Fluidity is calling my name...

Update on my progress since this morning doing the Work Out DVD...well...my muscles are seizing while I type this. No joke. I am a mess. I bet I can't roll my jelly out of bed in the morning...it is that bad...I can tell already. So I am SO disgusted with myself. I cannot believe I let myself get this out of shape. What was I thinking? I am 33...I have not exercised, I mean REALLY exercised in over a year. The body doesn't bounce back like it used to you know? I remember as a kid, being very flexible and seeing "older" people (meaning anyone over 18...geesh) and they couldn't touch their toes. I didn't get it. How can you NOT touch your toes? How can your back not bend like that? Just do it! Old person. Yes, well, that OLD person is now how I feel. That is how I felt today. Clearly my little MTV pilates tapes were not enough. The Work out dvd just about KILLED me. I plan on purchasing the Tracy Anderson videos, which I had been meaning to do, when Lena told me today how great they are...I am now convinced they need to be in my arsenal. AND...the next step...this puppy...the Fludity bar. Usually I would not admit this and it is an infomercial on tv. Have you seen it? You KNOW you have and you KNOW you watched Ha. I also saw it on the Today show one day when they had consumer reports reporting on all the exercise infomercials...this fluidity thing was the only one to get a pass from them...AND it folds right away quite easily, like you don't even notice it...do you know how I know this? Because it has been under my bed for the past year and a half. Yup...I bought it off an infomercial. I have never in my life bought anything off an infomercial...but this one I did. And if I actually used it, it would probably do the job as well. The thing is, when it is set up in your family room...kids literally hang upside down off of it. Not sure why that is a big deal to me...except that I don't like to let children have fun inside my house. Think of all the things you have learnt from me today. Tee hee.

Ok...so I am off to dust this baby off and set er up, before I cannot move any longer...I think that gives me about 45 minutes.

YAY!

Good news!! The CPSIA has put a stay on the new laws until 2010! This means ETSY LIVES. Oh my goodness...what great news this is. I just needed to share. The Government finally did something right. For a change. I think they are just buying themselves some time to figure out the correct way to implement this new law (which makes sense) and so all the one of a kind ebay and etsy items...they will still be one of a kind! Happy Weekend!

Francie Pants...how cute!

Alright...just came upon these as the owner started following me on twitter and so I had to check her out, (side note, if you are on twitter...look me up! I can't promise I am interesting...but if you follow me...I will try harder :) Anyways...FRANCIE-PANTS. Hello! Again...simple..yet genius. I know. I am familiar with monkey bar buddies or whatever those things are called, yet...they do the job but they aren't that cute to me. I need CUTE. If I am going to buy something...it needs to be cute and different. Voila...Francie Pants. Check them out. Of course the graphic does not show the cute options...I don't know how many there are but I am thinking about 20.

Jackie Warner kicked my butt...

Have you ever watched Work Out on Bravo channel? It was my guilty pleasure for 2 years. I loved that show. I also love that Jonathon Antin show...why can I not remember what it was called...Blow OUT! Thats it. It was goood. It needs to come back...so does Jackie Warner. ANYWAYS...(man I digress alot) on my quest to getting healthier...aww who are we kidding...on my quest to fitting into my good jeans again I have been going through my extensive collection of exercise dvd's, and quickly reminded why it was that I did not do them very often...borrrring. So yesterday I bought the Jackie Warner Work Out DVD at Barnes N Noble. I thought it would be funny since one of the episodes of Work Out was about them filming this dvd. Anyways...OHMYGOD...this thing kicked my #$% and I could not even make it through each rep. Geesh. I have never done a video so complete. This one is good. It is hard. But I highly recommend it and I think it is a video you could do day after day and not get totally bored with it. Seriously. You know how some exercise videos SOMETHING bugs you in the video...either the way someone is breathing or how peppy the teacher is...(perhaps it is just me...I get easily annoyed apparently) BUT...not with this one. It wasn't annoying at all. Funny that that is how I rate my exercise videos...annoyance factor. So I plan on doing this one 3-4 times a week and then rotating my yoga videos. I have only been doing yoga and pilates videos and I was QUICKLY reminded of how out of shape I really am cardio wise when I started this one today. Heck...I finished it 30 minutes ago and my heart rate is still up. This is going to be alot more work than I thought!

I really should take a before picture...I think if one was to do the Jackie video a few times a week you would most definitely see a HUGE difference in your butt and abs. I am going to do my best to be the guinea pig (nice...on the pig reference) and see if it really works. You know I will tell you. And then I want to go to Beverly Hills and have a BRAVO day where I get trained by Jackie and then my hair done by Jonathon! Ha. How great.

To inspire a cute Valentine's part-ay

How great is Amy Atlas? I have said this before...the woman is genius. But look at this table...does that not just make you wish you could put together a table like that? I love creative people. Truthfully I am just putting this picture up here because it is so darn pretty! But it is making me hungry. OH yes...don't ask. Bad week. No damage done...but no progress made. Ahhhhhg. Sigh. Pathetic I am.

strange week...

Are you like myself where the only time you have to read anything is when you are in carpool at school? Honestly...it is terrible. I am terrible. And so in those very few moments I find myself filling them with mindless dribble...aka Us Magazine. Ha. True though. If you are not totally disgusted with my habits by now and find that you too are like that...then I highly recommend these two books because...well...(A) they are an easy read and (B) if you can't seem to concentrate on anything these days like myself, at least you can attempt to help your appearance. Geesh...I warned you that I was pathetic. Never-the-less...both of these books are quite interesting, or at least I am learning alot.

A. The Lucky Guide To Mastering Any Style (the strange thing is that my book has a leopard jacket on the front...I am thinking they may have a few different covers for this one)

B. How to not look old (now this is a good read)

Fashion Smashion...

Well this is fun. A couple weeks ago they were having the Barrett Jackson car auction here. They do it every year in Scottsdale. It is a pretty huge deal if you are into cars. Anyways, a great store in Scottsdale, The Garage, carries my stuff. It is a pretty high end shop...very high end actually. Geesh...and Katie there carries the best stuff. Everything I drool over in Junior magazine. Miss Grant. Hello? If you don't know miss grant...google it...omg...beautiful. Anyways...my girls were supposed to be in the fashion show again and well...my hives kept me away. I couldn't do it. I was in the middle of serious issues at the time. BUT...some of my items did make it into the fashion show and here is the proof. FUN! How cute is that kid in my snowflakes rock tee? Soooo pretty.

I am meeting with Katie tomorrow morning to chat about things...see what she needs (drool over the clothes she has) and talk about a fun kids crafty day she is doing with Shawnee O'Neill...Shaqs' wife. Shawnee has a few of my items and they want me to be a part of the festivities! How great is that. I doubt Shaq will be there but it would be hilarious if he was...he is about 2 1/2 times the size of my youngest...now that would be a good picture.

Oh...and in case you were wondering about my hives...I will tell ya...and if you were not wondering...well...I will tell ya anyways:) They seem to be under control thanks to the double dose of prednisone (which I have been off of since last monday) and the zantac/zyrtec combo seems to be working its magic...THANK GOD! I feel like a normal person. I would feel more normal if I could get rid of the lovely skin issues the prednisone left in its wake...but whatever! I will take a zit over a body covered in hives any day.

One more note...that I Heart Candy shirt...that is the size 4...ha...that girl looks like she is at least 12. Makes me laugh. She looks adorable though. She is also wearing one of my tutus...yes I used to make tutus...and no...I don't make them anymore :) I leave that to the professionals. Ha.

a picture is worth a 1000 words...

...so i was doing great up until friday. Blah. And well we had a birthday party to go to tonight...sooo. Start again tomorrow. Sorry about the lack of postings this week, my youngest has been pretty sick and so I was Doctor mommy for the past 4 days. Poor little thing, she is such a happy little kid too no bad cold can wipe the smile off her face noooo way. If it is possible to make her more huggable than usual, it is when she has a cold. Man I love my kids. Anyways...here is a shirt I did today for the birthday party and I think it turned out so cute I will have to make this version available. Most people order the # for the birthday shirt in silver or pink...but this rainbow is quite pretty and even more sparkly.

so cute...

so the CPSIA is killing my friend Robin's etsy business...I hope she picks some items to test and continues because her stuff is super cute. Anyways...if you have a size 4 chickipoo...you need this set, hello...it is adorable and a bargain.

maybe it is aspartame...

So both April and Kristi just commented about aspartame. And I would be lying if I said I hadn't sorta...kinda...thought this as well. It was the only link that I do every single day. Drink diet coke. DARNIT. Aspartame really is nasty stuff. I would never let my kids drink it...so why do I? Oh ya...because I love it. Blah. So sad. I wonder if I can replace it with coke zero??? Thoughts? That is splenda isn't it? And poor Kristi, her little darlings get hives. How terrible. I cannot imagine little kiddies having this everyday. Oh and Kristi...I am on the zantac/zyrtec combo now. I will find out within the next 24 hours if it is enough by itself to help. I may have to toss in the odd benedryl.

This aspartame thing is not going to be easy, because next to diet coke...my drink is green tea crystal light. Hellloooo...aspartame! Why can water not taste better? Oh well, I will do what I gotta do. If that means no aspartame...so be it (I say this as I am itching my head)...and guzzle my last diet cherry coke.

Anyways...on a side note...check out the sale at izzy and ash today...wheeeee. Jennifer has the best selection of clothes over there. And today...take another 15% off the sale prices, which are already like 60% off. The coupon code is legarage .

3 more hours to go...

alrighty...I have almost made it through day one of this "thing" ha. Not so bad. Weighed myself...blah...did some yoga...had a nice day with my chicks since it was a holiday, ate protein-y. Took my zillions of meds...and voila. Not so tough although my mother did try to make me go to Quiznos with her and my father since that is what we would do monday nights after my kids gymnastics class. But I was good and I said in my best whiney voice "nooooooo". So there you have it. One day down 9+ more weeks to go.

I honestly have no idea how the rest of this week is going to go because my steroids for my hives are done after my measily half a pill tomorrow morning (which is a good thing that I have any pill because I can feel them trying to break through and I actually made a hair appointment tomorrow morning for the first time since october...yikes...I am lookin real good right now)...anyways...if I did not have that one last pill...I could not possibly get my hair done...the hives are THAT bad. Noone, other than my allergist and my youngest daughter would want any part of me when I am covered in those things. Seriously. Never the less...I GUARANTEE I will be covered on wednesday...I can tell. Speaking of which, if anyone out there in the blogosphere has had history with hives...cronic ones that are not caused by stress (because lets me honest here...I really am not stressed at all...I'm not...I have nothing to stress about other than well...the hives themselves)...please let me know what worked for you...even if it was your second cousin on your fathers side told you to shove mayo up your nose and do a cartwheel...if it worked, please let me know.

So hives or no hives, I am on my health kick and perhaps it will help. It could not hurt!

One more thing...I have tested all of my items for the CPSIA testing and (drum roll) everything passes, well that is a lie actually, I have not tested everything on my etsy site because well...I am not paying to test each individual item. If I thought my vintage hanky chenille blankets could POSSIBLY be lead soaked...I would not sell them. Hellloooo. SO...back to my good news. The good news is that I have since been reenergized and I have a ton of new designs in my head...some super cute boy birthday tees that I was working on BEFORE the cpsia came into my life. So they are a go and I am EXCITED! Give me a couple weeks and I promise new items.

UPDATE: My daughter just read me "if you give a pig a pancake" and well...now I am hungry... 2 1/2 hours until bedtime...HELP!

alrighty then...at least 300 people saw what I wrote...

UUUUHHHHG. Ok. So earlier today I wrote that I had big plans for monday...and I thought I would just slip it in here on a sat afternoon and it would go without notice. Not the case apparently concidering at least 300 hits have occured today and a few direct emails to me about "support". SO...I can't back down now can I? Ha. I added a lil widget to the bottom of my blog...yup...wayyyyyy down there at the bottom. As soon as I figure out how it works I will update it. But so far all it does it tell you what I weigh right now. Fascinating info I tell ya. I THINK it will have a nice graph with my daily progess. It looks pretty cool actually, and if you are on board with me...go click on that widget and get yourself one...nothing like seeing it right there in big ol print! I swear just the complete embarrassment of this entire experiment is enough to get me to move my bootay. I hope. Otherwise one day you may pop onto the blog and be like...what the??? Where...what??? Wasn't she??? Nope...not going to happen this time people. I am in this thing. I need something to strive for though you know? Hang on...let me find something. I will be right back.

Ok...here...this...this is adorable...and clearly not made for a chick with a booty. So...in my valiant efforts to lose the booty, I would like to be able to wear this throwback to my youth and well...not make anyone wanna toss their cookies when they see me in it! Oh that and I just wanna look like Kate Hudson...WHAT...ya gotta have a goal don't cha?

UPDATE: Ok...just so you people realize that I don't HONESTLY think I could ever reach Kate Hudson potential...or the skinny Juicy chick...please don't get the wrong impression that I think I could...TRUST ME...I am FULLY aware that this is truly a goofy thing...but I just wanted to have some fun so I posted her because seriously...that girl is quite impressive and if it doesn't at least get be through the first week...then well...not sure actually, I don't have a back up plan at this point.

goodbye my love...

So...heres the deal. I don't usually post on Saturday afternoon but I am hoping that noone will read this yet it will have the same effect on me. And by the time anyone reads this...it will be monday or whenever and I will be at least an hour or 2 into my accomplishment. Ha.

So...you see that lovely starbucks green tea frappy up there in the photo. That is the love of my life. I love them. I have one a day...everyday. At 490 calories a pop...this clearly is not a good habit to have. I don't actually have many habits, truly I am a very boring person. I don't drink wine (yikes...I know...trust me, my husband is not happy about that) I don't drink anything really except my starbucks. I used to be worse though. I used to drink the vanilla bottled starbucks as well...everyday, along with my green tea. Sometimes I would drink 2 vanilla bottled ones...and a green tea, you see where I am going with this don't you? Now, I am not a big eater usually...however I have a sweeeeeet tooth. Cupcakes. Yum. No don't worry...I don't eat those everyday...but if I lived anywhere near the Sprinkles Cupcakes in scottsdale...I probably would. Again...vanilla. ALRIGHT...I am getting to my point. My point is that every single year I swear that I will get into shape (I know...who doesn't?) But you know what...we are not getting any younger. And with my recent health issues (aka...my cronic hives) I have spent the better part of the last month on prednisone. Nice. Now I am sure you have heard horrible things about prednisone and you know what...they are all true. At this point...the only good thing from the steroids is the fact that I am not covered in hives...and well that is a good thing...but...or should I say BUTT...pun intended, holy schmoly does that stuff make you eat thus the BUTT.

Ok...the point I am making is that starting monday...yup...this monday, I will be ditching my beloved starbucks (its ok...I have done it before, I just can't go back this time) and I am going to make a very VERY strong effort to regain my health and my body...urgh...did you hear my juicy pants groan? I swear I heard my entire closet applause. Anyways...this will not be easy...BUT...what is going to keep me in the game is that I will be posting about it...DAILY. Ha. Nothing like a good ol guilt trip to keep you right on track. Basically I will be high protein-ing it and...ready for it...exercise. Exercise is not a new thing to me...but in the past 365 days...it is a rather (very) distant thing. I need to do this. I feel like crap. I am full of antihistamines and will be until these stupid hives go the way they came. Plus I am just sick of this.

Now here is where YOU come in. If you care to join me...bravo. If you just want to watch me make a fool of myself...come and watch daily. BUT...I do hope someone out there in the blogosphere wants to join me. I plan on forcing myself (yup forcing) myself to do some form of exercise daily. It may be walking my garbage to the curb but damnit...I am going to do it and I WILL blog about it. So...heres the thing. I have a deadline. Not the official deadline...but I am picking my daughters birthday only because it is a date I can remember and by then...I need to see some sort of something. It is 9 1/2 weeks away...HELLO...that isn't even pushing it Biggest Loser style...that is just cruising...but totally doable...if I get off my BUTT.

My goals are simple really. I want to look good in the summer. HA. See how simple and yet totally honest I am. Yes yes...health...smealth...I figure that just comes with the effort...but the true goal, lets all be honest, is to feel good about ourselves. So, I am going to give you my daily info...YIKES...starting monday...that means height, weight...and exercise for the day...it will be brief and TOTALLY painful, but that is the only way I think I can conquer this...so I will invite you to join me and you can post in the comments section your info if you so choose. Don't make me do this alone! Hey...we all have kids...and lives...and a zillion responsibilities but I think everything will just be a little easier if we do this one thing for ourselves.

I could be wrong though...:)

ps...and my green tea frappy...ya...I just realized it is more than 490 calories...I have it with a shot or 2 of raspberry syrup as well....!!!!!!!! Ahhhh. I have alot of work ahead of me.

Happy Customer=Happy Me

So late last night I was heading to bed when I was reading my emails and I got the best one from a customer. I swear it was the best email I got all week! PLUS, like a blog post, emails are so much better with pictures! Thank you Mandye! And check out her little fashionista! Now see Mandye, this is the exact thing I need you to post on the new paperlili facebook page lol!

Ahhh...Oilily

So I don't usually post much about my family...but look at this face! This is my 8 month old Niece and her new Oilily coat that her dad bought her. He did good don't you think? I just love the little look on her face when she is rubbing her little nose in it...I wanna rub my nose in it...look at that thing, who wouldn't like that coat?

The shoppe is full...

Alrighty...I cannot possibly load anymore in the etsy shop because I have a ton of new orders from this week that I need to get to. So please check out the esty shop...and if you placed a new order with me this week...I promise I am workin on them now!

Now gooooo...go check out the shop because I put lots up there.

Oh...but just so you know...I do actually have more to list...I just need a break from it and back to the real shop. So if you don't see anything you like now...maybe you will this weekend!

Well if this is not enough to bring tears to your eyes...

This is good...very good

For all you freezing your bootays off...

Ok...so I can't relate. Ha. Yes I grew up in Canada...but hello...that was a looooong time ago. I am in Arizona and it is going to top out at...oh...about 75 today! Yay me (sorry...'bout that). Anyways...even though it is warm here...it is still January...and I hate January. Its well...boring. BUT...the one good thing of January is that spring stuff is right around the corner and sometimes all it takes is a picture to warm you right up...well that and a cup of coffee. But a picture really is worth a 1000 words. So...check this one out. Does this dress not make you picture yourself on a beach with a really good turquoise necklace and barefeet? Ahhhh. Anna Maria makes some of the most beautiful fabrics...and patterns and everything. She is just one of those woman that literally can do it all. She does...and she does it well.

Ok...snap out of it and get back to your parkas. Ha. But just know...spring will be here before you know it and I will be cursing because it will be 100 degrees in May.

FACEBOOK...

Hello everyone...I don't know if you are on facebook, however I just started a paperlili page on there...so if you are...(its kinda fun) go check out the paperlili page and please post photos of your little ones! It would be fun to see some of my stuff in action! Lena...that means lots of little Rose please! Now...bare with me...I am not actually sure if I started the page correctly...so if you try to post something and it does not work...let me know...not that I know how to fix it...but I will try :)

Sneak peek...these will be listed tonight and tomorrow...

Need a baby present??? Think ahead.

Ok...I am listing baby items that I made...super luscious blankets...blankees to go...burp clothes...hats...ect. I will be listing more tonight...but I gotta run a couple errands. However there are a couple things up now. Get em before the CPSIA does..lol...that cracks me up. Like my minky blankets are full of lead...geesh.

Or maybe your little dude needs a new tee?? Hello $10

How about these??/

I have listed a few of these tank dresses...now I am actually getting these tested because well..I love them and I think I need to do them again in the spring...BUT...I have still listed them on the etsy site at a smokin' price. So if you have a little one in sizes 2,4,6...go check em out.

Hey look what I am doing today!

Ok...with the CPSIA coming at me like a bullet...geesh...I need to sell "cough cough" some one of a kinda items that I made...and so...I am putting them on etsy today. Now...you are going to think "what! How are these paperlili items..." but trust me when I say I made each and every one of them with my own two little hands. They are mainly one of a kind...and they just never really fit into my paperlili site...SO...etsy was always the intention and there is nothing like a huge deadline "cough cough cough" looming to get you to do something. Like...hey...after Feb 10th...my baby blankets will be illegal to sell. Soooo dumb. Anyways. Because of this fabulous thing called the CPSIA I am listing a ZILLION items today (slowly kinda because I am just new to the selling on etsy thing...I am more of an etsy shopper) and well...I will catch on. SO. Keep checking back to my etsy shop...you never know what you are going to find there...seriously...it will be a miss mosh...but fun...and super de-dooper good prices. Sniff sniff. For instance...these denim skirts and gauchos that I made...I swear these things cost me over $50 to make..and well...here they are for $25. They are sooo cute. No two pairs are alike. Just fun and funky.

Because I will pass along a good sale when I see one...

Now don't get me wrong...I made sure to check for our sizes first before I shared! Ha. But damnit...the size 12's in the sparkle ones were gone gone gone. Thats ok...I think that would be pushing it...like I think we are a tad closer to a size 1 than 12. Whatever...if you have never owned Morgan and Milo shoes...you are missing out. They so sooo well made and the regular prices are good...but hello Clearance sale (hmmmm...I smell a cpsia thang going on there...I hope not.) Never the less...go check them out...sooo cute for boys and girls. $18...you cannot beat that price! Now...since I like to pass on good clearance sales when I see them...I trust you will reciprocate this to myself and my other 2 readers! Ha. So if you ever see a good sale...tell me about it and I will post it. Hey...who does not like a good sale???

Side note...to the morgan and milo peeps...why do you only go up to size 12? These shoes seriously need to go to about a 3 or a 4. I would totally buy them for my oldest daughter. Thank you...I will shut up now.