This month for my Destash project, I am refocusing on the projects initial goals.  Last month was kind of a fail due to Jamie being in the hospital for a week.  While I did make some significant progress on Atty's baby book (video coming soon!), I didn't finish it or any of my other mini albums.  If you follow along this month you will see quite a variety of different medias and things going on, because this month I really want to get back to the organizational side of my challenge. To begin with - I want to really narrow in on organization and using up stuff (along with simply trashing whatever I don't need anymore due to my packrat tendencies).  I want to move my desk into the house!  We have lived here a almost a year now and the majority of my stuff is still in mystery boxes due to the way we moved (without prior planning and prior destashing).  Now according to the rules of the game, I'm not allowing myself to move anything into the house until things have been organized, purged, and played with. 

The Goal

• To create a tickler file (as part of my cherry picking of the GTD system that I'm currently playing around with).  This requires the desk drawer that holds my files.
• BINGO! - to make this whole process a bit funner!
• Organizing my Pinterest boards better (they've become a bit of a mess).
• Backing up the computer and better organizing those files

To help with these goals, I really want to take part in Stash Bash this month!   Stash Bash is an organizing party hosted by Simple Scrapper.  She offers 5 daily videos and 5 daily challenges to help control your stash, organize it, and have less than when you started the event.  I'm so excited about this event, and I really, really want to take part!

The Desk

This is one of my three possible workstations.  The problem with it is the location is in our bedroom.  Jamie worked on a different shift that me, so it was always difficult to get in and use this workstation due to him sleeping.  However, I think it would be the perfect location to do my planning, bills, and that kind of thing.  This photo is from the original post in January, and let me tell you - it doesn't look like that anymore.  However, this photo does give you an idea of the possibilities that come with using this desk as my planning station.  It has 7 drawers - two of which can be used for filing, plus the various cubbies that can store planning materials (post-its, highlighters, etc), plus four sections that can house my "in-box, action, waiting on, and some day/maybe" categories that go along with the GTD system. 

The main issue is that all of the desk parts are full of art materials (not to mention all the parts still live in the garage!).  So before I can jump feet first into this new planning area I need to purge and use these items.


This is a look at one of my file drawers.  I was using it to storage all of my collage making materials.  However, I haven't touched it in at least a year (and probably longer than that!)

BINGO!

In my attempt to destash this area, I have created a BINGO card for my inspiration.  I took a quick inventory of one of my file drawers, along with my "pen/mark-making" drawer and created a BINGO card to help me work my way through these materails.  And I would simply love it if you joined my challenge.  Any projects would for this challenge.  Feel free to make whatever inspires you to use these products or mediums from ATCs, inchies, project life cards, scrapbooking layouts, art journal spreads, whatever moves you to play with these items go for it!


This is the lovely Bingo card that I created after having a good flip through my drawers.  You can use any of these items to create your projects, but extra bonus kudos if you create something that gets you a BINGO (5 in a row) all on one project.  My goal this month is to complete the whole card.  Now, some of these items may be a bit confusing so I just want to have a quick run down of what I mean.  Feel free to ask any questions if you need clarification, but really just have fun and use it as a piece of inspiration to get you playing!

1. White cardstock - any size, type of white cardstock (feel free to use watercolor paper even)
2. Scraps - anything that is not a full sheet (so if you cut an inch off of a 12x12 sheet that sheet is now a scrap!)
3. Diagram or map - I have some of my mom's old architecture/mechanical drawings (as well as my own) in this drawer so I'm challenging myself to use those, however, it's not a common material so go ahead and use maps or whatever you feel makes a good substitute.
4. At least 2 punches - This is simply a minimum, go ahead and use however many you would like
5. 4 Alphas - Again this is simply a minimum and can be computer fonts, stickers, hand-drawn lettering, typewriter, whatever as long as you use 4 different alphas
6. Seed Packets - I have a whole lot of old seed packets (I liked the flowers).  You can use this as collage material, envelopes, or inspiration for drawing/doodles/painting.
7. Doodles/Sketches - Just play around with doodles or even simple sketches and add them to your project
8. Animals - anything goes here!  Be inspired by an animal, create an animal patterned stamp and add it to your project, add animal collage images, sketch or doodle an animal, whatever works for you!
9. Dreams/Goals - Incorporate your dreams or goals into your project in some way.  I found one of my dream files in the drawer, plus a couple letters that I have written to myself.
10. Gift bag/Gift wrap - This is something I collect, but rarely use.  Feel free to collage with it, cut it apart to create a project life card, or anything else that sounds interesting!
11. Colored Pencils - color something!
12. Found text - I love collecting found text to do found poetry or journaling with.  If you don't have, grab a newspaper or magazine, pick an article, and cut out the words that call to you.  Then arrange your words in a way that makes sense to you and add them to your project.
13. Charcoal/Chalk - I found several sticks of charcoal, which I don't use very often.  I added chalk to make it a better fit for most of you.  You can use these materials to shade, draw, color in, whatever you desire.
14. Old Challenge - I use to print off my favorite scrapbooking challenges, however, the ones I found in my drawer are probably from 2000.  So my goal is to use these to create some new projects and decide whether I need to keep the printouts.  You can also check out your favorite challenge sites and just go back to September of last year (2013), and use those.  This can be applied to old art journaling workshops, scrapbooking, sketching, whatever.  I will be posting my "old challenges" later in the month if you want to see what I'm working with.
15. Tissue paper - Add tissue paper to your project through collage or use it to apply wet media (like watercolor, acrylic paper, stamping ink, sprays, etc).  White tissue paper is really fun to stamp on, because once you apply gel medium over it, the white tissue paper seems to disappear into the background.  Also feel free to add napkins to your possibilities.
16. Bubble wrap - use bubble wrap to apply texture to your piece by applying wet media same as above.
17. Magazine bits - use a magazine for collage images, or simply be inspired by a magazine ad to create a layout design
18. Architecture - use a magazine to find architecture images, use stamps to apply architecture to your pages, or whatever you desire to incorporate some architecture!
19. Sketching pencils - draw something!
20. Paper clips - paper clips are awesome.  Have fun with them!
21. Decorative scissors - yes, I still have two pairs of decorative scissors.  And this month we are going to use them!
22. Embroidery floss - sew something, wrap something, glue it down in a bundle.
23. Pattern paper - well, you knew I had to include my heap of pattern paper...right?
24. Labels - add labels to your project, use them for journaling, titles, decorative elements.

Whew!  I do hope you have some awesome ideas floating around.  And I would love it if you joined me this month!  For more information on my destash project check out Destashing.