Simplifying

when the new year hits
i start getting the urge to purge

to lighten up my dwelling

declutter

discard

donate

re-home


many of the things that messy up my sight line

there's no doubt
that the two sides of my decorating personality
are constantly at war with each other

collect! shouts one

simplify! calls the other

the truth is
that while mr. stuff and nonsense and i
could probably live quite well
in a minimalist home

our children could not

for their aesthetic is not at all like ours

natural magpies
they are drawn to anything that is shiny
dirty
rusty
sticky
weapon-like
cuddly
bookish
and just plain stuff

a constant refrain
in our neck of the woods is often

put your things away!

who left this play clay on the sofa?

if i step on ONE MORE LEGO...!

but i suppose
there are worse crimes
than crammed bookshelves


and crowded note boards


and if my kitchen looks lived in
that's probably because it is


there are nearly always
children's drawings taped crookedly to the walls

someone's half-finished letter
sticking out of a stamped, blank envelope
reposing on the table

clean dishes drying beside the sink
waiting to be put away

i know there will be years to come
when my living room will remain un-strewn with toys

my bathroom will have no damp towels lying crumpled on the floor

my kitchen will have nary an unswept crumb

and i've no doubt
that i will miss (mostly) every speck and spot

but perhaps today
i can convince my offspring
to part with a few of their trinkets
to give to the local thrift shop

but it won't be long
before other bits and bobs make their way inside
to nest under the sofa
or in a shadowy corner of someone's bedroom
jammed into a dresser drawer
already brimfull of 'treasure'

and i will continue gazing in admiration
at all those light and bright inspiration photos
on Pinterest and elsewhere


and i will think to myself

someday









all images via Pinterest

Fridays Unfolded #47

welcome to the forty-seventh gathering of


i want you to know
that i have just now
this very moment
finished de-Christmasing my house

it is now
dusted
vacuumed
put away
and mostly back to normal

though i fully expect
to unearth crunchy pine needles
for weeks to come

and i admit
removing the holiday clutter
freshens me mentally as well
and makes me ready once more
for all the wonderful ideas you share with us
each week here

it's been two whole weeks
since last we met together

taking a little Christmas break
allowed me to spend less time online
and more time with my family

but i am anxious to share with you
some excellent highlights from the last
pre-Christmas


i love a good craigslist story
like this armoire found by Antiquechase


and how about this amazing collection
of red transferware from Nancy's Daily Dish


here is one dish i won't be sampling
when my diet starts on January 2nd
though i would very much like to taste
this double chocolate cheesecake from Once Upon a Chocolate Life


because i'm such a fan of red and white
i love this Christmas bedroom shared by Happy At Home


if you're wondering just what to do
with that popcorn tin sitting under the tree
you should check out this Ballard inspired
pet food canister from It's Just Me


Remodelaholic shared this fun tutorial
for making an adorable play tent for your little one


and finally
i wish i could share all of the lovely decorated homes
you shared with us last time
but here's one last Christmas house tour
from JBigg's Little Pieces


if your post was featured
be sure to grab a button


and now it's your turn
to show us what unfolded for you
this week
or last week
or
well
you get the idea

the rules are simple:

follow Stuff and Nonsense
(and leave a comment so i can follow you back)

link up your recipe, sewing project, decor, craft, poem, essay, tutorial, etc.
whatever 'unfolded' for you this week

be sure to link back to your post and not just your url 
(by joining fridays unfolded you are giving me permission
to use your photos for features on Stuff and Nonsense, Facebook and Twitter)

visit a few of the other links and leave a comment
(it's just polite)

post my button on your blog
so others can join the fun

after you link up here
i would love for you to
visit my friday friends
and join their linky parties as well

 

  

happy linking!

this week's edition

of Fridays Unfolded

is sponsored by

New

the space beneath the glittering tree
is now empty

presents all unwrapped

legos built

gadgets have been
oohed and awed over

feasts consumed
stockings lie hollow once more

Chistmas is over

those might be
three of the most melencholy words
in my vocabulary

because
it means that
i have lots of un-decking to do

it means that
school holiday is almost over

it means that
i need to start evaluating my year in review
and take a hard look
at the many ways i came up so short
of my good intentions
and firm resolutions

but i think
that the silver lining
in my post Christmas gloom
is that tiny little word
that arrives exactly one week
after Christmas departs

new

like a fresh blanket of January snow
that falling
cloaks the brown December mud

via

every new year
sweeps away the tired
stale habits and vices
and brings with it
the hope of a fresh start

and this new year
will begin smack on
Sunday morning

thus
the very first day
of this whole new year
will be spent in worship of my Saviour

via

so instead of making resolutions
that are mainly about myself
i will spend that new day
focusing away from me
and beaming in on the King of Kings
and Lord of Lords

Messiah

bringing Him honor and worship and praise
asking Him to wash me clean
cover my many mistakes

giving thanks
for the year that has been
and the year that will come
for after all

it is He who makes all things

new

Monday Moments

it's monday morning

usually a time
of frenetic getting ready for our
weekly homeschool co-op

shoveling breakfast down
at breakneck speeds
hastily washing dishes
making beds
getting dressed
finding coats
shoes
homework
car keys
packing lunchboxes

putting the pup in his crate

did anyone take Hugo out to pee?

but today
on this chilly monday

we are on school holiday
and i am sitting here typing
on the first monday of my forties
whilst lounging in my robe and slippers

thinking about
what i wish to write to you all
on this final post before Christmas

mostly
i want to say

thank you

for reading Stuff and Nonsense

for taking the time to encourage
comment
enthuse
disagree
provoke
inspire
and relate to the thoughts that i share

it is a funny place
this virtual world
where one  finds so much in common
with others unmet
except through words and pictures
which perhaps
are the most telling after all

so thank you
for making 2011 so distinctly memorable for me
for joining me on this blogging journey

i hope and pray
that as you gather with family and friends this week
wrap and unwrap those trinkets

that your Christmas is merry

filled with the stuff of which
warm memories are made

and that
most of all
the love of our Savior is with you all

m e r r y   c h r i s t m a s 








connecting with suzanne
from Privet and Holly
for her {Monday} Moments

1971

in 1971

• the cost of a gallon of gas was 40 cents

• a first class postage stamp was 8 cents
• a movie ticket was $1.50
• Walt Disney World opened in Orlando

• Led Zeppelin released their 4th untitled album
• the film 'Love Story' premiered (bleh)
• Apollo 14 landed on the moon
• Starbucks was founded
• teen-aged girls were reading this

• Jim Morrison, Coco Chanel, Ogden Nash, and Louis Armstrong died
• Winona Rider, Mark Wahlberg and Mariah Carey, Luke Wilson, Mary J. Blige, Paul Bettany, Kid Rock, Minnie Driver and Antonia Banderas (and a few others) were born
• the film 'Patton' won best picture at the Oscars
• Evel Knievel set a world record by jumping over 19 cars
• the Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series

• my sweet and handsome husband was born
• and so was i

i wonder what the price of gasoline will be

40 years from now?

yikes

Fridays Unfolded #46

it's hard to believe
that Christmas is nearly upon us

right around the corner
as it were

just 10 little days away

are you finished with your shopping and wrapping and mailing?

i just have a few bits of chocolate to buy
for the kid's stockings
but i do still have
masses of wrapping to do

my offspring are now entering their Christmas break
and are just about bouncing off my walls
in their mounting excitement for The Big Day

but i'm still managing to find inspiration each week at


last week
there were oodles of holiday-themed posts
perfect for featuring

and because it's Christmas

i will keep the linky open until monday, december 26
so you all can keep linking through the holiday
if you wish


and since this is the last

until then
i want to do a few more features than usual

like this sweater wrapped candle from Knick of Time


a salted mason jar candle holder from Fleur Cottage


a Christmas home tour from Girl in Pink


a thoughtful post about finding simplicity in Christmas
from Sylvia's Simple Life


a lovely crocheted winter white bag from Elizabeth Andree


a decorated Christmas kitchen from Heaven's Walk


double peanut butter blossoms from Lucy Jane's Best


a sweet diy Advent calendar from Organized Living Solutions


a recipe for maple cream drops from Talking Dollars and Cents


a recipe for Linzer Christmas cookies from Cooking With K


a vintage decorating house from For Whom The Bell Told


and finally
this faux driftwood Votive tutorial from Small Garden Love


whew
that's a heap of features for you to visit
but well worth your time

if your post was featured
be sure to grab a button


and now it's your turn
to show us what unfolded for you
this week
or last week
or
well
you get the idea

the rules are simple:

follow Stuff and Nonsense
(and leave a comment so i can follow you back)

link up your recipe, sewing project, decor, craft, poem, essay, tutorial, etc.
whatever 'unfolded' for you this week

be sure to link back to your post and not just your url 
(by joining fridays unfolded you are giving me permission
to use your photos for features on Stuff and Nonsense, Facebook and Twitter)

visit a few of the other links and leave a comment
(it's just polite)

post my button on your blog
so others can join the fun

after you link up here
i would love for you to
visit my friday friends
and join their linky parties as well

 

  

happy linking!

this week's edition

of Fridays Unfolded

is sponsored by