Habits

Old ones are hard to break, new ones are hard to make. For me at least.

Different sources on the internet say that studies have shown that it takes 21 days OR MORE to break  old habits and also to make new habits. Oh, boy!

I decided to make a daily planner in January. I started out with good intentions and did really well with it for a few weeks. I bought a cute little 3-ring binder planner so I could add pages as needed.

I designed pages so that two facing pages would give me plenty of room to write the things I wanted to accomplish each day, add things that I did accomplish that weren't on the list and any other notes I needed/wanted to make. I only printed about a month's worth of pages in case I decided I wanted to change anything.

Then I inventoried my projects and made a spread sheet so I could keep track of them better and put that in the planner.

Then I ran out of planner pages. But when I copied more I forgot that I had enlarged the previous pages that I had printed so the planner pages were too big. I hate to waste the paper (and ink) so I am going to make do and use them anyway.

Then I went to visit my parents for a few days. Then Husband had a bunch of medical tests and appointments that I went to with him. Then, then, then. Anyway, I got off track and kind of stopped using the planner the way I intended.

The beginning of March I even started writing down the wrong date! I was writing 5/__ instead of 3/__. Is that wishful thinking, or what?!

And, now I am finding it hard to get back into the habit of using it.

I am, however, keeping up with Pat Sloan's calendar. Yesterday the challenge was Thread. Check your stash. Do you have old threads? How do you use your threads - piecing, machine quilting, applique, embroidery? Get it organized.

My thread is pretty organized. I store my threads for general sewing and piecing in a six drawer unit my Mom gave me. Dad used to store his CDs and music papers in it. He used to sing at their local nursing home and tiny rural church and worked really hard every week practicing. He had to have the words written down so he could remember them. He played the songs over and over and over until he had all the words written, then he sang and sang and sang. Sadly, he isn't able to do that anymore.

 Anyway, one time I asked Mom where she got the unit he stored his music stuff in because I thought it would be great for holding thread spools and small sewing tools. She didn't tell me, but the next time I saw them she gave it to me.

My machine quilting threads are stored in Snapware containers labeled by color on the shelf under the frame table. I like these because they can be stacked together and the lid has a handle that folds down flat into the lid. They also come in different sizes. I got mine at Joann Fabrics.

The machine embroidery and hand quilting threads are stored in these wonderful containers (gifted to me by a very generous person:) Thank you!). They are also labeled by color. I like labels.

Hand embroidery thread is stored in two drawers of a re-purposed old wardrobe.

I was gifted boxes of thread from someone closing up a store. I have individual skeins wound on card bobbins. 

While going through my counted cross-stitch threads I decided those drawers need some decluttering. I threw out a few things that were damaged and will be sharing some other things with my quilt group. I found a beaded Christmas tree ornament that I thought would work up quickly. 

Hey, I can use that as a Fair entry in the Christmas tree decoration category! I worked on it a little today and discovered it may take a day or two to finish, not as quick as I hoped for, but it will be good to get it done. I will attach it to a card or use as a tie on to a gift later.

I really am trying to get better organized so I have more time for sewing. I just need to remember where I put it all once I get it organized!

I am finding Pat's calendar to be helpful at keeping me on track and thinking about different areas that might need to be reorganized or decluttered again. I think I need to follow this calendar every month.