It's Going To Be Hard

I signed up for local workout camp.  You pay a lot of money up front, meet with a nutritionist, and  personal trainer 5 times a week for 6 weeks.  And if you lose 20 lbs in that time frame, you get you're money back.

So this morning, I started measuring and weighing my food/drinks again.  Not bad and I'm used to it.  But I haven't really cut anything out.  But I know that they will want me to cut things out.  So I used less cream and sugar in my coffee.  And had less coffee.  No sweets planned until #1's birthday this weekend.  This is where it's going to be hard.  I love my coffee.  I love my full fat and full sugar creamer too.  And it is just not the same.

And although I know that I need to do this, I already want to give up.  I don't want to wake up at 5:30 every morning to be at the gym by 6.  I also don't want to give up my coffee, and my dressings for salad, and gravy.  But that's also why I need to do this bootcamp.  It's a vicious circle I tell you.  VICIOUS.

So between party planning and getting the kiddo back to his routine for school starting next week, I will be getting my mind and body used to the next 6 weeks ahead.  And while I won't be full fledged bootcamp style this week, it's a start.  And any start is a move towards a good direction.

I Finished

Yep, I finished all my Christmas sewing before Christmas eve.  I even had all the wrapping done.  Now that Christmas has come and gone, I've started birthday party planning and sewing.  I know that Christmas, and both boy's birthdays are the same day every year.  In 2014, I so plan on being more organized, sewing wise anyways.

For hubby's side of the family, I decided to do personalized oversized pillows.  The actual pillow didn't take that long.  It was the putting the name on there with my freemotion foot.

I had 7 of these pillows to do.  I wanted to do something quick and easy.  So what I did was buy a yard of each fabric.  Then I just folded it in half and sewed around the edges.  I put black fleece on the backside and then freemotion quilted the name on backwards. That was fun.  Anyways, they turned out great for kids.  I wish they were a little neater.  But I'm working on the technique.  And all the kids loved them.

And while I liked them.  And the kids liked them.  But they were hard to wrap and they took up a whole lot of space.  But they were a hit and worth it.

See, took up lots of space.

So today I went to the quilt shop, and Target, and JoAnn.  I got fabric for a quilt, an oversized pillow, and fabric for our 4-H project on Friday.  And I also got some stuff for the big kid's party next week.  But that's a whole other post.

A Change Of Plans

So at the beginning of the month, I posted about these great stick ponies I made for my niece and nephew.   You know these cuties....

Then I took one to mail to my sister.  And the post office said it would be $128 and some change to ship it.  Yep.  ONE HUNDRED, TWENTY EIGHT DOLLARS.  To ship a 3.2 lbs box to Massachusetts.  Yeah.  I also shipped a 4 lb box with the cherry quilt to Pennsylvania for $12 and some change.  When I call the USPS, they quoted me $15.99.  That was in November.  And the guy behind the counter said the rates go up during the holidays.

So yeah.  I had to make a last minute change.  I browsed my pinterest boards.  And then browsed my stash.  And then I found some left over fabric from his baby blanket.  And came up with a crayon/book holder.

I think he'll love it.  My guys think it's great too.  Looks like I'll be making a couple after the holidays.  Hubby thought it was so great, he said I should enter it into the fair.  I'm still undecided about the fair.  And on a plus side.....   it's going to be a lot cheaper to ship.

Merry Cherry Christmas

I'm in an awesome mommy group.  Well... 2 awesome groups.  One for each kiddo.  But this Christmas, I decided to participate in the Christmas exchange for the youngest age group.  Easier to not disappoint.  Jet got paired with a girl.  So I decided to make a quilt.  After several ideas.  But I had enough fabric to make a cherry quilt.  So I decided on that.  That way, the bulk of my spending would be in boxing and shipping.  And I think it turned out cute.  

I decided to go easy.  I need it to be there by the 21st.  So I was a sewing.  I made Jet a cuddle quilt last year for Christmas and got it done in an afternoon.  But everything was pre-cut.  So I had enough fabric to make another toddler sized quilt.  I cut all the fabric into strips and sewed the backing together on Saturday.  Sunday afternoon I sewed all the strips on.  

I measured out the back and cut the strips so that I started at one end and sewed to the other end.  I love quilt as you go.  It's so much faster.   Especially on smaller quilts like this one. 

But it does come with some problems every once in a while.  I used my "new to me" sewing machine that I bought for 4-H use.  And I'm glad I did since I ran into a rat's nest.  Literally.

I had to work out some tension issues apparently.  I just wish it wasn't 5 rows in.  LOL.  

Today I cut, pinned and sewed the binding on.

I think it turned out cute.  And a little bigger than crib/toddler size.  It came out to 54.5" by 65".   I think it turned out super cute.  And it's big enough to grow into a little bit.  I bought this fabric about 9 years ago.  I originally bought it for my grandma.  And then she mentioned she saw some other fabric that ended in her getting a different quilt all together.  And then I figured that it would be as close to a Louis Vuitton cherry bag as it gets.  

And now it's all boxed and ready to ship.  I'm hoping they love it.  And I got a lot of days left before I'll know.  Until then, I have 7 more projects to finish up.

Luckily they're going to be overstuffed floor pillows.  And I'll get one done a day.  

And then I will be done with Christmas projects.  And the great thing is, I have enough fabric to make myself a top out of the same cherry fabric. 

WHHOOOAAA! Little Cowboy

Cowboy.  Cowgirl.  It doesn't matter.  I couldn't think of what to get the little people in the family.  My siblings kids are around the same as my youngest.  And every kid at that age is on a different skill level.  So I thought about what Jet liked to do best.  And the only toy he's been playing with is a stick pony.  So I made a couple.

I used mostly what I had.  I'm trying to not to buy more stuff than I need.  It's hard as a crafter not to justify "it."  What "it" is at that moment.  

So I had a sock monkey kit, buttons, ribbons, embroidery thread, and stuffing.  I bought the sticks, and yarn.  And a last minute purchase of a yarn needle.

I can tell you that I didn't follow just one pattern for them.  I went to pinterest and combined several different patterns.  Like I said, I was trying to be money saving this year.

But all in all, I think they turned out great.  Now I just hope to find a box big enough to wrap them in.