Well folks, as I came to realize, I've been letting all my life upheavals interfere with taking care of myself. As a consequence I gained back the weight I lost (again) because I didn't stay committend. This time, I'm relying on all of you. I went down a pants size and back up the first time around. NOT AGAIN.
Here's why.
1) I recognize I am eating out of boredom and depression and stress. That's a deadly combination folks. I'm also being lazy for the same reasons.
--DUH!! Old athlete in me, the smart person in me and my dietician SIL (and nurse mom) all understand this is a vicious cycle that just lends to re-inforcing those same behaviors.
2) I have been looking in the mirror lately and thinking how bad I look. I realized I get into a habit of not looking but that has stopped working, I'm forcing myself to look again. Be honest with myself. Be accountible.
3) I feel like crap. I'm always tired. I get winded too easily, I don't want to move... again, a cycle of behavior that will change when I make myself stronger agian.
4) Summer is here and I love fresh vegetables and fruits and cooking fresh. It will be easier to tailor my diet and by fall/winter, my goal is to have a good handle on bringing all those good veggies into my winter diet (I plan to can this summer to ensure I get what I love year round.)
5) I've realized I can't keep waiting for my life to be organized and settle before I pay attention to this because I can't control some of these external stressors and I'm only creating my own internal ones (feeling like crap, tired, etc.) by NOT doing this.
Excuses are over. Not wanting it is over. I want it, I want to treat myself to things I don't (like a new skirt or shirt) beacuse I don't want to buy a bigger size. I want to feel good about my fitness level and about how I look. I want to naturally fight the stressors in my life by creating those damn endorphins. I want this, this time.
All that said, here's the accountibility.
Today, I weigh 168 pounds. I am 5'2" tall.
Today, I started Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred video (again). Also again, I put the sailors to shame with my langauge. (This post said it all.)
Today, I ate a small bowl of cereal and 1% (sorry, just can't get to skim) milk for breakfast. I'm eating an interesting little pasta bowl for lunch.(about 1/2 cup bow-tie pasta -cleaned out last of white and from here on out all whole-wheat - with about 3 ounces cooked kale, 2 cloves of minced, sauteed garlic, 1/8 cup diced, sauteed onion and 1 tsp sweet potato butter. cook all and mix. It's interesting, alright.) and a homemade sorbet for dessert (I love me my ice cream in the summer so I am determined to make fruit sorbets as a great alternative). Finally, I'm going to have 1/2 a yogurt for snack and dinner is still up in the air. I am thinking fish, probably salmon with an island marinade I made the other day.
I am not paying for Weight Watchers any longer but I will keep a daily log of what I'm eating and how I am exercising. I am thinking that if I post this on Weigh-In Wednesdays, I will be accounting for myself publically so please bear with me on this quilter's blog, this once per week post.
And there you have it. I'm off to A Ditchin Time Quilts blog to update those posting on weight loss on my own regression and renewed intent.
Thank you my friends.
Becky
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
QAL weeks 6 (& update on me)
This week for the QAL, all I am asking you to do is layout your blocks in the pattern you want and then start sewing them together into rows and then sew the rows together.
Next week will be borders and then, the drawing for the participant prize! As promised, when I went to Lancaster area in PA, I picked it up. It's a small fat quarter bundle. If it so happens I have more participants who've been hiding away and pictures of completed tops are posted at the end of week 7, then I will add second, smaller gift, a pocket quilter's diary.
I do hope you all are doing well and please check in with any questions or updates here or on our FLICKR page. :)
Now, update on me. I have no update. Life is status quo and it's driving me crazy! I'm living on some great land but in a horrible, small house that I cannot get organized in. For me, no organization = no productivity in house needs, quilt needs, personal needs. It's hard to just make myself do things but I'm trying. Getting away to PA with my friend and an area quilt guild was a fun diversion and a much needed step away from where I was going with my own little self-pitying madness. (Okay, maybe that was an extreme representation but I swear I could have stepped into that pool easily enough.) Anyway, we've put bids on houses, we've put in bids on land, we've written contracts, we've travelled so far around 2 counties, and I'm so versed in the real estate market around here (9 months looking and counting!) I think I could pick out a house online now. Good lord, we have cash in hand for land, we have great credit, we have reasonable bids for the market. The problem, too many people are underwater in their mortages and the banks aren't willing to work short-sales too much yet. Foreclosures on the market are still few and far between and/or are listed at the inflated price the bank still was owed from the previous owners. We do not want to rent and piss our money away for the next couple of years. The tax hit this year was enough to remind us it's not a favorable option but really, what the heck?! Alright, so that's my update. Life continues with family and kids just fine otherwise, thank goodness.
So, in no particular order, here are pictures of all the goodies I bought in PA and visiting with my mom over Easter. The last photo is a teaser. What do you think I will be doing with that fabric?
FQ bundles, 25 for $30 each and a pretty fabric!
Monopoly fabric for a quilt for my son. I brought it home and his face lit up, I am glad I snagged it. A pattern for the friend who took me on the PA trip. She said I can make her this quilt and I promised I would but warned it might be 5 years from now! hehe
A decoration for my new sewing room, if and when I get one!
Quilt along pals, check in! If you haven't started, you still have time to participate if you make a smaller table topper. That's only four blocks and border. You can do it, I'm sure!
Next week will be borders and then, the drawing for the participant prize! As promised, when I went to Lancaster area in PA, I picked it up. It's a small fat quarter bundle. If it so happens I have more participants who've been hiding away and pictures of completed tops are posted at the end of week 7, then I will add second, smaller gift, a pocket quilter's diary.
Now, update on me. I have no update. Life is status quo and it's driving me crazy! I'm living on some great land but in a horrible, small house that I cannot get organized in. For me, no organization = no productivity in house needs, quilt needs, personal needs. It's hard to just make myself do things but I'm trying. Getting away to PA with my friend and an area quilt guild was a fun diversion and a much needed step away from where I was going with my own little self-pitying madness. (Okay, maybe that was an extreme representation but I swear I could have stepped into that pool easily enough.) Anyway, we've put bids on houses, we've put in bids on land, we've written contracts, we've travelled so far around 2 counties, and I'm so versed in the real estate market around here (9 months looking and counting!) I think I could pick out a house online now. Good lord, we have cash in hand for land, we have great credit, we have reasonable bids for the market. The problem, too many people are underwater in their mortages and the banks aren't willing to work short-sales too much yet. Foreclosures on the market are still few and far between and/or are listed at the inflated price the bank still was owed from the previous owners. We do not want to rent and piss our money away for the next couple of years. The tax hit this year was enough to remind us it's not a favorable option but really, what the heck?! Alright, so that's my update. Life continues with family and kids just fine otherwise, thank goodness.
So, in no particular order, here are pictures of all the goodies I bought in PA and visiting with my mom over Easter. The last photo is a teaser. What do you think I will be doing with that fabric?
BOOTS! I love em, I've been waiting for years to find the perfect pair and these babies are it. I may get another pair just as a back up. :D
How cute are these chicken applique? Fried chicken, chicken divan, chicken gumbo! Love it.
Finally, this beatiful fabric. What, do you think I will be doing with this?
Quilt along pals, check in! If you haven't started, you still have time to participate if you make a smaller table topper. That's only four blocks and border. You can do it, I'm sure!
Cheers! Becky
Monday, May 2, 2011
The witch is dead
Sing with me, "ding dong the witch is dead, the witch is dead, the witch is dead. Ding dong the wicked witch is dead..."
While Osama Bin Laden is not the same witch Dorothy had to contend with in the Wizard of Oz, I do feel a sense of freedom in knowing he has died.
I don't celebrate his death except I do feel happy he's no longer roaming this earth and adding to the amount of strife that already exists. I hope Al Queda is too unorganized to continue to be a real threat, but I fear it will only be a short time until it recoups and works at it's crazy goals.
What I do say is this. Thank you to all the military personnel, in America and amongst our allies, including their families, for the sacrifices to bring this man and the rest of the terrorist organization to justice. Your sacrifices and your hardships are always in my heart and head and I will always be praying for you. I am so proud of you, of us all, for our love and committment to our family and country. It's not over but we can certainly feel good about the current win.
Okay, my husband has just said it best as to how I feel also, "I'm rejoicing at this one victory but with a heavy heart for all the loss of life and other sacrafices of soldiers, family, and friends at acheiving it."
Now, I know I've been silent, lots happening here and today's post was going to be about where I've meen and what I've been doing, however, to me, it was far more imporrtant to post about the most recent current event.
Until later, Beck
While Osama Bin Laden is not the same witch Dorothy had to contend with in the Wizard of Oz, I do feel a sense of freedom in knowing he has died.
I don't celebrate his death except I do feel happy he's no longer roaming this earth and adding to the amount of strife that already exists. I hope Al Queda is too unorganized to continue to be a real threat, but I fear it will only be a short time until it recoups and works at it's crazy goals.
What I do say is this. Thank you to all the military personnel, in America and amongst our allies, including their families, for the sacrifices to bring this man and the rest of the terrorist organization to justice. Your sacrifices and your hardships are always in my heart and head and I will always be praying for you. I am so proud of you, of us all, for our love and committment to our family and country. It's not over but we can certainly feel good about the current win.
Okay, my husband has just said it best as to how I feel also, "I'm rejoicing at this one victory but with a heavy heart for all the loss of life and other sacrafices of soldiers, family, and friends at acheiving it."
Now, I know I've been silent, lots happening here and today's post was going to be about where I've meen and what I've been doing, however, to me, it was far more imporrtant to post about the most recent current event.
Until later, Beck
Thursday, April 14, 2011
SQ QAL - Weeks 4 & 5 More Blocks & Removing the Paper
Alright everyone, it's week 4. I know a couple of you are following along, a couple are a little behind and some of you had been meaning to join but haven't yet. Given the varying stage everyone is in, this post is a reminder that these blocks go quickly once you get the technique and the first couple down. I consider myself an experienced paper-piecer and I knocked these out over a weekend. I've scheduled two more weeks for the new piecers and those with less time and that is this week and next.
Please check in and let me know how you are doing and if you have any questions. You can post here or on our FLICKR group.
Just to keep you motivated, after the next 2 weeks, we will have a 6th week for borders (if you are doing an Easter Table Runner and would like border instructions earlier, please let me know that and I'll email them. It's nothing difficult.) and then a week or two for quilting. A prize will be given to one of the people who have posted a completed top and post pictures of it after the border instructions so let's get going, folks!
The prize: (it's still a surprise! Saturday I'm taking a bus trip up to PA with one of the local quilt groups and I'll be picking up the prize there when I go to Burkholder Fabrics. All I will say, again, is it's going to be stash friendly!)
(This step is optional but I find it helps tear away from the stitching just ever so slightly.) Give all those blocks a quick press with the iron. Fabric side up, paper side down. Start in the center of the block and quickly pass a hot (no steam) iron out to the corners and edges. Always work center out. Each block should take no more than 5 seconds to press the seams. That's all we want here. If your paper curls up slightly at the corners, no worries, just bear in mind all we want to do is a quick set on the seams.
Let's get to the removal of the paper. No video for this one folks. I can't see the need but if you do, I'll make one, just let me know. With paper side up, fold the paper back on the sewn line on the easiest section to tear off, section 8. Crease the fold then gently pull the paper off.
Lastly, sometime you have little pieces stuck under the stitch and in the corners. A sharp pair of tweezers is the key here.
So, for anyone that wants to jump in here are the previous posts/instructions.
Feel free to grab my button on the sidebar if you want.
Cheers!
Beck
Please check in and let me know how you are doing and if you have any questions. You can post here or on our FLICKR group.
Just to keep you motivated, after the next 2 weeks, we will have a 6th week for borders (if you are doing an Easter Table Runner and would like border instructions earlier, please let me know that and I'll email them. It's nothing difficult.) and then a week or two for quilting. A prize will be given to one of the people who have posted a completed top and post pictures of it after the border instructions so let's get going, folks!
The prize: (it's still a surprise! Saturday I'm taking a bus trip up to PA with one of the local quilt groups and I'll be picking up the prize there when I go to Burkholder Fabrics. All I will say, again, is it's going to be stash friendly!)
(This step is optional but I find it helps tear away from the stitching just ever so slightly.) Give all those blocks a quick press with the iron. Fabric side up, paper side down. Start in the center of the block and quickly pass a hot (no steam) iron out to the corners and edges. Always work center out. Each block should take no more than 5 seconds to press the seams. That's all we want here. If your paper curls up slightly at the corners, no worries, just bear in mind all we want to do is a quick set on the seams.
Work your way around the block doing this from the outside in on all sections. Sometimes you need to gently tug the paper out from under the stitching and if you do, be sure to pull to the side, not up and away from the stitching to prevent pulling the stitching out.
Pull out those little paper hangers with the tweezers. I find this task is best with a garbage can by my side and the television or radio on.
Week 3 -with video tutorials
and our FLICKR group.
Cheers!
Beck
Sunday, April 3, 2011
SQ Paper-piece QAL - Week 3 (with video!)
(NOTE: I just realized that for week 2 I talk about this being a 9x9" square and it's not! It finishes at 9.5"x9.5". Please translate whenever you read 9" that I meant 9.5x9.5. My apologies. To those that have already printed and enlarged their patterns, it's OKAY to finish this out using 9x9 inch squares. It just means more leftover fabric instead of not enough. I'm sorry for the inconvience.)
If you haven't grabbed your materials yet, there's still plenty of time, get your stuff and join it! There will be a surprise for one participant along the way.
Ah yes, it's time! I'm doing this 2 ways, with the written word and with a very amateur set of videos.
I'm apologizing in advance for the videos. I started with just me and the camera, then my son J decided to help by moving the camera for us but in the process, instead of keeping it just to my hands, he shows you that I'm wearing my pajamas! So, in essence, my early morning effort to get this done and posted today has been found out. We've shown you all my penguin pajama bottoms and old Army PT shirt. Sorry about that but I wasn't about to redo the video.
Okay so here is the VIDEO Tutorial Part 1. This shows how to start and put sections 1 and 2 together.
1) You take fabric for section 1 and put it right side together with the fabric for section 2 and line up the edges. Place them on your cutting board with side 1 on top and side 2 on your cutting board.
2) Place the pattern right side down over the fabric so the fabric for section 1 is under the actual section 1 and positiong the line that is between section 1 & 2 about 1/4" in from the edge of the fabric. Be sure that each section line is also set approximately 1/4" inside the edge of the fabric. Pin in place.
3) Reduce your stitch length. For use with tracing paper, my stich length is reduced from 2.5 to 2.0. For stitching with regular printer paper, I reduce the stitch size to 1.5. (This helps keep stitches from being pulled when we tear the paper off.)
See these next steps in the VIDEO TUTORIAL Part 2.
4) Start stitching on the line between sections 1 and 2. Put paper up and fabric on the bottom. Go from the one end of the line to the other end and do not stitch over. However, take one backstitch at the beginning and end to help lock it in place.
5) Remove from machine, flip paper over and with fabric on top, finger press fabric pieces open.
6) Flip again and with fabric on bottom and opened up, carefully fold the paper along the line between section 2 and section 3. Using a ruler, cut 1/4 AWAY from the folded edge. Discard extra fabric for use in another project.
7) Flip. Place right side of fabric for section 3 along side the cut edge of fabric 2. Pin in place.
8) Repeat steps 4-7 for each section. Be sure to follow the numbers. After section 6, do not cut.
See these next steps in the VIDEO TUTORIAL Part 3.
9) Go to section 7 and trim the fabric 1/4" away from the line for section 1 and section 7. Then sew on section 7.
10) Next fold and trim along the line for section 8, sew, finger press open. Flip one last time and trip around the quarter edge of each edge line.
Make 4 blocks this week. Be sure to post pictures of your blocks on our Flickr Group! Questions can be answered here or through the discussion board on the Flickr Group, as well. If you post them there, others, besides me can also answer. :)
Cheers! Beck
If you haven't grabbed your materials yet, there's still plenty of time, get your stuff and join it! There will be a surprise for one participant along the way.
Ah yes, it's time! I'm doing this 2 ways, with the written word and with a very amateur set of videos.
I'm apologizing in advance for the videos. I started with just me and the camera, then my son J decided to help by moving the camera for us but in the process, instead of keeping it just to my hands, he shows you that I'm wearing my pajamas! So, in essence, my early morning effort to get this done and posted today has been found out. We've shown you all my penguin pajama bottoms and old Army PT shirt. Sorry about that but I wasn't about to redo the video.
Okay so here is the VIDEO Tutorial Part 1. This shows how to start and put sections 1 and 2 together.
1) You take fabric for section 1 and put it right side together with the fabric for section 2 and line up the edges. Place them on your cutting board with side 1 on top and side 2 on your cutting board.
2) Place the pattern right side down over the fabric so the fabric for section 1 is under the actual section 1 and positiong the line that is between section 1 & 2 about 1/4" in from the edge of the fabric. Be sure that each section line is also set approximately 1/4" inside the edge of the fabric. Pin in place.
See these next steps in the VIDEO TUTORIAL Part 2.
4) Start stitching on the line between sections 1 and 2. Put paper up and fabric on the bottom. Go from the one end of the line to the other end and do not stitch over. However, take one backstitch at the beginning and end to help lock it in place.
8) Repeat steps 4-7 for each section. Be sure to follow the numbers. After section 6, do not cut.
See these next steps in the VIDEO TUTORIAL Part 3.
9) Go to section 7 and trim the fabric 1/4" away from the line for section 1 and section 7. Then sew on section 7.
Cheers! Beck
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