Well this isn’t exactly a WIP wednesday kind of post. . that’s right I have no progress on my WIPs. Yes. Yes. I remember that I told the world wide web that I wasn’t going to start any new projects til my WIPs were done. You know that’s what resolutions are for. . . BREAKING!

Okay well one of my resolutions for the year (besides getting my WIPs done) is losing a couple pounds. Yeah had a baby almost 2yrs ago and still haven’t lost the baby weight. Goal is to lose about 20ish pounds by May.

1. I have to stop eating junk food at my desk. Yeah I think I get really stressed out when I’m at work and I didn’t really pay attention to the bad stuff I was eating. Well take that back. . I did know that it was junk but the junk taste so yummy! Yeah my worse, worse, worse combo was coffee and peanut butter m&ms. (just typing it out is making my mouth water a little)

2. Start exercising regularly. Yeah I went to the big named gym and signed up for with a trainer. I think that I’m more accountable if I have an appt with someone, ya know? Like I can be a lazy ass, and not go to the gym but if I know there’s someone there waiting for me then I’ll make more of an effort.

3. Walking during my lunch hr. My work is by a water way and I thought that I could start walking/running during lunch. I would have to eat at my desk after that but I’m fine with that. I don’t know if you have the same problem as I do – but I just don’t have time! Where do I fit everything I need to do and everything I want to do in one week. . . it’s pretty frustrating to juggle.

So if that’s the case then, I need a cute bag to put my running shoes/work out clothes in. . .

Have ya’ll seen the awesome FREE drawstring bag tutorial from Jeni Baker of In Color Order? (Oh yeah I said FREE) But you might as well spend the measly $6.50 for the bigger pattern – it includes 8 more bags!

One of the bag is called the laundry size. . . it’s “the perfect size for dirty laundry, large toys, a quilt, etc.”

This by fair is the girlest thing I’ve every made. .

Since I’ll be hauling it back n’ forth from work to home or home to gym I thought I should add a strap for it. It wasn’t that hard most of the supplies could be picked up at Jo’s. But I could just add a strap to it . . . it’s going to look ugly in the middle of the fabric like that!!! Oh, how bout some pretty sexy looking black trim? Oh baby!

All n’ all it took me (2) nights to put it together – not bad for a full time worker/mommy/wife right?

I’ve been debating back n’ forth what to get Carolyn for her birthday. If you asked me a couple month ago, I was going to make the girls clutches and went to the fabric store to pick out fabrics that they I thought was their personalities.

But then I ran into this t-shirt that I thought she would like. . . .

I think it was because she mentioned narwhal one day on something. . .(Carolyn’s probably reading this and thinking when – so long ago. . haha)

But then I saw this on my favorite online fabric store’s blog – Pink Chalk. They’re doing this sew along with this book called, “One Yard Wonders”. The first week project is a framed tack board. I thought, “this would be perfect for Carolyn because she collects all these cool Disney pins.”

Since I already chosen the fabric for her clutch – I thought I could use it for the frame. I went to the thrift store on Friday and picked up a couple frames.

Went to craft store and picked up some paint to go with it – basically to repaint the frame. It was kind of funny because I dragged along Brad to ask his opinion on what type of paint. He’s such an art snob. He didn’t really like the colors I picked. I wanted to keep it monochromatic to the fabric, you know keepin’ it with the green-blue.

Well here’s how the project turned out.

The original white frame + the brush I used helps the frame look so shabby chic right?

I added a “clothesline” just like the book but instead of using pins to hold the line up, I tied it to the back.

Here’s the back of the frame and I really didn’t like how ugly it looked so I took my handy staple gun and some muslin fabric to cover up the ugliness. Brad thought it was fine since it’s the back but I didn’t so I did what I did.

See a little less ugly right???

Overall, I hope that Carolyn liked her gift. I think it’s hard to tell because I’ve made this gift. It’s unique – and one-of-a-kind which could be awesome or horrible factor in that I’m my own worse critic. It’s not like you went out there and bought something. Making something is hard and then it’s not like it was on their radar of gifts that they wanted too right? In general, it’s hard to buy Carolyn a gift (and carolyn – I know you’re reading this and I don’t mean to talk about you like you’re not in the room). Maybe Erik can relate. .