It's Getting Easier

to keep my head in the weight management game. That is. Yesterday I was tired. I had sorta overdone it with the working out on Tuesday. I went to bed late on Tuesday night due to a series of unfortunate events - anyway, I slept late. so I didn't get a morning workout in. But I didn't add cream to my coffee and I had a yogurt and grapefruit (peeled and eaten like an orange) for breakfast. The Princess showed up at the office around noon and we took a 20 minute walk. Lunch was baby carrots and leftover Tamale casserole. By the time I finally left the office at 6 (I get off work at 4:30) I was almost in tears. The nice relaxing effect of the vacation is gone already. However - I did not sit down with JB and help him finish off the bag of chips with salsa. Instead I had a 2pt bar and big class of water. Dinner was baked fish, grilled butternut squash and a salad. I made sf/ff white chocolate pudding with frozen raspberries for dessert and got JB out to walk the big houndies. This morning saw me up on time, worked out and I took a nice, long (35 minutes or so) walk at lunchtime. Dinner tonight will be left over spaghetti with spinach & strawberries and hopefully an after dinner dog walk. Tomorrow is weigh in, our new roof is being delivered, my brother will be arriving sometime in the middle of the night, I will be working in the yard (on office work, not yard work) and sometime after that - this will return to a sewing blog. Speaking of which - I took the top for the pink dress upstairs with me last night. I left the right side open for the zipper, instead of the left. Anyway - I tried it on, the fit will be a little loose, but fine. The issue I was seeing is with a really, really crappy pressing job. So - literally - back to the ironing board I go!!!

Wanna Play?

So, yesterday I challenged Claire to walk 10,000 steps a day. Truly that is quite a bit. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it right off the bat! But then I remember the comments from last week and the support and others that are in the same boat - struggling with stay on track, forgetting to put themselves first - and I thought why not have a bunch of people play? So, who wants to join us? Randi had some blog posts on her lets get real monday topic that would let you add links of all the people playing. I would be willing to figure that out and have a weekly check-in. On the sewing related front - have you seen what the 3 bloggers on sewing vacation have been churning out? Go check them out - Carolyn is one of those on vacation and she's managed to produce 2 dresses and a jacket. That Jacket by the way is the one I have planned for the Jacket that Carolyn challenged me to make - it's been put aside until end of Summer/Fall sewing as I found a beautiful pink home dec fabric to make it out of. I will meet this challenge - just not before she gets it made. Of course, the other side of the challenge was that Carolyn make a Marfy! Linda (Danvillegirl) is also on vacation. She is in search of the perfect empire waist dress. She may have found it. Go check! Now! Finally, Sharon is on vacation. On top of helping her hubby with a honey-do list a mile long - she's managing to get a lot of sewing done! Personally - I got the polka-dot skirt attached to the top. I also managed to get the white ironed. This morning's 10-20-30 minutes of sewing will hopefully see the white skirt pieces cut and serged. Then tonight - assemble, insert zipper, and finish the last of the hand stitching. I'm starting to get tired of this dress and I'm second guessing my fabric choice. It was a very inexpensive piece of fabric from JoAnn's. Guess I'll have to wait to see once it's finished if it's going to work. If not, I learned some new things and tried a few new things too! Last weekend at the Memorial Day Sales I picked up the following patterns - all for .99 each! I made JoAnn's match the Hancocks .99 price and saved myself a trip :) First I got S4076 - I have seen this top on Claire in person and I love it! I really like the cross over version as well as the scoop neck top. I also picked up the Thread S3744, but no pictures anywhere. I saw this cute little pattern, and while the top is extremely similar to the pattern above, I like the raglan sleeve option as well as the knit dress. It may be time to finally break down and order some fabrics from Gorgeous Things or Marsha. Finally - 2 from McCalls. First up - M5430. I have wanted a true wrap skirt for years. I love the cascading ruffle where the front overlaps. The second pattern - M5434 - I'm loving option B, D, E the wrap jacket, skirt & top. Again - need to shop for high quality knits with great recovery.

What a Difference a Day Makes

So, last night I fixed a Weight Watchers Tamale Casserole for dinner - I loaded up on the veggies. Yummy. While that was in the oven baking - I did a 25 minute weight workout. This morning - After having cottage cheese and cantaloupe for breakfast, I worked on the pink dress. Most of the godets are now successfully installed in their seams! But before that - I plugged in a 20 minute ab routine. Killer! For lunch - salad with ff feta, avocado, & artichokes. Plus a banana. Dinner tonight will either be spaghetti (if JB feels up to cooking) or fish, baked butternut squash & spinach salad. I also plan on logging some miles on the treadmill with a good book - slow and steady. I found out I can walk at a steady pace of 3.4MPH and read at the same time. I keep the incline up around 4.5. Also - if there's time before sewing with House, I might to try to get a little dog walk in. Claire - do you have a pedometer? I would like to issue a daily challenge to get 10,000 steps in, beginning June 1 - you game? Oh, and I know this is a sewing blog - I just need to post weight management issue for a bit and get back on track. Unfortunately - as is the way of life, the current weight management issues affect my ability to sew or even want to. I'll try not to let it take over, though.

One of Those Days!

I'm having a day like the Fiber Fanatic. Well not quite as bad as hers, I have enough fabric. But everything I touch all day has gone wrong! Let me start at the beginning of the weekend. Thank you all for your comments and support on my weight management issues. I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and went to a Weight Watchers meeting on Saturday morning. I was 3# over goal. I bought a couple of packages of 2 point bars and a new cookbook. I was discussing my frustration with the receptionist (who is also a leader) when an older woman came up and started telling us that we were extremely rude! That if I needed to talk to her, then I needed to make an appointment! Well I told the leader that I would stay for the meeting, but I refused to let crabbies rain on my weekend! I then headed over the JoAnns for the Memorial Day Weekend Sale. I got 4 new patterns - 2 Simplicity, and 2 McCalls (with Hancocks .99 price matching!). I also picked up a really cute piece of pique and 2 coordinating prints for another skirt. Then I headed into the office to catch up from being gone on vacation and then this coming week being a short week too! Ran a few errands to get ready for Poker Night in Bothell and then went home. The Musical One and I went through my book series that I read and keep. She helped me figure out which ones were missing. I surfed the net, played with the dogs, and did a little bit of housework. I feel asleep on the love seat around 10 waiting for poker peeps to go home! Well I was watching Veronica Mars with The Musical One and her friend. Veronica Mars strikes me as a Nancy Drew type character. I may have to borrow the Musical One's DVDs and watch the series. Anyway - Sunday JB was sick! And I mean sick, fever, body aches, cough, plugged head - you name it. I made oatmeal for breaky and then just hung out on the couch with him all day. I did manage to finish the back of the pink and brown shell for the twin-set. I also got the sleeves for the lattice and lace cardigan. So, end of Sunday - not a bad day - lots of knitting, no sewing. Monday morning, got up with the dogs. While waiting for JB to get up - I work on a square for Hokie Healing - get all the way to row 38 in the pattern and drop a stitch, can't find the stitch, rip it out! JB got up, still feeling sickly. I go to make breakfast - I really wanted hashbrowns and eggs. Get frying pans out, grab ingredients, only 1 egg! DARN! Okay - plan B - I do not want oatmeal again. So, I make pancakes and cantaloupe. He tells the dogs we'll take them for a walk. Bad move, he's still dealing with a flu, but he got the dogs excited and I can't walk them by myself. So we walk the dogs - really short route, climbed a couple of big hills (it sure doesn't take long to lose any fitness progress that had been made) I was wheezing at the top of each hill. JB, however, was sweating to death - so we headed back home. I cast on for the hokie healing square again - made it to the same point when I lost the pattern, dropped a stitch and ripped it out again! So, I headed downstairs to work on the pink polka dot dress. The top is done - I did manage to do some hand stitching on it yesterday. So, now I just need to put the skirt together. Serger isn't working right. Had to rethread 3 times! Didn't clearly mark the top of the godets, so I now get to rip out all the panels and pin the godets in, so I can start over! I should have spent the day like Sharon! On the Weight Management front: I did not have cream in my coffee today. I did eat fruit with my breakfast and lightened up on the peanut butter and syrup (sugar free!). We walked the dogs, albeit slowly, I have been drinking my water and I actually plugged in a weight lifting video and did it!

Instant Gratification Sewing

Last month I was shopping the local Hancocks. While there I ran across some Gonzaga University cotton. My boss is a GU graduate and a huge basketball fan. After a quick call to the Boss' partner to find out if she wore pj pants, I bought all the fabric that was left on the bolt. The Boss' birthday was yesterday, May 25th. Being the procrastinator that I am, I waited until after we returned from Arizona to even wash the fabric. Wednesday morning before work I cut out the pattern tissue, cut out the fabric, threaded up the serger for 5 thread overlock and sewed the 3 main seams! Thursday after work I shorted the crotch/waist length and sewed in the elastic as well as hemming the pants. During the week, I picked up 2 tee-shirts, one red and one white. I took some of the mascot squares and a couple of the larger GU Squares and applied them onto the tees. The white one has just one of the large blue mascot/logo squares appliqued on the chest by the v-neck. One the red tee, I put two of the small blue mascot squares on either side of a small white "zags" square on the right sleeve.

I added a large white mascot/logo square on the bottom left of the shirt. The Boss was so excited she went into her office and tried the pj pants on! A huge success. The funniest thing was that she didn't realize I made them until her partner told her. She knows I sew and she askes about my clothes all the time - but it never dawned on her that I made the pj pants. As she was leaving for the weekend, she said 'now I know you can make me whatever Zags stuff I want.' I replied, 'no, that's not how it works, I can make whatever Zags stuff I want. Not what you want made.' I'm not sure she understands the difference. I'm glad she likes them though.

Determination, Motivation, Stick-to-it-ivness

Lately I don't seem to have it. And frankly I don't think I care. Although I'm very disappointment in myself I don't have the drive or the desire to make the necessary changes. Let me start back at the beginning. For most of my adult life I have been somebody's version of overweight. I attended Weight Watchers meeting in Nebraska, Montana, Washington and even in England when we lived there. Truthfully though through my mid-20s I really wasn't overweight. I was busy - attending school full-time, working part-time and raising my two daughters alone. I worked out when I could and rode bikes with the girls. We were very active and tried to eat well - but sometimes it hard. After graduating from school and only having to work full-time, life slowed down and I enjoyed being able to sit down and watch tv, read a book, or (gasp) sew! I quit being so active. I had time. My life wasn't a constant rush. Then I met JB in May 1992. We were busy, I was always doing for somebody else. Getting up early so I could pack lunches for all the kids (his 2, my 2). Working all day, coming home cleaning house, cooking dinner, helping with homework, walking dogs - you know, normal 'mom/wife' stuff. I would fall into bed exhausted only to get up and do it again the next day. Sewing, reading, knitting, even mindless tv watching took a backseat to everyone else. I had put myself on the bottom of the foodchain. Finally (just like someone in an abusive relations) something snapped and I had enough. I joined Weight Watchers with a new attitude for the "last" time on January 10, 2002. That evening I weighed in at a whopping 254.6 pounds. I almost cried. I was so embarrassed. How had this happened? When did this happen. How was I going to lose 100#? Well I am a very slow loser. I enjoy having sweets - jelly beans are my own personal meth. Give me one and I'm a gonner! Really I'm that way with anything sweet. I just need to avoid it completely. Anyway - it took me until the first week in August 2002 to reach my 10% goal. For those of you good in math - that's only 25#. I set my personal goal for the very, very top end of the weight range for my height or 169. I reach lifetime on November 10, 2005. My entire family attended the meeting with me that night to show their love and support. I continued to attend regular weekly meeting for the next year and I have maintained my weight loss for some time. However, now I'm backsliding. I'm eating more sugar and less fruit. More chips and less veggies. I'm not thinking ahead and packing lunches as much and driving through fast food much more. I'm tired and not cooking again and we are ordering in more. I don't have the determination or motivation to get back to it. And yet, I am so disappointed in myself. I hate the way I feel when I try to find something to wear to work. I have a closet full of cute skirts that are starting to become unattractively too tight. I hate the feeling I get when I eat too much - sugar, salt, whatever. And yet, I don't seem to care enough to make the changes again. I don't want to wait until I need to lose 95# (my final weight loss number) again, but I'm afraid that's where I'm headed. Anyone have any stories to share? Any insight to give? How do you keep motivated? What gets on the treadmill (or your workout of choice) daily? Where does the determination, desire, drive to maintain weight management - even at the expense of other things in your life - come from? I don't have any answers and I'm about ready to go stand in front of the freezer with a spoon, eating ice cream straight from the carton. Sorry for the depressing, feeling sorry for myself, completely non-sewing related post - I guess I'm just looking for someone who can relate. I know there are a ton of bloggers out there following the weight watchers plan and being successful. I guess I'm looking for a support group (away from the weight watchers website) of woman who are crafty, taking care of others and can relate. Happy Weekend everyone.

A Little Fun

If gaylen were a drink they would be: 3 parts radiant 1 parts charming 2 parts loyalty Get Your RECIPE Here!

Vacatation Recap

While 5 days away from home isn't a long time - it's definitely long enough. We were up with the sun on Thursday morning and after stopping for coffee - we were off to the airport. We landed in Phoenix around 1. It was incredibly hot! After getting our rental car, we took our time getting to the first B&B. The next day we were at The Grand Canyon. All these photos really show is that I need a new digital camera! I've been trying to talk JB into getting a Canon Digital Rebel to work with his Canon 35mm but he's resisting. Maybe I'll get a Rebel and he can use it. Anyway - The Canyon is breathtaking. It is just so incredible in it's beauty and the fact that it's just a huge whole in the ground created by nature. Incredible. The colors are so rich and amazing - I just don't even know what else to say. I truly didn't take a lot of photos - I left that to JB. 9 rolls to drop off today (I'm going to ask for digital on CD too)

On Saturday we drove through the mountains to Sedona. However, our favorite town was Jerome. Literally you went around a turn in the mountains and all of a sudden you were in a town! It just sprung right out of the mountain side. We parked and did some shopping in Jerome and I came home with my only souvenir from this trip - I beautiful handmade necklace with matching earrings. Driving through Sedona - we truly had to stop every few yards and just gasp at the landscape. All those pictures you see of Arizona and those Red Mountains - those are through Sedona. I can't believe how beautiful they are and how taken for granted if they are in your own backyard. By the same token I have incredibly views of the Cascades, the Olympics and Mount Rainier on my daily commute to and from work - I rarely take the time to just soak in the beauty of it.

Finally - this is a picture of petrified wood. It's just lying in the middle of the badlands - all by itself. Nobody really knows how it got there or what caused the trees to petrify. This vacation was day after day of sensory overload - the weather was fabulous - in the mid-to-high 80s daily. The scenery made you gasp for breath and we had fabulous meals. There really wasn't any fabric shopping. I found one cute little yarn store and really wanted to spend money to purchase yarn, pattern and needles to make a lace shawl or wrap - but the woman working there was too busy gossiping with a friend who stopped by to help me - so I spent my money elsewhere. Tomorrow - Instant Gratification Sewing project photos. Today is my boss' birthday and I made a fabulous gift - but I can't post today, because I don't know if she's ever stumbled upon my blog :)

Thankful Thursday

I know, I know - I still haven't posted my few vacation photos - but, it's Thursday. So, today I'm asking you to remember the little things in life that bring a smile to your face. *Singing "Good Morning, Good Morning" to The Princess each morning. *Lucy Lou - even if her alter ego "Lucifer" often comes out *JB - who watched the entire season of American Idol with me, even though he didn't really care (Yeah Jordan!) *The Musical One who is making an effort to be more around the house *The sun coming up through the remaining trees around our property *Instant gratification sewing *Chances to go away and reconnect with JB *Getting back to work to a message from the boss that said "Welcome back, we missed you." and knowing she meant it. So, what brings a smile to your face on a regular basis?

How Is It . . .

that The Princess (my youngest daughter) is so much more responsible than The Musical One (my oldest one)? So, The Musical One lives at home and basically does nothing around the house. She has a full time job that she is good at, they know they can count on her if they need filling in at another store, whatever. But at home - forgetaboutit. So, since the kids have been 'adults' when JB and I go on our 'reconnect' vacations, I leave The Princess in charge. I know the dogs will be taken care of, there will be no wild parties and the house will be standing when we return. This irritates The Musical One to no end. So, this time The Musical One was in charge because she still lives at home. Well, she didn't leave the door open to the dog yard overnight (like she was specifically instructed to do), she didn't lock the baby gate into the wall - so Abby broke out every night and Beau & Dudley followed her. Lucy stayed behind and ate the baby gate. There are new puddles on the downstairs floor (remember this is where I sew - YUCK!) I think Lucy may have eaten the downstairs phone, because now there is a new one downstairs and she ate my cute little chair pincushion - the one I just bought myself for Mother's Day! I don't understand. Oh, and today I pulled out the downstairs vacuum to clean up after the dogs and the fan is broken (you can tell by the sound it makes). Anyway - I know it wasn't broken before we left because I vacuumed downstairs on Wednesday before work. So, now she can either pay to have the vacuum fixed or buy me a new one! Thankfully, right now she's still at work because I'm still plenty mad! I know for one thing I'm raising her rent (a lot!). She currently pays $200 per month and starting in July it's going up to $600! She is responsible for vacuuming at least 2 times per week with 3 being ideal. Well from now on - it's 3 times per week and if I can see dog hair bunnies on the same day she vacuumes and the dogs haven't been in yet. Well she'll be pulling the vacuum back out and doing it again. I am so frustrated. I'm glad that she can be a responsible, respectful adult member of society, but is it too much to ask for the same level of responsibilty and respectfulness at home? I'll be back tomorrow with photos from Arizona. I didn't take alot and I hope the ones I did take came out well.

Vacation without Photos

JB and I are Arizona. Man was it hot when we got off the plane in Phoenix! Triple-digits. Way too hot for me. We spent day one driving to our first B&B. Had an enjoyable scenic drive. I managed to get both fronts of the cardigan I'm working on finished between the flight and relaxing on night one. Day 2 we drove all over again! We are gluttons for driving vacations. Next year I'm planning someplace warm with a pool and we're just going to lay about for 4 days or so and not see anything! Anyway, we managed to find a really cool town on old Route 66. Stopped, got some photos (JB shoots film and I left the digital in the car), and bought some souvenirs. After that we boogied on up to The Grand Canyon. Wow! It's absolutely incredible. The view, the depth, all of it. If you've never been it's worth seeing at least once. We saw a small (5) heard of deer while we were in the park. But that's been just about the only wildlife - other than a few rabbits. I guess we did see some antelope on the first day's drive. After walking around the canyon for the better part of 5 hours, we were ready to find some food (we are both notorious for forgetting to eat). We found a steak house were all in all we just had a mediocre experience. I have spent the last 2 days wearing skirts and tee-shirts. The weather has been in the 80s and it is glorious. I have noticed that several of the woman are wearing skirts or dresses and layered tanks with them. In this heat (yes, compared to Seattle - this is hot!) a dress or skirt is much more comfortable to wear. Today we are headed up to the Four Corners and The Petrified Forest. Another long day in the car, some knitting, some navigating, lots of sight seeing and plenty of photo ops! Have a great day everyone and do some sewing for me :)

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights

I'm starting to get into the pre-vacation stress. I have a list as long as my arm of things that "should" get done before we go. Unfortunately, I'm running out of time. Even more unfortunate - is that I was sick on Monday - just a little stomach virus, but one that kept me in bed and not getting anything crossed off that list! So that was a completely wasted day and night! I hate being sick!! So today - I will take my lunch break and use it to run into Nordy to look at Spanx and if I have time stop at the doggie store for dog food and treats. The plan after that is to stop at Circuit City on my way home for a laptop bag and dual headphones so we can watch a movie on the plane. Or we might just watch "The Closer." The dogs bought me Season 1 on DVD for Mother's Day! I love those dogs :) Then when I get home I can throw some sample paint at the house before heading into the sewing room to continue working on the pink polka dot dress. The bodice is almost complete and the skirt is a snap so it might get done before we leave after all! I am doing a few things on this dress that I have never done before. The fabric is really thin, so I cut out 2 layers of all the bodice pieces. It was still pretty sheer, so I cut another layer of a thin white cotton. I am handling one layer of pink and one white cotton together as one and the lining it with the pink cotton. I'm changing the assembly order to have all the seams enclosed. I might need to stop by Hancocks to pick up some more white cotton for lining the skirt - or maybe I'll just by a slip! Purchasing a slip is highly unlikely, so it's another stop for white cotton! Finally, after JB gets done with his errands, I have to meet him at Lowes to order the shingles for our roof. My brother is coming on June 1st to put a new roof on and since JB wants a shingle with a little style - it's going to have to be ordered and delivered. Needs to be taken care of before we leave. Whew! I'm exhausted and I'm still sitting at my desk!!! :) Happy Sewing Everyone.

Serger Anyone?

So how do you use your serger? Do you use it to it's full potential? Do you occasionally construct entire garments on it? Do you use it for any sort of embellishment purposes? I have a great serger! I have a Viking 936 which will do a 2, 3, 4, or 5 thread overlock. It will also coverstitch and chainstitch. With the optional accessory feet - it will create pintucks, shadow-work, ruffles, gather 2 pieces of fabric together. When I worked for the dealer I took lots of classes on how to get the most results from my serger. So, what exactly do I use it for? - right, finishing a seam after I've constructed it on my sewing machine. Now - doesn't that sound like a waste? A waste of time, a waste of money, and a waste of good equipment. Apparently - I need to do something about this!!

Apparently, I'm Not So Different Either

So, Remember how the notion of when not sewing we are shopping was going around? Carolyn does it; Debbie does it; and even Claire has owned up to it. Apparently, I'm completely normal! Yesterday, before heading into work at 10 - I went to the Orthodontist for a new retainer (necessary after a new crown); then I headed over the Fred Meyer for some tanning lotion and other necessities. I stumbled across this little beauty and it had to come home with me. I think, based on all the hooks on it - that is suppose to be a jewelry hanger of some sort - but it's going to live in my sewing room. I could put pins or buttons in the base - but I won't it will find a home on one of my shelves and just look pretty. Next I headed to JoAnn's. Now I really don't need anything. But I'm feeling overwhelmed and guilty about the knitting projects that are currently lying around, so why not add to that guilt by tacking on a few sewing projects that I will attempt to get done before heading out on vacation - but most likely won't get finished. This is what I picked up there - The first piece of fabric is pink with white polka dots (the spots are about the size of a pencil eraser). I'm thinking that this fabric would look great sewn up in Simplicity 3877. I'm thinking view D - the non-wrap version with the cap sleeve. I have already made this pattern up once and I know how it fits, so while there are lots of pieces - this is easy sewing. Doable before 6:00 a.m. Thursday when I need to be finished packing. Next, I found this great cotton floral. It has shades of pink, green and mauve on an ivory background. Personally, I think this would be a fabulous muslin for the brown polka dot dress (which will now be set aside until Fall) from Simplicity 3774. I'm personally leaning toward View A, but using the short sleeve instead of the long belled sleeve option. I don't know how doable this is before Thursday. I really only have 1.5 full days to sew plus 3 evenings after work. Finally, I spotted these two quilting cottons. I'm not trying to decide it they should be another version of The Daisy Skirt with the graphic print being the main skirt fabric and the green being the border or attempt Butterick 5046, View D - the 2-color top. My hesitation with this top is that I'm worried the longer length, full top will make me look preggers. But it would be a fun top! And could easily be worn over my khaki capris. I'll take it to the ASG meeting today and look for opinions! Here are a few pieces from my last pitty party shopping that I haven't shared with anyone yet! This first one is a beautiful sheer piece with a plaid overlaid with circles. The turquoise piece under is for the lining. The picture with the fabric folded doesn't show how pretty it really is! This fabric screamed at me - and yet it's still sitting here folded. It is destined to become B4978, View A. I love this dress - I might make the longer length, but most likely the shorter. Then I picked up this little remnant of a slinky. I really love B4996. However, I don't like the dress in this pattern. The gores in the skirt just look wrong to me for some reason. So, I'm going to make the top from this pretty piece of fabric. This would be super cute with a brown, pink, or even the seafoam green bottom of sort. Either a semi-full skirt or possibly slacks - if I can ever get a pattern to fit. My last stop before hitting the office was Staples. I love office supplies almost as much as I love fabric stores. The chair pin cushion was actually purchased at JoAnn's but the bookends came from Staples and they look great with the dress form. I don't know what I'm going to put them "around" so they show how cute they actually are, I may just put them in front of something.

I'm Wondering

Once it gets to warm to wear hose with all the cute skirts and dresses in my closet - I end up still wearing hose. How about you? Do you worry about whether or not you have the smoothness you get with hose? Are you self-conscious all day about whether you're keeping your stomach sucked in? We are headed to Arizona for a few days next week and I don't want to pack hose, but I do want the 'confidence' boost that they give. The smoothing benefits and the knowledge that if I relax those stomach muscles - I'm going to be uncomfortable. So, I'm just wondering - what do you wear under your skirts and dresses when it's too warm for hose?

Thankful Thursday

Lots of little things make me happy to be alive. Some days it's harder than others to remember that. Anyway - here I go: *Watching Beau & Lucy wrestle over squirrel *Having Hazel at the office yesterday *The cool mornings and the super sunny afternoons *Driving with the top down and the radio blaring *The smell of coffee *Pumpkin scones - yummy! *Cute skirts *Seeing the sun come up through the trees *Listening to the ponds in our backyard *Taking a nap on the couch - and not feeling guilty about it :} How about you? What little things in life remind you to be Thankful?

The Birthday Gift

First - let me thank everyone for their input into this gift. I truly appreciate all the responses I got to my I'm Begging You! post. The box that contains all these goodies should be arriving on Jessica's doorstep today. In the box was lots of stuff!

I picked up the cutest little sewing themed tin at Hancock fabrics. I know that Jess does a little bit of sewing, but don't know what she has. I also know that she hasn't ventured into garment construction - but is interested in making herself some cute summer skirts.

So, also included in the box was an assortment of good maching needles, some pins, some hand sewing needles, some elastic, basic colors of good thread, a tape measure, a tomato pin cushion and skirt hooks. I purchased the Vogue Sewing Book and Singer Perfect Fit. I had never seen this book - and man did I want to keep it!!! I also included my favorite Kwik Sew skirt pattern - 3337 and New Look 6569. It has a cute little skirt and a basic tee.

Finally - I included some hand lotion and a bag of Laffy Taffy! That yarn that is showing in the final photo here is so Jess can make squares for Hokie Healing. She knits, she just doesn't have access to good yarn. So I sent her some :)

I hope she enjoys this package and can't wait to see the skirts that she makes!

Frustrating!

I have the day off - yea! I have to go into the office today - boo! I have been very lazy this morning - playing with the blog and trying to create a button! Other people have them. It can't be that hard - play with a photo, add a little text, save it somewhere - voila! Button created - right? Apparently not! At least not for me. Darn it! I'm going to continue working on it, but I may need to buy a book (HTML for Dummies) as well as different photo software, because I can't get it to work with what I've got. I guess I should take a shower and head to the office - just so I don't have to be there all day!!

Thankful Thursday

I used to post regularly about the little things in life that make me smile. Not the big things like having a job where I'm appreciated (overworked, but appreciated), or having healthy children, a husband who loves me, you know - the big things. But really the small things - I think it's the small things that make life worth getting up in the morning. It's the small things that keep you going when life is feeling heavy or hard. So - for this week - here's my list of the small things: *Watching Beau & Lucy play with "squirrel" *The smell of coffee in the morning *Hearing the birds outside my bedroom window when I'm waking up *Watching the sun come up *Laughing at the little cherry blossoms covering my car! *Sitting by the ponds in the backyard and listening to nature *Listening to a favorite song *Turning on the Christmas lights that are still on the fence in the dog yard *Seeing the glass jars on the shelves in the sewing space *Fun dresses! What brings a smile to your face these days? What little thing makes your day just a little brighter? Care to share with me?