Weight loss journey

I have been one of those people who are completely content with my weight and size (as far as clothing) overall having a positive self image.  But I was starting to eat way more then I should, going to food for comfort, saw those around (people I care about) gain weight in a concerning way.  So I decided after years of being a 12 (slowly going up a size) that it was time to start watching what I put in my mouth.  I downloaded myfitnesspal to my iphone and start documenting what I was eating.  Now after about 30 days I have lost about 8 pounds! I'm putting on pants that I bought to small and now fit.  I seeing my jeans I wear on a regular basis fitting much looser than they were and overall feeling proud of myself. I will look for a before and so far photo to add later.  I want to continue and drop more over time and I know it will be a process.  But I look at it realistically too if I want something (that is "not good" for me) I still will allow a little. I still eat French fries and burgers (but I eat turkey burgers).  I eat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.  It's the little changes that help a lot.  Pin It Now!

A disney gift

I made this for my younger brother.  While he was at my house I quietly put on the driver seat of his car while he was up here to do something and walked away.  I hungout in my craft room and watched for his reaction.  I truly enjoyed seeing his smile.  It meant a lot to me to see it.  

The page was made using white cardstock.  I created a stencil using my gypsy, Cricut, and the Mickey and friends cartridge.  I inked all the shapes in blue then shifted it so the pattern was in between two of the other Mickey heads and inked them all green to create my background.  I then took a thin black marker and outlined the heads.  I matted the pictures in yellow, red and black paper (in true Mickey style) and cut out the character names in red with a black shadow again using the Mickey and friends cartridge.  I like how it came out and hope my brother enjoys it too.   

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Card Class planned (finally)

Card club planned! Finally, this month was truly a labor of love because I haven't been able to be creative over the course of the semester.  I think I needed kick start my creative brain.  The first card (the Father's Day card) was pretty much from my brain.  I knew I wanted to have the girls create their own background paper using the stamps from this set (which I love!! I'll get into why later in the post).  I thought a lot about how to do what I wanted to do, which was probably was my problem,  I over thought.  I looked on Pinterest for inspiration and I saw a triple layer card and thought this is perfect! So I set out to create it.  I put it together and stared at it for quite awhile I originally was have the score line on the left.  I didn't like that so finally I flipped the card, so the line would be on the top! That was the ticket.  I cut the shape for the sentiment using my gypsy so I could create the perfect mat for it (which is soooo easy with the gypsy).  I love how it came out over all. Now why do I love this stamp set? It reminds me of my great grandfather.  He was very talented man when it came to tools.  He created two of the large funiture pieces in my craft room (the dry sink which I use as my Cricut station and the huge hutch that I store all my close to my heart stamps on).  I will hopefully post an updated room tour soon.  I have to pick up first.  I might even do a video!  On to the second card. 

The second card is based on a card in the catalog (page 50). I used a different trailer stamp and instead of using what looks like a my stickease sticker I stamped the tree from the stamp set behind the trailer because I cut the trailer out of off white cardstock I could stamp it so it looks like a taller tree behind the trailer.  I also didn't use the 3-D embellishments to keep down costs plus I didn't have them on hand anyway. I like what I came up with and hope the girls do too.  

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A quick update and some gorjuss girl stamps

I just wanted to update you all on my semester.  It was dicey for a minute or two, but in the end I did very well.  I am maintaining my 3.66 gpa. 

In the crafting world I treated myself to a couple new stamps because of a YouTube video I watched.  They are from a company called gorjuss girls.  I purchased foxy and the collector ( I can't imagine why lol).  They weren't too expensive and came packed well.  I love that the image is on the back side of the stamp so you can see it when using clear blocks.  

Foxy 

The collector

Today I spent most of my time coloring them in I like that you can color them however you like (so stamps don't allow for that but these girls can be given just about any color hair/skin tone etc and look lovely).  

After coloring for awhile I decided I want to get a BIG set of prismacolor colored pencils.  I currently have only about 20 colors and I find it too limiting.  I ran to Micheal's to see what they had and they want $230 for a set I found online for $95.  So I might do some shopping this weekend to see if my local artist supply stores, Joann's and hobby lobby have.  I have always wanted a nice set of colored pencils and never got them, so it's time. 

Here is the card I made with foxy and I used Close to my Heart's wild thing stamp set which was the stamp of the month in January or February I believe.  I think it came out cute.  Well I hope this post finds you well.  I promise more crafting will be coming.  Because I decided not to work rec this summer.  I'm sure I will take on many projects from now till the end of August. I looking forward to an awesome summer. 

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Autism awareness month outfits take 2

Okay I have lost track of what day things were wore so I'll just keep with numerical order not really dates.  I have been on a diet for 25 days now I'm counting calories and watching what I take in, so I'm starting to feel a littl better about myself.  I lost about 10 pounds! I'm soooo proud!  I even got my dad in on it cause he was getting a bit of a gut.  So without further adue! 

Outfit 4 

I wore this to my nephew Landon's first birthday party.  We learned a new muchkin is joining our ranks!!! Fingers crossed it's a girl (but I will love him or her either way).  

Dark denim jeggings-american eagle

Navy sweater- thrifted (american eagle) 

Off white cami- Kohl's 

Necklace- Allora handmade (retired) 

Day 5 

Lazy day tutoring 

Jeggings- american eagle 

Navy blue t-shirt- Boyfriend's firehouse 

Day 6 

Off white boyfriend cardigan- walmart 

Blue tshirt- target 

Tank- aero 

Jeggings- american eagle 

Day seven- working 

Blank dress pants- dockers 

Navy peacock shirt- kohls 

Sweater-kohls 

Necklace- Lisa Lenord design 

Day 8- school work and picking up around the house 

Top- old navy 

Jean jacket- thrifted (target) 

Jeggings (cause I wear nothing else lately) american eagle 

Scarf- target 

Day 9- Working 

Coral shirt- Target 

Grey vest-kohls 

Grey skirt- forever 21

Necklace- allora handmade (retired) 

Day 10- My Birthday 

Shirt-kohl's 

Jeggings- american eagle 

Earrings- target 

Day 11 (I promise there was blue on the shirt) Riding 

Kingdom heart shirt- kohls 

Red denim skinny jeans- jc penny's 

Day 12

Blue tank - forever 21 

Grey graphic tank- thrifted 

Jeggings- american eagle 

Necklace- allora handmade (retired) 

Day 13

Blue tshirt- target 

Jeggings- surprise american eagle 

Day 14 (Easter Sunday) school work 

Denim shirt-target 

Black tank top- aero 

Orange (I know right!!) skinny jeans- jc penny's ($3)!! 

Necklace-antique locket (it was my great grandmother's and has a picture of my great grandfather in it.  I needed to be close to them yesterday) 

Day 15 School work (I'm almost done with my special education degree!!!) 

Black shirt- old navy 

Scarf- target 

Tank- forever 21 

Jeggings- american eagle.  

 No promises that I will go beyond Thursday because I'm going on a mini vacation somewhere warmer, so I have to dig out the summer clothes. I promise there isn't much blue there.  This has been fun! 

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Autism awareness month

So April is autism awareness month and April 2nd was international autism awareness day.  So I decided to not only light up our light poles by the road blue but I'm attempting to wear blue everyday from April 2nd-April 30th.  This will be a huge challenge as I don't own that much blue.  I really should take out everything blue I own and take a picture lol.  So far I'm doing well 3 days in a row with out much issue but by the end of the month it might be a tad challeging. We will see.  So here are my outfits for the last 3 days I will try to do a post every so many days but it might be hard for me cause this semester is coming to a close and I have 3 big projects to get done.  But here goes nothing...

Day 1 autism puzzle piece headband and awareness ribbon earrings with blue beads -by me

Light blue tshirt-target 

Navy blue tank-aero

Jeggings (my go to pant because they are comfy) american eagle 

Cross wrap bracelet- jewelry shop on the broad walk in seaside height NJ 

Light blue glitter nails

Day 2 

Earring- me 

Blue necklace- allora handmade (she doesn't make them anymore :( )

Red t-shirt old navy 

Grey tank walmart 

Jeggings american eagle 

Day 3 (today)

Long sleeve black boat neck shirt-old navy 

Scarf- target 

Jeggings-you guessed it american eagle 

Flower Earring-me 

Bracelets-thrifter 

In a couple days I'll have more to share if not I will do one big post with all my looks for the month.  I'm doing this for my amazing cousins in Florida.  They have inspired me to become a special education teacher and as much as I was against in the beginning and occasionally question teaching as a whole because of the new standards and high stakes testing I want to help better out future and the kids of the world are just that.  When I doubt myself I think of all the kids in my life and remember they are why I do this.  They are why I push through there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

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Stamp storage for red rubber cling mount stamps

I have been really struggling to figure out a way to store my growing collection of red rubber cling mount stamps mostly from unity stamp company.  I started off storing them on Tim Holtz stamp sheets cause I had extra which worked out great for awhile until I ran out.  So when I ordered more unity stamps a couple months ago I had no where to store them  and needed to get creative.  I collect monster high dolls and was saving the boxes cause I figured I would do something with them it seemed like such a waste to just throw them out.  I flattened them down and they stored nicely in between my paper rack and a table.  I took one out looked at the box for a few minutes and started ripping a tearing.  The great thing about the boxes it that they are made of clear plastic and chipboard.  At first I was using bigger boxes which had more plastic so I was able to make a very similar product as the Tim Holtz sheets.  I cut the plastic to 7 1/2 x 8 then I cut the chipboard to the same size an grabbed a paper pack and started cuting that to the same size I glue the paper to both side of the chipboard and then attached the plastic using eyelets.  So I took this: 

And turned it into this(this one is cut at 4 3/4x8):

I love that instead of having to buy something that I really don't want to spend money on anyway I can make my stamp storage and I love that I can make it pretty with whatever kind of paper I want.  Mind you I store my stamps in a basket in my craft room, but I'm sure you could find other ways to store them.  If you made the sheets (mind you need a lot of plastic) 8 1/2 x 11 and then you could punch holes and store them in a standard binder or you could even do them 6x6 and find a mini binder to put them in.  So look at what's around you, you would be surprised at the things you might find hiding in things we normally consider garbage.  

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