickers since childhood and it seems I kept all of my teacher classroom destash stickers since retirement because I keep finding them and have a lot of them.  I've given many boxes of them away, but I still continue to find more.

I even give them cut these up and include them in my little "thank you" packages to Etsy buyers and send US flag stickers with International packages.  My thank you package is ever evolving because I love to buy stickers and looks something like this with a thank you note tucked in it:

photo via VintageToGoEasy, available here, here and here in different mixes!

My love for stickers seem to have transferred over to my love of washi tape too!  I have stopped buying stickers, but I still window shop for washi tapes!  However as I write this post, I think I have enough paper ephemera to last me several life times and will concentrate on using what I have as opposed to buying more and adding to my hoard!

I've always liked using stickers as gift wrap tape, especially with plain gift wrap.  I like to use newspaper as gift wrap and stickers add a little punch to them as well as the twine or ribbon.

I've made a few long distance friends and pen pals from Etsy and one sent me a package using them as gift tape!  I was so happy to see that someone else uses stickers that way too!

Small stickers can add such big detail.

Saying Goodbye:   I am thankful my teacher classroom destash stickers are finding their way back classrooms and to others who work with children.  And for home use for rewarding grandchildren and as gift wrap tape!

What I Learned:

1.  My love for stickers has transferred to my love of washi tape.  I hope to transfer my love of buying them to creating with what I have on art projects days, instead of buying more.

2.  I have learned from my art projects that I actually use very little.  For example, I made some red heart doily cards last week and only needed one small heart doily and my 4x6 washi tape collages use don't use much washi tapes.

I think I have enough stickers, washi tapes and paper ephemera to last me several life times!  Knock on wood, instead of famous last words!

How do you use stickers?  I also use them to decorate and seal envelopes.

Thank you Etsy buyers from VintageToGoEasy and TheDestinyofThings for sharing how you will use your page of stickers and for helping me discover that I have enough stickers and washi tape and to instead concentrate on my art projects and dehoarding rather than adding to my hoard!

Thank you Beeb for sending such a thoughtful friendship goodie package with beautiful packaging!

Thank you Etsy for not only providing a dehoarding outlet, but for connections, friendships and pen pals from all over the US and Internationally.

Thank you US, China, Brazil, UK, Canada, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine and many others for stopping by and supporting my HoarderRehab and  The Destiny of Things!

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab, more stickers and teacher destash here,  more stickers at The Destiny of Things and VintageToGoEasy and JunkDrawerLoveEtsy! 

Keep an eye open for my handmade red heart doily cards!

Happy Monday, see you on Wednesday!

Mikasa Flower Bowls: The Destiny of Things, Story 173

Mikasa Flower Bowls:  The Destiny of Things, Story 173

Two out of three Mikasa Flower Bowls from the 90s found new lives:

 Mikasa zinnia bowl, photo via Vintagetogoeasy, more vintage bowls here

I had two of these for some reason and both were let go to become added details to a garden wedding!  I used them either  as tea light holders because they disperse light in a beautiful round auras patterns or as floating flower bowls around my bath, night stand or dining room table.

They also used to house my extra gumball machine capsules on my stairway tansu.  Now I wish I would have gotten a photo of it before they left.

 Mikasa poppy bowl, photo via Vintagetogoeasy, more vintage bowls here

This large bowl was my favorite popcorn bowl and has spent many movie nights on the couch with me!  It was going to be in the garden wedding too, but sadly it didn't make it in one piece.  As a matter of fact, despite tons of bubble wrap, stuffing and fragile - glass warnings on each side of the package, it was broken into many pieces on it's journey.

We shipped out over 200 breakables of mainly glass objects and none of them has broken to pieces, so I've never worried about an item until now, since this is the first thing broken beyond repair during all my dehoarding adventures!!!  Luckily the two smaller zinnia bowls arrived in order and it was mailed with USPS priority mail which includes tracking and insurance.

 Mikasa zinnia bowl, photo via Vintagetogoeasy, more vintage bowls here

Of course, we've already refunded the bride to be and put in a claim with USPS for damages, so it should be interesting to see how long it takes and what happens.

The oddest part is that they said to keep the pieces, so we asked her to do so, but I'm not sure how long she's supposed to keep them.  The USPS claim directions said not to mail them back, but to send photos of the damage, so that's been done.

How it broke is a mystery to me, since everything was wrapped in bubble wrap and then wrapped with layers of junk mail and the bottom, top and all sides padded with more crumbled up junk mail so nothing inside could move in it.  Lastly, fragile - glass was written all over it.

I thought the secret to shipping breakables was making sure nothing could jiggle around!  I guess we've just been lucky until now.

Mikasa poppy bowl, photo via Vintagetogoeasy, more vintage bowls here

Saying goodbye:  I was happy to let these go to the bride to be and her garden wedding.  I could feel her enthusiasm and excitement through emails about her plans and such, however when I found out the poppy bowl was broken my heart sank.  It's the first thing of my hoard that didn't make it to it's new life and she was too, but at least the other two made it.

So I'm going to be thankful the two other bowls made it and wait to see what happens with USPS priority mail insurance and see how it works and follow up with an update posting on it all.

What I Learned:

1.  Other people's enthusiasm and excitement really do help me let go of things a lot more easily.  Maybe this is a hint that I should muster up more enthusiasm and excitement about dehoarding!

2.  Will I remember the broken bowl in six months?  I don't think so and hopefully USPS will come to a satisfying conclusion with our claim.

3.  Remember how my last few stories have been about my overbuys, here, here and here. because I buy the supplies for projects and then forget about how I'm going to use them?  So I started making lists?  Last Thursday's project day, I did use the small red heart doilies, so the list is working and I'll post photos about it next week, perhaps on Thursday!  I'm really happy about it, even though I only used one doily!

Thank you Etsy buyer from Vintagetogoeasy for being so kind and understanding about everything, but especially about shipping.  Some things we just don't have any control over once it's out of our hands and USPS is a big something!  

Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm, excitement and story with me!  It's been a great help with mine.

Oh and thank you for expressing in a laughable way that you may be on your way to hoarding too and how hard it is to part with something and sell it!  and even harder to stop buying with a wedding on it's way!  Best wishes and Congratulations to you and your fiancee!

Thank you Etsy for sending such a kindred spirit my way and for bringing me closer to my dreams of a Minimalist Organic home with a music art room rather than hoard storage!  

Thank you US, China, UK, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Poland and the many others helping me with my HoarderRehab and  The Destiny of Things by stopping in!

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab,  The Destiny of Things and VintageToGoEtsy and now JunkDrawerLoveEtsy!  There are about 100 items listed on JunkDrawerLoveEtsy and will be listing 1-2 new things there daily and 1-2 items at the other shops!  Keep an eye open for my handmade collages and cards which is my alternative to hoarding now!

 

Most Read Story of the Day and Week:  Vintage 60s Peacock Brown Beaded Handbag:  The Destiny of Things, Story 160 

 

Most Read Story of the Month:  My Organic Toothbrush Stick called Miswak  I'm still using the same stick twig after 8 months and still loving it!  My Miswak Toothbrush Update, three months later.  

Miswak is available, here, at our HoarderRehab Etsy shop.  Four more miswak are available at The Destiny of Things, here! 

All Time Most Read Story:  My Louis Vuitton Collection the end of mine for the beginning of someone else.  The last piece of my LV collection, my 80s LV gold cornered wallet is available here at The Destiny of Things! 

 

Happy Friday!

Small 3" Red Heart Doilies: The Destiny of Things, Story 172

Small 3" Red Heart Doilies:  The Destiny of Things, Story 172

These went all the way to the UK!

photo via The Destiny of Things 

small 3" heart doilies here, medium 6" heart doilies here and large 10" heart doilies here

Their kind Etsy buyer informed me that they are going to be decorative coasters, table confetti or something creative for an Alice in Wonderland dinner party!  How fun!  Another time I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see exactly how they function in their new lives!

For me these are another overbuy, but I do remember that I was going to cut them into smaller doilies for some collage art, so I do have a small stash put aside.  I have noticed I do have issues with cutting up new stuff whether it be brand new paper doilies like these or old textiles I've collected over the years.  I have many silk kimonos, vintage ties for men, linens and favorite old clothes waiting to be cut up, so I can breath new life into them!

The first cut is so difficult!

photo via The Destiny of Things, available here

I love the details on these little 3 inch heart doilies.  I think it's so fun how there are so many smaller hearts within the heart, for example, the hearts in a circle that make up the two floral designs that could also be two eyes with another heart as a mouth.  I don't know why but it reminds me of a Day of the Dead clown heart.

photo via The Destiny of Things 

small 3" heart doilies here, medium 6" heart doilies here and large 10" heart doilies here

I have started a list of projects and these heart doilies are now on them, since I seem to overbuy with projects of certain items in mind and then soon after forget about it as I move on to a new project and all I do is end up with a hoard of stuff of forgotten projects!

I'm trying not to buy art supplies, but if I do I've decided to keep a list of projects on the receipt of how I'm going to use what I buy to prevent more overbuys!  We'll see how well my new way to help myself dehoard by using my supplies in during my project days keeps me from adding to my hoard. 

photo via The Destiny of Things 

small 3" heart doilies here, medium 6" heart doilies here and large 10" heart doilies here

Saying goodbye:  I'm back in a space where letting go of my stuff is getting easier again.  I know it's just paper, but I do love paper!  However, when I think about the boxes upon boxes of paper I have saved for art projects, it's going to take me more than a life time use it all, let alone sort through it all!

So little time, so many projects!

What I Learned:

1.  As a recovering hoarder it's taken me over a year to come to the conclusion that I collected way too many art supplies and really have no ideas as to how I was going to use them, even if I did at one time.

I may never have come to this conclusion if I had not dehoarded all the other clutter first (so far over 600 items!), so it's as if another layer of hoard has been taken away to realize there's another layer!

2.  Let's see if I actually use these in next week's project day!  It's never too early or too late to make Valentine cards!  If anything, it is on my list....

Thank you Etsy buyer from UK for helping me unload some of my overbuys at The Destiny of Things and using them in something as fun as an Alice in Wonderland dinner party!  I am so thankful for it and so happy you shared your story to help mine!

Thank you Etsy for another happy order that has brought me here today and is helping me with my Hoarder Rehab!

Thank you US, UK, China, Spain, France, Netherlands, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Philippines and Columbia for taking part in my  HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!

 

photo via The Destiny of Things 

small 3" heart doilies here, medium 6" heart doilies here and large 10" heart doilies here

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab,  The Destiny of Things, VintageToGoEtsy and now JunkDrawerLoveEtsy!  There are about 104 items listed on JunkDrawerLoveEtsy and will resume new listings in a few days and will continue to relist 1-2 items at the other shops!  Thanks for looking!  

Maybe you'll find something to take home and share your story too!

 

I love doilies and have round doilies too!  They come in handy for all kinds of things from easy garlands, decorative place mats to serving cookies in shallow bowls or dishes!  See 10.5" round doilies here or three sized round doilies, here.

Recap of small 3" heart doilies here, medium 6" heart doilies here and large 10" heart doilies here

Related Stories:  More of my paper overbuys...

1.  Paper Lace Heart Doily Doilies:  The Destiny of Things, Story 170  : medium sized heart doilies in pink, red or white used as table confetti, craft activity and keepsakes in an exchange.

2.  Martha Stewart File Folders, here, just love the grid graphics and bright colors!

3.  Swami or Madame X Fortune Teller Paper cards, here and here!

4.  Loteria Mexican Bingo Card Game:  I just love these vintage style graphics, read it here

5.  100 Teach Destash Stickers, here

Thanks for stopping bye!

"In self trust all virtues are comprehended." ---WWE