Monday, January 5, 2009

Checking in

Health/Fitnes Goals -
1. Bring lunch and snacks all this week and next.
Reward - buy Soul of the Rose cross stitch kit
2. Cook dinner and right away put away portions in fridge for lunches/dinners.
3. Work out for 30 minutes each week of January.
Reward - buy mini-trampoline to further my workout progress goals.

Mini-trampoline? Yes. I'm a bit obsessed with them right now really. I've been researching 'rebounding' online and the health benefits. I have been trying to think of fun ways to exercise and I think this will be something I can do at home for short bursts along with weight training moves, yoga, and my bicycle pedaler.

I've also been reading up on Curves and their whole program design. I don't know that I want to join Curves. I've not had great luck with gym memberships, mainly because I hate working out around other people. There's a whole list of reasons that go along with that, but I won't bore you any more today with that!

Craft-wise
1. Working on Babette Blanket - consists of afghan squares in 17 different colors. Some color combinations look nautrual and other make your eyes bleed. The finished result should be a delightful mess that brightens up a room.

2. HAED Frog Prince QS3 - This is the crazy over one stitching on 25 count evenweave. So far I haven't moved out of the maroon tapestry background. I love working on this piece, but after 3 bleary eyed nights of stitching, I see progress but it's very hard to measure. I read in the newest issue of The Cross Stitcher that their formula for figuring out stitching time is this - a 1 inch by 1 inch square on 14 count Aida cloth, fully stitched, takes 1 hour. I can't fathom how many stitching hours this pattern will take - it is fully stitched, no open spaces, over one, and I think the size is 6x9, I'll have to check. Eek!

3. Floral Potpourri(hate the name - I call it Peony cross stitch) -


Started this up again Wednesday night. This is the first cross stitch project I started when I renewed my interest. I must have started it in 2001 or 2002. Not even halfway, is it? I do like the pattern, and now I am working on this alternately with Frog Prince. I see now that my stitching has improved a lot since I started this piece. I've learned a lot of stitching techniques from The Cross Stitcher, like using one long thread and doubling it for less ends on the back of the piece. Works like a charm.

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