Category Archives: Self Improvement

What a Difference a Day Makes!

Good evening!

I was on such a high yesterday afternoon! Nothing could stop me! I was the QUEEN OF THE WORLD!!!

Well, it has been about 24 hours later, and I have gotten a blow off of my invincibility pedestal! As you may already know, my sweetie and I are going through the process to have bariatric surgery done; we are both wanting to get the gastric bypass, him in July, and me in August.

Anyway, I got my lab results back this afternoon, and I have to tell you, I am still in a little bit of shock, and not sure what to make of it all.

So, what I found out was:

It looks like I am now going to have a sleep study to see if I have sleep apnea since my overnight oxygen levels dropped to 81%. 90% – 100% is normal. DARN – I was hoping to somehow avoid having to sleep at the hospital while having people watch you!! (Did I mention that I work at the hospital???)

I am pre-diabetic. Hrmph! I honestly didn’t see that coming, but with the diet and exercise I am doing, I am sure that will be manageable, and hopefully after the surgery, a complete non-issue.

And finally, and most shockingly I found out that have hyperthyroidism.

WHAT???? How can that be???

One of the common side effects of hyperthyroidism is unexplained weight loss!

Uhmmm…I WISH!!!

No, I have not experienced that symptom AT ALL!!! The most common symptom that has hit me really hard is anxiety, which I guess is caused by your system running faster than it is supposed to! That would also explain the racing heartbeat, flushed face, and overall distaste for any heat of any kind (because my body is already running a little hot).

Yes, I said it – “I’m HOT!”

Not to mention moodiness, inability to sleep, and my hair falling out! LOVELY! (Sarcasm!)

So, as I deal with the fact that I am getting older, whether I like it or not, and the fact that I knew that if I didn’t take care of my health at some point, I would be taking care of my sickness, like it or not, my sweetie is taking me out to watch a play this evening; A Streetcar Named Desire. I am pretty excited about that, since I have never even seen the movie before, and I hear that this story is a classic!! and having a moment of fun, is just what the doctor ordered!! Thanks love!! 😉

I will keep you posted!!

Here is to a FUN  & PEACEFUL evening!! ;-)

 If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!

Cleaning House!

Good evening!

Things are going pretty-freakin-fabulously here at our place!! Jason and I are both doing really well with our new pre-bariatric surgery clean living diet. All veggies, all the time, lean protein, and 2 servings of fruit, and dairy daily!! I am not sure exactly when it happened, but I have acquired an AMAZING amount of energy, and it has really gotten me motivated to not only continue on with my arting, but get our house back in tip-top shape!!

As I have been busy re-creating myself and having a blast with my newly re-found creative side, for the past 6 months, our house and all of the chores necessary to keep a nice, clean, clutter-free home has really been suffering; and I realized as I had surprise company this past weekend, that the state of my home has really started to bother me. SO, instead of whining and complaining about it, I decided that it was time to take come serious action, and take back control of the chaos that has become our home!!

The action I decided to take was a combination of making a plan, and taking the whole process in baby steps, so I don’t overwhelm myself and just give up for the next 6 months. So what I did was first create a list of all of the household chores that I could think of:

  • Dishes
  • Counter tops
  • Laundry
  • Making the bed
  • Bathrooms
  • Floors
  • Dusting
  • Taking out the garbage
  • Windows
  • Entry way
  • Back patio
  • Bathe the dogs
  • Wash the dog bowls
  • Picking up after ourselves

I then took everything on this list and then assigned a day of the week for each chore, leaving Sunday open to just relax.

Next I decided to take it a step further, and made a wish list of chores I wish would get done around here like:

  • Vacuuming the vent covers
  • Vacuuming the refrigerator coils
  • Cleaning under the fridge
  • Cleaning under the stove
  • Wash the Car
  • Detailing the car
  • Pressure washing the window blinds
  • Cleaning the oven
  • Cleaning the barbecue
  • Shampooing the carpets
  • Cleaning out the dryer vents
  • Organizing the coat closet
  • Organizing the game closet
  • Organizing the Linen closet
  • Organizing the laundry room
  • Organizing the art studio
  • Organizing the walk-in closet
  • Organizing Jason’s closet

I then decided how often I wanted these tasks done; monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. Next I wrote on a paper the months of the year, and took each task and assigned it a month in which it would get done in.

Then I thought about all the tasks around the house that have to get done, but are one-time things that may not actually need to be scheduled on an ongoing basis. I decided to make a list of these things too:

  • Replace the broken linen closet door
  • Paint and install the baseboards
  • Install hardwood floors throughout 1st floor
  • Paint the front door
  • Paint the garage door
  • Paint the laundry room
  • Rebuild shelving in the laundry room
  • Reupholstering the 2 chairs and ottoman in the garage
  • Refinish the coffee table in the garage
  • Refinish the antique dresser in the garage
  • Get rid of the miscellaneous cabinets from the garage
  • Replace window in art studio with a noise barrier window

I then made this my “Honey-Do” list and my sweetie and I have agreed to work on tackling each one of these items, one-at-a-time during our Saturdays, so that went on the chore chart calendar as well. I am not sure if we are going to spend time every Saturday doing these things, or every other Saturday. The good thing about this entire chore chart is that it is not set in stone, and we can change whatever we want!!

I have to admit that now the chore chart is ready to go, it is pretty large and a little daunting at first glance, but Jason and I did our list of chores for this evening, and it took us about 1/2 an hour, and the house already looks great!! WHEW! What a great feeling!!

Anyway, I am off to go do some arting homework, while my sweetie gets some game time in this evening, and then we are off for our evening walk!! Life really is good!!

Here is to a FABULOUS evening!! ;-)

 If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!

Mid-Week Update!

Good evening!

This is going to be a short post, someone has got a lot of homework that she is wanting to get done this evening! Yes, I am talking about myself in the third person, you will have to forgive me – I have a lot going on at the moment! 😉

Anyway, yesterday was the first day of Brave Girls’ Soul Restoration II class. If you remember, I had just finished doing the Soul Restoration I class last week, and I have been impatiently waiting for this second class to start. Well, it has, and the homework for this week has me delving deep into who I am and what I want! Even though I have done this kind of work in the past, I can tell that this time is gonna be different! I am not sure if it is because Melody Ross, our fearless leader,  is so amazing, or if it is because I am pairing this soul-work with creating art, or if it is because I am really truly ready for this!! Who cares? I am ready, and I am so excited to see what the next few months brings!! and of course,my lovelies, I will keep you all posted!!

Here is to a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

 

 

If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!

Playing in the Art Studio!

Good evening!

I have spent a good portion of my day today playing in my art studio, and wanted to share the two pieces that I have created today!

I am still trying to discover “my style”, and I am busy practicing drawing faces, and hair, and who am I kidding, just drawing in general! 🙂 I am really having so much fun arting! mixed media just seems to be something that feeds my need for various techniques, mediums, and textures! I really am loving it!!

As for these two pieces, they were made using old book pages, tissue paper, ink, stamps, acrylic paints, gel medium, and lots of found items to make all of the different textures on the page, not to mention an ink pen – because I really LOVE adding my own little doodles to each piece!!

Talking about doodling, I am finding that doodling is really good for me! It keeps the creativity muscles warm! Doodling is almost zen-like as I get still, slip into quiet mode, only focus on me and my pen, as I let my mind wander. It really is such a sweet place for me!! I really want to make sure that I incorporate doodling into every one of my pieces!

So, anyway, as always, I would love to hear your thoughts! 🙂

Here’s to a FABULOUS evening!

If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!

Finding My Creative Stride!

Good evening!

I have been busy in my art studio, practicing various mixed media techniques, trying to figure out what my art style looks like. I am very happy to be sharing with you my latest two pieces.

Art #1:

I love incorporating positive thoughts into my pieces. I feel like in some small way, I am able to help encourage other women, possibly, just like myself.

There is something in the way that these womens’ eyes have turned out, thoughtful, withholding some secret, and just a hint of sadness. I didn’t realize that would show up in these paintings.

Art #2:

I just LOVE the texture that the joint compound created when I used it with my doily stencil.

This is a thought that I am learning is really true. Miracles really do happen everyday!

Both of these pieces were adapted from a couple of doodles that I had drawn a few weeks ago. I was playing with the idea of learning how to draw women’s faces. I figured if I could doodle it small, maybe I can doodle it larger as well. They turned out just like my doodles! I used book pages, acrylic paints, markers, stamps, ink, joint compound, gel medium, and a stampinella, and doily stencil to accomplish both of these pieces. I also incorporated a lot of smaller doodles in these pieces. I am finding that doodling has really helped me stay loose, and relaxed when trying to come up with something to fill my blank white canvas.

Well, I hope you enjoyed these two pieces, I know I have really enjoyed creating these and hope to have a lot of art studio time in the next few days to create some more! I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section. 😉

Here’s to a FABULOUS evening!

If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently

My Blue Phase!

Good evening!

This is going to be a short post, I am busy happily spending time visiting with my sister while her and her husband are up for the week! In the meantime, I wanted to make sure that I shared with you one of my most recently finished art pieces.

This was made using ink, stamps, join compound, gel medium, tissue paper, ink pen, and acrylic paints.

This piece is my first steps into the world of mixed media and various texture techniques. I think for my first piece this turned out pretty well. I am happy with how it turned out, and I can’t wait to see how my next textural piece turns out. I will make sure to share pics!! 😉

Here’s to a FABULOUS evening!

If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently

Back in the Art Studio!

Good evening!

I have been busily and happily arting away in my little art studio, and am very happy to finally be able to share something that I have finished with you! 😉

This piece is made on a square of plywood, my sweetie cut for me, and the materials I used were: acrylic paints, tissue paper, stamps, ink, gel medium, and fine tip marker.

This saying is something that I have been really focusing on while taking my Brave Girls Club class, “The real you is still in there you just need to give yourself permission to come out and play”. It is something that I really needed to hear, and something that I have always known, but had somehow forgotten along the way. It was a message that I am so thankful that I have stumbled upon again, and am actively working on putting it to good use in my life!

This piece came about because I wanted to paint something happy! I also wanted to play with some new techniques I have been learning, and one of those that I am really, very glad with the way that it turned out, and that is the little doodles that are all over the piece. I think the doodling really adds a little more of me into my art.

I actually started this piece over many times, remembering that I could always change something that I didn’t like about it at any given time. This was something really hard for me to do, because I am such a perfectionist and always want to have everything done perfectly the first time. I think, in doing that, this piece has really helped me give myself permission to love the imperfections that may come out, they may add so much interest that they become your favorite parts!

After this piece was finished, I was so excited about it, I put my bravery muscles on and took it to display at work, and I am so glad I did! It is really exciting to look up from a very technical job, and see something that you were able to come up with in a 100% creative way!

Life is good!!

I would love to hear your thoughts about this in the comments section! I am hoping to have more to share in the next few days!

Here’s to a FABULOUS evening!

If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently

Coming Up For Air!

Good Evening!

Queen Christina here! Yes, proudly wearing my royal crown this evening!! Having a great evening, finally getting my peppy-self back to living again!!!! I wanted to make sure to check in this evening! After being down sick for the past two weeks, I am still not 100%, but I am back up and running! and REALLY READY to get back to BLISS!! 😉

As many of you may know, I love sharing everything that is going on in my world, which I realize might seem contradictory since I have been posting very sporadically lately, but I do have a reason! You see, besides being sick for the past 2 weeks, I have been doing something REALLY EXCITING!!! For the past 5 weeks I have been taking the Brave Girls’ Club Soul Restoration class online. This amazing class has forced me to delve into the inner workings of my soul and, through arting, discover more about myself  than I ever thought possible. Truly!

If you have never hear of the Brave Girls Club, or the Soul Restoration I Class, I highly recommend popping over to the Brave Girls’ site and checking them out!!! Better yet, pinch your pennies together and sign up for their next available class ASAP!!! I have been ah-ha-ing every step of the way, through every tutorial, every lesson, every homework assignment. I honestly feel AMAZINGLY BLESSED to have found this class when I did! I am so enamored with the whole process, Melody Ross (our lovely and fearless leader), and the entire Brave Girls Club team, that I have already signed up for part two of the class, which starts in April!! YEAH BRAVE GIRLS!!! 😉

The art I have been busily creating for the past few weeks, unfortunately, is not shareable! Because these pieces are so powerful, and yet so personal, I had made the decision that these pieces would be just for my eye eyes only. That way, I can completely take the fear factor out of arting, and just create what is truly going on inside of my soul. The good news, however, is that in the simple act of just creating without fear of judgement, I find that I am growing braver, and am inspired to start arting again to share with the blogging world.

In all of this, I am not sure where I am going to end up, but right now, I just want to be happy, and free, and arting has really opened that door for me, which I am soooo thankful for!! So, although I have nothing I can share this evening, I am happily, and busily spending time watching tutorials, trying new things, and hopefully within the next couple of days, I will have some new to share with you!! 😉

I truly can’t wait!! 😉

So, without further ado, I am going to get back into my art studio, and get to creating!! I can’t wait to talk to you again soon!!

Here is to a FABULOUS evening! 😉

 

 

“If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!”

It’s Official I’m a Techie Geek!

Good evening!

Tonight I am posting from my very new gadget – my new iPad!!!! Whoo! Hoo!! Ok, so I realize that this officially confirms that I am a total techie geek, but now that I have said it out loud, is that really so bad????

I’ve just now decided that I am ok with all that! 😉

Being comfortable with who I am is something that I have been learning to come to terms with, and the reality is, is that I am a bit of a techie geek! I love getting anything that helps me organize this crazy, zany, sometimes insanely busy life of mine. I also love if these pieces of technology just happen to look fabulously sleek, are easy to use, and they also have the ability to entertain the masses, ok just me and my family, then, well let’s just say it’s perfection!!!!

With that said, I have a lot left to get done this evening before I am able to go to bed, so…

Here’s to a FABULOUS evening!

~ Christina 😉

“If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!”

Chunky Dunker’s Night!

Good evening!

I can’t believe that it has been a week since I last posted! I have been happily busy with a new online class that I have been taking for the past couple of weeks, but more on that with a different post. Tonight it is time for Chunky Dunker’s again! WHOO! HOO!!! ;-)

Chunky Dunkers is a group of friends who get together every week to cheer each other on as we all work towards our own personal health and fitness goals. Some of us want to lose weight, some want to become more flexible, some of us would love to be able to run a mile, and some of us would just be happy if we could just reach our long-lost toes!! ;-)

The name Chunky Dunker’s came from my sweetie and my two youngest sisters joking that we don’t skinny dip, we chunky dunk, and after all of the laughter finally died down, we realized that that would be the perfect name for our newly created support group!! We have been going for about 8 months now (if not longer), and it is still a group that I get excited about meeting with every week.

I try to post the Chunky Dunker’s post every Wednesday evening between 7 and 7:30, Pacific Coast time, and after I post, we “meet” in the comments section of this post where we can all share hints, tips, ideas, recipes, and encourage each other to keep on keepin’ on!

If you would like to join us, please feel free to do so by speaking up in the comments section, or feel free to be an anonymous reader – that is alright with us too!!

So, without further ado…

Tonight’s topic: Consistency!

I am always talking about taking baby steps to get from where we are to where we want to be, and baby steps is something that is very easy to do, however baby steps is not always enough! Consistency is something that, when paired with baby steps, can really move mountains! or so I am told! 😉

Baby steps are easy, but doing them with any kind of consistency is something that I really struggle with. I have a whole list of things I know I should be doing, all sorts of baby steps, but I have every kind of excuse under the sun to get myself out of doing most of them.

Is that just me? What are some healthy things that you know you should be doing, but you can talk yourself out of doing? Here are a few of mine:

  1. Eating healthy
  2. Exercising
  3. Meditating
  4. Taking stress breaks while working
  5. Taking multivitamins
  6. Flossing
  7. Stretching
  8. Getting to my doctor when I need to
  9. Avoiding the candy bowl at work
  10. Taking vacation days – ok, so that one I am pretty good at being consistent with!! 😉

Hmmmm…I wonder what would happen if I were to be more consistent with some of these? What would happen if i were more consistent with all of these?

Here’s to a week of baby steps AND consistency!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉