My first BIG quilt!!

I did it!  I finally made a big quilt and I actually finished it!  It finished up as a 6' x 9'.  It isn't perfect but I am so proud of myself.  I don't think I could have actually finished it up but it was a SANTA present for my nephew Isaac.  If you all have been following my blog for a while then you know that my sister finally having a baby in 2008 is what drove met to sewing.  I love making things for my nephew because he truly adores them.  This quilt isn't perfect but it was made with lots of love!

Hope you like it too!

~Blessings
Krista

2013 Goals

This year I turn 40...Wow!  Where has my life gone?  I remember thinking 40 was old!!  Now I think 80 is old.  40 is just a number though, right?  I'm really not sad about turning 40.  I'm just disappointed in myself because I had so many goals for myself to do before I turned 40.

My birthday is in 35 weeks and I promised myself that by the time I turn 40 that I would be more healthy.  Have I told you that I'm a procrastinator?  As I said before I have so many goals and now I only have 35 weeks to complete them!  The most important goal has to do with my weight.  I want to be more healthy and I know to do that I need to lose at least 50 pounds.  I don't want to have drastic weight loss surgery or take pills to decrease my appetite.  I want to do this the right way.

I've set a goal.  35 weeks, 50 pounds, That's about 1.5 pounds a week, right?  I made this decision last Wednesday.  I am going to eat more healthy and exercise as much as possible.  I'm not a freak about exercising.  I actually have to make myself do it.  It's just so much easier to sit on the couch and watch reruns of NCIS!  However, I've done it.  I've went to the gym 3 times and then went to a Zumba class last Thursday night.  Yes, I participated!  It was a lot of fun.  I didn't make a complete fool of myself either.  I plan on going every Thursday night and I'm making my daughter go with me.

I got on the scales this morning and closed my eyes!  I almost didn't want to read the number.  I was so afraid I would have gained weight or something crazy!  That's just my luck.  Try to lose weight and start gaining instead, but no the number was lower!  I am very proud to say that this week I've lost 2.6 pounds!!

You don't know how excited this makes me.  I also feel better.  I don't feel like taking a nap every day.  Now it's just every other day. hahaha  I am also able to sleep better at night, and all jokes aside I really do feel better during the day.  I am still having a problem with my shoulder/back area but I hope the more I exercise that it will go away.  It's like a pinched nerve or something.  It just hurts all the time.  I really think it's the way I lay at night.  The good thing is when I do exercise it seems to pull the kink out a little.  Like I said hopefully the more I exercise it will eventually just go away!

My word for the year is PERSEVERANCE!  I will be using this word a lot in my blog during 2013.  For today I'm persevering to be a healthier me!

~Blessings
Krista

Well guys I am a little sad this morning...My Christmas Tree is sitting in broken pieces all over my living room.  Let me tell you the story!

I wanted to put up my tree 3 weeks ago but Charlie & the kids said to wait until after Thanksgiving.  Well, I patiently waited, really it was just because I couldn't get the tree down from the top shelf in the garage.  Anyway back to my story...On Monday Charlie & Trevlyn took the tree down and brought it to the living room.  Trevlyn actually put it together for me because in my weakened state (I've had the flu) I was unable to lift anything.  ;(  Then as we began to plug in the lights...you know A to A, B to B, C to C, etc because it is a prelit tree.  We realize 3 entire rows are not working.  We unplug & replug but alas the lights were kaput!  

But...I am married to a lighting guy, right?  All should be well.  Let's continue the story.  Charlie sees the problem on Monday evening and says no problem, I can fix it! (said in Tim the Toolman voice)  So, I try to trust him as my tree is sitting deformed and losing needles from all the pulling and prodding of cords.  Charlie decides he needs a light zapper (something he has saw on TV).  

On to Tuesday morning, Charlie is on the search for a light zapper.  After going to Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, and Dollar Tree, he finally finds one at Walgreens.  He comes home yesterday afternoon and dismantles the tree.  He begins to test each and every fuse & light bulb for a malfunction.  OMG...I think this is going to take forever.  

Wednesday morning...It does take forever...It still isn't done and now my tree is sitting in pieces all over my living room floor.  It is sad and Christmas is broken!  

Charlie says he'll continue to 'work' on it when he comes home this evening.  But I have a feeling that tomorrow my tree will still be sitting dejected in broken pieces in my living room.  I can't even go into the living room because I feel the need to clean it up.  All my decorations are scattered around the room.  The tree is in pieces around the room and fake needles are covering the floor.  We'll see if I'm able to make it through the day without throwing the tree together and putting a strand of lights on the rows that aren't working.  

To be continued...

Tinsel & Treasure

This weekend my sister and I, otherwise known as Lulu and Joy, have a booth at Tinsel & Treasure.  I don't have much time to write because I'm making a few last minute items but please come see us if you are in Knoxville.  We have wreaths, decorated insulated double wall tumblers, decorated Christmas ornaments, handmade children's clothing, burp cloths, bibs, headbands, and other hair accessories.  I'll try to post pictures tomorrow.

We are in booth #82! We'd love to see you there!

~Blessings
Krista

All in a Day of a Housewife

Click here to check out my newest creations on my craft business blog. 

What do you do all day?  I hear this question all the time.  I can even remember asking SAHM/W this question myself when I worked full time outside of the home.  I say it that way because I still feel like I work full time but I very rarely leave my house!  I actually probably work more now.  Now that I am a housewife I kind of chuckle when I hear that question.

So what have I done today.  It's 12:30 and I've already made breakfast then cleaned up the kitchen, made homemade laundry detergent, canned homemade apple butter, scheduled an installation appointment for DH, washed 2 loads of clothes, and now I'm eating my lunch and typing up a blog post.

Woosh.... I'm tired!

Actually the rest of my day is fully scheduled too!

After I finish my sandwich I have 2 embroidery orders to fill, and then I need to get started on the many things that I have to make before the Tinsel & Treasure show.

Charlie asked me this morning if I was happy just being his housewife.  I just smiled and said I love it!  I couldn't ask for more.  He then said but we don't have as much as we had when we were both working.  I asked him if that bothered him.  He of course said NO and that he loved having me at home.  I then reminded him that things are not important to me and never have been.  As long as he is good with it then I am very happy.  I feel like the Lord has me just where he wants me to be.

We don't have the things that we used to have.  We don't eat out as often.  I haven't been to the mall in months.  You know what?  I don't care!  I love saving us money by making our laundry detergent.  I love grocery shopping knowing that the meals I make are healthy.  I love the sense of accomplishment I get by managing the office side of Charlie's business.  I schedule his appointments, create & send in the invoices, and manage all the office stuff.  I guess my 'job' with Singleton Services gives me my office fix that I need every once in a while.

I also love that I have time to create things.  I love to sew and I really like knowing that my creations are going to someone special.  I put my heart & soul into every item that I make.

My children, although in college, act like they like me being at home too.  They come home every day and sit in the kitchen just to talk to me.  I feel like I'm more involved in their lives then I've ever been.  I no longer make their decisions but I do pray with them and for them as they are making decisions that will effect the rest of their lives.  I know that they love the home cooked meals that await them.

Well, my sandwich is gone and it's time for me to get back to work.

~Good Day to you all and Many Blessings,
Krista

Crafter's Block

Do you see all this fabric? It's literally yards & yards of fabric and I haven't been able to make a thing for the last 2 weeks.  I can't get past this little crafter's block that I'm having.  I usually can look at a piece of fabric and I think "oooohhh I want to make _____ out of that!" But not so.  I just look at it and think "Wow, that's a lot of fabric!"

Geez, what's wrong with me?  It's driving me crazy.  Any ideas on how to get passed this? I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks and many Blessings!
Krista

Coffee

The 1st step in overcoming an addiction is admitting that you are an addict, right?  I think that's what the AA program says.  Anyways, to get to the point I am addicted to coffee!  I drink a minimum of 2 cups a day but most of the time more than that.  A few years ago I went to a nutritionist who helped me with my diet because of my toxin levels at that point I was drinking a pot of coffee a day!  I completely weaned myself from all coffee, caffeine, and food from a can.  Within 6 months I was eating all natural foods; fresh or frozen vegetables, fresh meats, etc.  Basically good for you foods.

I have slowly added coffee back into my diet.  I didn't think I was addicted like I was before because I'm certainly not up to my pot a day intake.  However this week I started a challenge with some friends of mine.  We are eating healthy fruits, vegetables, and lean meats.  Of course, we are only drinking water!  We have milk in our smoothies but basically water. I thought my biggest hurdle was going to be the food.  Our caloric intake per day is between 1300 & 1500 calories and we have to exercise for 30 minutes a day, but not so!

Today is only the second day and I am dying with a headache!  It's not the food I'm having a problem with.  As a matter of fact, I am full!  Can you believe it?  No, I am having coffee withdrawals.  My Keurig is sitting on my counter taunting me!  It's saying "You can have just one cup." "One cup surely won't hurt you." "Come on just do it."  I don't even drink sugar or cream in my coffee so what would it hurt?

My head is pounding and you may say no it's the food but I know what a caffeine withdrawal headache feels like.  It's definitely a headache derived from having no coffee for 2 days.  My last cup was on Sunday afternoon!  My wonderful or should I say normally wonderful husband is running away from me in fear that I might bite his head off.  I realize that anything that has you so addicted that you get a headache or are hateful when you do without it is not good for you!

So, I need your prayers.  I don't want anything to have that much of a hold over my life.  You may say, 'Geez, Krista it's just coffee. Get over it.;'  But really, I don't believe anything should have that much control over my life.  This diet thing we are doing is only for 10 days, but I am going to attempt to cut my coffee back to only casually drinking.  Not a daily I have to have it kind of thing forever.

There are so many good things can come out of this.  1st and foremost that coffee won't have control of me. 2nd - it will surely save us tons of money.  Those Keurig cups are so expensive!  3rd I will be more healthy.  So, as your drinking your cup of coffee remember me sitting here with shaking hands, and a roaring headache and say a little prayer for me!

~Blessings
Krista