A New Style of Posting

Hi Friends! Not quite sure where to begin, so I'll just jump right in. You may have noticed less sewing posts. I mentioned some "fitness goals", and those goals are still on the table. But really, my life has taken a new trajectory at the moment, and for me, working full time means way less sewing. I'm not sure if it's an exhaustion thing, or a lack of desire thing what with having to wear only black at work, but I'm just not feeling it.

(For the record, a phrase that you won't ever read here is sewing mojo. I don't mind reading it in, but for whatever reason, it does kind of give me the heebie jeebies. While I'm at it, you also won't see me substitute the word "sew" for "so". No criticism of those who do, but it's just not for me.... ok, back to the post.)

So if you come here just for the sewing posts, which from a critic's standpoint had actually become more of a "here is what I made" rather than a "here is the process", you'll be out of luck. There will definitely still be some sewing posts, but just not as frequently.

But, there will be posts on the avocado project (still going strong--update soon), other creative outlets, vintage sewing patterns (still selling 'em), life in general, and the wedding industry specifically (my opinion of it, at least).

Oh, yeah... I'm still reading your blogs, too, admittedly in more of a lurking style than participatory.

Bottom line... the goal here is to post more often because sometimes there is just stuff I gotta write about, but the content will be broader. I will try to label appropriately (wink!). I would love your feedback and comments!

Have a great Monday!

Life Updates and the Avocado

I confess that I haven't really been sewing. Of course, lots of us don't sew 24/7 because life (and sometimes death) gets in the way. I quite enjoy sewing blogs that give me a glimpse into more facets of the writer's life than just stuff they make. But, if you're only interested in stuff I make, then wait until the next post. Otherwise, read on.

I think I'll start with today and move backwards. Today is Father's Day! Happy Father's Day!

My Dad

Mitch Mayborn, 1936-1991

Father of my 2 Children

 

Roland Behm, still alive and well

Some sad news. This is the death part. Sadly, on June 1, my uncle died. Ward was my dad's younger brother, and he became very ill in March, and never recovered. I feel fortunate that I was able to fly to Dallas and attend the memorial service, and see my aunt, cousins, and the rest of the family. This is a sad day for my cousins.

The Avocado Project

I have this thing with growing avocados. Well, at least attempting to grow them. I successfully grew one a few years ago, that lasted a few years, and then it met with an untimely death. The last one only lasted a few months. I am undeterred though. I started another one on June 1, and I plan to photograph it's progress all scientific-like. If any of y'all have this obsession, or experience, feel free to chime in with any tips.

Finally, future sewing. I do plan to at least attempt the Hummingbird Sew Along. I have pattern and fabric. I've put the button on the side bar. Surely, I'll find 30 minutes!

The Sew Along

Just a Few More Weight Loss Thoughts

Parada Creations

I was looking over my thoughts of yesterday, and they felt kind of negative to me... losing weight is hard, blah, blah, blah... and that was really not my intention.


So, I want to bring this train into the station on a positive note, and say that sure, losing weight is hard, but it is totally doable. One day, one meal at a time. I've met more than a few people that lost 50 or more pounds, and have kept it off. I think the important thing is to be kind to yourself.


And I forgot to introduce you to a great new (at least to me) blog written by one of my daughter's former roommates, Jessica. She's on a weight loss journey, so a lot of her posts are about that, but she is also learning to sew and just find her way in the world, and she has an amazing attitude! Check out Tales from Team Awesome if you get a chance.


And finally, on a completely different note, I think I've forgotten how to sew. My new sewing studio is really taking shape, but everything is in a different place, and I feel so awkward. Have you ever felt like that. I'm going to have to just bite the bullet and go turn on the sewing machine and see what happens!

Thoughts on Losing Weight

Like many, many others, one of my New Year's resolutions was to lose weight. It's a popular one, no? And 2 of the things that I've found helpful are 1) a public announcement of my plan and 2) support of others. This year, I'm following along with Shannon of Hungry Zombie fame as she tries to "tame her arse". Her series has "inspired" me to share just a few things that I learned in my 2 years as a Weight Watchers leader. [These "learnings" are strictly anecdotal and observational. There may be science to back them up, but I'm not looking up the research, therefore, they are my opinion only, and I am no longer associated with Weight Watchers.]

Another disclaimer: there are exceptions to everything I learned (except that 1 pound = 1 pound... that's always true).

So. What did I learn and observe?

• losing weight is hard. Oh, yeah, you probably knew that.
• losing weight is easier when you are younger. If you are younger than 40 and want to lose weight, don't wait!
• a pound of muscle does NOT weigh more than a pound of fat. 1 pound = 1 pound. However, muscle is more dense and takes up less space. That means...
• use your measurements as well as the scale to register progress!
• people have patterns of weight loss. For example, you may lose for 3 weeks and then hold steady the next. Maybe you lose for 4, gain the next week, then lose for 4 weeks again.
• That means that 3 to 4 weeks into a weight loss plan is too soon to decide if you are on a plateau.
• Hormones can be evil.
• Losing weight is harder for women.
• A big exercise day is sometimes followed by a weight gain.
• It's definitely better NOT to weigh every day. Really once a week is a good idea, but I usually can't hold out that long.
• I don't always practice what I preach.
• What works for one person, might not work for the next.
• Writing down everything you eat, even if you are not calculating calories or points or whatever, can be useful.
• Being honest about what you write down is also useful.
• Being honest about how much you exercise is also useful... there are lots of great apps out there to help you record your exercise.
• Exercise is important for everyone, even if you aren't trying to lose weight.
• Losing weight slower seems to be better for long term maintenance.

That's it for now. And I just want to add that while my reasons for losing weight are for health concerns, I'm not gonna lie and say those are the only reasons. No matter what your views on weight loss are, I do believe that a person's weight is a personal matter.

Bamboo?

We had gorgeous weather today, and, since I couldn't think of a reason not to, I tore myself away from some sewing to take a hike with Roland. He's really been into hiking lately (a New Year's resolution?), and since we live ridiculously close to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area it would have been silly to decline the invitation.


If you click on the link, and then click on "view map", we were hiking in the Palisades area. He's been trying several routes. The other day, we stopped at an overlook, and I snapped this:

[I used my Instagram app, and am really having fun with the filters, so that's why the picture looks as it does.] Do you see the mid-rise office building in the background. Yep, the area is really more city than country, but we're so lucky to have this area.


Today, we took a different (and much steeper) route, starting at a higher area and working our way down to the river (and, yes, we had to go back up, too). Everything looked pretty much like it does in the picture above, until we encountered a stand of bamboo. Very strange and green, and we felt like perhaps we were in a different country.

From the hike, we headed to Lowe's to pick up some paint chips for the sewing studio. Painting this week, I hope! And a little sewing, too... there is a minoru jacket sew along after all!

Wrapping Up Self Stitched September

Yes, September is over, and so is my self stitched blogging. I have a few more days to "reveal", but wanted to do a little navel gazing about the whole thing. Let's start with that since the days that are left, well, you've seen the outfits already. So, the thoughts:

• the posts are not nearly as interesting to my followers. I apologize.
• September weather is very, very similar to June weather here in Atlanta which means I'm still wearing the same things.
• by September, I'm pretty much over those things that I'm wearing, no matter what their origin.
• that means, I'm even more tired of taking my picture in those same things.

That's about it. Let's see those days we're missing:

Monday, September 26

Top: Talbots

Skirt: Half a Crepe

Shoes: Mephisto

Tuesday, September 27

Dress: Vintage Vogue 2006

Belt: Talbots

Shoes: Via Uno

Thoughts: I wore this dress back on the 8th with a different belt and different shoes. I kind of like the monochromatic look with this belt.

Wednesday, September 28

I had a doctor's appointment, and wanted to wear the lightest thing possible for the dreaded weigh in where I'm not allowed to take off my shoes thing. Yep. Call me crazy, but that criteria didn't fit the things left in my closet that I had made.

Thursday, September 29

Thoughts: ok, getting really, really lazy here, but I made the top, and the skirt is my crescent skirt, so I made that too. Originally, way back on the 1st, I thought it would be fun to track the progress of Roland's big landscape/hardscape project. Unfortunately, today is the first day there was any change and the month is almost over. But you can see he rented that machine thingie, and the path is done.

Friday, September 30

Thoughts: This is actually a rerun picture from the 6th. But I did wear the same top on the last day. Different jeans though, and different shoes. And it wasn't raining. But I had a friend from Texas visiting for the weekend, and I totally forgot to snap the picture from the last day. Do you sense a little apathy? Well, I just want to thank Zoe for an awesome idea for bringing sewists together, for making us think about what we sew for ourselves, and why, and how to make these things work out in the real world!

I've got some new stuff coming up, so please come back for the newness! I miss my followers and their wonderful comments!

Ruh Roh

So our fabulous rescue dogs are not so well behaved after all. One of them, in fact, is a chewer. One of the first victims is pictured above. I was going to just chuck it, and then thought that perhaps I'll just remake it. How hard can it be? So, let's call it a WIP right now.

Now that the raincoat is finished, I'm feeling a bit unorganized, but finally just impulsively bought a new sewing toy. Something I've been wanting for awhile. I'll reveal it later, but it has prompted a massive reorganization and clean out of what I call the "basement" part of our basement. It's the part with the cement floor and the storage shelves, but also the part that houses my cutting table and fabric stash among other things. It's been 3 years since the last big purge, and you know how these kinds of areas get. Well, let's just say that I'm not quite a candidate for Hoarders Anonymous, but it's pretty cluttered.

So furniture is being pushed around, garbage bags are being filled, the shredder could possibly be working overtime, and the Goodwill pile is growing. And while this is happening I've decided to tackle my UFO's, both sewing and non-sewing. My challenge to my self, that I'm putting out here in cyberspace, is to finish one a week in each category. Friday is going to become Finished Friday. Embarrassingly, more than a handful of my sewing UFOs are items destined for my Etsy shops. Non-sewing UFOs will mostly include some organizational projects, but right now I'm calling the basement studio a WIP. Good thing I'm allowed to make up my own rules!!

Look! Someone ate the painter's tape! It wasn't me!

Yep, I realize that now Friday is the day after tomorrow, so I'll cut myself some slack and pick a couple of super easy projects. Sadly, there are a few of those that just need a teeny bit of finishing and they'll be ready. Sheesh *slapping my forehead*! This, of course, does not mean that I won't be starting new projects, too. In fact, a new knitting project will be cast on tonight. Dog related, though not for one of my dogs. That's all I'm saying about that right now.

GUILTY!

 

 Teddy, surrounded by his stash of approved toys. He's quite the hoarder.

Meet some new buddies

Not so fast though. I just want to say thank you to all my loyal commenters and followers. Maybe this is silly, but it really does mean so much to me to read your comments, and lately, they have seemed especially supportive. (Oh sure, I love a good "what a great dress", too! Does wonders for the spirits, won't lie about that!) There were several new names and faces that responded to our new family situation with Kyle's illness, and you all have my heartfelt thanks for that. By the way, he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder (at least tentatively), and has been participating in an outpatient program. Tomorrow we are switching him to a different program here in Atlanta, but still outpatient.

And... tomorrow, to show my gratitude and appreciation for all my followers (all 100 and TWO... I know, I promised this at 100), I'll be posting my giveaway. There will be something for everyone, so if you've just been lurking and haven't clicked the follow button, now would be a good time!

And in the meantime, today, I was really wishing I had my Amy Butler raincoat made because it's rainy and gray, but instead the last two days have been all about these guys:

Danny

 Teddy

Kyle and I picked them out yesterday at Clover Run Rescue in Jefferson, Georgia. Danny is Kyle's and is a corgi/shepherd mix, and Teddy is mine and is a gordon setter/retriever(?) mix. They are about 18 months to 2 years old, and both boys are as sweet as can be. Their first night home, after going out for pottying about 10pm, they retreated to their little mats and didn't get up until 7:30 this morning!

Oh, sure. They aren't complete angels. Danny has already rolled in poop, and seems to adore the softness of a couch. Teddy has contemplated the day bed, but so far resisted. They both love a good belly rub (who doesn't?) and lots of attention. Danny is not so good about sitting, but can dance, and Teddy is a great sitter. Neither like baby carrots. And so what if my eyes are itchy today!

Edit: Almost forgot... only one more day for the sale at The Blue Gardenia! I'll be shopping tonight and buying something for myself for my birthday! See ya later, Denise!

List Making Season

Did you hear? It's the Holiday Season! And if you don't do it any other time of year, this is the time that making lists seems to be the most important! Full disclosure: while I'd love to be all inclusive, I celebrate Christmas, so this post will be skewed toward that point of view. Simply substitute Christmas with the holiday that you celebrate.

So, back to the lists. There are Christmas card address lists that will need updating, gift lists, wish lists, menus and grocery lists galore. Calendars that need updating with parties and events. So much to do! And I have not even made the first list yet... but I can't say I haven't been warned: