Of Chaos and Creativity
"Tidy up time! Tidy up time!"
Barney
Well, since we're sharing...My friends Debi and Frances have coincidentally on purpose posted some musings on this shared bane of our existence - housecleaning. I, like Debi, used to be quite neat and good at cleaning. Unlike her, however, my organizing skills are now mostly theoretical. Having 2 small, boisterous children in my advanced middle age is quite challenging - and I can't even claim to have another "real" job outside my home.
Excuses, excuses. Since my tiny ventures into the art/web world all stem from my precious laptop, I should really be much more in control of my environment. Should, could, would. Can't. Or don't wanna. Haven't figured that one out yet.
I do, however, generally end up with some method to my messy madness - especially around my desk area. I'm always making endless lists of chores, projects, whish-lists really and find them overwhelming and impossible to even check off in the end. So I've come up with this little trick: I write one item at a time on a small scrap of cardboard (coloured, of course), and stick them all in no particular order on my corkboard. For some reason, things seem to get done/ purchased/eliminated much faster this way.
One last tip: I found these useful corkboards in a package of 4, probably at Wal-Mart, and covered two of them in a cloth contact paper. Red-cork-red-cork. Yes, this is the lame reference to creativity in the title.
14 comments:
Eh - clever idea!
I have almost given up on lists - though I still do try - especially for things I need co-operation on - but I generally find the list some months later... but your idea of buzz notes is GREAT - I like getting organised and arranging things, I just HATE cleaning and tidying on a regular basis.
My daughter has a fantastic method - she writes in washable pen on her mirror. She can't avoid looking at that! ;-)
BTW - a very good friend of mine once said her issue is that she has never really thought of housework as her responsibility. When she said that, I knew we were soulmates. I realised that I don't get up in the morning with chores in mind. Quite the opposite.
I'm always amazed at the mess. I do envy Debi her level of mess, her pictures show an environment I would aspire to - like my place when I am expecting people to stay... after a week of panic and bad temper... heh heh heh
I too make lists, but never seem to get them all checked off. I always have more to do than time to do in. Although my children are grown I still have kids: 5 dogs, 4 cats, 4 goldfish, 13 laying hens, 12 guineas and as we speak I have more baby guineas, keets, hatching. I have a huge flower garden and it requires a lot of care. I love it all though and wouldn't change a thing. But I digress...I like the little notes on the cork board and I think I'll make one for me and one for dear hubby. Great Idea!
My partner would say I am messy. Of course, I don't see it that way. I just have a lot of stuff - to be creative with, work with, remember ... it goes on.
But I can usually find what I want - though lately I am getting a little more overwhelmed and am having troule keeping up~
~ Diane Clancy
www.dianeclancy.com/blog
Rima, I have always liked the idea of a cork board, I just never liked the actual look of cork. Your red solution is inspirational!
I've also been considering magnetic paint for my office/craft room wall. Anyone done anything with that? It comes in a variety of colors (or is it a primer? anyway), and then your wall is one big magnetic board.
After I figure out which way to go, I could then go hog wild with your idea of the little pinned-up To Do's. I like that idea A LOT.
Hey Debi
My daughter has magnetic paint on her wall. She started with a large eye motif and had tear drops and so on - it doesn't work too well - the magnets fall off sometimes - so she ended up using blutack and lost some paint.... Maybe you have to put several layers on to really get it magnetic.
Now, a little surprise.I have a poll in my blog. You can go there and vote for your favourite collage.Leave me a comment saying you voted in one of my collages.It's easy because they have a number. After 7th July I'll give away one collage among those bloggers who voted and commented ....:-)I will draw just one because I must prepare it and then have it printed in lab...If you're the lucky one and you dont' like the winning collage you can pick your favourite from those seven...
I'm having a hard time giving up on the idea of the magnetic paint, so I did a little googling research.
First, the paint is not magnetic itself, but rather has metal in it to make magnets stick. I was glad to hear that as I had wanted to paint the wall behind my computer.
Then, there seems to be no consensus as to how well it works, or doesn't work. I've seen it in action myself at a customer site and it worked well there. But Frances' daughter (and others in blogs) have had weak results. Maybe you need several coats, up to three I read on one site.
Also, I'm thinking that the little really strong magnets would be the ones I'd like to use. I've seen them at Ikea, but also eBay sellers have them. Search for "neodymium."
So, I'm back to thinking for sure I'd like to give this a try. Maybe a test spot first before spending a lot of time and money.
You guys know about the chalk paint too, right? I've used that and it worked well. One site used the magnetic paint primer and then chalk paint over it. Think how great that would be for a busy family message and art center. I can almost hear Rima drooling now.
I did wipe the drool before sitting down to write this.
I had been toying with several unsuccessful options to display the infinite flow of artwork of Miss Tornado (she's very good, and very prolific - I wonder if she takes after her aunt...).
One idea was to use a huge canvas board, but that's too expensive.
The second idea was to use those foam squares from wal-mart (the ones on every playroom floor in the GTA), but to spraypaint them first to make them pretty, then hang them up on an empty wall (once I tunnelled through to one). No sharp edges, I can tape on it, use tacks or sticky tack (my kids' favourite)- perfect. I did manage to use a whole can of rustoleum on 1/3 of the package, then gave it up when it looked like too much work and I was getting asthma.
Until recently, when I decided to actually use the cave we call a basement - and serendipitously, after Debi made that brilliant suggestion to use magnetic paint - I still couldn't figure out what to do to display the budding geniuses' artwork, but I think I know now:
I'll go look for a huge MDF board, prime it with the magnetic stuff, then paint with chalkboard stuff. Hang it in the basement. Tadaaa, et voila.
I'm starting art classes for kids in the fall, so now I'm going to need a whole side of my house for this. I haven't started cleaning out the basement yet. I think I'll go cry in a corner now.
Rima, your little tales of mishaps and misery make me laugh. You are too stinkin' funny.
A suggestion -- try a test piece of MDF (what's MDF?) before spending a lot of money/time since there seems to be some question as to the magnetic paints' stickability.
Art classes! You WILL be telling us more about this, won't you? What's the age limit, say 48?
I do stink - at a lot of things.
MDF is an HGTV TLA* medium-density fiberboard - it's a really tough piece of pressed wood shavings that can be cut like regular wood, but tends not to warp, and can be painted with no sanding (I think)
*TLA = three letter acronym
HGTV = Highly Grating Television
Ok, I'll stop now.
You know the old game, "Button Button Who's Got the Button?" Well I've been playing "Rima, Rima, Where's the Picture of Rima" game this morning, looking through all your posts.
I tap this hand. Is a picture of Rima in it?
I think Frances forgot about the little game - or gave up! But I'm not surprised at Ms. Sharp Eyes here - you win the bubble gum cigar. There are actually two pictures of me on there... I promise to find a decent picture of my face and post it - sincerely
I win! I win! And I already know I'm going to love that button face. ;)
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