Wednesday 26 June 2013

WIP: Hexies, Secret Quilt and A New Job

As we get more settled into the new house I am finding way more bits of time for sewing. I am hand sewing while kids snack and play. I also got a desk set up to keep my sewing machine on. This saves me 10 minutes of hauling it up and setting it upstairs and 10 minutes of cleaning it all up when I am done sewing for the night.

GeoDad and I were talking about our budget last week and decided that I did need to be a working a little bit. Although I technically have a part-time work from home job doing some geophysics data processing, the exploration industry has been SLOW this year. That means, while I am available to do work there hasn't been any work for me to do. GeoDad and I agreed that until exploration picks up again it might be good for me to find a evening/weekend job. I got thinking about what I might want to do other than geophysics and figured finding something sewing/quilting related would be pretty sweet. So let's just say, I went looking and found it. I start today at a local store. I am super excited to be working in such a creative environment and thinking I will get to learn alot.

So here is my updates for the week.

The silly little hexagon project:
22 pieced flowers, each one is unique so far.



The secret quilt, is going well. I got 48 templates cut out of fusible web. 22 of those have been sewn to fabric. I have been spray starching the fabric before cutting and sewing and it is making me wonder why I have never starched fabric before. I am a huge fan. The only problem is that I have run out of starch (maybe I was too generous with the first couple yards). I also got all the background fabric cut.






Linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WiP Wednesday.
  WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what I am sewing.
GeoMama

Monday 24 June 2013

New sewing space

We are getting settled in the new house and I am so excited to have a basement with enough space for storage and some space to set up a mini studio/sewing area. 

3 cupboards to store projects, fabric, extra sewing machines, other stuff.
The most of the big pile of boxes has been put away now.

This is the desk I had at university, long time no see. It should work as a sewing table and desk.




I have made myself a pressing/cutting table out of extra cupboards and extra doors from the Ikea cabinets


I also have an ironing board kicking around down there that needs a better home in the space.
A sneak peak at the secret project

Still some tidying/set up to do to make it more functional but I am pretty excited about it. 

GeoMama

Wednesday 19 June 2013

WIP: Hexagons and A Secret

The main part of the house is mostly unpacked and I have a great new place to store all my projects. I am working on finding a permanent home for a sewing machine. I am super excited about the two projects I have on the go, so I thought I would do an update. 
  WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

So here goes the update:
The silly little hexagon project (last update here) is still waiting on me getting a printer to cut more paper hexagons, so in the mean time I started sewing the already basted and starched hexies together into flowers. I am finding this very enjoyable because I feel like I am finally getting somewhere on this project. 282 basted hexagons will make 40.2 flowers, so I have a bit of time to get a printer figured out.


As for the second project that I am currently working on, it is a big secret. Well I guess its not a complete secret, I am letting everyone know that it is happening. But to keep it as secret as possible I am only showing you 2 pictures:
 A giant cardboard protractor

6 Colors of Quilting Cotton (mostly Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton)

You are curious aren't you? Me too... I haven't really done any appliqué before, and this project has a bunch  crazy amount (probably should have read the pattern more closely before I got started... this is going to be a great way to learn some new skills).

I want to be the like the cool kids in quilting blogland, so I am linking up with Freshly Pieced for WiP Wednesday.
  WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

GeoMama

Saturday 15 June 2013

Week 14 & 15 Fitness

The first half of June is over and it has been a busy couple weeks. I had my last week at my Mom's and with the ladies in Momma's class at Ignite Fitness in Red Deer. Then I packed all almost all of my stuff at Mom's and drove it all to Calgary to move into the new house with GeoDad. The kids and I are starting to work on new routines in the new house, which is both good and challenging. They are sleeping great, both at night and nap time. I think this is due to all the fresh air they are getting in the new toddler friendly yard (I promise there will be a post with some pictures soon, once we have all our stuff from the Yukon). 

While I haven't made any decisions about gyms in Calgary, I have added something new to my fitness routine that I can do at home. During my second last CrossFit class in Red Deer I was roped into doing a 100 day burpee challenge.  (How to video here ). It will be my way to stay connected with the great ladies at Ignite Fitness in Red Deer. So here is how it works:
June 1st: 1 burpee
June 2nd: 2 burpees
June 3rd: 3 burpees (I started late, so June 3rd I had to do the first 6)
etc...
until Day 100, September 8th with 100 burpees. (Sounds completely ridiculous right? 5050 burpees over 100 days - I think it will be good for me).

Anyway, despite not being totally settled in Calgary, and being very undecided about gyms, I have done a bit other than my daily burpees.

June 2: Walk with kiddos and dog at off leash area. Made monkey sit in the stroller so I could walk at a decent pace.
June 3: CrossFit: Strength: Power Clean - Test for 1 rep max: 95lbs. Need to work a bit on my getting lower into a squat, but pretty pleased with it today. WOD: 2 Minutes Double unders (DUs), 2 minutes Knees to Elbows (K2E), 90 seconds DUs, 90 seconds K2E, 60 seconds DUs, 60 seconds K2E, 30 seconds DUs, 30 seconds K2E. Completed 46 K2E (well sort of... I can't actually get my knees that close to my arms... but I tried) and I lost count while I was trying to figure out how to do double unders when skipping. So no fancy grand total for today's WOD. Finished up with 6 burpees to start the 100 day challenge.
June 4: 4 burpees after walking the dog in park while pushing the kids in the stroller. I ran a bit too.
June 5: Crossfit: Strenght: Deadlift at 80% 3 x 5 reps: 125lbs (my previous 1 rep max was 135lbs, but it has been a while and my technique is way better than it was a month ago). Felt pretty good. WOD: 21-15-9 reps of Power Cleans @ 60% max & push ups. I didn't do all the power cleans... 21 in a row is way too many. 15-15-9 at 45lbs. I did all the push ups. Time 5:38. Completed my 5 burpees during the warm up. Got out to the dog park for an afternoon walk with the kids in the stroller.
June 6: Walk with kiddos and dog, 6 burpees
June 7: Moving Day! Carried lots of things to the truck and trailer, then carried lots of things into the new house. Then I did my 7 burpees.
June 8: 8 burpees - first whole day in the new house
June 9: 9 burpees - still settling in, Monday we get back to routines

June 10: Went out looking for a gym membership. The closest YMCA has a 1 week trial that I signed up for, but there was no space in babysitting for the kids. Got out for a 20 minute walk with the kids and dog in the afternoon. 10 burpees (the first few are feeling easier now, the last few are not).
June 11: Kids had good naps and I was thinking it would be a great time for some yoga, but I was waiting for the internet guy to come hook us up. Wasted the whole nap waiting. Went for a walk a bit later with kids and dog. 11 burpees.
June 12: Went to theYMCA, left kids in babysitting, did a small workout in the weight room. Ran 500m on the track, did some assisted pull-ups, sit ups, push ups and my 12 burpees for the day. Not sure this is where I want to go. It is a nice facility, but I really enjoyed getting to know other people at CrossFit in Red Deer, and I think with the size of the facility and the number of people that it will be difficult to do that here unless I get involved in a class. The drop in classes that work that I would be interested in doing don't seem to run a good time for my kids. (Either too early in the morning or early evening). I also have to pre-book the babysitting a couple days in advance, which while I am glad that they keep strict adult - infant- toddler ratios, makes it more difficult to go when its good for all of us. Whether that be at 9 one day or 10 the next. I have a whole week to try the facility out and maybe after that I will look at free trials other places. 
June 13: No burpees (13 extra for tomorrow) I really shouldn't save them until after dinner because I really don't want to do them at that point in the day.
June 14: Need to do 27 burpees. Ugh. That's alot. I broke the first 25 down into sets of 5, and did 5 squats and 5 sit ups with each round. It took 6:58 (not that it really matters how fast I did it). Miscalculated, 13 from yesterday + 14 from today is not 25. Gotta do 2 more. There Done! 27 burpees for days 13 and 14. 
June 15: Took LB for a short walk back to house from the park we went to after shopping with GeoDad and Monkey. Left my daily burpees until the very end of the day (9:42 pm and they aren't done yet, but 31 tomorrow seems daunting, so I am going to get them done). 15 burpees, plus some other ab exercises. Burpees are getting easier.. 15 days in and my form is getting closer to CrossFit standards. 

After the first full week in the house I realize that I am going to have to watch what I eat way more closely, as I am snacking with the kids (who both seem to eat all day long, but expend way more energy running/crawling/climbing/growing). Stress levels should be lower next week once our stuff arrives from Whitehorse.

Off to sew for a few minutes before bed.
GeoMama



Thursday 13 June 2013

A silly little project: 282 Basted Hexagons

I have hand basted 282 1" hexagons as part of my silly little hexagon project (see here and here about the beginnings of this project). I have more fabric ready to go, but am out of papers to basted to until I get a printer set up in the new house. Today I spray starched all 282 and sorted them into nice little piles when I was done.
All the different fabrics so far

Pressing cloth over the starched hexagons to protect my iron

A peek at the pressed and starched hexagons

Nice neat little piles

And into the Really Useful Box ( I see I forgot to take the sheet out of the box)

Now I need some clear directions on what to do with these hexagons. Do I make flowers (like these) or find do something more abstract? Should I have some white hexagons to use as background? Should I make stripes of color? Do I still want these to be a set of placemats? 

I am very undecided about the whole project at the moment any thoughts you have would be appreciated.

Thanks
GeoMama

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Monkey Turned 2

My little girl turned 2 last week  2 weeks ago. (It took me a few days to get all this posted because we moved into the new house and had no internet for a few days.) I can't believe that last 2 years has gone by so quick. We had dinner and cake with my brother, his fiance, my Grandma, my mom and her boyfriend. GeoDad was away for work so we are doing another small family only birthday event after we move into the new house.

Monkey's big gift was a play kitchen, it came with dishes and some food, as well as a chef's hat and apron. Her and LB both enjoy standing at it. She loves to 'make' coffee for me



I acquired a Wilton Monkey Cake Pan over the winter and thought this was the perfect event to test it out. I made a Coconut Banana Cake (recipe here) with Chocolate coconut frosting. Monkey thought it was delicious and tried to force me to eat a second piece. We froze a portion of it to share with GeoDad in the new house.


I got Monkey's skirt finished (but not in time for her actual birthday). Here it is just before finishing the hem: 

The skirt should be down to mid shin, and the elastic in the waist can be let out about 2 inches, so I am hoping this skirt fits for quite some time because it was way more work than I though it would be when I started. 

As you can see the skirt is too long as is... I am going to do a second hem to shorten it by about 4 inches... hopefully then she will want to wear it for longer than 10 minutes.

Getting settled into the new house and new routines that hopefully have lots more sewing time.

GeoMama






Tuesday 4 June 2013

The Ugly Hutchling: Transformation

The Ugly Hutchling had been sanded, right down to the wood. It was time for some stain. After stain is all done it will go to my brother's workshop for clearcoat.
Outside sanding

Inside painted white, outside with stain on

Stain wiped off (1st coat)

Taping off the glass/mirrors on the top

Oo newspaper... maybe I will read it while kids aren't climbing on me

Inside primed, outside first coat of stain

My little work space, priming doors and drawers
I can't wait to show you the final product.
GeoMama

Sunday 2 June 2013

Week 12 to 14 & May Weigh In

May has been crazy and I have totally fallen on the regular exercise bandwagon. GeoDad has started his new job in the big city, and we have stayed in Red Deer. This been a huge adjustment for me, and it has been difficult to keep up on both sewing and exercising. The good news is that over the last month I have got both kids going to sleep on their own with out cuddles/hand-holding/hour long productions at both nap times and bed time. This means for the first time in 2 years I am getting a decent nights sleep most nights. I am feeling more rested and not dozing off if I watch cartoons for too long in the morning.

I have 1 more week in Red Deer before I head down to Calgary and to move into the new house. After that GeoDad and I are going to be looking into gym memberships so I can keep working on my goals.

Here is what I have been up to (mostly not exercising):

May10: Babysat at CrossFit, then took LB to the doctor. No exercise
May11: Biked home from my brother's storage garage. First time on a bike in almost 3 years. I was a little shaky and glad it was only a couple kilometers.
May12: Bikram Yoga, class was free for moms today. I made it all the way through the 90 minutes without getting dizzy or thinking I was going to die. I am super pumped about that. 
May13: Walked to CrossFit pushing both kids in the stroller. CrossFit strength: Bench Press 1 Rep Max. 105 lbs. WOD: 4 rounds of run 400m, row 500m. Ran the first two rounds pushing both Monkey, LB and one other 9 month old in my stroller. Finished in 23:09. Ran the whole way!! I am pretty pleased with myself. Walked home. Tired after all that. More days like this will definitely help me to tone up and lose weight. 
May14: Walk with Monkey and the dog in the park.
May15: Walk with kiddos and dog at off leash area.
May16: Crossfit: Strength: Power cleans: 5 rounds of 3 reps at 85%: 55lbs. Finally getting it. Not over thinking it. WOD: 5 rounds of 100 skips, max squats. Completed in 12:38 - max squats for each round were 24-22-20-17-20. 
May17: Babysat at Crossfit in the morning, then the day got away on me while Monkey refused to nap. Then we had company for dinner.
May18: First Farmer's Market of the season near my Mom's house. Walked with the kiddos over to it and back. Sanded the Ugly Hutchling during nap time.

May19-26: I have no idea what happened last week. I know we made it to the babysitting shifts at Crossfit, but with the holiday Monday my week was thrown off. I spent time while kids were napping working on the Ugly Hutchling instead of exercising.

May27: Crossfit: Strength: Rack Jerk test for 1 rep max. 95lbs. Previously I managed 105lbs, but both kids were getting into trouble and I was not focused enough. WOD: As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of: 3 pull ups, 6 push ups, 9 squats. Completed 13 rounds and 3 extra pull ups. So total of 42 pull ups (with a resistance band for assistance), 78 push ups (from the knees), 117 squats.
May28: Birthday swim with my mom and kids. Happy Birthday Monkey
May29: Ugh, too much cake and a bad sandwich while we were out for Monkey's birthday. Food poisoning sucks.
May30: Still on the mend, and LB was under the weather too.
May31: Last babysitting shift at CrossFit before I move to Calgary. Sad to be leaving this great group of ladies and kids. They have been very motivating and inspirational. It will be nice to find a schedule where I can get out 3 or 4 days a week and exercise each of those days instead of babysitting. I got out for a very leightsure

So since May has ended I should weigh in:
Weight: 230 lbs (down 2 lbs in May, 12 lbs total)

No measurements or photos today, since I haven't made much progress.

GeoMama