New Blog Address! - Too Crewel

Hey Guys!

I guess I should have done this months ago...but this blog is no longer being used. I've gotten a few comments on it lately, so I thought a post was necessary. I've created a new blog a couple of months ago, and that is where you can get up to date posts! My new blog is called Too Crewel, and I'm having so much fun with it- so come check it out!

Many of the blogs that I read are still on blogger, so I still use this name to follow those that I read, but there will be no new posts on here :) Can't wait to hear from you!

xoxo.
Liesi
www.toocrewel.wordpress.com

Day Three.

 Today is day three of my 30 Days of no eating out challenge. Let me tell you, it is hard when you work in a restaurant. Even if you aren't craving the food around you...there is food all around you! The first two days were somewhat of a struggle, considering we hadn't been grocery shopping in a few weeks. Our food stamps came late this month, so I was nervous we wouldn't be able to get grocery's for a few more weeks, but alas! They arrived, and today we were like two kids in a candy store. Now we have plenty of meals, and healthy snacks for any occasion :)

ps! I'm still looking for suggestions for more Michigan landmarks, anyone from the east side of the state? help! (see my previous post for more information)

pss! Today I began working on a new blog/website. I'm looking forward to having everything linked up into one place as opposed to multiple different sites to update. Stay tuned!

Know Your Roots.

I'm going to start a series of framed embroideries called "Know your Roots." The first one will be no other than the state of Michigan. I have a sketch of what it will potentially look like, and I'm looking for suggestions. Can you think of any symbol that represents Michigan, or a specific city, that I have not already used? I'm thinking I need something for the UP, and perhaps something for the East side of the state. I was also thinking of putting sleeping bear dunes on it, but I have cherries for Traverse City, and it would be a little crowded over there. What is your vote- sleeping bear dunes or the cherries?
(click on the image to see it larger!)

Let me know what you think should me added/taken off! Oh, and yes, I am going to make the Michigan header much more neat. :)

In my 30 Days of no restaurant meals: today is day one! what should I eat today?

xoxo.

A new 30 Days!

It has been quite some time since I wrote, but I'm back! Much has changed. Not necessarily for the good or bad, but things have just changed. I keep noticing that the events that occured have made me more disconnected with others, as I do not find myself viewing life in the same perspective. At first I was constantly asking myself a slew of "what ifs?," however with each passing day I ask myself less of them. It is difficult to accept things that are out of your control, but I have to if I want to move on and live a life of gratitude. It is easy to get stuck in a rut of feeling sorry for yourself, but in the end that will not better your life. Being grateful for the things that have caused you to grow will.

A while back I mentioned that I wanted to embark on a number of 30 day challenges. My first was 30 days without consuming alcohol. After my success of over 30 days of sobriety (although I did have other motivation to keep me going on that one!), I am ready for a second challange. In order to save my bank account (and waist line while I'm at it) I am going to do 30 days without eating out. This means that I will only be eating home prepared meals, whether by myself or others. Within this month I will also be able to consume more foods that are going to better my body. I'm looking forward to this challange! The dates of this challenge will be June 15-July 15. That gives me enough time to go out for sushi before I begin :)

new, new, new!

This is such a good week! This morning as I was enjoying my cup of tea and oatmeal, I read an email that my order from Sublime Stitching shipped. I ordered these patterns:

I bought a shirt I'm planning to do an embroidery of the octopus on. It would be spectacular if they magically appeared at my door step tomorrow morning so I could work on it during my sewing date I'm having! 

PS. As I was working of finishing up my cactus pillow the other day, Bryan did an embroidery of Robocop. It is fantastically funny. 

clever title.

I feel like I've been busy the past week, but I'm not even sure what I've been doing. I know I've been spending quite a bit of time drooling over the fabric on the website "Sew Mama Sew!" The prints are great.

Yesterday was my birthday, and I got this bad boy:

It's simple, and just what I needed to save some space. I think my next step is to get a peg board to hang some supplies on. It is just a matter of where it will go in our apartment. I was getting some organization ideas from This Blessed Nest, and I found this adorable pin cushion idea:

It is so much better than my little wrist-lit! 

Have a good weekend all, I'll leave you with this little guy that I'm still working on :)

Netflix and Cacti.

I've been sewing like crazy! I'm getting so excited about building up my inventory, I can't wait until I have enough items that I feel comfortable putting on my "Too Crewel" Etsy. It will be wonderful when the wind subsides, and our forecast isn't filled with rain, so I can sit outside while workin' my fingers to the bone. :)

I've spent the morning and afternoon working on a cactus pillow Bryan and I designed together. It's going to be so cute, and hard to part with. That's all for now, back to some more cacti and netflix!

Sewing, Sewing, Gone.

Yesterday I sold my sewing machine, and I'll be sad to see it go. With that being said though, I am so excited to go shopping for a new one! So of course the excitement has made my mind wander to my dream sewing room. I found a few rooms and products that made my mouth water, but for now I guess I'll have to stick to my tackle boxes and crates.

jessicastacey.

 jessicastacey.

Mahalo

"Into the Wild"

"If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, then all possibility of life is destroyed."

If you are currently looking for a new novel, I suggest Into the Wild. It's an easy, enjoyable, and thought provoking read. Check it out!

Once I finish I'm going to begin reading The Happiness Project written by Gretchen Rubin. My friend Courtney was gracious enough to give me a copy (and a nice note!) today. I already have an ever growing list of books to read, but I'm always looking for suggestions, so let me know if you have any must reads! 

xo.

30 Days, day two.

Last night Bryan and I were watching the television show "30 Days," the episode was called "Binge Drinking Mom." The idea behind the show is that someone goes into living a lifestyle that is opposite of theirs for 30 days, this is either to experience others thought processes, or in the case of "Binge Drinking Mom," to prove a point. So, this mom starts to binge drink as a college student to show her 19 year old daughter was she is doing to herself. She must do this four nights a week, and have at least four drinks in two hours. Needless to say, there was a lot of throwing up and hangovers.

So while watching this episode, Bryan and I decided to do 30 Days of no drinking (not including my birthday, though!). It's not that I drink a lot, I normally only do one day or sometimes two times a week. I would just like to see how differently my body feels, and how my energy changes without a drunken night throughout the week. I want to be the best person that I can be, and show that to others. So here is to day two of bettering myself even further!

If you have not seen 30 Days, it is on Netflix instant streaming. Check it out!

sunday funday.

This past week I have been able to kick back, and really enjoy my days to their full potential. Dancing, picnics, walks, cheap drinks, good conversations, new and old faces, thrift shopping, movies, and bike rides. Bryan and I also put a bunch of our useless furniture up in the attic, and a bunch of other random items we never use. Our apartment is already feeling so much more spacious, but I want to do more! We also got a hanging lamp for our living area, so now the room actually gets lit up. Oh the joy of the little things! :) So, what's to come this week? Hopefully more of the same and then some.

My most blissful moment of the past week?

 also this was a fantastically fun afternoon and evening:

Enjoy your week, and I'll do the same!

Another weekend, came and went.

On Wednesday Bryan and I made the decision to backpack across the country this time next year. He will be done with school, I will at least be done with my associates by then, so it seems like a moment when we won't really have anything holding us back. The both of us (I think especially me) are so excited. So now the saving, and preparing begins. After that where will we end up? Who knows. I think that is the beauty of it, the mystery.

Yesterday we went to a park, climbed around on some trees, had a picnic, and played some chess. Today we went on a hike through some woods, and around some sand dunes. Over all, it was a great weekend. The fresh air was therapeutic. I started a new needle point that I'm very excited about as well. It's a cute little mushroom :)

Back to Monday tomorrow, but at least I will have these moments of bliss to remember from the weekend:

Round up

This week has consisted of relaxation, creativity, discussion, and no stress. My only wish is that I had a good April Fools prank, but I am no prankster. I got a new bike yesterday, and I'm excited to get it all fixed up and go for rides! I think we are putting new breaks on it tomorrow, and I have to get a new basket :)

Any exciting plans for the weekend?

Ah-ha!

Today Bryan and myself had a conversation about what we each want as a career, and the type of lifestyle we would each like to lead. I realized the answer was so much more simple than I have been making it out to be. I do not need to be focused on searching for my future career, I just need to be doing the things I enjoy. When I'm involved in activities that bring me joy, my future will just sort of fall into my lap. I do not need to have it all written out. It feels like such a relief.

Today ended up being a productive and very fulfilling day. I cleaned our apartment (less clutter = less stress), watched Blade Runner, read some (Into the Wild), had insightful conversations, finished a needle point, played a couple games of chess, and indulged in a delicious bowl of fruit. I felt myself being so much more present in my day compared to any other day.

I'm also going to begin to work on creweling projects to sell on etsy! Hopefully my fingers can hold out on me :)

Spring Fever

I've been feeling very calm the past few days, very at ease. It may be because of the changes I have been working towards, or the sunshine, and climbing temperatures. Whatever it is, it can keep on coming. I've been spending less of my time glued to a screen, and more time reading, writing in my journal, or spending time with loved ones. I'd say so far it's been a wonderful start to spring (if that is what I'm starting to see outside!). My dad told me Tuesday afternoon that he thinks this year is going to be a great year for Bryan and myself. I can't help but believe him. It feels so much better to have an open mind, and not think of things as good or bad. Some things just happen, and instead of complaining about them, I'm learning to accept them, and change the things that make me unhappy.

I've also been working on going through all of our belongings and figuring out what to keep, donate, and what is garbage. I've only gone through two closets, and one book shelf and I have two boxes of donations. It feels good to start to get some of the clutter out of my life.  

A long overdue vent from a nearly two year hiatus.

So after two years where do I even begin? I am trying to learn to feel gratitude for the simple things, enjoy the moment, and not stress about what my future will hold. The past few months I have been working towards developing a healthier lifestyle, and focusing on what my body and mind are craving. It has not been easy, but it is not something I can give up on at this point. I do feel proud of myself for the positive changes that I have made, but I cannot help but focus on what else I need to work on.

My food and beverage intake has changed in a tremendous way. I cannot lie and say that I did this with the goal to better my life, I did this because my health was desperately begging me to change my habits. However, after only a few days on my new (and strict) diet I was dedicated to the goal of bettering myself. After my first trip to the doctor I received a list of foods and beverages I must now avoid, and I was mortified. Cut out chocolate? Cheese? Alcohol? I was convinced I would not be able to do this, but I am proud of myself each day I make it through without cheating. I cannot say I follow it perfectly, I'll have a glass of wine, a beer, or a piece of chocolate occasionally, however my body does not agree with me when I do. My body still does not function as it should regardless of how naturally I eat, but I feel a better sense of clarity. I think that alone is worth the change.

Lately I have been going through what is probably considered the typical early 20's questioning of "what do I want to do with my life?" Despite this being potentially typical, I have really been struggling. I have found myself breaking down more times than not, and just feeling at a complete lost. At this point I'm still unsure of what I'm going to school for. Don't get me wrong, I love children and the way that I feel when I'm around them, but I'm unsure that working with them in a school setting is what I want to do. I feel somewhat ashamed to admit that I chose my career path to simply be able to tell people something I was working towards. I got tired of the looks I would get from people when I told them I still do not know what I am meant to do. I was also guilty of comparing myself to others my age, who I felt had accomplished so much more than I had. I sometimes feel like I simply do not have time to figure out where I see myself because I am busy doing things to put others minds at ease instead of my own. I know that this is something I can no longer do, because at the end of the day I have to be proud of myself.

And to be even more of a typical twenty something, when I do try and look into my future all I see is my desire to travel, and explore new places and people. I want to do this, of course, with the love of my life, Bryan, by my side.

So yes, to answer your questioning, I do not know where I see myself in five years, or even tomorrow. All I know is that I want to continue to better myself, and open myself up to new experiences. And hopefully when my anxiety subsides and I reach true happiness, my body will be at ease and I will physically feel better.