The Sewing Mom

People are often surprised to find out my husband is over 50 and I am quickly coming up on the big 5-0. I don’t think either one of us look our age and, having a 12 year old daughter definitely helps keep us young. We have to keep up our energy in order to keep up with her!

For me personally, I try to do a lot of things to keep my mind sharp. I’ve always heard that keeping your mind active helps with your health and keeps you younger. There really are so many things to do, but having a hobby is a huge part of this. My sewing works wonders for me. Not only do I have to do planning, using numbers to calculate fabric quantity and reading of patterns, but I do occasionally take classes to learn new sewing techniques and methods. I even bought a complicated sewing machine that also has computer software. When I use that software to create embroidery designs, I am really working to keep my mind sharp!

I also like to play word games which I do a lot with my daughter. One of our favorite games to play together is Brain Age Academy. She usually is much better at it then me, but I’m always just happy to be successful at the game, even if I’m not the winner.

Physically, now that it’s summer, we work out a lot outside in the yard as well as in the swimming pool. I do have a treadmill too, and it hasn’t collected too much dust lately. My daughter also got me hooked on Dance Dance Revolution which is a fantastic way to keep in shape. I’ve burned a lot of calories, even if I’m laughing the entire time due to my lack of coordination!

Eating healthy also plays a large part in keeping our minds sharp and bodies healthy. I try to make sure that most of our meals are well rounded and balanced with plenty of vitamins. Fruit is pretty prevalent in our house too, there are too many health benefits to mention with fruit, but the natural vitamins you get from eating it are a huge part of why I eat it.

Vitamins such as B12,B6 and Folic acid are known to help keep the mind sharp, and promote energy and stamina. B12 isn’t the easiest vitamin to get and I hate shots, so the thought of receiving vitamin B12 shots is not a pleasant one. Sublingual B12 though, is designed to go under the tongue and directly into the blood stream. A much better, and safe alternative to B-12 shots.

Having a 12 year old means wanting to be around for a very long time. We need to do what we can to stay healthy and energetic. How about you? You can Try Sublingual B-12 from Trivita today.

Tags: sublingual B-12, sublingual B12, Trivita Sublingual B-12

I have been attempting to push myself to tackle this project for almost a week. I continue to find reasons and excuses as to why I don’t have time to do it, but I really need to get it done. You see, my current project is a tote bag. Now, I love to sew, I love to create and I love seeing and sharing the finished product. So, what’s my problem? Well, this particular tote is wanting to be quilted. I am not a quilter. I don’t enjoy quilting, probably because I’m not so good at it. Therein lies the problem.

You see, I’m a perfectionist when it comes to the projects I sew. I try very hard to do things right the first time around, but I certainly and not afraid to rip out a seam if I don’t like the way it turned out (probably why I own 3 different seam rippers). My machine, although it is quite capable of quilting, doesn’t seem to cooperate very well when sewing through thick layers that include batting. I’ve attempted several different machine adjustments and have yet to get it right.

I’ve spent the last few days reading through various sewing manuals that came with my machine, trying to figure out the best settings for this particular project. I’ve attached the machines “walking” foot and now have to figure out how the heck I attach the guide. The guide allows me to not have to mark the fabric with all of those quilting lines. If I can get the gide attached, I only have to mark the first line and then the guide helps me with all of the rest.

So, my tackle for today is to stop making excuses. Stop being afraid of the task at hand. Get in there and Just Do It!

Tags: machine quilting, tackle it Tuesday, walking foot

We moved away from the Midwest because my husband was tired of the snow. Apparently he didn’t realized that we were sort of moving out of the pot and into the fire. No, we don’t have snow here in Texas (although we did receive about 3 inches in January), but we do have frequent severe thunderstorms, hail, and high winds. It can be quite scary sitting in the house listening to the winds howl, wondering if the roof will still be there once the storm moves on.

I find myself not only worrying about the exterior of our home, but I also have to watch out for power surges inside. We have so much electronic gear that if lightening were to strike, we could be out thousands of dollars. Even though most of our electronics are on surge protectors, I don’t take chances. During severe thunderstorms I will shut down all of the computers and unplug them. I also unplug kitchen appliances (the smaller ones sitting on the counter) and, of course, I unplug my sewing machine.

My sewing machine was a huge investment for me and I feel the need to protect it. It doesn’t just sew, it also embroiders. It’s so easy for me to take precautions like unplugging it and I feel confident that it is safe from electrical damage during the storm. I recall when we were buying this house, getting home insurance quotes to make sure everything was covered. If the homeowner’s insurance didn’t cover it, I wouldn’t be able to replace it. It’s very important to know what your insurance covers in your home.

It’s clouding up again outside, I should probably check the weather report to see if anything is headed our way.

Tags: home insurance quotes