OK, so the crafting-by-the-day method is not exactly working. Not really surprising since I can't even keep my daughters on track with their day-of-the-week panties. Routine is not my strong point. But the goal I was really going for was to keep the entries focused. I tend to build up too many thoughts and then wait too long. So I'm going to try to post more often with few subjects per post. That seems vague enough for me to manage.
Those pesky family things have been occupying me since last week. Eldest had one of those mommy-projects that involved a costume, props, memorized two minute speech and various PC generated activities and charts. Fourth grade mind you! She's a hunt & peck typer at this point - how else is she going to create four or five pages, including a word diagram, without me at the keyboard? I really don't want to be the parent that does their kid's work and I usually hold that line, but they don't really leave you a choice with assignments like this. Anyway, last night at the final presentation they were all cute in that mumbling 9-11 year old dressed up in costume kind of way. Mine of course was the cutest.
Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments on my posts last week. They meant a lot to me after such a long break from blogging. I've also been catching up on my blog reading and continue to be amazed by how much cool stuff you're all making. I've got the fabric for a bag tutorial spread across my dining table, so look for that as my next post. For now, I'll show you a place I go for inspiration...
Sowing Sisters in Carlsbad CA. They just opened in a new location 3X the size of the previous shop with tons of windows. I took these photos while they're still organizing, so you can imagine how great it's going to be when they get settled in. You've got to stop by if you're anywhere near San Diego County. There's lots to do in downtown Carlsbad and the beach is just blocks away, so the family could stay occupied while you indulge.
I've got to go in again this week because they had stacks of boxes from Westminster yet to be opened. Ms. Be*Mused has me jonesing for the new Kaffe prints so I know what I'm doing tomorrow. On top of that they're having their anniversary sale this week - 20% off your entire purchase. Christmas in June!
I first went to the store about five or six years ago after I bought my sewing machine. Back then they were in a tiny three room cottage a few blocks away. The modern quilting fashions hadn't really hit the market yet, but they encouraged this newbie. A few years ago they rode the wave of newer fabrics into a bigger store and became the best place around to see up-to-date quilting fabrics and quilts in person. Beckie, the owner, her daughter and the women who work and teach there keep the walls full of the latest patterns. Nothing is more inspirational than to see all these quilts in person. It's this shop that brought Kaffe Fasset to town for that workshop I took in January.
Finally, I'm adding the weight loss ticker below as a form of public accountability. A good friend of mine loves WW, but I just don't do meetings of any sort except under great duress. My goal is about 3-5 lbs/month with the target reached by New Year's. Losing 25 lbs would put me at my lowest weight in the last 10 years (post first child). When I get there I'll worry about new goals.
I know that for me simple calorie counting combined with regular exercise is the answer. I'm overweight, but genetics has blessed me with low blood pressure, great blood sugar and very healthy cholesterol levels. Before you think I've won the genetic lottery you should factor in that I have two herniated discs and spend the first 20 minutes of each morning figuring out how much pain I'm going to have that day. My mom and dad are incredibly healthy, but we all have bad backs. I figure mine can only benefit from hauling around less butt. If I'm destined to live a long life I'd like to do so standing upright. Finally, I've grown out of all my favorite clothes, and that bugs me. We're talking about clothes from the last three years, not my high school jeans.
This website is one of many, but I like it so far. I bought access to the upgraded features because just about everything I eat has to be entered as a custom food. We do 90% of our grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and Wild Oats, so the standard list of grocery store foods doesn't offer me much. I also like it that you can create custom meals since I eat the same combos for breakfast and snacks all the time. I've spent this morning adding in my favorites. I know this won't work if I can't eat the foods we love around here - I just need to eat less every day and watch for the diet-busters (aka kids).
Oh you lucky woman having those amazing sources for quilting - fantastic. They of course, are equally lucky - shops like that don't survive without the drive and creativity of their customers. A two way relationship.
Good luck with the diet - I could loose some weight - just lugging about the extra me is a pain in arse, but having kids is the worst diet breaker there is - you are either hungry or exhausted (and I can't tell the difference between the two, so treat them both with cheese or hummus), have food that they like then don't eat (and I was brought up to believe not to waste anything so I am kind of like the family dustbin) or you have bought a treat for a good report/birthday etc but they have suddenly disappeared on a sleepover, or you bought the healthy, fair trade, organic option but are now crippled financially forever by this and can only afford day-glo craptastic junk and your 14yr old son who is the mouthpiece for environmentally friendly sustainable and morally acceptable foods (but Pepsi is exempt ok?) has wolfed it in 2 bites........ Might wait for the children to leave home. But good luck, I am on a walking programme but the midgies keep eating me (not enough to weigh less however).
Posted by: Juliet | June 12, 2007 at 03:47 PM
I totally understand the bad back thing. I have compressed discs in my lower back, combined with sciatica. Most days I have moderate to severe back pain, especially when the sciatica flares up, and I too am coming to the realization that I need to lose weight, along with remembering to exercise daily (not just when I have nothing better to do).
Quilting suddenly started really interesting me in a big way again, and I'm lucky to have a quilting shop that is really nice within 5 minutes of my house. I love the free form quilting on those bottom two quilt photos, is that done with a regular sewing machine?
Great post, and I LOVE all the photos. Inspiring!
Posted by: Gaile | June 12, 2007 at 07:17 PM
So glad to have your fun posts to look at and read Nancy. Your quilting pictures make me want to get started on a new (a couple of quilts in my long ago past) hobby! I love the beautiful bright prints. Thanks for sharing.
I also endure with a herniated disc that had been so much better, but has been bothersome the last couple of weeks. I am also with you on the weight loss thing- doing it with a combination of exercise and calorie counting. Keep up the good work and great idea with the public accountability thing - I still haven't mastered that part!
Posted by: Ruthanne (in Seattle) | June 13, 2007 at 10:10 AM
Nancy - At risk of sounding like spam... join sparkpeople! It is a free site, kind of like the "myspace" for dieters. I will link to my Sparkpeople page in the url - but the main link is www.sparkpeople.com. Anyhoo - I love the site - I can't say enough about it. It has weight trackers, a calorie/food log, many many perks/extras/features. But here's the warning... It's very addictive!
Okay - end of public service announcement. I love the photos! I can't wait to go pick out fabric for my tote!
Posted by: Jennifer | June 13, 2007 at 03:54 PM
Man, these last two quilt shots are fabulous! I am still trying to define my quilt style - at least what I like, I haven't done but one and I am trying to put another together in my head. I love the scrapiness of the old fashioned pieced with left overs quilts, but some of the new prints by the really good designers have me yearning for a couple yards of every one. I worked on a foundation quilt with a group of women from work - we were making a baby quilt for a co-worker. It completely threw me the way it went together - I don't think I'll do that kind, but the way it all came together at the end, was very attractive. Okay, so much for the rambling, but you did say quilting inspiration all over the walls, and well, it appears to be true.
I know people who have lost weight with WW, but I can't do meetings at all. I don't have time to really do much, but I tell myself to simply burn more calroies than I consume. Some days that's easy. Some days it ain't. Good luck with yours.
Posted by: Julia | June 14, 2007 at 07:45 PM
I step away for a few days and come back to 3 posts! This shop looks really dangerous. Because my local shops are pretty traditional, I've had to do most of my fabric shopping the past few years online...a different kind of dangerous. ;-)
Good luck with the WW. We did a sort of modified Atkins a few years ago (not so nutty strict) and have been able to keep the weight off since by steering clear of breads and pastas. But it's always a struggle.
Posted by: Jan | June 16, 2007 at 08:27 AM
Your quilting pictures are so beautiful they make me believe that in some other life I could be a quilter. In this life I'll have to stick to knitting and gardening and trying to have a life while working at a too-demanding job. I do love your blog, though, and am inspired by all the beauty in your life. After a work marathon (see the blog) I'm hoping to lose a few pounds by getting back into a serious gym routine and severely limiting the snacks. Good luck to you.
Posted by: ellen | June 19, 2007 at 12:44 PM