My Weblog

I've Moved!

Psst!  Over here!  Yeah, you.  The cafe has moved.  Grab your coffee mug and walk this way:

www.maryrosescafe.blogspot.com

Little Thoughts for a Monday

Happy Monday, everyone!  How was your weekend?  I want to say a special hello today to all of you who walked in the Relay for Life this past weekend.  We were there with you in spirit, even if we weren't there with you physically. Hope it went well!

Music

 

On Saturday morning, we had the privilege of hearing Luke perform with some other guitarists at his school.  Wow!  They wrote an original piece called "Riding into the Sunset", a western with some real spanish influence.  It was great!  It's so amazing to hear your child progress from the days of Hot Cross Buns in the fifth grade to composing in their senior year. Great job, Luke! (He's the second from the right).

Nature

 

Maggie, the labrador, found a friend on our property this weekend...a little baby groundhog that was about as big as my hand.  So cute!  I also spotted a Scarlet Tanager flying through our trees...this has been a great spring for bird watching!

Arts

 

I started a new craft project yesterday.  I had picked up a bunch of cross stitch patterns a while back, and thought I'd give one a try.  I have never done cross-stitch on linen before. HOLY COW!  This is tiny needlework!  This would be comparable to a twenty-eight count cloth.  Here's a closer look:

Oh my word, that is small!  I was going blind trying to stitch this project near a lamp in the evening.  At one point, one of the boys said something to me, I looked up, and all I could see was gridmark covering my whole field of vision. Yikes! I may have to limit this project to daytime hours only.

Change

Change is a constant.  I'm going to be making some changes this summer.  I'm trying to add some structure into my day.  I hope to set aside certain hours each day for writing, crafting, helping Sam with some academics, gardening, and of course, fun.

The first change will be this...Mary Rose's Cafe is moving!  I'm packing up my coffee cups and setting up shop at Blogspot instead.  You'll be able to see me now at my new address:

www.maryrosescafe.blogspot.com

The blog will have the same whacky combination of coffee, crafting, God, family, and random thoughts and recipes that I just feel compelled to share with the world. So grab a cup of joe and stop by!

 

A Little Thing I'm Always Forgetting

 

I always seem to forget this finishing touch on my cards...stamping the back with a little signature "Hand Stamped By" stamp.  I decided to put a few on the shelf of my calendar, right at my work station. Now I have no good excuse for not adding one (unless, of course, I forget again!).

Confession Time!

I have a confession to make...I'm a bit of a sci-fi nerd.  It's probably Ed's influence over these past twenty-two years.  We've always enjoyed sci-fi movies, programs, and TV dramas.  Star Trek, Star Wars, X-files, you name it.  When you live in a house of boys, well, let's just say that resistance is futile.  My oldest sons are hooked on Fringe now.  They just saw the season finale, and they can't believe they'll have to wait until the fall for new episodes.

Last night, Ed and I went to see the new Star Trek movie.  It was awesome!  We're sending Luke and John to see it this afternoon.

Live Long and Prosper!

Pants- Inspired

 

When Mom was here at Easter, she was watching me cook at the stove, and she said "Well I'll tell you one thing, Mary Rose.  You sure have lost a lot of butt."

Aww, thanks Mom!

It's true, I have lost a lot of butt. Twenty pounds of butt (and other various body parts) to be exact. I've lost so much weight that I had to finally break down and buy new pants.  All of my capris from last summer looked like clown pants when I put them on. The photo above was taken from the tag of my new pants.  I thought it was too nice to throw away...a sturdy piece of chipboard, a nice piece of stitched grosgrain ribbon secured with an eyelet. 

Hmmm....

 

I made this card using the Dockers tag as my inspiration.  I used a wide piece of grosgrain, a felt flower and button in place of the eyelet, and white lettering just like the tag.

{recipe:A Perfect Day rub-ons (SU), real red and old olive cardstock, Summer Picnic DSP, red grosgrain ribbon, felt flower and flower button, thread}

The Little Things Add Up!

So you may be wondering...how exactly did I lose twenty pounds since January?  Was it Jenny Craig?  Weight Watchers?  Nutrisystem?  Acai Berry and Colon Cleanse?  Nope.  None of those things. It wasn't one big thing. It was ( yeah, you knew I was going to say this, didn't you?) a lot of little things that made a big impact.

For starters, I'd been reading the Eat This, Not That books, and it got me thinking about nutrition in new ways.  I started seeing how a lot of my choices were not the healthiest, and how certain foods were not fueling me and giving me energy, but leaving me feel more tired instead. I also read about the sugars added into processed foods, and I became convinced that sugar addiction was a big part of my problem. So I eliminated some things from my diet, and added new things in their place.

I managed to eliminate:

Cookies, brownies, sweet stuff that I craved late every day.  I was snacking because I was tired, and these things just made me more tired.  It was tough at first, but after some time, those sweet things just don't even tempt me anymore. I see them as empty calories that will pick me up temporarily, but drop me like a hot potato later. No 100 calorie snack packs, no "just one" rationalization.  None!  I know myself...I just can't eat the stuff.

Heavy carb-laden items like pizzas and pastas with creamy sauces.  Same effect as above.

High-fat items...no fried anything. And certain cheeses are out.

Restaurant eating...you just can't trust them.  You think a salad on the menu is a good choice, only to find out it's loaded in hidden calories, sugars, and fats.  And you may eat a yummy soup and sandwich that tastes like homemade (hello Panera's/Bread Co!), only to find out it's loaded in fat and calories. I'll make my own foods at home and know what the ingredients are, thank you!

So what did I add to my diet?

Lots of high fiber items.  I won't eat an ordinary bread if I can find a better alternative that has twice the fiber.  Fiber is filling, and so good for you.  I've been eating Brownberry's Grains and More Whole Wheat double fiber bread. I also love Thomas brand Hearty Grains english muffins with double fiber (honey wheat is my favorite).

I read a lot of labels to get the highest fiber with lowest sugars and fats.  Why would I buy Uncle Ben's wild rice if the Kashi brand has double the fiber?

I eat a lot of Mediterranean foods...feta cheese, cous cous, tabouleh, hummus, olive oil, olives, artichoke hearts, capers, all good for you.

I eat a lot of fruits and veggies.  A LOT!

I snack smarter...hummus and Triscuits, apple, hard-boiled egg.

I choose a lot of lean proteins like eggs, chicken, pork, fish.

I added a lot of beans and grains to my diet...garbanzo beans, black beans, lentils,chick peas, etc.

Simple substitutions...I switched from 2 % milk to 1 % milk, I bought the best low-calorie ranch for my son John(ranch dressing is the worst, but he can't give it up!), Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil (half the fat of regular), Kashi cereals and pizzas for the higher fiber/lower sugars. I try to make salads with greens other than iceberg lettuce (which has the nutritional equivalent of water...not much).

Super foods that are so good for you...blueberries, walnuts, dates, oats, spinach among others. Dark chocolate with more than 70% cacao for my sweet treat.

And no, I cannot give up my coffee. But I can switch to non-fat and make myself feel a little better about the choice. This is my one sugar splurge, I'll admit! But I usually make my own at home, so I can keep track of the sweet stuff.

This has just worked for me.  I'm not a person that can follow a food plan, write down my caloric intake and count my food exchanges.  I have no will power!  I just had to make a choice for healthier eating, and stick to it.  I have never really dieted a day in my life!  I knew I had to make it a lifestyle, not just a fad.

Thanks to my new lifetstyle, I'm a size that I have not seen since B.C. (before children), and I'm lovin' it!

New clothes?  Well, that's just the gravy on the top!

Nasty Little Things

The little things in life can bring us a lot of joy...and a lot of misery.  Today, I feel compelled to warn about the nasty little things of springtime...specifically, ticks.

 

Ticks can carry a number of diseases. One of the most common diseases associated with ticks is Lyme Disease.  And let me tell you, folks...Lyme Disease ain't no picnic!  Thanks to a tick bite late last spring, I spent last summer on a combination of steroids and antibiotics for months trying to battle the rash, joint pain, fevers, and general yuckiness.  To make matters worse, I felt like a hypochondriac until my blood tests finally confirmed the Lyme Disease.  Here are a few things I've learned about Lyme Disease:

*We've all heard about the bullseye rash associated with Lyme Disease.  Truth is, the bullseye rash only presents in 40% of actual cases.  My rash was sporadic and everywhere.

*Lyme Disease can present itself like influenza, with body aches and fever.

*Lyme Disease can remain present in your system for quite a while, and blood tests cannot determine when you contracted it or how long you've had it.

*There are a lot of doctors out there who are not Lyme literate...they haven't done the research, and don't know what they're dealing with.  I was lucky to find a new doctor who treated me as if I had it before tests even confirmed it.

Needless to say, I am very vigilant about the ticks this season.  I began applying the anti-tick medication to my lab, Maggie, on April 1st (I'm no fool!). She'll get regular treatments on the first of every month.  I am also avoiding the heavily wooded area of our property where the deer are free to roam. Later today, I'm going to invest in a big can of Deep Woods Off...yes, the DEET is nasty stuff, but it's also the only thing that repels ticks.

Stay healthy and safe this season, everyone!

Inspiration Board

 

Inspiration can come from all the little things we collect in our day to day lives.  I have a cork board on the door of my armoire that I use as my inspiration board.  It changes, depending on my mood and what I've found that I like to look at and admire.  Right now my board includes: A price tag from one of the shabby chic stores in town, a bumper sticker, a little bit of needleart, a postcard, a page from a magazine, pretty brads, fancy ribbon, and a Bible verse (Ecclesiastes 4:12).  I used my board to inspire me with this card.  The sketch was inspired by Splitcoast Stampers.

 

Can you see how my board inspired me?  Lots of pinks and burgundies, florals, and the lace from the pack that's hanging on my board in the lower lefthand corner.

{recipe:  A Rose is a Rose (SU), French Script (SU), Carte Postale (SU), pink pirouette ink and cardstock, bravo burgundy ink and cardstock, Parisian Summer DSP, oval punch, lace}

My day has been far from inspiring.  My handyman brought my new french door this morning at 8 am. Oops...wrong size!  My new door won't be installed until June 2nd. Now that the morning is free, Sam and I take a trip to Target.  POP!  Flat tire!  After roadside assistance came to my rescue, I decided it was a good day to stay home.  It is chilly, rainy, and gray. So chilly, in fact, that Sam was inspired to watch the Polar Express.  I think I'll be inspired to drink lots of coffee today!

Thanks for stopping by the cafe!

Little Seeds

 

Sam had his preschool graduation ceremony yesterday.  I wanted to make a little something for his teachers, and this is what I came up with.  I used the stamp "Friendship Gardens" from Stampin Up, cut out the oval in the center and mounted Sam's photo behind it. The "Thanks" sentiment is from The Saltbox Studio...it's so nice to use a clear stamp when you're trying to fit words into a little frame like this one. Inside, I will put a packet of Cosmos flower seeds and I have written "Thank you for helping me grow this school year."

 

Here's a photo of my little graduate.  Today preschool, tomorrow the world!

Surprise!

 

I decided to surprise my mom and mom-in-law this weekend with a quick overnight visit.  It was Mother's Day, after all, and my husband was working on Sunday.  So the boys and I drove into town on Saturday and took Mom-in-Law Brooke out to lunch. The sisters decided it would be fun to take Mom out to dinner that night.  But the surprise was on us when we discovered that my brother, David, had already asked her out to dinner at the local Mexican restaurant. Oops! After checking with David first, he said he didn't have a problem with us crashing his party.  Mom was surprised, and we had a great time together.  David was such a good sport to put up with all of his fast-talking sisters for the evening.

 

I made this card for David to thank him for inviting us along for a night of good food and good laughs.

{recipe: What's Brewin' (SU), sentiment from Stampendous, brocade blue and black cardstock and ink, Basic Grey Cupcake papers, brads, scallop edge punch}

I'm so glad that we went to visit!  Life is all about the little things, those memories made and shared.  I hope all of you had a memorable Mother's Day, too!

My Mom

 

My earliest memories of life on this earth involve my mother.  It was a spring day, and I was around two years old.  I had my mother all to myself, which was a rare event in our family of nine.  My siblings must have been at school that day.  It was early spring, and we were together in the backyard.  The wind was blowing clouds across the sky, making the sun peek through and shadows wave along the grass.  My mother was hanging sheets on the line, and I was chasing the shadows along the lawn. A happy memory!

My mom is an amazing woman.  She raised seven children, and has been a doting grandmother to twenty-one grandchildren and twelve (and counting) great grandchildren.  Somehow, in the midst of all of that chaos, Mom still manages to sew, cook, quilt, knit, paint, stitch, grow, read, stamp, and pursue just about any craft and hobby you can think of.  She is a mentor to a lot of women at her church, and her love of God just shines through her.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!  We love you!

{recipe: Just A Line (SU), So Saffron cardstock, Parisian Breeze DSP, Versafine Onyx ink, prismacolor pencils, blue taffeta ribbon, latte button, scallop edge punch}

Butterflies, Birds, and Turtles

 

Sam looked out the window of my craft studio yesterday and saw this painted turtle in our garden.  He was so excited!  Mr. Turtle was moving pretty quickly for a slow guy, but he seemed to enjoy exploring in our front garden.

It's so wonderful to see all of God's creatures in the springtime.  Sam found a toad in the garden last week, and just the other morning I looked out at my birdfeeder and I saw a Gold Finch and a Grosbeak.  Too cool!

 

I stopped by Michael's this morning to pick up this butterfly punch from Martha Stewart.  Isn't it sweet?  This butterfly is a little thing, but when you group several together, it really becomes a big focus on this card.

{recipe: Wonderful Wishes(SU), baja breeze and white cardstock, baja breeze/kiwi kiss/ pink pirouette textured cardstock, kiwi kiss and baja breeze ink, foam dimensionals}