Staying on track . . .

It is the middle of January and it should be no surprise to anyone who has lived in the Northeast that we will most likely have a big snow storm or two during the winter. So while we await the first storm of the year, I am thinking about how I will get through the next several days of being snowed in. As I have been continuing my purging efforts around the house this month, that is part of my January 2019 focus, I have come across many unfinished projects and have added several of them to my TO DO list.

During the year, I often say to myself ..."when we have a winter storm, I will hunker down and  do one of those items on my list that requires a chunk of uninterrupted time". But the storm comes and the storm goes . . . and my list pretty much remains static. So, today, as I am sitting here watching the weather and wondering how bad the storm will be . . .if we will get the 20" of snow and the blizzard-like conditions they are predicting, I have decided that I need to rethink my old imaginary plan to knock those projects off my list.

The first thought I had is to create a project box for myself...something that has a name and a purpose...that I can open and find one of those undone projects inside that I always say I will work on during a storm, but never do. It might sound a bit simplistic, but for a person like myself, who is pulled in many directions by creative thoughts and urges, I am thinking this just might work. Of course, it will require some effort and stick-to-it-iveness on my part, but I am thinking of the good feelings I will have when I have accomplished whatever task I find inside. Once the plows have cleared the roads, we have shoveled our way out of the house and the sun comes back out, I will be able to feel that sense of accomplishment I anticipate.

So, today I will grab a couple of boxes and prepare some winter storm project boxes. I know one project will be a little flannel doll quilt that needs the binding sewn on. It is already pinned and with little effort, it can be finished. The next will be a box of photos that need sorting, labeling and sharing. I have a lot of photos, but one little shoe-box-sized project shouldn't be too daunting. I will make pretty labels for the boxes and place them in a prominent place on a shelf. I look forward to opening them on a snow day . . . maybe tomorrow!

For other things on my TO DO list that can't be put in a box, I might resurrect an old idea I learned about many years ago. I saw it in a magazine and although I can't give the person who wrote about it credit, I recall it was for families to use to get some household chores done. It might have included a reward system. There is ice cream in the freezer, so we are good on the rewards here. 🙂 The idea was to write down the chores on slips of paper, fold them in half, and put them in a fish bowl or a mason jar. I don't recall the details, but I have always thought it was a cute idea and it didn't involve any nagging or begging . . . which I know gets really tiring for parents! I might take a few of those unboxable items from my list and put them on slips of paper and bottle them. There are many little chores that take only 15 minutes or so to do, but I tend to tell myself I can do them later, and later never comes! The tedious microwave scrubbing and the dirty oven vents come to mind. Those old toothbrushes I save and some Q-tips will be my cleaning tools . . and that is probably why those chores never rise to the top of the TO DO list! Then there is the silverware drawer . . . how is it that it gets dirty inside when we put only clean utensils in it? For breaks, how about I actually watch some of the programs I have recorded that are taking up space on my DVR list? I mean . . . really . . . how many Hallmark movies can I keep on the list? At this rate, I will be watching them in July!

I am back on track in my studio . . . after a little post-holiday break and a vacation at Disney World. It took me a week or so to get back to my usual routine, but I am making things and, hopefully, I will get to those TO DO list items, too!

Click on the photo to enlarge it,

 if you would like a closer look.

February will be here before we know it!
I couldn't wait to break out the pink and red ribbons and trims and make this wreath!

Thank you for taking the time out of your day today to read my post. As always, I hope you and those you love are happy and healthy. Your questions and comments are welcome. You can comment here on my blog or on Facebook. I always read them and I will respond. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy