November 25, 2015 by Born To Organize

Wild About Washi Tape

Have you joined the Washi Tape craze?

I first spotted this colorful tape on a wall at MyMaido, a Japanese stationery store at Santana Row. An artist used the strips to make a small mural. Though intrigued, I couldn’t see myself using it in that way.

Over the next few years the colorful tape started popping up in crafting stores, the Scrapbook Island and on Pinterest.

The tape has been around since 2006. In a nutshell, it’s masking tape made beautiful. It’s easy to apply and easy to remove. According to Tofugo

Washi is made of up the Japanese characters 和 (wa) which means harmony and is often used to symbolize Japan, and 紙 (shi) which means paper. So put them together, and it means Japanese paper. Unlike western paper which is made from tree pulp, washi is made from Japanese shrubs. Washi can be made of almost any plant, but is typically made from ganpi, kozo, mitsumata, or sometimes hemp. Washi is known in the west for the beautiful designs that are printed or painted on it, and its differences from other papers through its light weight and textured feel.

I’ve always loved stationery, especially stickers and tape. It’s hard to describe the appeal, but it’s been there my whole life. I bought a couple of rolls of Washi tape at Scrapbook Island to use on a card, but then the rolls sat in my craft stash on standby, wondering what to do next.

Now I can’t get enough of it. The prices have come down while the variety of colors and prints has multiplied exponentially. Some of the earlier tapes didn’t adhere as well, but that’s improved too.

My friend Kelly uses colorful Washi tape to outline her gorgeous package labels. I capitalized on her idea and do the same. I also like using it to cover the ugly markings on a reused box before shipping.

My friend Stephanie crafted a gorgeous card using the tape, and from there, inspiration struck: I used a similar pattern to cover a plain brown box with a friend’s favorite colors before sending it as a gift.

No room is safe from this tape. Several years ago I hung a framed magnetic board inside a kitchen cabinet to keep phone numbers and coupons at hand. Eventually the frame broke from constant use. I re-framed the board with Washi Tape, then added a few contrasting strips like a shelf under the cards.

Framing a magnet board

When I converted my son’s bedroom into a guest room this fall, I spruced up the wall lamp shades with postage-themed tape. It really added a nice finishing touch and was fun to do.

A bit of lampshade bling

It was nice receiving this free letter-opener in the mail but it’s not much to look at. I covered the advertising with Washi tape, beautifying an otherwise utilitarian object.

Beautifying my office supplies

Even the tiny house in my fairy garden got a new set of floral Washi tape drapes.

Can you tell I’ve been having fun?

How about you? Do you have a favorite something that you just can’t get enough of?

Newly Hung Washi Tape Drapes

November 20, 2015 by Born To Organize

How to Add a Word Document to Your Post

A fellow blogger posted this question earlier in the week, so I decided to investigate myself. You can always cut and paste text to a post, but sometimes you want to save a document as a link. Here’s how.

Most documents saved in MS Word or Word for Mac will have the .doc extension, for example:

A Quarter Here, A Nickel There.doc

You want to “save as” then select PDF from the drop down menu.

Using my example, your document now looks like this

A Quarter Here, A Nickel There.pdf

Now add a new post and save it as a draft. We’ll come back to it in a bit.

This is where it might get confusing. There are two places to Add Media in a post. One appears at the top of post drafts. It’s how most of us upload photos.

To the left of this draft under Dashboard, there is also a place to add Media. Hover over the word Media. You’ll see two options: Library and Add New. This is where you’ll add your document.

Click on Add New. You’ll see the option to browse and from there you can upload any document on your computer.

Once you’ve uploaded and saved your document, return to your draft post.

In the body of your post, click on Add Media, this time from the top of the edit screen (where you upload photos). Your document will appear there at the top of the list.

To confirm, simply preview your post and click on the link.

Here’s an article I wrote a few years ago for my organizing blog and linked to this post:

A Quarter Here, A Nickel There

It’s fun trying new things. Let me know if you’re inspired to add a document to your own posts. It could be a list of all the plants in your garden (a huge project for me but it’s on my list), a knitting pattern, or even a mini e-book.

Please let me know if you have suggestions for improving this post to make the instructions clearer or easier to follow.

Happy media sharing!

November 18, 2015 by Born To Organize

Native Garden, My Left Foot and a Bit of Bad News

Our new and sustainable native garden is moving into the home stretch. The last swath of lawn is history.

Native Plantings will grow up to fill this space Design by Bergez & Associates, Installation by R. J. & Associates

Trichostema ‘Midnight Magic’ Hybrid Blue Curls

This didn’t happen over night. First to go was the sidewalk strip almost two years ago. It took some convincing around here as both my husband and younger son like the look of the lawn. While I too can appreciate the lush, green swath of suburban grass we grew up with, it’s not sustainable. Four years of drought and mandatory water-rationing helped my case and the lawn is finally gone, replaced with California native plants that are more than happy to spend a summer without water.

Last fall, Mike agreed to removing half of the lawn in our back yard. When the boys were young they played for hours on the grass. As teens, their interests lie elsewhere. So over the course of a few weeks, I gathered cardboard and leaves and gradually sheet mulched the area. It worked beautifully. By spring of 2015, the lawn was history, leaving behind a nice, healthy, organic swath of earth. Calls for further rationing this summer meant turning off the sprinkler system entirely, leaving a sad-looking patch of dead grass in front of the house.

For years I mowed the grass myself. I had a manual push mower like my dad used to have and spent an hour each weekend mowing to and fro. I hated edging, but that had to be done too. Weeds grew among the turf, so out they went as well. Mowing a lawn week after week, I realized is less like gardening and more like mopping the floors. It had to be done, but it was tedious at best. Then I had a baby, and three years later his brother. My husband traveled extensively, sometimes gone for a week or more. We eventually hired a lawn service to come once a week and in local parlance, they did the “mow, blow and go.”

Now that all that grass is gone I feel liberated, but it’s come at a cost. I’ve put a friend out of a job. Nick took over the job of maintaining the lawn after Mr. Tran retired. Our sons went to school together. I hired Nick to build our little free library and I refer him to my clients for handyman jobs as well. Everything we do has a price.

My Left Foot

I saw my super-cool doctor again this week for my second post-op visit. She removed layer upon layer of bandages and gauze, the brace and finally the stitches. My foot looks other-worldly. The wound site is still tender but she’s pleased with the progress. They used cryogenic amniotic tissue to graft the damaged tendon. It’s supposed to reduce inflammation and speed healing while suppressing scaring and adhesions. Amazing! There’s a short video explaining the technology via the National Institute of Health I think it’s fascinating. Dr. Sheth sets a high bar for patient care and bedside manner. I’m so fortunate to have her on my team.

Dr. Sheth (left) and a medical student shadowing her that day

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Two days before my foot surgery I had a skin biopsy on my arm. The dermatologist suspected squamous cell carcinoma. I got the call last week confirming the diagnosis and asking me to schedule surgery. It’s a thirty minute procedure, done by a skin surgeon in their office. They layer down till they get what they call the margins. With early diagnosis, there is a 95% cure rate. The scariest part of this for me is how quickly it appeared. I have skin checks twice a year because I’m at high risk for skin cancer. One day I was fine, and then a large, painful sore appeared on my upper arm. I was pretty sure I had some sort of insect bite.

If you’ve been putting off getting something checked, please schedule with your medical provider today. Early diagnosis is key.

Front Garden in Process

I sat outside on the deck for about twenty minutes yesterday after the crew finished mulching. It was brisk but a welcome change of scenery. As you can see, I had company. These kitties bring me comfort every day.

November 17, 2015 by Born To Organize

We Have Flowers

A loving father and his precious son.

“We have flowers.”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W1tkzYOkM40

Sweet Peas and Love-in-a-Mist

November 11, 2015 by Born To Organize

New Plants and My New Wheels

The rain came and quickly went this past Monday but it was lovely while it lasted. My oldest son enjoys the rain as much as I do. He sent me a text with a couple of rainy shots from his college campus quad. Isn’t that sweet?

A Rainy Day in Santa Clara

I’ve got my eye on the weather report and see that we have another system approaching by the weekend. It’s cold too, so that means snow which is even better for the drought.

The landscaper delivered all our plants yesterday and today they started planting. It is SO hard not being out there.

The final step is to fill in the area near the swing and the path with gravel and then mulch.

Native Plants to Replace the Lawn

I mentioned to a few readers that I was using a knee scooter to get around. This is what it looks like. Notice that in addition to practicing patience in sitting around all day long, I’m also letting my vanity go. I look as tired as I feel in this photo. These knee scooters are available to rent from a company called A Leg Up. Isn’t that clever?

This is helping me get around as I recover from foot surgery

The scooter has a narrow, nylon pouch that holds my phone and not much else, but serendipitously, a package arrived from Pauline with a box the *exact* size as the opening between the seat and the bar. Mike attached the box with a bungee cord and now I have room for a bottle of water, one slipper and the odd piece of mail.

Back to the weather, I’ve been hearing about unseasonably warm weather in Bavaria, late season and unwelcome rains in New Zealand and a predicted summer drought in Australia. What’s the weather up to in your neighborhood?

November 9, 2015 by Born To Organize

Time to Recover and The Garden Goes Native

Clockwise: prepped for surgery, Lindy snoozing on my elevated pillows, Slinky snuggled in, my cast, Mouse in my arms

If you’re a regular here, you know I went in for surgery last week to repair a torn tendon in my left foot. I have a wonderful doctor who thought my case was “cool” and “different”. Dr. Sheth is the kind of doctor we should all have. She’s funny, smart, kind, thorough, patient and above all, a skilled surgeon.

It’s a mystery to everyone that I wasn’t in more pain and that I walked around for so long with a near-complete tendon tear and encapsulated cyst. Happily, the surgery went well and I’m on the road to recovery. I had a few rough days following the surgery, but I’m feeling much better….as long as I’m sitting down.

Our felines rallied immediately. Like children, I think they sense when things are amiss. They’ve been keeping a close eye on me since I came home. In the “old days” I would have spent the night in a hospital. Instead, I had surgery at a surgical center and was home by noon the same day. Impressive, eh?

Today was my first post-operative appointment, and coincidentally our first thunder-storm of the season. Rain is a sparse commodity around here, and thunderstorms even rarer. It was wonderful to sit back and enjoy the show. It was short-lived, with the skies already clearing by noon, but it was a treat nonetheless.

I’ve been pampered beyond belief with cards in the mail, friends bringing prepared meals every other day, gifts, and a few brief social visits. Mike took the first few days off of work and is now working from home when he can. It will be several weeks before I can drive or put any weight on my foot, but I’m lucky to have a rented knee scooter to help me get from room to room.

Onward.

In other news, the Garden Goes Native project is finally under way. R J Landscape started tearing out the lawn the day before my surgery and continued work through Friday of last week.

landscape revision tools and cleared area

Back Garden: Under Construction

landscape improvements back garden view of circle

Back Garden Under Construction: Alternate View

A crew of four removed what was left of the dead lawn and the existing sprinklers and will soon amend the soil. They prepared an area for gravel and a few paving stones for our garden swing and outlined a small walkway extension in the back garden.

Front Garden: No More Lawn!

landscape improvements removed lawn front garden

Front Garden: Another View

Sleeping on the Job. Sheesh!

The front garden is pretty straight forward: California natives will replace the lawn front and back. I’m pretty excited.

I hope you’re off to a good week.

November 2, 2015 by Born To Organize

And Just Like That It’s November

Halloween came to a screeching halt at midnight, October 31st.

Thanks to the end of Daylight Savings Time, the clocks rolled back an hour the next day. We spent part of Sunday putting things away and adjusting to the time change.

We’ll leave our Jack ‘o Lanterns on the deck until the inevitable decay. Mike’s pumpkin carvings were as wonderful as ever. He carved three masterpieces, two from commercially bought pumpkins and the third one from our garden: The Great Drought Pumpkin of 2015.

The tall, slender pumpkin is a Minion for the popular children’s movie.

The squat pumpkin is Jack Skellington. Jack is a fictional character and the protagonist of the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas. Jack is the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town and lives in a fantasy world based solely on the Halloween holiday.

Jack Skellington

I found inspiration for the smaller pumpkin from a fellow blogger. Mike used small saws and a drill to create the stars. It’s our beacon of light.

A Beacon of Light

My sister and I celebrated our birthdays together with a cheese fondue and salad lunch and a full-screen viewing of My Fair Lady. That beautiful movie just turned fifty years old. (We’re still older).

Today I woke up to rain.

Azalea after the rain

In other parts of the world, rain is a big bore, something to endure till the next sunny spell. Here in our drought-parched state it’s the topic of conversation on Facebook. I woke up at 3:30 this morning and could hear the rain coming down outside my window. Large, musical drops fell and fell and fell. I stepped out on the deck in my bare feet with my camera, wanting to preserve the moment. Then I came back inside to warm my toes and grab a few more hours of sleep. Bliss!

As I write this late in the afternoon, the wind is beginning to howl. Be still my heart. It might just rain again!

Have a terrific week.

October 30, 2015 by Born To Organize

Fairy Garden Halloween

Fairy Garden at Dusk

The wall is silence, the grass is sleep,
Tall trees of peace their vigil keep,
And the Fairy of Dreams with moth-wings furled
Plays soft on her flute to the drowsy world.

~Ida Rentoul Outhwaite

Welcome

Please have a seat

We call them faerie. We don’t believe in them. Our loss.

~Charles de Lint

We’re over here. Please come join us.

And as the seasons come and go, here’s something you might like to know.
There are fairies everywhere: under bushes, in the air,
playing games just like you play, singing through their busy day.
So listen, touch, and look around – in the air and on the ground. And if you watch
all nature’s things, you might just see a fairy’s wing

~Author Unknown

We’re playing hide and seek

Is anybody home?

A rustle in the wind reminds us a fairy is near.

~Author Unknown

Do you hear the rustle in the wind?

Happy Halloween

Special thanks to Everything Fairyland for the wonderful compilation of quotes.

October 29, 2015 by Born To Organize

National Cat Day

A few of my friends let me know that today is National Cat Day. Of course every day is cat day around here. We currently reside with three delightful felines. On occasion, that number has swelled to six. It never drops below two. Once we went to the Humane Society and adopted a cat, but most of the time the cats find us. They’re all former strays, or occasionally kitties that decide we offer better care, kibble and karma than they’re finding at home. Everyone is welcome.

I love all animals but I’ve always had a strong affinity for cats, probably because it’s what we grew up with.

Here is the current lineup:

Slinky is our senior cat, or so we think. She arrived as a somewhat feral stray. It took a long, long time to gain her trust, but she’s made remarkable strides over the years. She’s a tiny thing at only six pounds (3 kilos), with shiny silky black fur that shines in the sun and beautiful, albeit weary, green eyes.

Slinky looking leery

Lindy came home with us from the Humane Society on our son’s 8th birthday. She was around three then, putting her at 13 today. My husband says she’s part dog, because she comes when called, displays all the mellower characteristics of a dog and at 16 pounds (7 kilos), she’s bigger than some of the pooches on our street.

Lindy with my son

Mighty Mouse (named by the family that adopted him) pretty much lives at our house. He’s about five years old, full of energy and makes us smile with all his antics. It’s hard for me to understand why he’s allowed to roam, but we do our best to keep him safe, warm and fed. He spends his nights in a cozy bed in our garage or in my son’s room. He eats here, sleeps here and likes to play and “box” with Lindy. She puts up with him, and keeps him in line when necessary.

This photo exemplifies Mouse’s personality

We adore them one and all.

Do you live with a cat? A dog? Perhaps birds, fish or reptiles? I can’t imagine life without animals. They make my world go round.

Happy National Cat Day!

My Cat Hero:

Alicia Snelen Koberstein has spent most of this year promoting understanding about, and support for, a colony of feral cats who live on the shores of “Cat” Harbor on Catalina Island. She’s coordinated volunteers to help trap, neuter and return this colony of cats, in addition to providing medical care where needed. She’s arranged boats, coordinated flights to relocate a few of the high-risk cats to a sanctuary, while raising funds for food, shelter and veterinary care. She’s my hero.

If you’re interested in supporting this colony of cats, you can make a tax-deductible financial contribution, go to http://www.aprl-socal.org/ and click “Donate”. When you reach the page to confirm the amount, look for the link that says “add special instructions to recipient”. Click on that, then type “Cat Harbor Cats” so that your donation will be directed to them instead of going into the general fund.

October 28, 2015 by Born To Organize

Mad About Pumpkins

We’re mad about pumpkins. We grow them, dress them up and carve them for Halloween. Without further ado, some of my favorite pumpkins from the past decade.