Focus – Week 14

I’m trying to get caught back up.  Seems like a never-ending battle of playing catch up lately!  I know soon both kids are going to be super busy in summer sports, so I really need to focus more during working hours to make sure I don’t have to work later than I want to get everything done.

Ah summer.  Spring is, as yet, elusive to us.  Another snowfall is predicted this weekend.  We are all ready for some warmth!

My accomplishments this week

Focus Photo –

Another Volleyball day.  I need to get more candid photos.  I used to be really good about that, but have very much slacked off.  I’m going to have hardly any photos for the 2018 photo book the way it is going.

Sewing –

• My 52 week sewing challenge for the week was something floral.  That didn’t happen.  I seem to have been sucking wind at these challenges.  This next week it is to sew something with woven.  I might get something sewn up.  We shall see.

• I got a strike-off set sewed up, and I drew the shark for it, too.

• I worked on a pattern test, in the small amount of time I had to sew.  Here is a sneak peak of the project.  It should be releasing next week.

• #makenine progress:

I am going to be participating in a bit of an avant garde sewing/photo project for one of the groups for which I sew.  I have my outfit mostly planned, and am really looking forward to it.  The timeframe is October, so I have plenty of time to sew and take pictures…and make some props.  One of the pieces is going to be my version of this jacket from my #makenine list.

It will be a ways off, but I’m looking forward to getting it made up.  I purchased 1.5 yards of this nice wool for the jacket.  I intend to line it, too.  I will make the pattern for it, too, but first I will make a muslin.  The wool was spendy per yard, so I don’t want to mess it up.  It has a nap to it almost like a low loft fur fabric, and has a nice sheen to it, too.  The trims are for a skirt.

• This upcoming week will be making some outfits for another few strike-offs related to Lord of the Rings fabric.  Can’t wait…they should turn out pretty fun!

House cleaning –

I made a list…does that count.  Time for some spring cleaning!

Time with family –

Again…we had sports this whole weekend.  That is our family time, but we do also eat together almost every night at dinner.  That is one thing that I like to try to make happen.

Health, exercising, making healthy meals –

So for this photo project I mentioned above, I want to look a bit thinner than I do right now.  That means I have to get my butt in gear, do some exercise and cut back on the food.  Last week, the dinners I made were pretty fatty.  I intend to do better this next week.  To start is to eat salads, which I have plenty of fixings for now after a visit to our local Hyvee (the store here is kind of crazy).  Meal plan for the next week:

• Monday night – Marninated Chicken and capers, cooked in milk, with steamed green beans and wild rice (the kids really like wild rice – I made a big batch in the crockpot on Sunday)
• Tuesday night – Tacos (busy night with two sports)
• Wednesday night – Orange beef with red peppers and rice
• Thursday night – Chicken Marsala, bread and salad
• Friday night – Leftovers or eat out – the girl has a softball game, in theory (this weather sucks)
• Saturday night – People coming over, so likely something not good for us.  I’ll probably make up some appetizers, cut cheeses and fancy crockpot meatballs.
• Sunday night – Ham, potatoes and green beans

Creative Design

I made a Tiger:

As for Illustrator, I was working on making .svg files.  I got it sort of figured out, but couldn’t get them to cut right on my Silhouette.  More research is needed.

Reading –

Nada.  I’m sucking here, too.

This next week is another busy one.  My goals:

• Get my LOTR strikes finished.  Maybe not photographed yet, as we aren’t going to have great weather yet.  I have until the 21st for photos.
• Work out 3 times this week.  It is going to be rough.  I am so out of shape.  I think maybe going for a walk on the one nice day we are getting on Thursday will be counting as a work out.
• Stick to my meal plan.
• Make up my “to clean out” list, and go through some of it.