Happy Birthday America!

Happy 4th -

First let me take a second to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July!  I hope all enjoy a day of good picnics, good food, good friends and good fireworks later tonight!

WIP's - 

And now for a quick WIP's update for the month of July.     I strayed a bit, as you may know and started and finished two new projects.  Now that  I got that out of my system, I picked up my Skeleton Shadow Box from Prairie Moon.   I started this as part of the Crazy January 2011 Challenge and you can see how far I got.    I was using the recommended fabric (30 ct. WDW Onyx)  but it was not working for me.   The fabric was too soft (?) shall we say and each stitch seemed to pull at the horizontal and vertical threads....so I quickly became discouraged because I was not liking the look and there was much frogging.   Into the 'time-out' pile it went.    When I started the WIP Challenge this year, I put it on the list vowing not to let a silly little piece of black 30 ct get the best of me.  

WDW 30ct Onyx

New gray fabric -which I cannot find the slip that identifies it!  But it is a 30 count. 

I have the shadow box already and all the little parts for inside.  Just need to stitch stitch stitch

This is working up fast and I am actually enjoying stitching bones!  Maybe some sort of Hannibal Lechter in my past.   I hope to finish this up by the end of next week and cross another UFO off my list.

I think I am getting my groove back on pulling out my Lizzie Kate ABC's of Aging.   I have a carrot dangling in front of me.....at my EGA we are having a WIP contest that will wrap with our September meeting.   I hope to finish both the Lizzie Kate piece and a LHN piece I have on the stretcher frame so I can enter both in the drawing along with Mr. Bones.

Other WIP -
Last but not least, my other major WIP.   It involves machinery. Check it out -

What is it?   My new bike!    And the other WIP is ME!  On the road to maintaining a health lifestyle.  It has been more than 15 years since I was on a bike - had a bit of a nasty crash years ago and other than getting back on the bike the very next week for just one time - me and bikes have not been friends.

But I did it.   Been thinking about it for a while.  Got to move myself out of the comfort zone every now and then.   Tried to buy one at Walmart on SEVERAL occasions but the sales people were more interested in talking about their last date, their next date, twirling their hair and/or cracking their gum to make a sale.  One day last week on the way home from work my car just headed to the local Sears.   I tried the Cruiser style but went for this one with the gears.  Sears didn't have a great selection but it was Sears or no where.   

Cushy handle bars!

When did the kickstand get moved to the back of the bike?

A lot has changed with bikes like disc brakes and not center pull calipers?  I need to get up to speed.   I have been going out in the early morning before it is too hot and was so proud the first time until I realized I was only out 20 minutes.  I am, still a bit wobbly but getting better.   I am now up to two laps around the neighborhood and two laps around the local high school and back home.   Really not a big distance but I need to get my confidence up.   I kind of am turning the whole bike when I turn to look over my shoulder for traffic and I could make a tighter turning radius in my car than I do on the bike but I will get there.  My friend, Roxy, asked how I was managing in this heat and I told her it was the SEAT not the heat that is the problem.   I need to get my sitz bones used to the seat and I will say no more on that!   Hopefully, I will be able to continue the 30 to 40 minutes of cardio at least 4 if not 5 days a week and this WIP will continue on the get healthier trail!