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Update on Weight Loss & Core Plan
- 8/31/2008
Just a quick note for anyone who is keeping up -
I lost 3.8 lbs my first week on the core plan with Weight Watchers.
I feel awesome & so energized in my losing efforts. I hope all of you who are on the weight loss journey can find something to help you get excited about it again too!Labels: Weight Loss and Fitness
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The 5 Minute Face
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This is a great book for anyone who is A. clueless about applying makeup or B. wants to simplify & streamline their routine. The main looks is great to pull you together for most days & there are a few ones that go beyond that for special occasions. It was a quick read with nice full color photos. I really enjoyed it. It wasn't too wordy while still gettig its point across. And, I can't wait to try out her highlighter tip! I can't wait to highlight my eyes in such a subtle way. Labels: Beauty and Makeup, Books, Shopping and Fashion
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The Switch to the Core Plan on Weight Watchers
- 8/26/2008
 The honeymoon was really over with the Flex plan at Weight Watchers. I could not stick to my points allowance if you held a gun to my head. I was constantly over on points & felt pretty deprived even though I was allowed to eat whatever I wanted - just not how much I wanted.
So, to force me to be a healthier eater & to spark that shiny new feeling you get changing it up, I switched to the Core plan.
You are allowed to eat as much as you want from an approved list of food - checking for fullness cues, of course, so as to not overeat. (And it helps that the foods on the list aren't trigger foods.) You also still get the 35 points allowance per week, allowing you to still indulge a bit.
So far I like it. It is forcing me to be a more healthy eater which automatically makes me feel physically better. And it's nice to know I can still eat sweets.
It does take a lot of forthought and preperation & I can't go through the drive-through willy-nilly anymore. But I'm feeling really good. I weighed myself last night & I am back to my previous lowest weight from about 2 years ago - pre-Weight Watchers.
So, here's a photo of me yesterday. This is how I'm lookin' and I'm feelin' great!
*Those are gorgeous Italian heels with rabbit fur on the toes. Major date night shoes! Labels: Weight Loss and Fitness
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Favorite Quotes from Only Forward
- 8/23/2008
I recently finished this paperback. I loved it & couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. I have several favorite quotes that I would like to share: "I was not going to sleep tonight. Someone had to watch over Alkland, and wake him from such dreams as might come. Someone had to play the hero, had to know that little bit more, had to be that tiny step ahead that keeps the story moving. And always, in my life, that someone is me. I'd like to sleep sometimes, watched over. I'd like to feel taht someone guards my dreams and is there ready to touch my hand and help me. I'd like to be the one who reaches out to be comforted, to be loved, the child stretching for the embrace of a sun it knows will be forever warm. But it can't be like that. Why? You'll see perhaps. If it's relevant." "The more you get to know someone, the more there is to dislike. If you get to know them well enough, you hate them." "When you're a child, the world forbears you, allows you your flights of imagination, your feelings of specialness. But sooner or later the privileges are withdrawn, and all you're left with is a stunned bitterness at the realization that you're just the same as everybody else." Yes, I tend to be a cynic. It's true. Labels: Books
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Acessorizing with Scarves
- 8/21/2008
 I am finding that when I wear a scarf out for the day, it has a life of its own. It wanders around and becomes many different forms throughout the day. Today I am wearing an Adrienne Landau that I fell in love with at Marshalls, on clearance, of course. It is the most gorgeous mix of red, purply-fuschia, black & white. Such a stunning design!
Anyway, when I put it on this morning, I just draped it over my neck & since then I have been re-arranging it to suit my mood. Scarves are wonderful for just that reason.
The second photo is right before I took lunch. I had turned the scarf backwards and slung it over the shoulders. But then I had the brilliant idea to pull the ends back through creating kind of an ascot or tie type of look. I think I quite like it.
What are your thoughts on scarves? Are they only for older women? Or are they in fact hip & new?
I sometimes feel like I'm dressing much older when I wear them. Or am I dressing more sophisticated?
How do you feel about wearing scarves?
Labels: Shopping and Fashion
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The Lean Closet
- 8/12/2008
 I recently purged all the superfluous bits from my closet.
See, I've been accumulating many items that aren't really "me" per se. I would pick them up at the thrift to sell on ebay & then I would think, "Hey, I might be able to work that in" or "I'll try that on for size". However, many of these pieces felt more costumey to me than "real". Kind of like I was trying too hard to be unique.
There are also ones I've picked up at such a steep discount at say, TJMaxx, that I couldn't pass up. For instance, a bright orange Jil Sander tank top. Interesting concept, this. It doubles over on itself. But, every time it was up next in the closet I gave an inward groan. "Not this one again. Now I've got to find an even newer way to wear it since it's such an obvious piece." I have a thing about never looking like I'm wearing the same outfit twice. So, there you go, exhausting!
So, I purged. About a third of my shirts went plus some pants & shoes. So much of the chaotic color that was there is now gone. It will all be on ebay soon, I swear.
 Now that I look at my wardrobe I notice classic pieces & the ones that are tried & true, comfortable & attractive. Moving forward, I would like to try to continue the focus on quality, classic pieces that I can change up with accessories. Scarves especially - love them!
OK, and I'll be adding a few DIY bits along the way to quirk it up a bit. You know me & new hobbies - gung ho!
I've added a couple photos of recent outfits. The one at top is an example of a very simple outfit - classic in shape & tonal in color. The one to the right here is really just showing that sometimes a dress & cute shoes is all it takes to be simple & stylish.Labels: Shopping and Fashion
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Virtual Garage Sale! Part 1
- 8/10/2008
 Hey all!
I'm listing like you wouldn't believe today. I'm calling it my virtual garage sale, part 1. Click here for deals!
I've got Pucci, Versace, DKNY, Micheal Kors, BCBG and more. All starting at either $0.50 or $0.99 with no reserve. Okay, the Pucci & Versace are a little more than that, starting at $10 & $4 respectively.
See, I'm trying to clear out my store so I don't have to be a slave to it anymore LOL. Part 2 will be coming down the pipeline soon. I cleaned out my own personal closet. I took out about a third of my shirts and then some. I can't wait to get it up there for you all. It may take a bit since I've got to get photos taken plus do all the listings.  So, at best Part 2 could be coming next weekend. But first, I've got to get through this batch. Photos shown are the Pucci top (upper right) and the Versace sweater (lower right). Feel free to check it out here!Labels: MissAmy's Shop
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What to Do, cont...
- 8/07/2008
I've thought about it some more.
I am going to sell off the store stock like I meant to a while back. I'll still have an occasional listing but get rid of the ebay store. But I will continue to shop in the thrift to get my shopping fix inexpensively. Anyway, stay tuned for lots of auctions. You'll probably be able to snag some great deals!
I do want to focus on improving my web design skills. So, I've come up with an idea. I'm hoping if I put this out there, I will stick to it:
I propose to create a new faux website mockup once a week. I will rely on istock.com's free photo of the week for inspiration. I've always done well if I have a structure, like weekly assignments. I'm hoping this will push me to do better each week. I intend to display my results on this site, so stay tuned for some fresh design coming your way!
Other than that I intend to get out there & meet other business owners, attend networking events, etc... This one is really hard for me as I am a total homebody with zero social skills. LOL.
Any time I have left once I get home at night will be: excercise (20 min video), keep up with keeping the kitchen clean (a huge bad habit I have is leaving it as is & dealing with it on the weekends), gardening, sewing, reading & movies. In about that order.
I've been finding lately, since we got our wonderful dog Dante, that it's easier for me to just enjoy & go with the flow. Anytime he wants to go outside we'll go out & throw his ball around. It's nice to be able to do that & just enjoy our time. I want to do this more & not be on a constant schedule like I tend to do.Labels: Life
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The Weight Wars
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 I weighed in today at Weight Watchers knowing full well that I have been horrible with my eating all week. I also have not worked out.
Inexplicably, I lost 1 lb. I have no idea how but it definitely motivates me to do better next week.
Besides picking up an excercise DVD that sports 5 20 minute workouts (c'mon, anyone can fit that in), I have also come up with a trick that may help me snack less.
I am not going to eat breakfast right when I get up. I am going to take it to work with me & eat it there. This delays my first meal of the day, so I shouldn't end up being hungry for a snack pre-lunch & I will end up eating my lunch later in the day, leading to, again, less snacking (one hopes).
I'll let you know how it goes. I am now down a total of 23 lbs after over a year of ups & downs. I've included a current photo since I've had so many non-photo posts & I know, text only blogs are boring.Labels: Weight Loss and Fitness
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What to Do, What to Do...
- 8/06/2008
I am going to re-visit a theme I know well. You may have been here with me as well in previous posts.
I feel like I am being pulled in many directions all the time. Unfortunately, I can't blame anyone for this except myself. I'm the one that constantly comes up with more things I could be doing. I'm the one that mans the to-do lists in my head.
It's like I want to accomplish something, in some tiny way be some sort of celebrity. I think I've come to the realization that I need to give that up completely. I just don't have the charisma or the verve to be well-known. Or the energy, frankly. I'm just such a homebody. I isolate myself & that's the way I prefer it. I have spurts of online presence but I can't manage to keep them up.
I decided to make a list of all the things I do (or want to) and decide what I can let go. I feel like much of what I do is spinning my wheels.
OK, here goes:
Web Design (My Job) - obviously necessary & (lucky for me) enjoyable as well. I keep wanting to increase my skillset but contantly get distracted with other things. Maybe I will finally seize the day.
Ebay Store - I'm not sure if I make enough money for this to be worth my time to be honest. I think I will let the store go but keep my eye out for big money-makers when I shop & simply put up a listing once in a while. That gets rid of the store fee & all the time I put into the store - shopping, photographing, listing, sending. It really takes it out of me & I probably only make a few cents per hour. However, it does give me enough money to shop a little more frequently than I would otherwise be able. But, maybe I'll just stick to the thrifts & go less often.
Online presence (blog, flickr, squidoo, social networks) - I'll keep the blog but write in it less & only when I feel an actual need to do so. I love flickr but need to pay in order to have more photos shown - so if I'm not using it to promote anything there's probably no real need to do that. Same with Squidoo - no sense putting out the effort if I'm not promoting anything. Most social networks I can let go. MySpace & Facebook will always be there for me though. They can be good tools to keep up w/ friends & family.
Hobbies (gardening, sewing) - I'll keep up with these. They are relatively inexpensive & if I can manage to grow some of my own veggies it would save me some money. One thing though - if I'm not posting tutorials on crafts & sewing, should I really bother? I'm pretty sure the answer is "yes". It's a great skill to have & just because I'm not promoting myself as a big fashionista doesn't mean I should abandon fashion altogether, am I right?
Health (diet, excercise) - This is the one I need to focus on most right now & seems to be the hardest to focus on. I've been so distracted & stressed by other things. But I need to put my health first & do this for me.
Networking for work - I need to start doing this. I feel it's very important at this point in my career & want to try to do it more.
Fashionista group - I've considered starting a meetup in Naples/Ft. Myers for fashionistas but I'm not sure about it. It sounds like it could be fun - hanging out with other girls who are into fashion - shopping, dining out, seeing movies. But I don't know. It seems like a lot of effort to make new friends with people I don't even know yet. I'll be thinking about this one. It could be fun or it could be a total waste of my time & energy.
This is just me unloading what is in my mind. I tried to make a list last night & decide if I was doing all the things I do for money or for fun & most of them ended in both columns.
I just keep finding myself on this treadmill in my head. I need to get off & realize that I just need to do things that I want to do, not to show everyone else I've done them but because they will enrich my life, even if no one is looking.Labels: Life
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Keep Your White Bright!
- 8/02/2008
I just published a new lens on squidoo about caring for your white clothing. Take a look at the easy ways to keep your whites bright!Labels: Shopping and Fashion
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