The Art of Decluttering

There is an art to everything: Sex, cooking, leadership, relationships, etc. Not everyone understands how it works and then there are those that do things their way.

Getting rid of clutter is no different. There are some people who can just throw stuff away without even thinking about it. Then there are those who have an attachment to things.

For me it started at a young age. Someone gave me something and it meant a lot that they thought of me. Then there are those things that I started collecting on my own.
I held on to that Disneyland poster until the edges frayed and it was no longer holding up. Of course its possible I still have some of it in a file somewhere and I just haven’t run across it.

When I began traveling I began picking up little things because that seemed to be the thing that you did when you traveled. For me it started at the age of 12. I went to Houston Texas with my dad and some friends. We did Astroworld and attended a baseball game at the Astrodome. It was quite exciting and it was the first time my dad and I had ever taken a trip just the two of us.

There are a few items I have from that particular trip. My map of Astroworld and the miniature baseball bat that I picked up at the Astrodome. I had also collected a pendant, but I don’t know if its still hanging over a doorway in my home in NOLA or not. I’m still dealing with that situation as well.

I bring stuff back and then there isn’t a place for it so it gets put aside and before you know it you have created clutter. It’s easy to find a place for the small things, but the larger items are difficult to store.

Still there are the memories and I like running across things when I’m looking for something else and reliving that moment for a while.
I have thousands of photographs, but that adds another dimension to it all. They are tucked away in a binder and you don’t always look at them. I must admit that I do take time out to look at the stuff that I have collected.

I must admit there are some things in which I’ve gone overboard. My art supplies, there are so many I could open my own store. I’m trying to paint canvas and work on other things, but I know the minute I throw certain things away will be the minute I will be looking for it.

There are things that hold family history and its my story that I feel I must hold on too.
I am getting to the point where something must be done, but I hate to just throw something in the trash. I’d rather pass it along to someone who can make use of it.
One man’s trash…

Many experts have ways of getting rid of clutter. Certain items you can scan into your computer or take a picture to keep the memory alive. You can create a sort of recycling system. Stuff to keep, stuff to donate and stuff to sell, etc. Deciding what to keep is really easy, but we tend to let our emotions get in the way. We hold on to that item that we may never where or an invent that has long been gone and all that is remembered is that item that is hanging in the closet.
You know its bad when you look in the closet and there are still things with the price tag on it. If you can research the receipt its even worse to find out you’ve had the item for several years and never worn it.

If we create a sentimental pile and then move on to create a pile of not sure why we are keeping it and a pile of stuff we can actually sell and maybe even a pile of stuff to just give away we make some progress.

Usually when I look at certain items and I think of someone that might be able to use it or if someone gave it to me, I always call that person to see if they would like to have it back before I pass it along to someone else. I think its proper etiquette.

Sometimes we become oblivious to the things we’ve collected. Then one day we look around and we see we’ve got a museum of candles, vases, flowers, art, DVDs, video games, CDs, and the list goes on.
Sometimes I can go through and just toss it and then there are times when I stop with each item and reflect.
Working on one room at a time is the best way to do things because you won’t become too overwhelmed.

Sometimes just opening the door to that closet or room can be overwhelming if you have really let things get out of control.

It’s like a credit card with a high balance and you’re only paying the minimum. It doesn’t seem as if you’re doing anything, it keeps building and building.
You’ve got to try harder and don’t be afraid to throw it out if it serves no purpose at all. If its tucked away and you don’t know its there, you really won’t miss it when its gone.

Thanks for stopping by; do come again. Keep an open mind.

http://www.dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com

Absolutely the last entry for 2010

Art outside of a bookstore/gallery on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. FM Books in the Marigny I believe is the full name.

(I posted the wrong entry to this blog.)

As the year comes to a close I start thinking about some of the things I saw this year that I could create. Some of them I did create over the holidays. I decorated wine bottles and filled them with M & M's which added to the Christmas theme.

I had thought about buying chargers, but I could never find the color I wanted and the price I thought was a bit much at $1.99 or higher. I finally caught a sale at Wal Mart when they were have price, 4 for $2.50 which put them at about .62 cents each.
They work well with the decor and now I can decorate them to add a little more style and art. I'll have two that I can display as art and if I like the way it looks then I can decorate the ones on the table in a similar fashion.

Since I'm big on recycling, the possibilities are endless as to what you can do with the stuff that you have.

You really don't have to spend a lot of money because most of what you need is lying around the house. Candles, scrapbook paper or newspaper, hole punch, glue or hot glue and photographs. You are only limited by your imagination.

Thank you for stopping by and do come back next year as I present more art and craft ideas.

Creating gifts and decor for the holidays

One of the crosses that I created in 2007.

There are many things we can make ourselves that we can share or use to decorate our spaces. We first learn to do this when we are kids in grade school. We learn to make cards, or small Christmas trees. We then move on to creating larger works of art or crafts.

I surround myself with my art as well as that of other artists. I have countless books that I look through to get inspiration from time to time.

During Christmas you see so many things that you'd love to have, but you either don't have the space or the price seems a little rediculous. For me I have to look back and think because I know I can make something that I see for little of nothing. I usually stock up on supplies when I find a bargain so I have most of what I need.

I've always admired the angels that you see, but I'm not going to pay $24.99 or higher for something to use once a year. I thought wouldn't it be great if I designed something that I could just leave up all year round. Then you don't have to worry about where to put something as you have placed something in that spot after Christmas. If of course that is the case then make sure you take photographs and you can remember where everything was the previous year. Then you can make changes accordingly.

If you are going to make a seasonal display here are a few ideas I'd like to share. Take a jar, or grits or oatmeal box and removed the wrapping. Cover it with colorful ribbon or scrapbook paper. Fill it with your favorite candy or flowers. You can also buy some candy canes and put them all the way around and still fill it with other candy or flowers. It's a multifunctional center piece.

Back to the angel. If you take a wine bottle with a long neck you can decorate it with some felt. Depending on if you want it to be only used for Christmas or leave it up all year round pick a color that will work for any season. Felt comes in all different colors and styles. You can even find embossed or glittered felt.
Cur out your wings from cardboard and cover them with felt. You could even do two sets of wings and that way your only changing the wings for the holidays.
Take a doll head or a round wood block and glue it to the top of the wine bottle. Paint or draw on the eyes and mouth. Attach a halo and finish decorating your bottle with some sheer ribbon or fabric. This can also serve as giving you a seasonal look that can be removed after the holidays so that your angel can remain out all year round. You can create arms using colorful pipe cleaners. The possibilities are endless, just use your imagination.

You can also take a wine bottle that has a bowl shape to create the face of a Santa or an elf. After removing the label, put on some squiggly eyes, a beard, mustache and eye brows. Use the long neck at the hat. Cover it with felt and add a pom pom at the top. I've given you the tip now make the idea your own.

Candy Arrangements

If you like candy, but you keep it on hand for guests, why not make decorative arrangements. There are many things that can be done. One can get great candy dishes or one can take jars and make their own. Find a jar with an unusual shape, decorate with ribbons or scrapbook paper and then fill with candy. Another thing that you can do is to make a candy floral arrangement using tootsie pops. Wrap pops individually or a few in colorful tissue paper and then arrange in the jar. They make great gifts for anytime of the year. People love getting gifts that aren't planned and those that are handmade add that personal touch.

Thanks for stopping by, do come back again.

Take care
Open Your Mind
Dlonzo

More with scrapbook paper

The latest in scrapbook paper art. I have several sketches of dancers and I took another drawing and created a silhouette using the colorful scrapbook paper. You can make your own work of art with the right frame and matting. Be creative, cut out butterflies or dragonflies. Create an entire scene cutting out intricate detailed silhouettes using various scrapbook papers and colors. You are only limited by your imagination.

http://www.dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=58144381
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=54325957
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=54365247

Transforming ordinary items

The image is a shadow created from the patio table.

Art can be found in virtually anything. As I’ve said many times, it’s only limited to your imagination. In a time of recycling and helping the environment there are some things we can use to make beautiful works of art. When I was in Hawaii, one of the wineries made candle holders out of the wine bottles. All wine drinkers have purchased wine that had beautiful decorative bottles and we didn’t want to get rid of the bottle after the wine was gone. You can buy a candle globe that can go over the bottle and put a small candle in the opening and you have a candle. You can also turn wine bottles into lamps. You can buy cords and drill a small hole into the bottle to run the cord. Had the socket for the bulb and you’ve created a unique lamp. Make several and give them as gifts or sell them. You can also take the plane bottles and remove the labels and then take some of your favorite scrapbook paper that matches the décor in the room and decorate the bottle with various strips around the top, center and bottom. Add some glitter or beads and sit on a window sill and let the light create art within the art on the walls and ceiling.

http://www.artbydlonzo.blogspot.com/

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=54325957

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=54365247

http://www.filmloverpg.blogspot.com/

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=38275088

http://www.n4cersworld.com/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/civil_rights/

Check out the above links if you haven’t already. Watch for new links.

Time to get back to reality. Rebuilding my life, one step at a time.
Thanks for stopping by; keep an open mind. What is meant to be…