body+soul Spring :: Week 4 Recap








WEEK 4 Recap
OK, so I knew I would have trouble this week, what with being away for the majority, but I am willing to confess that I was really really naughty. I didn't achieve even one of my (seriously) reduced goal list. As for losing 0.5kg, well I ended up gaining 0.6kg! So all things being equal, I would like to forget week four, and focus on week five....


WEEK 5 Goals
With my chiropractor allowing a fair bit more activity, I have revised my training goals accordingly:

[nutrition]
> drink more than 2.0 litres of water each day
> NO coke or alcohol (a big one considering what I have consumed in the last week)
> one take-out / dining out meal only (also a big one considering the last week, although I am looking forward to some home-cooked meals)

[training]
> 4 x 30 minute cardio sessions
> 2 x strength training sessions
> 1 x pilates class
> 5 x 20 minute yoga sessions

[lifestyle]
> wake up at 5.3am most mornings (I have found that getting up earlier than 6am is actually a bit easier, than dead-on 6am - weird I know)
> lose 0.5kg

ok, back on the horse with 8 weeks to go until the end of this challenge.....
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Wedding :: Kirsty & Luke
We attended the wedding of my long-time friend Kirsty and her Luke, this Saturday, in the Gold Coast. I have been friends with Kirsty since grade two, and given the heart-wrenching time she has had in the last couple of months, it was so good to see her happy, smiling, and laughing. The wedding was lovely, but I am extremely embarassed to admit, the number of photos (let alone quality photos) that I took, is very limited. Here are a few:

[the church]

[Kirsty and her dad]

[Kirsty and Luke leaving the church]
(lighting for this shot was horrible, but I couldn't use the flash because of the professional photographer)

[Jason + I]
(notice the curls)

[Bryde, Matt + little Gemma]

The reception was held at Luke's family's property in the Gold Coast hinterland. Even with the imposing dust storm, it was beautiful. On Kirsty and Luke's entrance into the reception, they performed a candle lighting ceremony, in honor of her mum. It was very touching, and Kirsty was very strong in explaining its significance, and her's mum's involvement in the cake decorating.
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FOR TODAY :: 27th September 2009
FOR TODAY
Sunday September 27th, 2009
[written retrospectively for our weekend in Brisbane & Gold Coast]

Outside my window... it is blowing a gale. The dust storm seems to have settled down, but George Street is like a wind tunnel.

I am thinking... how brilliant this weekend has been. I have loved having this relaxing time with Jason, free of commitments, deadlines and responsibilities.

I am thankful for... Kirsty having Luke during this difficult time in her life. Watching the two of them get married yesterday, I appreciated how lucky they are to have each other, and how lucky Jason and I are to have each other. We may not be going through any of the heartache that K&L are, but I am thankful to have someone to turn to.

From the kitchen... no kitchen, only dining out. We're off to the Pig 'n' Whistle with Jason's mate Jo for dinner.

I am wearing... my jeans, black camisole, and long-sleeved black convertible top. Glad I brought it, not thinking that it would be cold at all down here.

I am creating... an increasing credit card bill (lots of shopping has been going on).

I am going... to try and get a photo of Jason and I, where he's not squinting (or scowling), and my hair is not all over the place. I am loving the leftovers of the curls I had done for the wedding though.

I am reading... "Dead as a Doornail" by Charlaine Harris, the fifth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. And yes, I have read almost two whole books in 8 days.

I am hoping... Our flight home tomorrow night is uneventful. [edited to add that it was my worst flight ever. Turbulence led to motion sickness, and then an anxiety attack. Not good]

I am hearing... wind whistling (really loudly) through the buildings.

Around the house... The puppies have been left with Jason's parents, and from all reports, are enjoying themselves.

One of my favorite things... is not usually shopping, but I have gotten back into the habit in the last couple of days.

A few plans for the rest of the week... we head home tomorrow night. We both have Tuesday off, and it's Emma's birthday, so I am babysitting Charlie for a little bit in the morning and then we are heading out for lunch.

A picture to share... the best result I have of a self-portrait of Jason and myself:
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create :: Wedding & Girly Birthday cards
OK, one last post before we head off. Just wanted to share some cards I made last weekend for a couple of birthdays, and the wedding that we are traveling to this weekend. Firstly the wedding card:



For some reason I wanted to include their first initial, and I don't mind how it turned out, even though I wasn't really sold on any of the brown lettering I had on hand (hard to believe, given the amount I had to choose from.)

Here are the two birthday cards I made:



Obviously both using the same template, but vastly different colour schemes. I made one (monochrome) but didn't think it suited the person I was making it for. So I made the second which is just perfect. As it turns out I needed another card, and the first one is perfect for her.

Now I really do need to go finish packing. Will post about our weekend adventures when I return. Have a great weekend.
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inspiration :: home decor & layouts
I've been a little delayed in my posts this week. We are off to the Gold Coast tonight, so I'm playing a little blog catch-up this morning, before getting to the job of packing. Yes, I'm a procrastinator. Love traveling, hate packing.

So, onto some things I really liked while blog-hopping in the last week:

This ribbon corkboard is amazing. I really like the concept, but don't know if I could spend the time attaching the ribbon:


From a non-creative perspective, and more from a healthy-living/exercise perspective, Donna Downey completed a half marathon last weekend, and created a video post that you can see [here]. This has definitely inspired me to get back into running (as soon as the chiropractor allows).

Always like Nicole Southworth's simple, but very effective layouts:


I would really like to do this to our fridge, but Jason could be the stumbling block (he has an aversion to what he terms 'hippy-s*#t'):


Love this collage-style layout:

These monogram shadow boxes are pretty cute:


Well that's it for now. Be back soon (very soon).
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body+soul Spring : Week 3 Recap








WEEK 3 Recap
I had a pretty good week, this past week. I am feeling a lot better overall, and much more energetic. Here's how I went for each of my goals:

> limit takeaway dinners to one for the week : we had pizza one night, and I had maccas for one lunch
> drink more than 2.0 litres of water each day : achieved (I'm finding this one quite easy, especially the days when I'm at work)
> limit softdrink to one for the week : achieved (had just the one coke)

> walk to work 4 out of 5 days : achieved (walked home 4 days, and given I couldn't wear my backpack, it felt really good. It's a good way to finish the work day, and reduce any tension I may have built up during the day)
> neck stretches 5 out of 7 nights (when I haven't been to the chiropracto) : achieved (although I have been doing this all throughout the day anyway)

> wake up at 6am each morning : achieved 5 out of 7 mornings. yeah! I've actually found going to be later (approx. 10pm, after reading for a bit) makes it easier for me to wake up earlier. Some mornings I woke up earlier than 6am, and I just got up, rather than laying in, and make my neck/back hurt worse.
> lose 0.5kg : lost 0.3kg (didn't reach my goal, but feeling quite good anyway)

That's five from seven goals achieved for the week! Now onto Week 4...

WEEK 4 Goals
Tomorrow, we are heading to the Gold Coast/Brisbane until Monday night, so I've rethought my goals with this in mind, trying to not make them entirely unachievable. Here are my goals for Week 4 (new/edited ones are shown in bold):

> drink more than 2.0 litres of water each day
> make 'good' food choices when dining out

> do a minimum of 30 minutes cardio each day

> wake up at 6am most mornings
> lose 0.5kg

and most of all, have fun, and enjoy myself while we're away.....
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capture :: Lillies & Orchids
Thought I would share a couple of photos that I'm proud of from the weekend. The first one is of my second-cousin, Lilly. This was one of many taken during her visit, and I love her coy little face, while she's looking at her mummy:


The second is a close-up of one of Grandma's orchids. There is a little bit of editing involved to make it a bit softer, and a closer crop:
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Doing Less...
I just read this post from zenhabits, about doing less, and it has motivated me into making a decision, that I've put off, for a number of reasons, over the years. I have decided to stop working for Weight Watchers on a permanent basis. I haven't worked for them for a couple of months, but just last week was asked to fill in over the weekend. This then lead to my leader asking me to go back to a regular rotating schedule, and at the time I agreed. Even though it means going against something I've already agreed to, it is something I don't enjoy as much as I used to, and I've decided to tell her tonight that I won't be able to do it.

I definitely want to do less, and commit to less in my life. It's better for my (and Jason's) sanity.

Thanks for listening. I just wanted to put my thoughts out there to the universe.

[Wow, three posts already to day. That has never happened.]
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Gemma is 7 months :: Jordan Photography

This post over at Jordan Photography's blog also cheered me up no end, this morning. My sweet friend Bryde's little girl Gemma has had another photo shoot. They are such an adorable little family, and I look forward to catching up with them again this weekend at Kirsty's wedding.
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It's Monday already?

This pug looks like, how I feel this morning....

[much thanks to Cute Overload for brightening my spirits]


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FOR TODAY :: 19th September 2009
FOR TODAY
Saturday September 19th, 2009

Outside my window... it's dark (well it is night time).

I am thinking... about how I have to stay up past my bedtime, because I have to drop Ben off at a party.

I am thankful for... Ben making the trip down to visit this weekend. It's good to catch up with him.

From the kitchen... nachos. They were so good.

I am wearing... my favourite Smurfs shirt, with black cargo pants. Had a few compliments on my shirt today, actually.

I am creating... a special project. More details to follow later in the week (hopefully).

I am going... to be getting a lot of stuff done tomorrow. I have a really long to-do list, since we will be away next weekend.

I am reading... "Club Dead" by Charlaine Harris, the third book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. I will write a bit of a review when I'm finished the series. But I will tell you I'm a little disappointed. I wasn't expecting them to be anywhere near as good as Twilight, but I did think they were going to be a little better than they are.

I am hoping... Ben is ready to go soon.

I am hearing... the Broncos win their preliminary final. Yeah!

Around the house... I have a lot of stuff to do. The house in general is tidy (except the garage), but I have a few things I want to organise, as well as bath the dogs, which is always fun (not).

One of my favorite things... is planning for a new creative project, which I finalised today, and am already to start tomorrow, if I get the time.

A few plans for the rest of the week... we head off to the Gold Coast for Kirsty and Luke's wedding on Friday, with a stop-over at Mel and Sam's on Thursday night. Can't wait to get away, and I'm really looking forward to a wedding where, other than turning up, I don't have any responsibilities (ie bridesmaid duties, photography).

A picture to share... since Ben is visiting for the weekend (and I can never get a decent photo of him), our cousin decided to bring her bub over to meet him (don't think Ben was that excited). But it was good to see Miss Lilly and her mum. Here she is enjoying her lunch:
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Recipe Share :: Bolognaise and Paella

This week's recipe shares are a couple of my favourite all-time comfort foods. I cook spaghetti bolognaise on a regular basis, and only recently, have started adding a couple of vegies. I don't think Jason likes it as much, but I think they make it better. You be the judge.

The paella-risotto is something I concocted one Saturday night when I wanted paella, but used a really easy-to-make risotto recipe, just substituting for the usual paella ingredients (mixed meats, saffron, and tomato).

Click on the following links, to go to a PDF copy of each recipe:

Fiona's Spaghetti Bolognaise
Fiona's Paella-Risotto (pictured above)

Enjoy!
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Creative Thursdays
So have I been creating anything lately? Well I'm glad you asked, and I'm glad that I actually have something to share, other than a 'no, not really' reply.

I have been concentrating on finishing the editing of my nephew's photo shoot in the last couple of weeks, and it has taken a lot longer than first anticipated. The good news is that they are all finished, and I've created a postcard design for Tamie to use as thank-you/baby announcements. Here's the final design:


Other than that, I had the chance to edit my grandparent's wedding photo. It will be their 60th wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks, and accordingly mum wanted to put something in the paper. After a bit of searching, my aunty finally found a wedding photo, in a bit of disrepair. I was pleasantly suprised, though, given that it is almost 60 years old. Here is the before and after of the black & white edit (click on image for a better view):

For next week I have a couple of layouts in mind, plus a special project which I will reveal, hopefully next week.
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body+soul Spring : Week 2 Recap








WEEK 2 Recap
After what can only be described as a 'shocker' of a week, I was almost not going to post this. But I wanted to be honest, not only to the minimal number of people who read this blog (I think there are two of you), but also to myself. I don't want to list excuses, other than I've been a bit of an emotional wreck this week, on top of having a really bad back and neck, causing pins and needles in one arm. Anyway, excuses, excuses, here's how my goals went:

> limit takeaway dinners to one for the week : we had two (pizza & macca's)
> drink more than 1.5 litres of water each day : nailed this one, with 2 litres on most days
> limit softdrink to one for the week : I ended up having two

> walk to work 4 out of 5 days : miserably, I only walked to work once
> some form of weight training x 1 : nope
> stretch or do a small yoga routine 4 out of 7 nights : did some stretching once, and that was after my walk

> wake up at 6am each morning : did this twice, and both times actually woke up at 5.45am, most other days it was 6.30, so there was a little improvement this week
> lose 0.5kg : if by 'lose', you mean 'gain', then yes I did....

So onward and upward for Week 3...

WEEK 3 Goals
Here are my goals for Week 3 (new/edited ones are shown in bold):
[edited : after going to chiropractor for the pins and needle issue, I am not allowed to walk with my back-pack to work, for four weeks, on top of not being allowed to do any running, pilates, or weights]

> limit takeaway dinners to one for the week
> drink more than 2.0 litres of water each day
> limit softdrink to one for the week

> walk home from work 4 out of 5 days
> neck stretches 5 out of 7 nights (excluding nights where I've been to the chiropractor)

> wake up at 6am each morning
> lose 0.5kg

As you can see, I'm pretty much keeping the same goals this week....
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Inspiration for Tuesday : 15th Sept.
Thought I would share a couple of more items that I've loved, while reading other peoples' blogs in the last week. Thank heavens for Google Reader. It's a wonderful invention, that allows me to get blog updates from all my favourite bloggers, all in the one place.

Loving the combination of the kraft background with the bright colours on this layout:


Would love to create something like this for Christmas, but refuse to believe that Christmas is a little over 14 weeks away, therefore probably won't get time to start (or finish) it. Full instructions are available by using the link under the image:


This little card sketches notebook is really cute, but again, in reality I probably wouldn't keep it up. I much prefer to save my sketches electronically. I really do like BG's new Indian Summer line that Kristina has used:


Papertrey Ink have released this month's stamp designs, which all seem to be very Christmas-themed. No, no, no, it can't be that time of the year already. I do love these present tags that Dawn McVey came up with, using the stamps:


Other than that, I've been pretty obsessed with updates regarding the New Moon movie. I wonder if this could be considered 'inspiring':
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66 more days.......
This is mainly for my sister's benefit, but here's the new trailer for New Moon:



I am having trouble containing my excitement.
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Recipe Share - quiche slice & some cookies
I'd like to make a regular share of some recipes that I've been collecting, since I've been preparing meals in bulk, on the weekends. If I come across a recipe that I cook often, I'll post it here. Can't guarantee that all recipes will come with photos, or that any photos taken will be of suitable quality. For each recipe I've made up my own recipe card, using a template based on Cathy Zielske's recipe cards that she shared on her blog a while ago. I've revised them slightly to show different/extra information, and I'll post a PDF copy of this card on an A4 sheet, that you can print and trim up, or do as I've done, and print two to a page (print one, then reinsert sheet into printer upside down, and print again). This week I'm sharing the following recipes:

Chicken & Cashew Biryani (pictured above)
Emma's Quiche Slice, and
Peanut Butter Cookies

Hope you enjoy!

On a side note, I used Adobe Illustrator for the first time, to come up with these recipe cards, and I am extremely impressed.
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body+soul Spring : Week 1 recap








WEEK 1 Recap
Here is a recap of how successful I was with each of the goals:

> limit takeaway dinners to one for the week : achieved
> drink more than 1 litre of water each day : achieved (most days it was more than 1.5L)
> avoid soft drink altogether : not achieved (I ended up having two softdrinks over the course of the week, and three beers)

> walk to work 4 out of 5 days : almost got there (walked 3 times, one of which included a 7 minute run with a backpack on)
> stretch or do a small yoga routine 4 out of 7 nights : not achieved (I did a mini stretch after each walk, but nothing substantial, except one night, I did a 20 minute yoga routine)

> wake up at 6am each morning : definitely NOT achieved (not even one morning)
> lose 0.5kg : achieved (lost 0.7kg)

So on to Week 2...

WEEK 2 Goals
Here are my goals for Week 2 (new/edited ones are shown in bold):

> limit takeaway dinners to one for the week
> drink more than 1.5 litres of water each day
> limit softdrink to one for the week (I wanted to make this a little more achievable)

> walk to work 4 out of 5 days
> some form of weight training x 1
> stretch or do a small yoga routine 4 out of 7 nights (I've downloaded a free yoga podcast and posture guide, to make this a little easier)

> wake up at 6am each morning (I really want to give this one another go)
> lose 0.5kg

Wish me luck....
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Inspiration for Tuesday
Here are some bits and pieces that have inspired me in the last week:
(click on the link under each image to jump to the relevant blog post)

I'm going to make up my own version of this, sometime soon, to replace the aging whiteboard we currently have stuck to the fridge:

this masking & spray ink tutorial, which I might try out using watered down acrylics:


Ali Edwards' layouts always inspire me:

[from Ali Edwards blog]

Kristina Werner's use of the Basic Grey Marakech line:

[from Kristina Werner's blog]

and finally, this photography tutorial about shooting into the sun & lens flare:

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Cutest (and most frustrating) Puppy Video Ever...
OK, this has to be the cutest video ever. I double-over watching it every time...
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FOR TODAY : September 3rd
FOR TODAY
Thursday September 3rd, 2009

Outside my window... the sky has fined up a little, with the dreary grey clouds turning white.

I am thinking... about my dear friend Kirsty, who has lost her mum this afternoon.

I am thankful for... my good health and my family and friends (especially today).

From the kitchen... just whipped up a chicken, capsicum & cheese toasted sandwich.

I am wearing... my nightie, after having a long relaxing & hot shower.

I am creating... some baby announcements/thankyou postcards for my sister (separate post to follow).

I am going... to bed early, with a killer headache.

I am reading... "Die Trying" by Lee Childs, waiting for Jason to finish the first of the Sookie Stackhouse books. It's killing me.

I am hoping... that my friend is doing ok tonight.

I am hearing... the TV blaring, actually everything blaring. This headache is really bad.

Around the house... we are waiting for our new dining table, entertainment unit and coffee table to arrive, but we have to wait until the end of September at the earliest.

One of my favorite things... at the moment, is this cool polaroid converter site : http://www.rollip.com/. Check out the image below.

A few plans for the rest of the week... having drinks tomorrow arv for a guy who is leaving. My nail lady is back from England, so off to see her on Saturday. Finally get to see Chief (border collie pup) on Saturday night at Mick & Di's place, and then possibly heading out to the General Gordon on Father's Day to see Dad play.

A picture to share... here's one of my trials of the polaroid site. I love how many different options/filters they have, plus the option to add text, and you can either download the finished file, or link to it:
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body+soul Spring : Commencement








Lately I have been thinking about making a concerted effort, in regards to my health (amongst other things), and going to a funeral recently for a 40 year old mother of 3 young girls, who had fought cancer for 7 years, was the trigger for me to do something. I should not be taking my health, and life in general, for granted. This brings me to the little challenge I'm throwing myself into.

Inspired by the wholeliving.com website, I've decided to start my own body+soul challenge for spring. It will be 12 weeks in duration, with the plan to then have summer, autumn and winter challenges to follow. The aim is to concentrate on small sustainable changes to eating, moving and thinking habits, and trying to remain consistent, rather than my usual 'all or nothing' approach.

CHALLENGE Goals

My goals for the end of the 12 week challenge are:

> limit takeaway dinners to one each week
> drink more than 2 litres of water each day
> avoid soft drink altogether
> limit tea/coffee to 2 times each day

> walk to work 4 out of 5 days
> weight train twice per week
> go to pilates once per week
> run 3 times per week
> stretch/small yoga routine each night

> wake up at 5.10am each morning
> lose 5kgs (this, however, is not critical. The goal is to feel better generally)

WEEK 1 Goals

So today is DAY 1, WEEK 1. My goals for the following week are:

> limit takeaway dinners to one for the week
> drink more than 1 litre of water each day
> avoid soft drink altogether

> walk to work 4 out of 5 days
> stretch or do a small yoga routine 4 out of 7 nights

> wake up at 6am each morning
> lose 0.5kg

So there it is, each Wednesday I will do a weekly wrap-up, and set my goals for the next week.
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On to another addiction....

These books arrived today, and I can't wait to get into them....
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