Resolutions

So, I know many (probably not) of you are wondering how I'm doing in regards to the New Year's Resolution I made for 2009. If you don't remember me committing to one, I decided to abstain from buying clothing and accessories for the year. You can see the terms of the agreement here. My reasoning? I wanted to teach myself some discipline. Prior to the start of the year, I had a habit of buying clearance clothes, shoes, accessories - anything on sale - that caught my eye. And thrift stores - my biggest temptation. The reality: I didn't need any more clothes. My closet was full enough. And I certainly had enough shoes and accessories. Secondly, I wanted to get my finances in order.

I am (somewhat) proud to say that in these past 8 months, I've only bought a handful (easily a week's worth in my previous life) of clothing items. I made it all the way to June before giving in to my weakness. They were always times when I had earned some extra cash and I felt I "deserved" them. And honestly, I don't feel too bad about it. I'm not gonna beat myself up. Tomorrow is always a new day and I can start fresh every day. I didn't do this with out your help either. Thank you to all of my friends and family (Dena) who felt sorry enough for me to buy me things here and there and who gave me gift cards or clothes for my birthday. That has been most helpful and appreciated! I feel like I'm slowly being transformed into a less materialistic person. It's sometimes humbling for me since I like to show my personality in the way I dress. I'm learning to be content with what I have and less concerned about how I look on the outside. It's the inside that matters and that's what I need to focus on.

photo may have been taken in 1982

Having said all that, let me transition into next year's resolution. Over the past year or so, I've taken a lot more interest in being healthy and making good decisions about food and nutrition and exercise. I still have a lot to learn, but, I want to get into the routine of eating right and taking care of my body. As I was running some errands over the lunch hour, I gave into my cravings for DQ combo #3 (cheeseburger, fries and root beer for those of you too awesome to ever eat greasy food). After consuming my whole (1800 calorie) meal, I immediately felt remorseful. It's disgusting, actually. I don't want to put that crap into my body anymore. SOoooo, guess what next year's NYR is? You betchya. No fast food for a year (and hopefully longer)! So, friends, prepare yourself for another inconvenience in being friends with me. Who knows?? I might actually have you over for dinner now.

Heads Twogether Photoshoot

My amazing photographer friend, Emily Steffen, took a promo shoot of Dena and me for our upcoming website launch. Check out more photos here.

Sewing Project - Tunic

It seems I have a never ending list of crafty projects I want to do. Sewing is something I really like, but, hardly ever do. Mostly because there is so much to learn and I have so little time. But knowing how to do things the correct way is well worth the time. I've been sewing since I was a kid, with the help of my mom, but, I didn't advance very far. Recently I picked up a few different sewing books that I think will be helpful to start working my sewing muscles. "Born Again Vintage" (by Artise/Karetnick), "SEW U" (by Mullin/Hartman) and "Complete Embellishing" (by Terry) have fun sewing ideas that don't require advanced skills.

Project page in Born Again Vintage

I've already tried two t-shirt ideas from "Born Again Vintage" and felt confident enough in my skills to break out and do my own thing without instructions. I took two existing shirts, deconstructed them and and recycled them into something new.

Sewing station/book and finished project

Yearbook Yourself - 1976

Relaxing

There's nothing better than a warm day and a good book. I've been compulsively reading. I just finished an awesome series by Liz Curtis Higgs called The Lowlands of Scotland. And I recently started book 1 in a series called The Fires of Gleannmara by Linda Windsor. I am so thankful for the perks I have while living with my In-Laws. A big backyard with a private pool and a cute, cozy pool house. It's perfect for reading on a warm day. I love the fresh air and this is a good way to get it without getting too hot in the summer. All the windows open to allow air flow. I love it! It's also good for naps :)

How are you enjoying your summer?

A Beautiful Bride

My lovely friend, Angie, got married on June 20th and I was slow at getting a photo and blog posted. She's was truly gorgeous in her gown and flowing locks. I wish I could have taken some better quality photos from the evening. It's always fun to see people's families in action during such a happy occasion. Joe and Angie were certainly all smiles.

Check out my Flickr for photos of the invitation and flowers I designed for her.

Is it worth it?

I'll admit, I take a bottle of water to work every day and refill it throughout the day. But is it any better for me? Or am I just wasting my money and hurting Mother Earth?

"In the last two decades bottled water has gone from extraneous to ubiquitous. Despite having one of the best public water systems in the world, Americans continue to buy more and more bottled water—per capita, 27.6 gallons last year, up from 17.8 gallons in 2000 (and only 1.6 gallons in 1976). Is it worth it?

40% of bottled water—including top-brands Aquafina and Dasani—is simply filtered tap water, not water from natural springs or other "pure" sources.

In the United States, more than 10 million barrels of oil are used to bottle water annually—and that’s just production. Consider the oil consumption (and emissions) required to bring water to the U.S. from Fiji, for example.

Americans throw away 22 billion water bottles each year, over 60 million each day. It can take as long as 1,000 years for the average plastic bottle to biodegrade.

Numerous studies have shown that bottled water is generally no safer or healthier than tap water, despite costing up to 10,000 times more."

Source:Article on Calorie Count by Eatingwell