Under a blue moon

Andrea's Rip-roaring Diet Adventures

 

Rick is recovering nicely.  Thank you for all the well wishes.   He's a very good, appreciative patient. 

The picture above has nothing to do with this post.  We are going to talk about killer abs.  And I don't have a picture of them that I can share (okay - I don't HAVE them to begin with).

I got back on the low-carb, low-cal bandwagon last week and instantly lost the five pounds that I've put on since Christmas.  Now I'm back at my pre-holiday melt down weight. 

I decided I need to start exercising more too.  To help things along.  I'm at a certain age where all my pounds are very fond of me and don't want to leave.  So I thought I would make them do crunches and jumping jacks and see how they like that.

If you follow The Biggest Loser (I admit to a perverse fascination with how fast they lose weight and how they look when they are done) then you know who Jillian Michaels is.  She is one of the two trainers on the show.  She has a take no prisoners approach to training.

After hearing some rave reviews for her 30-day Shred workout dvd I ordered it from Amazon. It is an intense 20 minute workout.  The feedback on it is it is hard but the misery only lasts 20 minutes and you can usually stick it out.  There are three levels of workouts and I'm starting with Level 1 and it is kicking my butt.   She's not as mean on the dvd as she is on the show.

I put together a 30-day Exercise Challenge with some on-line friends of mine.  Our goal is to do some kind of exercise every day, for 30 days.  Can be anything - working out in a gym, spinning class, workout dvd, walk.  I'm hoping that if I stick to it for 30 days exercise will become a habit instead of a chore.

My plan is to do the 30-day Shred dvd two days, then walk the third day and then start over again.  That way my body gets a rest from the more intense working out.  

I'm hoping that at the end of the 30 days I am ten pounds lighter.  Stay tuned. 

Ouch

 

Rick is in surgery as I type this.  I ran home to get the house in order and make turnovers for him.  He is having surgery on his shoulder.

The surgeon said that shoulder surgery is very painful.  VERY.  I think he mentioned it half a dozen times.   The nurse asked if we had a recliner (which we don't) because it would be best if he just sat up for the next week. 

So I've been rearranging furniture and fashioning ottomans out of empty storage boxes and pillows (artfully draped with a blanket). 

Our furniture is comfy but it is not meant for convalescing. 

Meanwhile I am pacing and waiting for them to call me up so I can pick him up.  The surgi-center is just 10 minutes from our house.

I've not been a very good blogger lately.  I apologize.  I'll get back on track.

Quick update for those that were following my now defunct weight-loss blog.  I fell off the wagon during the holidays and struggled mightily to get back on.  I finally did last week.  I am at my pre-holiday weight (25 lbs. lost to date) and have started a 30-day exercise challenge.  Some sort of exercise every day.  For 30 days.  It started yesterday and today I can barely walk. 

What have I gotten myself into?

Semi done

 

Someone sent me an email and kindly suggested I might want to update my blog now and then. 

Getting a bit tired of looking at those cupcakes?

So I am this close to finishing my runner. 

 

I wish the colors were coming out better in my pictures.  I give up on my photography skills (and my post editing isn't helping either).

I still have to do a blanket stitch around the green outer edge.  I have to confess that I really don't like the blanket stitch.  I think it is a very inelegant stitch.  Too aggressively home-spun for me.  It does help that this doesn't have a contrasting color for the floss.  The outer edge will be done in the same green as the felt.

 

There are 96 French knots in that runner.  Why do I always like to count how many French knots I've done?  Sense of accomplishment I suppose.

This was a fun project and I love the colors I decided to do it in.  I think they are very soothing. 

So onto the next project - Should I start a brand new one or keep plugging away at my 'to be finished' projects?

Valentine mystery

 

Look what was just delivered to Rick and I.  No name on the card except for Cupid. 

Hmmm - I do have my suspicions on who may be behind this.  Oh I do love a good mystery!  Especially a sweet one.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Randomness

 

Normally I don't go for the brights but I was drawn to these cheerful, Springy green buttons. 

I don't know if my outlook is just brighter or if I'm just longing for Spring.

 

Sara as soon as it warms up and the chicks start laying eggs let's have a celebratory cocktail party up at the Cottage.  I'll send out the invitations.

 

Back a few years ago I saw a spread in Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion (a moment of silence while we mourn its passing............) of a woman that collected vintage sand pails.  They were so colorful and time-worn (= loved) and just stood out against the backdrop of white in the rest of the room.   I decided right then and there I was going to collect them myself.  Until I priced them.  Okay maybe not.

Then Kelly gave me this vintage salt water taffy tin and I've spent the morning, pouring over my saved issues of MEHC to see if I could find that article again. 

Thank you for all the movie set/decoration comments.  I have a number of movies to add to my Netflix queue.

Chéri

 

CinEmpire

I can't wait for the movie Chéri to come out.  It's based on the novel of the same name by Colette but that isn't the reason I want to see it.  I want to see it for the set.  And for Kathy Bates. 

 

It is set in Paris in the 1920's.  Costumes are going to be fabulous.  I think I have to go to the UK, Belgium or Germany to see it though.  I can't find a US release date.

I know I've posted about this before but really I just go to the movies to see the sets.  Practical Magic, Stepmom, Amelie, Chocolat, Passion of Mind, The Holiday, Something's Gotta Give, Green Card, You've Got Mail, Father of the Bride...I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

What's your favorite movie for the sets or the costumes?

Pimp my IKEA

 

I bought an IKEA Fira mini chest today.  I have a bit of an organizational bug, a hazard this time of year.   This is going to help whip my closet into shape.

This is what it is supposed to look like:

 

You see the sad state of things in the above picture.  It comes in about 852 pieces.  I'm always amazed and a little impressed at how flat IKEA gets all of their products.  Now THAT is some engineering.  Someone with really excellent space planning skills figures out how a 7-foot couch with down cushions can fit into a package that will fit in the trunk of your car.

My plans for this little chest is to get a matching one (I needed to see how much skill and perseverance was needed to assemble one, before committing to additional ones) and put them on the shelf in my closet.  I plan on taking the assorted baskets and old shoe boxes full of nail polishes, 80's costume jewelry (it could come back in style) and first aid supplies and house them in these nice organized little chests.

But first the assembly.  And do you see what I see in the lower right hand corner of the first picture?  A humongous distraction, that's what.

 

My dear friend Karen gave me a subscription to Marie Claire Idees for Christmas.  She is bucking for sainthood (and I think she may have succeeded).  However it arrived just as I pulled up to the house with my project.

I was determined to assemble the thing before even cracking open the cover. 

 

Yay me!  It even has its first coat of white paint (not pictured because it is outside by the trash cans.  Not really photo worthy).  I was really going to pimp it out by putting little glass knobs on it.  I thought I would be able to turn the drawers around but it turns out both ends have the finger pull.  Oh well.  If you want to see some really tricked out Fira mini chests do a google or flickr search.  Some very clever people out there.

Now I'm off to read my magazine.  And learn French.

 

Oooooo (la la)

 

Edited to add:

Bonus picture!  My botanical prints framed.  I'll do a post on this room when the headboard is back from the painters.   I wish I had straightened out that lampshade....

And again....

 

That's better.  Kind of the same though, eh?  I guess it's best to stick with what is soothing and familiar sometimes.

Sara gave me the print last year on my birthday.  It's by an Etsy seller named fieryeyed and the shots are mostly done with vintage Polaroids and then printed on archival paper.  They have a dreamy, ethereal quality to them. 

Shabby table and tulips

 

Cute little Craigslist find.  We needed a small table for the guestroom/office and Rick found this one on Craigslist for $30.  We'll be giving it another coat of paint so it matches the headboard Rick is making for the room.

 

The vase came from Ikea - $8.  I saw it and figured that I didn't really need it so I kept walking and then just before I got to the check out line I turned around and went against Ikea traffic and got it.

They have a smaller matching one that I saw someone using as a toothbrush holder on Flickr (love the colors in that picture - the pale aqua and pink). 

I'm in a bit of a posting mood today, aren't I?