What's-on-the-Needles Wednesday

Normally on Wednesday nights after work I go down to my LYS (local yarn shop) and knit till 8pm. I didn't make it tonight- I am very tired. Instead I came home and made dinner and started searching through my yarn stash for the perfect yarn for a project for my mom and dad. 

I want to make mom a scarf and dad some felted slippers. 

I found the perfect yarn for my mom, in fact I was thinking of her when I bought it, but I still need the perfect pattern.  

I have lots of yarn I can felt for my dad, but not sure I have enough to make a good looking pair of slippers so I might have to get yarn for that. If he wanted periwinkle or aqua slippers I'd be covered but I don't think that will work. I already have the perfect pattern for him. 

Before I begin these projects I am making sure I finish my fingerless gloves 

and my hat to go with them 

I have not finished either, but I just started the gloves last week and the hat over last weekend so I don't think I'm doing so bad. 

Once I have finished these I can begin the scarf and slippers! I always enjoy starting a new project. Especially for a new pattern I haven't made before. That's why I am looking for a good scarf pattern that I haven't already made. I have worsted weight yarn but I don't want it to be too bulky. I will be searching Ravelry for the perfect pattern. If you have any suggestions please let me know. 

Tata for now and happy knitting! 

Sweaters

It is the middle of May in Arkansas and it was 49 degrees and SO foggy at 1:30pm on the top of Mt Magazine. It got worse, but there were no pretty trees to photo at that point. 

I know it's almost summer time, but I just got to go to the AR Yarn Extravaganza Spring Retreat in Mt Magazine to listen to Amy Herzog teach us how to knit sweaters to flatter ourselves (or anyone). Up to now I have been very hesitant to try a sweater because I was afraid I would mess it up or it wouldn't fit and that would be too disappointing (not to mention all the time and money that went into knitting it up).

Amy gave us so much ammo to knit up ANY garment to fit us. She told us about her website, Custom Fit, where you plug in your measurements, your swatch info and you can design your own pattern or any pattern you love. I am very excited to get my yarn and swatch it up!
Speaking of swatches, these are typical swatches for Amy- this is going to take foreva!

But, hey, if the swatch makes a difference, I am all for it! I ordered my yarn, then I will knit up a giant swatch (and soak/block it) and get my measurements then I'm off to the races on a basic sweater off of the Custom Fit website. I am going basic for my first one until I get the feel for it. I will keep you updated.

Juicing

 

Some of you may know that I have been juicing. I haven't committed to full time juicing, just juicing on the side or as a meal replacement. It was in an attempt to lose more weight before Italy. Italy is now just 3 days away!!! I have lost a total of 40 lbs this year and I am really excited about that. I have a lot more to lose, but losing that much before Italy is SO GREAT!

Above is the Mean Green Juice from Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead.
Below is a Carrot Juice and a Beet Juice. They are all delicious!

My sister and I went for a hike

My sister and I went for a hike
Originally uploaded by oshngrl
When I last visited my family in CA, my youngest sister and I went for a hike. It was a nice day, but we couldn't find the waterfall and we both ended up with sunburns. Even with all of that, we had a great time! The crazy thing is, the next day it snowed. Not kidding. I had to wear a coat over my sunburn. Ouch.
I loved this photo from the hike- I braided my sister's hair and we found giant pine cones worthy of photos. I hope you all had a pleasant weekend and have a good week!

Weightloss Wednesday

As many of you know, my husband and I have been on a weightloss journey since Jan 2012. I have lost a total of 35 lbs and hubby has lost 60 lbs. Many people are asking what he is doing since he has been able to lose so much weight. The simple answer is: count calories and exercise. You should know what your resting metabolism is and to lose fat you must decrease your intake of calories below what your body naturally burns in a day. That is also where exercise comes into play. If you want to really lose the weight you need to eat less and move more. The greater the deficit each day, the better the weightloss in a week.

We have also started trying different recipes that have fewer calories, but still use real food ingredients. We have experimented with tofu, stevia and organic food when possible. We have also started making recipes that don't require a lot of special ingredients because that helps us save on the grocery bill.

In the next few weeks I will share a few of the recipes we have tried. I hope this will encourage some who are still on the fence to go ahead and make the leap. Don't think of it as dieting. It is a way of life. You are changing your lifestyle for the better and your body will thank you.

blog it

Apparently I don't blog much anymore. I am sitting at my computer with my cat in my lap surfing the web, but not adding much to it, so here is a photo of my favorite flower, the dandelion. I say that because it MUST be my favorite since it is the only one growing in my yard. All other plant life has dried up. Hope you have a great Thursday and keep cool.

iPhone 4

I sold my iPad and iPod touch and bought an iPhone 4. Some people may think I'm crazy, but I have never had so much use from an electronic device as I have from my iPhone! I LOVE photography so I wanted a device that is small enough to carry everywhere with me- and the iPhone fit the bill. I am now addicted to Instagram and several other camera/photo apps. If you go there search for me. I am @oshngrl .
Hope your weekend has been wonderful!