Randoms and diet challenge

Have you checked out Better After yet?  If not, you seriously need to get out of the cave and check it out!  It's my new addiction.  Well, besides dieting.

From Simple transformations:

To more elaborate...

There is plenty for everyone!

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On the diet note, things are going ok.  I worked out Friday and this morning and will be back again on Thursday and Friday.  I have been going to the Y at 5:00 in the morning with my friend, Liz.  It helps to have the motivation of a friend.  Knowing that someone is waiting for me helps me get my fat butt out of bed.

But here is the next diet challenge:

FOOD DIARY!!!

 This is helping me so much!  Just writing down what I am eating, how many calories, and how much water I
am having is making all the difference.  Here is a link to the print out I use (it is in my home management binder).

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Tomorrow I have a craft to share with you.  Check back!

Coolest Tip EVER!

This weekend we went to my parents house to celebrate family birthdays and, because we live in WI, the Superbowl (even though I could careless.  About the Superbowl that is.).

My daughter decided to color a picture at my parents dining room table with a permanent marker.  Well, it bled through onto the table. The worst part, my dad's boss (who he wants to truly impress), is coming over for dinner on Tuesday.  In a moment of crises we came up with only one resolution.  A table cloth.  Not the best choice.

After doing a quick search online, we found the answer.  I assure you!  It WORKS!

COLGATE!  However, use the plain white paste.  It works better than this stuff.

 

Put a generous amount of toothpaste on the permanent marker

With a cloth, start scrubbing.

Then, watch it disappear.

Here is what was left.  The white toothpaste will remove this too.  I plan on picking up a tube to get the rest off.

Amazing, right?

Artwork

I used to draw.  A lot.  Since college, that has been a big challenge.  I miss it.  I'm hoping to challenge myself to pick up the pencil and paper again and do some artwork.  

Here are some photos of my work when I was younger.  They are not great photos, but you get the picture.  All of the pencil drawings are done with nothing but a #2 pencil.

This is a pastel pencil of Johnny Cash

 This is an oil painting I did in 4th grade that one first place in a high school division art contest.

 This is a pastel pencil of Tom Hanks from the Green Mile.

Pencil of Michael Jordan

 Pencil of Lucille Ball.

 Pencil of an old actor (don't remember which one)

 Pencil of Wycleff Jean.

Oil pastel

Awesome Tutorial Resource!

www.Printfriendly.com is a page where you type in the url to a tutorial you want to print.  Then, it removes all of the sidebar info, ads and such.  You can remove parts of the tutorial or delete pictures and print right from there.

Are you up for a challenge?

After having my second child, I started working out with two friends and boy did the weight come off fast!  But then I had baby number 3 and didn't loose it because we were in a new town with no friends.  Then 9 months later I was pregnant with baby number 4.  Now, I have a LOT of weight to lose!  

I have been wanting to get rid of the extra weight for a long time, and now I'm bound and determined to do it.  Care to join me on my journey of weight loss?

If so, once a week I will be posting a new challenge.  I know, it isn't craft related, but sometimes you just need some accountability.

So, if you're in, here is challenge number one.

Get a work out partner.

If you're like me, staying motivated is totally an issue!!  BLAH!  I hate the idea of working out alone.  I find myself watching the clock and wondering how much longer it's going to be.  But, when I work out with a partner, I have someone to talk to and the time goes so much faster!  So, get a work out partner.  Someone who is willing to work out 2-3 times a week.  Pick what you plan to do... be it a gym membership (or actually using the one you pay for but never use!), a video, running outside, whatever.  Just find someone and something.

I have my work out partner.  My friend Liz.  She has always been working out and is in MUCH better shape than I am.  Truth is, that's just more motivation!!!

If you want in on this weight loss challenge, let me know.  Post a before photo of yourself so you can track your progress.  I know, I'm dreading this part.  (I'll have mine up later today)  Letting you actually see how fat I am!  YIKES!  I'm doing it anyway.  It's more motivation!  So, do it!  Face your fears and lose your butt! 

Recycled Sweater to Pencil Holder - Tutorial

My son, Caden, is always searching for a pencil when he needs to start his homework.  They're usually shoved in a basket on the bookshelf that is filled with God only knows what.  So, I wanted to make a cute pencil holder for him to easily access his pencils when he needs them.

Love it!  Another super easy project.

You will need only a few things... 

old sweater

tin can

scissors

glue gun

Cut off one of the sleeves, about 4 inches longer than the can is tall.  Then cut it down the seam of the sweater (unless your sleeve fits snugly around your can.  Then skip the next few steps... mine didn't).

Glue one edge of the sweater to the can, leaving a small amount of the sweater hanging over the bottom edge of the can - not much.

Fold over the opposite side of the sleeve and glue it down.

Wrap it around the can and glue this folded edge on top of the other edge.

Sorry for the bad picture here - too small of a depth of field.  

Anyway, tuck the top of the sweater into the can and glue it down.

Carefully glue the bottom edge of the sweater under the can, making sure to get all of the loose ends so that it doesn't fray.  The above picture has only half of the sweater glued to the bottom so you can see how I am pulling all of those loose ends down.  That's it.  Now fill it with pencils!

Recycled Sweater to Ear Warmer - Tutorial

Have you seen the really cool knit (or crochet) ear warmers this winter?  I'm in love with them!  I attempted to knit one this week but I suck with increases.  My decreases were tolerable, but not so hot.  It wasn't what I was going for.  So, I decided to make one out of an old sweater I got at the thrift store for $1.95.  The best part of the project is that it only took me about 15-20 minutes.  Easy peasy!  That's my kind of project.

Meet my Friend, Anya, who is wearing my new creation!  Isn't she gorgeous?  The best model anyone could ask for... and... she has had four children and still looks drop dead gorgeous.  That's something to be proud of!  Thanks for modeling, Anya!  :)

Here is what I did.

The old sweater.

I cut down the seam of the cowl neck.

Then cut it off the sweater and lay it out.

I used the one I knitted as a pattern.  It's about an inch and a half wide at the ends, 4 inches wide in the center, and about 24 inches long.

I cut it out a bit wider than the one I knitted... about 2 inches on the ends and 5-6 inches in the center.

Run it through a zig zag stitch on your sewing machine.

When I put it on my head, it was a bit too long.  This is how much the ends overlapped when I put it on.

I put a button hole on one end.  Then I put it back on my head to see where the button needed to go.

I sewed on the button.  Here you can see how much extra there was.

I just cut it off and ran that edge back through the sewing machine.

Here it is finished.

The button is just not in the center of the back, which I ended up liking better anyway!  It gave it more interest.

You could make a flower out of the sweater too, if you wanted, but I liked it more simple.