Gathering or Purging

Which is it?

I have been a gatherer most of my life. I am the great saver - of just about everything!! We moved on average every 18 months when I was growing up and that usually meant getting rid of things so we could travel lightly and cheaply. It got old and by the time I was sixteen I was done – I wanted to live with a different family and stay put. Over the years, I developed a simple way to get through it - I collected bits and pieces that could be kept in a compact shoe box - thus the ephemera addiction!!

When I discovered art journaling a few years ago I thought "Yeah!! Now I have a justification for saving things". The main problem with this is that you have to be very organized and/or you really should use it right away. Otherwise, you get overwhelmed by all the crap! I have reached that point and really need to let things go.

I have resolved to purge for the rest of the year. It's not a revolutionary idea for me – I’ve done it before. I have reached that stage in my life when I am no longer creating a home for my children to grow up in. They are each spending less time at home – school, friends, first loves and time with dad – it all adds up to more free time for me. I’m now preparing for the day when they will be leaving forever to make their own homes. I am thinking of downsizing and possibly traveling more, so I need to lighten my life and eliminate some of the clutter.

My son will be graduating high school next year and will most likely stick around and go to community college – he may or may not stay at home – he’s undecided. He is more relaxed in his approach to life - he really lives in the moment. He is a home body - and while he loved his trip to Peru last month, he missed his love and the cold, grey and dreary climate of Seattle.

My daughter - on the other hand - hates Seattle and can't wait to get to NYC. Her goal is film school - more specifically the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television. She is anxious to be gone and away from the drama that has been created by dad (and mom) battling in court, the weather, boring high school and she wants to be on her way.

Anyway, I appear to have more time to figure out what I want to do when I “grow up” and I do believe it will be traveling. I imagine working for a few months each year and then traveling for a few – nice dream eh? Or maybe just a little place to land for three quarters of the year – kind of cottage by the sea? I tease my son that all I really want is a little shed in his back yard – “You’ll never even know I’m there.” Then I can leave on a whim and have someplace to visit. Anyway, wanting to travel means not really needing much. I’ll do a little bit each week and eventually I’ll get there…

I have put a few things in my shop this past week – collage packs, vintage photos, british magazine pages, yearbooks from the 1940’s. I’ll keep purging and maybe someone else will treasure them or make something new with them – either way it’s time to move it all along to someone else.

Collage Packs

British Mags

Black and White Photo Packs - great price!!

The flowers are beginning to bloom, inspite of the crappy weather. It's getting a bit aggravating - one nice day out of seven. And it's almost June and the heat is still needing to be turned on - I see $$$$ floating away. It should be warm enough to forego paying to stay warm - where is the sun???? I am going to get back into posting more frequently - as things have settled down a bit here on the home front. I will also get back to posting art again, so stay tuned.

All for today, my lovelies,

kso

xoxoxoxo