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OBSERVATIONS: It's Week Eight of Project Life. My heart is very heavy as I post this. One of our team at Designer Digitals, Pattie Knox, has passed away. I wish I had something deep and profound to say. I just feel sadness for her family and for those who love her so dearly.
Life is such a gift. Every single day of it.
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It happens slowly.
One day, you're hovering around a weight that makes you feel confident, strong and successful, and a year-and-a-half later, you're not.
Today's post was not planned to be a lament. In fact, sometimes I hesitate posting laments because there will always be someone who calls me out for being a baby, and then I feel even worse about myself, and then I usually buck up and get down to the business of doing what is needed.
Maybe it should be a lament.
Long story short: remember that weight I lost working my little tushka off? It's almost all back. Almost. Not quite. Just about. Five more pounds and yes, ladies and gentlemen, we'll have a bingo!
If you've never had any issues with food or body image or weight, this concept might seem completely foreign and ridiculous to you. Up and down. Back and forth. Gains, losses and gains.
I was thinking about it the other day and realized: I'm 46 years old and this has been an issue for much of my adult life.
Of course, I didn't really experience it so much in my 20s because I smoked myself silly. (As if that wasn't an issue in and of itself, right?)
But since I have attempted to live a life free of nicotine (beginning at age 30, and off and on until I quit for good at 40), weight and food and body image have been an issue.
The whole body image issue, well, that's layered deeply in the minutiae of my personal development and goes a bit beyond what I'm addressing today. But the weight and food thing? Let's just say I'm getting tired of the ebb and flow for which I am fully responsible for inviting to the party.
In my Move More, Eat Well class, there is a lot of room for brutal truth. Looking at your choices. Spending time thinking about why you are making those choices and so on.
There is also room for support and comfort. I've been offering a lot more of the latter to myself during the past year. And while that approach makes me feel better, my yoga pants are feeling more and more like my wardrobe's Last Great Stretchy Hope.
Do you ever find yourself looking at people for whom weight and food do not seem to be a problem? (Of course, judging a person by how they look, well… that's a little silly and presumptuous, but bear with me for a second.)
I do this and I wonder a) what that would be like, to just stay the same size, enjoy a treat every now and then and not always seem to be on the verge of having to buy bigger clothes? and b) do they have just as many issues surrounding food and weight as I do?
I suppose that's going to have to be a rhetorical question for now.
I'm okay with not having the answers to all of this. Most of the time. There are still many positives in this process, the main one being I'm stronger and healthier than I used to be as a skinny, smelly smoker.
I still run three miles a pop. I walk just about every single day. I wear my FitBit and always shoot to log as many steps as I can.
Most importantly, I'm trying to work on the inside stuff, which I do believe is a lot more important than the shell in which it all resides.
Lastly, I try to stay connected to what is real and what is needed. And I can guarantee you my therapist will tell me that is that very last thing I'm doing on this particular subject.
Just talking out loud today. I've been feeling a bit heavy in more ways than one, and sometimes it helps me to write it all out.
Know what I'm saying?
To learn more about Move More, Eat Well 2.0, click on the image below. You can join at any time in 2013. A new classroom will go up on March 1.We'd love to have you join our community of people who are working to Move More and Eat Well in 2013.
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The two winners will recieve four of Chelle's Creations 12 x 12 pocket page templates are:
The winner of three volumes of 5x7 photo templates from FieldJournaling.com is:
Ladies, email me at czdesign@comcast.net to claim your templates!
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OBSERVATIONS: I'm posting this a little late because last week I was really moved to share a post with a video about bullying. If you haven't seen it, click here.
Week Seven, of course, included Valentine's Day, a day we often celebrate as a family. Knowing that one child will be off to college in a year and a half, we really cherish all of the time and holidays together, and V Day is no exception.
And this week, I got to save our cards in one of the Project Life Small Envelopes. I love these so much for cards! Just perfect.
Here are my pages for Week Seven:
I love that the pockets on the envelopes have a slot for a 4 x 3 card.
Here's our week in review:
Also very grateful this week for the relationship I have with my daughter, Aidan. I had to take a screen capture of this text exchange. She was worried that I would be mad at her because she took my brand new bottle of Penzey's Vanilla to school for a baking project and it got added to the communal vanilla vat. It's bittersweet, I swear, because three years ago, before therapy I probably would have been pissed off about it and made a stink. I don't do that sort of thing anymore. This makes everyone happier.
And that is all I wrote for Week Seven. Supplies are below.
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THE GIVEAWAY: Two blog winners will recieve four of Chelle's Creations 12 x 12 pocket page templates. Two of them are brand new (see them here) and the other two are here.
ABOUT CHELLE'S CREATIONS: Chell loves making & keeping memories. She believes that we are all born with a desire…even a need to create. At Chelle’s Creations, she wants to help you fill that need through digital scrapbooking. She creates fun things for you to use in your scrapping—especially handmade felt elements. Chelle has a library of video tutorials & classes to show you have to express your creativity. Her scrapper’s club and designer’s club offer an inspiring environment to encourage and enable your memory keeping.
Find Chelle's Creations here: BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | TUTORIALS
Also, Chelle is giving away free sample on her blog today (Friday)! Click here for the download.
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ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY: One blog reader will receive all three downloadable volumes of the frames and clipping masks that nestle neatly on a 5x7 photo from FieldJournaling.com. You receive Vol 1., Vo1. 2 and Vol. 3.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTS: The heart of any type of documentation is story. Borrowing from the field journaling techniques used by scientists in the field and applying it to everyday life and the nature surrounding us, Field Journaling.com brings it together in a simple, yet classic way.
Adding in multiple photos can be a challenge in a field journal, but by combining them through the use of a clipping mask template and topped by a simple frame, the elements illustrate the whole story becomes the base for a simple style or a platform for more.
Each volume comes with a layered psd (photoshop) file as well as .png files that work in any program supporting that file type. There's a free file (5.5 x 8.5) for you to try out by clicking here.
Find Field Journaling here: WEBSITE | ETSY STORE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK
TO ENTER: Simply leave me a comment and tell me if you plan to scrapbook this weekend. Simple enough, right? I'll choose a winner on Sunday night.
Comments are now closed. Winners will be posted shortly.
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I just saw a video posted on Facebook from Upworthy, a site that continually inspires me and makes me think. This video is no different. And it's amazing.
It's about bullying. And bullies. And it's a beautiful, passionate spoken word poem by Shane Koyczan.
I've thought a lot about bullies in my life. Why they do it. What goes on in their own lives to motivate them to say what they say. How is it handed down.
Or is it? Are some people just mean? (I don't believe any of us born mean, honestly.) But maybe I am naive. I like to think I'm not on this one.
I think about my own kids. When they have been teased. Or if they have been the teasers. And as Shane says in his poem, "Kids can be cruel." But do they have to be?
I want to be responsible in my own life for how I have treated (and continue to treat others). I want to teach this to my children every single day.
Words matter so much.
Project Life will return next week.
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I never use that phrase correctly and today is no exception.
I actually mean to say simply what she said. She, being my friend Lisa Russo. This, ladies, is a blog post about cleaning and for anyone who ever finds themselves in need of, well, cleaning.
Lisa wrote a comprehensive, long-in-the-making and well-tested blog post about a product called e-cloth. I may be jumping the gun, but I think their products quite possibly will change my life, just as they have changed Lisa's.
But honestly, she said it better than I can so if you're interested, click here to read about e-cloths.
Long story short: Lisa is one of those people who if she endorses something, I believe her. Girl doesn't make recommendations lightly. (She posts fabulous recipes as well and her photos are gorgeous.) I ordered three cloths for myself (the Window Cloth, the Stainless Steel cloth and the Bathroom Cloth). Honestly? I was shocked at how well they worked. So I went and ordered more.
I even used the Window Cloth on my Ceran top cook range and I didn't have to use a drop of Windex, or Wymans Glass Top Cook Cleaner—nothing! And it came out sparkly and smudge free.
I just placed my second order for more of their products.
One day, who knows? I may splurge and hire a cleaning service, but until that day rolls around, I now have a completely chemical-free alternative.
Note: Blog reader Cheri just informed me if you use the code 20%OFF, you can get a discount on regular-priced items, not on sale or combo packs.
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I love winter.
Some people don't. Some people curse it, condemn it, pray for its timely demise.
But not me.
I like to be cold much more so than being hot. I'm a hot house flower of sorts. One that does much better not actually being in a hot house.
Maybe an ice fishing house with a small heater is more my style, save for not being real big into ice fishing.
One of the real bonuses of living in Minnesota during the winter at age 46 is that when your hormones start stoking the internal metabolic flames, you can just step outside and ahhhhhh… instant relief.
Of course, this isn't practical at 2:30 a.m., but I'm fortunate to live with a man who keeps the thermostat dialed way down low between the hours of Midnight and 6 a.m.
It's funny. I used to fight with him over how cold the house was at night. Back in my 30s. Of course, back then I would have picked a fight with him over his shoelace being untied. Still… time has shown me there was a larger plan at work: he was planning for my change of life all along.
I told my therapist about this, the idea of being grateful for winter and how it is a real plus for my perimenopause self to which she reminded me it wasn't too long ago where I complained to her that Minnesota was never a place I would have chosen to live.
Progress.
It's simply a matter of a shifting perspective, and I'm not just talking about some Pollyanna way of looking at the world, but rather, what am I grateful for instead of what I'm lacking for.
Are there things you've found a new perspective on over the years? If so, by all means, share.
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The two winners of the Memories & Moments Bundle from SuzyQ Scraps are:
The winner of the seat in The Ties that Bind from Big Picture Classes is:
Ladies, email me at czdesign@comcast.net and I'll get you set up! Thanks everyone.
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THE GIVEAWAY: Two blog readers will receive the Memories & Moments Bundle from SuzyQ Scraps.
ABOUT SUZYQ SCRAPS: Suzy is an avid memory keeper and digital scrapbook designer. She's passionate about helping scrapbookers like you capture you everyday moments. You'll find inspiring articles, helpful how-to's, and fabulous freebies on her blog to improve your scrapbook storytelling—from the photos to the words to eye-catching page design. She also creates versatile, high-quality scrapbook supplies so you can share your stories beautifully—digitally or printed. Her goal is to enable you with simple tips, suggestions, & products so you can spend more time making memories.
LEARN MORE: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Youtube
THE GIVEAWAY: My friend Stephanie Howell has created a new, instant download at Big Picture Classes called The Ties that Bind. Big Picture Classes is giving away one seat to this class.
ABOUT THE CLASS: Learn to identify and treasure the relationships in your life, both big and small, while creating authentic and meaningful scrapbook layouts in five vital relationship categories. Above all, learn to share a little piece of your heart on every page you make.
Stephanie Howell—a popular blogger, devoted Army wife, and busy mother of four youngdaughters (including twins)—welcomes you into her inspiring world in The Ties That Bind, her very first online class.
As you connect with Stephanie's stories, you'll discover the importance of sharing pieces of yourself as you honor the people and ideals that have made you who you are. In this class, you'll create the kinds of pages that you and your family will treasure all your lives.
TO ENTER: Leave me a comment telling me which of these giveaways you would like to win. I'll be sure to do a random drawing for each on Sunday night.
This giveaway is now closed. Check back to see if you're a winner.
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