Monday, September 30, 2013
30 Day Sweater
Who doesn't like a good challenge? And this one is right up my alley: knit a sweater in 30 days and same take it a step further and sign their own. Of course, I need to take it that one little step further, but I have thinking about starting to design for at least a year it have been scared to take the plunge. So I am considering this my shove into the deep end. I am going to design my sweater for the 30 day challenge. It is going to be a cardigan and that is momma-to-be friendly. I pretty much have it sketched in my head and need to start playing with some yarn and stitch patterns. I am not completely pulling this from thin air the folks behind the 30daysweater.com have an ebook to hold your hand through the process even giving you daily goals. Tomorrow, day 1, is all about swatching, gauge, and math. Stay tuned!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Catch Up
Ugh, sorry didn't mean to be absent for so long.
I have gotten my butt in gear somewhat and started a new exercise program and I am pretty stoked about it. First off I have a confession to make: I am addicted to buying workout DVD systems. I am a devotee of the Firm and Beachbody. I think I can safely say I have 90% of all the Firm videos and I have most of the big Beachbody programs, namely P90X (which I bought under cover as a gift for my husband, truthfully he does use it most everyday) P90X2, Chalene Extreme and my newest acquisition TurboFire. I am on my third day which happens to be a rest day and so far I am loving it. Can I do all the moves? Not quite, but I keep moving. They are pretty intense... so intense that I decided to follow their prep schedule instead of jumping right into the normal rotation calendar. It's not all HIIT cardio, there is also yoga, strength training and core work. My goal for February is to follow my calendar and not skip a day. Along that line, I actually didn't rest today.... I did my run workout from the Galloway 10K trainer and it was not my best run... I had the Princess in the jogger and it just throws my rhythm off and I couldn't get into it. It was lovely out, but oy not a good run. I plan to do a 10 min yoga video later this afternoon.
In crafty news, I have been on a knitting tear. Finishing projects left and right. I've finished 2 hats, a pair of mitts, a sock, and a shawl that had only 8 rows left since September in the last 2 weeks. I am halfway through another pair of mitts and have new socks cast on. I'm also working on a pattern for a toe up sock class I am teaching in April. In addition, I have club packages arriving: I got my winter Pins and Lace, my first Cookie A of 2013 in one of my favorite yarns, my ami kit, and a new club for me Laura Nelkin's new knitted jewelry club from Patternworks. I am eagerly awaiting the first installment of the Barenaked Knitspot Club for 2013, I already saw the spoiler on Ravelry and it is ah-ma-zing. I cannot wait. I just hope my yarn comes before Sunday when the pattern is released.
Knitting has pretty much taken over my time. I haven't worked on any quilts or stitching or project life. I know I need to catch up on these projects as well but really I just want to knit right now. I might even have to go cast on another project I have been meaning to cast on since last March.
I have gotten my butt in gear somewhat and started a new exercise program and I am pretty stoked about it. First off I have a confession to make: I am addicted to buying workout DVD systems. I am a devotee of the Firm and Beachbody. I think I can safely say I have 90% of all the Firm videos and I have most of the big Beachbody programs, namely P90X (which I bought under cover as a gift for my husband, truthfully he does use it most everyday) P90X2, Chalene Extreme and my newest acquisition TurboFire. I am on my third day which happens to be a rest day and so far I am loving it. Can I do all the moves? Not quite, but I keep moving. They are pretty intense... so intense that I decided to follow their prep schedule instead of jumping right into the normal rotation calendar. It's not all HIIT cardio, there is also yoga, strength training and core work. My goal for February is to follow my calendar and not skip a day. Along that line, I actually didn't rest today.... I did my run workout from the Galloway 10K trainer and it was not my best run... I had the Princess in the jogger and it just throws my rhythm off and I couldn't get into it. It was lovely out, but oy not a good run. I plan to do a 10 min yoga video later this afternoon.
In crafty news, I have been on a knitting tear. Finishing projects left and right. I've finished 2 hats, a pair of mitts, a sock, and a shawl that had only 8 rows left since September in the last 2 weeks. I am halfway through another pair of mitts and have new socks cast on. I'm also working on a pattern for a toe up sock class I am teaching in April. In addition, I have club packages arriving: I got my winter Pins and Lace, my first Cookie A of 2013 in one of my favorite yarns, my ami kit, and a new club for me Laura Nelkin's new knitted jewelry club from Patternworks. I am eagerly awaiting the first installment of the Barenaked Knitspot Club for 2013, I already saw the spoiler on Ravelry and it is ah-ma-zing. I cannot wait. I just hope my yarn comes before Sunday when the pattern is released.
Knitting has pretty much taken over my time. I haven't worked on any quilts or stitching or project life. I know I need to catch up on these projects as well but really I just want to knit right now. I might even have to go cast on another project I have been meaning to cast on since last March.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Shout Out
A big shout out and thank you to my personal photog and friend Debkm. She's a one shot wonder! Get my awesome new headshot in one shot.
Move More Eat Well Wednesday
Intro and January report
I am taking Cathy Zielski's Move More, Eat Well 2.0 class on Big Picture classes. The class focuses on being healthy in whatever way that means to you. She provides prompts to get you thinking and staying accountable. Let's just say I hibernated during January.... after I ran a half marathon.
This was my first half marathon. I ran with my sister and as you can see we dressed the part. We had fun, but it was a challenge and if it weren't for my sister, I may not have made it through the last 4 miles.
So, other than those 13.1 miles, my movement for January was pretty much limited to laying on the couch and sometimes dancing with the little one. My husband did convince me to do a couple P90X workouts with him, but there has been no consistency.
I blame the weather. Does anyone in their right mind really want to do anything when it's hovering around zero outside?
I know that I am a better me when I get up and do some cardio first thing in the morning. I know I feel better. I know I think clearer. I know I have more energy during the day. So why haven't I been doing it? Bed has just been too comfy. Let's call it hibernating. But that has to stop. I know what I want my day to look like and it begins with a good sweat then a healthy breakfast.
I would also like to up the ante and include some yoga. I have wanted to begin a personal yoga practice for years, but I've never done it. My type A-ness sometimes prevents me from doing something without doing it "right." Does that really matter with yoga? Of course I don't want to get hurt, but if I am getting a good stretch and some meditative time, then that's right.
I also need to incorporate strength training whether it be doing a P90X program or Jillian Michael's Body Revolution or some else, I know as I get older muscle density decreases and muscle burns more energy. I need to make it a habit.
I am going to do my level best not to mention the d-word. I am more concerned about being fit and healthy and able to keep up with my 2 year old than losing weight. Would I like to lose weight? Sure. But it seems when I focus on that aspect of it I feel that I am good enough and stop working at it.
Eating is probably the hardest part for me despite my background in nutrition. New flash: I was an RD but I never practiced. But over the years I've come to believe that the healthy eating taught to dietitians and endorsed by the ADA is way to simplified and dumbed down, and possibly influenced by outside forces. Also, nutrition is also a very young science and as such we're still not sure how things really work.
Currently, I am trying to embrace a whole foods approach with an equal distribution of nutrients if not slightly skewed to protein. I am trying to enjoy cooking again. I always enjoyed cooking and making meals for my loved ones, until I started working at Jenny Craig and got out of the habit and got lazy about it and kept looking for shortcuts. I want to cook again. I want to enjoy it again.
I have a love hate relationship with meal plans. I love that Clean Eating magazine includes a 2 week meal plan each month. I look for diet books specifically with meal plans. It's something about not wanting to think. When I find a meal, I start out all gung-ho. I take the shopping list and follow it to a T. I get 3 days in and I find myself starting to rebel. No I do not want banana crunch oatmeal for breakfast, turkey roll-up for lunch, not today thanks. Fish for dinner, how about pizza. And then 4 days of food slowly rots in my fridge.
Is there a right way to eat? Is it simply calories versus calories out? Or is there more to the food you eat?
I want to follow the Clean Eating meal plans. They are my idea of the ideal way to eat. Preparation is key. Knowing that I am the one in control and that I chose to follow the plan in the first place is another. I don't need to rebel, I am the one who chose the meals in the first place.
Another way to eat that I like is the Flat Belly Diet because of its mix and match approach. The meal plan is more open: pick a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack from the list and you are right on track.
I'm having an internal struggle over which way to eat is for me. The added challenge is my DH. The man does not eat vegetables. None. I can try to sneak them in, but he's like a heat seeking missile. He always find them and gives me grief that I don't consider him when cooking. The truth is I do consider him, I want him to be healthy and around for a long time. I want him to eat the good things. But I'm afraid this is a loosing battle, so a lot of time I end up making 2 pots of similar things. It's doable, but it takes a lot of the fun and enjoyment out of cooking.
So most of January was spent thinking about what I want to do with very little doing. February needs to be about doing.
I am taking Cathy Zielski's Move More, Eat Well 2.0 class on Big Picture classes. The class focuses on being healthy in whatever way that means to you. She provides prompts to get you thinking and staying accountable. Let's just say I hibernated during January.... after I ran a half marathon.
So, other than those 13.1 miles, my movement for January was pretty much limited to laying on the couch and sometimes dancing with the little one. My husband did convince me to do a couple P90X workouts with him, but there has been no consistency.
I blame the weather. Does anyone in their right mind really want to do anything when it's hovering around zero outside?
I know that I am a better me when I get up and do some cardio first thing in the morning. I know I feel better. I know I think clearer. I know I have more energy during the day. So why haven't I been doing it? Bed has just been too comfy. Let's call it hibernating. But that has to stop. I know what I want my day to look like and it begins with a good sweat then a healthy breakfast.
I would also like to up the ante and include some yoga. I have wanted to begin a personal yoga practice for years, but I've never done it. My type A-ness sometimes prevents me from doing something without doing it "right." Does that really matter with yoga? Of course I don't want to get hurt, but if I am getting a good stretch and some meditative time, then that's right.
I also need to incorporate strength training whether it be doing a P90X program or Jillian Michael's Body Revolution or some else, I know as I get older muscle density decreases and muscle burns more energy. I need to make it a habit.
I am going to do my level best not to mention the d-word. I am more concerned about being fit and healthy and able to keep up with my 2 year old than losing weight. Would I like to lose weight? Sure. But it seems when I focus on that aspect of it I feel that I am good enough and stop working at it.
Eating is probably the hardest part for me despite my background in nutrition. New flash: I was an RD but I never practiced. But over the years I've come to believe that the healthy eating taught to dietitians and endorsed by the ADA is way to simplified and dumbed down, and possibly influenced by outside forces. Also, nutrition is also a very young science and as such we're still not sure how things really work.
Currently, I am trying to embrace a whole foods approach with an equal distribution of nutrients if not slightly skewed to protein. I am trying to enjoy cooking again. I always enjoyed cooking and making meals for my loved ones, until I started working at Jenny Craig and got out of the habit and got lazy about it and kept looking for shortcuts. I want to cook again. I want to enjoy it again.
I have a love hate relationship with meal plans. I love that Clean Eating magazine includes a 2 week meal plan each month. I look for diet books specifically with meal plans. It's something about not wanting to think. When I find a meal, I start out all gung-ho. I take the shopping list and follow it to a T. I get 3 days in and I find myself starting to rebel. No I do not want banana crunch oatmeal for breakfast, turkey roll-up for lunch, not today thanks. Fish for dinner, how about pizza. And then 4 days of food slowly rots in my fridge.
Is there a right way to eat? Is it simply calories versus calories out? Or is there more to the food you eat?
I want to follow the Clean Eating meal plans. They are my idea of the ideal way to eat. Preparation is key. Knowing that I am the one in control and that I chose to follow the plan in the first place is another. I don't need to rebel, I am the one who chose the meals in the first place.
Another way to eat that I like is the Flat Belly Diet because of its mix and match approach. The meal plan is more open: pick a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack from the list and you are right on track.
I'm having an internal struggle over which way to eat is for me. The added challenge is my DH. The man does not eat vegetables. None. I can try to sneak them in, but he's like a heat seeking missile. He always find them and gives me grief that I don't consider him when cooking. The truth is I do consider him, I want him to be healthy and around for a long time. I want him to eat the good things. But I'm afraid this is a loosing battle, so a lot of time I end up making 2 pots of similar things. It's doable, but it takes a lot of the fun and enjoyment out of cooking.
So most of January was spent thinking about what I want to do with very little doing. February needs to be about doing.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Camper Progress Report 1
I'm really enjoying the projects for Handstitched Camp with Rachel from Stitched in Color. I've admired her work for awhile now and am very excited to be learning from her.
Our projects this week focused on reverse applique. I chose to make a flocked t-shirt and the dogwood blossom which will become the center focus for my modern medallion quilt.
Rachel did a flocked tank top as her sample for this lesson. With temperatures barely above zero this week, I couldn't think about doing a tank top! I chose to use a long sleeve V-neck tee instead. I used some Vintage Modern Snickerdoodle in Candy Apple, that I had leftover.
I couldn't get my transfer paper to transfer, so I adapted and did a kind of free-handed the design with a water soluble pen. I only managed to get the front done but I'm happy with the fabric choice. I'm thinking about ordering more Snickerdoodle and making PJ bottoms to match. We'll see exactly how ambitious I get.
For my Modern Medallion Quilt I am using this bundle as the basis for fabric selections.
I'm fairly happy with my stitching. I think I was pretty consistent but of course there are spots where inconsistency happened. I need to get my borders on, and that is tomorrow mornings project before the embroidery lesson. Hopefully a little someone will sleep in and let me get it done.
Our projects this week focused on reverse applique. I chose to make a flocked t-shirt and the dogwood blossom which will become the center focus for my modern medallion quilt.
Rachel did a flocked tank top as her sample for this lesson. With temperatures barely above zero this week, I couldn't think about doing a tank top! I chose to use a long sleeve V-neck tee instead. I used some Vintage Modern Snickerdoodle in Candy Apple, that I had leftover.
For my Modern Medallion Quilt I am using this bundle as the basis for fabric selections.
This is Kaye Prince of Miss Print Blogger's Choice bundle for the Fat Quarter Shop. I know there are some Rock n Romance prints, some simply color and Pure Elements Solids, but that's all I remember off the top of my head! Check out her blog for more detail.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Half Marathon
I've started this post 3 times, and for some reason I can't make it fun and witty like I want to. So here it is:
I ran my first half marathon, the Walt Disney World Half Marathon.
It was hot. It was humid.
I started to overheat around mile 9 and if it weren't for my sister I'm not sure if I would have finished or passed out.
We woke up at 3:30am and had Mickey Waffles. What else would you eat before a Disney marathon?
We dressed up like Buzz and Jesse from Toy Story
We had fun (except for the overheating part).
We finished.
The End.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Squishy Mail
The best kind of mail is squishy mail. What's squishy mail you ask? Why it's yarn or fabric all wrapped up and delivered to your door! I had quite a nice pile of squishy mail waiting for me when I got home from vacation. My favorites being my Knitspot Fall in Full Color installment and last year's installments that I ordered. Spoiler Alert! If you are a member of the Fall in Full Color Club and haven't gotten your January shipment yet, and want to be surprised do not look at the picture!
From left we have Briar Rose Fiber 4th of July in October Zest, then String Theory Yarns Merino DK in Corylus, and lastly we have Miss Babs Alpacacita in Winter Rose. All colorways were/are club exclusives. October Zest and Corylus were released to the public 1 year after they were club yarns. I ordered last January's yarn the other day. It is New Hue Handspun Bam Huey in Crystal. That leaves 3 yarns that I am still looking for from last year's club.
I am patiently waiting for my new Signature Needle Arts needles to arrive so I can start January's patter Sugarfrost. In the meantime, I'm plugging away on my Sparrow Dance Socks.
Sooner or later I'll get a project page set up for it on Ravelry.
I also got my title page and the first page of my Week 1 Project life layout finished. I'm really happy with it. And this is just another rabbit hole! There are all kinds of embellishment, cards, techniques and oh so much more! I'm trying to keep it simple and be about the photos, but sometimes you just need that little extra something.
I am patiently waiting for my new Signature Needle Arts needles to arrive so I can start January's patter Sugarfrost. In the meantime, I'm plugging away on my Sparrow Dance Socks.
Sooner or later I'll get a project page set up for it on Ravelry.
I also got my title page and the first page of my Week 1 Project life layout finished. I'm really happy with it. And this is just another rabbit hole! There are all kinds of embellishment, cards, techniques and oh so much more! I'm trying to keep it simple and be about the photos, but sometimes you just need that little extra something.
I really enjoyed the Digital Project Life Class I took from Jessica Sprague. I've signed up for a few more! So stay tuned for new techniques and cool things on the blog.
Supplies used:
Seafoam Kit from AC Digitals
January Card Kit from Splendid Fiins
Traditions Elements 1 &2 from Carta Bella
That's all the little one is going to let me get done tonight. I still have to tell you about Disney World and the Half Marathon. Stay tuned.
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