How to Make a Throw Pillow Cover in 10 Minutes

I've been dragging around Christmas fabrics for years.  They do get used pretty much every year but one of the things I wanted to do with them for years was to make throw pillow covers.

This year, I was determined to get them done.  I've been super busy, but I knew that they would really set the mood for the holidays, so I got out the scissors, eyeballed and cut out a pattern (of sorts) and sewed it up on the machine--I didn't even iron the fabric.  Then I made a second one and timed it.  10 minutes.  Not bad!

Here is a step-by-step tutorial for making throw pillow covers in ten minutes.

Step 1.  
Cut a piece of fabric about 1.5 inches wider than the width of the pillow on each side and long enough that it overlaps about 5 inches (the fabric in the photo to the right is folded in half under the pillow).  If you have an extra fluffy pillow, make sure the sides of the fabric reach half way up the side of the pillow

Step 2. 
I worked with the fabric right side up since I was working without a pattern.

After the fabric is cut, place the pillow on the fabric so the fabric on one end folds a little more than half way over the center of the pillow.

Then on the other end of the fabric, fold a piece inward. You want to make sure that when you fold the folded piece over the pillow there is enough overlap that when the pillow is stuffed inside, it won't gap. So wrap the fabric loosely around the pillow. Then pin the folds in place. I used only two pins (I was in a hurry) but you can use more.

Step 3. 
Turn the cover inside out. And sew the two sides only.

Step 4. Turn the pillow cover right side out and stuff the pillow inside.

Voila!  New decorative pillows fast and cheap!

I also made a round throw pillow cover.  I did everything the same, except that when I turned it inside out to sew it, I then cut it into the round shape before sewing.

Let me know if this tutorial was helpful, or if there is something I can do better with these tutorials.

It's Only Tuesday?!

It is only Tuesday but it feels like it should be Friday.

I just finished a story for my day job--WOO HOO!  Now I can get the bubble lights on the tree so we can start hanging the ornaments.

I got a garage door opener for a steal Thanksgiving weekend and it is still not up.  Maybe by this Friday I won't have to manually open and close my garage door.  It's not so much the opening and closing it, but having to lock it and unlock it from the inside that makes it a pain.

New rack and pinion steering for the car (cha ching).  I used to understand what rack and pinion steering was and why it was a big deal when I sold cars, but it escapes me now...just looked it up.  I guess I didn't really know back then either and after looking I still can't remember the benefit, but I know I talked about it.  I think it was one of those items that every car had, but because most salespeople don't sell every aspect of the car and if you are the only one actually "selling" the car, yours sounds like it has more features than others--like those triangles bent into the body in the engine compartment that are there so the car folds like an accordion in a front end crash, absorbing a portion of the impact so occupants are safer.  Now that is a cool safety feature.

I knew I needed new tires--they weren't impressive tires in the first place but the steering really wreaked havoc on them--but now that the steering is fixed and aligned I have to get new tires so I can tell that I have new rack and pinion steering.  I had to order them to get a good tire in my price range. I hope the product matches the good reviews.  I wonder if you can return tires if you don't like them?   I got them at Costco.

I have a tutorial that I have been wanting to post.  "How to Make a Throw Pillow Cover in 10 Minutes".  Super easy and fast--I didn't even iron the fabric.  Will try to get it posted in the next day. Here is a little preview.

Till the next time...

Bridge to Nowhere - I'm a Billy Goat

Not Sarah Palin's Bridge to Nowhere, but the one on the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Azusa in California that used to go somewhere, or was supposed to-the road that led to it was washed out before any cars could drive over the bridge.

Lauded by Modern Hiker magazine in 2007 as "one of southern California’s best hikes – a 9 mile river-hopping trip along an abandoned, flooded out roadway. Plenty of mines, swimming holes, and a giant bridge in the middle of nowhere."

This was an intense hike, in a good way, for me, the beginner backpacker who is learning to trust her knees again--legs really--and getting back in shape!  It included frequent climbing over rocks,  a small section of trail that was barely the width of my boot, and several river crossings.

Yup, those rocks are the trail.

This was the Billy Goat section of the trail.  Scary!

I really feel like I accomplished so much on this trip; and, that had much to do with the Meetup group I was with--Los Angeles Backpackers Club--they were very encouraging and helpful.  If you are interested in something, I would suggest checking out the meetups in your area--it really is a great way to pursue your interests with people who are like-minded.

It was long (longest I have done so far--9 miles round trip) and beautiful (I love hiking along rivers).  I'm beginning to really appreciate the chaparral (a shrubland community), and I saw the biggest Yucca plants I have seen thus far.  Oh!  and the rocks, beautiful striated rocks.

I was testing out some new gear (new tent, different sleep pad, clothing in prep for the possibility of 45 degree temps, and a new alcohol stove) and my pack ended up being top heavy on the way in.  At one point, climbing up and away from the Billy Goat area my pack was pushing my head forward and I couldn't see where I was going and it was terrifying.

Very pleased with my new tent.

The trip organizer was patient, calm (either I was not as panicked as I thought or he was angel--I think angel), and supportive, as were the other members on the trip.  Everyone on the trip was willing to put out their hand, or trekking poles, to help me up or over, or carry my pack, on what I perceived as a particularly hairy area--and I was worried I would pull them down as they helped me.

I tossed my pride twice and let someone take my pack so I could survive!  It truly is mind over matter.  Someone commented on one of the river crossings that if the log was a painted line on the street, it would be no problem (and I kept chanting that to myself as I "walked the line"), and another reminded me, "momentum is your friend" (just keep going and don't stop to think about it).

There was shocking amount of trash above where we camped.  There were tents,  piles and piles of cans, bottles, and other trash.  The worst was the "bathroom" that someone (or many someones) had made above the camp--they didn't even bury it--and there was toilet paper everywhere. I just don't get it.

In the morning my legs were wobbly and I felt generally shaky all over.  I hoped that the Mountain House bacon and eggs would fix that, but it didn't. At the first stream crossing, over a log, I was sure that the organizer could see my legs shaking during my several false starts, but at least in the still pictures, I didn't look shaky.

It was a great trip and I would definitely do it again.  I was almost too tired to notice the clean house (with mopped floors!) that I came home to, thanks to my daughter.

Photo Booth Fear & Apron Envy

I have no idea why it took so long for me to make my photo booth (light tent)--I've had the supplies for at least a month now.  It was really very simple, maybe it was all the "instruction" up front that made it seem complicated--maybe it was...aw who cares, it's made and in use.  The step-by-step was easy to follow and here is the link to the tutorial.

I'm almost done photographing the pendants (and other stuff) that is slated to go up on the Etsy site which still doesn't have a shop name.  Any ideas?  Anything I pick is already taken or seems cheezy and picking a name seems so permanent and I want to do it right the first time.  Like, I saw someone on FB that markets his pottery as Speckled Dog Pottery--that is original.  Heck, I can't even decide which last name I want to use--I've had three.

After the photos it's on to organizing the shots and pricing, but what I really want to do is to make myself an apron.  I have been wanting to make myself an apron since last December when I made them for others and since I had the sewing machine out for one of my 365 Discards project, I figured why not?.

But the boss of me said I had to do the light box and photos first since I was already behind schedule.  So, a little more photography and then I can craft myself a cute little apron to protect my clothes from kitchen stains. Woot!

Backpacking!!!

This is info from my 2nd backpacking trip--I've now been on 4. This trip was to Cedar Glen Trail Camp via Icehouse Canyon Trail.

You know what I think about when I am backpacking or hiking?  Just that -- backpacking or hiking -- and I love that!

I watch the birds and think about mountain lions, and snakes and bears.  I look for game trails and observe scat (a couple weeks ago I would have said animal poop).  I even notice the scars on trees, and I know what it looks like when a bear makes those scars.  I look at foliage and wonder if it is friend or foe.

I listen to, and observe, the other backpackers, even if they are newbies like me, because it teaches me.

I was utterly surprised at my excitement level when I committed to the trip.  I can't remember being that excited about anything in a very long time. I was even brave enough to hitch a ride with two other attendees.

I was excited to try out my vintage Kelty backpack that some kind soul, from freecycle, passed on to me.  It was a little top heavy on the way up making me a little off balance (especially near the top) and it bonked me in the head a few times.  But I packed it better on the way down--no knocking me over and no bonking me in the head.

More than 3/4 of the way up the trail I began to wonder if this really was for me.  Not because I was miserable, but because I felt bad lagging so far behind the group.  The trip leader backtracked from time to time to check on me, and reassured me that my pace wasn't a problem.   I did get my first blister (from hiking/backpacking.  It happened maybe half way up the trail and I kept going because tending to it would have made me even farther behind, but it was getting worse so I stopped to fix it up and was bummed I hadn't stopped as soon as I felt it.

I drank half of my water going up and stopped at a creek that crossed the trail to fill up.  This was my first time getting water from a creek to drink.  It was ice cold.  Now I had to decide whether to boil it or to use my pills.  Some of the group drank it straight from the creek and others treated theirs.  I would treat mine this time just to be safe.  Next time, I might try it without treating it. Boiling it meant no aftertaste, but if I were on a longer hike, fuel should be for cooking and I should find start.  experiment so I can see what works for me.  have to have an aftertaste

I felt like a slacker when I opted out of the day hike so I could nap--was 2.2. miles really all I could do? But when 2 others came back to camp shortly after embarking on the day hike I didn't feel as bad.

I discovered a saying , "hike your own hike," (HYOK), and it was one of those moments when you just "get it". I may be slower, but that is okay. I have to find my own groove.

I can't wait for the next trip!

365 Days Project....Again

I believe that I have discovered a project that I can live with, and hopefully follow through.

Since I have been seriously contemplating the idea of full time RVing, I have thought about what I would take in my RV, what I would store (yes, I would have a {small} storage unit somewhere), and what I would give away, sell or toss.

That is when I came up with the idea of getting rid of something everyday.  Certainly there are 365 things in my house that I can get rid of.  It isn't very artistic and I had the idea that when I was on vacation it would be hard to get rid of things, so I thought on those days I would have to make art of something that you would normally get rid of -- a paper napkin for instance.

Then my daughter came up with a more artistic twist of this 365 Day project, saying that I should have to do something artistic with it before I got rid of it.

I haven't set any rules for this, yet.  I know that getting rid of a single pen would be cheating in my mind, and not everyday will be the 'cleaning out the closet' kind of day.

Since I don't like to throw away usable objects, I will put some up on my local freecycle site or drop at Goodwill or Salvation Army once a week.  I'll keep a bag in the garage and whatever I am getting rid of has to leave the house--that is a rule, I guess.

I will start today on my 365 Days of Discarding, and I already have a target--the old makeup in my bathroom under my sink!  I'm already thinking about artistic ways to use it!  I'll post a pic tomorrow.

Why Women Stayed Home Back in the Day

I cooked a great Eggplant Parmesan the other night with homemade tomato sauce.  Yes, homemade with 4 lbs of tomatoes!  I was so busy cooking that I didn't think about taking pictures. Then I was going to take a pic of the leftovers, but we shared with my neighbor and I totally forgot again and now it is all gone. Must have been pretty good--a whole 10x15 pan gone.  I like when grown ups enjoy my meals, but there is nothing better than watching a little one (17 months) really enjoy the food you are feeding them.

This fresh, healthy eating thing is time consuming.  The prep was fairly easy--not as easy as opening up a can.  Cutting and seeding the tomatoes took the longest and peeling the skin was easy; but the clean up!  Geez, I felt like I was in the kitchen all night cleaning!

No wonder women stayed home back in the day--fresh cooking is time consuming work.  I think we've been "sold a bill of goods".  This working and doing the cooking and the housework is a bad deal.  I enjoyed the process of making the meal, and next time the clean up will be easier.  In fact, the whole process will be easier next time. We do have some advantages that women long ago didn't have--like blenders and food processors.

Next time I am not seeding the tomatoes and I will puree them in a blender as well.  I need to find a way to reduce the amount of time fresh cooking takes and the clean up too.  I will also use more cutting boards.  I used way too many bowls for peeling and seeding the tomatoes.  Cutting boards are easier and faster to clean and dry.

I really enjoyed making the sauce, but I think to make it more of a habit than buying the sauce from the store, I will need to make larger batches when the prices of tomatoes are good and learn how to can.  I'll talk about canning soon.

Here is how to make homemade tomato sauce: Click here for a printable copy.

1 medium pot or stock pot
4 lbs of Tomatoes (I got the tomatoes that were on sale)
Boiling Water
Bowl of ice water (I hear you can use plain old cold water too)
4 T olive oil (or any other oil you prefer)
1 onion
2 carrots
4 cloves garlic
2 stalks of celery

Slice an X in bottom of the tomatoes (practically makes the tomatoes peel themselves).  Put tomatoes in water for 30 seconds to a minute (I split it in three portions).  Take the tomatoes out of the boiling water and put them into the ice bath.  Peel the skins from the tomatoes.

If you want to remove the seeds (I hear they can be bitter--but I am trying it without seeding next time) slice the tomatoes in half for oblong tomatoes and in quarters for round tomatoes.  Then pull out the seeds over a strainer and bowl to capture extra juice (I got between a half cup and 3/4 doing it that way). I also used a cutting board that had grooves around the edges to capture juices.

Heat the oil.

Puree the onion, celery, carrots and garlic (you can use half the seasonings that I did) and put them into the oil to saute for about 10 minutes. (You can also add other spices as you would a finished sauce, but I did it at the end. Next time I will use the sauce in my chili and will add some Jalapeno, Serrano and Habanero (1) peppers with the puree.)

Then add the pureed or sliced tomatoes and the salt.  (You can mash them with a masher in the pot too for a chunkier sauce.)

Cook for 45 minutes (could be as little as 30, but I cooked mine for an hour) over medium low heat.

Eat away!

Juice Fast Completed

I finished my juice fast and didn't cheat once!  I was even in Laughlin, NV and still stayed on the fast--I had two days left.  I broke my fast in Laughlin with a banana...and then Mickey D's.  It was the cheapest and I was on a budget.  I know that wasn't ideal, but I continued to juice and eat fruits and veggies.  Even made a tomato, kale and avocado croissant.  Yum!

Juicing isn't really this messy--it's a double exposure photo.

Back home, still working on juicing for morning and afternoon and veggies for dinner.  Made bean chili, my daughter made an incredible vegetable soup, and we have been doing stir fry.  I never thought an entire plate of veggies would be so delicious, but it is. The fast was successful in helping me change the way I eat. The fridge still looks like a farmers market and my portion sizes have gotten smaller.

I still haven't had Diet Coke...or any type of soda!  I wanted something other than water to drink yesterday so I made lemonade.  It was refreshing, but of course it is loaded with sugar, so I'll keep that to a minimum.

I don't have the stats for my weight when I finished the fast, but on Day 8 I had lost 8 lbs.  I am now 163.5.  Not bad--especially considering that I ate junk food and drank alcohol (including a delicious fresh pineapple/orange juice with Malibu rum yum!) for a couple days on my trip.

Here are the before and after (a week after completing the fast) stats:

In/Lb Lost 4/5/2012      4/23/2012 Weight:   9 172.5 163.5 Chest:  2.5 45.5 43 Waist:   3 43 40 Hips:   2 45 43 Arms:   1.75 12 10.25 Thigh:   2 21 19 Calf  0.25 15 14.75 Total Inches Lost 11.5

Observations on Day 5 of the Juice Fast

I've made it half way through the 10 days!

It is quite interesting to observe the cravings and also the lack of cravings.  For instance, I haven't craved Diet Coke.  I might have thought about it once or twice the first day, but until Marisa mentioned it on day 4, i hadn't even thought about it.

I did however have a craving for Egg Noodle Dinner.  I loved that dish!  I haven't seen it in stores in a very long time.  I can't even remember the last time I had it, but my senses could almost taste it the other day.  That and 7-11 nachos.  I've thought about those more than once.

I have had a craving for grilled zucchini--go figure--and I can't wait to use portabello mushrooms as a meat.

Seems that everyday Marisa and I will talk about some sort of food and that gets us going.  We don't go on for too long though.  We do talk about what we will want when we break our fast.  I want a big salad with croutons and ranch dressing, (restaurant ranch dressing--I haven't found any ranch dressing on the shelves that is as good as restaurant ranch) at least that is what I want today.

Still not sure if I will be continuing the fast after 10 days.  At the very least, I do know that I will continue with juicing 2 meals a day and eating one at least until I reach my goal weight.  My long term goal is to continue to have green juice on a regular basis just to get the nutrients I need from vegetables without having to eat ginormous portions.

I am looking forward to making pulp crackers, fruit leathers, and adding the pulp to meatballs and hamburgers.  Heck, I might even try to make my own veggie burgers. Don't get me wrong, I love meat, but I want to have more veggies in my meals than meats because of the health benefits.

Juice Fast Day Four

This just might get boring talking only about the juice cleanse because it is going very well. No weight loss yesterday, but I am an inch down in my chest, waist and hips.  Again, I need to remind myself that I am doing this for detoxing my body and the weight loss is just a benefit.  I know I shouldn't be using the scale as a gauge, but I think it is only natural to want to do this.  My skin does feel a little softer.

Easter Juice - Carrots, Oranges, Pineapple, Strawberries, Ginger

Day four was Easter.  It was a little tough driving by restaurants (especially Lawry's) and seeing families out dining together.  By the end of the day we were both a little grumpy.

It seemed like Marisa was about ready to give up yesterday, but she found a juice that satisfied her craving, and all was right with the world.  She is calling it Caprese Juice. Tomatoes, basil and garlic.  She added a splash of balsamic vinegar to hers, and I added a half a zucchini to mine.  

We decided to use fresh veggies and not just pulp for some of our broths.  I made one to get a similar flavor to three flavors sizzling rice soup (without the meat juices of course) and it is delicious!  Marisa made one using the pulp from the dinner juice and it tasted like meatball soup, also delicious.  Really felt satisfied.

By the end of the day I still had about 6 oz of my green juice left (started with 28) and after my small dinner juice (about 6 oz) I was pretty much full, so I waited till bedtime to have my broth.

Here are the vegetables I used for the broth (guesstimating on the amount of veggies:


Three Flavors Sizzling Rice Soup Broth
1.5 C Mushrooms
1 C Snow Peas
1/4 small yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2 t crazy salt (sea salt is fine)
2 t pepper
2 t sesame seed oil

Saute vegetables in oil then add 8 cups of water and spices.  Bring to boil and then simmer for 2.5 hours.  Perfection!

Juice Fast Day Three

Down 3.5 lbs!!  Woo Hoo!

Day three wasn't bad.  Seems that day 2 was the worst for me. If the first three days are the worst, then I'm cruising now.  I did have a mild headache off and off throughout the day.  I splurged on a Orange Mango juice from Jamba Juice. Not something I want to make a habit, but we were passing pizza shops (which smelled delicious) and other restaurants in Belmont Shores and I needed a pick me up (mentally and physically).

This isn't me--this body.  I struggled yesterday with my self image.  This is NEVER how I pictured myself.  I've battled with weight since my teens, but at this weight I feel so awful about myself.  My weight and my teeth.

Appearance.  Sure, people say it is the inside that counts, but when the outside is just so out of whack with the inside, the outside begins to overwhelm the inside.

Inside I am a confident, witty, outgoing (although a bit shy at first), and still a size 6.  Most days I think that girl is present, but days like yesterday, there is a voice or a force--the evil part of the mind--that reminds me what people are seeing is something very different.

This time around (weight wise) I have an added distraction--my teeth.  They are spreading apart and I am missing one in the front now.  Back when I had dental insurance my teeth needed serious work.  I didn't want 20 root canals and caps in my mouth and I couldn't find a dentist willing to give me dentures.  Now, that my teeth are in bad enough shape that dentists are willing to give me dentures (albeit reluctant), I can't afford the dental work.

So even when I forget that I am larger when I smile at people in public that evil reminder voice says, "hey, you are missing a tooth--don't smile," and then the contortions to hide the missing tooth begin.

Anyway, yesterday was a bad day for me in terms of how I felt emotionally about myself.  Perhaps it was the reality of the before pictures that I took on day one.  I will post them eventually, but not until I lose a little weight and can show some progress.  I never really understood people not posting before pictures, but I guess I can now.  A photo is very different than passing by a mirror.  Also, the clothes I chose to wear for the photo are very different than the clothes I would wear in public. Not that the clothes I wear in public hide the fact that I am larger, but they don't accentuate all the bumps and bulges.

Onto day four and feeling better about myself.

Juice Fast Day Two

Fast Juice

My daughter, Marisa, and I are doing the fast together and it is interesting to see the differences in how our bodies are responding to it.

The first day she was very tired and I had plenty of energy.  On day two though, the tables were turned--and worse!

I woke up with a headache, but nothing I couldn't handle.  We had planned to go the the farmer's market close to home, and run a few more errands.  I never made it out of the house--well not until about 9:30 pm to get toilet paper and movies.  She braved the real world and went to lunch at Chili's with a friend and took green juice as her lunch!  Not only did she chance going to a restaurant on day two, she also walked there.

My headache got progressively worse throughout the morning.  I tried to nap through it, put ice bags on my head, made it dark in the house, and then around 1pm I finally broke down and took some Excedrin because it was excruciating!  It didn't get rid of it completely, but it was tolerable and I could function again.

I read that sugar could make headaches worse, and the wonderful breakfast juice I made very possibly could have been the culprit.

Heavenly Pineapple Orange Strawberry Apple Juice
1/3 Pineapple
1 Sweet Apple (I used an Oh My Gosh Apple)
3 strawberries
1 Orange
1/2 inch ginger.

It was frothy and made about 18 ounces of juice. The rest of the day I drank 30oz of green juice and for dinner an 11oz salad in a glass that Marisa made.  I'll have to get the recipe from her.  It had beet, tomato, garlic, onion...and I'm not sure what else.

Juice Art by Marisa Zocco

I made another broth last night with yesterday's pulp.  I added a lot more spices this time.  My neighbor came over for a visit and she said, "if you guys are on a juice fast, why does it smell like hamburger helper in here." I don't eat Hamburger Helper much anymore (it's probably been at least a year if not two) but right now, the lasagna flavor sounds delicious.

It did smell lovely in the house all day yesterday. Marisa made a tea with the pulp from the morning juice and it smelled like we were baking apple pie.  The tea was nice too.  More flavorful than the herbal teas we bought at the store.

I was hungrier than I was on the first day of the fast.....but I also sipped on my juices rather than sucking them down quickly which may have been a part of it, but it also may just be the nature of the fast.

I am a little concerned about day three, since the headache from day two was so severe and day three is when you are supposed to feel most miserable.  I did increase my water intake--hopefully this will help flush out toxins an make me feel less bad.

We ended the day by giving each other head and shoulder massages which got rid of the lingering headache I had.  Thank you Marisa!

Onto day three!

Juice Fast: Day One

The first day went pretty good. Felt fine overall.  I need to drink more water, and learned that taking a juice with me to run errands is a good idea.  So I bought some to-go drink cups for the juice.  Also bought some herbal teas for some warmth.

Started the first day with some pure fresh squeezed orange juice.

Then I made 2 more juices for the day; Mean Green juice and Dracula's Dream Juice.  For the Dracula juice, I only used a half a beet instead of two (and glad I did-very earthy--but the beet was very large), added an extra carrot, some ginger and a kiwi.

12 oz of the Dracula Dream and 20 oz of Mean green. I drank the green juice in two sittings and the second glass was a little tart--so I may adjust the amount of green apple I put in it.

The Kale (one of the most expensive and most used ingredients) is going fast and so is the spinach (but that is cheap).

For the evening I made a gazpacho juice--tomatoes, green onion, garlic and cilantro.  The recipe called for basil, but I had cilantro.

Stats:  Kind of scary, but kind of not.  It is what it is.  In the flesh it is obvious I am overweight, but on paper it is very revealing.

Weight:  172.5 (ugh that was my full term pregnancy weight)
Chest: 45.5
Waist:  43
Hips:  45
Arms:  12
Thigh:  21
Calf:  15

Can't get any more honest than that, huh.

Onto day 2!

Juice Fast. Ready, Set, Go!

I am sooooo excited!  Today is Day One of my 10 day juice fast. I may extend it beyond the 10, but I am committed to10 first.  I may get brave and post my stats and a revealing photo.  Here is a photo of the fridge filled with fruits and veggies.

I decided to do the juice fast after watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  I'm nearly 50, sick of being fat and worrying about early death.  Although I am now also looking forward to the weight loss benefits, the main reason for me wanting to do the juice fast is for my health and for the possibility of retraining my taste buds.

I crave fried foods...and the potato chips...MMM mmm--especially after quitting smoking!  I could eat an entire large bag in a day with some green onion dip.  That is where a lot of the 20 lbs I gained came from after I quit.

With this 10 Day Juice Cleanse I am looking forward to:

• Retraining my taste buds so they crave fruits and veggies instead of fried chicken wings and french fries. 
• Detoxing from processed foods. 
• Changing my eating habits.
• Improved overall health (skin, rashes, arthritis type symptoms, cholesterol, and heart health)
• Weight loss (I feel so much better about myself when I am thinner).

I, like Joe and Phil from the documentary, have had a chronic rash for about a year now.  It comes and goes, and moves from place to place, but when it is flaring it lasts for months.  Yikes!  TMI?!  I m just trying to real here in the hopes that my honesty can help someone else.  

I just think that the rash and other symptoms, (arthritis like) are signs of an overloaded system and I am hoping to reset my system--a DO-OVER! 

It makes sense to me.  I could give details about why juice fasting is good for you, but Joe Cross already did that so well in his documentary, which I already mentioned above.  I highly recommend watching it!

I'll do my best to keep you updated on my juice cleanse progress.

Juicing sure makes for some pretty photos!  This is the cup that captured the beet juice I made this morning.

Photo by Marisa Zocco

Backpacking. Check!

I completed another item on my 101 Things to do in 1001 Days--Backpacking!

Well, it was on the list as take a backpacking course, but turns out I didn't need the course.  Saved some cash there. Cha Ching!

I joined a meetup group for LA Backpackers and lo and behold they did a trip that was targeted at beginners--even said to go rent the equipment if you didn't have any.

So, I rented a backpack for $12.00 (member price) at REI, used my own camping equipment, and the ultralight alcohol stove I made--which turned out to be a bust by the way, and away I went.  Well, away we went--my daughter did the trip too!

My pack weight was 25 pounds (but then I added a couple things, but no more than 28 pounds.

The hike was listed as moderate--but for out of shape me--it was strenuous!  Longest 2.5 miles of my life.  I bet the next time I do the hike, it won't seem as bad.  I have never sweat so much in my life--and it wasn't even hot--thank God!

The trail report said the first 1/4 mile was the hardest, so I expected it to be easy after that--nope--it was still up, up, up.  I intended to go with the rest of the group on the 5 mile day hike, but my body needed some rest before going any further. That kind of bummed me out, but I took it as a win that I did the hard part with the pack.

It was a great group of people, got lots of info and encouragement.  I will definitely be doing more backpacking.

Carrots, Apples and Broccoli, Oh My!

I made my first juice tonight with my donated juicer!

When I did my 101 List, one of the goals on that list was to "Make it a habit to eat at least five servings of fruits or veggies per day 5 days per week,"  and for someone who grew up on canned vegetables that task was turning out to be tougher than I thought it would.  It's funny how naming goals actually helps the universe put things in your path that can help you achieve them. 


I watched the documentary Fat Sick and Nearly Dead this weekend and I really related to it.  It is about a man who decided to do a juice fast to reboot his body and heal it from the inside out.  I don't want to tell  you all the details here, but just know that it inspired me and I recommend watching it.  I was so inspired that I wanted to do the juice fast too!

Juicers are expensive and I am on a budget so I put out a request for one on a freecycle site that I belong to and I got one the same day--today!

Here is the plate of vegetables (and a fruit) that went into my carrot, broccoli, and apple juice. 4 carrots, 1 apple and 3-4 broccoli florets.

That is a lot of veggies to eat in one sitting isn't it?! Well for a meat and potatoes gal like me it is.  Easy when it is in a juice. And since I love fruit juices, I think I can totally get into this juicing thing.  Naked juice makes a "green machine" juice that I love and I am going to try to get as close to the flavor as possible, but adding more vegetables. Green veggies have the most nutrients and I'm hoping that I can find a way to make kale taste amazing in a juice because kale is super duper good for you.

It was a little messy at first.  My first glass didn't fit under the lip where the juice came out and the second one I tried didn't fit against the side well enough and it was spilling.  A coffee cup worked fine.  I ended up adding a couple ice cubes to make it colder and it was better that way.

I am going to spend some time over the next couple of weeks practicing with some recipes, and then I think I am going to do the juice fast.  I'll start with a 10 day and extend it to 30 days if the 10 days is bearable.  In the documentary, people talk about the fast resetting your taste buds so you are craving the veggies and fruits rather than the bad for you foods.  Here's hoping that is the case with me!

Homemade Backpacking Stove

I am so stoked!   I made a Penny Stove yesterday.  It is an ultralight alcohol stove made from 2 soda (or beer if you prefer) cans. Get the directions here.

Okay, I actually made 2...and I am working on another--it's a little addictive.  I still have to make up the pot stand, but that will be easy.  I'll be using Everclear as the fuel because it has multiple uses (including the ability sterilize wounds and to drink it--not that I want to be wasted in the backcountry with a bunch of wild critters--gotta keep your wits about you--learned that in Yosemite with a bear and I wasn't even in the backcountry).

My first backpacking trip is scheduled for this weekend (unless the weather is bad).  The forecast says rain and snow -- yeah, snow in mountains above LA--who knew?!  And it is supposed to be cold--duh, huh--snow would need cooler temps.

Backpacking is on my 101 list and I have been researching the subject so I am excited to see if I like it.  I think I will.

It's interesting to see how things change in our lives.  I try not to say "never" to things because that is almost always an indicator that I will at some point.  I said "never" to mini skirts, bell bottoms and hipster pants and ended up wearing all of those.  I also believe I said that backpacking wasn't for me twenty years ago when I lived in Colorado and had a boyfriend who was super outdoorsy (crazy stuff like snow caves and snow camping). Now I want to backpack, kayak, and climb mountains.  Well, at least in theory.

Even if I don't end up liking backpacking (which I highly doubt), my ultralite stove will come in handy for car camping, day hikes, and will be a great addition to the earthquake kit.

A Morning Routine

In my quest to make changes in my life, (or mid-life crisis) I have been reading a number of books and blogs about getting more out of life, finding your authentic self, etc, etc, etc.

A common theme is to establish routines--especially morning and evening routines.  I feign routine! Or at least I think I do. Many of the items on my 101 list are about making a habit of something.  My reading of Simple Abundance is a daily routine--well, it is supposed to be.  So maybe my inner self desires routine--but where is the adventure in that?

This morning when I woke up, I wandered around my house wondering what to do with myself--no routine!  I finally made some coffee after snacking on some chocolate cake (Bill Cosby says it is fine for mornings) and having some milk.  Then it hit me!  I used to have a morning routine, but abandoned it when I gave up cigarettes and cable TV.

I used to light a cigarette pretty much before my body left the bed, and into the living room I would go.  I'd turn on the TV to make sure the world didn't blow up while I was sleeping, pop open a diet coke, make a pot of coffee and sit for about an hour with my first three cigs of the day.

That was a pretty stable morning routine for about 28 years. So, I guess maybe I don't feign routine as much as I thought.  Now it is just time to figure out something new and fulfilling for my mornings.

Do you have a morning routine and if you do, what is it?

Memory Crates

My daughter calls them my junk sculptures (lovingly), but to me they are my memory crates.  They are repurposed Coca Cola crates embellished with little mementos from my life.

This is an idea that I actually came up with on my own years ago while living in Colorado (without the Internet for inspiration).  I don't remember exactly how it came to be a memory crate, but it did.  I know I purchased the crate because I loved it, and somehow it became my memory crate.

My grandfather's old watches are in there, an old Navy ring pendant that I've had as long as I can remember, and my Mom's old Brownie camera (which now holds even more sentimental value since learning that my mother loved photography) sits on top. I believed for years that the Navy ring-pendant had belonged to my Dad.  I doubt that now, but it sits on the shelf as a reminder of my youth.

I have two now, but need a third because the two are overflowing and have my eyes looking for the next one.  Sure, the crates are all over the place, but sometimes those antique shops want outrageous amounts of money for something old that they probably got for free anyway.  I have my own arbitrary pricing system in my head and if something doesn't fit into that system on a particular day, then it stays at the store.

I did find a great deal on one at a garage sale when I was in Washington last year, but it now hangs in my daughter's room waiting to be filled with important mementos of her life.

Honey Apron

Here is the latest in my apron designs.  I'm calling this one the honey apron, cos it's yellow, and some of the fabric actually has bees on it (and isn't the girl in this picture a little honey herself?!).

This was part of the Eco-friendly aprons I made for Christmas, but my daughter, being the diva that she is, saw one of the aprons I downloaded from the Internet and liked that one.  Of course, I didn't have pieces of yellow large enough for the ruffles so I had to buy some.

The apron I based my design on is to the left and mine, complete with pearls on the pocket, is on the right.  The bottom portion of the Honey apron is recycled fabric.

Repurposed Ice Cream Container

I finished the last of the ice cream that my bestie had brought over for my birthday, and just as I was ready to toss the container into the recycle bin, I realized that it is perfect to mix grout in and toss away when finished.

Usually I buy a bucket from the 99 cents store, because cleaning up the grout container is a pain in the butt.  You can't wash it down the drain, and since I live in a condo in the city, cleaning outside is not much easier.

Now, next time I grout, I have a container that I won't feel bad about throwing away!  And, even better, I have a nice deep container to break up my glass mosaic pieces into!

What other "throw-away" items have you repurposed?

Cooking Day

The amount of posts on this blog about cooking will probably be sparse.  It's not that I don't like cooking, it's just that cooking in itself is an art that requires prep time, cook time, clean up time.  When I am busy, I just want some food fast, but don't want to have "fast food."

So, what I do frequently is make large meals and then freeze them in single servings. It's much healthier and less calories than eating out.  Last night I cooked chili and spaghetti with meatballs and I took some pics while doing it.

By the way, I also cook a pound of spaghetti and package it into 2 cups servings and freeze it in plastic bags. If there is ever an earthquake and water is limited, I'll have spaghetti to eat because I keep a jar of Ragu in the earthquake kit!


For my chili I altered the recipe a bit for the budget and for calories.  Where I usually put in 2 pounds of ground beef (I love my beef, but it is high in calories), I put in just one pound this time, added a chicken breast (it needed to be cooked), an extra can of tomatoes, and for fun added a can of corn.  This reduced the calorie count per serving by 157 calories!!!  Woot!

To cut down on prep time of meals during the week, I also like to get some garlic peeled and ready to go.

Time for some spaghetti with meatballs!  Yummy!

I haven't smoked all year!

I rang in 2012 as a non-smoker!

I quit 10 lbs ago.  With the holidays and my quitting, I had a hey day with food and I let myself have it.  I figured I wanted to focus on getting past the early stages of quitting before I started to stress myself out about weight too.

I am finding it a little difficult to stop the food train though.  If it all just hung at the caboose, I'd be all right, but...

I am proud of myself and it feels very real this time that I have quit!  Yay me.

I finished another apron and I will post it later when my model is wearing it.  It happens to be her apron too. Of course, the photos of the aprons would be better if she were taking them.  A good photo eye is necessary to make product look as it does in real life, and that is a skill that I did not acquire.