Five On Friday: Tidying

 As I join in with Amy's Five on Friday, blog link up, I realize that my past week has had a fair amount of focus on tidying [much to my amazement!].  I love homemaking, but tend to have a lot of dust catching clutter that I try to store and display artfully.  At their kindest, friends and family members have told me that I create a "cozy" environment! This past week my tidying has fallen conveniently into five areas.

One:  In order to work on art projects and attend my once a month worship art group in a nearby church I have my art supplies in a rolling bag, on two shelves in a bookcase, and most recently in a little basket under this table by my favorite chair. This past Saturday I filled my rolling bag to take my supplies to the art group where we worked on creating the profile view of a face. My lady looked very mean so a couple more experienced artists there did some erasing and replacing of my lines explaining how they would soften her expression...then I tried again... but she still looks a bit grumpy and cold to me.

 Two:  After coming home and putting away my art supplies I started searching for some short circular knitting needles to try a new to me method of sock knitting.  One thing led to another and over the next few days my sock yarns, circular needles, sock patterns and lap looms got organized into this basket to the left of the fireplace.  I also got my acrylic and cotton yarns regrouped...some in baskets to the right of the fireplace and in other baskets around the room. The pair of socks on the book in the picture above are my favorite of the few pairs I have knit, and I want to knit many more pairs.

 Three:  In the midst of my fiber tidying I started to look for this book that I started weeks ago and had loaned to my youngest daughter.  She returned the book and I have been organizing my stacks and shelves of books to keep the book close at hand so that I can finish reading it and learn more about how a good shepherd cares for his sheep and how that care can help one understand the depth of God's care for human beings as described in Psalm 23.  It is interesting!

 Four:  Besides pulling some weeds here and there as I tidied the garden this week, I also guided the Sweet Pea tendrils up the trellis, and planted four Zinnias I bought at the grocery store.

Five:  Also at the grocery store, I bought an inexpensive bouquet of Dahlia's, my first of the season, and early this year, I think.  I enjoy seeing them sitting in the cobalt blue vase on the beautiful doily my mom crocheted years ago.
         I also got some tidying done on the front porch where I reorganized some gardening supplies.  My youngest son in law manned the water hose and helped me move the blue lawn chairs out onto the gravel driveway so that I could scrub the chairs with a brush.  After the chairs were dry we put them back on the porch with fresh rose printed material pillows on them so they are ready for you to come visit and try them out!
        While I may not be able to tidy up many of the troubling circumstances in the world around me, I am trying to share as much love as I can, and am in fact sending you my love if you are reading this.

        Is it just me, or have you found yourself  focused on tidying, too?

xx
Gracie