Its Been a While

Lots of things going on lately.  I do have some updates which I will list below.  I am getting ready for a busy craft show season.  I have 8 shows between now and mid December.  I am also getting into the design end of things, which if things go the way I hope, means I can ease up on the number of craft/vintage sales I do each year. 

I am working on a hat and scarf set pattern.  I hope to have it finished and beta tested sometime in the next two or three weeks.  With a publication date set sometime before Christmas.  My goal is to get at least 4 new patterns written, tested, and published on either Ravelry, Etsy, or Craftsy before July 2019. 

I have already etched out at least 8 different designs I want to work on.  Just have to figure out the right pattern stitches to use.

My current pattern is a cow I named Sticks and Stones  I have it listed on Ravelry  Etsy and Craftsy

Now on to updates.  So my digital scale battery is dead, and I keep forgetting to buy a new one, so no weight loss updates today.  But I have met and exceeded my miles walked goal by more than 16 miles (I will keep walking each week though, as I find I feel much better when I walk than I do when I don't)  I have only887034 steps left to take.  I am actually trying to increase the number of steps I take each day.  If I can up the amount by a 200 or so I am sure I will meet my goal steps wise by the end of December. 

Thats it for now.  I will do my best to post more frequently in the future.

I'm Back

Had a great time at the CGOA Chainlink Conference in Portland, as well as a nice visit with my friend and her family.  Have already started saving for the conference next year.  Left Portland heading home Wednesday and it was 54 degrees, got home around 7 p.m. and it was 104 degrees at home.

All signed up for a couple of more craft shows this year.  One in October and one in November.  This is in addition to the monthly farmers market and the vintage/craft market I am doing.  May try to get into another show in the spring of the year.  Just not sure if it will be a good fit for me.  Still researching it.

Updates, yes I have them.  I finally busted through my plateau and have lost another 1.2 pounds.  81.6 pounds until I meet my goal there. So hopefully by next spring.  35.15 miles walked, leaving 29.85 miles until I reach my yearly goal.   And 181395 steps walked, leaving 1113454 steps left to take this year to meet my goal.

More updates coming soon.

Sorry I'm Late

Sorry I'm late with my weekly updates.  Its been a busy few weeks.  Between craft shows, antique shows, a touch of the stomach flu, things have been hectic to say the least.  So just a quick update.  I am stalled as far as weight loss.  Inches lost, doing good in that area.  The weight will eventually start going down again, will just have to wait it out.  As far as miles walked, I knocked off another 22.24 miles getting me closer to my goal, only 96.24 miles to go.  As far as steps, I walked off 165420, leaving only 1472174 steps to go.  Hopefully, I can get back on track with weekly updates starting Monday.  Until next time, just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Updates for the week

So the scale went down another 6 tenths of a pound.  I'll take any weight loss I can get.  I still need to lose 83.6 pounds.  I managed to get another 9.59 miles logged. This brings the total left to walk to meet my goal for this year down to 126.49 miles.   And I logged 67113 steps.  So to meet my goal I need to walk another 1715181 steps.  The only two I'm really worried about not meeting are the miles walked and the steps walked.  I have given myself at a minimum 2 years to meet the weight loss goal. 

On the other front, I had a great sale this weekend at the 2 Sisters Flea Market that is held every 2nd Saturday.  Had some repeat customers from the first time I did this show, and requests for some different items that I can make for the next one. 

I am also looking to selling finished products on Amazon Handmade.  I've read both good and bad things about this one.  Mostly good.  And a few people I have talked to that have been doing it from the start say its getting better.    I am also trying to finish up a couple of more patterns that I want to list on Etsy.  I don't sell a lot of finished products on Etsy, but the one pattern I currently have listed is doing well.  And I need to get some more items listed on Bonanza.  I always seem to sell well on that one.

This week though, I am in the process of redoing the front yard.  I moved into this trailer October 2017, and I am finally getting a chance to do something about the yard.  I am removing all the crushed red brick, and replacing it with succulents and white and river rock.  I really want a fuss free, easy to care for yard.  I hate yard work with a passion.

Well time to get back to work.  More updates coming next week.

lastest update

sorry its late, the last week just got away from me completely.  did a vintage/craft show this weekend.  did pretty good.  got some orders for a few things, sold some stuff i didn't expect to sell.  i have a better idea what someone will be looking for next time, so thats always a plus.

on the personal front, another plateau as far as weight loss goes.  its just a matter of waiting it out, and maybe adding extra exercise time, or make a change in what i'm eating.  as long as i'm not gaining weight i'm happy.  on the walking front, I completed 26.99 miles leaving another 171.88 to meet my goal, and i walked 141813 steps leaving 1956423 to walk in order to meet my goal.

i got my room paid for for the  crochet guild of america conference in july.  tomorrow i will be able to sign up for the classes i want to take.  will be nice to get away from the valley and head to oregon in july for a couple of weeks.

thats it for now.  got a lot of work i need to get done before the vintage/antique show this weekend.

updates

Well the week is going well so far.  Had a great Easter with my brother and sister-in-law.  The scale has started dropping again, Yay.   I am getting stuff ready for a vintage/repurposed sale coming up at the end of April.  Then I have a vintage/craft show coming up in May, possibly another vintage show coming up in May, and a craft boutique coming up in June.  In between all this I have to finish planting my small vegetable garden, get some tile work done in my bathroom, figure out what color I want to paint my home, and get ready for a trip to the coast at the beginning of May, and a trip to Oregon in July.  Oh, and getting stuff ready for the shows I have coming up.  Can you say busy. 

Any way total for my weight loss 1.6 pounds leaving 86.8 to go, 12.38 miles walked leaving  198.82 to go, and 82054 steps walked leaving 2098236 to go

quick update

Sorry I'm late with the updates, getting ready for a vintage/repurposed sale, and two craft shows coming up in the next couple of months. 

Weight stayed the same this week, no gain, no loss.  I still count it as a win,  9.33 miles walked leaving 211.20 miles to reach my goal for the year, and 65585 steps walked leaving 2180290 to reach my goal for the year.

I am working on turning an old lamp shade into a wind chime, and also a larger lamp shade frame into a basket.  Will post pictures when I get them finished. 

Discovered my storage shed (it came with the property when I bought it so its really old but still sturdy) has some leaks, so I have been working at patching them this week.  My brother came by and brought his small electric garden tiller and tilled the small section of yard I am planing to put a small garden into for me today.  Hopefully I will get everything planted before Sunday, because I am going out of town for Easter.  So next weeks blog post will definitely be late getting posted.

Updates

Okay, so I am a week late, but I had a good excuse.  I spent all last week doing my taxes.  So this weeks updates will include two weeks worth of udates all in one.

total weight loss is 1.2 pounds leaving 88.8 pounds to go.
total distance walked is 16.87 miles leaving 231.61 miles to go
and total steps walked is 105124 leaving 2320958 steps to go.

Monday Updates

Yeah, I remembered early this time.  I am pleased to say the scale moved this week.  Only slightly, but it did move, and it moved in the right direction  down.

so new totals

left to lose 90.6 pounds
left to walk 248.48 miles
left to step 2426082

Can't wait for warmer weather.  I am planning on starting a garden for tomatoes and other summer veggies.  Hopefully that will help me to not only move more and lose weight, but inspire me to eat more fresh fruits and veggies.  (seems like they taste better when they are fresh as opposed to having been raised in a hothouse).

Monday Updates

Okay, so the yard sale was Saturday.  Didn't do as well as I had hoped, but still did okay.  I was told about a parking lot sale coming up in March that is heavy on the craft/repurposed/vintage items, but where you can sell anything you want.  Spaces are only $15 so I think I will try it out. 

Did well on my personal goals front.  Lost another 1.4 pounds.  Just love it when the scale keeps going down.  The really nice thing, because I am losing slowly there is not a huge amount of excess skin.  I know there will be some, but I also know that the slower I lose the weight and the more muscle mass I put on, the less loose skin there will be.

I plan on getting some cup sleeves and padded hangers listed online later this week.  I will of course update the blog when that happens.

New totals for my personal goals are as follows

91.2 pounds left to lose
263.4 miles left to walk
2548603 steps left to take.

I am still trying to find some more recipes that only make one or two servings.  I am so used to helping my Mother fix huge meals for several people its hard to adjust the cooking.  And I do better with eating better when I make my own food as opposed to eating out.

Well that's all the updates until next week.

Monday Updates

Better late than never right.

Okay its going to be short and sweet today.  I am in the middle of getting ready for my sister in laws yard sale, cleaning out my closet and getting rid of all my now too big clothing, and getting ready for a craft show coming up in late march.

Only lost 2 tenths of a pound this week, but at least its a loss (i blame the superbowl snacks)
so totals are as listed
92.6 pounds left to lose
8.35 miles walked leaving 270.29 miles to go
64,855 steps taken according to my fitbit (best $140 ever spent) leaving 2610462 steps to go.

Thats it for now.

Monday Updates

Got a little bit accomplished this week.  Managed to get several things ready for the upcoming yard sale my Sister-in-law is having.  Also have got some things ready to photograph and post. Working on packaging for some of my products right now.  Almost have them ready to go.  Need to find a cheap but decent place to get some rubber stamps done. Have to finalize the logo I want to use first.

Made some progress on my first of the year goals as well.  And I actually shopped in the juniors section of a department store this week.  I have never done that before in my entire life.  By the time I was old enough to do so in High School/ Junior High I was already wearing womens/missy sized clothing.  I have to keep reminding myself that I don't have to go to the plus size department to shop anymore.  YEAH.

Weekly totals

95.6 pound to go 2.8 pounds lost
278.64 miles to walk 5.82 miles walked last week
2,675,317 steps to go, 61,900 steps taken last week.

I just hope I can keep this pace up.  Sometimes I have to force myself to get out of bed and take a walk in the mornings, but I find it seems to clear out the cobwebs and I can concentrate better the rest of the day. 

Weekly Update

Short and fast today, I've got so much to do that I am just doing a "drive by" post today.

So the new numbers

to lose 95.6 pounds (down 1.4 pounds)
284.46 miles left to walk
and 2,737,217 steps left to walk

That's it for now.  Will try for a longer post later in the week.

Projects Stalled

Okay, so I have hit a designer's block in respects to the hooded cowl I am trying to make.  It happens.  It isn't the first time I've hit a snag, and I'm certain it won't be the last.  I have found over the years that the best way to get past the block, is to put the project away, and work on something else.  Which is actually great, because a neighbor has orders some fingerless gloves for her son and daughter-in-law.  So I will get those cranked out, put a little extra cash in my pocket, and pick the hooded cowl project back up when I finish. 

I am also getting ready for a yard sale at my sister-in-law's house on the 10th of February.  This is also great, because I have a ton of "fat" clothes that I need to get rid of.  If they aren't hanging in my closet, then I can't be tempted to gain the weight I have lost to date back on.  And of course if I can get them sold, I can buy new smaller sized clothes, if I don't spend it all on yarn and craft books of course.  I usually have good luck at her yard sales with hanging dish towels with crocheted tops, and cotton cup cozies as well, so I need to get a few of those done as well.

On the plus side, I have managed to get in at least 30 minutes of daily exercise everyday this week.  Hopefully it will be reflected when I weigh in Monday morning. 

Well time to get started on those gloves, they won't make themselves.

Weekly Update

This has been a productive week, as far as personal goals go, I am down another 2.5 pounds, walked another 4.63 miles and upped my step total by another 64,270 steps.  So new running totals needed to meet goals are:

97 pounds left to lose,
290.51 miles left to walk, and
2,801,249 steps to take.

On the professional front, still trying to work out the kinks in a couple of patterns I'm working on.  I hope to have at least one of them ready to post for sale before the end of the month.  But It will probably be closer to the end of February.  I have got some items ready to photograph and list for sale, just waiting for a nice sunny day to take the pictures.  They just don't come out as nice when there is a lot of fog and clouds, both of which we have had in spades the past few days.  Maybe by the weekend I will get a chance to actually get outside and take the photos.  Then it's just a matter of editing the photos, and writing the descriptions, and listing the items.  I will of course do a blog post once the items are live on either bonanza or etsy.

I actually tried spaghetti squash for the first time the other day.  It's not going to replace the pasta in my diet completely, but its not half bad topped with a fresh veggie salsa.  And I am going to try to eat less meat (sorry not cutting it out completely), but I do like fresh veggies and can see myself doing at least one or two vegetarian days a week. 

Anyone in the Fresno/Hanford area that knows of any local craft/antique shows coming up this spring let me know.  I have been away from doing the shows since before my Mother was diagnosed with lung cancer (she lost her battle in 2014), and I think I am ready to start wading back into the pool so to speak.  Preferably smaller ones for now. 

That's it for now.  Will try to check in later this week.  Next Monday or Tuesday for sure.

Weekly Update

So starting in January I set some goals for myself.  The first was to lose weight, 100 pounds to be exact.  I am down 1/2 pound.  Not the greatest weight loss, but a step in the right direction.  The second was to walk a total of 300 miles a year.  Miles walked (actual exercise miles, not total miles from just everyday living) last week were 4.86, only 295.14 miles to go.  The third was to accumulate (according to my fitbit) 2,920,000 (two million, nine hundred, twenty thousand) steps a year.  The first week I accumulated 54,481 steps.  Leaving 2,865,519 to go.

Those were the personal goals.  And I am pleased to say it is getting easier to meet them on a daily basis.  I will check in with another update on those goals next week.

weight left to lose  99.5 pounds
miles left to walk   295.14
steps left to accumulate   2,865,519