Not even going to discuss how long it's been...

     There is only one week left until school/work starts and I am scurrying to get projects done. The first six weeks of summer were spent desk-bound due to my lack of foresight in enrolling in 3 online classes (Never. Again.) towards a special ed endorsement. Then there was a week and a half spent with family vacationing in Florida (and here for 4 nights!). Finally back home to a lawn badly in need of weeding and watering and a dog exhausted from spending 10 days at the local "pet lodge" : (
     All of the things I had planned to do during my summer off got crammed into the remaining 4 weeks. The neglected yard was first in line; many broad leaved weeds were extracted from the front and back lawns (with the assistance of my recently TEEN-AGED son *sigh*).
The next project that I had been itching to complete was an office chair makeover. Last year I was allowed to claim two old, ugly office chairs from work as my own. They were (as stated) ugly, no one wanted them in their offices and they kept getting shuttled from one over-crowded storage area to the next. So I took them.
To prove that they were ugly, I submit this for your consideration

Exhibit a: "before"

     My plan was to make a cute chair to go in the Mom Cave for crafting and computering. I decided to have it powder coated after seeing the amazing transformation of two old institution style bed frames we inherited (sorry, no pictures have yet been taken of those...) so the chair and I made a little trip to Forever Powder Coating in Tumwater, WA. I can not recommend these guys highly enough - they are just amazing. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of colors and finishes to choose from. I chose a bright, orangey, poppy color for the frame, and found a coordinating fabric (on sale!) at JoAnne's.
Here is the finished product

Exhibit a: "after"

     I absolutely love it. In fact I am seated upon it right this minute! You may notice that the legs are bare (see the holes?) The caps that were on there were that hideous office beige colored plastic, and one broke as the guys were removing it. I opted for no caps and am fine with how it looks, however I think I could find replacements on line if I so desire in the future.

     

     The next project is an old, cheap 70's dresser that I want to paint. 

I really love the octopus dresser from Brooklyn Limestone, but am not a hundred percent sure that I want to do that design on this dresser. Anyone have any suggestions?

Here Are Some Cold Hard Facts:

1. Holy Crap it's been a long time since I blogged!
2. I can't do anything with the "TV" room until we finish the kitchen.
3. We just started on the kitchen.
4. Kitchen remodels have been known to go looooooong.
5. My creative space (crafty corner) is in the "TV" room.
6. I want LOVE to make gift tags!
7.I feel better, happy, when my crafts table is clear enough to actually do crafts on.
8. I need to let go of more stuff.
9. I have a few (ahem) "unfinished" projects. Just a few.
10. I have ~several~ kits that I have not started. Some have not even been opened. Ever.
11. I am a creative person.

Link Love

Appropriate, no? This being the month of Valentine's and all.

Ever since I started working at the Preschool, I am hyper-aware of all things Preschool-y. I recently joined - er excuse me; was invited to join - Pinterest which has provided me with an excellent way to organize and keep track of all of the amazing ideas that are popping up all over the internet. (They were probably always there. It's just this new awareness of mine, I'm sure...) One blogger in particular, LiEr of "Ikat Bag," is charming the dickens out of me with her incredible style and creativity. She's a sewer seamstress, but also posts truly inspiring paper and cardboard crafts that are perfect for the Preschool-set. I would love to post pictures of some of her stuff that is blowing my mind right now, but I need to ask permission before I post any, so I will instead provide links and you can scoot on over to see for yourself why I am so gushy about her.

felt sugar cookies activity (OH how I love working with felt!)
home made "Happy Families" card game (based on the old one, apparently no longer being made)
home-made (custom-made) board game "Bak To School"
home-made stationery sets (using all the unused stickers from her surplus of coloring books... )

Miss LiEr is truly a talented mama, don't you think? I will most definitely be visiting her more often.

snow day

an opportunity for me to clean the house...

Minor Set-Backs

So, after 10 weeks on WW, I had lost 18 pounds!!! Soooooo close to that 20 lb mark... And then... Christmas. And New Years. Cookies. And Champagne. And CHOCOLATE (don't forget the chocolate!)
But it turned out to not be as bad as I thought. Less than 2 lbs were gained, and while that is a minor set-back, I am back on track this week.
Of course it helps to be motivated, and to be motivated, you have to have a positive attitude. For me, positive thinking needs to be linked to something good, and I am happy to report that a very GOOD thing has happened! I am now a part-time Para-educator at the school districts special needs preschool! I am training to use the STAR program to work with three students with autism that are in the afternoon classes. This is a terrific opportunity for me as, of all the kids, I am most intrigued by those affected by autism. I have witnessed the progress of some of the kids who were students of this program last year, and it is absolutely one of the most gratifying experiences.
All of this has brought me back to my commitment to lose weight. And this year, I plan to add a little exercise into the mix, tone up those core muscles.
Looking forward to a very happy and healthy new year!

Shake Up Your Sugar

I think it was at the home of a German friend where I first saw colored sugar crystals mixed into the sugar bowl.  

I really like these large, rainbow hued sprinkles, but if you want to celebrate a certain season, Wilton has an extensive inventory - I can find them at JoAnne's or Wal-Mart.

I don't drink my coffee with sugar, I just really love this mug.

*:)

week 2 and week 3

Week 2 saw a loss of another 2 lbs! And the Chicken piccata was delicious. Week three I lost another 3 - I have lost a total of 8.6 pounds! Snacking is sometimes still an issue. I think it has just become a habit - the trick is finding plan-friendly snack options. I am allowed unlimited fruits and vegetables, but I sometimes want something more substantial, so I am using the sites online "recipe builder" to develop diet friendly soups. I made a lean Lima bean soup last week, and found that a quarter cup of that with a tablespoon of fat-free plain yogurt a a chopped up Roma tomato made a VERY satisfying nosh, that didn't waste any calories (points.) So far I am happy. And not feeling deprived in the least. And NEVER hungry, unless it's mealtime.

Last Friday was my birthday and I used the recipe builder to find out the points for Magnolia Bakery's Vanilla/Vanilla cupcakes. One frosted cupcake is nearly half of a day's points - but careful management and food choices allowed me to have one on my birthday and another one on Saturday. I only ate half of one on Sunday, but Ohhhhhh, they are yummy!