Stitching and Health Update

It is so hard to believe that it is the end of January.  It seems that time goes so fast these days.   I spend this week working on my Faery Tales.   After picking it up last weekend, I forgot how much I love working on it!  I actually missed my HAED.  This weekend was spent working on a rock and a wolf's head.  

Faery Tales - 51.2%

This is an update on my Friday project. It is a nice change...this Friday was a sparkly night because it was nothing but metallic threads.

A Winter Heirloom - 27.8%

Health Update-  I went to the Doctor on Tuesday as planned and he had my results back.  It seems I am very very low on Vitamin K and D.  Also, as my grandmother would say, I am officially going through the change of life!!!  Who knew???  It seems my hormone levels are so low they barely registered.   The doctor asked me if I felt irritable and I looked at him strangely.  I told him, I thought that was just my personality!!!  So he placed me on a very strong vitamin full of A/D/K that is supposed to help my vitamin deficiency.   I am also on a hormone compound cream to help with the other issues.    He told me that I would notice a change in 2 weeks.  We shall see...

I am looking into Essential Oils, diets and other holistic measures.   I am worried about all the side effects of the Compound Cream.    

Until Next week!!!

Three projects to show off and a question

What a crazy week!!!   We were scheduled to get some snow and ice this week.  However, Mother Nature decided to give us a slight dusting.  So far we have ZERO days of school to make up due to snow!!!!   It was an exciting week at BHS because ESPN came to our school on Friday and broadcast our boys game on ESPNU this past Friday night!!!!  Everyone was so thrilled!

Health update:  So I have been on a diet since January 4th and have managed to gain 3 lbs.  My trainer says it is muscle but this is very frustrating.  Last Tuesday, I went to the doctor for a checkup/blood work.  As I was talking to the doctor, I explained that I was feeling tired, couldn't seem to loose weight and some days feeling overwhelmed.   The doctor told me that he wanted to draw some blood and do a full panel because "I am at that age".  I guess being in your mid forties puts you in the "that age" category where things start going wrong!!!  I go back this Tuesday to find out the results...will keep you informed.

Stitching Questions:  I am the type of stitcher that has a hard time letting myself start a new project when I know I have 5 unfinished projects...I really want to start a new one but I have trouble letting myself do it!!   What about you??  Are you a must finish the current project! or What the heck....lets add another to the pile!!!!

Stitching Updates: When I wasn't dozing in my chair, I did manage to make some stitching progress...  I did finish page 5 of Victorian Winter!!   it is looking so pretty!!!!

VW - 56.2%

This is my Friday night stitching on A Wintery Heirloom.  To be honest, I also worked on it Thursday night.  I finished VW page on Wednesday so I just moved to this one.  If you were wondering if I was drunk when stitching since I stitched in a weird diagonal pattern...I was totally sober!!!!   HAED's Facebook group is having a contest and this quarter you had to stitch in a diagonal pattern.   There are going to be 6 or 7 challenges and you get a free chart for each challenge you complete!!!

AWH - 27.1%

I finally pulled out my Faery Tales to work on and I honestly missed working on this piece!!!!  I haven't worked on it since last November!!!!   I know I planned to work on it only on the weekends...but I might have to scratch that idea.   As you can see, I am back to the big rock!  This scene holds Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.  I want to see them come alive!!!!

FT - 50.4%

So here is my delima..I love this pattern!  I have the threads ready and the pattern printed out. The fabric is cut out and sewn around the edges.  The only problem???  I have 2 projects close to being completed!!!!  This design is 98 pages!!!!!!  It will be beautiful when finished but it is a little overwhelming.   So I am trying to decide...do I finish my two projects that are close to being done or just bit the bullet and make the first stitch????/

This is the fabric for my ladies embroidering.   I laid my IPad Air in the middle so you could get an idea of why I am feeling a little overwhelmed.  It is 44 x 32!!!

Stitching Update for the week

I am a few days late posting but I was so hoping I would have finished this page by Sunday/Monday.  It didn't happen.  Last week want a very good stitching week because I was just worn out!  I did get 3/4's of page 5 completed.

Victorian Winter - 53% completed 

 My friend Kim, who is a fabulous stitcher and quilter, and I have decided to work one day a week on our project we started in 2009!!!  This is A Wintery Heirloom from Heaven and Earth designs.  I am also working on HAEDS challenge to stitch in 10 x 10 blocks in a diagonal pattern.  It is driving me crazy but it is only for 1000 stitches...I can do this!!!

A Wintery Heirloom - 26.9% completed

Since I want to start so many projects, I have finally decided on my rotation.  It is going to be:

Friday:  AWH

Saturday-Sunday: Faery Tales

Mon-Thursday:

Closest finished

Largest New Project start

Closest  Finished

Next Largest New project start

I hope this makes sense!  At least  I will spend my largest stitching time on Faery Tales...I really want to finish this design!

My friend Becki and I went to the Tea and Spice exchange this past weekend.   They had a recipe card for brownies using Salted Caramel Sugar and Chocolate Sea Salt.  I bought them, came home and opened up a box Betty Crocker brownies and went to work.  I added the Chocolate sea salt (1/2 tsp) to the brownie mix.  When I poured the mix in my 8x8 dish...I covered the top in the salted Caramel then baked.   My husband LOVED them!!!!!   

Tune in next Sunday...I might have a finished page to show you!!!!

Books I am reading...

I have mentioned that I am an avid reader. So I just wanted to share some of the books I am reading/and have read.  

What I am currently listening to on audiobooks: 

Lost Girls - An Unsolved American Murder:  I am just a few chapters in this book so far.   It is just giving the story of each girl and how she grew up.  So far, I am feeling very sad for these girls.  It was just like they didn't have a chance in life.  Low income, poverty, teen pregnancies, social workers...just sad.  

I just finished a book and haven't figured which book that I can hold in my hands that I am going to read next...

Books I have finished so far.....

Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs:  

I love this series!!!!  This is book 14 in the Indigo Tea Shop series.  Theodosia owns her own tea shop which she runs with Drayton, her tea expert, and Haley, her chef.   The series takes place in Charleston SC.    Theodosia is a self appointed sleuth who manages to find more dead bodies than Jessica Fletcher!!!!  This time she finds her friend Delaine's groom dead right before the wedding!!!!!  Of course, she is right there to join in the mystery to figure out who killed him and why!   I love the recipes at the end of the books however, I have never been brave enough to try one out at home.   She also gives great advice on different tea parties.   

Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger  This is book 4 in this young adult finishing school series.  If you like steampunk books this series is for you!!!  I love it!!  Young women of quality learning how to be spies and women of society at the same time!   The young ladies have so much to learn...how to serve a proper tea, how to dress, how to poison your enemy without getting caught...along how to handle Vampires and Werewolves.  The first book is called Etiquette and Espionage.   

Sophronia is not the proper victorian girl however, she is turning into a great spy.  She is getting rather bored however, she soon finds out that huge plot is underway that is going to cause major trouble for the school, teachers and her friends.  

My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss:  This book reminded me of Julie and Julia.  It was a quick easy read with recipes at the end of each chapter.  This is the story of Luisa and her life in Berlin, Paris, Italy and New York.  Her recipes did make me hungry however there isn't one I would like to personally try.   It just isn't my type of cooking that is why. Plus, they have some strange ingredients that I can't rightly find in Arkansas.  Her life is amazing!!!  I would like to travel to the places she has been.  It would be amazing!!!

Fitness Update

Just so you know...I did eat a salad for lunch!!!    Just wanted to update you on my fitness progress.   I have been completing my 30/30/30 challenge by trying to work out 4 days instead of 3 days a week.   I won't lie it isn't easy.   I would love to stay in bed and sleep a little extra but I drag myself out, put on my sweats, sports bra, shirt and tennis shoes.  All my critters and husband is sound asleep and I am in the living room doing the 30 minute run on Wii Fit Plus.     I just jog in place for 30 minutes.  I usually listen to a book while jogging.  It passes the time!

On Wednesday nights and Saturday morning, I try to make it to deep water running at the gym.  I do love this class!!!!  Deep Water Running is where I put on an Aqua belt,  slowly inch myself into the cold water on the 13 foot deep side, and then start running in the water.  It will burn about 600 calories and we go about 2 miles in the pool each time.   I highly recommend water classes if they are available in your area!!!!  

 I did learn the hard way that I must bring a change of clothes and not go home in a wet swimsuit on a cold winter night!   I did this and when I got home....I could never get warm!  I bundled up, drank hot tea and climbed under my electric blanket.  

Weight Challenge:

Not only did I join the year fitness challenge, I also joined a weightloss challenge.   The first weigh-in I was wearing a sweater, turtleneck and jeans. I wore heavy clothes on purpose just so I would have a large starting point!!!!  That sounds terrible I know....however, today I had my first weigh in.  I am not excited about the 2.2 lbs I lost because my clothes weren't as heavy.  I am excited that I gained a 1 lb of muscle!!!!!!  that makes me more excited.   She has this fancy scale that measures all sorts of things....and muscle is one of them!!!  So I will take my one lb of muscle and be excited!!!

Just so you know...I do allow myself a coke or a sweet tea a day.  I just love them so much that I refuse to give them up.  I am documenting it in my Lose it app!!!!

How are you doing on your fitness journey?????   I hope you are making progress!!!  

Victorian Winter

I don't know about your but I am so tired of the cold!!! We actually had a little snow yesterday and it was so pretty to watch falling for the hour it fell.  I spent my day working on Victorian Winter from Mystic Stitch.  I figured it was snowing so the perfect time to work on this UFO!!!   I finished page 4 and have 5 to go!!!   Looking at this, you would think that there would be a lot of white...but no not white...just lots of off colors to blend it too look white!!!!

 This is what the finished piece will look like!!!

I get the magazine called Victorian Trading Company and this print was in it.  I just loved it!!!  I had to go look it up online and then found another print by the same designer that was just as pretty!!!  The artist name is Lee Avison and he has so many prints that I love....but the two below just caught my eye.   I think they would make pretty cross stitch charts!!!!   

 

Victorian Woman Running Through snow

What I have been watching....

You know what I love about January????  I know a new season of Downton Abbey is going to start!!!  This is the 6th and final season which makes me happy and sad at the same time!!!! (just so you know there will be lots of !!!!  in this description)

  

This past Sunday night was the first episode of season 6!!  I know it is Thursday and I finally got to watch it!   It did not disappoint!  I love Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess!  She has so many great one-liners.   Anyone else Downton Abbey fans???  

My husband and I binged watched Making A Murderer on Netflix while I was on Christmas Break.  We watched it all on a Rainy Saturday and Sunday.  This is a documentary about Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey who were both convicted of murder.  

My Hubby and I can't decide if he is innocent or guilty!!!!  This was such an incredible series that we just couldn't believe what we were seeing.  Grant it this was from Steven Avery's point of view but there was so much injustice that I just couldn't believe it!    If you like true crime....this is a great documentary!!!!  It has caused so much controversy  that groups of people have started two different petitions to get him a presidential pardon and one on Change.org  

New years Day there was a new Sherlock on PBS!!!  If you missed it, there will be an encore showing on January 10.  I love Benedict Cumberbatch!   This one did not disappoint.  I actually was a little confused at first because I forgot about it and finally remember 10 minutes after the start time!    I caught up and loved every minute of it!!!!! 

First Finish of 2016 and opinions needed

Santa of the Forest by Lavender and Lace is finished!   I started this is in 2013 n put the final stitch in January 2nd around 3 in the morning.  I love how it turned out!!  Now to find the perfect frame!   This is one of the three projects I want to finish this year.  

The other two project to finish are: Preening Pixie and Victorian Winter

So I bought Mirabilla's Raven Queen and the fabric but I decided I think she would look better on sparkly fabric.  I love sparkly fabric.....but I can't decide which one I like ....So I am asking for opinions...

Dawn

Fathom

Hearld

Mire

Tempest

Twilight

Reading Goals for 2016

Getting lost in a novel is one of my favorite things to do and the proof is all over my house.  I have a different book for each room of the house!  I have a murder mystery by my bed right now.  A true story by my chair,  a magazine in the kitchen, not to mention  a book of Sudoku puzzles in the bathroom!!!  My car has my I-pod which is loaded with audio books and a some true crime podcasts.  I have set a goal of 101 books this year.  This is one more than I read last year....

My favorite genres are:
1)  Trashy Bodice Ripping Novels set back in Regency England time where I can marry a duke, go to a ball, get to wear fabulous dresses and have servants to draw my bath, bring me hot chocolate in bed plus cook all my food!!!

2) Cozy Mysteries - simple murders where someone finds a body (no gore anywhere) and then tries to solve the crime.  All the while, working in a cool shop with lots of time on their hands to leave their job to be an amateur  sleuth!  The ones I read usually have recipes, craft patterns or party suggestions at the end.

3) Physiological Thrillers -  These are fabulous!!  You have plot twists, crazy people, gory crime scene descriptions....I can never figure out the killers!!!

4) Young Adult books -  I won't lie...I love reading YA books!  They are fast reads and I can talk about them with my students.  

5) Memoirs, true stories about people ..most of the ones I read involve food  Not sure why since I can't cook but I like to read about people who do.

Do you have a reading goal this year??  Do you have a favorite genre??

I have recently discovered podcasts and I LOVE THEM!!!!!   What turned me onto podcast was the true crime series called Serial.

This sucked me in and I still can't decide if he is innocent or guilty!  If you haven't listened to it and you like true crime drama....Click here Serial  Scroll down to SEASON 1 ....Listen to it then let me know your opinions!!!!  I am on the fence about it.  My brother and co-workers have had many discussion over this trial!!!

Right now I am currently reading:

1) Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs - Cozy Mystery set in Charleston SC

2) My Berlin Kitchen - Luisa Weiss  - true story about a chef

3) Lose the Clutter; Lose the Weight  -  Peter Walsh ....I think this is self Explanatory

My friend Carol has suggested I try out this reading list this year!!  Looks like fun...so I am going to give it a go!

2016 Health Goals

I hope everyone had a Happy New Year!  I celebrated a little early because Disney streamed the New Years fireworks show at 10:50 pm my time.   It was so pretty.  I made me tear up thinking I was actually there two years ago.  I am going to do a few posts of my goals for the next few days so I don't bore everyone at one time. 

One of my goals this year is to get Healthier.  Here is a picture of me at Disney this past September.  As you can see, I have put on a few pounds and I just don't feel good about myself.    I had started working out this summer but developed a bad case of allergies in September  that turned into bronchitis and very close to walking pneumonia.  I have gained back most of the pounds I lost this summer doing my deep water running.  I just haven't got back into a routine of working out again.

Our local community center has put forth a challenge that lasts the entire year.  Each month you have a different task to complete.  For January...it is a 30/30/30 challenge.  30 Push-ups, 30 sit-ups, and 30 minutes of working out at least 3 days a week.  I am hoping by the end of this year I will be more fit.   

Part of this is you have to do a Inbody assessment.  Basically, I go stand on a machine that measures my weight, BMI, Body Fat Mass  amount of water in my body, Skeletal Mass along with a couple other things.   It told me that I needed to lose 42.6 lbs!!!  I freaked out!!  However, my trainer said I should set a goal of 25 Lbs.  If I lose anymore than that I won't be healthy....

So today, I pulled out my Wii Fit Plus.  I spent 32 minutes running in place, hulu hooping, and step work. I was tired but it was fun.  My Mii did go from very skinny to Very Plump when it measured my weight!  

So what is your favorite workout activity?  Do you like to go to the Gym or Home?   Anyone else have a fitness goal??? 

                                           

I found these really cute stamps to put in my planner!!!  They track my water intake  - Mason Jar Stamps.  My steps for the day - each foot is 2,000 steps.  I also added Hot Tea and Cokes to mine.  I add sugar to my hot tea so that makes it bad....or if I get a sonic sweet tea.  The bottom is for cokes.  I have decided that I like sweet tea and cokes...I refuse to deny myself those things!!!!