My goodness- this one took FOREVER!!! Okay, actually only a few weeks but for something that I thought would be a quick crocheted project- it took way, way longer.

Used my huge crochet hook, 8 skeins of Red Heart Autumn (held double throughout) and a pattern from Ravelry to make it. I really like it- although I think I may go around the edges a few times in sc to tighten it… but it is serving it’s purpose for now. That and I am sick of this particular project. And it is HEAVY!!

I am thinking the next rug may be a while…

In case there is someone else that is like me- I figured I would contribute to the already obscene amount of info on this topic and pull together my own list for how to declutter. If I forget anything please let me know in the comments!

1. Decluttering doesn’t take [fill in the blank].
   I don’t care what any website/person says, there is no set time for when you are done decluttering. Mainly because the term itself, “decluttering” is such a relative term that placing a rigid timeline on it is just silly. Everyone is different and the crap laying all over your house is different so what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another person. You will be done when you are done.
2. It is a habit, not a chore.
   Last night hubby and I were putting away our dinner (BBQ meatloaf- heck yeah!) and noticed that out of the whole block of knives sitting on our kitchen counter- we only use 4 of them. We took the four that we use out, found a place for them in our silverware drawer, and got rid of the rest. Viola- there is more room on our counter.
3. It gets harder to buy stuff.
   You think about where you want it to go, and whether or not it is worth rearranging that shelf to make it fit. And do you really need it anyhow? After all, if you don’t it will just wind up being something that you get rid of later- which means even more work for you!
4. It gets easier to clean.
   This is pretty simple math that even I can manage- less stuff = less stuff to clean. Awesome right?
5. Decluttering is a team activity.
   If you live with someone you can not just go through and clean house without them. And if they are not on the same page as you they will keep bringing more stuff in the house. Not cool. It’s annoying in fact. And if they aren’t helping you declutter they don’t realize how annoying it is when you see them bring stuff in that you will just have to get rid of later. To make the process smoother- make decluttering a group activity.
6. It is ok to drink. 
   Yeah, the end result of decluttering is awesome, but getting there is usually not as rewarding or exciting. As previously mentioned, you should be doing this with your roomie/significant other anyhow.  Chances are neither of you are having fun and the space won’t declutter itself. So, grab a few drinks, start telling some jokes, or just throw on some trashy TV. Doing anything that will make the time fly by will help this process. The first time hubby and I went through our books it took us three hours. Not fun!
   Of course now we have Nooks, so we hardly have any books anyhow!
7. It is addicting.
   Once you start- you love the fact you have less stuff laying around. This does not mean you get rid of everything in your wake- it does mean that you get rid of the stuff you don’t actually care about  and that leads to ….
8. Your reward is being able to see the things that you actually care about.
   Sounds odd, but the truth is without all the useless stuff everywhere you actually see the items you do care about- whether they are photos, books, paintings, blankets, etc.  Because decluttering gives you the reward of seeing what you care about, the ultimate result is…
9. Your home will be a happy place.
   And why wouldn’t it? All those annoying things that you never want to clean are gone, and you can now see all the things that you care about.and the last thing I have to say about decluttering?
10. Once you figure it out, you will realize how useless all those things you read were.
    Yes, including this post.

Any other helpful tips? I love comments!!

FYI: Don’t ask why I chose the pic of the dog. No it has nothing to do with decluttering but it’s cute, this is my post, and this is my blog- just enjoy the adorableness For more adorable pictures head over here!

I used a really big crochet hook (it is a big plastic hook that I found in my craft room- no clue what the size is on it since it hasn’t got a stamp or anything on it) and two strands of Red Heart yarn in pumpkin to create this. I just used a dollie pattern and modified the last few rows so it wouldn’t be “frilly” and catch on stuff.

It feels amazing on the feet!!

What do you guys think?!

While everyone is busy making lists of what they will stop doing, or start doing this year- I wanted to make a list that is a little different. Sometimes I think the New Year’s resolutions is depressing- seriously, if everyone is living that terribly the human race would have snuffed out long ago. I want to focus on the positive as well as what can be changed.

So…this is a list of 10 things that I will continue to do.

1. I will continue to drink coffee. As much as I want.
I love coffee. I drink it black, and I will drink it until I go to bed. This makes me happy and will not change.

2. I will continue to eat eggs…the whole egg.
Eggs are yummy. Screw any health research- I have always eaten eggs with their yolks and my cholesterol is awesome (yes, I just had it checked).

3. I will continue to love and use technology.
There is a trend now to be anti-Facebook/smartphone/etc. I don’t care. I use my phone for freaking everything, I read books on my Nook, and I share photos with my family on Facebook. Believe it or not, but I do still talk to people face to face and enjoy other’s company.

Oh, and text messages are fabulous. Nothing anyone says will convince me otherwise.

4. I will continue to craft.
This one is probably obvious, but it is something that I will continue to do!

5. I will continue to eat fruits and veggies.
This is actually something I do want to improve on in the new year, however I am already eating way more fruits and veggies than I used to so I think it is important to realize that I am improving on something that I already do rather than completely changing an already existing habit.

6. I will continue to play video games.
We just got a Wii and I think this was one of the best purchases we have made! There are so many ways to play video games and move around now- in fact I am planning on doing some Zumba later tonight. I remember playing video games with my little brother when we were growing up, I played video games with John now (Burnout 3 anyone?) and I will continue to enjoy video games

7. I will continue to read.
I have always read, and now that I have my Nook I am able to read more often and I am always getting new books because of their Free Fridays. I even have been reading healthy reading/living magazines since I don’t have to worry about the paper clutter around the house. This is a good habit that I will have no problem continuing in the new year.

8. I will continue to be sarcastic and positive.
My boss recently told me that “if there was another person as upbeat as you in this office I would go nuts”. I took it as a compliment- and I will continue to be…well, myself!

9. I will continue to try new things.
I tried to make a rug by using a HUGE crochet hook, multiple strands of yarn, and a dollie pattern. It worked great and hubby is excited for me to make more. I am constantly trying new things, and while a lot of them don’t work I tend to remember only the ones that do work- so why be afraid to give it a go?!

10. I will continue to love my campy 80′s horror/comedy movies.
Pretty self explanatory. Oh, and if you haven’t seen Dale and Tucker vs. Evil- go watch it now. You are welcome <3

What are some things that you will continue to do this year?

A crocheted rug! It is only a few rounds from being complete and I am so excited to see how it turns out

What do you guys think?

Holiday traveling means holiday knitting.

What do you guys think?

Happy Friday everyone!

Stockings are hung …

Tree is up …

Robots are chilling  …

and Marlow couldn’t care less about the whole ordeal …

What do you guys do for the holiday season?

XOXOXOXO

Darn.

This magic, wonderful stuff that is made from pure awesomeness kept me busy all weekend! J and I spent pretty much all of Saturday ignoring the snow falling outside and making robot ornaments. He made a robocop, and it turned out great.

Sunday I went a little nuts (more so than usual) and made 14 robots. I came up with five different variations of the robots:

Lovely: a robot with a heart

Sweetie: robots that are hoarders of the sweets

Dottie: robots who are rockin’ out the polka dots

Buddy: a robot who always has a special gift for you

Patches: robots who needed some patches to mend themselves

I had so much fun with these little guys- I already know that I will be making more. Of course I have no idea what I will be doing with all the robots after the holidays are over- these will all be gifted.

I foresee a give-away on this blog in the future of the robot variety… what types of robots would you like to see as a give-away?