February Recap & Mental Dumbbells

I’m not sure what happened to February. Things started out well but the month really got away from me in the end. All of a sudden I glance at a calendar and it’s March, how did that happen? I have a bunch of catching up to do, so please bear with me if I bombard you with posts for the next few days.

First up, a little February Recap.

In doing a little research for a project I lined up for March, more on that in a bit, I dug into two ‘green’ books in Feb. I was hoping to get through more than 2 but between work and the second book being so long, it just didn’t happen.

Green Made Easy – Chris Prelitz

I’ve read a lot of ‘going green’ books but this ranks as one of my top 3. It was easy to read and it’s chaptered in a great way which turns it into a perfect reference book. I originally rented it on a whim from the library, but I enjoyed it so much that I ended up buying it for my Kindle. I was shocked, and thrilled, to find out it only cost $.89 (and still does as of 3/2). SOLD!

Even after reading dozens of ‘green’ books, I still learned a lot from this one. 

 

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

I’m a little torn on what to say about this book. On one had I loved the inside look of a family that was supporting themselves off food they grew or purchased locally. It was inspiring and led me to make some changes in my life as well. On the other had it was wordy. The story split in dozens of tangents which I ended up scanning and in some parts, flat out ignoring. I really enjoyed the personal story, but the ‘lecturing’ was tedious and it took me nearly the entire month to get through the book. That’s really saying something when I usually finish a book in less than a week.

I also rented this book via the library and I’m glad I did. You can read about both the book and their recipes on their website.

 

March Challenge

So what did these books inspire? A ‘green’ month. That’s right, March is going to be a test of ‘going green’ in my house. Each day I’m going to tackle a new thing to bring me one step closer to being an environmentally conscious, authentic person. I think it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day humdrum of life and forget that even our smallest actions have a big consequence on the earth, our immediate environment, and not to mention our health. I don’t know about you, but I want to try to leave this world a little better than when I came into it, and every little bit helps.

Who’s in?

February Recap

Not only was February a short month on the calendar, I also blogged much less than usual (or hoped for). However, there was still some fun going on throughout the month.

I started off the month by showing you some some progress in the garage, the large storage unit has made the world of difference. I’m even thinking of purchasing a second one soon to use as a workbench.

I also shared the finished spare bathroom with a Hawaiian style.

Since it’s the month of LOVE, there were plenty of Valentine themed projects. DIY Cork Heart Sign, Creating some fun planters for the front door, and my favorite, the DIY heart art. Oh, and I can’t forget my sweet Valentine!

 

This past month I also dealt with a few home projects, such as installing window films and organizing my photos. Later in the month I shared my somewhat crazy love for letterpress calendars and my DIY Calendar Journal.

Sadly I don’t yet have any information about whether layoffs will directly affect my job, but in preparation of tough times I imposed a $40 per week grocery budget. I started a new weekly feature on the blog sharing how I’m stretching that $40 and highlighting a few meals that I’m eating each week. Even though I made several new recipes this month, I only shared one, the Banana Mocha Smoothie. It’s delicious.

Lastly I had 4 ‘Inspired’ posts in addition to sharing my dream home.

I’m Feeling Inspired: Garden Style

I’m Feeling Inspired: Romantic L.O.V.E.

I’m Feeling Inspired: Kitchens

I’m Feeling Inspired: Beautiful Strength

So that’s February! I’ll be back with another post about a recent tribute concert I went to and my first ‘green’ challenge day. Let’s make it a great March!

January 2012 Recap

It’s been a busy busy month, but probably the greatest in a long time.

At the start of the month I wrote my Future Letter and celebrated my dad’s birthday with a homemade Golf Cake.

I also created a Gratitude Jar in an effort to start a new Thanksgiving Tradition. Now, everyday I add a slip of paper to the jar listing something for which I’m grateful. It’s already filling up which reminds me everyday that life is pretty great even when it doesn’t feel that way. These will be fun to read through over the Thanksgiving holiday.

I introduced you to my very messy garage, developed a whole house cleaning plan, signed up for a library card, and made a melt in your mouth Balsamic Pork Sandwich.

Later in the month I planted a lovely Succulent Terrarium (which is still alive!), shared how I store the  recipes I pull from magazines, and professed my love for Word Art & Chevron designs.

Perhaps the biggest accomplishment was that I finally finished the living room fireplace.

Before:

After:

After finishing the fireplace I slowed things down a bit and skipped a few days of blogging; however, things did not stop completely. I built my own photography light box, turned some soup cans into an herb garden, made some delicious biscotti, and shared my winter skincare routine.

In addition to the above I also reached a few weight loss milestones since I lost 25 lbs. However, I haven’t made any mention of it beyond this post because right after posting my scale broke. It told me I weighed 0 lbs. So I purchased a new scale at Costco that was a piece of crap. It worked only when it wanted to, and told me I gained 20 lbs overnight. I have purchased another new scale, but I’m still having trouble getting a consistent reading. So for now, I’m just going by how I feel and how my clothes fit (which is better than before).

Can you believe January is already over?

Top Ten Goals – December 2011

I realize that I sometimes get a little wordy when I list out my top ten, I just get so excited. However, I’ll try to reign myself in, especially since I have a few more posts going up today.

1. Finish Fireplace & Hope Chest

I have a dream of putting Christmas stockings on a mantle this year…and it’s going to happen!!

2. Christmas Ornament Challenge

I wanted something fun to do this year leading up to Christmas so I decided to come up with a new DIY ornament a day for 20 days. Beginning today, you’ll get at least one new ornament tutorial per day until 12/21.

(I will not be teaching you how to make the below ornament, it’s just a favorite of mine. Although, I do have an idea for a knock off.)

3. Lose 10 lbs

…of course I pick the hardest time of year to lose weight…but I can do it. Bring It On!!

4. New recipe every week

Last month I made a lot of old favorites at my house and stopped trying to cook something new. This month I want to get back into cooking something new every week. If they turn out, I’ll post them here.

5. Cookie Swap

I’m participating in a Blogger Cookie Swap which has been pretty hush-hush. I can’t tell you who I have [maybe it’s YOU!] but the cookies are being shipped out and the recipe will be up later this month.

6. Host Christmas Dinner at my house

I love hosting dinners at my house, but since I live quite far from my closest family/friends I rarely do them. However, this year I have the space and seating to host a dinner for my family on Christmas Day.

The last time I hosted dinner was a few years back in my little apartment and people had to sit on the floor, but it was so much fun.

7. Mental Dumbbells

Read at least 4 books…enough said.

Source: crushculdesac.tumblr.com via Lauren on Pinterest

8. Los Angeles Weekend

I had so much fun spending a night in San Diego last month that I’m doing the same for LA this month. Thing I’m most looking forward to…The Getty.

Source

9. Get new eye glasses

I need to get new glasses. Ya know…

…so I look this sexy holding them in my hand.

Source: youlooklikesex.tumblr.com via Josh on Pinterest

 

 

10. Consistent posting through the whole month, including the holiday

Last month I dropped the ball on posting throughout the holidays. This month I want to make sure I have a post up everyday and that I take the time to make it something special.

November Monthly Recap

Usually I would write up two separate posts at the end of the month, one about my monthly goals and another recapping all the home projects that were completed. However, this month was a bit of a jumble on home projects so I’m combining the posts this month.

First up, the projects!

PINTEREST FALL CHALLENGE: CHALKBOARD THERMOSTAT FRAME

At the beginning of the month I participated in the Pinterest Challenge and created a unique and fun Chalkboard Frame for my thermostat. Now my thermostat is a piece of art instead of a boring, bland box on the wall.

SPARE BATHROOM REVEAL – 3RD FLOOR

I shared the final reveal of my Upstairs Spare Bathroom and my somewhat inappropriate love for some jewel colored striped towels.

KITCHEN LEDGE INSTALLATION

Sometimes in your home, the simplest fix will make a huge impact. That was the case with the kitchen ledge that was installed a while back. It was some simple primed MDF and moulding that kicked my kitchen up a notch.

FIREPLACE PROGRESS – TILE REMOVAL

Oh My Goodness, I have so much to show you regarding this project, but you’ll just have to wait a bit longer. Let’s just say, the tile removal was just the start I needed to get moving on this project.

DIY: CREATING A FALL SIGN WITH YARN

Craft projects were clearly lacking in November, so I quickly wrapped up some letters for my front door to represent the last few days of the ‘Fall’ Season.

So what happened with the monthly goals?

1. Complete NaNoWriMo

I already shared my goal of ‘winning’ NaNoWriMo this month. This means I’ll be writing every chance I get for the next month which may take away from time typically spent on home and craft projects; however I still have some things up my sleeve for November.

I’m bummed to say that I did not ‘win’ NaNoWriMo this year. However, I made significant progress on my novel and I can truly say that I love the story. I plan to continue working on it and hopefully :::fingers crossed::: get it published in the future.

2. Run a 10K

There is good news and bad news with this goal. A few months back I shared that I would be running the Iron Girl Del Mar 10K; however, due to various personal reasons I will not be attending the race. However, I will still be running a 10K this weekend, even though I won’t be part of the official race. My original goal was to run a 10K, Iron Girl was just a place.

I DID IT! I finished a 10K and am so proud!

3. Local Adventure/Shopping

I have a Mom & Daughter day planned for this weekend in place of my original Del Mar adventure. I have big plans on hitting my absolute favorite stores this weekend and I’ll let you know about a ‘secret’ shopping center in San Diego that is my favorite of all times.

November was full of shopping, in all honesty, my credit cards need a serious break. However, I will never pass up a trip to the Forum in San Diego.

4. Get back to reading (Mental Dumbbells)

I know I had this as a goal last month and didn’t achieve it because all my reading was focused on the BYW course (well worth it). However, this month I really want to get back into reading and since I’ll be writing a lot this month, I’m setting the goal of finishing only 2 books.

The goal was to read 2 books and I ended up finishing 4 and found my love for relaxing with a good book again.

5. Penny Donation for Toys for Tots

This is probably the most exciting goal I have set for this month, and I’ll be sharing the specific details later today. In short, I am planning a donation program on the blog this month and I’ll be making a donation to Toys for Tots at the end of the month. Check back later for the details (hint: I need your help, but it will cost you absolutely nothing!)

This is one of my favorite goals this month and I am so excited to share the final number with you. It was an incredibly busy month in November and nearly 14,000 of you stopped by the site. At a penny per visit, this means that I made a $140 donation to Toys for Tots today!

I can’t thank you all enough for stopping by, please know that each and every visit you made in November contributed to this donation.

THANK YOU!

6. Thanksgiving Traditions

My family is small, and there is usually only 3 of us celebrating Thanksgiving each year. Therefore, we don’t really have any traditions for Thanksgiving other than dinner. I want to start some official traditions this year that can be passed down to my kids someday.

I had an incredibly relaxing Thanksgiving which involved a lot of time with my family and puppy. I couldn’t have asked for a better holiday.

Source: thepinkinkdoodle.blogspot.com via Addison on Pinterest

7. Take a Vacation

Maybe this should be considered the best thing this month. I finally have some time off planned for the week after Thanksgiving. I usually take this week off instead of the weeks surrounding Christmas because I don’t have kids. Why does that matter?

Well, most of my coworkers do have kids or family out of state/country. Since I don’t have kids and my family is an hour away, it’s easier for me to cover their workload during the holidays so they can take the time off to be with their family. It’s a win win for me since that time of year is typically very quite anyway.

So I’ll be taking the first week of December off instead and I’m thinking of going to San Francisco for a few days. Even if I don’t travel, I can’t wait to have some time off because I’m seriously burned out right now.

I am currently enjoying the last few days of my vacation and can’t say how much I needed this time off. I have slept in, read, worked on house projects, visited with friends, spent time with family, got a lot of writing done, shopped until I dropped on Black Friday, and enjoyed a mini vacation to San Diego where I saw the most amazing sunset.

8. Lose 10 lbs

After I run the 10K this weekend, I’ll be shifting my exercise goals a bit. While training for the 10K I haven’t spent much time on weight loss and I want to shift the focus back in that direction. I will be setting aside running for a bit and starting a dance related program since I am a dancer at heart. The goal for this month will be to begin focusing more on nutrition and building a regular exercise routine.

I’m happy to say that the shift in workout perspective was the right course for me. I have loved dancing everyday and I lost just under 9 lbs in November. Not quite the 10 lbs that I had hoped for, but I’m thrilled with the progress so far.

Source: thanks-to-dance.tumblr.com via Addison on Pinterest

9. Refinish a family heirloom

My grandmother passed away a few years ago and I inherited her hope chest. It’s a beautiful piece of furniture and I hope to restore it a bit and refinish it to work with my decor. I really love working on pieces like this because of the history behind them. I have so many great memories of chest and my grandmother.

I have not yet finished the hope chest, but I have picked out the fabric which is BEAUTIFUL and the stain which is a rich Kona coffee color. I can’t wait to jump into this project soon.

10. Black Friday

Yes, I am one of the crazy people that shops in the middle of the night on Black Friday. It’s been a mother/daughter tradition that started a few years back with the same grandmother that left me the hope chest. We have a great time every year and I can’t wait to share my tips and bargain deals this year too.

WOW, Black Friday rocked this year. The stores are opening earlier and earlier and we were out for nearly 11 hours. It was a rockin’ night and I loved spending time with my mom. Can’t wait until next year!

Here is this years haul, you can read the full details, here.

 

Whew, lots going on last month, and even more coming up in December. I LOVE December and Christmas, I’m so thrilled for this time of year.

10K: Crushed!

That’s right, it’s done! I have officially finished a 10K this weekend!

Yesterday I was sitting on the couch, enjoying the reactivation of my cable and internet again, when I realized that I’m only 6 months to my 30th birthday. Not only do I have ‘Finish a 10K’ on my goal for this month, but it’s also on my 30 before 30 list (which needs to be revamped a bit). The original plan was to complete the Iron Girl 10K in Del Mar last weekend. However, while the training went well, I just wasn’t running fast enough to finish in the designated time. I never claimed to be a fast runner, my goal has always been to FINISH a 10K.

At first I was discouraged and felt a bit like a failure for not being able to complete the race. Then I had a second thought, I can still finish this 10K. I trained too hard to just give up or let the race get the better of me. So I decided to bypass the race and complete the 10K at home.

Yesterday I laced up my shoes, jumped on my treadmill and completed my 10K. I finished in 1:49:20. The treadmill reset when it hit 100 minutes so you can only see the last 9 minutes in the image.

Source: happyfitness.tumblr.com via Addison on Pinterest

 

 

I’m proud that I finished, even though I didn’t have a race course cheering me on. I’m proud that I made the decision to bypass the race when I knew I would miss the course limit.

I’m not letting anyone take this away from me. Because even though some people may think I copped out by skipping the race. I did it, and that’s more than most can say.

Source: squareone1226.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

 

 

I’m still taking a break from running right now, but after a lengthy text conversation with my brother, I may be considering a Half Marathon next year. It would be fun to see them on the sidelines cheering me on.

Top Ten Goals – November 2011

Fall is finally upon us and we’re entering my absolute favorite time of year. I love, LOVE the holiday season, November in particular. Not only am I excited about the cooler weather, but I have so many great things on deck for this month.

1. Complete NaNoWriMo

I already shared my goal of ‘winning’ NaNoWriMo this month. This means I’ll be writing every chance I get for the next month which may take away from time typically spent on home and craft projects; however I still have some things up my sleeve for November.

2. Run a 10K

There is good news and bad news with this goal. A few months back I shared that I would be running the Iron Girl Del Mar 10K; however, due to various personal reasons I will not be attending the race. However, I will still be running a 10K this weekend, even though I won’t be part of the official race. My original goal was to run a 10K, Iron Girl was just a place.

Source: happyfitness.tumblr.com via Addison on Pinterest

3. Local Adventure/Shopping

I have a Mom & Daughter day planned for this weekend in place of my original Del Mar adventure. I have big plans on hitting my absolute favorite stores this weekend and I’ll let you know about a ‘secret’ shopping center in San Diego that is my favorite of all times.

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Kelly on Pinterest

4. Get back to reading (Mental Dumbbells)

I know I had this as a goal last month and didn’t achieve it because all my reading was focused on the BYW course (well worth it). However, this month I really want to get back into reading and since I’ll be writing a lot this month, I’m setting the goal of finishing only 2 books.

5. Penny Donation for Toys for Tots

This is probably the most exciting goal I have set for this month, and I’ll be sharing the specific details later today. In short, I am planning a donation program on the blog this month and I’ll be making a donation to Toys for Tots at the end of the month. Check back later for the details (hint: I need your help, but it will cost you absolutely nothing!)

6. Thanksgiving Traditions

My family is small, and there is usually only 3 of us celebrating Thanksgiving each year. Therefore, we don’t really have any traditions for Thanksgiving other than dinner. I want to start some official traditions this year that can be passed down to my kids someday.

Source: thepinkinkdoodle.blogspot.com via Addison on Pinterest

7. Take a Vacation

Maybe this should be considered the best thing this month. I finally have some time off planned for the week after Thanksgiving. I usually take this week off instead of the weeks surrounding Christmas because I don’t have kids. Why does that matter?

Well, most of my coworkers do have kids or family out of state/country. Since I don’t have kids and my family is an hour away, it’s easier for me to cover their workload during the holidays so they can take the time off to be with their family. It’s a win win for me since that time of year is typically very quite anyway.

So I’ll be taking the first week of December off instead and I’m thinking of going to San Francisco for a few days. Even if I don’t travel, I can’t wait to have some time off because I’m seriously burned out right now.

8. Lose 10 lbs

After I run the 10K this weekend, I’ll be shifting my exercise goals a bit. While training for the 10K I haven’t spent much time on weight loss and I want to shift the focus back in that direction. I will be setting aside running for a bit and starting a dance related program since I am a dancer at heart. The goal for this month will be to begin focusing more on nutrition and building a regular exercise routine.

Source: thanks-to-dance.tumblr.com via Addison on Pinterest

9. Refinish a family heirloom

My grandmother passed away a few years ago and I inherited her hope chest. It’s a beautiful piece of furniture and I hope to restore it a bit and refinish it to work with my decor. I really love working on pieces like this because of the history behind them. I have so many great memories of chest and my grandmother.

10. Black Friday

Yes, I am one of the crazy people that shops in the middle of the night on Black Friday. It’s been a mother/daughter tradition that started a few years back with the same grandmother that left me the hope chest. We have a great time every year and I can’t wait to share my tips and bargain deals this year too.

This was last years haul…and it took care of several Christmas gifts too.

What are your goals/plans for November?

October Monthly Goal Recap

1. Education

• I’ve signed up for the Blogging Your Way e-course hosted by Holly Becker of Decor8 & Leslie Shewring of A Creative Mint, and I’m so excited! They are going to cover all the topics I have questions about as a new blogger. I also want to create an experience on this site, and I think this will help me further develop my voice/style.

We’re entering the last week of the course and I’m so inspired by the information that has been shared so far. I find myself referencing the documents on a daily basis. The instructors have covered nearly everything that I could think of and have inspired me to make some major (and not so major) changes around here. I’m even considering a complete re-design of the site in the new year. If you are a new blogger or an established blogger looking to learn a few new things, I would definitely recommend this course. I believe they will be hosting another session in the Spring.

2. Finish Training for the Del Mar 10K

• We’re one month into training with just about one month left to go. I need to make lots of progress in this area or I won’t be ready on November 6th.

I have one week until the ‘race’ and I’m as ready as I’m going to be. I will be running my 10K this coming weekend; although some things have changed. I may not be running in the actual race, but I will still be completing a 10K. I’ll share more about where I will be running the race as we get closer to the weekend.

Source: happyfitness.tumblr.com via Addison on Pinterest

3. Local Adventure

• Visit a Real Pumpkin Patch (not one set up in a grocery store parking lot)
• Jury Duty – Can I count this as a local adventure since it’s the first time I’ve done Jury Duty in this county?

I visited Bates Pumpkin Patch this year.

I also bought a pumpkin and attempted to carve it. I really liked how it turned out, he makes me smile.

I also did Jury Duty, but it was long and boring so we’ll just move right past that day in history.

4. Finish Phases in the Backyard and Dining Room

• Install Dining Room Wainscoting & Curtains (this did not happen as I still need to obtain additional supplies)
• Install Sprinklers and finish Sod in outdoor planters (I have finished the sprinkler system and the larger planter is done. Flowers have even been planted, but the post has not yet gone up. I still have to finish the smaller planter, which I hope to have done in November)

5. Craftiness

• Fun Fall/Halloween Crafts. So many lined up for this month, like this adorable little mummy pumpkin.

Lot of fun craftiness this month. You can see the project recap here for links.

6. 31 day dance challenge

• I don’t care if it’s while cooking dinner or in a club. I will dance for 30 minutes everyday.

 I didn’t really keep track of this, but I did make a point of using my ipod while cooking/cleaning and that always makes me dance. However, I have a November goal that will revolve around dancing as exercise. I’m very excited about this!

7. Stop Biting & Grow My Nails

If I actually accomplish this, it will be a miracle. Especially since I’ve been trying to stop biting my nails since the beginning of time. Breaking a lifetime habit is not easy.

I DID IT! It will be an ongoing battle, but I stopped biting my nails this month. I was also was able to do my first French manicure on my own nails in nearly a decade. You can see my nail recap here, as well as some tips on how to kick the habit yourself.

8. Keep reading

• I would like to get through at least 4 books this month. I have so many good ones to go through.

I skipped the Mental Dumbbells post this month since all my reading was directed toward the Blogging Your Way course. I’ll need to pick back up with the books next month.

9. Keep Writing

• I got more into the blog last month than I expected and my other writing took a bit of a back seat. Time to step that up and brainstorm freelance opportunities.
• I’d also like to submit at least one article as a contributor on another design site

The contributor article didn’t happen this month but I do have several freelance ideas drafted which I hope will pan out over the next few months. I also used my planned efforts for writing toward the blogging e-course and I have created a big list of improvements to the website.

10. Routine

• Get into a routine that allows me enough sleep, and time for everything else that I want to do. I have a fancy pants planner that I rarely use. I should really dig that out of my junk drawer.

For the most part this was successful. I have been using my planner which has contributed to my increased productivity and organization. I still haven’t decided if I’m going to stick with the paper planner or if I’m going to begin using my phone as my primary electronic planner. Any recommendations??

I’ll be back later this afternoon to share the November goals, as well as a donation based goal that you can help me with. (…and it will cost you nothing!)

Bad Habit Challange – Stop the Nail Biting

I’m currently doing my Civic Duty at the (not so) local courthouse, which means I’m sitting here doing a lot of nothing. They don’t have any trials on the calendar right now, so we are just waiting. Here’s hoping that they let me go at 11:30am.

Luckily I brought my computer with me and they have free WIFI (although my phone is sadly still sitting in my car). So in the meantime, I wanted to share an update to one of the October monthly goals. The people sitting behind staring at my screen are going to get a kick out of this. (Maybe they can’t tell I can see their reflection in the screen…hmmmm) Well,if they read that, they probably do.

One of the goals that I had set for myself this month was to stop biting my nails.

At the beginning of the month, I cut them all down and gave myself a manicure. I figured if they looked nice, I might be less inclined to bite them. The problem with that logic is that I don’t intend to bite them, it just sort of happens, then I realize it later. However, I’ve been really REALLY good this month.

Day 1

Day 7

Day 12

Day 17 (My first French manicure on my own natural nails in probably a decade)

Day 23

Day 25

I was so smitten with the silver tips, I did them again. However, as soon I sat down in the jury room they started chipping, bummer. Luckily I can fix them at home since I do all my own manicures.

I have to say that I’m really proud of myself on this challenge. I haven’t bitten a single nail, even when one broke in the middle of the day. They are stronger, longer, and I feel so much prettier having longer/polished nails.

Here’s a few things that I learned this month as well as a few tips I’ve tried in the past:

• Keep them polished, even if it’s just with a clear coat
  • (My favorite is Seche Vite, this stuff is magic as a top coat)
• Don’t bother with the bitter nail crap, especially if you cook.
  • If you ever cook or eat finger food it will make everything taste terrible, not just your nails.
• Keep hand/cuticle lotion with you at ALL times.
  • This made the biggest different and I was less likely to pick at the nails since they weren’t dry and peeling. Nothing beats cheapo Vaseline for conditioning the cuticles. Try the new scent (it’s either Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter…I can’t recall…but it’s AMAZING)
• Tell people about the challenge
  • They can keep you accountable
• As a mind game, I placed a rubber band around my wrist and snapped it every time I caught myself starting to pick or bite.
  • I don’t know if this worked, but maybe with more time I would associate nail biting with pain and stop subconsciously biting. To fully break a 25 year habit, it’s worth a try, but it will take longer than a month.

What Bad Habit are you trying to give up?

September Monthly Goal Recap

Before we jump into the monthly recap I have to say I’m humbled by another featured post. Fawn over at Dear Creatives was kind enough to feature me today and a few of my projects. I know I said it before, but as a newbie blogger, this is such an honor. I never in a million years though that thousands of people would stop by my little blog.

 

Please stop by Dear Creative and share some love, the site is fantastic! If you’ve found your way here through the featured post, Welcome and Thank You!

 

Wow, another month gone, it’s finally Autumn, and it’s almost Christmas!! (A girl can dream, I LOVE Christmas). September was a fun month and I accomplished more around the house than usual.

Top 10 Goals for September!

• 
  

  Cut out Sugar

  • Ok, I promised to try really hard at this, but in all honesty, IT SUCKED. I feel better and have had far fewer mood swings. I don’t feel as congested and I’ve cancelled my doctors appointment. Yes, that’s all good stuff, but there were days where I REALLY just wanted a cookie and I slipped up A LOT. I’m glad I cut out most sugar this month, but it was always meant to be temporary. I will continue to reduce sugar as much as possible, but let’s face it. I’m making a batch of these tonight.

Source

• Start Training for the Iron Girl Del Mar 10K

  • I’m getting scared excited about this one. I started training with the personalized Smart Coach training plan and have struggled with the scheduled plan so far. You can see my training plan here, my first training check in here. Another progress post will be up next Tuesday, but I can say that I’ve been doing much, MUCH better. Who thought I’d say, “I have to jog 3 miles tonight, no big deal”. Yeah, it happened.

• Continue Home Projects

  • So many fun projects happened this month, you can catch up on it all here.

•  Purge and Donate extra crap stuff from around the house
  • Lots of stuff was given away this month, and I still have MORE. I also repurposed some frames destined for donation into the coolest bulletin boards.

• Write something everyday.

  • I’m working on a special writing project and I need to make some major progress this month. Hopefully I can share more about this soon.

    • Still can’t share anything on the special writing project, but it’s coming along. I hope to actually be done with it ahead of schedule.

 

• Read something everyday

  • …beside my email and twitter feed

    • This is a daily battle, but I did finish a few books. Check out the Mental Dumbbells posts here. Then I got sucked into Pinterest and let’s face it, reading took a back seat.

 

• Bond with Goober

  • With the 100+ degree heat, my little pup been forced to stay indoors more than I like. We need to make a few more trips to the Dog Park.

    • We hit up the dog park a few times, and Baxter loved every minute of it. Unfortunately this past week he’s been housebound with a hurt leg, but he’s getting better day by day.

    • I also shared how we stared the grass planter project so he could relax on the cool grass in his own backyard.

• Cook and share more recipes

  • I can’t wait to break into the Fall Themed recipes I’ve been seeing everywhere!

    • It’s still so hot lately that I haven’t really busted out the Fall themed recipes, but I did enjoy some good eats. I need to revamp the Recipe page but you can see most of of the recipes here.

• Stick with a regular blogging schedule

  • A post a day for the entire month, so proud. In fact, 38 posts to be exact. I also had my biggest hits month ever thanks so some excellent linking parties and several featured posts. I can’t thank you guys enough!

• Local Adventure

  • We Went Apple Picking in Julian, CA. for the first time and it was AWESOME!

 

It’s been a banner month and I can’t wait for October!

Monthly Project Recap – September 2011

September was a fun month and I’m shocked by how quickly it went. The end of the year always brings out the craftiness in me so there are plenty of craft projects on deck for the coming months. However, I’m so thrilled with the projects from this month.

Here is a quick recap of the projects completed in September.

I shared the big Powder Room Reveal and provided the links to my favorite bathroom hardware (hint: they are from West Elm).

I had to buy some twine for the grass planter project and decided to turn a simple paint can into a Twine Dispenser.

I turned old framed pegboard into new Bulletin Boards using Cork Tiles.

How do you bring grass into a paved backyard? I figured out how to Grow Grass on Concrete. I’ll be installing a sprinkler system as well, without tearing up the existing concrete. It just takes a little thinking outside the box.

Laundry Room Removal Sticker This was my least favorite project, but the most rewarding. It took hours to remove that blasted sticker, but the result was well worth all the work. I’ll be posting the Laundry Room Reveal in the next few days.

Phase 1 to a new fireplace by Christmas is DONE!! Painting the Fireplace Screen Doors was fast and only cost $5. Next up, tear down that tile.

 

Homemade Mod Podge – By far the most popular post to date, we all love our Mod Podge.

 

Mason Jar Match’book’ – This was a last minute project for this month. I actually planned to do this in December but I couldn’t help myself. I loved this project and will probably be making a few of these for homemade gifts this year (maybe including it in a s’mores kit??)

 

I’ll be back a little later for a end of month goal recap, but in meantime…

C’mon brag a little, any great projects in September that you want to share?