Me? A Fashion Model? Pshaw.

Well, it happened!

A few weeks ago I was shopping in Christopher & Banks--one of my favorite places for the basics/layering pieces in my wardrobe--and as I was checking out, the clerk asked me if I'd be interested in volunteering to be a model in their fashion show. They throw out an open invitation to any customers to join in the fun. I was sort of surprised to hear myself immediately saying, "Sure! That sounds like a hoot!" A bit out of my comfort zone--but it really did sound like fun so, why not? (Of course, I had no voice when I woke up this morning--this cold is a "symptom of the day" type and always keeps me guessing what's going to happen next--so I was a bit squeaky when I was meeting all the other models, but they forgave me. Since I tend not to talk much in those situations anyway, it worked out okay.)

You get to choose what outfit you want to model ahead of time; they hold onto it in the store for you to change into the morning of the show. Models get 40% off anything you buy the day of the fashion show, including sale items. Wow! I knew I wanted a pair of light dress pants in my wardrobe, and I'm a sucker for a cardigan, so that's the outfit I chose to model, knowing ahead of time there's no doubt I'd be buying it. I already owned the shell I wore under the cardigan but they still provided one from the store so I wouldn't have to remember to bring it from home. I also found a necklace that worked with the outfit--it was on clearance so I decided that would come with me too. The shoes I wore are the pair I just got from the Trunk Club shipment last week. I could hear some approving comments about the shoes as I walked by the (very small) audience--they're definitely a winner.

Before the show began, I was changing into my outfit in the back room with the other models and they told me I actually got to model two outfits. So I quickly ran back out into the store and put together a second outfit: colored jeans that are amazingly comfortable, a tunic blouse, a white peplum jacket, and a great scarf. I loved it, plus all the other models (and my husband) thought it was a winner too, so I ended up getting both outfits.  Lots of great pieces for my May vacation to mix and match (with other stuff I already own too), as well as some work stuff I have at the end of May. More wins!

That's really why they do this, of course: we models were all shopping off each other. I and another woman both modeled the same white jacket and we had a Great Swap going on in the back room over which size fit who better as there were limited sizes available in the store. We both ended up happy. Several women went back to find pieces that one of the other models had worn and bought those as well. Other than the few friends/family members that had come, there was a small handful of customers in the store so we did get a little bit of an audience. But mostly, I just had a great time with the other models and bagged some great clothes at a significant discount.  

All in all--it was an absolute hoot! I'd have to say I'll probably do it again if I have the opportunity!

Fight the Funk Friday

Well, the first news is, we have power!

For those of you just coming into my blog for today's post, our area was one of those affected by the terrible windstorms mid-week. My house lost power early Wednesday afternoon. We were among the fortunate ones, though, who had ours restored late last night (Thursday). There are still about 80,000 people in the area without power even as I'm writing this. I'm sending them warm and electrified thoughts!

It certainly could've been worse. My biggest problem was that I was already down with a cold and my symptoms were exacerbated by sleeping in a house with no heat on (despite piles n' piles of quilts). I dragged my sorry butt out of the house for most of yesterday afternoon and evening just to stay warm and to recharge all my electronics. I was thrilled that our power came back on just in time to go to bed last night--with the heat on. I still slept under the piles n' piles of quilts just to make sure. I woke up feeling terrible this morning (probably because I was out and about so much yesterday) but as I've been quietly working at my desk this morning--and taking drugs--and pounding the water--I'm feeling somewhat improved now at lunchtime.

I haven't done my 5k training--or anything, for that matter--since Saturday. I'm not planning on doing tomorrow's group run as it's supposed to be bitterly cold out again and the run is scheduled for an area park on the opposite side of town. I'm apprehensive I'd get halfway into the run and have to cry "uncle," and be out in the middle of nowhere. So I'll do tomorrow's homework but I'll do it on a treadmill inside and at my own speed, not trying to overdo anything as I'm really still in recovery here. I'm just anxious to get back into the habit of activity, even if I'm still not quite back to my previous levels.

So, this week's "Fight the Funk" doesn't have much in the way of healthy living to report. Instead, I thought I'd report on my plans for the future. Suddenly I've gone from someone who's never done a 5k to someone who is now signed up for four of them! 

5k Number One: I did Zombies Run Virtual Race last year. How could I not? It's still my favorite running app and, in fact, when I started going back to the gym this fall I went back to Season 1 and started over again. The Virtual Race is a 5k you do any time you want, any way you want, but by signing up you can be part of the "Rofflenet" (you need to know the story in app) and be on leader boards and all that. I'm not into the leader board thing, but I like the trappings. Last year, I did it on the elliptical and I only bought the starter pack--I got the medal and the number sign for my shirt but I didn't wear it when I did my virtual race (you can tweet pics of yourself with it on as part of the fun). This year, I upped my game and got the pack that included a running shirt--the pack contents are pictured at left. It's a nice shirt! I do plan on wearing the shirt when I do my virtual 5k, and I also plan on really doing a 5k, although I don't know yet if I'll do it outside or in--depends on the day I do it, mostly. The dates of the Virtual Race are April 7-18 (you do it anytime during that span you choose), which is close enough to the graduation 5k I'm working towards that I should be actually going that distance by then. You can still sign up if it appeals to you!

5k Number Two: The "graduation" 5k that my running club is working towards is the Wegmans Family 5K on Sunday, April 30. We'll be able to run the course with our club once or twice before the actual event so I'm not particularly worried about completing it. Fleet Feet Sports NoBoundaries 5k program--the one my husband and I are doing--really does everything they can to help you be successful. My only problem is I'm double-booked. I have a speaking engagement that same weekend so I'll be going right from training on Saturday and the 5k on Sunday to having to be showered, professionally dressed, and "on" an hour later both days, LOL. We'll see how that goes! (I suspect I'll sleep heavily by Sunday night!)

5k Number Three: The Color Run. I'm SO FREAKING EXCITED! This is the 5k that even got me wanting to do a 5k in the first place! The first two times I tried to train for it myself, I developed knee issues and couldn't do it. That's why I joined the Fleet Feet program--I want to make sure I'm doing everything the best way possible to stay injury-free. So far (colds notwithstanding) so good! This one is on Saturday, May 20th, and my husband and I leave for our 30th anniversary vacation on Sunday, May 21st. The timing couldn't have been better. I've got some family members doing this one with me, I think, including my husband. He's not as into the whole "having people throw dye on you" thing as I am, but he's a supportive guy and will be my running buddy. And they apparently have foam "clouds" you run through now too! Woo!

5k Number Four: DirtyGirl Mud Run. This one is a 5k through an obstacle course. In mud. Who can resist?! It's in the middle of July so that gives me something to stay in tip-top shape for after my vacation. I watched some videos and a lot of folks define "run" very loosely, so I'm also not particularly worried about keeping up or anything. I'm sure some people race it, but most seem to do it for the experience. I found out about it last fall and couldn't get it off my mind, so yesterday, sitting in the library waiting for everything to recharge, I got on my phone and registered, then started rallying the troops. So far, my daughter and one of my nieces are doing this one with me, but we're still working on the rest of the crew. It's women only, so DH will have to wait and cheer me on at the finish line...where he'll get a big, mud-covered hug! 

I've already got my eye on the Disney 5k in January, LOL. 

So, once I've gotten over this cold....I'll be off and running!

Thinkin' about It Thursday

This week, I'm thinking... 

• That a true sign of love is my non-coffee-drinking husband driving to McDonald's at 6:30a to get me coffee when we're without power overnight
• That it's hard to convince myself to climb out from under piles of quilts to start a day in a house with no power and with devices running out of charge
• especially when I'm sick
• and sicker now that I've slept in a cold house
• So bag it, I'm taking another sick day
• That having a sick day earlier this week and a 24-hour power outage all in the same week helped me finally get some embroidery done
• How that's a silver lining to being down with a cold all week
• and not getting in any of my 5k training sessions
• or much of any other moving around for that matter
• and how frustrating that feels
• when I'd had such great momentum going
• so poop on it all, anyway. 
• That I really shouldn't complain, though
• How, as colds go, this hasn't been a terrible one
• That I can still breathe
• That my occasional cough isn't keeping me awake at night
• That my sore throat is manageable
• so stop your whining already. Sheesh. 
• That I probably won't have much to say for my Fight the Funk Friday post this week. (See all of the above.)

(apologies for lack of formatting and indents on this post--can't do that fancy stuff on my iPad app which is all I have access to at the moment...) 

Wardrobe Wednesday (for lack of a better title)

An impressively-sized box!

So I decided to give Trunk Club a try. I still feel like I need a little help breaking out of my style rut. I do, indeed, have a "uniform." 90% of my workwear (and casual wear, for that matter) is a sleeveless tank of some sort, a cardigan, and either jeans or dress pants. That's all well and good and it's suited me fine for years, but I'm ready to break out in new directions.

A dress? Well, that remains to be seen. Let's not talk crazy talk, here.

I'm still doing StitchFix, despite sending everything back the last time. I'm hoping my feedback will lead to better in the future (after all, I had two good deliveries before that). Trunk Club is very different; the only similarity is that someone "styles" you and sends you stuff to choose from. However, from there, the two vary widely.

Trunk Club, owned by Nordstrom, is not a subscription service. You only get boxes when you ask for them. Additionally, you have more interaction with the stylist. You can message her through the app any time you want. You can make specific requests or, as I did this first time out, you can give her general categories of what you're looking for to build your wardrobe. She then sends you an email (or a message in the app) with pictures of several of the items she plans to send, and you can say "yay" or "nay". if you say "nay," she'll swap out with other items. Once you approve the box, it gets shipped. You then get a box of 12-15 items. (StitchFix only ever sends five). You have 5 days to dither over what you want to keep or return. Once you are ready for returns, you can schedule a free UPS pick-up at your house. Easy.

Another difference from StitchFix: With StitchFix, there's a discount if you buy all five items in the box. With Trunk Club, you pay for each item--no discounts. They're Nordstrom prices--if they're on sale at Nordstrom when delivered, you get the sale price. There's a $25 styling fee which is then credited to anything you might choose to buy. 

I really just wanted to test this out. In the future, it's possible I'll be doing a whole lot more work travel and if that's the case, it might be really convenient not to have to go to a mall to find new work clothes. However, until then, especially as I'm still changing sizes, I'd be extremely selective of what I decide to pay Nordstrom prices for. I'd have to be sure I'd get a lot of wear out of something. Still, it's always fun to see what someone else would pick out for you.

This first time out, they recommend that you not say "nay" to anything the stylist suggests, because it's a matter of trying to learn about each other through trial and error. (My words, not theirs). When I got the message with the images of what she was going to include, I was pretty dang sure I wouldn't like most of it but one thing I've learned is that you never know until you actually try something on. I've had several instances where I didn't like something out of the box/on the rack but when I saw it on, I fell in love with it. So I was game. Also, I only saw about half of what ultimately got put in the box. I did get a message after the box had already shipped that showed everything that was included, so I knew what I was getting; I just hadn't seen it to approve it all. That took away some of the fun surprise element in StitchFix, but it did give me the opportunity to think through some things ahead of time--like, "how many outfits could I make with that one, if it fits, given my current wardrobe?"

(Packaging isn't as pretty as StitchFix, although quantity is substantial!)

The criteria that the stylist and I discussed were: I need light colored bottoms (dress pants, casual pants, maybe even a skirt although I backed away from that) because my wardrobe is currently exclusively dark pants; I'd like some brighter tops/blouses and tops with prints; I needed "nude" (or light) dress and casual shoes.

Here's what I got:

I have a bit of "boho chic" to me, and if I hadn't just recently added a bunch of navy to my wardrobe (in an attempt to break out of the "black as my main neutral" rut), I might have been more inclined to like this one. 

First, this wouldn't be a versatile piece for me--for work or casual. It's exclusively casual. The bell sleeves are "on trend" right now and I'm not agin' 'em, but the top part of the sleeve was a little snug. The shoulders didn't sit right on me and I really couldn't figure out if the tie was supposed to go in the front or the back--it was ambiguously placed. I decided with one glance at the mirror...nope. Returned.

The "Cold Shoulder" look is also very on trend right now, and I think I am agin' this one. Every time I see it in blogs, I've thought, "Nope. Not for me." Still, to be fair to my stylist, I tried it on. Nope. Not for me. Plus, blush (also on trend) is REALLY not a good color on me. Granted, I'm down with a cold this week so I'm not looking my sparkling best, but this really made me look like death warmed over. Returned.

When I first saw this, I thought, "Why are they sending me a fall/winter top now?" Well, possibly they're trying to clear inventory--but when I put this on, I realized it could be spring/summer because the fabric is actually pretty lightweight. 

It's very soft and comfy, but it's not a good version of purple for me and it's a boxy construction so I'd be more inclined to wear it around the house or at quilt retreats than out in "public" (quilt retreats not being "public" in my mind). At Nordstrom prices? I don't think so. Returned.

Oh, I so wanted to love this! When the stylist and I were messaging and she asked me about blazers, I said "unconstructed." I mostly wear cardigans, but the few blazer-type things I've really loved over the years weren't standard suit-style jackets. They have a softer vibe, unexpected shapes, etc. This one had possibilities! It looks like a suit jacket from the front but has this wonderful waterfall pleat back. Very funky. Unfortunately, it didn't quite sit right on me from the front. This may be TMI but I think I'm not big enough "up there" to hold it up the way it was designed to be held up. I put it on twice because I really wanted it to work. But no, it's just not to be. Returned.

I'd said "no skinny jeans." I got skinny jeans. On the flip side, I had asked for light colored jeans and/or dress pants, so she was partially listening. And it's possible these aren't technically in the category of "skinny jeans" because they're ankle length and meant to have the ankle rolled up a little--which, to be clear, is also not a style I wear, but I was game to try.

Despite these being most of what I'd not wanted, I tried them on. They fit really well, but, well, that skinny thing. And these were *really* expensive jeans. So, no. Returned.

I have no problem with print pants on other women. I sometimes admire them, in fact, when they're in the right outfit. But it would have to be just the exactly right print for me to wear them myself, and I can't even tell you what that print would be. I'd just have to be able to "feel it" when I saw it.

So, in the spirit of "I'm trying to be game," I tried these on, even though I wasn't "feeling" them. They were a bit snug, although they'd be fine by summer, but I just can't do it. Not this print, not these colors. Returned. 

So, by now you're probably wondering...was there ANYTHING she liked in that delivery? Yes, actually--two things I saved for last.

You may need to put sunglasses on for this first one. When I saw their picture in the message after the box shipped, I thought, "You've got to be kidding me." 

When I saw them in the box, I thought, "No freaking way."

And then I put them on. And fell completely in love.

They fit beautifully. They're crop pants that hit in just the right part of my leg; they're also a beautiful fabric with a fantastic drape to them so they balance out my shape really well. They'd be great for summer work events. And (wait for it) I have a couple of sleeveless tops and cardigans that would style with them very easily. So it would be a way to make my standard "uniform" more fun and unique. Yes, they're bright--although not quite as "glow in the dark bright" as the photo makes them seem. But they work on me!

Unfortunately, by the time I have my summer events that I'd be wearing these for I expect to be down another size. I waffled for a day, thinking, "I could have them tailored then," but I know myself. By the time I'm down another size and looking for clothes to wear on that particular work trip, I'll want to be able to find something new to celebrate my continued weight loss. So after 24 hours of debating, I'm returning these. I did tell my stylist to remember the designer and style, though, because they work really, really well!

Finally, the one keeper. Remember how I'd told her I needed nude/light colored dress shoes?

She'd included this pair. When I first looked at them in the message, I thought, "Huh. Well, maybe." I'm not usually a fan of pointy toes and really not sure about the ankle laces. I had a pair of ankle lace shoes the last time they were in style (a long time ago) and always hated the way they felt. I'd never have picked these out in a shoe store but since they were delivered into my hands, I was willing to give them a shot.

And they're fantastic. Extremely comfortable to wear. I'm thrilled that block heels are currently "on trend" right now because they're the best way to do heels! And I emphasized with the stylist that I don't do high heels and she listened! These are a great height for me--just high enough to look a little fancy but very easily walkable and comfortable.

Here's the best thing about a home-delivery style service. I wore these shoes around the house for a whole day, just making sure no weird little rub spots developed. You can't do that in a shoe store. I already have plans to wear them on Saturday for a special event I'm participating in...but more on that in a later blog post.

Wearing them around the house reminded me, though, that I do need to get more used to walking in heels. Even as comfortable as these are, I still have to change my stride just a little bit to keep from pitching myself forward. (Hazards of working from a home office is my main office wear is slippers.)

So, I'm considering my first experience with Trunk Club a decent success for these reasons:

• I tried on styles just to see if I'd like them on or not, and learned something about what I like and don't like in the process. That saves me time and money in the long run, so it's all good.
• I found a couple of things I'd not normally have tried on in a store but discovered I loved! Even though I only kept one of them, that's also good learning.
• I got a great pair of shoes out of them. And with the $25 styling fee taken off the price of the shoes, they're the price I would normally have paid for a good pair of shoes. Although, in this process, I'm also learning that perhaps I should be willing to pay more for a really good pair of shoes, because I have a history of inexpensive shoes that end up not being worth it in the long run. 

I'm going to wait until after I get my next StitchFix in a couple of weeks to decide if I want to order another Trunk Club right now. I have my 30th anniversary vacation coming up in May and want to be well dressed!

(If you're interested in Trunk Club, here's my referral link if you'd like to use it! They also have Trunk Club for Men--in fact, that was their original Trunk Club.) 

Making It Monday

Just a little progress... 

...but not much. 

(And ignore the dog hair. It's everywhere.)  

Fight the Funk Friday

It's been a banner week!

I'm down a few pounds again (I didn't make it to weigh in last week so two weeks cumulative looked quite nice!), which is good because I'd been "learning to maintain" for a bit. I don't call it a plateau because that implies a certain passivity on my part that I don't want to have in my head. Rather, I know that when I don't lose weight in a given week it's either (1) I've not been as focused as I could be, (2) I've had a lot of "life" happen and that's just going to happen sometimes and "it's just a week or two or three so don't let it derail me and just keep on keeping on" (just letting you in on the conversations in my head, there), or (3) my body is just reshaping itself in mysterious ways and it'll start heading down the right path again at some point. As long as I feel good about what I'm doing, I'm good with it all.

Our 5k training is now up to minute-and-a-half runs with shorter walk intervals. I've been doing great except for Wednesday night's training, which was outside in gale-force winds. I'm not kidding. 35-40 mph with 60 mph gusts--and we did the first half of the run straight into that wind. For part of it we were somewhat protected by trees but it still added to the experience, shall we say. I felt like I struggled more than I'd have liked and when we finished I was feeling a little frustrated with myself. But then, on the drive home, I reminded myself, "Hey. Three months ago you wouldn't have even stepped foot out of the house in this weather. And now you're out RUNNING in it! And you didn't slow down! You're a freakin' beast!" So there, self. I'm choosing to be proud of what I did do, rather than frustrated with what I perceive I should've done. Beast me.

And yes, running outside is HUGELY different from being on the treadmill. I've been doing my two homework runs at my gym and they're stinkin' easy compared to running outside. (I have, however, enjoyed running through Australia and New Zealand!) Now that it's starting to stay lighter longer, though, I may feel comfortable from a safety-perspective doing my running homework on the canal path after work (sans Doofus, though, as he hasn't been able to work up to where I am now--he'll have to be my walking buddy on rest days). I could run with the public runs where a lot of our group members do their homework but that one starts about an hour and a half after I'm done with work. It's hard for me to wait to run with them when I could be done by the time they start. Still trying to figure that one out.

On another front...My strength trainer keeps complementing me on how well I'm doing keeping my shoulders lowered (not hitching them up to my ears) during workouts. All I can say is that I've been working on that one for a long time! Thanks, vertigo-related-physical therapy! (It all blends.)

(August to now. Adorbs puppy courtesy of my sister. I'd have taken him home with me if I didn't already have a critical mass of dogdom underfoot.)

Next week I'm hoping to make another major weight loss milestone. Here's to reminding myself tomorrow morning of why exactly again am I running outside in 20 degree weather????

On another fight-the-funk-front...

I tried a new thing last week. In looking up a local flotation tank place to get my daughter a gift certificate for her birthday, I saw that they also had something called dry salt therapy. Given that the other major cause of my vertigo is sinus issues, I decided it was worth a shot and was able to book an appointment for after work that day. 

Salt rooms vary in how they work. The one I was in pumped salt particles into the air; I could taste it slightly on my water bottle spigot and there was a dust outline of where I was sitting on my chair when I got up--you could see the particles floating through the air. I was in there for about 45 minutes. It was certainly a relaxing time as I was the only one in the room. Plus, they suggest you not have your electronics with you as the salt can be corrosive, so I just sat with earbuds in and my ocean-waves-white-noise going while my phone huddled under a pile of tissues on the table. I could feel some stuff start moving around in my head and I had a bit of a cough (they tell you that can happen ahead of time) by the time it was done. But danged if my sinuses didn't feel a whole lot clearer for several days afterwards. Makes sense, as my go-to sinus nasal spray is a saline solution, as are neti pots. It basically just clears you out. 

Salt therapy hasn't been studied vigorously so there's some concern about long-term effects of using the rooms regularly but I'm not overly concerned about that for me, as I won't be using it weekly. I may, however, go in a few times during my worst allergy season. Hey--if it takes care of my vertigo, I'm game!

The only other thing going on right now is that I'm trying to figure out why my Apple Watch and FitBit One aren't logging the same number of steps. In fact, there's a significant difference. It's supposed to be quite nice on Sunday so I'm going to do the 20-minute-walk-outside thing to calibrate the Apple Watch (I've never done that) to see if it helps. Still, the Apple Watch is reviewed--and compared by a lot of people--as being super-accurate, so I'm wondering if the difference might be the fact that my FitBit One is in a location where maybe it can't feel the steps as well. In any case, I'm beginning to think I may drop out of the FitBit community because I'm no longer only focused on steps which means my steps can be all over the place, which is a problem in challenges...which is the only reason I'm still in the FitBit community at this point. I'm wondering if trying to have both FitBit and my running apps going is a distraction for me. Haven't decided yet. 

Thinkin' about It Thursday

This week, I'm thinking about...

• How ridiculously excited I was about starting my new bujo
• That I blew through my first bujo notebook in about six weeks
• That this new bujo notebook had better last longer
• How it's got a lot more pages and more space per page
  • so it should last longer
  • or I'm writing way too much in it.
• How starting bullet journaling may end up giving me a decent outlet for my "I love new school supplies" habit
  • because I'd need a new notebook every three months or so
  • and maybe some funky new pens
  • but mostly the notebook
  • because I love me some brand-spankin'-new-pristinely-blank-notebooks
• How I still haven't entirely figured out how to dress for outdoor runs
• That it would be nice if it would stay the same season for two outdoor runs in a row
  • But that's not Western NY
  • especially at this time of year

• How thrilled I was to see a tip on Pinterest about wrapping necklaces in Saran Wrap to keep them from tangling when traveling
• How I've already packed up my fall/winter wardrobe jewelry in Saran Wrap for storage
• That it makes it so much easier to find the necklace I want when I've only got my spring/summer ones on my hanging rack
• How it was also easier to pack up the jewelry I'm donating without worry about tangling it
• That I was also brilliant enough to remember to stick the matching earrings in the Saran Wrap too
  • because once in a great while I do actually think ahead
  • although it doesn't happen as often as it should
  • so I give myself a big pat on the back when it does
  • hoping it will encourage the brilliance to show up a little more often.
• That I am also patting myself on my back for finally realizing I should also sort my scarf collection by season
  • because it's getting totally out of control
  • because I do wear a lot of scarves
  • but I only wear half my scarves half the year
  • but I'd been keeping all of them in my closet
  • so they seemed to breed like rabbits
  • so I'm culling the herd and donating a few
  • but not nearly enough
  • so I'm storing the off-season ones and will go through them again in the fall
  • because maybe my heart won't break quite so much when I try to figure out which ones to give away then
  • hoping "out of sight is out of mind"
  • so I'll be less attached and can have more objective eye towards downsizing then.

• How I also realized I needed to approach my closet the way I approach my quilting
• That I was having difficulty picturing this whole "capsule wardrobe" thing
  • until I remembered
  • "Make visual decisions visually."
• How it only took me about 15 minutes to figure out how to download the pics of my clothes from the Stylebook app and print them out "contact sheet" style and cut them into pieces
• That there are a couple of helpful "capsule wardrobe" template worksheets available on the internet here and here
• How much fun it is to sit while I'm watching TV with my husband at night and play "paper dolls" with my clothes, figuring out capsules and discovering new outfit possibilities and then entering those outfits into my Stylebook app for future reference
• That having it all out in front of me makes it easier to find good color combinations--just like choosing fabric for a quilt
• That I'm also able to see which clothes I don't tend to integrate much (so I can either try harder to make them work or just get rid of them)
• That it also makes it so much easier to figure out where the gaps in my wardrobe are
• That I still have a couple too many white camisoles and dark dress pants
  • but no light casual or dress pants
  • and no dresses
  • and no light shoes
  • and almost no dress shoes
  • and only one skirt that I don't even like much
• That now I have my shopping list narrowed down in an extremely helpful way.

Woohoo Wednesday! (Something involving thread and fabric, finally!)

Too bad I didn't get this done in time for "Making It Monday" post, but maybe I'll have more progress to show next week.

I finally got my embroidery out again! Yes, I'm still plugging away at the Postcard Cuties Halloween Block of the Month embroidery kit that I should've had done by last Halloween. But there are more Halloweens where that one came from.

Month 4/Block 4 done. 

I'd actually gotten it mostly done several (ahem--weeks? Months?) ago. I only had a few little bits to finish up, so I got it done on one lunch break yesterday. It's hung out in its hoop for awhile so it'll take some serious pressing to get it back into shape. But it's done!

Month 5 is going to take a little longer, however...

Making It Monday

So all I've made these days is my March layout for my bullet journal. 

I'm finishing my current bullet journal with the last couple of days of February. I commented to my husband that if nothing else, doing a bullet journal actually made me completely fill up a blank book for the first time in my life. I have a multitude of journals that were begun for various purposes over the years (journal-journals, prayer journals, travel journals, etc.) but after a couple of months I'd stop using it, but never wanted to repurpose it for anything else. So, lots of pretty blank-books that are 2/3rds blank now. 

This one, however, got nailed pretty darn fast. I only started it in mid-January and I managed to squeeze out the last couple of days of February by doubling some stuff up. 

You may recall this photo from an earlier blog post that compares the size of the book I'd been using to my new Leuchtthurm 1917 A5 notebook. It's got significantly more pages as well as more real estate on each page so it'll last me somewhat longer...I hope.

I've been working over the last week or so to figure out what trackers and layouts I most wanted in my new bujo. I've been poking away at setting them up over the last few lunch breaks--as in most of life, it takes longer the first time because I'm figuring out what goes where and how to do each layout as I go; my expectation is that it'll go faster in the future because I'll just be editing what I already have rather than starting from scratch. We'll see how much of this I keep up in March; that's how I'll determine which ones I'll do again for April. I decided to stick with monthly trackers for most things rather than a yearly one because I didn't want to have to migrate yearly trackers to new bujos every time I start a new notebook. 

So, here's a collage of most of my March layout.

You can see I did a little decorating but I'm not putting a lot of time into that. I'm keeping my expectations low. Where I ended up with blank space I just quickly wrote in a related quote and used my colored highlighters to make it slightly more interesting. Slightly. 

I have space at the beginning of my bujo for my index, future log, general mindmap and monthly projects/goals. Then I have my March-specific stuff: Monthly calendar spread first, then a bunch of trackers (shown: habit tracker, cleaning/organizational tracker, workout/mileage/weight tracker, gratitude log; I also have spending planners and trackers, and a few others that are more journal-y). I also have a general "brain dump" page for everything that occurs to me that I've forgotten to put anywhere else. I tried to keep everything in one place so that every night I can just flip through pages and quickly fill stuff in. If I can't track everything in 10 mins or less, it won't happen. I'll also add post-it-note tabs so I can easily find the most relevant stuff rather than having to always go back to the index.

The image in the second row, left, is my current weekly layout. It's morphed over the last few weeks; since I have more room in this notebook I've added a couple of little things I didn't used to do such as keeping track of which recreational books I'm reading in any given week--I thought that might be interesting to look back on in the future. I'll do my dailies after that page. I haven't decided if I want to do a one or two page daily yet as I've moved some of the stuff I used to do in my dailies to a monthly tracker. I still have a couple of days before I have to do my March 1 daily to figure that out. I also may decide the monthly tracker doesn't work as well for some things and end up moving those back into dailies again as I move forward. 

That big blank page on the lower right? That's for my "creative life" in March. Yep. Blank. I do plan on getting back into embroidery and/or doing a little sewing, but I haven't figured out yet how I want to set up that page. You may also notice I misspelled "creative" when I wrote the header. "Oh, what a giveaway," as a Monty Python sketch once said. It's been so long since I've done it I can't even spell it right anymore. 

So--with March, and with my new book, I'm really to really see how this bullet journal thing works for me, LOL. So far, so good!

Do you bullet journal? Share your layouts (or post them on Instagram and make sure I'm following you). I'm always up for new ideas! I follow lots of bujoers on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook and it is fun to see what people do--even if I'll never take nearly as much time with mine as a lot of them clearly do! 

OT: March StitchFix

I was so excited about this month's StitchFix, I was basically haunting my USPS tracking number until it showed up on my doorstep. 

And then it came! Oh, it came! 

As I opened the box and pulled each item out, I got more and more excited. All of them seemed to hold such possibilities--I loved every one as I laid it out on my bed.

And then I tried everything on. And my heart broke just a little bit.

This is one of those off months where everything looked great to start, but it didn't quite hold true to its promise once it was on my body. On someone else, some of them would have looked great, but they just didn't work well on me. I've learned to become much more picky about what I invite into my closet, especially right now since I know it'll only last one season as I plan on being a different size by the time I reach my goal weight. So a couple of these may have made the cut before, but I didn't want to spend money on them now.

First up--these pants were the only item that I didn't immediately fall in love with out of the box. I like the concept of these pants as they can be either casual or work wear for me (which is something I've requested from "my stylist"). 

However, ankle pants are very tricky for me--they have to hit in just the right place to keep from putting 15 pounds on my legs, and these didn't quite do that. They're also not a color that would work with a whole lot in my wardrobe going into ankle-pant season. Finally, they were too tight anyway. Pants sizes are all over the place so although they were the right size for me on paper, they weren't shaped right for my body. Had the color and the length been excellent, I might have considered keeping them in my wardrobe for 10 pounds from now--but as it is, they were an immediate "nope."

I thought the navy top was kind of cool when I pulled it out of the wrapping. You can sort of see from this picture that it's "business in the front, party in the back," so to speak--plain navy button-down front with a striped and pleated back, hi-lo style. That could've been very fun, and I have a "navy capsule wardrobe" working so I could've very easily worked it in with other things I already own.

However, when I put it on, it just sort of hung on me and wasn't particularly interesting from the front. I decided I didn't want people to only be interested as I was walking away. It was on the fence until I made decisions about everything else--but ultimately it wasn't enticing enough for me to buy it just on its own.

Now we get into the ones I was dancing around about as I unwrapped them from the tissue enclosure.

First: this great t-shirt that I thought I could wear casually with shorts on the patio or dress it up with dress pants for summer events. Again--incredibly soft fabric. That seems to be a reliably common theme with my StitchFix clothes! I loved the interesting stripe design with the gray panels on the lower side--it looked like it would be slimming.

Not so much. When I had it on, somehow that narrower stripe at the bottom just created a bulls-eye target on my not-so-slim middle section--it draws your eyes right to the belly. It was even worse when I put a cardigan over it--it actually made me look a bit pregnant. I think someone who was straight-up-and-down could probably wear this easily and, again, it's supremely comfortable. For me, though, it was a miss.

I was equally excited about this hunter green top. I like tops that have the look of two pieces, especially when the lower piece is loose and flowy compared to the upper piece. I have several of that type of top pinned on my StitchFix Pinterest board so they're clearly paying attention. This would also have been a fantastic seasonal transition piece--still dark enough for winter but having a touch of spring, plus long-sleeved but a thinner material. I cried a little tear inside when I put it on. The break between the two materials at the hip hit me at my widest part, so it visually added inches. Also, the collar placket on one side kept flopping over and just making the whole thing look way too casual so I wouldn't have been able to dress it up as easily. Six months ago I may have kept it because I generally felt like, "if it fits, buy it." Now I'm learning to be a lot more choosy, so this one went in the "nope" pile.

Finally, the one that really made me sad. I've been looking for more layering options, especially blouses I could wear on their own as well as under cardigans or pullover sweaters. I've also been looking for more print pieces as my wardrobe leans heavily towards solids. I'd noted both of these things to StitchFix so I was again glad to see they'd listened and included this wonderful print blouse. It has just a touch of Boho to it, which I love. It is loose and flowy but could be tucked in should I get to the point where I actually start tucking in blouses. I loved the length of the sleeves and the type of collar, and that it was long enough to hang just a little over my hips but not so long it couldn't easily be tucked in. I loved this blouse out of the box. 

And then--do you see where this is heading already?--I put it on. At first, I was really excited. It fit perfectly and looked wonderful on. But then I noticed something--I pulled and tugged and pulled again, but nope. I was right. It was poorly constructed and the front of the blouse hung cock-eyed. I even looked at the card that comes in the box to see if it was supposed to be asymmetrical (and just wasn't obvious about it) but no--it was just sewn crooked. I kept futzing with it to see if I could get it to hang straight or, conversely, to decide if I could just live with it. Finally, I reminded myself: "Don't buy something you don't love." That was the fifth "nope."

So everything's going back. As you know, that's not typical of my short-but-so-far-good history with StitchFix. I'm looking at this as a one-off and I gave detailed information when I reported on my returns. I especially commented on the poor construction of the blouse and said I had a concern about quality. Mind you--all the pieces from previous StitchFix shipments are holding up great! In fact, I'm wearing the jeans from month 1 and one of the tops from month 2 even as I write this blog post, and no complaints about either of them. So, although this month made me sad, I'm still looking forward to next month!

If you're interested in checking out StitchFix, here's my referral link. Or, if you'd rather, just go to www.stitchfix.com. Remember, they have StitchFix for men too (my husband's next shipment will be sometime next month), and they just announced that they now have StitchFix in plus sizes. Despite this one post, I definitely still recommend StitchFix! 

Fight the Funk Friday

I missed last week's Friday post because I was busy prepping for my daughter's 24th birthday tea party on Saturday. Since Friday was a rest day in our 5k training, I took advantage of the non-workout time to bake some scones--which didn't exactly support my weight loss goals but I planned and tracked and was able to enjoy those scones (and leftovers) all week. I wasn't shooting for an actual loss this week, just maintaining. I prefer my weight loss efforts to reflect real life--nothing drastic and unsustainable, but how to manage all this while still enjoying special events and such. So far, so good!

Back to healthy living--which I am, now that the scones are gone!

I've been doing great on the 5k training--feels good. We've just started week 3 and have moved from a 4 1/2 minute walk alternating with a 30 second run to 4 min/1 min intervals. So far, I've been handling trainings well, but we're fast approaching where it's going to start being a challenge for me. It's critical for me to keep up on my homework!

I bought myself some bling to keep me motivated.  These just got moved to the sneakers I wear for my strength-training session with my tattooed-competitive-power-lifter trainer (they seemed more appropriate to that setting) and I now have two more on my running sneakers that say "Dig Deep." 

My trainer had me doing something called "Turkish Get-Ups" this week, although she's breaking it down into components and having me do them as separate pieces.

This first time doing it, she just had me go from flat on my back to raising myself up on first my elbow, then my my hand; then later, as part of a different circuit, she had me do the backwards lunge but just return to a stand. Because of my vertigo, it's generally better to keep my head on a single plane. The flat-on-my-back to raising up to my arm is the hardest switch spinny-wise, but it went remarkably well--just a little unsteadiness the first time but I figured out my focal point (which can't be looking straight up, as he does in the video, unfortunately, as that automatically kicks in a head-spin) and did great after that. The point is to do this as slowly as possible because you're working to stabilize pretty much every muscle in your entire body the whole time. By the way, I was just balancing a bean-bag on my fist. No weights for me on this one yet! When I woke up this morning, I was feeling muscles in my back I'd never noticed before. This is some serious core work. I'm not looking forward to Saturday night when that stiffness really kicks in (it's always worst at the 48-hour point). I'm stretching, stretching, stretching...

We had some great weather this past week (freakish, really), and I'd have normally taken the Doofus out on the canal path to do my training with me and help him work off a little winter weight, but the poor guy did something in the back yard on Sunday and sprained his wrist (or elbow--hard to tell which part hurts him because he's a stoic guy). All our snow is melted so he didn't slip or anything--all I can think is he got too excited about chasing his tennis ball and took a too-quick turn. There were no yelps or anything; just a bad limp that mysteriously appeared. I took him to the vet Tuesday and she gave us some anti-inflammatories and told him to keep him off it as much as possible. Right--Doofus with serious spring fever and a hankerin' for tennis balls...quiet...yeah, that's happening. He's been on the anti-inflammatories for a couple of days now and the limp is far less pronounced, so I think he's well on the road to recovery. Just in time for it to decide to be winter again.

That's it for this week (and last week). 

Thinking about It Thursday

This week, I'm thinking...

(Ice-covered car window from 2016--I haven't taken any winter pics yet this year)

• That it's such a Western NY thing to do to start training for a 5k outside in the snow
• That running on snow-covered sidewalks is akin to running on a sandy beach
  • except for the temperature
  • and the color of the sky
  • and, basically, any color visible anywhere
  • except my neon running clothes
  • because I'm desperate for color by February
• That "running" may be overstating what we're doing at this point
• How excited I was when I saw that I don't leave town for vacation until after the Color Run is in Rochester
  • so I get to finally do the Color Run
  • because don't all quilters basically want to take a bath in color?
• How that means I'm suddenly going from not-a-runner to signed up for two 5ks in a row
  • because the "graduation" event of the running club is the Wegmans Family 5k at the end of April
  • and the Color Run is in the middle of May
  • so I know I'll keep running for at least that long!
• That I'd really better not blow out my knee this time around or I'll be seriously ticked at myself
• How that's the reason I joined the 5k training club through Fleet Feet
  • so I would train properly
  • and have people to ask about form and such
  • and not have to run alone
  • because that's creepy
  • even if Fleet Feet did make us all get headlamps to wear for our evening runs until daylight savings time
  • so we'll look like an alien glowing caterpillar when all 50-ish of us are out running two-by-two along city streets
  • which makes me really wish someone could get an aerial shot of that
• How I've still got a lot of prep to do before Saturday when we're hosting a tea party for DD's 24th birthday
  • because she's big into tea
  • and so am I
  • and its fun to bring out for once the family tea sets we've inherited
• That I can't wait to make the cranberry orange scones from my friend's recipe because those scones were dang good when she gave some to me as a Christmas gift
• How I need to save up as many WW weekly points as possible for those scones
  • and clotted cream
  • and homemade preserves from my sister-in-law
  • but at least I drink my tea straight....

OT Tuesday--Color Analysis

Here's another off-topic post for you, although it does very loosely relate to quilting and embroidery as it's all about color. Operative term being "loosely."

Even though I'm good at working with color in quiltmaking, and with my hand-dyeing past I have spent years studying color, color relationships, color schemes, and the like, when it comes to wearing color or putting color on my face in the form of cosmetics...well, somehow that's a completely different thing.

I kinda-sorta know what colors worked for me. And I didn't. All at the same time. It felt like now was the perfect opportunity--as I'm working my way through a few different wardrobes this year--to create a far more strategic closet only including things that look great on me and I feel great wearing. I've mentioned doing Imogen Lamport's Ignite Your Style Genius workshop--that's where I started really thinking about colors and contrast when it comes to my outfits. I know I'm a "high value contrast" person as I have dark hair and eyes but relatively fair skin. Generally that means I'll look and feel best in high contrast outfits. I'd already sussed that one out myself. In Imogen's system, I'm also a "low color contrast" person since my hair and eyes are both brown (as opposed to a redhead with green eyes, for example, who would be a "high color contrast" person.) Technically, that suggests I'd do well in monochromatic outfits, but that's not really my jam. I prefer more color going on than that. But beyond that, I really had problems figuring out what colors and color schemes really worked best on me.

And now I know why. As it turns out, I'm a human bridge! Or, perhaps, I'm deeply complex. A mystery wrapped in an enigma.... Whichever image makes me seem more fascinating, that's the one I'll roll with.

I did a little research but really didn't want to rely on online color analyses working from photos or Skype. Too much margin for error with computer monitors. I wanted to do something in person, so I went to Kerry Jones of IndigoTones. She had rave reviews and she travels all over doing color analysis for people and groups so I thought it was worth a shot, and boy am I glad I did it. It was an extremely educational hour for me!

Not only did we determine my best colors, but we also talked about my style (I'm a "natural" with a splash of "creative" going by the five categories she used) and how I could work to integrate my new color knowledge into my current wardrobe--which has a whole lot of my not-so-best colors in it at the moment. She also had me bring my makeup with me, which could fit in one small bag as I'm terrible at choosing eye shadows and blushes that actually look good on me--and lipstick is a complete loss (don't like to wear it much anyway)--so I've been throwing out a lot of what I'd collected over the years. Once we determined my color "season," she put some different makeup on me and it was a pretty amazing difference. I actually looked awake! 

So--the results are:

I'm a Bright Spring!

Why could I never entirely decide whether I was "cool" or "warm?" Because I'm actually neutral--which means I'm a little of both, but on the flip side, some colors of either tone also look really bad on me. Boy, did that answer a lot of questions!

Additionally, whenever I tried to do my own analysis with online processes, I would tag myself as one of the winters but never felt like it was exactly right. Bright spring (aka "clear spring") shares some elements with "clear winter," hence my confusion there too. IOW, there are some clear winter colors I could get away with wearing and they'd look okay, but not as good as the bright spring/clear spring colors.

I've always loved bright colors but my career has moved me away from them--my felt need to dress fairly conservatively--and because I have dark hair and eyes in my formative years I'd often been steered towards the darker colors. I remember being told once as a teenager I should "always wear brown" because I have brown hair and brown eyes. All I could think was, "how incredibly boring!" (As a point of interest: ever since then, I've rarely worn brown. Don't tell me I "should always" do anything. That's the fastest way to make me never do it.)

Bright Spring color swatch from Indigotones.com

But guess what? It's time to let my Bright Spring come out and play! I'm far enough along in my career now that I have a much better sense of what I can get away with and where versus where I have to tone it down--plus, well, I gotta be me. My three color words to remember are "Bright" (the highest priority), "Light," and "Warm." Where I was most interested in the nuances was in the neutrals--black actually washes me out a bit, where as the warmer grays make me look brighter. Interesting. Not ditching my host of black cardis quite yet but will probably mostly weed them out over the next year.

After my analysis was done, I immediately stopped in a consignment shop with my color fan and picked up a gorgeous mint green blouse, a coral and purple sleeveless top, and a soft gray casual tunic top that will be great with leggings; plus, because it made me giggle, I picked up a shocking-coral colored funky necklace*. For us bright springs those funky necklaces are all da bomb. I have a penchant for funky jewelry anyway (note the "creative" in my style words above), so that's an easy one. Plus, that's one of the tips for working with my current wardrobe--take a less-than-great-colored top, throw a "bright spring" scarf or necklace with it and it'll make it look a whole lot better on me.

Something in me is very excited to let my Fuschia out.

*Consignment stores are my new best friend. I've scouted out a handful of excellent ones in the area with quality clothes aimed at me as a target audience rather than at teenagers. Gotta love getting a great pair of gray suede booties for $18. And bonus: They're already broken in and incredibly comfortable! My favorite "chain" consignment store is Clothes Mentor. Check to see if there's one near you.

Planner Progress

Today's post is about planners; I thought you might like an update (for those of you who are actually curious about this--the rest can close this post and move on).

I'm back to the bullet journal again. I lasted about a day and a half in the Passion Planner. Really, I do love the way that Passion Planner is set up and the way it feels in my hands and everything...it's just not right for what I need right now. It felt too cramped for everything I was trying to get into it. Most of what I really loved about it, though, was the process of it. The Passion Planner includes weekly and monthly reflection questions that I might poach into my bullet journaling system--or, perhaps more accurately, "be inspired by." 

In any case, here's where things stand with my current bullet journal. I'm still testing spreads out and trying different techniques (I refuse to call them "hacks" even though everyone else does, since how can you "hack" something that's basically an individualized, free-flowing, "open-source technology" anyway? Sheesh). 

I like having a monthly, weekly, and a daily spread. A lot of bujoers (look at me, using the lingo and everything) do only weeklies, or only dailies, and monthlies are hit and miss depending on the bujoer. I like all three, though I use them for slightly different things. My monthly is just a one-glance overview with dates, calendar events, travel, etc. When I move into a larger bujo I'll also include monthly goals in the spread (those currently live on a separate page in my cramped current book). I do also do a monthly mindmap/goal brainstorming page that gets translated into the weeklies/dailies accordingly. My weekly includes scheduled events again, but it's also primarily for meal and workout planning. I've messed around with trying to include weekly "MITs" (Most Important Tasks) but honestly, for tasks, I mostly go to my dailies. I've also tried keeping a "look ahead" kind of spot for things that occur to me during the current week that I need to remember for the following week but, again, my current book is so tight on space that's been a tricky one.

Here's the weekly spread I've been using with a few tweaks here and there the last few weeks. (It's intentionally pixellated to maintain at least some semblance of privacy!)

Note--I didn't make it to that cardio kickboxing class on Monday as that was the day I was in bed with a stomach flu. The meal planning was also ignored. I got to the Greek Chicken (From SkinnyTaste Fast and Slow cookbook) on Wednesday night instead--very good, even with a still-somewhat-unhappy-digestive system.

In any case--the weekly gets translated into the series of dailies, a two-page spread for each day.

As you can see, my bullet journal is a combo of schedule, tasks, and journaling. I keep moments of gratitude, things I'm proud of myself for doing health-wise and my "why" for doing those things (and I credit these two daily entries for a large part of why I've been so much more successful in my health goals this time around, but that's a different post), and then some random notes as needed. 

That's worked pretty well for me, although for a lot of days the tasks and schedule parts are fairly blank because I still keep all my work-related and school-related things digital. My bujo is strictly for personal goals and home-related tasks. Additionally, rewriting my meal plan every day did help me keep it in my head, but I don't always take the time to do it. (I track what I've actually eaten in the WW app.)

So this week I'm experimenting with a different type of spread I'd seen on Pinterest and found intriguing: It's called the Dutch Door. There's a few variations on this but I liked the horizontal one best. In this, you cut away the tops of some of the pages to create one larger spread with a series of smaller spreads underneath. It takes a little planning, and it depends on your notebook how easy those in-between pages are to cut out, but I managed to make it work pretty well. 

My weekly spread is now along the top, with a "dashboard" of sorts on the first left page where I keep everything related to the whole week. Then each day has one of the smaller pages in the middle. I liked someone's idea of folding a strip of washi tape across the top of the smaller pages to help delineate the separation better--plus it keeps those smaller pages a little stiffer and easier to turn without grabbing the whole week at once. It's nice to be able to see the week all the time without having to re-write schedule and meal stuff every day. I have high hopes for this spread.

You'll also see I'm playing around with color/decoration again. I don't know. I struggle with visual clutter, but I think once I start writing in the boxes it will be helpful to keep the headings visually separate from my writing. We'll see. 

I'm not sure how many more weeks I'll get in this notebook--I suspect only one full week. I'm looking forward to moving into the new notebook because it has significantly more real estate, plannerly-speaking. And you can see I've already installed my nifty pen holder! 

Fight the Funk Friday

It was the best of times...it was the worst of times...

This week started out in a hole but it got better!

As you already know (if you've read any posts or my twitter feed earlier this week), I started out with the stomach flu Sunday evening into Monday. Most of Monday was spent in bed, and by afternoon I was on saltine and apple juice rations. Tuesday I was back at work--mostly because I work from home because I'm not sure I'd have been able to get myself out the door--but my energy levels weren't great and food was still an iffy proposition. By Wednesday, I was eating pretty normally again, although keeping it in the easily-digestible category. I took a shot at going to the gym for some cardio Wednesday afternoon, which I'm proud of myself for doing (not letting a slip become a slide, as they say). However, even though I'd intended to keep it "low and slow"--low resistance, no incline, not worrying about speed--I still only managed about 25 minutes of the 45 I'd hoped to get in. Still, 25 was better than none!

Thursday was a banner day, though.

First, I got my 25lb charm at my Weight Watchers meeting--woo! Even though I was tempted to think, "Yeah, but I had a stomach virus," the fact of the matter was I had been eating normally for a couple of days so that should've balanced out by then. And besides, I didn't have a virus for that entire 25 pounds. So I choose to be proud of myself, and just keep myself on track as I have been. Viruses happen. It's the overall picture I'm staying focused on.

Second, I had my first session with my new trainer, Lore, yesterday afternoon. I enjoyed her, and she clearly knows what she's doing. Her background is in competitive power lifting and she's certified in Russian Kettlebell training, so we all know what my future looks like! Yesterday's session was primarily a movement assessment so it was a bit lighter on the workout itself than it will be in the future--but that was fine with me given I still wasn't feeling 100%. But the stuff she had me doing was almost all new to me and I could feel it. So here we go!

Third, I got my log-in information last night for my 5k training program through FleetFeet sports, so that feels real now! My husband signed up to do it with me, so it'll be a good way for us to spend time together while being healthy. I go to pick up the registration information after work today and, while I'm there, I'm going to do a fitting for a new sports bra. I have YET to find one I love--only ones I can mostly tolerate--but I've also never actually been fitted for one so we'll see if this works better. (Sorry if that's TMI, and sorry, non-female-identifying-readers!) The first group workout session/launch party is tomorrow morning. The schedule is two group trainings a week (Wed/Sat), and two trainings on our own. 

So that means my workout schedule next week will be: 

• Sunday: 5k training "homework"
• Monday: Cardio kickboxing (which will help strengthen me for the running)
• Tuesday: 5k training "homework"
• Wednesday: 5k group run
• Thursday: Strength-training session with Lore (no cardio)
• Friday: rest day
• Saturday: 5k group run

Good thing I got that stomach virus out of the way this week (knock on wood).

By the way, Fitbitters, I currently have no idea where my FitBit is. I took it off when I was sick and it has yet to surface. I remember putting it somewhere that made sense at the time. Umm...

Thinkin' about It Thursday (and retreat report)

This week, I'm thinking...

• that I can't post pictures of most of what I did on retreat this past weekend because they're going to be gifts
• that it's unlikely that the recipients actually read my blog
• how it's sometimes a pain that I have this blog linked to Facebook
  • because then the pics may show up on FB
  • and they might actually see them
  • and it'll be pretty darn clear what's going on
  • because how many people in my family are expecting right now, anyway?

• how I can at least post a pic of this finish.
• that it's nice to have it done
  • but I don't know how often I'll wear it
  • because it wrinkles like the dickens
  • and I hate ironing clothes
• how I'm lucky it actually fits because I measured it to myself 25 pounds ago
  • and it fits now, so it probably wouldn't have if I'd finished it then. Go figure.
• how my friend taking the picture said "strike a pose" and so I did

• that it's obvious I'm not a runway model.

• how I used my last hour on Sunday morning of the retreat to get some random non-sewing stuff done
• like filling in my next week's layout in my bullet journal
  • because yes, I'm back to bullet journaling
  • because going back to the planner lasted about a day and a half
  • because I just felt too cramped to breathe in a pre-printed layout
• how I actually used colored pens
  • and a ruler
  • and planned a layout ahead of time
  • so I could fill it in fast "on the go" during the week
  • and then I got a stomach flu almost as soon as I got home
  • so the first couple of days remained blank because I couldn't deal
  • so, so much for pretty layouts

• how this is a handy little gadget for any book that you need a writing utensil for.
• that I can now add a pen holder to any journal I use (it's got an adhesive back so you can just adhere it to the inside back cover).
• how everything I get involved in has its own world of fun little supplies.

(This post includes Amazon affiliate links--thank you!)

Caution! Problems with a Best Press Scent

One of my quilty friends on our retreat just showed us a problem she had with the Winter Magic type of Mary Ellen's Best Press. This may have been a one-off (maybe one bad bottle) but still--be careful! I've used other types of Best Press for years and have never seen this happen with other types--we suspect it's the green coloring in this one. (Yes--she's contacting the company.) 

It sprayed on fine, but when she pressed it, the heat from the iron made the Best Press darken and stain the fabric.  

I apologize that this blog post doesn't look pretty but the Internet and cell coverage at our retreat center is sketchy at best so my iPad is struggling to do even this much! 

Fight the Funk Friday--More Recommendations

My primary way of fighting the funk this week is by being on a quilt retreat with my peeps as you're reading this! If you follow me on Instagram and/or Twitter, I'll be posting pics along the way. 

Meanwhile...

• The Weight Watchers Coaching that I'd mentioned a few weeks ago is now complete. I only needed a couple of sessions with her to get myself back on my mental game (it was all mental, in this particular instance). I found her helpful for a shot in the arm but nothing I need long-term. However, I'll have the name of the coach I had in case I need to get another shot in the arm at some point down the road.

• I decided I needed new sneakers this week when I had yet another session of painful feet during my cardio kickboxing class earlier this week. I know foot cramps can also be due to dehydration but I really don't think that was the problem in this case--it's a different kind of all-over soreness. I'd bought the Reeboks I've been wearing maybe only three months ago, but my feet have never been comfortable in them when I'm in a class. They were on sale when I bought them so I'm fine with transitioning them to a "bop around town" sneaker--they're fine when I'm just walking in them--and replacing them as my primary gym sneaker. I know some of it is just needing to strengthen my foot muscles (sitting behind a computer for years on end really does do a number on your entire body), but the right shoes can make a world of difference. Rather than going back to the minimal brand selection of my local mall, I ordered a pair of Rykas online. I love Rykas--I've had them in the past and they fit my foot beautifully. I don't know why I ever left them. They're not cheap but being able to get through a cardio class of any kind without gritting my teeth because my feet are whining is seriously worth it. 
• I also had to buy new workout pants this week. Not only were my feet whining during cardio kickboxing, but my pants kept wandering downwards and, as they were long yoga-style pants, they kept getting caught under the heel of my sneaker. Not only annoying, but just a little dangerous! In the grand scheme of going down in size and what that would do to my wardrobe, I'd never given much thought to workout pants. But yay--I need new workout pants now!
• While I'm on retreat, I'm going to focus on trying to move every hour. My BFF/BQF Lori will also be on the retreat, and she plans to take a 20 minute walk every day, so I'll probably join her for that. That largely depends on the weather, however. It's supposed to be in the 20s this weekend and the retreat center is on a lake so we could get more snow. We'll see.

• Finally, can I recommend a couple of cookbooks to you? These have quickly become my primary sources every week when I'm doing meal planning. 

The Skinnytaste blog is well known and she does post a bunch of recipes there, but the cookbooks are well worth having. My particular favorite is Skinnytaste Fast and Slow (link at left). "Fast" are recipes that take 30 minutes or less--primarily skillet or stovetop types of meals. "Slow" are slow-cooker meals. I do a lot of slow cooking this time of year, particularly now that I'm going to the gym several times a week. When I get home from my trainer I can't handle standing at the stove. I've done a bunch of recipes from this one--including this week the Slow Cooker Pollo con Potacchio which got a 10 from both me and my husband. She provides nutritional info for each of her recipes and, if you're a Weight Watchers person, she also gives the SmartPoints, although they're on her website rather than in the cookbook itself. (The nutritional info is in the book.) I just wrote the SmartPoints in for every recipe when I first got the cookbooks so I had it all in one place.

Her other cookbook, self-titled, is also very good. My favorite go-to recipe in here is the Buttermilk "Oven Fried" Chicken. It's fantastic. 

This one doesn't separate out slow-cooker recipes--it's just a normal cookbook--but it does still have some in it. There are a wide range of recipes to suit most tastes, though, including vegetarian. I pay attention to that because my daughter is a vegetarian but my husband is a meat-and-potatoes guy--so when she's over for dinner and he's gone for the evening, I get to play with the vegetarian recipes.

Having these two cookbooks on my shelf has really helped me in my endeavor to eat healthier!

(This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links--by using them you're helping to support this podcast and blog. Thank you!)

Thinking about it Thursday

This week, I'm thinking...

• that I'm back to using my Passion Planner again
  • for awhile at least
  • just to make a more complete comparison with bullet journaling
• that part of the problem was visual clutter
• that apparently not a cute-sticker-kind-of-girl
• that they ended up just annoying me and getting in the way
• that color coding even feels like it takes too long
  • even though I know it's a helpful tool
  • but I need to streamline or I won't use anything
• how much better I felt when I ripped all the added note pages and financial trackers out of my Passion Planner
• how I apparently like a clean and minimalist interface
• that I'm not keen on always having to draw my own monthly and weekly calendars
• how the Passion Planner provides all that for me
  • which is very handy
  • because I'm basically lazy
  • and I'm not someone who needs my planner to be a work of art
• how I keep waffling, though, because I can really see the use of a bullet journal
• that you're probably all getting really sick of reading about my waffling
  • so I should just keep it to myself from now on
  • until I finally commit one way or the other
  • and then I can let you know the end of the story
• how much I'm getting out of Imogene Lamport's Ignite Your Style Genius workshops
• how I took four big bags of clothes to Goodwill this week
  • because 3/4 of them are now too big to wear (yay)
  • and the other 1/4 are not good colors for me, good shapes, or good at playing in the sandbox  with the rest of my clothes so why give them real estate in my closet anymore?
• how I like having an emptier closet because I know everything in it actually works
• that I can't wait to hear back from the person I've contacted to set up a color analysis
  • because that will really help me shop smarter when it comes time to fill some of that empty space again

From Feb 2016 but it'll look about the same this year--my "Squares of Chocolat" quilt is my retreat quilt. (No "e" is intentional: Chocolat was a line by Moda that most of the quilt was made from, and it's the Square in a Square technique by Jodi Barrows)

• that by the time you read this I'll be on a quilt retreat
• how exciting it is to be touching my sewing machine again
• how I'm trying to keep myself reasonable in what I want to get done
• that I'm looking forward to the weekend with my peeps!

OT: January StitchFix

So, perhaps I really ought to be calling this the February StitchFix as that's what it really is: each month's box comes towards the end of the month before. But that'll eventually get too confusing, so I'll just consider myself as having gotten two Januarys and we'll move on from there. 

Once again, I ended up keeping all five items they sent. There were a couple I was debating but--again--with the full-box discount and a couple of credits (thank you, kind reader!), it ended up being cheaper to keep all of them than it would have been to send two back. I suspect I see a theme developing. However, "debating" means I liked both of the questionable items at some level and could see how I could integrate them into the rest of my wardrobe--they just weren't my favorites. So I'm going to challenge myself to wear them both a few times over the next couple of weeks to allow them time to work their ways into my wardrobe-heart. 

Yes, that's a bag you see on the bottom of that box. Yay! They clearly are looking at my Pinterest board because I've probably pinned about 40 versions of this same bag.  

The one they sent is reversible, which makes it a little extra fun.  It also comes with the little zippered pouch that has pockets inside, because the bag itself has no pockets (understandable given the reversibility). I like the idea of the little pouch because it would actually fit in a few other bags I own so I could feasibly just start moving that bag to change purses. Kind of handy. I've also found that the pouch acts as a purse organizer--in other words, it's a lot faster for me to find my chapstick and reading glasses than when I'm digging through a pile in the bottom of my purse. Nice, unexpected benefit!

I like the lighter side out a little better; I think that's because of the little bit of contrast with the handles and tassel. But practically speaking, that would get beat up looking pretty quickly. It's not real leather, though, so it may be easy to wipe off. 

The only knock on this bag is there's no closure; it's just an open bag. So security-wise, not so hot. I've used it the last couple of days just bopping around town, but it's not coming on airplanes or on vacations with me. 

This was one of the two I was debating. One thing I've learned about myself by looking at all my pins and my reactions to things in StitchFix boxes is that I prefer organic, curvy prints to geometrics. This print is not one I'd ever have picked off a rack to try on. However, it's wonderfully comfortable, a great seasonal-transition piece, and can dress up or dress down. So it's an excellent addition to my wardrobe from all those perspectives. And I don't hate it. I have a lot of this burgundy in my wardrobe, as well, so I've already found one dressier outfit I can make with it; wearing it with jeans is easy. I know I'll find others. 

Can't go wrong with basic black. This is another wonderfully soft, lightweight short-sleeve sweater that will be great for work, no worries. It's just a hair on the sheer side so I need to be a little careful what I wear foundationally, shall we say. You can't tell easily in this picture but it's a hi-lo sweater (cut lower in back than in the front), so I think it could look a little more interesting with dress pants than your usual black top. 

So you may be surprised to find out this was the second item I was seriously debating--or maybe not, since you don't have the benefit of seeing the rest of my closet. But I have a couple other duster-length cardigans that I wear frequently. In a lot of ways, this one should be right in my wheelhouse. It looks darker here than it is in real life;  it's sort of a dark gray-blue (or gray-teal: it really is a bit of an odd color). It fits me really well, and I like the style of it, but the color feels like it'll be a tricky one to work with, and the hood automatically makes it a titch more casual and less flexible between work and play.

I'll definitely be able to wear it and I imagine the color will grow on me as I do. It's wonderfully comfortable!

And last...when I pulled this one out of the box, my first reaction was "ugh." It looked completely shapeless and unappealing all folded up. But when I tried it on...it immediately became my favorite. My husband and daughter (who had come to mooch a few meals off us on a broke weekend) immediately said, "that's great!" I wore it running errands today and got a couple of compliments on it too. Definitely a keeper.

So--StitchFix #2 gets a 7 out of 10 for me. StitchFix #1 was a 9 out of 10, I think--although I suspect when I first got it I would've said 7 or 8 out of 10 due to a couple of pieces I wasn't sure about, but I've worn the heck out of them so they went up in my rating system after the fact. The same is quite likely to happen with this box too!

Interested in StitchFix? Here's my referral link: https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/10141355, or just go to www.stitchfix.com.  

And now, back to our regularly-scheduled programming....