At least this addiction saves space

I recently acquired a Kobo ereader.  Tilley Endurables, the travel clothing store has a - spend $300, get a free Kobo promotion on - so I decided to go check it out.  I easily managed to find $300 worth of stuff and got the reader.  Previously I was of the opinion that I preferred books and would never be interested in reading on a screen.  I saw the benefits when travelling - one ereader vs 4 books makes so much sense - but never thought I would adapt to using it every day.  Since the machine came loaded with 100 classic titles, I charged it up that afternoon at the office and broke open Pride and Prejudice on the train home.  Instantly, smitten.  Since then,
 - I have downloaded books from the library.  Although I would have to say the selection there isn't too spectacular.  Hopefully that will only improve with time.  My local library branch is closed for renovations and the alternative takes a little longer to get to so being able to download immediately is very appealing.  Add to that, I don't have to decipher the little splotches on the pages, wondering where the book has been before me.
 - I have purchased a couple that both of us will read.  I bought one of these gizmos for my husband for his birthday and feel much more frugal when buying a book if both of us will read it.  And no need to find space on a bookshelf when we're finished.
 - I bought the Yarn Harlot's latest this morning - no frugality here, just supporting a local knitter :).
 - And I still have 99 free classics to read.

I can't wait until we go somewhere on vacation and I don't have to figure out how to get one more book in the bag.  I guess I should figure out how long the charge lasts before we do that.  There is an advantage to the page turning kind after all.

Another step toward organization

My husband is a natural organizer.  He is so organized that the last time we moved, the moving company underestimated the amount of stuff we had by a whole truck.

I am completely the opposite.  While he generally stays out of my craft room (due to the overwhelming futility of it all), lately he has been helping me out.   As a result, all of my fat quarters are now housed in plastic bins that were on sale 2 for 1 a few weeks ago at Zellers.  In addition to things being neater, this seems to have freed up some space despite the bulkiness of the bins.  We're also making a pile of stuff for a garage sale in the spring.   Some under-loved cookbooks have gone in that pile.  As a result of both of these initiatives, I've got more room.  

And the latest project - find something to do with all of the bags, homemade and provided by well meaning stores instead of plastic.  As an aside, while I have always been a reusable bag/container person at the grocery store, I don't really need every store providing me with a reusable bag.  At least a plastic one is good for kitty litter.  Who needs 50 reusable bags.  And beside which, I want to be able to make some and actually enjoy them rather than feeling more cluttered.  So stores - stop giving me reusable bags.  I'll reuse the plastic for the kitty litter cleanup and will continue to use reusable containers whenever possible.

Anyway, these cute hooks were sourced from Home Hardware and the bags are behind the door.  Off the shelves and much easier to grab on the go.  The shelf they were previously living on is now freed up for a plastic bin full of fabric scraps.  Now if I could just finish some projects.  Imagine how much more room I would have.

On an unrelated note, I need to complain about skeins of yarn.  I have a ball winder.  I have a swift.  And yet for every 3 skeins of yarn I easily make into a ball, I have one that gets so tangled I just want to throw the whole lot out the window to be used by birds for a very big nest.  I don't know if I'm just skein challenged or if this happens to everyone.