Going Green at the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge blog

Hello, crafters! Welcome to a new challenge at the Outlawz Monday Greetings. This week's theme is Going Green - use something green on your project. Our generous sponsor this week is Moonflower Digistamps, whose image I used to create my card. She's called Gypsy Flower.

I decided to create an acrylic card. This is my second attempt. My first was just too "invisible." It was hard to photograph and brooked no embellishments at all. So I gave my card a cardstock base, adhering some leftover patterned paper to it. The pie e of acrylic is attached to a slight overlap of cardstock from the back, and I had to add a strip of the same to keep the front from sliding forward all the time it was open. I added a line of pearls to the strip.

I popped my image onto the acrylic face of my card, added a bow to her hair, and decided to place one butterfly onto this part of my card. I added a smaller butterfly to the inside, along with my sentiment. I finished off my card by adding a row of glittered brads and Gypsy Flower is ready for her close-up.

Now it's your turn to play with a "bit o' green." Create a project (don't forget a greeting or sentiment needs to be on the front of it) and ink up with the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge for your chance to win digis from Moonflower Digistamps.

Challenges I am Entering:

ABC challenges - C is for Cute

Card and Scrap - Shabby Chic/Vintage 

Crafter's Cafe challenges - Inspired by a Song (Just the Way You Are-Bruno Mars)

Just Keep on Crafting - Anything Goes

Naughty or Nice challenges - At the Movies (nice-Romeo & Juliet)

Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

Let's Get Quirky Masculine This Month

It's time for a new Quirky challenge, and the theme is Masculine with a Ribbon this month. Crafty Ribbons and Bugaboo are two of our sponsors.

I got to play with a cute digi image called "Sit Dog." Never in my wildest imaginings would I have ever considered becoming a dog owner, but through the years, my fears and allergies have all but disappeared. Now Wilson, a 7 year old Silkie Terrier, is a part of our family. We got him from the Buddy Foundation, who rescues dogs from high kill shelters. He chose us, and we are so happy. So if you see a few more dog and cat cards on my blog, you know why now.
A lot of digital elements and papers went into the creation of my card. The papers are all from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles: 3 from her Heartland Patterned Paper Kit, and 2 from her Grungy Christmas Textured Paper Kit. It often takes more time on the computer creating a digital project than it does working with ink and paper.My ribbons were tied into bows and then placed on the dog bones. It's nice, though, to create a card with layers and be able to stick it into an envelope and not have to pay extra postage to mail it off. This one is going to a friend's son who just got his own puppy and is celebrating his birthday.

Challenges I am Entering:

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes (birthday themed)

Crafty Gals Corner - All about the Boys 

Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
Mod Squad Challenge blog - Feature a Creature

My next card also uses a sponsor's image. SLS Lines is also sponsoring this month's Quirky Masculine with a Ribbon Challenge.

I played with a digi image called Math Geek. It's another birthday card for a guy. My ribbon is behind my sentiment, which is a 2-parter. The inside reads, "...that you are turning 29 AGAIN! Happy Birthday!"

I used 3 different patterned papers on my card: one from Designs by Lozzy from her "Funky Numbers Kit". While not for sale, her papers are offered up as challenge prizes at her own challenge blog, A Bit More Time To Craft.The other two I made myself: one by embossing, and one with alcohol inks. I colored my image with Copics.

Challenges I am Entering:

Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers - G is for Gears (embossed paper)

Just Add Ink - Just Add Numbers

Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner - All about the Boys

Crafty Time challenges - Birthday

SLS Lines challenges - Inspired by a Song, Book or Movie (as soon as I saw this image, I was reminded of the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off)

Now it's your turn to create and link up your masculine with a ribbon project this month. we have some awesome prizes from our sponsors!! Happy crafting!

Healthy Lifestyle Starts Now, Part 3

To recap, I am participating in a week-long weight loss trial for Woman's World magazine. If you want to participate in any of their trials for women, contact bweissman@bauerpublsihing.com 

Day 5 journal entry:

"Sticking to the plan and getting in some biking paid off again. I'm down another pound! I also have more energy and find my sleep is deeper and not as much needed (up at 6:30 am without an alarm).

This plan has been surprisingly easy to follow, and last night I didn't dream about food! LOL I feel satisfied and what I'm eating is delicious, as I make all my meals myself using the guidelines, etc., from the diet plan. It's something that I can continue well past the trial end date, since it doesn't force me to "drink" my meals nor buy "pre-packaged" meals.

But I won't get ahead of myself. I am taking this day by day so that if I weigh in and haven't lost anything, I can keep my spirits and confidence up to continue on faith and results already experienced. And if I happen to "fall off the wagon" by eating an unhealthy meal, I promise myself to forgive and forget, getting right back on that wagon, as it is headed toward a better future for me."

Day 6 of my healthy journal

 You can't beat physics, and I'm living proof of a few laws of physics, such as "a body in motion tends to stay in motion." Once I kick-started my healthier lifestyle with this Weight Loss trial program, I not only paid attention to what I ate but how much I moved. The diet plan is working, but to get fantastic results, I added biking and strength-building exercises to my daily routine. Together, I am rocking this trial with another pound lost today. That's 6 pounds in six days! 

Another law of physics is "what goes in must come out." Since food is actually energy, it must be used up to "come out." If it doesn't, it turns to fat. So if you exercise and use up the energy you eat, you won't gain weight. If you exercise enough to burn more energy that you took in, you'll lose weight. On the downside if you don't exercise enough to use up that energy, you gain weight!

I think I will rename my journal from Healthy Lifestyle Journal to My Physics Journal.  LOL

Today is the last day of my trial, but I promise it will not be the last day of my new healthier lifestyle! Physics will help me keep moving, keep biking, keep losing weight and toning muscle. Healthy eating habits will let my body use up the energy I put into myself, which allows my body to shed pounds. 

My goal is to lose a pound a week until Christmas. I have a good start, and I am reaching my goal in a healthy and smart way. I'll  be checking in from time to time to let you know how my journey is playing out. Meanwhile, enjoy the weather as it changes over the weeks!

Healthy Lifestyle Starts NOW, Part 2

Starting my 5th day on the weight loss trial and I have lost 5 pounds. That's 1 pound a day! My goal is to ultimately lose a pound a week up until Christmas, so that I would weigh in at about 40 pounds lighter. Here are more journal entries for the past two days:

Day 3 Journal entry:

This morning I weighed in at another pound lost! Yay, me! One pound is meaningless by itself, but if I lost 1 pound every week, by Christmas I would have lost about 40 pounds. That would put me on cloud 9. If you add in the 3 pounds lost the first day, that's 4 pounds in two days!

Yesterday I managed 18 minutes on the bike in two separate times. 

The food I prepared was delicious kept me full, and my water intake is at least 8 glasses of water each day.

Today I don't know what to expect. Allergies have left me with a pounding headache-not enough to call off work, but enough to twist whatever plans I had to bike and exercise today. Whatever happens, my goal is to change my eating and exercising habits not just to lose weight but to live better and longer. So bring it on...

Day 4 of my healthy journey Journal entry

Well, I can't say I wasn't surprised that I didn't lose any more weight when I got on the scale this morning. I was so miserable from the allergy attack that I spend most of the day in bed. So though I followed the diet plan, I didn't exercise like I usually do. So good news is that I still ate healthy, bad news is I didn't lose anything today. Tomorrow's another day, and four pounds in three days is still awesome sauce!

Now, if you factor in that I am taking the stairs without pulling on the handrail to get me up, I think I'm making fabulous headway. I feel better physically, so I'm headed for the bike. Got to get my workout in before I head to work, as it's a late day for me, and I'll be too  tired to put in time for exercising afterwards.

Anything Goes with Limited Runs at Your Scrapbook Place

Welcome to a new challenge over at Your Scrapbook Place challenge blog. Our sponsor is Limited Runs, and I colored up this digital image called Birdhouses 5. After fussy-cutting my bird houses, I framed it with a paper doily. I did the same for my sentiment, using bits of leftover doily. Since the patterned paper I used is a tad busy, I embellished simply with a jeweled flourish, as well as a leftover felt-and-jeweled flower. Just a simple card with a simple wish--for Spring!

What will you create this month? Whatever you make, link it up at Your Scrapbook Place for your chance to win awesome prizes from Limited Runs.

Challenges I am Entering:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Crazy 4 Challenges - Spring

Hoppy Spring!

Today brings us a new challenge from the Outlawz Progressive Freebie Challenges. This month our most generous sponsor is Gerda Steiner Designs, who offers this digital image, called Bunny with Glasses.
I colored my Bunny with Copics before creating my calendar page. Since the calendar's pages fit between two pieces of clear acrylic, I kept my embellishments few and skinny - just a few jewels and a tiny flower.
I pulled the die-cut sentiment from my stash pile and used a white gel pen to match the white embossing of the letters. The actual calendar grid is from Google images.
If you played with the Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenge last month, expect your own Bunny with Glasses image in the next few days. If not, head over to the STORE, buy this one, and link it up. That way you'll enjoy free digis every month this year!
Meanwhile, enjoy winter's goodbyes and the first signs of Spring! Happy crafting!

Healthy Lifestyle Starts NOW

I have felt like a slug all winter, with no motivation to get moving or eat healthier. Until I read about a Diet Trial Program offered through Woman's World magazine and created by Trim Healthy Mamas. I started the trial on Sunday, February 28 and wanted to share my journal entries with you.
Day 1 of my journey:

As soon as I woke up, a smile popped onto my face. This will be the start of something great, I thought. Although I dreaded going on the scale, I managed to not break into tears as I weighed myself. My courage came from the knowledge that I was on my way to a healthier me.

The measuring was very tough--who measures their body parts?! But I understood that in order to go forward, there has to be a starting point. With the help of my daughter, I managed to swallow my pride and note my measurements (I blush while I write this). It's time to make breakfast. Here we go!

I can't go into details about this Diet Trial meal plan until the results are published at the end of May, but they didn't send me anything to cook or chew on LOL I bought a set list of items with which to cook, and guidelines for how to prepare the food and what foods go with other foods. In fact, I did most of my shopping at WalMart!
Here's where it gets interesting:

Day 2 of my Journey:

Yesterday was easier than I thought. I didn't go to bed hungry, but I think I dreamt of what to make for breakfast. LOL This morning I got out of bed and went to weigh myself. I weighed myself three times...because I couldn't believe the scale. I am down 3 pounds! In one day!

Who would have thought losing weight would be so easy?! Of course, these results motivate me even more to stay steady on my healthy eating plan. My stationary bike had been attracting lazy dust bunnies, but this was the first time in forever that I used it twice in one week. So the bunnies will have to nap somewhere else this week! Mwahaha! I am on a mission of self-improvement.

You know, I am successful when I see successful results, and reading that scale on Day 2 just made me want to lose more poundage. So I am going to try to "get physical" every day this week. The second day I biked for 10 minutes and took a brisk walk with Wilson (who outpaced me the whole way, all 12 pounds of him). Tonight we're expecting a drop in temps and snow/sleet/ice, so I will try to stick to indoor biking, but I also work at the office. I packed my lunch already, and have to fit in that biking sometime in my day.

The reason I am journaling this adventure is that the magazine has given me permission to share my experiences (minus certain details and recipes) so that if you are interested in a trial, the magazine does them throughout the year. The contact person is Beth at: bweissman@bauerpublishing.com It may not be the same trial, but it couldn't hurt to kick-start your own journey toward a healthier lifestyle.

I'll keep you updated through the week in between my DT makes and art projects. I am so looking forward to sharing what I am experiencing!