I'm pretty sure this is a fairly accurate visual summary of what I got rid of in 2010. Not going to bother double-checking all of the photos with entries. There are always some things that go out without being written about. Not as many posts as I thought, but I occupied myself with other activities. This year I expect the entries to be even more sporadic, but there are lots of archives to go through if you've wandered in here.
I have a couple of boxes of items to photograph and post before they are shipped out for donations. Happy new year!

Tags: miscellaneous

I have been backsliding this past couple of weeks. It started with a trip to Calgary and a visit to the best Value Village for clothing that I've ever been to. I came back with an updated wardrobe. So far I have picked out several pieces from my previous wardrobe to get of, but in order to follow the one in, one out rule, I still have to cull some more. Since then I have visited thrift stores and picked up bits and pieces here and there. Today I was at a friend's house -- she had some things ready to give away. I saw scissors, tweezers, paper clips and safety pins that I can definitely use, and a science book about the periodic table called The Disappearing Spoon that I want to read. And she gave me a present -- a beautiful old tea tin from Nairobi, with images of the big five on it. It will hold a very special place on my shelves. On the positive side, I have still been adding to all the books in the get rid of pile and trying to give things away when guests drop by. A few weeks ago I babysat a charming young boy and sent him on his way with some plastic Kinder eggs.

Tags: miscellaneous, December 2010

My friend gave me this a few years ago. It had been given to her, but she didn't like to look at it because it reminded her of her father-in-law’s face. I had this Green Man in my garden for those years, peeking out from a shrub. Then I met a woman who dances with a group of Morris dancers — and they have a Green Man in their group. Perfect! She would get the reference. So now this sculpture is in her garden, presiding over the veggies.

This is a large chunk of clay. Easily 75lbs. I can't even lift it. I thought I had a photo of it in its new home, but I can't find it. This guy has whales and birds and deer and other animals forming his beard and hair. Quite astonishing to look at closely and see all the fauna.


Straight from Wikipedia today:
A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit. Commonly used as a decorative architectural ornament, Green Men are frequently found on carvings in churches and other buildings (both secular and ecclesiastical). "The Green Man" is also a popular name for English public houses and various interpretations of the name appear on inn signs, which sometimes show a full figure rather than just the head.

The Green Man motif has many variations. Found in many cultures around the world, the Green Man is often related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different cultures throughout the ages. Primarily it is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, or "renaissance," representing the cycle of growth each spring. Some[who?] speculate that the mythology of the Green Man developed independently in the traditions of separate ancient cultures and evolved into the wide variety of examples found throughout history.

Tags: garden, miscellaneous, November 2010

I've just done my first animated gif. Late to the party. But here it is. I've been extremely busy with work – but I have been getting rid of things, taking photos of them, and will do a batch post when I can.

Tags: November 2010, miscellaneous

I gave something away yesterday. Wasn't even planning on it. Don't have a photo. Am not going to describe it. The person I gave it to was quite charmed to receive a little present for no reason. Some days that's what it's about.

Tags: October 2010, miscellaneous

My mom is clearing out a small storage room in her basement. A bunch of my stuff from my teen years is still there. She skyped me and held various items up to the camera and asked what I wanted to do with them. Of course I didn't even remember that these things were there. Apparently I collected bits of driftwood at one stage. I do remember as a child making a sculpture with a piece of driftwood that looked like a tree branch and gluing litle clam-like shells on as butterflies. This was in the days before video games. I told my mom she could give these pieces of wood back to nature.

Tags: wood, crafts, miscellaneous, June 2010

I had something all picked out for today. A pottery dish I have been keeping change in. Originally it came with a candle in it, long since burned. A present from my mother in law. So after I dumped the change out, washed it and was all ready to take a photo of it, I had second thoughts about getting rid of it. I have so much other work to get today — my allotted time for ruminating about stuff and what to get rid of today has run out. I'll think about this item a bit longer and decide tomorrow.

Tags: May 2010, miscellaneous

I'm giving a talk about my blog tomorrow night. 20 slides, 20 seconds about each slide. I've had fun putting together a presentation. Maybe there is a Pecha Kucha event near you. They happen all over the world. Here's one of the slides.

Tags: miscellaneous, May 2010, Pecha Kucha

I spent the past week on a big creative project. I'll post photos soon. Beads and jewels and gold metallic wire. Handmade papers. Anyway, here's something that doesn't take up much room, but something I will never wear. My husband brought it back home from a business trip to New Brunswick — someone gave it to him as a souvenir. I know a kid who might be collecting pins. I'll see if he wants it. Random flowers are orchids that outlasted their original bouquet. If you want fabulous flowers, you'll be wanting to talk to Tracy at Garden Gate Floral Services in Saanich 250-508-3194. She's amazing!

Tags: jewellery, miscellaneous, random flowers, April 2010

Just got back from a few days away. A cabin. No computer. No phone. We snuck into town one day to find a cafe with wireless. Why does it feel like the time off never happened? I saw my parents. Gave my dad this dark blue shirt that was too big for me to wear even for around the house or for working out. The thing with the illustration of the dolls is a cardboard holder, not quite a box, that once contained writing paper and envelopes. My distant cousin Wendy gave it to me — yikes, I'm thinking more than 30 years ago. I was a teen and wrote lots of letters. The illustration was beautifully rendered. Another pair of shoes that I've come to think are a bit old-fashioned for me. They came from my mother, so that might have been obvious when she gave them to me, but sometimes you have to wear them a few times to figure it out.

Tags: paper, miscellaneous, clothing

This one is really hard. He doesn't take up much room, and his things don't either, but just think of all the space I'll have for my stuff if he's no longer in the house. I got him 15 years ago, after a long search for just the perfect one. He's given me a lot of pleasure and has always been easy on the eyes. I know I will never find one quite like this again. Irreplaceable really. He's in the “free” box out by the driveway, but I'm sure he won't be out there long.

Tags: April 2010, miscellaneous

I have had the asparagus steamer (Oct 26) kicking around in the trunk of the car, waiting for me to (finally) take it to a household consignment store. I didn't want to take just one item — it has taken this long to get a box of stuff together. But the store only took 3 of my discards. The asparagus pot, a Denby covered casserole that I forgot to take a photo of, and this signed enamel decorative teacup and saucer. Part of the Charlotte de Vita collection. It's about two inches high, with cat motifs on every side. Quite sweet, but given to me by someone who is no longer a friend, so I'm not interested in looking at it anymore. Which means that in general, the things I surround myself evoke an emotional response as well as having an aesthetic or tactile quality that gives me pleasure. If I no longer like the person who gave me something, the question becomes: Does the aesthetic value outweigh the feeling or lack of feeling I have for the person? Sometimes I can divorce myself from the origin of a thing and enjoy it regardless of its provenance. But not for this little teacup.

Tags: miscellaneous, decoration, March 2010

Take a look at the date of birth on the bottom right of this card. It's a health card for the BC medical services plan. A gold card for seniors. It belonged to a friend of the family, a woman who lived to be 105 years old. The date of birth is 10/93 -- as in 1893. I helped to clear out her house when she moved, several years before she died. She had lived there practically her whole life, with her sisters. All of them spinsters. After the relatives took away the really good stuff and we had five yard sales, there was still lots of stuff for me to take away. There are reminders of her everywhere I look around my house. Old letters, knick knacks, books -- many lovely things. I have kept this card in a drawer since 1998. I don't need to keep it anymore.

Tags: miscellaneous, March 2010

I have been pretty diligent about taking photos of everything I've gotten rid of, whether or not I wrote about it. That means I have some photos lurking on my drive that I can start to haul out when I don't feel inclined to go through the process of finding something, snapping it and posting it. Here are two things that were in the old shed. I didn't want them in the new shed. A pump and a frame for a chair. My friend Karen gave me the frame years ago, along with a paper pattern of how to rebuild the seat and chair back. Another project that was low on my list. Have to eliminate those projects -- I'm getting too old.

Tags: miscellaneous, February 2010

Went to Value Village with a friend this afternoon. I'd been waiting to get enough things together to make the trip worthwhile. Took two boxes of stuff — officially out the door, no longer taking up space here. I threw in a few extra things on my way out. A puffy vest from the 80s, bbq tongs, and another tea tin. Some cards, two 2010 calendars I don't want — one arrived addressed to the former occupants of our house. They haven't lived here for 11 years. Shoulder pads, a car headrest cover, frame for a certificate, and a tray for cassette tapes. I only came home with two new things from VV, and one of them is being given away as soon as I see a certain person again.

Tags: clothing, kitchen, paper, miscellaneous

This is a prop gun from a TV movie called The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space (1995). When the movie wrapped, a whole bunch of things ended up in the trash at the studio where it was shot. I ended up with some costume pieces and this weapon. It's extremely heavy, mostly wood and fibreglass. Almost 4' long. You can see damage on it from where it was thrown to the ground in a shootout in the movie. As far as I know the movie has only been shown once, right after it was made, and I happened to be watching the night it was aired. There were lots of cool props I wish had been thrown out, but I'm sure the good stuff was snagged by the crew. I gave away most of the costume pieces ages ago to friends who actually dress up for Halloween, but I kept the gun longer because I thought I would eventually find a place to display it. A dealer bought it this summer but I am only getting around to posting now. I had to cut the guy who bought it out of the photo. The only picture I could find on the internet of a soldier holding one of the guns is this one. Isn't the rocketship cool? Now that I'd like to have in my backyard.

Tags: odd, miscellaneous, November

I saved the first couple of wristbands from my visits to emerg — kept them in a bathroom drawer — not imagining that over the next few years I would make more than 25 visits to ER and hospital as a health issue became more problematic. And so grew my collection. Some good doctors fixed me up, and while there's no way I could ever be a contestant on a reality show (wouldn't pass the medical), I just take a few extra pills every day and go on with my life. It's been four and half years since my last trip to ER — a bit of overkill with ambulance and sirens for that one — and I don't expect to be making any more. So why did I feel compelled to keep these wristbands? If I kept a daily journal like I did in my youth, I'd have written about each episode and glued a wristband onto each page. Like glueing in ticket stubs from plays or movies or boarding passes from plane trips. Or they could have been part of a neat collage of weird things I'd accumulated over the years. Whatever. The bathroom drawer is tidier now.

Tags: miscellaneous, November, odd

Only two more months to go on the official challenge, but I think I will be getting rid of things long past December 31. Took some paint cans to the recycling depot yesterday. Thought the place might take old anti-freeze but it didn't. Nor did it take the fire extinguisher. We have a bigger one now — not sure if this one even has a charge any more. I'll have to research where else in town to take it. Getting more brutal with the houseplants. This orchid hasn't bloomed in a couple of years. We keep the house too cold, and now that it's fall it's going to suffer even more. I believe I have found a new home for husband's geiger counter — the yellow thing in his hand. He has a new computerized one now. Another pair of shoes. The second pair of Rockports I ever bought. The first pair was in 1986. I bought them to work 12-hours shifts at EXPO ’86, walking around the Canada Pavilion. I got rid of them just last year I think, either that or they are in the earthquake kit as my spare shoes. I will have to check. This black pair is probably 15 years old. Here's the story about the rock. A woman in Sooke paints them and leaves them on the beach for people to find. She places them face up; the message is a surprise when you turn the stone over. I didn't find this one myself, it was given to me by a friend who regularly walks on the beach and has found several over the years. I find it mildly disturbing. I plan to leave it outside in a park or along a path for someone else to find.

Tags: paint, fire extinguisher, plants, miscellaneous, shoes, odd, November

I've had this cat magnet for more years than I can remember. It's a handpainted piece of wood, about 5" tall, with a magnetic strip glued on the back. A present from my brother. I have enjoyed it, but I'm now ready to part with it. Unlike some other gifts he's given me that I will likely keep forever. Thanks bro.

Tags: cats, fridge magnet, miscellaneous, October

Thanksgiving weekend. I'm thankful for what I have, and thankful too for what I no longer have in my life. I hung on to this sign for sentimental reasons. Plus it's really cool. But it didn't fit with the decor (inside joke, as you might have guessed by now our decor is thrift store/cat hair/piles of paper/generic clutter), and it came from a long ago time in my life. I sold it. Proceeds added to my SPCA fund. Love my kitties. Haven't posted a picture of Mika in awhile.

Tags: antique, miscellaneous, October, cats

Somebody somewhere has a birthday today. Want some candles? The candle holder plays Happy Birthday. Breaking umpteen copyright laws I'm sure. We don't really celebrate birthdays in our house. And even when a cake does appear, I forget about these candles and which junk drawer they've been living in. Random flower is crocosmia.

Tags: candle, September, miscellaneous

Hasn’t everyone had one of these at one time or another? I have thought about getting rid of this massage roller for years already. I would pick it up from its home in a basket in the living room (where the plan was to pull it out while watching TV and give my back and shoulders a wee massage) and think I should get rid of it because I never, ever used it. Then I would actually try it out again for 30 seconds or so, feel momentarily great and get a bit of circulation going, and put it back in the basket. This time I am motivated to banish it for good. And though it crossed my mind to dismantle the roller and keep the wooden beads to give to my mother to incorporate into the macrame wall hanging she began in 1975 and still hasn’t finished (it hangs three quarters knotted in a hallway at her house), I resisted the urge.

Tags: miscellaneous, personal products, August

I recently took a long plane trip. Took out my travel pack of inflatable pillow, airplane slippers and sleep mask. Duly blew up the pillow in flight, but it didn’t hold air. These days most plane seats have adjustable headrests that bend sideways to support your head. This type of pillow isn’t really needed anymore. I am not going to try and find the leak and patch it. I think it is more that the seams aren’t completely sealed anymore. The blackberries are freshly picked from the neighbour’s patch. Ate a bowl of them for breakfast.

Tags: travel, miscellaneous, August, garden

Another project. Just needed a paint job. Thought I could put something on top of this. Another object left out on the front lawn with a “free” sign on it. I see the neigbourhood kids playing with it in their yard a few houses down now. Random flower is a poppy in the side yard.

Tags: household, June, miscellaneous, random flowers

I thought this might be a cool lampshade, but someone said it went over the neck of a big wine container. Whatever it is, it is no longer taking up space in my place. It’s on its way to the Victoria Cat Rescue white elephant sale this weekend. If they won’t take it, I will compost it. It’s just wicker. Random flower is Dicentra spectabilis. I have several in the garden, though my Dicentra alba is my favourite.

Tags: miscellaneous, June, random flowers

I have a couple of very nice old sewing baskets in which I keep my needles and thread. I don’t need a third, not so nice one. I believe I picked this up from someone’s yard sale leftovers for free. I’ve never cleaned it up nor put anything in it. So today, at the yard sale, I put it out in the free pile and someone took it. The sale was moderately successful. It all depends on who shows up looking for what. The vacuum (May 27) sold for $15, and the quilt (May 23) also sold for $15. That’s two large items I am glad aren’t taking up space in my place anymore.

Tags: household, May, miscellaneous

Now that I know I’m participating in a yard sale, I can start posting stuff I was eventually going to try to sell on craigslist. Throwing it on a table on my friend’s lawn seems less hassle than writing an ad and fielding emails. This cushion, which heats up and vibrates a bit in an attempt to mimic a massage also has a port to plug in an mp3 player and speakers to blast out the sound. My husband received it as his Christmas present at a corporate party two years ago. There were lots of wrapped gifts under a tree and each employee went up to select one when their name was called. It soon became obvious there were only three variations of box sizes, and indeed, each box of a certain size held the same gift. I figured out pretty quickly which shape resulted in the home version of a chocolate fondue fountain and told my guy to pick anything but that! Ended up with the Homedics MP# Cush music playing 5 motor massage seat, with heat. I took it out of the box to make sure it works, but I prefer a massage from a real live person. If I want heat, I take a long, hot bath. It’s quieter. Random flower is Brunnera macrophylla “Jack Frost.”

Tags: personal products, May, miscellaneous, random flowers

The junk that accumulates. Got a new door last year, with a new lockset. These keys are useless to me now. Why am I reluctant to get rid of them? I’ve got quite a collection of antique keys, but these certainly don’t qualify. Just toss ’em.

Tags: miscellaneous, April

Clean, never been used. Genuine leather handles, made in Italy. I believe this is for buffing shoes. I picked it up at a thrift store thinking I could thread my seatbelt through it to give me a soft edge where the belt rubbed the side of my neck. The mechanics of it just didn’t work and I didn’t want to cut the buffer up to slide it on. Anyone out there still shine shoes? I have a whole kit I use about once a year. But I prefer a good old-fashioned brush to this sort of buffer.

Tags: miscellaneous, shoes, April

Another keychain. The flashlight in it used to work. I used to use the light to look into the far regions of a junk drawer in a poorly lighted room. Eventually all batteries lose power. There was a realtor promo on the outside but I photoshopped out the name and phone number. If you want a good realtor call my mother.

Tags: keychain, miscellaneous, March

The title pretty much says it all. The first aid crew up in Prudhoe gave him this to sit on, but he never used it. It’s an odd thing to keep around “just in case” so I’m not going to.

Tags: miscellaneous, March

I have no idea what these things are. If you have any clue, email me. I liked them because they were shiny and metal and they were either free or 25 cents. I might have thought I was going to use them as toothbrush holders. Doesn’t matter now.

Tags: miscellaneous, March

I think this is a stir stick for a fancy drink. It came standing up in the pot of a cactus plant that I got from a guy I worked with who cleared out his office when he left for a new job. Actually, he gave the cactus to someone else we worked with, but a year later, when I left, I rescued the thing and it is still alive after 8 years. Some people believe you never ever ever have to water a cactus. Never. Well, maybe not this kind.

Tags: kitchen, miscellaneous, March

My mom gave me this box of bookplates years ago. I used a few, but I’m not very fond of the colours or pattern. I recently received another gift of bookplates (thanks Sav) and I like them better. So out with these and in with the new ones.

Tags: books, February, miscellaneous

These wee candles were party favours from a great party we went to a few years ago. Time to light them up. It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow — I’ll put them on the table and we can drink a toast by candlelight.

Tags: miscellaneous, February, birds, candle

Frankly quite an ugly ceramic tray with bits of beachcomb wood in it. It came in a box of stuff I bought at the auction a few years ago (wood included). There was one item in the box I really wanted and the rest came along for the ride. Getting rid of the wood is easy, I’ll put it around one of my garden beds. The tray will go into the Sally Ann box or I will smash it and use the pieces for drainage at the bottom of my patio pots this spring.

Tags: miscellaneous, February

A new month! January is now archived, but accessible through a link in the sidebar. (That’s a note for you mom, look to the left, just above all the red tags at the bottom.)

Another category that tends to accumulate. Key rings. I have more of them than I have keys. A keychain doesn’t take up much room in a drawer, but when you put together all the small things which individually don’t take much space, all of sudden your living space is crowded. This key ring has a $5 chip in it for a Great Canadian casino. Don’t have a clue how I ended up with it. Have never stepped foot in a Great Canadian casino.

Tags: miscellaneous, February

This might not look like I’m getting rid of anything in particular, but these three packages are the culmination of many months of “collecting” presents for friends and family. For my niece and nephews I pick up books throughout the year that I think they would like, mostly from yard sales and second hand stores. For friends, I keep a lookout for things I know they collect. Inside these boxes are more than 33 individual items! So this is a great day for me, for having finally (partially) cleared out the gift drawers. For E.S. who reads this blog — your Christmas parcel is now officially in the mail. (the cat stays)

Tags: gifts, January, miscellaneous

I went to a private screening of Sex and the City and was given this popcorn seasoning. Thought I would make popcorn one day and season it. Hasn’t happened. Normally this sort of indestructible food item would stay in the cupboard for years. I’ve got a parcel (late Christmas presents) going out to my nephews — I’m going to throw these in. Perhaps their mom or dad will make them a tasty snack.

Tags: miscellaneous, January, food

A fridge magnet. 2.75in x 3in. A gift from Susan. This has been on my fridge, viewed daily, for almost 8 years. Thank you Susan.

Tags: miscellaneous, January, fridge magnet