My WOYWW photos have shown, over the years, that I’m not prone to tidying my workspace. It is entirely because for the last eleven years, I’ve had an area to craft in that is in a room with a door, which means it’s not on show to the rest of the house. Or, I’m pathologically lazy. Still working out which.
I was doing some gentle tidying during the week,in order to swap hats from card maker to scrapbooker. Actually, I could literally do that with tiaras. I’ve got two on my stamp shelves. One from Katherine because she’s silly and one which was on the 10th anniversary cake at the WOWYW crop in 2019. Really, I could start to believe in my own publicity if I didn’t have to do real things, like tidying.
Pardon the digression.
As I said, I was doing some gentle tidying, and this struck me:
Not a lot to strike you really, huh. But loads for me. I keep these foam pads in the foam pads drawer, centre back of my desk. They are always at hand and unlike a lot of other stuff, they always go back in the drawer. As I gathered them, I found myself tutting at the untidy way that I’ve been taking the pads off the sheet at the top. They are 3mm pads and I must say that I think the guillotine was a bit blunt in manufacture, because every time I select one, I get two. Not maddening, but well, you know. Look at the lovely neatness of the 1mm foam pads, taken individually in the round. Nice. Neat. Tidy. I like the diminishing-to-the-middle-of-the-sheet-ness of the way I’m use them. Very satisfactory. I’m not about to throw any dollies from the pram about the uneven-ness of the top sheet, but mark my words, I shall strive to correct the pattern.Given what you know about me, what does this say about me? I don’t know. Am I an enigma wrapped up in conundrum? Am I altering my personality in the light of all the tidy and organised examples I see on this very blog every week? Is a new me emerging? Or am I just a normal person with some slightly weird but minor obsessions? Your observations and shared weirdnesses are very welcome. I think.
Is contemplating the pattern on your foam pads a(nother) distraction from the real task in hand, i.e tidying? - sounds familiar!! I have the similar problem with pads that pull off in clumps not singly.... it is frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI tend to remove in straight lines but making staggered patterns so it looks like the side of a pyramid.... the things that we do!!
Think all this lockdown is getting to you.
ReplyDeleteHi Julia, I remove in a line starting at the corner. If I get more than I want, they get put back on the backing sheet, but I find they often don't stick as well. I absolutely hate the tiny squares, but needs must.
ReplyDeleteI have certainly noticed your tidier spells and have long since come to the conclusion that is when the aliens have abducted you and left a synthetic stand in. I know this is true, because as soon as you are back, the desk is 'busy' again:) LOL
Stay Safe
Sue
Ok Julia, here is the REAL conundrum with this whole post for me.......is the situation at hand an oxymoron, or is it irony? LOL Whilst I am an EXTREMELY OCD person, I have been known to close a door or two, stash under the bed or cram in a cupboard ALL just so I don't have to deal with it.....so what does that say about me??? So, confession to the wind, I believe I'm inherently LAZY, but due to strict upbringing and now the psychosis of that said upbringing has charged me forward to the OCD qualities I now possess, but the child in me (that never got to be lazy) rears her rebellious head pulls the aforementioned stunts!!! LOLOLOLOL So there's my story!! HA HA Good luck with the foam pads....that would drive me NUTS!!!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteMike says you’ve been in lockdown way too long!
ReplyDeleteKathryn
Julia, I hate to tell you, you are normal....whew, that comment was made because if you are normal, so am I. Your post made me open my foam pad drawer and in looking at several, I’ve come to the realization that none are the same. I’m thinking if I remove pieces in a straight line, it’s because that day I was balanced and my creation that day must have been very balanced. And if the pieces are removed in a eye pleasing pattern, it was on a day my creative juices were flowing. Or maybe it’s just what stuck to my pokie tool! I will certainly pay closer attention from now on. Your post was fun to read and a wonderful distraction from that nasty virus. Thanks for making Wednesday a joy.
ReplyDeleteOr, just as your home is evolving slowly over time, are you evolving (and adapting) your own personality to better fit the new environ? Because if not, with the new visibility, would doing otherwise be like putting lipstick on a pig? (Referring to your desk, of course, in a low whisper so it can't hear me because desks, too, have feelings.)
ReplyDeleteAs for the foam pads, I can't help but wonder if the poor quality ones were purchased more recently than the ones that were obviously well made? Not to sound much like the curmudgeon old woman I find myself at times, but I am, therefore, I must note that quality control is a ... what that?, I hear a younger person ask. Exactly. I love your stream-of-consciousness posts, Julia!!😄 Much love and hugs, Darnell
I think we are all a mixture of conflicting habits and emotions and probably all a little crazy too. Now if someone were to take a couple of foam pads from the centre and you threw the Dolly out the pray then, I would say definitely OCD. It can be funny when we notice the things that we do without being aware of it. As my grand daughter told her mother “I am an artist, you can’t expect me to be tidy too!” Worry not!
ReplyDeleteHi Julia, I don't use foam pads that often - but when I looked at the few sheets I have, the pads are all pulled off randomly. No order, not in straight rows, or working to the centre. Doesn't matter whether you're weird, OCD or whatever - we love you just the way you are. Now, I want you to start removing the pads randomly lol ...go on, you can do it, force yourself. Hugs, Heather xx
ReplyDeleteI had to read this post three times to understand what you were talking about. I guess it's because I have NEVER purchased or used those foam squares, I had no idea what they were. At first, I thought you were showing cards you had made. Silly me. Took me awhile, but now I see you are consumed with questions about how you remove the squares from the backer sheet. Personally, I think we are creatures of habit, and what worked in the past is how you will continue to remove these little squares.
ReplyDeleteLike Mary I had to look in my foam pad drawer - I wonder do we all have one?
ReplyDeleteI am afraid I have failed in the pattern making - round ones seem to be taken willy-nilly and square ones in uneven rows.
Maybe it's the lockdowns...
LOL - I'd say the latter - LOL
ReplyDeleteWell if you’re weird then I’m joining you. I’ve been known to move something a centimetre either way because my lines are not straight. I’m not talking about crafting but stuff around the house. Then I’ll be the polar opposite and walk into a room where you can’t see the floor or surfaces for stuff. I’m working my way round the house for tidiness and now have just two rooms that are dumping grounds. But please don’t go in any cupboards or drawers.
ReplyDeleteThere’s nowt as queer as us folk xxx
Julia, I love you. I love much about you but this in particular. Little things... little things. My suspiciously autistic brain is twitching at both of them. I always work from the end a row at a time so that I can cut off anything I need to. I wonder if one were to do a psychological study of how people use their squares, what it would tell us? You've inspired me for my post tomorrow as I'm joining back in and WOYWW will become one of my anchors again - so so important. xx
ReplyDeleteI’m like that Julia, obsessive in nearness re some things and they always go away, and really slack in my craft room, especially the latter in some areas of craft room namely, desk and cutting station both are simply littered at a the moment! Hard to figure it out level.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, and God bless, Shaz in Oz.x
{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}
Ah yes i must admit I have a pokey thing (technical term) i use to stab my mini foam pads so its easier to remove just one as I found a similar issue with mine!
ReplyDeleteKyla