Cleaning, Purging, Throwing Away, Recycling, Thanks to Girlfriends who I LOVE....

Boy is this saying the truth! For many years I rush home from Traveling and dump my suitcases and then try when I have time to pile papers, throw books in a pile and refold fabrics and try to figure out how to make things tiday and neat as I have my family for dinner, pay bills, sew new quilts, write books and you know, all of things we girls have to do. It got so I hated going to my studio and didn't know where to start.

In June my husband was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and things had a whole new meaning to me. I either needed to burn the house down or try to make sense of everything I owned in my studio, storeroom and garage.

My friend laurie Latta and her husband came right over from clear across the state 9 hour drive to see us. While we discussed Mark's new diagnosis and they made us feel so loved, she suggested she come and help me get things in order in my studio. She didn't know what she was asking! I put that in the back of my head and then my friend Molly and Tina offered to come from California to help me dig my way out in between my teaching and taking Mark to Dr. appointments etc. Then my other 2 friends who belong to my "Cupcake " group that meets every summer (going on year number 15 next year) Susan and Eilene offered to come and help too. Mel was "IN" also but she has a 16 year old that needs his Mom home while he starts high school and since Mel has done so much for me all of the time I totally understood.

My neighbor Connie is my "go to" when I need help so she was "In" also.

So in NO particular order here are photos we all took.

I know, I know, you cannot believe all of the stuff I had and holy cow what a mess!

 

This sign has always hung in my studio and I always hope that my mess is blessed but really I wasn't blessed with everything and I was buried!

So here below is Molly and Tina who took on the first three days (they floew in from California....

The photo above was after they moved my desk in the middle of the room so my ironing board and cutting board were right there. They took down the old TV set and someday I will get a small flat screen plasma. I can wait for that someday. The BlueBOY painting is one my Dad did years ago and I love it.

This was inside my store room which had food, fabric, papers, kitchen gadgets, and loads of junk....Molly, Tina and Connie, totally emptied this out to start! YIKES.....

Now the storeroom has ONLY fabric in there and it is easy to see what I have when I need it and it will be easy to put away when I am done!

 

 This is the beginning of fabric coming in to be on the shelves my cousin built for me years ago....

There is TONS of fabric in there in case you cannot tell 

Below is how it was before the switch....we threw away the whie shelves as they were junk

Here is Tina trying to get everything off the shelves to redo them. The little gold cabinet went to my daughter who will paint it white and put in her daughter's room.

This is junk to put away or give away...she is still smiling....

This was what the girls walked into....they started to walk out but I locked the door and they were trapped...can you imagine me sewing in this? I had moved to my diningroom table...no surprise 

All of the fabric you see here in my studio has been purged and moved to the storeroom

The storeroom that I always worried would burst into flames....Molly looking at me and wondering what she got herself in to...Can you blame her?

Tina made this nice little place on my wall...I love it and can find my rulers and rotary cutters!

The room getting emptied out....

Tina smiling but thinking "what in the world was this woman thinking???"

My neighbor Connie who is thankful she has a nicer place to come and find stuff when she needs to...she now knows ALL of my secrets

Purging, sorting dusting....

Below is Eilene who was with group two (the Office girls-it is her birthday can you imagine having to do this on your 60th? THAT is friendship!

Here is our garage which had all of my patterns, handouts, books and loads of other things one must have to own their own business...it didn't look like this when we started and much of the stuff from the basement went into it and group two dealt with it (Susan my flight attendant friend) who many of you know and Connie my angel of a neighbor

here is group number two after they realize they get to go home. Laurie sitting down with her hand on her chin was the idea person here...I know they are all exhausted and thankful they get to go home after a job that was well done. Each group spent three days here. How can one repay this kind of kindness? I don't know.

Here is my sewing space when the sewing space was done and before the other girls cleaned the office which is clear and clean and fab. I feel gratefulness and guilt. I am trying to get rid of that last emotion. This is a time that I am growing and learning what friends are and how lucky I am.

Again this is where everyone started.....three girls took on this with me...but they knew what they were doing...I just did what they told me and was happy to. 

Here is my office now. My sona nd daughter in law said they didn't know I had a desk under all of the papers and stuff. I would like to be indignent but I really knew what they meant.

Happy girls having fun in the midst of all of the work! I think they should start a company that purges quilter's sewing rooms....they said they aren't interested....

Junk that needs a special place...maybe even the garbage or recycle or church that makes quilts or the Mission or?

Booksehlf that begs to be gone through...many books went to other quilters or the Mission or recycle....

I found the perfect place for my salesmen headers of fabric I take on the road to show people...that is a relief...I can find what I need

Before

After

Girls after working for two days.....

Girls when I unlocked the door and let them go home....

I learned alot from this. If something is free, it doesn't mean you have to take it home....and get rid of some things before you bring more in!

Fabric gets old and you need to get it out to someone who will use it...why keep it if yu aren't going to use it?

These are six great girls who helped me out and I know I could have counted on other dear friends too. I am blessed by God with the best friends any girl could have. Not many in my own town but all over the US and Canada I have people I get to write to and pray for.

I am thankful for this past two weeks and I get to make new quilts in a new space.

Lucky me.....