The P.I.N.K. Method

This post is definitely gonna fall in the T.M.I. category . . . and I'm embarrassed to admit this, but . . . I am on a diet. There. I said it. {They say that it's a good idea to share that . . . accountability and all . . .}

My doctor says, I am not obese. Well, that's a relief.  Here's the most embarrassing part, I bought the P.I.N.K. Method. I've never been on an actual organized diet before, but I guess I've finally arrived at that place . . .  you know? . . . where I am ready to do something about it. So far, in three days, I've lost four pounds.

Let's say that I'm a mature person {I am a Grandma . . .}.  {Had to make sure you know where I am coming from . . .}   I've read through the book, and I can tell you this much . . . prudish, Christian Grammy's are not their target market. I am completely offended by the writing, the silly visualizations, the language . . . Sexy Salad?  Come on.

. . . but the diet makes sense. I bought it because I get to buy and prepare my own foods. No additional cost, and it seemed like a reasonable price to me, two $40.00 payments, or one $67.00-ish payment . . . which still came to about $80.00 with the addition of sales tax and shipping . . . que sera, sera . . .

I have certain dietary restrictions . . .{one of those health things mature people get. . . sigh . . .} I can't eat nuts, seeds and berries. These things are staples on the diet. . .  you know, whole grains, strawberries {any berry, really}, nuts . . . great fibre and protein, but not for me . . . I decided to substitute as nearly as I could . . .  I'm using strawberry nectar instead of strawberries, which includes a certain amount of sugar . . . this substitution displaces fibre, so I take fibre . . . what can it hurt? I will eat cracked wheat bread when it's called for instead of whole grain . . . am using dairy milk instead of dairy substitutes . . . and it is working! {If I had known it was this easy, I would have gone on it the minute I had to take prednisone!} . . . and still, for the first time in my life, I'm losing weight!

I have not yet begun the work out portion of the program, I need to stay in the first stage till I have lost 5 to 10 pounds, then the next stage including the workout begin . . . I'm loving that 5 pounds could be tomorrow! It could be right now! This minute!

I plan to partake of Christmas festivities and all of the goodies that come with it! So my start may be slow-ish . . . but doggone it! Christmas only comes once a year! And I started just two weeks before Christmas! But start I did. And so far, while I find the book to be crude, tasteless, and  unprofessional {it is self published} the diet is working just fine. And I am very pleased. Thank.You.Very.Much.

Winter Wishes Theatre

{photo from Gilding the Lily Classes}

Have you always hoped that someday you would be able to take a class from Colleen Moody, too?  I found one that I loved, and I couldn't find a single reason not to go . . .

I can't believe it!  I finally did it!  Above is the beautiful project, originally designed by Colleen Moody and Iva Wilcox {this day Iva couldn't make it to teach}.  Such a shame, but Colleen, I think can do anything she turns her hand to . . . it was a wonderful, if intense day long class . . .

This is not my doll, but the model that I'm working from . . . don't you just love it?  Colleen is such a uniquely talented doll atelier . . .

and if I wasn't aware before, after I had the opportunity to observe her talented and capable hands form a lump of clay into a beautiful doll face, I certainly am aware now!

Colleen's sweet little snow lady . . .

And mine!  Only partially finished . . . but maybe tonight her skirt will happen . . . 

 

My lighted theatre was a only slightly more complete than this, the last photo I took of it before leaving it in Dede's tender care.  :)  I flew . . .  didn't even try to get that on the plane, Dede Warren is shipping it to me.  Bless her sweet heart!  Thank you, Dede! 

The completed theatre made by Colleen Moody and Iva Wilcox . . .

Mine only dreams of being so lovely someday!

Hopefully before Christmas!

I had a sweet little visitor the day that my package arrived . . . Thank you, Dede. 

Now I really can't wait to finish it.   

A New Heart for Tammy

When I think of all the times in my life that I have uttered the words, "Bless your heart" . . . 

 

This is a wonderful photograph of my beautiful friend, Tammy Lumpkins.  Tammy made history today.  She is the first person on the West Coast to leave the hospital with an artificial heart. {And one of only 22 people in the country.}

Tammy and Dale

  I have been posting prayer requests {on Facebook} for Tammy and her family, especially for Tammy, for months now . . . isn't it beautiful to see the fulfillment!? 

  

Thank you, Keck Hospital USC, and Dr. Michael Bowdish, {a cardiothoracic surgeon at Keck Hospital} for caring enough to do something about it.
 

I couldn't tell her story better than Anna Gorman, Los Angeles Times has:  An artificial heart offers a real chance - latimes.com

Photos Borrowed from LA Times Article above ~

(Genaro Molina, Los Angeles Times / November 8, 2011)

 

Please continue to remember Tammy in your prayers.

 

~Much love!~


Another terrific article from the Hospital's website: 
Home is Where the Heart is.

This article from the local CBS news includes video . . .
Tammy leaving the hospital

 

 



Hand Born

I'll be at Hand Born again this year!

 

I'll have loads and oodles of soldered charms, each one an original . . . and some wonderful metal jewelry!  I'll be introducing some industrial tie~tacks . . . so the guys aren't left out . . .  It all happens as inspiration strikes, so it's just not possible to tell you what will be there . . . but I'll post pictures before the event!  {likely the very day before}  ;)

Hand Born . . . by the way . . . is a brilliantly conceived handmade gift faire  . . . Around closing time, businesses in the Modesto's hip downtown area, push their tables back and open their doors to artisans of youthful oriented wares.  How cool is that!?  Always anxiously anticipated  . . . this speed shopping event takes place in just 4 hours, once a year!  It is hugely popular, and honestly I don't think one could possibly see all of the wonderfulness in the time allotted!

Don't forget!! November 26!

in case you wondered . . .

. . . this hiatus is not permanent . . . life has intervened . . . I will be back the very minute that I find one free . . . besides this one, I mean . . . it came along and surprised me . . . caught me totally unprepared . . . so did the "life intervening" part . . . sigh . . .  

 

~ Much Love ~

 Debbi

Copper Tags

What do you think?  I've been experimenting . . .

. . . and I'm really pleased with the outcome.

I told somebody tonight, that I have lost more sleep over this project . . . that's not a bad thing . . .

. . . rather, I'm enjoying the challenge enough, that I lay awake planning the next step . . .

That's a good thing!

One More Shadowbox Treasury Post!

 I've been telling you about the Birthday Treasury Shadowbox Swap that has just wrapped up over at Inspire Co, in my last post I shared my submission . . . now I want you to see what my partner sent to me!

 Isn't it wonderful?  My swap partner was Heather at Speckled Egg.  The thing that I am so intrigued with here, is this:  If you wrote out a list of the items that we used, and a description of colors, you would have very similar lists . . . with amazingly dissimilar results!  I don't know about you, but I think that sort of thing is fascinating. 

 Do you love that she personalized it with my initial? The D is for Debbi, silly.  :) 

 I shot off an immediate email after it arrived, and told her how fascinated I was by the items that she included . . . she couldn't even know how these things applied to me.  A small list: I sew, kind of a lot actually, {measuring tape}, I have an entire wall decorated with keys and escutcheon plates {I buy antique keys as souvenirs when we travel.}, I have a major thing for typewriters {which includes typewriter keys, natch, I even have 3 or 4 antique typewriters!} Have you noticed that a frozen Charlotte is represented?  I so love frozen Charlotte's that I am, as we speak, preparing molds to cast them in sterling!  I think she got me.

 Thank you, Heather!

This is the shadowbox that I sent to her.  We discussed that she loved nature {wasp nest, bird nest, natural quail egg} {the pennants obstruct your view of the little copper bird nest with pearl eggs on the top shelf}; she has 2 little girls {the clipboard soldered charm}; her birthday is represented on the bottle {but hidden},  ~ the bottle sort of represents a bit of me ~  her blog is Speckled Egg {self-explanatory}  ;)  . . . and these are her colors of choice. 

I was generally going for a Natural Science sort of look {porcelain crucible and other previously mentioned pieces}, and age, and then there was my plan that these things should be able to be handled and studied and manipulated by her children.  Which she tells me they are.  {Yay!  A win!}  I loved the way the doors made the shadowbox into a tiny cupboard, and I think that makes the items stored within feel more precious.

It is only 5 1/2" X 5 1/2" overall.  Don't you just love tiny things?

If you would like to see what the other participants came up with, click on the links below for the two blog posts that Amy at Inspire Co. has shared with us!

Birthday Treasury Swap

~ and ~

More Birthday Shadowboxes

Scroll down to the next post, or click here to see more photos of the one that I sent to Heather.

I would so do this again!  I am, in fact!  It's an entirely different theme . . .when I finish, you know me,

I'll share pictures!  :) 

~ Much Love! ~