Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Accountability Wednesday: I'm Doing WHAT?!

For the last 36 years, I've had a life motto: I don't run. Period. I've always said it was because running is bad for you, hurts your knees, and I've known people who have actually DIED running. I don't want any part of that!

But the truth is that I was scared. Scared that it would hurt, that it would send my back into spasms. Well folks, Hell has finally frozen over. By the time you read this, I will be on Week 2 of the Couch to 5K program.  And believe it or not, I'm kind of enjoying it.  I look forward to my running days.  Keep in mind I'm only running 90 second stretches at this point, but it's been a lot easier than I expected, and I feel GREAT afterwards.

Why did I start running?  Partly because having a goal like running a 5K motivates me, but mostly because that scale is just not moving and I need to do more in my fitness.  Because its so hot here this summer we joined the Y, which is only about 10 minutes from my house.  There is an indoor track, a pool and a weight area, so I've been doing some weight training as well.

No real report on my activity this week because my FitBit died, but they are replacing it for me.  Just know I ran/walked 3 times last week, plus three bike/treadmill 15 minute warmups before a little weight training.

Weight: 145.6 (+2 lbs)

**Just a note: there won't be a post on Friday.  I have to get caught up taking layout photos.**

Monday, June 25, 2012

Paper Piecing is not My Friend

I don't do much paper piecing, and after completing this page and the accompanying 4 divided page protectors, I know why.  It's A LOT of work, from cutting each little piece to getting them all put together.  But I can also see why people do it: it's just adorable.  I mean, look at that gnome!  He is just too cute!


Bavarian Countryside







Sketch:  Sketch Support

Supplies: American Crafts Botanique (Elanor), Thickers; Cosmo Cricket Earth Love (6x6 pad, Repeat, Elements), Girl Friday, Togetherness (Making Plans), Tiny Type, Social Club stickers; Bella Blvd. Man of the House (Distinguished); Lily Bee 6x6 pads (Handmade, Harvest Market, Double Dutch); My Minds Eye 6x6 pad (Dilly Dally); Basic Grey 6x6 pad (Life of the Party); 7 Gypsies 97% complete stickers; Silhouette shapes (Gnome, Mushrooms, Log)

Friday, June 22, 2012

Using the Negative challenge: Cutest Kitty


Another National Scrapbook Day challenge today. I got a lot accomplished for my scrapbooks that week in May!  This one was a challenge on 2 Peas to use the negative space.  I made up this silly song that I sing to Ozzy sometimes, so that's what I scrapped.  You can see by the messy journaling why I don't like to use my handwriting!

Cutest Kitty







Supplies:  My Minds Eye Miss Caroline, Lush, Stella and Rose papers, Miss Caroline brads; Lily Bee 6x6 pads ( Memorandum, Double Dutch, Handmade); Cosmo Cricket stickers; Kerri Bradford shape (Honeycomb Scatter Large); Authentique elements;  Cuttlebug embossing folder; Quickutz Mind Your P's and Q's alphabet dies

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Accountability Wednesday: OMG I'm an Idiot

This week I went to an annual health screening sponsored by my employer. Usually I don't pay much attention, but this time, because I'm really trying this time, I did. Boy, were my eyes opened.

1. I need to work out more. My HDL is better than it was last year, thanks to incorporating more healthy fats into my diet, but it was my worst measurement, and a good way to bring it up is through exercise.

2. I need to eat more calories. I kinda saw this one coming.  My basal metabolic rate was measured at 1419 kcal, meaning my 1200 calorie days are HURTING my metabolism.  I've reset all my trackers to reflect 1420 a day minimum as my goal.

3. I am pretty healthy.  My BMI is a little bit into the overweight range (by 0.9), but overall my cholesterol, glucose, weight, fat %, and muscle weight are in healthy ranges and are pretty good.  So that means...

4. I'm pretty much trying to lose vanity weight.  BMI is 0.9 into the overweight range, but as the tech pointed out, that doesn't really account for muscle weight.  So yeah, I hate my big thighs, and I think my belly is huge, and my arms are too big, but I'm HEALTHY.  Sure, I'd like to take the fat % down from 31%, but that's not un-doable.


So DUH, I gotta eat more and work out more.  But I'm NORMAL.  Not the huge fat thing I see when I compare myself to other girls.  I know I need to stop comparing myself to other girls.  But I also gotta get off my butt and work for it.

No weight or activity info this week. I'm traveling (again),so I don't have access to the info. Next week, I promise!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Create with Polaroids Challenge: Here Come the Brides

 One of the challenges Two Peas in a Bucket hosted for National Scrapbooking Day was to create a layout using those oh-so-popular Polaroids.  I love the Polaroid look, and have used the Polodroid app to turn several photos into the Polaroid look.  This time I used some Crate Paper and Silhouette cut frames to frame a print I cropped and some paper.

When we were in Prague, we saw many wedding couples having portraits made in front of the Astronomical Clock.  But one day we were surprised to see a whole group of brides there, and no grooms.  On closer inspection, most of the girls' dresses were being held in with clothespins and clips.  Apparently these Japanese ladies had paid for the opportunity to play bride for the day!

Here Come the Brides









Supplies: American Crafts cardstock, Thickers (Vera vinyl white); WRMK Sewn Cardstock (Buttercup); Lily Bee Memorandum (Payday); The Paper Studio printed vellum; October Afternoon 5 & Dime; Basic Grey Blush (Admire), Junebug; Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type, Circa 1934;  Heidi Swapp mask (dots); Crate Paper diecutsGlimmer Mist; Silhouette shape (Instant Photo Frame Square); Jenni Bowlin Ink (Lemon Drops, Chili Powder, Soap Powder); VersaMark ink; Clear Tops Embossing Powder (Ultra Deep Snow Fall); Lawn Fawn washi tape; Studio Calico Stamps (Adventure); Studio AE for Technique Tuesday (The Observant Traveler, Today You)

Friday, June 15, 2012

A Scraplift: Tiny Houses on the Golden Lane

Another of the Two Peas in a Bucket National Scrapbook Day challenges was to "continue the Morph," which were a series of scraplifts by their design team.  This was my take.

Tiny Houses on the Golden Lane



Supplies: Core'dination Graphic 45 Timeless (Diamonds-Cityscape); Lily Bee This and That (Teacup); Crate Paper Portrait (Something Blue, diecuts); Cosmo Cricket Ever After; Miss Elizabeth's chipboard letters; Echo Park Dots and Stripes Metropolitain Alpha stickers; Colorbok Flea Market foil stickers; Jenni Bowlin ink; Tim Holtz Distress ink; Hambly overlay (Grandma's Wallpaper); Martha Stewart punch

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Accountability Wednesday: Climbing the Mountain

Lately I've been feeling a little bit overwhelmed.  This usually happens when my schedule is very busy or I have to be out of town a lot and can't keep up with all the things on my to do list.  Mark's gotten pretty good over the last 6+ years at seeing this coming and jumping in to help out around the house and with other chores to help head off a meltdown. But the anxiety is still there.  But I know I've come a long way when my exercise time takes priority over some of the other tasks (like vacuuming the den!) instead of falling to the bottom of the list.

Travelling and eating well is also a tough combination.  We just spend a week in Miami, home to beautiful, thin people and the best ice cream in the world, and we both came back heavier.  On the up side, we walked a ton, and I think that steps taken in 97 degree heat and 97% humidity count more than those taken on a treadmill.  We're going to the in-laws this weekend for Father's Day, home to unlimited fried chicken and vegetables cooked in lard.  Then I go on another work trip, this time by myself, all next week.  Eating well and tracking food is gonna be tough, and I know this.

But I'll let you in on a little secret:  I'm not giving up!  My mother always said I was stubborn. We joined the YMCA this week and are motivating each other to go.  I'm taking my workout gear to Texas and have researched the hotel gym.  And then there's this: I'm going to start the Couch to 5K (C25K) Program!  Me, who's life motto is "I don't run."  That I'm ready to take that step, to do something I said I'd never do, and that I'm kind of excited about it, tells me that I'm finally really ready to make this change.  That although my weight is up 1.4 lbs. since January, I can't seem to look at a cupcake without gaining weight, although I had a small meltdown when I couldn't get my one-piece "fat" bathing suit on over my hips, I'm not giving up.  Not stopping.  I am going to make this work.  Not only to look better and to feel better, but to conquer that one little piece of the anxiety that comes from not being in control of my body.  Mark can't take that one off my to do list.  Only I can do that.

Weight: 143.6 (+1.8 lbs)
Acivity: 59524 steps, 12 floors climbed, 24.45 miles

Monday, June 11, 2012

Another Photo Collage Example

In my series on scrapbooking large events, I talked about how I like to use photo collages to get several pictures on one layout.  This layout is another example of how I do that.  Here, I fit 6 photos on a one page layout.  That's a lot of photos for one page, but it still feels simple and uncluttered. Not to mention how it saves space!

St. Stephen's Basilica






Sketch: Lisa Day 28 Days of Sketches

Supplies:  Crate Paper Portrait (Traditions, borders, Emma's Shop Phrases, Restoration Phrases); Pink Paislee Starlight (Bright); My Minds Eye Lost and Found (Madison Avenue Cherish Pintuck paper), Stella and Rose (Stella So Sweet Plait paper), Lost and Found 2 (Rosy Ordinary label stickers), Miss Caroline (Dolled Up Day stickers), ancient  Bohemia rub on; Lily Bee Catching Fall (Flannel Sheets); Bo Bunny Et Cetera brads, layered chipboard); Sassafras letter stickers (Wood Grain); Prima flocked run ons (Reflections); Little Yellow Bicycle Epoxy Chipboard buttons (Clothesline); K and Co Grand Adhesions (Engraved Garden); Tim Holtz Distress Ink; Martha Stewart punch, labels; Basic Grey trim stickers (Heritage), Wholy Cow rubons; DMC floss

Friday, June 8, 2012

Using Bright Colors: Hungarian Snackage

For National Scrapbook Day, Two Peas in a Bucket had a series of challenges.  I put together this layout for the "use a bright color palette" challenge.  I love the bright happy papers.

Hungarian Snackage






Sketch: Lisa Day 28 days of sketches

Supplies: My Minds Eye Quite Contrary (Jack & Jill Cute Beautiful Blooms), Miss Caroline (Dolled Up Day stickers); Stella and Rose "Delightful" Blossom; Basic Grey paper, letters (Curio), trim stickers (Heritage); Echo Park for the Record (Table Cloth); DCWV paper; EK Success punch; Target Washi tape; Miss Elizabeth Chipboard Letters; Ali Edwards for Technique Tuesday (The Journey that Matters); Jenni Bowlin Ink; Cosmo Cricket Butterflies and Doilies (Social Club); Making Memories chipboard clocks; Pink Paislee flip notes (Old School)

Monday, June 4, 2012

Misting with a Mask: Outside Adventure

Back in May I participated in Ella Publishing's Spring Training Event.  It was tons of fun and I learned a lot.  Thanks Ella!

One of the challenges was to use a mask on a layout, but not a traditional mask, like those from Tim Holtz.  I chose a die-cut patterned paper to mask a zigzag border around my page.  It's subtle, but you can see it if you look closely.  I also used a Lisa Day sketch from the Big Picture Classes National Scrapbook Day event.

Outside Adventure






Sketch: Lisa Day - Big Picture Classes National Scrapbook Day challenge

Supplies: My Minds Eye Follow Your Heart (Be Happy Favorite Things, Be Happy Honey Pink, Be Happy brads, Be Happy chipboard, Be Amazing chipboard, Be Happy buttons), On the Bright Side (Blue Wood), Lush (Blue Diamonds), Miss Caroline (Dilly Dally Celebrate brads); Lily Bee 6x6 pad (Double Dutch); Glimmer Mist (Silver); Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type; Crafter's Workshop Template (Triangle Mosaic); DMC floss

Friday, June 1, 2012

Flourishes: I'm Bringing 'Em Back

Remember the flourish trend from a few years back?  If you do then you're probably like me, and you have tons of flourish stamps, flourish die cuts, and, in my case, flourish Silhouette shapes.  I still like the look of flourishes, but I don't seem to use them much anymore.  But when I got to this layout, I thought that flourishes that echoed those in the diecut paper, would be the perfect space-filling yet subtle embellishment this page needed.

The Citadel






Supplies: American Crafts cardstock; My Minds Eye So Sophie (Little Lady Lovely Ledger paper), stamp
Basic Grey Junebug (Crazy Quilt), alpha (Perephery); Lily Bee 6x6 pad; Jenni Bowlin ink; Cosmo Cricket Ever After

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...