MY 'FAVORITE-EST' TOOLS .... some empiric some totally GOOFY...

I do have the favorite-est tools ever on my journey ... some are so totally useful and some are so totally empiric and some are so totally goofy but I am odd like that ... and the best thing of all is that before and NOW some have ALWAYS been my FAVORITE-EST (psssssst I KNOW that is not a word) tools....

BEFORE and AFTER I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT MY SEWING MACHINE .... I sew for me and for others ... I hoard fabrics ... I LOVE LOVE LOVE TO SEW ... FAT, THIN OR IN BETWEEN FOR ME OR FOR YOU GIMME A SEWING MACHINE lol...

I love sewing THINGS too ... coverlets, curtains, bedspreads, blankets, bassinet covers you name it ... I'll sew it... BEFORE AND NOW... I love making diaper cakes too ... for my friends baby showers they are awesome gifts...

Because I sew ... and I love making things ... this little joker here is a MUST HAVE

.... a measuring tape ... I CANNOT.LIVE.WITHOUT IT.... It was/is THE BEST TOOL YET on my journey ... when I stalled I did not spazzzz because my tape measure marked the inches lost when the pounds did not budge ... I love love love taking my body measurements to make sure that the inches lost stay right there ...GONE ...although with age they do shift ... and how... ask my tatas YIKES...

I am totally disproportionate ... a royal mess ... I have the shape of a farking bumble bee ... disproportionately tiny waist and a big bertha and thighs however small I am ... yet my measurements rock for body fat percentage ... they tell me the proportion of body fat I have is normal ... of course I have to enter more than just my waist measurement to come up with an accurate number cause my waistline only will throw it off ... I have to enter hips, neck, wrist and forearm too...

I woke up wayyyyyyyyyyy too early this morning as I went to bed too early ... so instead of counting sheep I whipped out my measuring tape because I am going somewhere over the weekend and I am MAKING myself a gown ... NO PATTERNS INVOLVED.... I took my picture in my jammies loving the saying on my shirt "don't let go of your dreams" 

and before snapping the above picture with my measuring tape I measured my bust line at 30" inches

And my waistline at 23.5" inches

and my hips at 34.5" inches .... totally disproportionate...

but I am making me a gown and I am going to rock it too!!!! WOOT....

I farted around with fabric and scissors and my home made duct tape body form and my gown is all cut and basted.  

I then hopped on the scale ... another awesome tool along the way ... it is my accountability tool ... I love it ... 

I then went out on a morning run along the beach with friends from my running group...

I then coiffed and groomed me and my dolly and took pictures for my empowerment journal ... A Picture a Day Keeps the Pounds and the Inches Away ...

This was my yesterday....

This is me TODAY... this morning dressed for work... taking in the morning sun on my balcony...

Both Before and After and remain who I am in a smaller frame ... I love loud beautiful colorful clothes ... I love somber ones too ... I love to rock a piece of fabric ... big, small or in between I don't care ... we are all beautifully made...

I have awesome tools at my disposition .... some so totally useful and others so totally goofy ... like when I got into my suitcase for a perfect fit when I was about to pack some duds to head out to the OH Conference in 2011... LOL 

YUP GOOFY TOOLS ... I fit in this suitcase a year before this ... I fit in it then and I can fit it in now too ...

GOOFY is GOOD TOO!!! I am having FUN doing me ... 

I am paying forward SNIPPETS OF MY JOURNEY ... life is not all about fun and laughter and my how do I know it ... but I am embracing JOY over misery ... and I am making it happen to me ... thank you MARY for pointing this out to me....

THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE ... SNIPPETS OF MY JOURNEY!!!! THANK YOU OH FOR ALLOWING ME TO EMPOWER MYSELF BY KEEPING ME IN REMEMBRANCE BEFORE AND NOW AS I WALK AWAY FROM MORBID OBESITY ONE DAY AT A TIME ... ONE CHOICE AT A TIME ...

Sitting at my desk about to have an orange as my fruit of the day today ... ignore my teary eyes ... I have been crying since losing my beautiful ferret Slinky found dead in the pen last Thursday at the term of his life ... these babies have such a short life span but I still can't get used to it ... I ran across a picture and was crying when my co-worker snapped my picture...

for my pets are ANOTHER AWESOME TOOL ON MY JOURNEY ... BEFORE and AFTER...

AGAIN, Thanks for allowing me to share...

You are my WLS angel.  I see your name on a post and I just start smiling!  What gifts the Lord has given you and how generous you are to share them with all of us.

I marvel at your talents but as a seamstress, I really am in awe!  One of my fav shows is "Project Runway" and I think they are taking applications now for the next season.  I think you would rock their boats.  The prizes are amazing too!  Just a thought!  Or  you could go on the Next Great Cake Baker, LOL.  See, I should be your agent,  as if you needed anyone else!  

You go girl, what a joy to see you and hear you via my lil computer!

Thank you sis! The most awesome tool that I do have is an awesome gift my daughter made me over a year ago ... guess which? A Brother Project Runway Sewing/Embroidering Computerized sewing machine.  It is awesome ... I have not learned all the features yet but I love sewing with it ... when pressed though I pull out my Singer or my regular Brother and my Serger LOL ... those have my imprint on them and I can just GO LOL....

Thank you so much for allowing me to share...

Thank you Rosy.  He was not even sick ... poor thing ... The vet says he was at his term of life ... he was my feisty little thief .. he used to steal Chiquitita's treats no matter where she hid them ... they were my two favorites ... and now they are both gone ...

So that explains why you look so fabulous 'All The Time.'  I always wanted to learn to quilt...maybe one day.

Quilting is FUN especially when done in group...I need more practice though. .... what I REALLY want to learn and do... I just have the simple basics but never got the whole gist of it is to make molas ... Molas are made hand overlaying different pieces of fabric ... and awesome art done by the Kuna Indians in the Archipielago of San Blas in my country of origin.  AWESOME art and clothing... I have shoes and a top that my sister got me that I have to alter to fit my smaller frame but I hate ruining it ... so I am going to wait.  I have awesome wall art in Molas too... here are some samples... I only wish I could do this now LOL

and I WOULD MAKE THIS IF ONLY I COULD ... Oh snap ... maybe if I piece together all the different mola pieces I have from my trips back home and gifts I could come up with a quilted bedspread ... calling home and bugging my little sister for molas right now...

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved Slinky, I feel the sadness of those tears.  You are a passionate person, it comes out in everything you do, and you love deeply and mourn deeply.  You really are such a beautiful soul. 

Wishing you a brighter day.

Thank you Heidi... I am fine really ... and the day is bright and beautiful .. the moment passed quickly... I let  happy memories take place of momentary sadness and my sad moments are over quickly.. I refuse to dwell and wallow ...   I saw Slinky's picture and teared up just when my co-worker trying to be funny got me snotty nose and all LOL ... it was just a moment and I am pretty sure there will be many others  ... Slinky passed on last Thursday suddenly .. one minute he was playing the next he was dead ... I am glad he was a happy and healthy ferret ... who would think 7 years made him old? jeez...

I know those small animals have short life spans, my son had a gerbil that died the very day we moved into my moms house.  It was so sad, I went to move the cage as my son was at his dads during the moving day and the gerbil was gone.  I remember every pet I had that passed.  I don't handle it very well.  I still can't type my dead pets names as it makes me cry.