Patient No. 7 - Brenda Baldwin

OUS recently received this email from Brenda Baldwin. Sounds like she could really use our help! Anyone have any ideas what to do with 50 year old fabric? Let us know!

Yes, I Need Help......and Determination

OMG!! I have found my sisters. I have fabrics from 50 years ago. I was hoping to someday have a little girl and make her special dresses. I have one 38 year old U.S. Marine son. No grandaughters and I still can't part with these beautiful fabrics.

I started sewing at age seven. My uncle worked in a large sewing factory and brought me huge boxes of scrap fabrics and buttons every time he came to visit. My aunt worked in a Regal Mill factory making fabrics and she also gave me wonderful fabrics that employees were allowed to take home. This started my addiction of collecting fabrics, buttons, findings, sewing machines (more than 20), sewing collectibles, Princess sewing baskets, and anything sewing related. Oh I also collect patterns.

Last year, I was blessed and obtained a  McCalls pattern cabinet when a local Joanns moved.  I also got a Coats and Clark (store size) thread cabinet. I have always wanted these two items.  Books, old and new, anything sewing and craft related. I discovered that I have multiple copies of some books when trying to organize them . I am sure I have many duplicate patterns also. I have saved patterns for 40 years. 

I have 2 large rooms that are dedicated to sewing and crafts. The garage is overflowing with craft and fabric storage. My car has never seen the inside of the garage.

I hoard anything I see possibilities in.   A few years ago, I purchased a "Measure-o-graph" so it would make it easier  to measure my fabrics for a gargae sale...Have you ever seen a "Measure-o-graph" ?  They were used back in the 50's in fabric stores on the measuring tables.  But alas, haven't even started measuring. I just can't muster the will to get going and get rid of my stash.

The last few years I have expanded my addiction to include papercrafting, scrapbooking and  die cutting. I do crafts at a local Senior Day Care program for seniors with dementia. I am obessed with collecting Sizzix and Spellbinder dies and equipment . And, then there is the Dollar Store for papercrafting...I wish they would not even let me in the store.

Doesn't that story make you want to play in Brenda's house?!?! 

Thanks for sharing your story Brenda. Hopefully we can help! I did a quick search for the Measure-O-Graph but didn't have any luck! I'm super curious about it now... would you be able to submit a photo?

Do you need REHAB? Email me your story... we're here to help.  

Patient No. 6 - Amanda Day of DawnCorrespondence

I'm not really sure how I missed Amanda's OUS post back in November, but I did. So here it is now:

Operation: Utilize Supplies is Underway!

 This weekend I finally got caught up on almost everything that I needed to do! What a great feeling that is! And since I got all caught up I decided to begin Operation: Utilize Supplies, thanks to Mel of Kaotic Ekko's Curiosities! This became like therapy for me. How nice to use all those extra supplies I've had lying around for years! My first project was to PAINT! It was so much fun, I haven't painted in ages. I painted a number of canvases that I still need to finish but it was great! I'll have to post more photos later this week. In going through my paints and supplies, I realized I was able to toss a few old, cruddy brushes, found empty, yes empty, tubes of paint I could throw out, and even used up the last of one of the tubes!

I definitely plan on selling the paintings I create. I am doing a series of three paintings thanks to OUS that is almost completed titled, Coffee Networking. I also made some mini canvas painting ornaments I will be selling at my upcoming craft show (you can see one of them here).

For those of you who have a mini craft store in your home or office, I highly recommend beginning OUS as time allows. I'll be posting progressive and finished photos of my creations from OUS later this week, so stay tuned!

Thanks so much for sharing Amanda! Hope you've kept up with OUS since this post!

Do you need REHAB? Email me your story... we're here to help.