Weight. Now There is More!!

If you've been hanging around here for a little while, you may remember this post.  It was back in mid January.....Things started ok, then February came along and so did a kilo or two extra.  I just seemed to lose my way.

I'm normally a relatively healthy eater, but a massive addiction to sugar just wouldn't go away.  I don't know where it came from or why, but a day didn't pass without chocolate, biscuits, a cake of some description....these goodies are ok as a treat, but not something that should be an everyday occurrence in my opinion.

The results of all of this have been some more extra kilos....skin that has broken out in spots, that even SKII had problems dealing with (this stuff usually has my skin glowing...but even this face cream gave up!!) overwhelming tiredness, and unexplained aches and pains and a return of sciatica, that I know is weight related.

A serious call to action was required as I really feel heading into my 45th year, if I don't get all of this under control now, I never will.  I don't like feeling like this, and I hate looking like this.  I'm really not making the best of what I have.  I know I've looked a million times better than I do now.  I've lost interest in going out, other than with my close friends....I have a wardrobe of beautiful clothes but I'm living my life in a stretchy skirt and an up-sized pair of trousers that I had to purchase because none of my others fit.... a few tops that don't require buttoning up over my boobs, that have also gone up a size and half!  And now half the time I don't even bother with makeup anymore because I figure what is the point.

The penny has now dropped, I caught sight of myself in a window the other day and didn't recognise the person staring back at me, then I read Tammi's blog at Little Poppa.  It was then that I knew that I had to make a serious effort before any serious health problems kicked in...my Dad died around 6 years ago from a heart attack, his sister also had a heart attack, she luckily survived, so I want to try and avoid that myself.  I also knew this time I needed a bit of help.  As much as I like to think I can work these things out myself,  this time I've enlisted the help of Weight Watchers.  I know these sort of programs aren't for everyone, and I have gone to WW in the past with moderate success, but the thought of sitting in those meetings with others, discussing low fat Philly cream cheese and how many points in a Ryvita just drove me away in the end.

Weight Watchers Australia now have set up shop in selected department stores across the country.  I am paying a slight premium to have a one on one meeting each week with a consultant to discuss MY eating issues and not have to listen to others.  I don't have to suffer the indignity of a possible weight gain in front of others, and the new program seems to be more aimed at healthier options and choices rather than the fact that the old program had the same points value for a biscuit and a banana....and I know what most people would prefer and it ain't the banana!!

My first day on this program was yesterday....I'm using a diary to record my food intake, I've also paid 13 visits in advance so I'm committed to this 100%.  I will be sharing my results here each week after my weigh in just because I think it's another way for me to keep it honest and real, and maybe there are others that are happy to join in, or share their stories. 

This is not all about the food either, it's also about the exercise and they go hand in hand in my opinion.  I've started to park my car about 25 minutes away from my work place....I then walk the remaining distance into work and back, so that's around 45 to 50 minutes of walking a day, normally carrying a bag of groceries.

I'm going back to Pilates....great for building long lean muscle and also I need to strengthen my core to help sort out the sciatica.  I started Pilates around 6 years ago and was going twice a week back then, it made an amazing difference to my shape and funnily enough my height due to the fact that your posture changes.....I haven't been in around 2 years so it's going to be a very sore couple of weeks whilst my muscles go into some sort of shock before settling back down.

Here is my first page of my diary....I did fill it out slightly wrong (note to self, read the fill in instruction first) but it certainly worked writing out what I ate, knowing how much more I could eat, and then funnily enough realising I was completely satisfied at the end of the day and didn't feel like I needed to go hunting for a snack after dinner last night.

I'm not going to reveal my weight, I might do that at the end of the journey, but I will reveal my height. I'm quite tall at 175cm or 5ft 9...so I do tend to carry more weight and being tall it's more evenly spread is probably the way I'd say it.

Well I've been eating my breakfast whilst typing this blog.....1 slice of grainy toast with organic peanut butter and a banana smoothie, hopefully that should keep me going till lunchtime....I'm off to do some knitting before heading out for a walk. 


Enjoy your day

vicki x

Cautious With Colour?

Colour is such a subjective thing....do you play it safe so people will purchase your little hats, or do you go out there with colour so your little one stands out, hopefully for all the right reasons. 

These little Lumiere hats which are inspired by a 1970's pattern took colour inspiration also from the 1970's.....teal and wheat green, and plum pink and mustard.....too much?  Need to see how the little ones look once the photos come back from the photographers.

What are your thoughts on colour on babies, toddlers and kids?

Vicki x

Status Quo....

Meaning....Status quo, a commonly used form of the original Latin "statu quo" – literally "the state in which" – is a Latin term meaning the current or existing state of affairs.


So here is where I stand with dover & madden knits....I'm already getting requests for hats, and as much as I hate to keep harping on about it there will be no custom orders this Winter.  There are hat knitters out there that will knit hats to your style and colour choice, dover & madden is no longer that type of business.

I was so very busy last Winter, and I anticipate I will be again....fingers crossed.  I did  learn a lot from last year, so I'm trying to make things a bit easier for me firstly and secondly so everyone doesn't have to wait for a hat if they choose to buy one.

The orders that I am currently finishing are purchases that customers have made from my Etsy store....These were listings that gave customers the option to purchase certain d&m hats in their choice of colours back in late January.  Some customers took this option and I'm currently working through those orders and should have these finished by mid next week.....these customers have been very patient. 

In between I have also been knitting hats for photographers.  The reason why this happens is that people like to see how a hat looks and therefore I have to knit a selection of hats for all of the wonderful photographers that happily photograph my work for me. Sometimes I believe it is their work that sells my hats....the photos and the sweet little bubs that model are always so damn cute.  There are a few more hats to go out by next week to photographers as well....the little Lola hat is the last to go.

There will be no more blankets whilst hat season is on so I'll be finishing the blankets that I have on the go quite slowly....more than likely in between hats....square by square!!

As far as mittens go....there will be mittens available but only to go with hats.  The listing will state if there is matching mittens available and you will need to advise me by notes to seller when checking out of my Etsy store if you require them.  You will need to consider that the mittens will need to be knitted, even if the hat is ready to ship....This will more than likely hold up your hat order for a week.  The way this will work is if you want the matching mittens you will be sent a Paypal invoice for a request for mitten payment....there will be no postage on mittens with hats.  Not all hats will have mittens available it is purely based on yarn availability as I may only have enough yarn left for hats. There will be no stand alone listings for mittens this year.

As stated I have different styles of hats to knit and I'll be working my way through them over Winter....I'll do a boy listing and a girl listing and a neutral gender style of each hat in each size available then move onto another style....and if you see it and you like it then buy it, because it won't be repeated.

Please be mindful that I also work a part time job.  As much as I would love to be home knitting every day, unfortunately it won't pay me a full time wage....I believe I've said this before....most hats take around 4 hours to knit, so reality is I can only get around 10 hats knitted in a week, so my time to knit is limited....there are still other things that need to be done...washing, cleaning, cooking, shopping and family.

I think I've answered  most of the queries and questions I've been sent in the last week or so.  Please also remember I'm only human I can only do so much, and I don't want it to become a chore....I love to knit and I want it to stay that way.....I had a few rude people who carried on last Winter when they couldn't get what they wanted when they wanted it....and it's amazing what people will say when they're sitting behind a computer screen where they can remain anonymous.

And lastly new hats should really start to filter through around the end  of this month, and then that is all I'll be doing hats and more hats....each hat won't be listed till all the sizes are knitted....keep an eye on FB for what's coming up.

Hope this clears a few things up and as I always say....what's not to like about knitting!!


If you have a question just pop it in the comments and I'll answer...if you would like to send it to me via email.  victoria.oc@optusnet.com.au

Lola bonnet, image courtesy of Denise Burridge Photography.


Vicki x

Some Days Are Diamonds....

Today was just one of those good days.....

On my walk to and from work, I got all the green pedestrian walk signs.....my iPod shuffled out my favourite tunes......Duran Duran, David Gray, Sarah McLachlan, Patty Griffin, Keane and a few others.  I got a late lunch at work, noticed that the leaves are really beginning to turn orange and saw a rainbow in the sky.

Hope you have or had a good day to.


vicki x

In The Pink

You may notice that my blog is now pink.  No reason other than when I had my logo created for my business....I picked out three colours to have it created in.  Pink, Turqouise and Lime Green....I'm not that keen on the green....it seemed like a good idea at the time, but turned out a little pale.  Anyway as my Facebook page is using the blue logo at the moment...you're all stuck with the pink for a while.  Hope you like it.

vicki

I Do Love To Be Beside The Seaside....

I high tailed it out of town on Friday night, and drove the 80 minutes down to the coast where my Mum lives.....she lives in Jan Juc....just over the hill from Torquay at the foot of the Great Ocean Road.

It's always nice to get out of Melbourne....lots of space at my Mums, it's so very quiet, home cooked meal....Roast Chicken on Saturday night, and all my washing done....and I always like to hang my washing on the line....living in an apartment that doesn't happen for fear of having your Egyptian Cotton Sheets and your designer jeans stolen!!

Anyway Mum and I had a bit of a clean out of some cupboards....and I have scored well.  A dinner set that is a 1970's winner....It is English, not worth any money....we checked on google, but it's all mine.  Some cups, saucers and cake plates....I'm working on the teak sugar bowl and the bright orange salt and pepper shakers....maybe next time.

And finally a coffee down the beach this morning....before heading home after lunch.  Gosh the weekends fly by and back to work tomorrow.....

And I did do some work.....

Vicki x

Surprise Surprise

How lovely to have a dover & madden crochet flower, included in My Child Magazine.  Check this out.  The link to my Etsy store is here  or use the link at the side of my blog and little knitted hats are also filtering through as well.

The Autumn Issue cover

Thanks My Child Magazine


vicki x