My Sewing table is clean!

This is a before photo of my sewing table.  I'm embarrassed to show it but by doing so it also held me accountable to get it clean.  I obviously can't even sew anything with it being such a mess.  My first line of business was digging under the table to trace the path of the cord to unplug the sewing machine.  After that I pushed back the tubs; that have fabric and supplies stored in them back under the table and discovered that I needed to wipe down my machine and the foot pedal.  I had not realized until I took a closer look how dirty my sewing machine was.  Not just dust but dirt marks and some kind of grime.  I got it all cleaned off and then scrubbed the foot pedal.  My goodness the soles of my shoes are obviously dirty from the looks of the foot pedal.  Now the pedal is clean and the machine is ready to take to the sewing shop for repair.  The tension is way off and I'm having no success in getting it straightened out. 

Now get ready... here comes the  "After" photo..................

Ta Da !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Besides just cleaning the table I actually put every single item that did not belong on the table away where each item belonged.  That includes the trash.  I will admit that I didn't straighten the things hanging on the wall but my goal was to get my sewing table back in order.  My sewing machine, my Viking Rose, is in the shop but my daughter, Evie, let me borrow hers.  It's not in the photo but Evie's sewing machine is now on the table and I was able to get it up and running.
It was brand new in its box so I set it up, got out the manual and figured it out. 
I'm amazed how settled I am in the way my "Rose" operates.  I followed the steps to load the bobbin, thread the machine and get it to sew a straight stitch.  Ridiculously the most trouble I'm having is to remember where the release lever is to raise the needle.  On my Rose the lever is directly behind the arm.  Evie's Brother sewing machine places the release lever on the right side of the arm.  I finish sewing and instinctively take my left hand and reach for the lever...no lever.  I sigh and take my right hand and grope for the lever on the right side.

This is definitely a right-handed machine.  Being left-handed is throwing me for a bit of a loop.  I am obviously a creature of habit.

Oh yes, I must not forget to thank Flylady for helping me get my life decluttered.

Garage declutter project

I have spent two weeks (off and on) decluttering our garage.  Oh my goodness, about twenty-five years of things stuffed in this garage.  I'm almost done.  I have one shelf against the wall to clean, one shelving unit over the Toyo stove not touched yet, I have to go through the pile that is on the floor of things to go inside the house (this has grown too large so I'm going to go through it again and declutter what I've already decluttered), hang some pictures that I've set on the freezer and then give the floor a good bleaching. 

We've already taken three truck loads to the dump and I've got a six person tent almost full for a garage sale.  What doesn't sell is going to the thrift store.  I'm also going to make some quick curtains for the three windows in the garage.  Chris, our wonderful handyman (he's the same gentleman that renovated our bathroom) is coming tomorrow to finish putting in a new door from the garage to the dog yard.  Now all the dogs and pups can go right from the garage to the dog yard!  I even finished replacing the final two florescent lights that went out.  Now all eight lights are working.

My next task for the garage will be to somehow get the remote garage door opener to work.  The dogs chewed the cord that runs to one of the boxes next to the door.  I can't find a tiny metal piece that hooks to the cord and slides into the box that lines up with the box on the other side of the garage door!

I also assembled a free standing basketball hoop for the kiddos.  Oh my that was and continues to be a challenge.  I have three steps left; pull the tension coil to hook on to the spacer, hang the net on the hoop, and fill the base with water to make it stable.  I'm not strong enough to pull the tension coil to the spacer.  I'm going to ask Chris if he can do it when he comes tomorrow.  Once that is done I'll do the two remaining steps and then the kiddos can start shooting hoops.

I'll try to add some photos tomorrow.