Fatty Tuesday

Well, this week I managed to lose half a pound. This might not sound much but I have eaten out every day for a week, except Friday. I went to Southwold for a weekend with Mark, to celebrate my 40th and we did eat well! During the week, I had two desserts and a bottle of wine but managed to pick fairly good options other than that. I had a lot of fish, which is always fairly light and always chose vegetables as my side dish. The chips DID call to me but I ignored them...

So, a total of 17 pounds lost and counting. I must be careful not to eat too much this week, otherwise the excesses of last week may catch up with me - gym tonight!

Final Piece For C&G Course

A mobile phone cover!

The piece had to be something a little different from the work we had previously been doing, with a bit of our personalities thrown in. I spent ages trying to think of something and was originally going to make a framed, beaded picture. The only problem with that was the square stitch, which I HATE. So, I decided to go with tubular peyote and this project came to mind. It is not something I would make again as the time invested was huge and the cost involved was also too much. However, it is my own design and I am pleased that I made it.

TTNP & Coursework

I finished both of these necklaces in my C&G course today. The top one is to be used as a 'tatting' pattern, which is one of the stitches we covered - it is from a kit by Spellbound Beads. The second one is a netting pattern, taken from the internet. I did change several things about it though, to make it my own.

Christmas Card for 2009

This is the design that I am going with this year. No doubt it will mutate during production as I get bored making the same design all the time! It is simple and quick, but effective I think.

The Thursday Night Project - 22 October

This is mine...

I still have to do about another third of the necklace. It is a kit from Spellbound Beads.

Chinese Knotting DID Get Finished!

I still don't like the work, but I wanted to finish them. My mum said that she liked the purple one, so I gave it to her. I was glad to see the back of it as it just reminded me of impatience and frustration. She likes it though...

The glass beads were made by Wendy at my beading club. Her daughter has just also won the Beads and Beyond 'Beader of the Year' for the bead-weaving category. A talented mother and daughter pair!

Tubby Tuesday

Well, another week, another weigh-in. Except this was my fortieth birthday! So, thank Goodness I lost 1.5lbs! I have now lost a total of 16.5lbs.

I realise that I am sadly lacking in crafting posts. My friend told me off last night! I promise that things HAVE been made and I will blog them as soon as I can...

Weight Loss Tuesday (Except It Is Now Wednesday!)

This week, I lost 2.5lbs, taking my total to 15! I got my first stone in 5 weeks, so I am really happy. I know it will slow down now, so am just looking at the next half a stone. I was ill all last week and did no gym work or walking to school with Max. I was frankly amazed to lose ANY weight, because, along with the lack of exercise, all I had fancied was carbohydrates. Although I stuck to the points I was allowed, I thought I might retain fat.

Anyway, here's to the next half stone and let's hope it doesn't take TOO long...

Yesterday, I Discovered...

...that I have zero patience! I went to my Daisy Beaders class and we did Chinese Knotting. Well, you know Chinese Water Torture...this is worse. I would rather listen to a tap dripping all night than have to do this again!

You can see the pieces that I have managed to do. Frankly, if it were something I would wear, I would continue, but it is not my type of thing anyway. My friend picked it up really quickly and I was just awful! Luckily, the two ladies who run the club, Victoria and Sue, are really experienced and helped me through every hurdle...

I don't think I have ever spent a more frustrating day - grrrr!

Woo hoo 2!

I weighed in yesterday. Despite feeling that I had not lost any weight, I had lost 3.5lbs! So, I have now lost a total of 12.5lbs in 4 weeks, which I am really pleased with. I know that it will slow down, but I do feel as if I have had a good start and I am able to do this long term. I just need to think to the next hurdle and not the end of the race. The finish line is too far off, but I can cope with 7lbs at a time.

Bead Soup

The beads

Bracelet 1 - Charm bracelet

Bracelet 2 - Peyote Freeform

Bracelet 3 - Simply strung

I was supposed to appear in this month's Bead Magazine, in their Bead Soup feature. For those of you who don't know, they send a mixture of beads to a few people and they have to make something interesting. For some reason, my work did not get published, although I do think (but I may be biased!) that my bracelets were as good as the work published. I am really disappointed :( Oh well, keep plodding on!

One person who DID get published is Crafter...oo's very own Kerry from PennyDog. Her project is on page 16 onwards and it is great. Mind you, all her things are fabulous and original.

Edited 22:34

Edit 07/10 to say:

I just got a lovely email from the editor of the magazine. It was a photographer error, and her emails were not getting through to me either for some reason. I am so relieved! I think I need to believe in myself a little more instead of thinking I have always done something wrong!

Thanks for the lovely supportive posts xxx