In my last post I promised you that I would update you on a new venture as time had run out on that post. It really ended up as War & Peace didn't it?! I'm sorry if I was whinging that day.... the whole (lack of) weightloss was really getting me down. I'm so glad that a whole load of you guys were there to pick me up with your comments and spur me on to getting back on track! I'm not completely there but I am working on it and am feeling a lot more positive about it all.
Anyway, I've gone off topic haven't I? Typical me! LOL.... now back to the subject.
Last May I was looking at a friends crafting blog and saw that there was a special offer on Starter Kits for Stampin' Up! which really got me thinking. I had been looking for a way to help the household finances and thought that this would be a good way of contributing while indulging my passion for all things crafty. After having a rather in-depth discussion with Himself we decided that I should go for it..... and so my new business "Stampin' Diva's" was created. Here's my business blog if you want to go have a look!
I'm happy to report that it's going quite well so far, although not really enough to contribute to the family bank account.... yet! However, it's paying a little bit so far and as I've had a fairly slow build up I don't think that's too bad. Himself is happy though as I haven't spent anything out of the family bank account on crafting in quite a while now! So that's at least a million pounds saved from the current account each month (I wish!).
The only downside - if it can be called that - is that I'm so busy making samples, swaps, demo pieces, make & take items etc. that I haven't had an awful lot for my own personal crafting lately. It's not all a bad thing though as I'm still having fun and getting to craft a lot.... just not on personal stuff. I'm hoping to remedy that soon as I have a couple of non-Stampin' Up projects in the pipeline at the moment.
More of that another day though as I've just realised what the time is! I shall have to rush off and get a couple of things done before I retire to bed. Thanks for popping by and leaving a comment. They really lifted my mood last time and I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts again!
Monday, 21 February 2011
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Part 3: Me! Me! Me!
Yes I know, it's all me, me, me isn't it? I'm so eager and keen to extol my own virtues to you that it's taken me ages to actually pull myself together enough to sit down and DO this post. My apologies. I have now started keeping a little notebook on my person which I'm using to write lists, reminders and ideas in. I'm having to do this now because I have so much on my plate at the moment that I keep forgetting stuff half way through doing them! I found myself putting the tub of sugar in the fridge the other day - and then couldn't figure out what I was really supposed to be putting in there. I walked into the kitchen two hours later to find the milk still sat on the kitchen counter. Anyway, now I have my little notebook so I'm hoping that if I put it down on a list it will eventually get done! Blogging is most definitely on the list!! In fact, I've actually got a couple of crafting posts in mind to do. Yeah, yeah I know you've heard it all before.... but this time I'll change! I promise!! LOL.
Anyway, I did promise you an update of everything I've been up to in 2010. I'll admit that firstly, it was a fairly quiet year and secondly, I'm not sure my memory is up to remembering all the important bits - but I'll try!
So in January last year after a horrendous Christmas full of enormous amounts of food and booze I saw some photo's that my Father-in-law took of me over the Christmas period. Yes. One of those photographs that makes you stop in your tracks with a gasp and the words "Is that really me? I look horrendous!" follow very quickly after.
Yes, that fat woman is me at 18 stone 12½ lbs. Not good! So, I decided that I would start on Weight Watchers again and get rid of the weight once and for all. I think I posted about it here in April. I also signed up for membership at my local leisure centre.
By March I had lost about a stone and was really pleased with my results. I got Herself to take this photograph so please excuse the odd angle and my head being chopped short!
By mid-summer I had lost about 2 stone and was feeling soooo much better! Although my weightloss slowed down a bit as having the temptation of barbeques and ice cream vans meant I wasn't sticking to it as well as I had been. By the time the school holidays had ended I was back on track. Christmas and New Year of 2010 I was 3½ stones lighter and I was in my element! I had dropped from a size 26 jean to a size 16! I bought a gorgeous evening dress for an awards ceremony from a 'normal' persons shop in a size 16 too!!
The last time I was a 16 was when Himself and I got married in May 2000. I made that wedding dress and only I knew at the time that while some of the wedding dress was a 16 I had used my sewing skills to 'ease' certain areas in order for it to fit properly.
So, it with a heavy heart that I must report to you that since January of this year I have been really really struggling with the whole diet thing. I haven't attended very many meetings, I haven't weighed in properly in over a month now and I *know* that I have gained weight in the last few weeks. My problem? Boredom, frustration, lack of will power.... and also a sense that I am so much happier in my size 16's that maybe it's not worth all the hassle and bother to lose more weight. However, in the back of my mind I also know that I'm letting myself down by not staying on track.
I took this photo a couple of days ago in the hopes that I can start taking photographic evidence of my weight loss over the next few months. I'm hoping that it will spur me on to get motivated again, but so far I'm failing miserably. So, I'd like to ask you all a big favour! I think I need some accountability in my life right, certainly with regard to weight loss. Can I ask, if one or two of you (or maybe more if you feel like being involved!) can post a comment on here holding me to this promise. I want to be accountable to you, my readers and followers, for getting back on track and posting on here at least once a fortnight about my progress - even if it is just to report my last weigh in! Can I ask you to check in here regularly and yell at me in a comment or by email if I havent posted how I'm doing? I really really need to know that there is someone out there who will kick my bum (even in a 'virtual' way) if I don't get back on track and report in regularly. Please tell me you will help me in this way? I don't want to go back to what I looked like at the end of 2009. I really want to keep going with this and get down to a medically healthy weight, not just one that 'will do', but at the moment I feel like I'm losing my grip on this whole weight loss thing completely!
Anyway, I was going to share news of another journey I have embarked on, but it will have to wait now as this post has turned into War & Peace!! Thanks for all your comments, I really appreciate them and read them all. I'm looking forward to seeing you back here soon!
Anyway, I did promise you an update of everything I've been up to in 2010. I'll admit that firstly, it was a fairly quiet year and secondly, I'm not sure my memory is up to remembering all the important bits - but I'll try!
So in January last year after a horrendous Christmas full of enormous amounts of food and booze I saw some photo's that my Father-in-law took of me over the Christmas period. Yes. One of those photographs that makes you stop in your tracks with a gasp and the words "Is that really me? I look horrendous!" follow very quickly after.
Yes, that fat woman is me at 18 stone 12½ lbs. Not good! So, I decided that I would start on Weight Watchers again and get rid of the weight once and for all. I think I posted about it here in April. I also signed up for membership at my local leisure centre.
By March I had lost about a stone and was really pleased with my results. I got Herself to take this photograph so please excuse the odd angle and my head being chopped short!
By mid-summer I had lost about 2 stone and was feeling soooo much better! Although my weightloss slowed down a bit as having the temptation of barbeques and ice cream vans meant I wasn't sticking to it as well as I had been. By the time the school holidays had ended I was back on track. Christmas and New Year of 2010 I was 3½ stones lighter and I was in my element! I had dropped from a size 26 jean to a size 16! I bought a gorgeous evening dress for an awards ceremony from a 'normal' persons shop in a size 16 too!!
The last time I was a 16 was when Himself and I got married in May 2000. I made that wedding dress and only I knew at the time that while some of the wedding dress was a 16 I had used my sewing skills to 'ease' certain areas in order for it to fit properly.
So, it with a heavy heart that I must report to you that since January of this year I have been really really struggling with the whole diet thing. I haven't attended very many meetings, I haven't weighed in properly in over a month now and I *know* that I have gained weight in the last few weeks. My problem? Boredom, frustration, lack of will power.... and also a sense that I am so much happier in my size 16's that maybe it's not worth all the hassle and bother to lose more weight. However, in the back of my mind I also know that I'm letting myself down by not staying on track.
I took this photo a couple of days ago in the hopes that I can start taking photographic evidence of my weight loss over the next few months. I'm hoping that it will spur me on to get motivated again, but so far I'm failing miserably. So, I'd like to ask you all a big favour! I think I need some accountability in my life right, certainly with regard to weight loss. Can I ask, if one or two of you (or maybe more if you feel like being involved!) can post a comment on here holding me to this promise. I want to be accountable to you, my readers and followers, for getting back on track and posting on here at least once a fortnight about my progress - even if it is just to report my last weigh in! Can I ask you to check in here regularly and yell at me in a comment or by email if I havent posted how I'm doing? I really really need to know that there is someone out there who will kick my bum (even in a 'virtual' way) if I don't get back on track and report in regularly. Please tell me you will help me in this way? I don't want to go back to what I looked like at the end of 2009. I really want to keep going with this and get down to a medically healthy weight, not just one that 'will do', but at the moment I feel like I'm losing my grip on this whole weight loss thing completely!
Anyway, I was going to share news of another journey I have embarked on, but it will have to wait now as this post has turned into War & Peace!! Thanks for all your comments, I really appreciate them and read them all. I'm looking forward to seeing you back here soon!
Friday, 28 January 2011
Part 2: Himself
Ok, I know that I promised to update on my weightloss 'later this week' but I've been hit with the most horrendous cold ever. As I write I'm sat in bed with my laptop and I've been in my PJ's all day. Consequently the photo I was going to take of me looking all svelt and slinky has not happened this week. I look rather a lot more like a hedgehog that's been dragged through a haystack... backwards. So excuse me if I don't take a photo right now; I don't really want to cause a stampede as you all run away screaming!
Instead I thought I'd update you a little on what Himself has been up to in 2010 and give myself a little bit of time to recover before I try to take a photo of myself.
So, what's he been up to? Himself would say:
Eat. Sleep. Work.
True as this may be, it's not the full picture even if it is a large part of it.
This year Himself decided to embark on Weight Watchers with me. He wasn't fat as such just a little tubby and in need of a healthier diet.... like most of us on this planet actually! His will power is amazing and has been really inspiring to see him shed the extra pounds! So far, he's lost 3 stone and is looking much trimmer. He's happy because he's back into his 'skinny man' clothes and feeling much better without the additional weight to carry around. Well done that man! I think his goal weight is only about a ½ stone away so not much more to do.
The other major change that has happened this year is that Himself changed jobs... well, sort of. These things are never straight forward with our family are they? His previous company has seconded him into the local water company and he was enjoying that job when it was announced that his employers were losing the contract in the next 5 year spending period. This prompted Himself to approach one of the companies that had been awarded the contract and they took him on in exactly the same role that he was in already. So the upshot is that he works in the same office with the same people on the same projects for the same salary BUT the paycheck is signed by a different hand. This move has also provided him with a good 4 years worth of steady work before the madness of tendering for the following spending period begins in earnest.
Eat. Diet. Sleep. Work..... and play with the girls. His engineering skills come in really handy when they're playing with Lego!
Thanks for coming by! I really appreciate and read all comments that are left. I will be posting an update on my weight loss and a few other things early next week so come back soon!
Instead I thought I'd update you a little on what Himself has been up to in 2010 and give myself a little bit of time to recover before I try to take a photo of myself.
So, what's he been up to? Himself would say:
Eat. Sleep. Work.
True as this may be, it's not the full picture even if it is a large part of it.
This year Himself decided to embark on Weight Watchers with me. He wasn't fat as such just a little tubby and in need of a healthier diet.... like most of us on this planet actually! His will power is amazing and has been really inspiring to see him shed the extra pounds! So far, he's lost 3 stone and is looking much trimmer. He's happy because he's back into his 'skinny man' clothes and feeling much better without the additional weight to carry around. Well done that man! I think his goal weight is only about a ½ stone away so not much more to do.
The other major change that has happened this year is that Himself changed jobs... well, sort of. These things are never straight forward with our family are they? His previous company has seconded him into the local water company and he was enjoying that job when it was announced that his employers were losing the contract in the next 5 year spending period. This prompted Himself to approach one of the companies that had been awarded the contract and they took him on in exactly the same role that he was in already. So the upshot is that he works in the same office with the same people on the same projects for the same salary BUT the paycheck is signed by a different hand. This move has also provided him with a good 4 years worth of steady work before the madness of tendering for the following spending period begins in earnest.
Eat. Diet. Sleep. Work..... and play with the girls. His engineering skills come in really handy when they're playing with Lego!
Thanks for coming by! I really appreciate and read all comments that are left. I will be posting an update on my weight loss and a few other things early next week so come back soon!
Monday, 17 January 2011
Part 1: The girls
I promised you an update on all our comings and goings during 2010, however, it's been harder to put together than I anticipated! Firstly, I'm so out of practise with this whole blogging thing that the words dont seem to flow very well. Secondly, I wanted to include some photo's but then realised that, along with blogging, organising my photo's isn't one of my forté's so I felt the need to sort and organise first! (Procrastination, however, IS one of my strong points!) However, being the numpty that I am I somehow managed to delete almost my whole Picture folder!! So I have spent ages using various free programmes off the web to restore all those memories that I lost... and then because the programme just dumped it all in once place I've had to go through and sort it all out again! Methinks I should just have posted the update and ignored the mess on my hard-drive!
Anyway, now that photo's have been recovered and restored and reorganised and re-sorted I shall finally do this blogging thing again! Thanks for all your patience!!
So in January 2010 - which is about the last time I mentioned either of them in a blog post - Herself was 4½ years old and still at nursery. She was very much looking forward to her birthday in July and starting 'big school' in August although she was still rather enjoying nursery!
The Little One was only 16 months old and had only just gotten the hang of walking!
In May the girls enjoyed having Grandma and Grandad around for a visit from Down South. Especially as Grandad is always up for a bit of this:
In June Herself performed in the nursery 'end of year' play and did really well! Never the shy, retiring type she was very pleased to be given a 'solo' part!
As the weather improved we all spent more time out in the garden, which Himself and my Little Bro had childproofed for the girls.
We also went on holiday where Herself started learning to ride the bicycle ....
..... and so did the Little One!
In July, my pre-schooler turned 5!!
.... and so she officially became old enough for 'big school' which she duly started in August. There was quite a bit of excitement from Herself on the big day (and a fair few tears from myself!)...
Meanwhile the Little One had progressed to running everywhere and talking ten-to-the-dozen. She turned 2 in September!
In October we had a lovely (if somewhat chilly!) day picking apples in the back garden.
With all the snow bringing so much disruption in November, we ended up staying at home a lot! We tried building a snowman but the Little One didn't enjoy the experience!!
Gosh, I can't believe what a fun year we've had with our two growing girls! It has been fun, frantic and very special. I wouldn't have missed it for anything!
Finally, I leave you with this image. The Little One has been brushing up on her computer skills so she can take over the blogging from her mother. Perhaps this way you might get more regular updates!!
Thanks for your patience and thanks for dropping by! Later this week I shall be updating about my weight loss progress. It will be significantly LESS photo-heavy I promise!!
Anyway, now that photo's have been recovered and restored and reorganised and re-sorted I shall finally do this blogging thing again! Thanks for all your patience!!
So in January 2010 - which is about the last time I mentioned either of them in a blog post - Herself was 4½ years old and still at nursery. She was very much looking forward to her birthday in July and starting 'big school' in August although she was still rather enjoying nursery!
The Little One was only 16 months old and had only just gotten the hang of walking!
In May the girls enjoyed having Grandma and Grandad around for a visit from Down South. Especially as Grandad is always up for a bit of this:
In June Herself performed in the nursery 'end of year' play and did really well! Never the shy, retiring type she was very pleased to be given a 'solo' part!
As the weather improved we all spent more time out in the garden, which Himself and my Little Bro had childproofed for the girls.
We also went on holiday where Herself started learning to ride the bicycle ....
..... and so did the Little One!
In July, my pre-schooler turned 5!!
.... and so she officially became old enough for 'big school' which she duly started in August. There was quite a bit of excitement from Herself on the big day (and a fair few tears from myself!)...
Meanwhile the Little One had progressed to running everywhere and talking ten-to-the-dozen. She turned 2 in September!
In October we had a lovely (if somewhat chilly!) day picking apples in the back garden.
With all the snow bringing so much disruption in November, we ended up staying at home a lot! We tried building a snowman but the Little One didn't enjoy the experience!!
Gosh, I can't believe what a fun year we've had with our two growing girls! It has been fun, frantic and very special. I wouldn't have missed it for anything!
Finally, I leave you with this image. The Little One has been brushing up on her computer skills so she can take over the blogging from her mother. Perhaps this way you might get more regular updates!!
Thanks for your patience and thanks for dropping by! Later this week I shall be updating about my weight loss progress. It will be significantly LESS photo-heavy I promise!!
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Coming soon....
Watch this space! I'm currently putting together a series of update posts for 2010. It won't be too much longer I promise!!
In the meantime here's a random picture that I took in my back garden this autumn.
In the meantime here's a random picture that I took in my back garden this autumn.
Sunday, 9 January 2011
2011 already!
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great time? Were you sensible or are you still feeling the ill effects of too little blood in your alcohol stream?
Our new year's celebration took a last minute change of course this year. We were all set to go to Derby to ring in the bells with our usual set of friends only to receive a phonecall from our hostess to say that they were having to cancel as both her and hubby were ill with a nasty bug. So, after a chance phonecall to another friend we we found ourselves on our way to Bradford instead!! I must say that for an impromptu party is was rather well attended and better organised than I would have managed!!
We headed back up to Cumbernauld on New Years Day and have so far spent our time running around like headless chickens... all in the name of trying to get back into the swing of things! For some reason I have found it really difficult to get back into a routine. Consequently my sleeping habits have gone down the hewey and I'm oversleeping in the mornings and then finding I'm late for EVERYTHING for the rest of the day. It's not good.
Anyway, I hope it's not too late to wish you all a very happy, prosperous and healthy 2011?
One of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more often.... so pop back in a bit!
PS. I think I shall have to bite the bullet and do a massive (or maybe a couple of large) blogpost(s) to fill you all in on the events of 2010. What do you think?
PPS. Do you like the new look of the blog? I'm still trying to get used to it!
Our new year's celebration took a last minute change of course this year. We were all set to go to Derby to ring in the bells with our usual set of friends only to receive a phonecall from our hostess to say that they were having to cancel as both her and hubby were ill with a nasty bug. So, after a chance phonecall to another friend we we found ourselves on our way to Bradford instead!! I must say that for an impromptu party is was rather well attended and better organised than I would have managed!!
We headed back up to Cumbernauld on New Years Day and have so far spent our time running around like headless chickens... all in the name of trying to get back into the swing of things! For some reason I have found it really difficult to get back into a routine. Consequently my sleeping habits have gone down the hewey and I'm oversleeping in the mornings and then finding I'm late for EVERYTHING for the rest of the day. It's not good.
Anyway, I hope it's not too late to wish you all a very happy, prosperous and healthy 2011?
One of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more often.... so pop back in a bit!
PS. I think I shall have to bite the bullet and do a massive (or maybe a couple of large) blogpost(s) to fill you all in on the events of 2010. What do you think?
PPS. Do you like the new look of the blog? I'm still trying to get used to it!
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Snowy Birthday to me!
Oh my gosh, I'm 34!! When did that happen?
Almost my whole life I was a summer baby and was used to having my birthday around the pool or on camping holidays with my parents. However, since I moved to the UK I've had to get used to wrapping up warm on my birthday. This year even more so as we are completely snowed in! It's the first time I've ever had snow ON my birthday. It's odd, weird and very very strange. You would think that I would be used to it after living in the UK for the past 14 years, however it still seems slightly wrong.
In some ways its great as my hubby has decided to stay home due to all the trains being cancelled, but in others it's not so good. All my birthday cards and presents that have been sent by family and friends are all stuck at the Post Office because the Postie hasn't been able to deliver in quite a few days now!
Anyway, this is my car today.... despite the fact that it got cleared of snow yesterday!!
Almost my whole life I was a summer baby and was used to having my birthday around the pool or on camping holidays with my parents. However, since I moved to the UK I've had to get used to wrapping up warm on my birthday. This year even more so as we are completely snowed in! It's the first time I've ever had snow ON my birthday. It's odd, weird and very very strange. You would think that I would be used to it after living in the UK for the past 14 years, however it still seems slightly wrong.
In some ways its great as my hubby has decided to stay home due to all the trains being cancelled, but in others it's not so good. All my birthday cards and presents that have been sent by family and friends are all stuck at the Post Office because the Postie hasn't been able to deliver in quite a few days now!
Anyway, this is my car today.... despite the fact that it got cleared of snow yesterday!!
Now I'm wondering whether I should try to clear the car again and attempt to go out and do something special for the day or whether I would be best just snuggling down with a duvet and a cup of hot chocolate for the day. Any ideas??
I shall let you know what we decided in my next post! Thanks for dropping by!
Anthea
PS. Can you tell that my writing skills are a little rusty? It's been ages since I last did any sort of post and I'm feeling a little out of practice!
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