Knit Fish Cloths

New items in my shop!

These are the perfect size for little hands to use! Have fun in the bath with these cute fishy shaped washcloths. They measure 5"x3.5" and are made from 100% cotton yarn.

Tropical Sea

Green Stripe

Rainbow Pastel

Goldfish

Fitness Friday Update!

It's been awhile since I've written an update.

I'm still going strong although the weightloss has slowed down quite a bit. I'm sure it's because I'm at the end of the line. 8 more pounds and I will have reached my goal! I've lost 3 inches off of my middle and hips, and several inches off my bust and thighs. Most of the weight still wants to hang around my middle. That might be because my muscles were stretched out from having my children. Who knows!

I've been doing great with my exercising. I'm walking every weekday morning with a friend. It has been in the 20's this week but we are still bundling up and getting out! It's not only good for our bodies but also for our minds and spirits. Then 2 days a week we also go to a gym and work out with a friend who is a personal trainer, and 1 day a week we do water aerobics. I think the water aerobics is my favorite.

Getting out and doing these things with a friend has really helped me step up and keep going. I lose interest with the same old thing over and over again. I also really enjoy being around other people. I never thought I would but surprisingly I do!

So, my next goal is to drop 5 pounds in the next couple weeks. I'm sure it'll be tough with the winter upon us but I know I can do it! I'll report in again in a couple weeks! :)

Unplugged Challenge: November/December 2012

I hope you've decided to join me in Unplugging! 

For the rest of November I'll be unplugged Thursday (29th) and Friday (30th). The only reason I'll get online is to check my email for business purposes. If you see me posting anywhere it is because I have scheduled them.

During December I'll be unplugging on Wednesdays plus a few extra days for the holidays. I hope you can join me! If not, pick a day (or even a half day) that works for you!

• Wednesday, December 5
• Wednesday, December 12
• Wednesday, December 19
• Monday, December 24
• Tuesday, December 25
• Wednesday, December 26

Not sure about 'unplugging'? Read about it: HERE! 

Unplugged Challenge

It's back!!! Are YOU up for the challenge???

Have you ever thought about unplugging.. turning off your computer, TV, and cell phone..just for a day? Did you ever wonder if you could survive without those things? Do you even remember when no one had them and what they did all day without them? 

I have wanted to challenge myself to unplug for awhile now but I keep putting it off for another day (or week). I stay home and I get so fed up with myself when I realize all my time has been sucked away. I've considered completely doing away with my facebook page for that very reason but I don't think I could do that! And I wonder if I could really survive without checking my email or updating facebook or vegging out in front of the TV or texting just for a day and I wonder how much I could accomplish for that day. Well, I'm about to find out!

And, I challenge you... to join me in unplugging one day a week! 

Leave the computer off, those emails can wait & if someone really needs you then they can pick up the phone. Turn off the TV, give yourself a little media & commercial break. Don't check your cell phone, turn it off all together or mute it. If you only have a cell phone & not a land line then turn off the bells and whistles that alert you to texts and emails. Resist the urge to check your phone for those texts & emails. *Work and school will be the only reasons to use the computer.

I will post a schedule every month for the days each week that I'll be unplugging. You are welcome to unplug on those days too or pick days that you would prefer. 

So what are you going to do on the days you unplug? 

Here are some suggestions (if you have anymore, let me know and I'll add them to the list)…

• Read a book (when was the last time you read a book? Went to the library? 10 days? 10 months? 10 years? Did you even know they still have library's?)
• If reading isn't your 'thing' then listen to a book on tape/CD (you can check those out at the library too!)
• Work on a craft/sewing project/quilt/crochet/knit/scrapbook/woodwork/etc.
• Do your chores (is the laundry still sitting on your bed folded or unfolded? Then go finish it...)
• Take a walk (if it's cold then put on a coat!) or go play in the snow or ride a bike...
• Play a game (card game/board game/peek-a-boo with the baby/etc.)
• Write a letter (you mean people still do things like that?)
• Start or write in a journal (see note above)
• Is there a subject that interests you? (ancient religions/biology/astrology) Now would be a good time to study it.
• Take up a new hobby (photography/embroidery/model car building)
• Plan and create an elaborate dinner for you and your hunny and eat by candle light, after you put the kiddos to bed… who knows where it could lead and what special tradition you might start by taking the extra time to plan a date like this. ;)
• Pamper yourself (do your nails/hair/make-up just for the heck of it)

Get creative!

So there you have it! Do you think you can handle it? I hope so!

Link up and spread the Unplugged Challenge!

Grab the Button!

Wanna read about what I accomplished on the days I unplugged? Great! Links are below!

Coming soon! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Move Over!

I'm not sure you can tell what the black fur balls are here- the big one is obviously the cat, Meowie, who has taken over Bella's bed. Bella is the small fur ball on top side. I just love this photo! :)

P2RL: Slime

Pinterest to Real Life: Slime

A while ago, my boys and I were getting a little bored with playdough, so I thought I'd look up something new and fun to do. What I found was Slime! This is such an easy project to create and it leaves you with hours of fun play time! 

I used equal parts glue and liquid starch. I only had the white glue on hand but you can also use the clear kind for a different look. It's also really fun to add some food coloring to the glue before mixing it with the starch (I did the other way around and it didn't mix as well). After the color and glue is mixed, stir in the starch, the whole thing will begin to solidify, and you can then take it out and work it with your hands. We had it on the cookie sheet at first while we worked in the rest of the starch to contain the mess but once it was mixed in then we could just put it right on the table with little mess. For storage, we put it in a plastic baggie, squeezed out the air, and put it in the frig. I have no idea if keeping it cold helped extend the life but after awhile the slime picked up bits and pieces of yuck and I tossed it out. So now we need to start all over... maybe with a different color! :)

At first Jameson did not want anything to do with it! He didn't like the texture but once he saw his older brother playing with it then he had to do it too!! There have been many a happy hour with the slime in our house (read: the kids were busy so mom could get something done)!

Closing Up Shop

Sometimes things just don't work out and it's best to let them go. You know?

I've decided to shut down my main Heather's Green Home Goods website. The URL will point to my blog instead. I'll be keeping the name, used as an umbrella term, and keeping the facebook page. The website became a real headache and source of stress to try to manage. Driving traffic to it was also not really working out well. So, I decided to just push that off my plate and stick to Etsy. :)

And right on the heels of that decision I decided I needed to close up shop at Heather's Custom Sewing. It's sad to see this shop go! It was my first online selling site and I've run it since June 2008. However, my life has turned in a different direction entirely from where I started! I enjoy sewing aprons, tote bags, etc but doing so has just taken up too much of my time lately. I really want to put all my focus into my green cleaning shop and my cloth diaper shop.

Micromops and Hen and Chick Cloth are staying right where they are on Etsy and hopefully we will see some growth from them in the coming months. I have new items I'd like to add and a few new products I'd like to develop. Keep an eye out for what's new!

Heather's Custom Sewing will be shut down at the end of this year, 2012. Everything in the shop is currently $5.00 and under. I would LOVE for these products to go to a good home for the holiday season (and I would love the extra space in my sewing room)!

Oh and use coupon code BLOG15 for an extra 15% off your purchase!

Happy Shopping!!!

Vacation!

Hi Friends!

Things just seem a bit overwhelming sometimes. The best thing I can do for my family and myself is to take a few things off the burner.

I've put all of my Etsy shops on vacation and have deactivated my facebook account. I'm thinking (hoping) that this will just be for today and the rest of this weekend. I will probably open everything back up Sunday night after the boys are off to bed.

So until then, have a great weekend!

~Heather

An update for you all!

Hi Friends! I apologize for not keeping up with the blogging like I used to. Things have been so busy! I thought I'd take a few minutes and give you a little update today though. :)

Business

My sewing business is constantly changing and evolving. I recently decided to close down my website. It wasn't successful and was just sucking out all the joy (and my extra time) trying to keep up with it. All of my items are still for sale on Etsy, I still have the same facebook page, and I ended up pointing my domain to this blog just to make things easier. I also moved my Project List back to my blog for ease of use. You can now find it under the Custom Order page up top. I'm still working on updating the rest of my links!

As far as the sewing side goes… well as you can see below… all of my work baskets are stuffed full of pending items for me to work on! Some of them are personal projects but most of them are things for my shops. Of course, if a custom order comes it, I work on it before my other items. I'm keeping as busy as I can!

Family

Everything is running fairly smoothly with my boys. We've had a few bumps along the way but we are still managing pretty well with dad's deployment. My husband has been gone roughly 4.5 months now and we still have quite a while until he comes home. We speak time him weekly via webcam and I talk to him pretty frequently on facebook and through emails. It's good to hear from him but I wish he could come home!

We also have a new fur-baby, Bella. She is a 10 week old yorkie. My husband surprised us with her last weekend! How did he do that? Well, he saw a photo of the new puppies on a friends facebook page and via private messages was able to get her for me. One of his state side bosses drove her the 2 hours to deliver her. My boys and I love her so much! Here she is all ready for Halloween!

Home

With everything going on (and with a new puppy too) I always feel like something would need to be put on the back burner. I try to do it all and I'm still realizing that I can't. Sometimes my house doesn't get cleaned, sure we pick up the toys and stray items, but dusting and vacuuming doesn't always happen. It really drives me nuts but I have to put my blinders on sometimes. I try to cook frequently too. I've taken to freezing about half of what I make because it makes it so much easier on me. I enjoy cooking but I don't always have time or energy! So while my house may not be the best it's still home to us!

Self

Last but not least, I've been trying to put some focus on myself. I try to take a walk every day so I can get some exercise. I cut back on training for a 5-k and trying to loose a bunch of weight. Weight loss has slowed but not stopped! I'm down 20 pounds, with 15 more to go. I'm happy with my progress so far. I also try to put on nice clothes and make-up because it makes me feel better. And I try to do something just for me every day.

With me being a 'single' mom it can be tough. The dynamics to my single parenting and running a home-based business are different then a truly single person. I'm still married by my other half is on the other side of the world fighting in a war no one really even cares or thinks about anymore. It can make for some long days of worrying. Journaling helps, as does just trying to take things a day (or minute/second) at a time!

Until next time… have a great day!

~Heather

Wordless Wednesday: Our new 'baby'!

Meet Bella! She is the newest addition to our family. Bella is a 9 week old Yorkie puppy. My hands have been full but now they are even fuller!

Tutorial Tuesday: Book Binding

Since switching my blog over all of my links are needing fixed. I'm slowly working on it and hope to get it done soon! In the mean time here are some of my past posts about book binding! :)

Creating the Pages

Creating the Cover

Putting It All Together

Jean Journal Cover

Sewing Saturday: Handmade Clothes

My wardrobe has been lacking lately. The majority of my clothes are in such poor shape, don't fit, or ones that I no longer love. I've been wanting to get myself some new clothing as part of my weight loss. I just haven't found the time to make it to the stores though! But I'm not stressing over it.  I prefer the higher quality, better fitting look of handmade clothing so it was a no brainer to decide to make my own clothes. I took a few minutes here or there to shop for patterns online and I've taken an extra half hour after grocery shopping on 2 separate occasions to pick up some pretty fabric. Although, it will take me longer to make the clothes then it would to just go buy ready made items, I do enjoy the process a lot more then shopping.

So far I've made a black and white polka dot knit dress (not shown), black knit pants (not shown), gray knit pants, and a cream and violet floral top. I have plans to make several more tops for the cold season, a coat, and pajama set. I better get to it if I want to get everything done!



Fitness Friday: Progress Report

It's been awhile since I've written a progress report. I seem to be going at an ever slowing snails pace. Well, I shouldn't really say that because I have made a lot of progress! In the roughly 4 months I've been at this I have dropped 20 pounds. The last 10 pounds to come off will be tough, I'm sure. The end is always the hardest!

It's been a long 4 months. With my husband deployed, running a small business, and loosing my childcare, I've had to let some of my fitness goals slide. I've not lost the weight as quickly as I'd hoped but it is still coming off. I'm no longer training for a 5k, although I would some day like to. I mostly just try to get my toddler in his stroller in the morning and walk/jog a 2.5 mile route. I no longer find the time to do any strength training or toning or yoga.  Someday I will though. :)

Shop Sunday: Hillbilly Handiworks

*It's been awhile since I had a Shop of the Week. This is the time of the week where I introduce you to new shops around the internet or let you in on a deal or sale going on. So shop on!

Hillbilly, aka Tonya, aka my sister, is the author of the blog Hillbilly Handiworks. She is a super busy woman... maybe even super woman! :) She stays home, homeschools her kids, runs an online fabric shop, and sews whenever she can. Tonya has lovely fabric for sale on her blog! She has a $4 a yard sale going on right now as well as a 99 cent fat quarter sale.

Tonya has been going through some tough times with her husband. He's been ill for a couple of weeks and had to recently be taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed with ketoacidosis, a dangerious diabetic condition. He will also be having his gallblader removed tomorrow (Monday) sometime. You can read more about it directly on Tonya's blog, here.

Prayers for Jerry, Tonya, and their family will be greatly appreciated right now!

Wordless Wednesday: Home Canned Carrots

Here is a finished 'project' from Monday!

Want to learn how to can your own carrots?

I've got a tutorial for that right HERE! :)

Facelift!

My blog has got quite the facelift today. If you can, pop it out of your reader & take a look! I would also like to mention that the blog name and web address has changed! You can now find us at www.heathersgreenhomegoods.blogspot.com

Bookmark us because I've got some great posts planned for the future! :)

~Heather

Changes!

Sorry for being so quite in the blogging world lately! My business and everything involved with that (email, websites, etc) is evolving. My blog will be evolving too. The name will be changing but the author (me) will still be the same! It's tons of work but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I will update you hopefully soon! Stay tuned. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Another Finished Item!!

Back to School!

I can't believe it's already school time again. The summers seem so much shorter then they used to be. My older son, Ian, started 4th grade this year and my younger son, Jameson, is going to part-time preschool. I took them out for a couple of photo memory shots last Wednesday 8/15/12. They sure are growing!

Wordless Wednesday: I finished something!

A New Purse

In my 'spare' time... aka: when I don't feel like working... I like to crochet a bit. I just can't seem to help from creating things even in my free time. lol

I was reading a fun blog and came across this great pattern for a crocheted purse. I just had to make it! Here is my version... I changed the leaves and added a butterfly to both sides. I had lots of fun making this and who knows I might just make myself another one in fall colors! :)

Pinterest to Real Life: Tape Road

There are some really great ideas on Pinterest. I try to not spend too much time on there because it's a time hog! But I couldn't resist doing this little activity with my boys. You can be all fancy and use black and yellow electrical tape but all I had on hand was masking tape and a black marker. I taped up the whole house... the road went into every room, around into the kitchen, living room, sewing room, etc. It was a full circle when it was finished but with lots of twists and turns and long stretches. This provided HOURS of fun and I left it down for about a week before it got too dirty and ripped up in spots. This is on my list of 'must do again someday'. :)

 

Sewing Room Facelift

My sewing room got another facelift this past week. This is next to the last thing that needed to done before I can officially call my sewing room make over 'complete'. I love the progress that has been made and I finally feel like this is 'it'!

Here is a before photo of the wall and counter top...

Here is a during photo of the wall...

And here is and after photo of the wall and countertop...

I love everything! The countertop actually got 2 cord cut outs, one on each side of the window. And the wall shelves have really opened up so much more room. I've got my mail station and all my reference books and notebooks right at hand. My yarn, which isn't used as frequently, is nicely organized and visually appealing. And I've got lots of lovely microfiber right at hand to work with! I love it! I don't think I can say that enough. :)