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Saturday 21 January 2012

Would you like a Pretty Crafty Home?


I have lifted the 'Cherry Heart' 'Mission Staement' for a Pretty Crafty Home from Sandra's Blog:

"This is what I want to do:
1.  Tidy, tidy, tidy and clean, clean clean!
The first step for me is to get rid of the junk and de-clutter.  It's time to get rid of the stuff I don't want, don't need and can't use or re-use and tidy up everything I'm keeping.  As I'm doing the tidying and de-cluttering I'm going to be giving this house the 'Spring clean' of it's life.

2.  If it has to live here, it should be pretty.
With a tat loving daughter and a husband with no thought for how things look, it's going to be tough to keep new ugliness and junk coming into the house, but I'm going to try hard.  If we do need something new, it should addto the home, not detract!

3.  If I don't like how it looks, and I can change it, I will.
I'm not planning on re-decorating the whole house, this is about finding the bits you don't like and changing them into something you do.

4.  Thrift, re-use and recycling are my watch words.
As it stands the budget for this little project is practically zero, so I'm looking for cheap solutions here! (Although there may be the odd exception, knowing me!)

5.  Crafting is king!
The most important thing thing of all.  This project is all about home improvement through crafting.  If it's home made and it makes me happier about my home then it's part of the project.



Now, this is just what I'm setting out to do.  If you'd like to join me you can define the challenge however you'd like to so it works for you and your home.  The principle is, if you're doing something crafty to improve your home, make it a more pleasurable environment to be in and look at then, it qualifies.  If you can thrift and recycle your way there - so much the better! "


There is a Flickr Group Here so we can see and share what each other has been up to.  I am on board with Sandra as my home is in desperate need of some Tender Loving Care.  There is no fun in 'Crafting in Clutter', I should know.  I find the blogging community very helpful and motivating where craft is concerned so I really like the idea of joining with others in a 'Mission' to have a 'Pretty Crafty Home'.  I am a little slow off the 'starting block' but today I have made some progress.  At least it is a step in the right direction.  I think I may be in 'Phase One' for quite some time.  'Tidy, tidy, tidy and clean, clean, clean.'  It isn't fun, it isn't glamorous and it sure is not pretty.  Euan has a physical reaction to de-cluttering his belongings, it ranges from going quiet and pale, to getting fretful and tearful and at all times there is the danger of a full blown meltdown of a tantrum!  I have made the mistake of tidying and de-cluttering his stuff when he is at school and the results were ugly!  I mentioned it this morning and explained it is getting a little out of hand and to enjoy our 'toys' we have to be able to have room to play with them.  He really really didn't like the idea.  Miraculously though he did get on board and we tackled his territory under his bed.  I have never known him willingly part with stuff.
Poor old broken sword!  My brother made 'Excalibur' for Henry and Euan inheritted it.  I think we will need to ask for another one.  We had a pile of stuff for the 'Tip' and another pile for the 'Salvation Army' shop.  It really feels like a result!  I felt guilty chucking stuff into the 'For Landfill' skip at the dump but needs must.  I hate going to the dump!  Usually you have to queue for ages and it is really busy but today the 'Declutter and Dump Angels' looked kindly upon us and we drove straight in.  We then went to the Barbers, for Euan not me!  After the Barbers we drove to the Salvation Army Shop with toys, books and clothes that would be good to re-sell.  Euan rescued one crocodile puppet that he decided he really did not want to part with.

It doesn't look much in the two photographs but it has really cleared a 'Play Space for Euan under his bed.  I have to go and do the 'Clean, clean, clean' part with the vacuum this afternoon as it was very dusty under there.  We found some Easter eggs that had been squirreled away!  Tut tut tut, shame on me!   Euan has a natural eye for a 'Pretty Craft Home' and said 'Do you know, I have always wanted curtains under here!' 

This is really the tiniest tip of the iceberg.  I have the whole house to work my way through.  Rome was not built in a day, and neither was a 'Pretty Crafty Home'!  I will just keep plodding in the right direction.  I will try and do a weekly update on my progress, it is rather like hanging ones dirty linen out in public though.  'My Name is Lucy and my house is a shocking mess!'

11 comments:

  1. On a similar mission here, and also have children who cannot bear to part with stuff. But I think the Sally army will be doing quite well out of us too!

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  2. I like your "admission statement" at the end!
    Mine is a case of having too much 'stuff' and trying to make myself part with it. Didn't used to have all this but then my inlaws died, then my parents and all of a sudden you have things with memories attached and you can't release the strings. Plus over the years you naturally acquire things and the older you are the more birthday/Christmas presents you have received.
    Well they are my excuses! I have made a start on decluttering and the house is ok but the loft....... that is a whole new story! (or should that be 'storey'? lol)
    Make sure you have some music to clean to, I'm off to iron to an audio book.
    Carol xx

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  3. Look at you go! Bit by Bit it will get there! Nice start!

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  4. What a great idea :) I think I'll take up this mantle for myself. My house isn't all that dirty, but it is quite bland and boring. It could really do with some creative re-vamping! Thanks for the inspiration!
    ~Lacey

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  5. Applause, applause!! I'm a natural born hoarder of pretty things, cute things and things I must have! The problem is just that, everything I look at I need to keep and the real problem is that I need a bigger house so it looks less cluttered, lol!

    Really I do chuck stuff out quite a bit and always feel better for it but it grows again. Maybe I should try harder at this too :-)

    Lorraine x

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  6. Oh this post just made me laugh out loud and not just loud but with enormous snorts. Please pop over to my blog and see how much I have to do in the next few weeks. Please give me a big hug of encouragement xx

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  7. I'm proud of you. I need to do that. I really do. But I might just watch you do it. :-)
    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  8. Well Done You - just as productive as me. I'm a bit abnormal though and clean like this every 6 mths 9and enjoy it) and with the house being up for sale it hasn't had the chance to get cluttered - however I am quite excited at our new home being that bit more "crafty" as it is much older and should have room for a welsh dresser!

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  9. This is great!!Thanks heaps for sharing this- great inspiration top motivate me

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  10. Sounds like you've made a wonderful start Lucy! Well done getting Evan on board too. I have trouble getting my little one on side when it comes to getting rid of things!

    S x

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  11. Who doesn’t like a Pretty Crafty Home. I need to clean, clean, clean my craft room. So I am with you in this challenge!
    Have you heard about Flylady? nice tips for not getting overwhelmed with cleaning. Babysteps, working in 15 minute steps, not taking out more than can be done in a certain time…

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