a little bit of arting...

with some delightful buttons from kittyrobot.

when the super cool jodie leigh asked if i would guest design for the kittyrobot blog, i was THRILLED! i've been a fan since i got my first set of kittyrobot buttons (the adorable tiny owls) in a SIStv collection oh... 2+ years ago. and being the hoarder that i am, they still sit in their tiny little package... lookin' all cute n' stuff. only because i have yet to find that perfect project that will allow me to admire them on a daily basis. :)

i'd been making a list of all the lovelies i had been wanting to order... from sweet little cupcakes to teeny teacups to buttons that made me think of donuts (yes. donuts. they have sprinkles!) - so when i opened the special package of goodies she sent me, i was giddy because most of them were on my list. wheeeeeeeeeeee!

here's what i made:

#1 - a puffy frame. because well, that's what i do. ;) i used the yummy bling cupcake buttons in this piece, but i have to tell you... the picture just doesn't do them justice. you can't really tell here, but the frosting part of cupcakes has some glimmer & sparkle to it! so.delicious.

#2 - hoops. and cages. these were inspired, first - by a project that the crazy talented kerry lynn yeary created for her alameda project kit class over at kenner road (which i was lucky enough snag before they sold out!) and second - by the pretty romance rose button that jodie sent. the color lent itself perfectly to the BG birdcage patterned paper i had been hoarding forEVER. i knew i was saving it for a reason. ;)

#3 - holy crap... an actual layout! i've been wanting to scrap this photo of my little niece dressed up as a princess for the longest time (omg she's so cute!) and as soon as i saw the dollface fabric buttons (the red-haired doll is wearing a tiara!), i knew they'd be perfect for this project. it just so happened that the color combinations in my jenni bowlin april kit was meant for this project too... along with some heather bailey fabric scraps. and some dear lizzy crocheted cuties. and some beads. and some stickles sparkle. and a stitched title ala amy tangerine. :)





thanks again to jodie & ayesha for letting me play with some kittyrobot goodies! i'll be ordering some more lovelies soon.

i had a great time creating these projects. this was just the push i needed to get the mojo flowing again and i'm hoping it'll continue... especially with the upcoming "project" i have planned. stay tuned. :)

happy wednesday!
xo

losing my jiggly parts...

for all the pretty dresses...like this one:

Primula Dress

and this one:

Oratory Dress

oh. and for my health too. ;) but those dresses... *swoon*

6 weeks ago, i started "the angie makeover" - the one where i lose some poundage, because lemme tell you, i was piling them pounds on. and feeling it - i had zero energy, i was bloaty & gassy (it happens. don't judge.), and had consistent heartburn & acid reflux with every meal i ate, no matter what it was. not to mention, i just wasn't feeling like my best self. i know when i get that feeling, that it's time to do something about it.

i started this journey at the perfect time. turns out, i was at very high risk for diabetes, which i figured because it runs in my family. and... my blood work showed complications with my gallbladder, which explained the bloating and painful indigestion. YIKES!

so, last saturday marked the last day of phase 1 of my HCG diet (no more injections! hooray!) and the day that i tallied up total losses. are you ready for this? drum roll please............

23 POUNDS and 25 1/4 INCHES LOST in 6 weeks!!

i admit i was a tad disappointed that i only lost 23 lbs. during this phase. i knew i would be, only because i had set my expectations waaaay too high after reading the success stories of others on this particular diet (ugh. i despise that word.) and i had relied upon that number on the damn scale too much, like i knew i would... even though i knew better. which is why i also despise scales. unfortch, i have to make it my friend for the time being.

anyway, after taking measurements and seeing the total inches lost, i was more than satisfied. i lost a total of 6 inches around my waist alone! and 5 around my hips. totally noticeable because all of my jeans are now falling off my ass. and i'm looking like a fool. with my pants on the ground.

sadly, i also lost 2 inches around my chest (meaning - a cup size. or 2.) MY BAZONGAS! where have they gone?! stupid fat. wanh wanh. i shan't complain, though.

i'm now in the last 6 weeks of the "protocol" - where i get to slowly add in the good fats (helloooooo guacamole) and carbs/sugar. so far i've managed to drop another pound. i will say that after 6 weeks of minimal food/calorie intake, i was a bit hesitant to add more to my servings. my appetite still has not returned to normal. i'm happy to ride with it, but WHAT.THE.HELL.

5 weeks ago, this lovely little candy dish was filled to the brim with scrumptious hersheys kisses. (i didn't eat them all. i swear!) and it took everything.i.had to not dump the entire contents of said candy dish into my piehole, wrappers and all. everytime i walked by, it caught my eye. eventually, i had to go over to it, lift the lid, get a good whiff and then promptly walk away. btw, i am the only one who thinks hersheys kisses smell like cheese? anyway... now, i see chocolate and i feel nothing. NOTHING. it sorta makes me feel dead inside. heh.

* so... am i glad i did this? - absolutely. i needed to do something that would yield fast results so as to not lose my motivation. also, i've learned how to cook with real food! yay me! it's amazing how wonderful fresh produce, organic meats and spices can taste. :)

* would i do this again? - now having done it once, knowing what to expect, and knowing that i do have the willpower necessary to take this on... yes. but only with the understanding that this should not become a "quick fix". because it isn't.

* would i recommend this? - i certainly don't want to be an advocate for HCG, but i would recommend it with these 3 conditions:

- that it only be used as a jump start to weight loss & a healthier lifestyle (where it concerns food & exercise).

- that it be done with extreme determination and willpower. you'll need it. and it's required.

- that it be medically supervised and customized to your needs and your body. HCG is readily available out there in cyberland (and cheaper), but i dared not take that chance.

so tell me... would you ever consider such a ridiculous diet? ;)

with this makeover underway, i can now focus on the others i had planned for this year - my blog & little home re-decorating. and even an extra little fun & creative something. and with more energy! :D more on this later...

happy weekend!

xo