The Promised Tutorial!

I'm only about 3 weeks late in getting this up, but that's okay. Better late than never, right? This Slipcover Chair Sign coordinates with my Hanging Chair Sign (tutorial found here).

1. Cut your cream center 4.5" square.

Cut your border strips: 2 1.5x4.5, 2 1.6x6.5

Sew border strips to center square, pressing seams away from center.
2. Prep your applique. For a detailed explanation, follow my tutorial here. This cupcake is tiny, and is fairly easy to sketch by hand, which is what I did. I have zero artistic abilities, so if I can do it, you probably can too.
3. Center applique on your 6.5" square, and press.
4. Add a super cute button to the top. You can imagine it's a cherry or a giant sprinkle.
5. Here is a side-by-side picture of both signs with their cupcakes and buttons. Yum.
6. Cut a 6.5" square for the lining. Place right sides together, and then sew along bottom edge only. Press so that wrong sides are together and seam is encased.
7. Aren't these fabrics cute? Amanda is brilliant, I say!
8. Now we're going to prep the back. Cut a cute piece of fabric 6.5"X6.75". Fold bottom edge 1/4" up, press, and then fold up another 1/4" and press. Sew along the edge with 1/8" seam. Now it should be the same size as the top.
9. Place cupcake side to right side of back. Pin all the layers and sew along sides and top. Be sure the backstitch at the beginning and end.
10. Clip the corners, turn right side out, and press.
11. Place over the Molly's American Girl chair. It will be a snug fit.
This method could easily be adapted to the Hanging Chair Sign, if you would prefer a slipcover to ties. Just measure your chair and sew away! If you make this, or any other project from the Design Team, be sure to upload your photos to the flikr group.

Friday Tutorial

Today it's Jackie's turn to learn us how to make a pretty scarf. Go here to check it out!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Oh, what a week! I steered clear of almost all baked goods and I wrote down nearly everything I ate. I am down 2.2 pounds, for a grand total of 44.2 pounds to date. I also zipped up and wore with confidence my size 12 jeans. I feel smaller and more comfortable in my body. It's a great feeling.

My goal this week it to try at least 5 new workouts from the On Demand menu. There are some great choices, like some of the Biggest Loser workouts and some from Crunch Fitness. It should be pretty fun to switch up my workout with new routines!

Time to Brag

I have been busy in my sewing room lately. I volunteered to provide a basket for a silent auction at the school. I consulted with my mom and we came up with the idea of a "Celebration Basket." I put in a "Celebrate" fabric banner, which you can see here, a "VIP" placemat, and a hanging chair sign.

Growing up, we had a "You Are Special Today" plate. It was awesome. That red plate really did make you feel special while you at spaghetti (not that I ever ate spaghetti willingly growing up). I wanted to make something with the same feel, and came up with the VIP Placemat. I will have some available in my etsy shop after the weekend, in case you were wondering. The fabric is Crazy for Dots and Stripes. If I had unlimited funds and storage, I would buy bolts of this line. I love it that much.

I used the same fabrics for a Hanging Chair Sign (tutorial found here).
I wanted it to appeal to both boys and girls, and I hope it does. I also hope lots of people bid on my basket.

I also worked a little on a baby quilt. Here is one of the blocks:
I've been having a great time!

Friday Tutorial

Candace has this week's tutorial over at The Quilted Fish. This is such a talented group of women. I feel so lucky to be a part of them! Go check out her tutorial for a cute pillow. Her method of finishing the back is great. I love learning new techniques!

Weight Loss Wednesday

I was up this week. It was less than a pound, but still. I blame cupcakes. On two separate occasions in the past week, I ate them. They were delicious. I also feel I must confess to eating donuts yesterday for Fat Tuesday. Celebrating the day had nothing to do with religion or gearing up for Lent. I just enjoy an excuse to indulge my love of fried dough.

Curly is also looking really good. If you wonder why I call him "Curly," then the above photo should clear that up for you. I still swoon when he sings "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'." He's down over 30 pounds. I like to whine and moan that it's so easy for him, but truth be told, it's not easy for anyone. He has cut down his portion sizes and is just making better choices. Plus he doesn't seem to have the cupcake problem.

Checking In

The internet can be a huge time sucker for me. It is doubtful that I am alone in this. I have made a conscious effort to not be on it much at night in the past few days. I have gotten so much done! Lately I have felt my creativity slumping. I haven't felt like sewing anything. It was sad for me. But this week with my limited internetting, I have started a new baby quilt for a very special baby.

No. It's not mine. Bite your tongue! Go sit in time out!

And now that I have said hello, I must say goodbye. The blocks are almost done, but aren't going to finish sewing themselves. I'll post a sneak peak tomorrow. Bye now!

Friday Tutorial

Another great tutorial over on The Quilted Fish blog today! Go check it out!

Broken Promises

Remember when I said I would have a new tutorial up on Monday? Well, I lied. Yesterday I had jury duty. And today? Well, I decided to take a cue from Liz Lemon and flee to my personal Cleve: Pittsburgh. Curly has some meetings at the corporate office, and I'm along for the ride. I've had a taco from a street vendor and can see Target from my hotel. Pittsburgh is French for "paradise." Plus, I got to visit this shop. And did I mention that I'm alone today? Sans kids? So forgive the lack of promised tutorializing. Instead, turn off the computer and do something fun that makes you feel like a better version of yourself. Trust me. You'll be glad you did.

But please, turn the computer back on tomorrow and come see me!

Remembering

Today is the 14th anniversary of Angel's death. Today I am remembering that God loves us. Today I am remembering that there is a plan. Today I am remembering that as hard as things seem, there is always relief. Today I am remembering to love by choice. 26 days changed our family forever.

John 14:18 -- I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

My Turn!

My first ever tutorial is live. Go here to learn how to make it!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Last week I was down 3.2 pounds. This week I wasn't able to weigh in. Ginger is still sick. We were back at the doctor today. She has an ear infection and then got to have a chest x-ray to rule out pneumonia. Do you know how fun chest x-rays are for a 14 month old? So fun. They put her in this contraption that kept her arms above her head. She was scared and it made me sad. Luckily she is pneumonia free and will hopefully be feeling better with the antibiotics. So, no weigh in for me this week. But, I'm not down at all. I couldn't work out with me being sick and then Ginger getting sick, too. This week is a new week and I can exercise and hopefully hit 45 pounds total by next week!

Sneaky Peak

Friday is my big debut over at Amanda's blog. Here's what I'll be showing:

And then this bonus tutorial will be available the following week:
The mess will still be here then, too!

Do Over

I would like a Do Over weekend, please. It started on Thursday night, where I wrapped myself in two quilts, asked Mini-me and Patch to put themselves to bed, and laid on the couch with achy knees and a runny nose. I took my temperature at about 8, and then sent my mom the pitiful text: I have a fever! Curly stepped up to the plate on Friday. He woke up with the kids, got the dressed and ready for the day, dropped Mini-me off at school, and then came home to get Patch and Ginger ready for the YMCA. The only hiccup in the whole day was when he realized he had forgotten to pack Mini-me a lunch or send her with money. Living two blocks from the school has its perks, especially when you have to run $2 over for lunch.

Friday night, Ginger woke up at around midnight having a temper tantrum. She would not be consoled, so I left her to writhe in her crib. In the morning, she had a fever. So Ginger and I spent the day snuggling. I arranged for the other 3 kids to go to a birthday party without me. Flower, Mini-me; and Patch again were pretty much left to their own devices. I don't give them much credit, but they did a great job! The only really awful thing on Saturday was when Ginger decided to puke on me. Twice.

Sunday I started to feel better, Ginger lingered, and Mini-me and Patch started to get a little annoyed with the whole situation. Today we are fever free and ready to go do something. Thank goodness for a 3-day weekend. I have a day to do it over!

Friday Tutorial

Today's tutorial comes to us from Sally. Go here to check it out!

Weight Loss Wednesday

I didn't go to my weigh in yesterday. I wasn't feeling too great, Mini-me was home recovering from Strep, Part Deux, and I ate too many cake balls the day before. My plan is to go tomorrow morning. Mini-me is back at school today and I am feeling a little better. I didn't eat any cake balls yesterday, and my home scale told me I'm back on track.

My goal last week was to get 30 activity points. I am happy to report that I did just that. It was hard work, but it felt oh so good. I'm shooting for 30 again this week, but with this cough I'm getting, it might not happen. While at the Y this week, I had some thoughts about the gym that I thought I would share with you while we both drink a Diet Coke.

1. No one at the gym is looking at you. So don't worry about looking ridiculous while doing Zumba, or having perfect form on the elliptical.
2. Size matters. We're talking clothing here. Wear something too small, or even too big, and you've got a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. If you are losing weight, buy some new pants. If you are a little heavier than you used to be, please don't squeeze yourself into your old clothes. Inevitably something will fall out.
3. Old ladies walk around naked in the locker room. It is disturbing and is a sight that will never leave you. Consider yourself warned.
4. If you are concerned about germs, wipe down the machine before you use it. Chances are the super sweaty guy was on the treadmill before you and didn't do a thorough job.
5. Ask for help. You only look dumb if you fall off a machine, not if you admit you don't know how to use it.

Now I am going to go refill my diet coke and pay attention to my kids. Then I'm going to take a nap. Have a great Wednesday!

The Show

Today we went to see Flower in 101 Dalmatians at Way off Broadway. I wore my cute new purple sweater from Target and my sassy attitude. My parents came up for the occasion, as did Curly's parents and Spinster Sister #2 (who are not in this photo). Flower is very good at "puppy paws," which is why her hands look a little awkward. She is also good at acting, singing, dancing, and staying in character. She totally gets this from my side of the family.

BTW -- that last bit is a joke. I am the Wicked Stepmother to Flower. However, it does raise a compelling argument for nature vs. nurture. Think about it.

Friday Tutorial

This week it's my friend Julie's turn! Go here to learn how to make this darling bracelet.

The creativity of my fellow Design Team members is staggering. And, starting Monday, Amanda will be offering kits for all the tutorials. Go forth and create!

Dog Shed

I washed Gracie's dog bed the other day. I put it in the dining room, walked away for a minute, and then came back to see this:

I think Ginger was poised to take a nap here! Thank goodness there was no dog shed on it. Dog shed is the worst.

Weight Loss Wednesday

Gratuitous picture of Patch in a snowball fight with Curly. I love how instead of helping his son to see, Curly took a picture.

Patch was weighed yesterday. With his jacket on and an armful of monster trucks, he weighs 39 pounds. I then got on the scale to learn that my total weight loss is 39.6 pounds. I have lost the equivalent of a 4 year old. Can I tell you how good that feels? It feels so good. Then, as I was getting ready for the gym yesterday afternoon, I saw my butt. Hello, butt! It is starting to have a shape again. I had forgotten how cute my rear used to be.

My friend Lauren made a comment during our Weight Watchers meeting about loving the feeling as she goes into the gym. I realized that I love it, too. It feels in control to work out. I love to feel in control. And then when I'm done, I feel expended and a little wrung out. It's good to squeeze stuff out, isn't it? Anyone with me? My goal for this week is to earn 30 activity points (which are extra points you can earn from exercising which then translates into more food if you need it). I earned 7 yesterday, so I have 23 to go. It's a doable goal.

The Darndest Things

My kids are very funny. Here are a few recent gems:

Patch: Ronald McDonald is straight.

I have no idea what he means by this, but I think he means he's tall. As a course of habit, we generally don't discuss sexual orientation with our kids, especially not that of a clown. That would be ridiculous.

Mini-me: It's sexy. You know, like sex (gives her shoulders a little shake).

Yeah, this one worries me, too. Also, her tone while saying it gave me pause. As my mom would say, she should have just added "stupid" to it, because the implication was that I didn't understand what sexy was. But now I do. It's basically shaking your shoulders.

Luckily Ginger doesn't say much, and Flower wasn't home due to the new schedule. Otherwise, who knows what I might have heard?

The Start

Today is the start of The Quilted Fish Design Team tutorials! Go here to check out KarrieLyne's great pillow and leave a comment telling her how awesome it is. I'm pretty sure I'm going to need to make one for Mini-me. The pillow features a pocket. Mini-me is on the top bunk, so it would be the perfect accessory for her book and book light.

Weight Loss Wednesday

Due to the epic ice storm that never showed up, our Weight Watchers meeting was cancelled. According to my home scale, I'm down about 2 pounds. My home scale is a little off from the WW scale, so we'll just have to see. I'm hoping to get to a meeting tomorrow morning so that I can get my official totals.

Today I have been folding laundry. It sounds more exciting than it is. I do pretty well with the actual cleaning of the clothes. I even do okay folding it. It's the putting it away where I struggle. That's the goal for the rest of the day: get the clothes put away so that I don't have to refold. Right now my sewing table has been taken over by the piles of clothes and towels, so I kind of have to put it away if I ever want to sew again.

Have I mentioned how much I love Diet Coke? I think I have. I just wanted to say it again.

New Theme Song

My life needs a new theme song. I have decided that as I walk around my house, the song "Another One Bites The Dust" needs to blare from invisible speakers hidden in nooks and crannies. Patch has succumbed to the strep. He woke up last night at about 2 am. I found him on the floor of the bathroom, surrounded by throw up. I slept lightly for the rest of the night (if you can call it sleep) and then witnessed him throwing up 3 more times. He never quite figured out how to make it to the toilet. The little blessing here was that he did make it to the bathroom. Well, until about 8:00. Right when I needed to leave to take Mini-me to school, he threw up in the kitchen. Gross. Why is motherhood so gross? To bring this long and gross story to an end, he is now on antibiotics and I am home bound until Wednesday.

Would anyone like to take bets on who is next? My money is on Curly.

My fellow Creative Consultants have been busy. For some sneak peaks, go here, here, here, and here. I have mine started, but I keep getting interrupted. Between teething and puking, there hasn't been a lot of "me" time here. Pray for me ;)

A Gift

I think I need to get this for The Spinster Sister. It's very apropos.

Snow Day, Take 2

Schools are closed again today. We got about 9" of snow. It's a wet snow, so it doesn't really look like 9" right now. Apparently the commute out of DC was a nightmare. It took my dad and brother over 7 hours to travel less than 20 miles. That's what I call crazy. The kids have already been out to play with the neighborhood kids. They came in after about 2 hours with red cheeks, ready to rest.

This week also starts a new access schedule for Flower. We are no longer picking her up during the week, and she will be going to church with her mom and step-dad, instead of with us. It's a hard transition for all of us. Mini-me and Patch are not happy. We really think this is what's best for Flower. She's almost 12, ready to start Young Women, and getting really busy at school and with friends. Being a tween means that parents are lame and siblings are a drag. Unfortunately, she can't escape us completely, so she'll spend most Friday nights here and most of the day on Saturday. We'll have to revisit that when she's old enough to date, which, if Curly has his way, will be never.

I made another knitting needle roll for a customer. I just love these bright fabrics. It makes me think of spring. Can I just confess that I really don't like spring? I like the colors, as long as they are bright -- no pastel spring for me, thank you very much. I don't like the odor. There, I said it. There is a white tree that makes me sneeze. And, Frederick is pretty rural. The scent of farms thawing out is pretty rank. I used to commute to DC via the train, and the station is right close to a farm with livestock, namely pigs. Pigs do not smell good. That really has nothing to do with pretty knitting needle rolls now does it.

This is a view with the top flap folded over, which keeps the needles in their slots should you pick it up upside down. I just love that pink fabric. I think it would make a really cute kids skirt, don't you?

Weight Loss Wednesday

Man oh man. Was it a good weigh in yesterday! I never thought I would be excited to get on the scale, but I really was. I worked really hard. I tracked all my food and I even made it to the gym a couple of times. I'm down another 1.8, bringing my grand total to 37 pounds. Curly and I started eating a new treat this week. We slice some banana, add blueberries and blackberries, and then add a couple of tablespoons of fat free cool whip. It's heaven in a bowl, and it's zero points. I love snacks like that!

Today was a snow day here. I really thought that handsome Doug Kammerer was going to be wrong again. We had about an inch or so this morning, followed by some rain which quickly turned to ice, and now it is snowing to beat the band. I have a feeling we'll be home tomorrow, too. We may get 8 inches. Don't judge me, but if that happens, I'll be in my bathrobe.

etsy updates

I added a few things to the etsy shop today. For those of you wishing you had gotten one of my fabulous creations as a Christmas gift but didn't, treat yourself!

Wristlet

eReader Cover

Notebook

It's Friday!

I like to say things like: I literally died. It's hilarious to say things that make no sense whatsoever. I try to reserve it when telling a story that is full of hyperbole. You know, the kind where I am wronged and, according to the story, tell the person exactly what's on my mind. In real life, I rarely tell someone off. But in a Jana Story, it's a must. Most of my friends know fact from fiction. They also know that I am not literally dead.

I went to one of the quilt shops in the area. From now on, I'm going to refer to it as "The Quilt Shop Which Must Not Be Named" I went to find some grey fabric for Curly's neglected t-shirt quilt. They didn't have much in the way of fabric, grey or otherwise. I also got into a discussion with one of the workers about whether or not a certain fabric was modern or not. She insisted yes, while I insisted it looked like acid washed jeans. We agreed to disagree, and I left without anything. Sad, but true. At this rate, he's not going to get the quilt this year, either. I just can't find what I like locally!

I am looking forward to the weekend. We have nothing planned, and I like it that way. It's going to be cold here, so we're going to snuggle and stay inside. It's going to be nice.

Weight Loss Wednesday

Again this week I am down .8 pounds. That seems to be my favorite amount to loose. I think this week my biggest victory was over emotional eating. Even pretty girls get bummed out every once in a while. The old Jana would have eaten all through the evening after the kids went to bed. But this week, every time I would get the urge to go to the cupboard, I would stop myself and do a hunger check. Most of the time I wasn't hungry, just a little bored or sad or stressed. I am learning!

Curly has been working hard at rehearsal for The Drowsy Chaperone. He plays one of the gangsters who disguises himself as a baker. Last night he didn't get home until 11:30. He's a little tired. It's a delightful show, so if you happen to be in town, go see it. And leave him a big tip.

Everything I Know About Motherhood

I've been thinking about the lessons I've learned from being a mom. I've been a step-mom for over 8 years, and a mom for 7. I pretty much am an expert. So, here's what I know, so that you can be an expert, too.

1. Motherhood is not like baking cookies. You can raise your kids all the same, and they will each turn out different.
2. If you serve snack items as a meal, your children will not count it as a meal. Same goes for cereal. They will cry that they forgot to have lunch or dinner, even though they ate a lot at those same hours.
3. Don't start anything with a baby that you aren't willing to continue for the next 5 years. Read your baby 5 stories a night followed by rocking them to sleep? Have fun doing it every night for the next 1,820 nights.
4. If you mix veggies into their favorite foods, they will still eat those foods and still really like them. If you tell them veggies are in them, they will never touch that food again.
5. Silly voices can cure a variety of ills. As can Diet Coke. Diet Coke is the most magical medicine ever invented. From hurt feelings to hurt knees, it's a miracle drink.
6. It's not a break if your kids are already asleep. It is a break if someone takes them during their most waking, and therefore crazy, hours.
7. A sense of humor is a must. Being beautiful helps, too.

That's pretty much it. 7 things. One for each year. Hope you learned something today.

Monday, Monday

I was inspired by Flower's desire to cross stitch and picked up something new and fun to work on. Well, new to me. I chose to work on Bent Creek's Winter Snapperland. It's 4 different mini patterns put together with a cute border. It's been slow going for me. I had some linen put away with the patterns and went to work on it. When I had nearly completed the border, I found that the linen wasn't big enough. So, I had to start over.

It's really fun to do and has made me fall in love with stitching all over again. I have to stop myself from staying up until 3 am working on it. I get a little obsessed. I also have to make deals with myself. For example, I can work on it after the dishes are done. Or, I can work on it when the laundry is folded.

On Saturday, my package from Amanda arrived. Isn't this fabric so pretty? I love it. And look at those buttons! And the crocheted flowers!
I think this one is my favorite:
Now to figure out what the heck I'm going to do with it! I have about a month until I need to reveal my finished project and tutorial. I have about 10 different ideas. The hardest part is choosing one!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Welcome back, bloggy friends! It was another good WW week. I'm down another .8 pounds, bringing my total achingly close to 35 pounds. I have a whole box of cute corduroy pants that I am dying to wear. I think I have about 10 more pounds to go before I can button them. In the meantime, I am enjoying wearing tops that don't require easy access for nursing. I've even broken out my pretty black dress to wear to church. Not nursing is so nice for my wardrobe choices.

Here is a picture of my baby, one year ago today.

And here she is now. The little rascal likes to take my cell phone and hold it up to her ear and then laugh.

I got my wish and we have a snow day today! Mini-me and Patch were out sledding with the neighborhood kids earlier this morning. It's a good thing they got that in, because the 2 inches we got are melting fast. That's right -- 2 inches closed schools. I am not complaining. They are entertaining each other and are happy to be home. And then tomorrow I'll send them back to school and the snow will be but a distant memory. I love Maryland.

Thanks for all the love yesterday, especially about the knitting/crochet needle organizer. The pockets vary in size, so it can hold a variety of things, from scissors to circular needles. If you make one, let me know. I'd love to see pictures!

Big Announcement

A few days ago, I found out I had been selected to be part of an elite task force:

Amanda, the brains and beauty behind The Quilted Fish, put out a call a little over a month ago for quilters and crafters who wanted to be part of a design team. I applied and was fairly certain those with bigger blogs and more internet presence would be chosen. I was beyond thrilled that I was selected to be a part of things! I am having a hard time controlling the exclamation points !!! because every time I think about it, I do an internal happy dance. Go here to meet the rest of the team. What it means for me is that Amanda will send me some of her darling fabric, and then I will turn it into something fabulous and you will ooh and ah. It's going to be really fun.

Yesterday I teased you with some cute pink and brown fabric. Here is what I did with it:
Isn't it cute? Some of you may have just said "What is it?" It's a knitting and crochet needle roll. I followed this tutorial, but made a few minor alterations. For example, I did not sew the outside of the flap. That way, the flap can go down further if the needles in the top position are shorter in length.
I used fabrics from Lakehouse Fabrics. I think it's so cute and I hope my friend who commissioned it finds it pretty and useful.
It looks like the snow is coming. They just announced that schools will be closing an hour early today. All I want is one snow day. I want to be able to hang out tomorrow with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Then, I want to get back to normal on Thursday. 2 inches of snow should be sufficient. Anything more than that is overkill.

Happy Monday

Monday is a happy day. It's the day where, every week, I decide to be organized. I sit and think about what I'm going to do to make my life start smoother. And, I also decide to start on Tuesday. That's probably why it never happens! So that's why on this Monday, I'm starting today. I have laundry going, the dishwasher is humming, and sheets are ready to come off beds. Ahhh. Being busy is hard work, so I've already stopped at the GetGo for my giant Diet Dr. Pepper. It's delish.

The Year of Jana is all about making goals I can stick to. So, I finally decided on my New Years Resolution. It's to drink more Diet Coke. So far, it's going really well. I think this year I might actually stick to my resolution! I know what you're thinking. "Why do you have a Diet Dr. Pepper, then?" Two reasons. First, GetGo is owned by Giant Eagle (where Curly works), and I get fuel perks (money for gas) by shopping there, and they only have Pepsi products. Second, I refer to all brown caffeinated drinks as "Diet Coke." Also, I have decided to be my biggest fan. I get really tired of listening to people bagging on themselves. I'm just not going to do it anymore. I am awesome. And beautiful.

And then, after I'm done with my housework, I get to play with this fabric:

I'm so lucky! Come back tomorrow to see what I did with it. It's all cut out and ready to turn into something functional and fun.

Weight Loss Wednesday

I started off my 2011 weight loss with a bang. I am down 3.8 pounds. Nope, not a typo. Almost 4 pounds in a week! My total is now 33.6 pounds gone. I am almost to my halfway point. Hooray for me! Weight Watchers started a new program a few weeks ago. This past week was the first week I tried it. I would say it worked. The main difference between the old and new programs is that we no longer count calories. The points are now calculated with a formula that takes proteins, carbs, fiber, and fat into consideration. Some of the foods I love to eat have a higher value, and some are lower. It's a challenge to change my thinking, but WW has great tools (books, calculators, internet) that make it easier. I'm excited and re-motivated after that fantastic week!!

What I Did Over Christmas Break,Part 2

Poor Ginger was weaned last week. Other than 3 days of her expressing her feelings of rage, dissatisfaction, and betrayal, it went quite well. We now have a little girl who will drink whole milk cold. The only little issue, and I hate to even bring this up because she's such an angel, is that she is very specific about what kind of cup her milk is in. No boring old sippy cups for her. She prefers this kind, bought at Target originally with juice in it. It's a strange choice.

What I Did Over Christmas Break

I taught Flower the fine art of cross stitch. Let us remember: It's not a hobby; it's a way of life.

2011, Baby!

One of my favorite Friends episodes is The One With All The Resolutions. In this episode, Ross wears leather pants, Chandler can't make fun of his friends, Monica takes pictures with a very bright flash, Pheobe tries to teach Joey how to play a guitar without touching a guitar, and Rachel can't gossip. At the beginning, Joey blows a noisemaker and declares it: "The year of Joey!" I did something similar in 2002. It was "The year of Jana!" I didn't know if you were all aware of that, but looking back, I'm sure you will see that 2002 was indeed all about me. A month into it, I met Curly and 6 months later we were married. I think we can deduce that 2002 was a wonderful year for me.

This year, I am also declaring "The Year of Jana!" One of the things I realized this fall was that if you look for good things, good things will happen. In 2011, I'm looking for greatness.

Now I'm off to sew a little. Ginger is asleep and the other kids are quiet. Perfect time for me and Lena to bond. Hope your 2011 is great! I mean, it is all about me, so of course it will be.

Resoluting

Ginger saying "Oh, wow!" on Christmas morning.

It's New Year's Eve, a natural time to think about starting over. I have been thinking about 2010 over the past few days, and my main conclusion is that I refuse to feel guilty about the things I didn't do. I did so many good things that being negative is just silly. For example, I wanted to loose 40 pounds. I could be really upset by the fact that I didn't, or I could be thrilled with myself that I lost a little over 30.

Last year, I was very specific about things I wanted to accomplish. I did pretty well. Our scripture study as a family rose and fell, and then rose and fell again. I was 2 sizes smaller in Sun Valley. It felt good. We are eating out a lot less. Usually less than once a week. I don't always like that. I didn't finish an entire quilt each month, but I did finish a lot of sewing project. Plus, I did 3 different craft shows. My little Lena got quite a workout. And Cinnamon Roll Monday? No thank you. I found out that I would eat half a pan to myself for "quality control." Ha. For the sake of my waistline, I had to let that one go.

This year I have a lot I want to do. My list is a little overwhelming. I need to think about it a little more and then get back to you. A list of 12 things is a little unrealistic, wouldn't you agree?

Anyone Out There?

Hi! Remember me? I used to blog here. I've been hitting the diet hard. Can you tell? We've had a lot going on this week. It was Christmas at our house. Our kids were so excited, yet still able to line up on the stairs and smile real pretty.
We spent some time with cousins. Ginger especially enjoyed sitting at the table with Manny.
I made 2 birthday cakes. The first one tasted like cardboard and looked like the grey sky over Pittsburgh. This one was delicious and looked pretty darn cute.
Mini-me has been asking for a birthday party for the last few years. Today, I made all her wishes come true. We had lots of friends over to play Barbie, Polly Pocket, and Zoobles. I'm pretty sure she had a good time.
So enough about me. How are you doing? Let's not go so long between posts next time, okay? Kay.

Birthday Week

It started with this:

And ended with this:

My girls are one year older.

And now it is Christmas.

Amen.

Say What?

Christmas is how many days away? 12, you say? Gadfrey Daniels, that's not much time! I must get off the computer and get to work. I have zero presents sewn for the kids. And let's not forget Curly's t-shirt quilt. He's only been asking for one for the past 3 years. If I don't get it done, I'll surely have coal in my stocking come Christmas morning.

TGIF

When we were younger, we used to love watching TGIF. The only two shows I really remember are Family Ties and Full House. My sister and I looked forward to Friday night TV all week. I tried to watch an episode of Full House recently. Let's just say the show hasn't aged well. (Oh, mylanta! Did I do that? Have mercy!) Once December is through, so are our Friday nights with Curly home. He'll be doing another show at the dinner theater come January. We've loved the extra family time, but we also love paying bills. I stopped by the Red Box this morning and picked up the new Shrek movie. We'll watch it and have popcorn as a family tonight. TGIF, indeed.

I can't believe I forgot to post on Wednesday. Hello, holiday stress! Glad you could join us. I was able to lose my Thanksgiving pound, which made me extra thankful. At the store yesterday I had to resist getting more peppermint bark. I think the first ingredient in it is crack. Patch has also discovered its deliciousness, and Curly discovered my hiding place. It's probably a good thing I didn't eat the whole box by myself. Maybe.

Today's Gratitude: Curly will be home on a Saturday!! I don't remember the last time that happened. Maybe I can sleep in until 8.

The Laughingstock of the North Pole

Ah, Ginger. She didn't quite know what to think of our family gathering this past weekend. We took a family picture wearing "I {heart} NY" shirts, antlers, and blinking red noses. It was chaotic in that family-get-together-and-take-a-picture kind of way. Mini-me kept her antlers and nose on most of the weekend. At lunch on Sunday, she lamented, "I'm the laughingstock of the North Pole!" Apparently we have watched Rudolf, The Red Nosed Reindeer a few times too many.

The craft show on Saturday was another success. It was a festive atmosphere, and the sales were great. I have only a few things leftover, which I have listed in my etsy shop. Go on, don't be shy! If you order 2 or more things, you will be automatically upgraded to Priority Mail shipping.

Hey!

Patch is not capable of looking you in the eye for long. It's pretty hilarious. I find myself saying, "Hey! I'm over here!" quite a bit.

Our tree is trimmed and almost all the decorations are up. I love Christmas!!

Weight Loss Wednesday

So I gained a pound over Thanksgiving. That pound will be gone in no time. Weight Watchers unveiled its new program this week. The basic gist of it is that calories are out. Now points are based on a formula calculating fat, protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. It's a little confusing, but I think it's going to be great, once I get the hang of it. One of my Christmas presents is the new membership pack, which includes a calculator, dining out guide, all food guide, and a cookbook. I made a WW recipe last night -- fried rice. Instead of oil, you use cooking spray and you omit the bacon. It was tasty.

I went to Zumba yesterday. One of my December goals is to make exercise a priority. Class was awesome. I wiggled my hips and danced until I couldn't dance any more. Ginger did great in the playroom. I was able to sneak out and left her playing happily. When I came back, she was in a high chair having her snack. She took one look at me and started to melt down. She cried so hard, she threw up. The staff was so glad we came back! We're taking the day off today. I'm sore, it's pouring down rain, Ginger is exhausted, and Mini-me has a check-up at the doctor. There is a Zumba class tomorrow, so we'll go the YMCA then. I love living across the street from our gym. It's so convenient.