In Training :)

Things are finally happening for my Ride to Conquer Cancer, ride.
I have joined up a local (and awesome) riding group (Manor Lakes Cycle Group). Through our pretty wonderful council and the help of the ML-Cycle Group, Wheel Women was able to offer 5 or 6 lessons, ranging from how to change a tire, bike safety to how to ride in a group. All very important things for a future long distance rider to learn. The timing couldn't be better. First lesson was last week and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was advised (as I did already know) to put my seat up higher. It feels weird but I've put it up quite a bit lol.

ML-Cycle Group has regular rides, so hopefully a few more will pop up now that there are 15 odd new people involved in this group through the connection with Wheel Women.
Today I went for a ride with 2 fellow ML-CG's, I ended up cutting my ride shorter(about 4 kms) as it was closer to my house. Had a great time and was glad I kept up pretty well. Was tired towards the end haha.

I haven't been very actively fundraising. I really need to get back out there, see about doing something in the community. Time is flying!
Please consider sponsoring me :) Thank you

Mango and donation!

This smoothie is very similar to the Healthy Dark Chocolate Smoothie, I think I prefer the other one, but this was still pretty nice! The pineapple I had wasn't very sweet, but it did the job. So far I've not made one I hated, and I would have them all again. The only problem is the calories are a bit high, as is the sugar. Being on a calorie restricted diet means I do get a little hungry after these.
I've been going strong since Sunday diet wise! I had one breakout splurge and that was last night. I topped out at 1900 cals. Most other days I've been under 1300cals. I managed to get the the gym Monday for 2 classes. Thursday I slow rode 10kms delivering election material for a friend.
I'm hoping to see a good lose this week.
I also got a donation for my Ride to Conquer Cancer. Very happy!!
45 days until the cruise!!!

Recent Events

Well here I am posting again, almost a record for recent years :D

Call me crazy, but a couple of weeks ago while cheering on my friend Kerry who was completing the 200km 'Ride to Conquer Cancer', I decided to join up! It is a little crazy right? It's a massive challenge, but one I'm excited to partake in. There is a massive fundraising goal of $2500 before I can ride and I have one year to collect that money. If you would like to donate to the cause and help me to get on the road the you can do so HERE. I am so lucky I have my wonderful gym buddies joining me as well as an extended friend group. It's going to be an amazing journey.

I also have to report back, I won the Crafters Cupboard challenge! I'm so excited!! I am totally going to buy some more Jofty Stamps! Love them. Make sure you check out the newest competition over at CC's blog!

Long time no speak

So it seems a really really long time has gone by without a blog post. Where to start?
I was going to come and blog in mid 2012 when I was lucky enough to meet Tim Holtz and do one of his classes here in Australia. I had so much fun and it's something I often look back and smile about. Somehow I never found the time to blog (actually my stupid blogger program stopped working and I HATE using the site to blog).

I posted many a meal here that I ate while doing the CSIRO diet, I ended up going off that, and putting back on most of my weight. Over the last 2 years I've done a mixture of diets/eating styles and am currently doing my own thing, but enjoying recipes from Symply Too Good To Be True (Annette Sym) and also 12WBT, I also get inspiration from Skinny Taste and Slender Kitchen. I am down 56kgs.

Along with the losing weight I've also been getting healthier. I go to the gym most days and even participate in the local Parkrun. I really love the event and I recommend it to everyone! It's a free 5km timed event, and best of all you don't have to run! You can walk, crawl or run :) The kids can be involved and even your dogs!

I haven't been that active in the garden in the last 6-12 months, I had a poor result with my spring plantings last year (due to going away for several weeks at a time in Aug, Sept and Nov), so I ended up with bought seedlings, but then I had friends come and stay for a 'couple of weeks' which turned into 5 months, and somehow routine and things got turned around and I didn't head out to the garden much.

Craft also suffered having people stay, as we only have a small house, I had to pack away my craft table so for about 5 months I didn't get anything done, unless I went away. I'm back on crafting though, and I've been having a lot of fun with that lately. I recently did a "Supplies on Hand" course with May, which I learnt some new things and can't wait to try out.

In January next year I'm heading off with my mother and one of my bestest friends for a craft cruise! We're going on the Voyager of the Seas with Rachel Greig from Darkroom Door! I am so excited I can't wait!!

OK that's enough blathering for me! I will be back soon and post some of what I've been up to. I promise not to be a stranger :D

Renewed faith

I have to say I am glad we went back to Hillston, even though it was for Darren’s funeral. It was lovely to see how the town had supported his family. When we got to town there we got our room and went to get Chinese. When we got to the counter there was a sign saying “Heidi’s freezer is full, please no more food, a tab has been organised at Milne’s (butchers)” When we got out to her place she told us how people had brought over heaps of supplies, one fellow even came out just to chop her wood, another brought a load of wood. The P and C, CWA and CFA all did the catering for the funeral and didn’t charge for it. It reminded me just how awesome a small town is. Fair enough they mightn’t have credit card facilities at 99% of the businesses, but they sure know how to support each other.  

When we left Hillston, I was so angry and even bitter at how we were treated at Cowl Cowl, with what Russel and Jim did, over time I’d really begun to hate Hillston as well. This has renewed my faith in that little town.

Charity Auction

A scrapping friend is having an online Auction, here is the link. Good luck!

Card making madness

As some of you will know there is a card drive for Victorian farmers, which will be given out in Christmas hampers for them to give away to their friends and families when they need a card. I posted it as a topic, so if you want to have a read here it is... Rak Victorian Farmers. The Christmas cards I have made, may go to the actual farmers, or to my friends lol, will have to find out if she needs any Christmas ones ;)

	This is a card for a male, not really happy with it. Just never went the way I wanted lol.
	I like this card. It is cute. Well the stamps are hehe. This is for a child.
	To toot my own horn I really like this card hehe. I think I did a pretty good job :D Again, the stamps are just so cute, how could you not do a good job?
	This card I made after watching a demo at Roz's online SU party. I used 2 new embossing folders, new BG paper and new sentiment stamp that I got from the lovely Ebony. The rose stamp is one I have had for a year or so, love it :)
	This one is similar to the above, but instead of the embossing folder I used a text stamp, which is more like Roz's one. I made 2 like this.
	I like this Christmas card. The photo doesn't show it right, but where the red ends on the left the card itself is finished (the white you see after is the paper I took the photo on). When it opens the green circle stays on the bottom. I used my new embossing border file on this card. Made 3 of these.
	This card I made using a cricut cut file, my new embossing file, 3 new stamps and a sentiments stamp.

What is wrong?

Sometimes I get so angry at our government. So angry at the people who have everything, and don't give a dam about the little people. The ones getting squashed.
I have recently join a charity group called Knit4charity, and through them I learnt of a nice man, Borge Rasmussen, who runs his own charity called Care for Street Kids, he is almost 70 and I presume his wife to be near to that age, they go out daily giving children, adults and families in need, food, clothing and blankets. They have been doing this for about 15 years. They have a group of volunteers, who drive vans around to deliver goods. A lot of this work is done out of theses people's pockets and money donated to the cause... Just recently they went for a government grant and were turned down. WHY?? These people are helping FAMILIES LIVING IN CARS FOR HEAVENS SAKES!!! What kind of world are we living in when the tribe no longer cares to help each other? Do we have any hope? Why is it more important to get that new television? Or car?
I have decided I am going to help, I am helping in the knit4charities cause. I am going to knit things for people in need. You can help too, it doesn't have to be much but something counts!! You could write to the government asking for them to donate more public taxes to helping out AUSTRALIANS in NE ED, donate all your old clothes and items through charities rather than leave them on the side of the road for the garbage collectors. A lot of charities will come and pick up gear these days, so you don't even have to go out of your way... maybe you could be like my mother and let it rattle around in the boot for a while before you donate it when you go past a drop of point lol.. Have a garage sale and before you start set a certain % that you will donate to your favorite charity.
DO something, even if it is small, it will help someone else, and you will feel terrific!
To read the article about Borge go here. If your interested in helping out this charity ring 42265770 or 0419249929. If your a knitter or you have some wool/postage paid envelopes/stamps etc you'd like to donate to knit4charities please visit the group.