Don’t let the advice to “follow rules” deter you from admiring the photos of these dream closets. Sam Ferris does us a service providing basic measurements for clothing (folded and hanging).
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From Houzz: Add a shed +++
26 Apr
I love this article from Houzz! To add a personal story, our custom shed was completed in 2010. One third potting shed, two-thirds mower parking, the arbor aesthetically bridges the shed to house meeting the minimum distance required by ordinance. The bonus features are shade to the French doors from the setting sun and obscuring the view of the neighbor’s driveway. Our shed was added long after the privacy fence was built. This called for a custom solution to rework section into a gate for the mower.
North facing window, full glass door and two loft windows.
Walk thru or sit and stay a while!
Look in the lower left corner….additional 3′ to original 16’X16′ concrete patio.
Ours is a “his and hers” shed.
27 cubic feet
19 AprMy survey of 50 years of accumulated personal files/papers….estimates 27 cubic feet….how low can we go?
“Eat the elephant one bite at a time.”
Left stack: scan and recycle. Right stack: straight to recycle.
I purchased a Brother ADS1500W portable scanner. This was my break through! Compact, desktop, less than three pounds, scans two sides @ a time, sends new pdf files wirelessly to my laptop. LOVE IT!
Tone and shred! Three bags full!
“Are you done yet?” Yawn…..NO.
15 inches cleared/reclaimed of 108! WooHoo!
For folks who are numbers and task oriented, I believe it helps to depersonalize stuff with numbers and the base line helps to quickly access progress.
This project is on HOLD at the half way mark, since higher priorities have prevailed.
Impossible Pie
23 FebImpossible Broccoli Pie
Impossible Bacon and Swiss Pie
Here in lies recipes for 5 Impossible Pies (circa 1980)
The big idea is to have a crustless pie. The five recipes include Bacon, Turkey, Vegetable, Seafood and Pumpkin. When it is time to pitch-in a dish at church, I usually take two. The baking time and temperatures are the same. Bonus: No extra clean up.
Launching…2015 in review
5 JanHappy New Year! Time to review the 2015 annual report!
WordPress has helper monkeys. Elfcroft has Eve the “office assistant” ready to launch 2016.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2015. If it were a cable car, it would take about 22 trips to carry that many people.
Channeling grandmothers
29 DecWhat happens when three TV remotes (and only one fully functional) are combined with three rocking chairs, dining table and chairs, two ottomans plus one TV? …CHAOS!
First things first. All the remotes are restored and fully functional.
The next part channels grandmothers talents to make “holsters” to hold the remotes between uses.
We found three worn finger tip towels. I cut them down the middle to get proportions to match and hemmed cut edges. The short sides are sewn together. Fold over half to make pocket and sew sides. Sew two sets of antique snaps (if I had been home I would have used Velcro) to be able to secure “holster” over arm of chair.
Ladies and gentlemen, this project was much easier than explaining TV remote controls to my grandmothers. May they rest in peace, not knowing.
Better than a Scavenger Hunt
24 NovOffice assistant Eve: “Don’t you have something better to do?”
We support Days for Girls International with donations of items for kits.
Lessons learned from preparing 4 shipments of feminine hygiene reversible, tri-fold flannel pads and liners with wings, pockets, PUL and snaps.
In order to make hundreds of pads and dozens of liners from dozens of yards of flannel and cotton print at home on a single sewing machine: STAGING is essential for sanity in my attic sewing room.
Notion 1: DfGI suggested purchasing flannel in 2.5 yard increments.
Problems: Shrinkage after washing. Fabric twist. Variations in width of 4″ (bolt to bolt).
Consequence: Enough remnant strips and blocks to make two twin size coverlets.
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- Stripe 1
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- Stripe 2
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- Blocks
Lesson 1: Buy flannel in 4.12-4.25 yard increments.
Beautiful flannel (left) plus batik cotton (right)
Lesson 2: After wash & dry, cut one yard at a time, then cut (4) 9″ strips, then cut strips into usually 8″ blocks.
Lesson 3: Stack flannel 8″X9″ blocks right sides together. Bag 8 pairs of blocks in gallon size ziplock bags for easy counts, grab to sew and go… (Plus the ziplock bags are available for the finished kit.)
WIP Flannel blocks staged to cut corners
Notion 2: Pack shipping boxes when sewing complete.
Lesson 4: Use shipping boxes for Work In Progress! Saves a LOT of space, especially since the boxes fit in closet.
Shipping box first used for Work In Process (WIP)
Just like all elves this time of year, Elfcroft is completing the items needed for kits delivered all around the world (over 70 countries).
Scavenger Hunt
18 Nov
As I read “20 ways to organize your craft space”by Laura Gaskill, I kept thinking “scavenger hunt” because I knew I could find these concepts here at home. One thing leads to another….I turned it into a quiz of sorts and scored myself at 85 of 100.
- Sort yarn by color X
- Stand paper rolls in basket (with yoga mats)
- Place loose paper in drawers
- Tools/supplies in clear bins w/lids
- For large paper: art portfolio
- Stack fabric on shelf by color
- WIP in totes or baskets
- Stash fabric in wire drawers (discarded wine rack)
- Hang fabric in closet (standing towel rack)
- Arrange spools on thread rack
- Hang tools on peg board X
- Attach scissors to magnetic rail (store in case)
- Small items in lidded glass jars
- Paint brushes in open container
- Handled baskets for frequently used material
- Tiered cake stand as portable caddy X
- Pop-up sewing corner (permanent)
- Put storage on wheels (moving men sliders)
- Desk/dining table double duty (coffee table)
- To do list chalkboard wall (bulletin board)
Office assistant Eve: “Don’t you have something better to do?”
Retreat @ home
11 Nov“A Sisterhood of Sheds” was published last month in the Indianapolis Star. How delightful! “She Sheds” are spaces detached from the house, decorated to be a sanctuary for the woman of the house. A network of shed owners from around the world are connected by a Facebook group called “She Shed Sisters” with 1350 members! Creative! Inspirational! Even practical.
Reminds me of the lovely book Chris Madden published in 1998 A Room of Her Own featuring high-profile clients with stunning photography of their most personal spaces.
http://www.chrismadden.com/books/a-room-of-her-own/
http://www.indystar.com/story/life/2015/10/25/bloomington-shesheds-trends/74338284/ (This link is annoying because the Indy Star, insists on a survey question before you can read the article.)
Perhaps…there is a New Year’s resolution in these ideas….
From Houzz: Personal libraries around the world
13 Oct
AWESOME! Outstanding photos of the libraries and owners!
- Personal interviews from 11 countries:
Canada, France, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Denmark, Japan, UK, Russia, Germany, Sweden
- Described as:
Two story, Hallway, Nest, Stacks, Nook, Floating, Cave, Home, Geometric, Corner, With a View
- Size:
300 to 6500 books
A couple of the interviews had comments about digital libraries. Merging digital and paper was on my mind when I posted “It started when…” on July 28, 2015…part the evolution of my personal library that involved clearing obsolescence and sorting.
Enjoy!
elfcroft 