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Getting Back in Shape – Abs Edition

The pounds have flown back on since my ileostomy reversal. Some of that I expected – the weight I lost from being very, very sick for example. That was not healthy weight loss and I didn’t expect it to stick. But then, I admit, I let the holidays carry me along their happy cookie filled journey without a struggle. That’s showing up now in clothes that are a little snug, and a heavy sleepiness that hits me in the afternoons the way it hasn’t in a long time.

So it would be time for me to get back on my healthy eating, regular exercise bandwagon even if it wan’t the time of year for that sort of thing. I’ve been at it a few days now, and am already feeling better. The snug clothing part will take a little longer.

One struggle has been abdominal exercises. I’ve never had ‘abs of steel’, or even abs of anything remotely tough. Since the reversal though, any abdominal exercises I try hurt the scars (mainly the huge one where the actual stoma was, but even a little at the colon incision site). If you have an ab exercise you love, this is the place to share it. I’d love to try out some new exercises since I’m just not up for crunches yet.

A friend posted a workout video on Facebook that included a couple ab moves that were merely uncomfortable, not painful, so that’s what I’m doing for now, but I’d love to see what else is out there.

Happy New Year all – here’s to a healthy and happy 2017!

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Greeting Cards

I’ve wanted to make greeting cards ever since I had the idea to start a second shop for my writing. Not the typical cards that you learn how to make in scrapbook stores and such. Although I like those cards, I’ve bought them on Etsy before, that isn’t what I wanted to do with my own shop. My shop was for my writing. I want my cards to say something; I want to write them myself.
I’m planning a line with some humor (those are my favorite kinds of cards), silly rhyming poetry (that’s the only poetry I write), and inspiring famous quotations. I made my first two cards (actually I made three because the first one sold already – Whoo Hoo!) today and posted them in my shop.

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A new line

You know I love good quotes. Well, I made some quotation bookmarks for my paperandwords shop, but they were so simple, they look, well, just . . . bla. No fun. Then I got the idea to make them out of fabric. They are still simple (I’m a simple gal, what can I say) but I think the turned out really cool. I’m keeping one for myself.

They are cotton fabric (my favorite) with a stiff interfacing in them so they aren’t floppy.

The quotes I started with –

“I cannot live without books.” – Thomas Jefferson

“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.” – Groucho Marx
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. . .” – Albert Einstein

I have a few more in mind, but have to pick out neat fabric that goes well with the quotes.


I love it when I find ways to combine things that I love. In this case: books, and sewing.