It's that time of week again that I'm dutifully doing my blog post. I find mine aren't as witty as some others that I read, but we all have to be who we are. And as my son tells me often, I'm old & lame, LOL!
It's been another busy week around here of work, healthy meal planning & preparation, exercising, some more packing of the house, and of course...stitching!!
I've made quite a bit of progress on my latest pattern model "Two Blessings" and was thrilled to actually get a photo that shows the fabric color more realistically. I've made even more progress since this photo, but haven't taken a new pic yet since this past Monday.
This blog has been a great place for me to put my plans & commitments out there to the world and feel like I'm being held accountable for them (even though I'm not sure anyone else cares). More progress was made on the "Warholesque Family" last week and I'm already looking forward to spending a few hours with it tonight since it is Saturday and my dedicated day to work on it.
As you can see, I was able to finish the blue border on Zach. His face still needs filled in, but as I haven't been to the store to get more white floss it will have to wait. I had someone ask on my Facebook page how I could possibly be out of white floss. It is a good question. When this piece was started I was only using DMC "blanc" for my white. Since then I've decided I like the B5200 Snow white better, as it's a brighter white. There are plenty of skeins of B5200 in my stash, but no "blanc", which is what I'll need to pick up. A trip will be made to the store this week not only to get floss for various projects, but also to pick up some fabric I'm going to need for future projects. I figure I might as well get it now and prep it, which includes washing before use while I'm still living in a house with washer & dryer conveniently located vs. a high-rise apartment building with laundry facilities 4 floors down.
The exercise & weight loss plan is still on track. The weight isn't coming off as quickly as I'd like, but I'm hoping with nicer weather for more walks and increased water consumption that I'll see more progress. And yes, exercise is happening. Here's a pic of my activity for this week. I'm still hoping it warms up enough to get outside for a 2+ mile walk today.
Healthy meals are becoming a pure joy!!! Granted, I don't enjoy the time it's taking to track down new recipes, I do like having new things to try and create new menu possibilities. I'm also finding the longer I go without eating things like Little Debbie snacks, the less I crave them. Wait. I should be honest. My body isn't craving them, but my mind still is. I'm trying substitute weekend snacking of cookies, chips, etc. to healthy alternatives and doing things like grabbing a spoonful of the current salsa/slaw/salad that is in my fridge.
This week's recipe was a cabbage salad I made. I originally found this recipe online. I'm not a big fan of beets so those were a no for me. I also don't have any pepitas (pumpkin seeds) in the house. In fact I'm finding with not restocking in advance of my move the end of the month I'm running out of a lot of things! However, I did have that red cabbage in my fridge I picked up at the store and needed to do something with. I decided to use the vinaigrette portion of the recipe and then do my own modified salad. This is what I came up with:
I used 1/2 red cabbage, 1/2 red onion, 2 stalks celery and 1/4 bag of matchstick carrots, plus 4 oz. reduced fat feta cheese. As I previously mentioned, I kept the vinaigrette dressing the same as noted in the recipe. It was good and a definite will make again! :)
I think I've probably bored everyone enough for this week. Be sure to come back next week for pics of more stitching progress and and update on whatever healthy recipe I choose, which I'm clueless about at this time.
Until then....Happy Stitching and be good to yourself!
P.S. I also signed up for a stitching retreat in September that will be just about a 1 hour drive from me. It will be my first ever retreat and I'm totally stoked to be going!
Unfortunately last week was a very trying one for my family. If follow my Facebook page, then you already know about my dad being admitted into ICU a week ago today (last Monday). Thankfully, he's no longer in ICU, but is still in the hospital and anxious to get home and get on with life, but at a slower pace for awhile.
Since I've been at the hospital every day since then, most days for hours at a time, and even overnight with no sleep when he was at his worst, I haven't had much time for stitching or healthy cooking. There were days I basically wasn't eating anything other than bananas, yogurt and apples. Thanks to those days I was able to take off some weight last week. I do have to give some big thanks to friends of mine that provided home cooked meals so Zach and I had something decent to eat, as he was spending as many hours at the hospital as I was, in addition to both of us still trying to maintain our work schedules. I must say between the two of us and my oldest sister, we basically covered the hours from mid-afternoon until the following morning so my mom didn't have to be there constantly.
Once they were able to move him from ICU, I was able to spend a little more time doing what I like to be doing...stitching and designing my next pattern. I even took some pics for you. :)
Over the last couple weeks, I've been working on stitching a new model for my "Laughter Is" pattern in between other things, to send off to Rita at SnowBerry NeedleArts for a nice professional finish. I realized after I took the pic and was editing it that I didn't put the noses on the masks. Looks like I need to do that before I send it off.
I also finished stitching this heart keyring that was a cover kit with a recent issue of CrossStitcher Magazine. I'll list it in the newly created "charity section" in my Etsy shop sometime in the next few days.
This picture is of my 40 minutes stitching progress on the model for my next pattern. I absolutely dislike trying to get decent pics of green or blue fabric, as they seem to give me the most difficulty. This piece is actually a "very light jade green" fabric, and not grey like it looks in the photo.
I'm looking forward to being able to do more stitching during my "free time" along with healthy cooking & exercise and the dreaded cleaning and starting of packing the house for our move the end of next month.
And since I have committed myself to making at least one new healthy recipe per week, I made one tonight to make up for missing last week. Here's a pic of the "veggie slaw" I made tonight. I tried a couple of bites of it (it was after dinner) and really liked it. It has a very "fresh" taste to it. I'll definitely be making it again. I followed the recipe pretty close, but as it's basically a salad, there's flexibility with it. If you're interested in the recipe, just click the photo.
Oh yeah, and I even went walking tonight after work & a hospital visit before I started doing laundry, cooking, etc. I'm looking forward to nicer weather this week that will hopefully will allow me at least a few days of outdoor time.
Until the next time, Happy Stitching and Mangia!
If you know me in "real life" or follow my Facebook page, you know I've been running non-stop for the past several months with 80-90 hour work weeks (2 "paying" jobs and then Stitchnmomma). Unfortunately as time has gone by I've gotten out of my good habits of healthy eating & exercise to be replaced by convenient, processed foods and almost zero exercise. I've been feeling like crap and am angry with myself at losing track of my priorities and seeing the hard work I put into losing 40 pounds and getting my cholesterol into the good range, all through a healthy diet & exercise, starting to go by the wayside. I watched a few documentaries (Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead; Vegucated and Food Matters) on NetFlix this week while I was stitching an order, and they've given me the push I need to get back to it.
So you're probably wondering what this has to do with the normal free x-stitch pattern and where is it.
Well, I saw this pattern years ago and I thought of it for this week's post. Why? Because when I took a stitching/snack break while watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead I decided it would be a good idea to eat the rest of the bad food in the house (no, not all at one time and because I don't want to waste the $$ by throwing it out) and finished the last 1/3 pint of butter pecan ice cream. I mean how cute is she doing yoga with her bowl of ice cream sitting next to her? LOL! It's like eating something fattening while you're sitting on the couch watching a new exercise DVD for the first time because you want to see how hard it is. Admit it, most of us have done it!
You know the drill...if you want the pattern just click the photo. :)
P.S. Today is the Ides of March. I did look for an appropriate free pattern, like one of Julius Caesar, but couldn't locate one. Instead you got the "pleasantly plump" lady and her ice cream. Happy Stitching!
