Friday 31 August 2012

My Month in Numbers 2012: August

Helloooo.

Have you noticed it yet? 

That slight chill around the ankles ... that slighly lower sun ... that sudden urge to re-visit your sock drawer ... that distictly Autumnal nip in the air?

There. I've said it. It's beginning to look a lot like Autumn. In fact, I've worn all 3 of my new 'back to school' cardigans [bought for my return to my campus job next month] already.

So, it's a perfectly suitable moment to say goodbye to August by taking a look back at My Month ... in Numbers:

1st = the Olympic Gold Medal the Team GB men's coxless 4 won while we watched from the vantage point of the art gallery 3rd floor viewing deck:
Is it just me or does it seem like an aaaage ago that we were inexplicably glued to the Olympics? I had to check and re-check the date-stamp on this photo to reassure myself that it did, indeed, occur in August.

3 = the number of library books I've read:
I mentioned in this earlier post that it'd been far too long since my last trip to the library. So I rectified that and took out 5 books, so far I've read:
  • The Lying Tongue by Andrew Wilson [a great, rattling, twisty-turny, read-in-one-day thriller];
  • Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant [a fabulous read, unique language and style, very quirky, gentle and funny book - highly recommended];
  •  and also Three Horses by Erri de Luca [a slight book in size, but filled with big themes].
I read them in quick succession and allowed myself to be completely absorbed, carrying my books everywhere I went. Yes. Everywhere ...

Then ... when I uploaded some recent photos on to my laptop ... look what I found while I was there:
A sneaky photo of me reading in the garden.  Taken through the dining room window. Without me realising.

Clearly James has been up to his paparazzi tricks again!

2 = the number of charity bags filled with the results of a long overdue wardrobe clear-out :
Last month when I mentioned how I'd been shredding old paperwork, it brought on a deluge of responses from people who'd been doing the same. So, if July was Communal Shredding Month I'm wondering ... was August a Clearing-out-and-getting-rid-pre-Autumn Clean for you too?

0 - 8= the items gracing one of our bedroom walls - before and after a little re-jigging and re-styling.

Before [roughly how it's looked for around 6 years or so]:
And now after:
Granted, it's not a gigantic change, but I tend to keep the bedroom really simple and light and as non-distracting-from-sleep as possible, so this is about as 'decorated' as I'm willing to go for now.

12 = the number of pieces of 'best' jewellery now on display [they're now inside the pin-board box frame, as seen on the left of the photo above]:
Having them so easily accessible, rather than in a jewelley box in a drawer, is already working. I've worn 4 different pairs of earrings in the last 5 days.

10 = the number of dresses I can now safely hang on my new metal wall hook:
Believe it or not [you know how I love clothes] this is the only wardrobe in the room.

And we share it!

Until that hook went up, I had to hang up [some of] my dresses on a make-shift Heath Robinson-esque construction of coat hangers precariously hooked over the top of the wardrobe.

It was a death trap. They frequently tilted, slid, collided, collapsed and fell off. All at once. With an almighty clatter, sending coathanger shrapnel and patterned dresses everywhere.

Imagine Jenga, or Kerplunk ... but with frocks ... and you'll be on the right track.

Oh and yes, that photo above reminds me ...

2 = the number of original 50s pin-up girl posters I've been kind enough to allow James to hang in the bedroom. If you coul dsee them in real life you'd know that, when the door's open ... you can't actually see them.

Whether or not there's any truth to the rumour that I've been leaving the door open more often than usual ... well ... I couldn't possibly comment ... ;-)

35 = the number of bloggers who pulled themselves up to their full height and then shared it with us all during The Height of Summer series.

33 = the new-to-me old books I've given a home to this month:
There are only 30 in this photo because I only bought the last 3 this morning and haven't yet taken a photo.

At this rate I could create my own 'A Vintage Book A Day' desk calendar ...

And finally ...

107 = the total number of my products which I took to a real life bricks & mortar shop, just this morning! I'm renting out some display space in a new local tea-room / craft shop / workshop - my first venture into selling my products off-line! But enough of that for now ... it's a moment which deserves a post of its own. And it shall have one, next week for, as all good bloggers should ... I took my camera!

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Rightio - over to you. If you're counting along too this month, the usual rules apply:
 
The Month in Numbers 'etiquette':If you write a post and want to leave a link for myself and others to visit and/or pin it to the dedicated Pinterest board please bear in mind it has a shared experience aspect to it.
  • When you swing by my blog to drop off a link to your Month in Numbers post - please leave a comment for me while you're there. Not because I'm needy ... but because it feels fair. Reciprocal.
  • Please link to my blog in your post. As much as I'd like to think that everyone who reads your blog already knows what 'My Month in Numbers' means... the truth is, they don't. So unless you explain where the idea comes from and how your readers can join you in doing the same next month, they are none the wiser.
  • Please take time at some point in the month to visit and comment on a few of the other posts too.
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Thanks for dropping by today.
 
Hang on to your hats/socks/cardigans Mr.September ... because here we come ...
 
Julie

26 comments:

  1. Exciting about your 'real life offline shop'!! And a fabby numerical post :) Wish I could feel as inspired to clear out and declutter 2 big bags worth of stuff as I feel inspired to go shopping for new-to-me old books and cute dresses.... But thanks for the inspiration anyway! ;)

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  2. I think dress jenga could be a real winner

    love the photo of you reading in the garden - you look absorbed

    posted my numbers http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/counting-august.html - love this meme, thank you

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  3. My favorite - 35 - bloggers in Height of Summer! I'm thinking about participating in Month in Numbers for the first time; will see if I can get to it this weekend.
    Rinda

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  4. That is a fine number of people who joined you in the height of summer!

    Fab numbers and good luck with the shop space!!

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  5. I'm having 20 days of decluttering in September - having signed up for a challenge, and what seemed like a good idea at the time now seems a bit of a scary thing to do. I mean - 20 days? That's going to mean throwing away/recycling/donating at least 20 things. Need to go and have a lie down ....

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  6. Always good to have a clear out... Not done my MIN but I'm working on it!

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  7. I've been filling up bags for the charity clothing drive this month as well. Love the photo of you reading!

    This is my post
    http://www.havocandmayhem.com/2012/08/august-in-numbers.html

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  8. Enjoyed reading this. August has been a clear out the wardrobe month for us to with at least two bags - we are hoping to do a jumble sale. Am surprised at how mini your wardrobe is - we had a triple and I take up two of them!

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  9. I love the collection of 'new to me' books you have bought..so colourful :-D
    And love how you can see James peeking through the door in the mirror as if to say..'shes at it again...but a blank wall?' lol

    Here are my numbers....surprisingly on time this month *checks temperature* :-D

    http://littlemissnutjob.blogspot.ie/2012/08/blogger-has-just-told-me-that-it-is.html

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  10. I enjoyed reading your numerous numbers this month :) I loved the many interior shots that you shared and I will definitely be checking out my library for the books you have mentioned :) We are having a wonderful Indian Summer in my part of the world so no cardigan quite yet!
    Here are my numbers this month: http://anounceofcreativity.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-month-in-numbers-august-2012.html

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  11. Love the numbers and hearing about your retail space, good luck. I am nearly done with my numbers for the first time in a long time. Hopefully I will get it finished today!

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  12. I keep meaning to join in this and then I completely forget to jot down my numbers each month (is that how YOU do it?)

    Love the reflection in the mirror of the 'before' bedroom pic :D And sorry, I'm with James - I really love vintage pin-up art. When I'm better at painting and drawing I hope to be able to do a couple of homages. SHUT THAT DOOR!

    Hurry up with that blog post - I want to see your selling space :D

    Oh and we've really got into the Paralympics now - the wheelchair basketball had me wincing last night and couldn't believe the speed of the Irish athletics guy that left them all standing yesterday.

    One last thing...

    YAY FOR AUTUMN!

    That is all ;)

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  13. Love that picture of you reading in the garden and what a neat looking reading place. I need to do a closet clean out - hopefully this month. Had to laugh at the picture that sprang to mind when you talked about your previous dress hanging situation.

    Posted my MIN this morning at http://scrappyknitter.typepad.com/odds_and_ends/2012/09/my-month-in-numbers-august.html

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  14. Chilly round the ankles? My boots are on already..

    That bedtime book looks familiar..you are collecting up my childhood :)

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  15. Oh, yes, I noticed that autumnal feeling a couple of mornings ago, when I woke up early and the house was sooo cold. Grr, it's too early!

    Love your pin-board for your earrings, great idea. Also love that James is reflected in your mirror in the 'before' photo! We have been sorting out this month too, but I haven't photographed any of it yet, I shall cover this in a post later this month, with a catch up on my organisation!

    Here's my numbers for August: http://jennifersjumbles.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/august-in-numbers.html

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  16. I'm back with my MINhttp://scribblesstickingstitchingstroking.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/august-in-numbers.html

    Love the reflection and you have some beautiful earrings and what a beautiful display.

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  17. Yes, spring is in the air and the leaves are starting to show here. :)
    Beautiful new decoration. Now I´m looking for little things to change in my own room. That´s how inspiration works! :D
    I haven´t read "real" books in a while. *sigh*

    Here are my numbers, which are kind of bland for August but I´m already making up for them this month. ;)
    http://keepitsimplemakeitgreat.blogspot.com.ar/2012/09/week-35-2012-august-update-my-month-in.html

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  18. Wooohoo! I joined in!
    http://www.littlemusingsblog.net/2012/09/a-month-in-numbers-august.html

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  19. My month in numbers are finally up - http://mrsbeee.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/my-month-in-numbers-2012-august.html

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  20. I do love that little autumnal nip that you start to get at this time of year - nice pleasantly warm days but lovely cool nights so that you can sleep.

    Dress jenga sounds great fun - I can't believe that you manage with just one wardrobe between the two of you - I won't confess how many wardrobes I have ROFL!!! Maybe I will include that confession in September's numbers!!

    Here are my numbers for August - http://kkfantasticplace.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/my-month-in-numbers-august-2012.html

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  22. Great numbers as always. Here are my numbers for August

    http://tamarastitterings.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/august-in-numbers.html

    Tamara

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  23. Still loving this project even though I'm rather late to the party this month!

    Love all your sorting & rearranging, I love a good clear out!
    http://sheenasscrapsandscribbles.blogspot.co.uk/

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  24. Here are mine for August Julie. http://juliaheald.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/my-month-in-numbers-august.html
    Never mind paper shredding month - looks like this month was all about the books! I too have blogged how many books I've read :) Love the newly decorated bedroom walls too and that you are now safe from decapitating hangers!

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  25. Here are my numbers for August Julie.
    http://miriamrogers.co.uk/?p=6571
    Thank you, I love this meme too.
    Your bedroom walls looks so pretty.

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  26. Am I the last? Probably!
    Here are August's numbers!

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