Less IS more...

A couple of years age I read something Ali Edwards wrote about creativity and stash quantity. She said that she'd found a really large stash of stuff can hamper her creativity; rather than actually creating, she'd spend the time sorting through, trying to find stuff, or even losing things in the clutter. At the time, I dismissed it, thinking, "Less is more? No, more is more..."

But over the past week and a half of unpacking my stored stuff - very exciting! - it dawned on me, looking at the sheer volume of product covering the study floor, that if I scrapbooked every day for the next few years, I still might not use it all up. Now, I don't think I'm particularly extravagant when it comes to buying supplies, but after ten years of collecting, the stuff really does pile up. Plus, it really was hard to find things I wanted.

So, as usual, Guru Ali was right. It was time to cull. Any double ups of a product....culled! Anything I couldn't immediately see how I'd use use.....culled! Anything I'd bought more than three years ago and hadn't yet used....culled! And do you know what? It felt fantastic! Now, I can find everything easily, and I have a stash consisting solely of things I love and can't wait to use. All very good. :)

Something else exciting (to me, at least) - I just realised I missed a layout when counting last time. So, last post was Fourteen, not Thirteen, and I'm not as far behind as I thought. :)  Which brings us to Layout Fifteen:

(Apologies for the slightly wonky photo there...) I've made a discovery over the last nine months of not having supplies: I really love scrapbooking recent photos. I used to be a strictly chronological kind of gal, but I really like hopping between the old and new. It's much easier to record memories while they're still fresh, huh?

And now, housework calls...Happy rest of the week to you and yours :)

Virginia Woolf was on to something,,,

Well, admittedly, a room of one's own is not a "must", exactly, but after ten years of scrapping on the dining room table, it's a pretty wonderful thing to have! Yes, we have officially Escaped to the Country, and after the frenzy of packing, moving and unpacking (nearly done), the whole family is loving the new house and land.

We were really blessed these past nine months to have had the rental we did  – excellent location and extremely accommodating landlord. That being said, I will not miss:

1. Freight trains at 4am
2. 3 kids in one bedroom
3. Living on a building site

The kids themselves, not being particularly thrilled by the wonderful cafes and shops nearby that were the enjoyable silver lining for us, found it a pretty challenging time. So I thought I'd make Layout Thirteen a "thank you" one to them, for how well they made the best of it all. Here 'tis:

It's been lovely to watch their excitement in their new home :) - they've earned it!

Layout Thirteen....just worked out that if I was doing one a week this year, I 'd be up to No. Eighteen. Still, moving house is a pretty good excuse to be behind. And think of all the fun of catching up, especially since I have my own room to do it in....:)

And now off to finish unpacking the study....