When I was a civil servant, my desk had the usual paraphernalia of stuff - pen pot, telephone, blotter, calendar, you know. And I had three vertical stacked letter trays labelled IN/ACTION, OUT and FILE. And it was always deemed to be a good day if the IN/ACTION tray was empty. I've carried that office grounding through my working life to be honest. So what about the action tray on my desk at home? Hmmm...
These initials, intended as a gift tag for a present have shuffled around the desk for about 2 years now. I think the moment has passed.
The scissor sharpener actually has a proper home in a proper cupboard. But I figured that if I left it on the desk, I'd remember to do the maintenance that my workshop scissors need. Now it's hiding behind the ipad deckchair, it's kinda outa sight.....
Little oak half arches which are 'waste' from the Joinery...and there's lots of them...I have no idea what to do with them, but felt if they were on my desk, I'd get inspiration....
Half a bag of buttons at the 'murky' end of the desk...no room in the button jar for them, but I don't want to forget to use them...and apparently, I will if I put them away.
A canister, awaiting transformation into a useful pot to put things in. I had to move it twice to take the other photos and worse - didn't even realise it qualified as another 'thing' for this list.... You get it. The whole desk is the IN tray..I put things there because I figure that eventually, I'll get so sick of moving it out of my way that I'll actually do something to it and move on. Not working. I think that theory is saturated. No doubt I'm suffering from fear of 'out of sight, out of mind'-ness too, and it is suffering, believe me. Because I shouldn't need to have all these not-even-started and work-in-progress things on my desk to prompt me. That's part of the problem. I shouldn't have let myself become so accustomed to seeing them. Which possibly means that they don't inspire me at all and waiting for inspiration will be like wishing myself thin. Pointless and disappointing without action. Well, I guess it's kill or cure. The weather for the weekend is not set to be good, so I'm going to go through all this surface 'stuff' and do some filing. Without, I hope, too much of a knock on effect being caused..this is not a call to arms, I'm not hell bent on a massive re-organisation. And you never know. As I excavate and file, I may yet find the Dove Grey Stazon that has caused all this deep thinking. It has a lot to answer for. Have a lovely weekend.
We have a box full of 'to do' stuff, half finished ATCs, pretty backgrounds or bought tags that we can do 'something' with. We often get the box out, have a shuffle through, then put it back in the cupboard. One day we may finish one of the 'to dos' rather than starting new projects!
I love those pieces of waste wood, I am sure you will (eventually!) find something fabulous to use them for... I hope you get the desk sorted tomorrow, and your ink pad found (I assume it's not in the ink pad basket?!) I have every confidence in you! Things have been pants here this week and I have had to issue an ultimatum... watch this space!
I think most of us can relate to you today. I am sad to say my WOYWW badge has taken a walk. I finally decided to quit driving myself crazy looking for it as I know it will turn up "some day". But I still am upset about misplacing it or whatever. Have a great week Julia.
I also do the "action tray" on my drafting table often, to later find myself doing the "file tray" thing. What happens to me is that I get inspired by something, but life happens and have to move on to a new project. By the time I get back to my original inspirational piece, I've lost interest in it. However, sometimes I do end up blending projects, and that's a lot of fun! Blessings!
I think it's a good thing that my table is relatively small or I'd have way more stuff on it, for the same reason as you do. I definitely do forget about things when they're put away! Would the half arches work as bookends? Put some felt on the bottom? (Oh, and I see Rita has had the same idea -- great minds!) ~ Laura (Bookworm)
I wish I had a desk to put things on lol at the moment I am all over the house,spare bedroom,kitchen,and slowely laundry room .I will have to tackle it soon as I can not find anything. Have a great week end everyone Smiles Ita
When my desk is full I move stuff to the window seat and that is moved when the cat protests. My computer desk if full of where to go stuff. In all locations the special something placed there to use on the special project will only ever be found after the project is complete Monica
Oh poor Julia, perhaps it's not the items that don't inspire, but maybe just a case of missing mojo? I know there are times when I look at things and think humm, what to do with that. After moving it a couple of times or stuffing it in a closet it gets sent off to someone that will find something to do with it. I just can't stand having 'things' that I feel need to be loved by someone and I'm not able to give them that love. Here's hoping the proverbial creative cloud pours down on you!
I can relate... it is that out of sight out of mind thing... but those little wooden arches... oooh I want them! Haven't made my mind up what I want them for... I am thinking fairy doors... or something!! LOL
When I saw those little oak pieces I thought book ends right away, bit small but they could be mounted on a square, civil service didn't have that effect on me!
Well, Julia, they are certainly really fun little "sparks" you have to show, even if the flint appears not to be working on any of them. I hope they fire up for you over the weekend or in the SET (someone else's treasure) box they go!
What I notice and am jealous of is how well insulated your room is. If I did "behinds" shots like you've done, there would be a bazillion dust bunny eyeballs staring into the lens!!
Well I can certainly empathise - the to do pile is certainly the bane of my life and rarely becomes the 'its done' pile. I think the real problem is just too much stuff and my desk is just so cluttered at the mo I really can't deal with it. Good luck with the gentle tidy - I am hoping fora day at my desk over the weekend too. With holidays and being ill I havent done a thing since the crop - really need my 'me' time this weekend to catch up!
Well I can certainly empathise - the to do pile is certainly the bane of my life and rarely becomes the 'its done' pile. I think the real problem is just too much stuff and my desk is just so cluttered at the mo I really can't deal with it. Good luck with the gentle tidy - I am hoping fora day at my desk over the weekend too. With holidays and being ill I havent done a thing since the crop - really need my 'me' time this weekend to catch up!
I had to giggle when I got to the bit about the canister as I have just moved a stack of Starbucks 'red' cups for the umpteenth time...they will become a Christmas mini album - one day!
darn tooting we hide our best stuff in plain view, just so that it will be harder to see... and you can NEVER find grey - for it is the invisibility cloak of colour,
good luck rationalising, I bet my cotton hankie hat that you find inspiration ten minutes into the taks, get distracted into making something gorgeous and forget the original quest, for such is the mantle of being You and an Artist, as opposed to that part of you that serves the public and others....
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one whose entire desk is the "action" file. Although, there are many things there that the only action they need is to be put away but they lack a proper home. But mostly it is like you--there so it doesn't fall into the out of sight, out of mind place. But it is out of sight in plain sight. One of these days.... I've been working on organizing and downsizing the whole room again. This time I have new motivation: one of the kittens is allergic to dust. It puts a crimp in my housekeeping style of dusting annually rather it needs it or not, but it does give me an opportunity for a new style which I'm looking forward to--less stuff to dust means LESS STUFF, and gosh knows I could benefit from that.
Those wooden arch thingys look like book ends to me... My piles sit on my desk for a short while then get relegated to a drawer out of sight - as you know [or maybe not] my workdesk is my coffee table lol... visitors are very tolerant but if I have something in progress that is usually the topic of conversation LOL.. Mxx
I have a desk like yours, all in tray no out. Doing the same thing today, some clearing up. The wooden pieces remind me of a boat, if you stick them together. Xxxx
I think we are all in the same boat as you, some choose to show their tidings and others don't, good for you, it goes to show how honest you are.
I have a file tidy on my computer desk but I have a UFO (un-finished Objects) tub for the off the page stuff that I promised myself I will get back too.
Sometimes my to do list seems bigger than my life...at least since i started into "the senior years".
I too can collect a todo pile on my desk...luckily for me my desk is huge ad I just make sure I keep it on the far side...where my neighbour craftws...not me!
I could see so many possibilities with the wooden pieces. I think they'd made beautiful bookends! Do a bit of staining and Mod Podge.... yep, that's the ticket.
I'm STILL trying to visit desks from last week.....yikes.
I left an unadorned rocking horse ib my desk for three months that I planned to put on the cover of my altered book. I finally got tired of moving it and used it the way it was intended. I know exactly what you mean by the saturation point.
I love those joinery pieces. I would possibly screw them together at the center using a door opener clasp thingy. Not sure what to call it, but it's a hinge that would move the two pieces together or apart. Then I would draw (or in your case, stamp) an image, half on one side, half on the other. Just MY thoughts on these awesome pieces.
Here's a radical idea . . . I hope you're sitting down . . . but honestly . . . some of it has sat there for 2 years for nothing? BIN IT! BIN IT. BIN IT! That's called "decluttering".
You'll feel better for not seeing it there taunting you and making you feel guilty for not doing something with it anymore . . . really you will Julia.
Am sure you will be able to use those little arches for something. Perhaps show them on Wednesday and ask again. They look lovely so I will get my thinking cap on. At the moment am thinking of you putting them together with a little piece of wood inbetween at the base to make a card holder - you know for display. Know what you mean about everything else - snap! Hugs, Neet xx.
Dear Julia you are too, too funny, almost spi up my tea all over the computer, awh bless you poor thing I wish I could come and help organize, it's one of my favorite things to do, OMG, bin it, I could never. I went to peak at Sandra's desk and she is so neat and tidy and very productive with some very beautiful art work.. Thankfully I have 13 shelves to sort all my things on and can see almost everything :O). Thanks for sharing and giving me a ton of laughs big hugs to you and do have fun on the weekend..
hi Julia! the wooden waste things look like a great start for one of those hinged icons. it's shaped like a gothic arch in a church when closed and when you open it, there'll be the icon. that's what i would do if i had them. for sure i would collect all the wooden "waste" like that from the joinery!
I think there is a fine line between having something where we see it and are inspired by it and then getting so over familiar with something that we stop seeing it. Well possibly. I am firmly in the need to see something or I forget it camp - but there is that time when you realise something has been sat on your desk for far too long - I think mine may need an archaeologist.
I could so identify with all that civil servant desk, tray malarky! I am so scrupilous at filing - my electronic filing is as tight as anything (to the 'enth' degree) actually. I also have a lot of stuff hanging around waiting for the inspiration to strike... I have a large basket full on the floor too which is full of canvasses to do something at and like your stuff, it all tends to become part of the furniture and you almost become blind to it.
I really do have a massive lack of motivation really - pity there isn't a rocket on either of our desks, because I certainly need one up my a*$£!!!
We have a box full of 'to do' stuff, half finished ATCs, pretty backgrounds or bought tags that we can do 'something' with. We often get the box out, have a shuffle through, then put it back in the cupboard. One day we may finish one of the 'to dos' rather than starting new projects!
ReplyDeleteMine is just an INACTION file (no/)! Good luck with it
ReplyDeleteI love those pieces of waste wood, I am sure you will (eventually!) find something fabulous to use them for...
ReplyDeleteI hope you get the desk sorted tomorrow, and your ink pad found (I assume it's not in the ink pad basket?!) I have every confidence in you! Things have been pants here this week and I have had to issue an ultimatum... watch this space!
I think most of us can relate to you today. I am sad to say my WOYWW badge has taken a walk. I finally decided to quit driving myself crazy looking for it as I know it will turn up "some day". But I still am upset about misplacing it or whatever. Have a great week Julia.
ReplyDeleteHi Julia, mine is always in action mode too. But I can see your arches waste as pretty book ends though. Enjoy your weekend. Hugs Rita xxx
ReplyDeleteI also do the "action tray" on my drafting table often, to later find myself doing the "file tray" thing. What happens to me is that I get inspired by something, but life happens and have to move on to a new project. By the time I get back to my original inspirational piece, I've lost interest in it. However, sometimes I do end up blending projects, and that's a lot of fun! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteI think it's a good thing that my table is relatively small or I'd have way more stuff on it, for the same reason as you do. I definitely do forget about things when they're put away! Would the half arches work as bookends? Put some felt on the bottom? (Oh, and I see Rita has had the same idea -- great minds!) ~ Laura (Bookworm)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with it! I have lots of 'to do's' all over my craft room - I just move them about too! Have a good weekend xx
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a desk to put things on lol at the moment I am all over the house,spare bedroom,kitchen,and slowely laundry room .I will have to tackle it soon as I can not find anything.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week end everyone
Smiles
Ita
When my desk is full I move stuff to the window seat and that is moved when the cat protests. My computer desk if full of where to go stuff. In all locations the special something placed there to use on the special project will only ever be found after the project is complete
ReplyDeleteMonica
Oh poor Julia, perhaps it's not the items that don't inspire, but maybe just a case of missing mojo? I know there are times when I look at things and think humm, what to do with that. After moving it a couple of times or stuffing it in a closet it gets sent off to someone that will find something to do with it. I just can't stand having 'things' that I feel need to be loved by someone and I'm not able to give them that love. Here's hoping the proverbial creative cloud pours down on you!
ReplyDeleteAngie
I can relate... it is that out of sight out of mind thing... but those little wooden arches... oooh I want them! Haven't made my mind up what I want them for... I am thinking fairy doors... or something!! LOL
ReplyDeleteI have boxes of stuff labelled 'stuff to alter' I think the most I will do to it is..... label it. LOL
ReplyDeletejanet
When I saw those little oak pieces I thought book ends right away, bit small but they could be mounted on a square, civil service didn't have that effect on me!
ReplyDeleteCazzy x
Well, Julia, they are certainly really fun little "sparks" you have to show, even if the flint appears not to be working on any of them. I hope they fire up for you over the weekend or in the SET (someone else's treasure) box they go!
ReplyDeleteWhat I notice and am jealous of is how well insulated your room is. If I did "behinds" shots like you've done, there would be a bazillion dust bunny eyeballs staring into the lens!!
Well I can certainly empathise - the to do pile is certainly the bane of my life and rarely becomes the 'its done' pile. I think the real problem is just too much stuff and my desk is just so cluttered at the mo I really can't deal with it. Good luck with the gentle tidy - I am hoping fora day at my desk over the weekend too. With holidays and being ill I havent done a thing since the crop - really need my 'me' time this weekend to catch up!
ReplyDeleteWell I can certainly empathise - the to do pile is certainly the bane of my life and rarely becomes the 'its done' pile. I think the real problem is just too much stuff and my desk is just so cluttered at the mo I really can't deal with it. Good luck with the gentle tidy - I am hoping fora day at my desk over the weekend too. With holidays and being ill I havent done a thing since the crop - really need my 'me' time this weekend to catch up!
ReplyDeleteI had to giggle when I got to the bit about the canister as I have just moved a stack of Starbucks 'red' cups for the umpteenth time...they will become a Christmas mini album - one day!
ReplyDeleteToni xx
darn tooting we hide our best stuff in plain view, just so that it will be harder to see... and you can NEVER find grey - for it is the invisibility cloak of colour,
ReplyDeletegood luck rationalising, I bet my cotton hankie hat that you find inspiration ten minutes into the taks, get distracted into making something gorgeous and forget the original quest, for such is the mantle of being You and an Artist, as opposed to that part of you that serves the public and others....
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one whose entire desk is the "action" file. Although, there are many things there that the only action they need is to be put away but they lack a proper home. But mostly it is like you--there so it doesn't fall into the out of sight, out of mind place. But it is out of sight in plain sight. One of these days.... I've been working on organizing and downsizing the whole room again. This time I have new motivation: one of the kittens is allergic to dust. It puts a crimp in my housekeeping style of dusting annually rather it needs it or not, but it does give me an opportunity for a new style which I'm looking forward to--less stuff to dust means LESS STUFF, and gosh knows I could benefit from that.
ReplyDeleteThose wooden arch thingys look like book ends to me... My piles sit on my desk for a short while then get relegated to a drawer out of sight - as you know [or maybe not] my workdesk is my coffee table lol... visitors are very tolerant but if I have something in progress that is usually the topic of conversation LOL.. Mxx
ReplyDeleteI have a desk like yours, all in tray no out. Doing the same thing today, some clearing up. The wooden pieces remind me of a boat, if you stick them together. Xxxx
ReplyDeleteI think we are all in the same boat as you, some choose to show their tidings and others don't, good for you, it goes to show how honest you are.
ReplyDeleteI have a file tidy on my computer desk but I have a UFO (un-finished Objects) tub for the off the page stuff that I promised myself I will get back too.
Hugs Eliza
Sometimes my to do list seems bigger than my life...at least since i started into "the senior years".
ReplyDeleteI too can collect a todo pile on my desk...luckily for me my desk is huge ad I just make sure I keep it on the far side...where my neighbour craftws...not me!
Hi Julia,
ReplyDeleteI could see so many possibilities with the wooden pieces. I think they'd made beautiful bookends! Do a bit of staining and Mod Podge.... yep, that's the ticket.
I'm STILL trying to visit desks from last week.....yikes.
Hugs,
Kay
I left an unadorned rocking horse ib my desk for three months that I planned to put on the cover of my altered book. I finally got tired of moving it and used it the way it was intended. I know exactly what you mean by the saturation point.
ReplyDeleteI love those joinery pieces. I would possibly screw them together at the center using a door opener clasp thingy. Not sure what to call it, but it's a hinge that would move the two pieces together or apart. Then I would draw (or in your case, stamp) an image, half on one side, half on the other. Just MY thoughts on these awesome pieces.
Yep, we are soul sisters for sure...I do the exact same thing...crazy girls!
ReplyDeleteHere's a radical idea . . . I hope you're sitting down . . . but honestly . . . some of it has sat there for 2 years for nothing? BIN IT! BIN IT. BIN IT! That's called "decluttering".
ReplyDeleteYou'll feel better for not seeing it there taunting you and making you feel guilty for not doing something with it anymore . . . really you will Julia.
Trust me . . . I'm a crafter!
Hugs
Sarn xxx
Am sure you will be able to use those little arches for something. Perhaps show them on Wednesday and ask again. They look lovely so I will get my thinking cap on. At the moment am thinking of you putting them together with a little piece of wood inbetween at the base to make a card holder - you know for display.
ReplyDeleteKnow what you mean about everything else - snap!
Hugs, Neet xx.
Dear Julia you are too, too funny, almost spi up my tea all over the computer, awh bless you poor thing I wish I could come and help organize, it's one of my favorite things to do, OMG, bin it, I could never. I went to peak at Sandra's desk and she is so neat and tidy and very productive with some very beautiful art work.. Thankfully I have 13 shelves to sort all my things on and can see almost everything :O). Thanks for sharing and giving me a ton of laughs big hugs to you and do have fun on the weekend..
ReplyDeletehi Julia! the wooden waste things look like a great start for one of those hinged icons. it's shaped like a gothic arch in a church when closed and when you open it, there'll be the icon. that's what i would do if i had them. for sure i would collect all the wooden "waste" like that from the joinery!
ReplyDeleteI think there is a fine line between having something where we see it and are inspired by it and then getting so over familiar with something that we stop seeing it. Well possibly. I am firmly in the need to see something or I forget it camp - but there is that time when you realise something has been sat on your desk for far too long - I think mine may need an archaeologist.
ReplyDeleteOh Julia
ReplyDeleteI could so identify with all that civil servant desk, tray malarky! I am so scrupilous at filing - my electronic filing is as tight as anything (to the 'enth' degree) actually. I also have a lot of stuff hanging around waiting for the inspiration to strike... I have a large basket full on the floor too which is full of canvasses to do something at and like your stuff, it all tends to become part of the furniture and you almost become blind to it.
I really do have a massive lack of motivation really - pity there isn't a rocket on either of our desks, because I certainly need one up my a*$£!!!
hugs
Paula x x x