Aussie Curves - Pastel

So I joined Aussie Curves this week and this week's theme is Pastel. I've got to tell you - I got rid of most of the pastel in my wardrobe a while ago. I'm such a naturally messy person, teamed with my job (kids, paint, food, glue) and that the water out here can sometimes stain, my lighter clothes ended up with spots all over them. I don't even think I own a white shirt anymore and isn't that a staple?

Anywhoooo, I went through my wardrobe on a hunt for pastel, and my options were pretty limited or work inappropriate.


Presenting my 'pastel' outfit,,,

Dress - Capture (Ezibuy)

Belt - City Chic

Necklace - Dream Diva I think

Sandals - Ruby Shoes

I didn't really want to use this photo because you can see our shoe tubs and my a shelf of random stuff and the fact that I'm a bit blurry - I'm not even looking at the camera. But then again, look at my cat Squish! How could I not? Cat photobombing.


I got heaps of complements for this outfit - this dress usually does, but my husband hates it - it reminds him of 'old women'. My mum actually gave it to me. But the next day I went back to colour with green 3/4 jegging and a bright printed top, and a coworker stopped me with a wave of her arms asking 'You went back to colour?'



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How to make dressing professionally,,, fun?

Bad habits

Does anyone else stay up until midnight looking at out of print patterns on Ebay?

Did I mention that yesterday I got a kind of promotion that will take place next year?

Does that mean I have to start jazzing up my wardrobe? A little less casual?

I bought some bubble necklaces off ebay to celebrate. I think every fashion blogger that I read has got at least one.

Talk of t-shirts

So the other day I ordered the pink t-shirt fabric that I mentioned back in the leopard top post.  I so love that top still! But!!! I forgot to order the leopard print :( doh! I'll have to check out her shop this weekend.

But anyway - I have more than enough of the pink for a second top, I also got a black and white stripe too.  I'm always wary of horizontal stripes - seriously with as large a frontage as I have I really do have to be carefull. So I went and looked for stripey tops that aren't all stripes...

Sonia by Sonia Rykiel t shirt (see more stripe t shirts)
Verdict: This is a little too cute:
Price: $107.28 $53.64 (50% off)

Marc by Marc Jacobs t shirt (see more stripe tees)

Verdict: The stripes, the gathering - 'HEELLLLLOOO ladies!' Cries my boobs to everyone that cares to look in my direction.

Price: $110.26 I think

Tokyo Fashion t shirt (see more striped t shirts)

Verdict:  This is more like it - included the right colours, but far too much ease for me

Price: $28US

Maymaylu Dreams t shirt (see more long sleeve tops)

Verdict: Even better - still a little loose but I like it

Price: $19.80

T shirt (see more stripe tees)
Verdict: I really do like this - but could it work without the print?
Price: $29

Oh my!

Still feeling sick - have an awful cough and still feeling it in the bones and muscles. 

But enough was enough - today after crawling back into bed for a bit of extra sleep in (today is a holiday in our town) I decided I really had to do something. 

I weighed myself recently and I had gained back 2kg already.  Plus clothes that I was considering giving away now fit better because I have put the fat back on.

So I started from the beginning again and did a Walk Away the Pounds 1 mile walk. Yes it was easy - I couldn't use the dumbbells though. So I'll need to keep on at it.

Did I mention that my birthday was yesterday?

Essential Ts

Getting in a little sewing this weekend.


Remembering that I needed more casual clothes that could work both as PJs and exercise stuff, I dug out my TNT pattern from Ottobre Issue 2/06, Obviously it's been worked over - a full bust adjustment, removing excess from my shoulder back, adding length.

I made up two t-shirts using a dark grey marle and a steel blue. Both are cotton lyrca/spandex mixes and were lovey to sew. The marle was from an ebay seller I can't find anymore so I'm glad I got metres of it. The seller made a mistake, an instead of sending me both a skin colour lot and a grey colour lot she send me 6m of grey - but it's lovely and soft. The steel blue is slightly thicker and I got it from Joelle.

I'm trying to move my neutral colour from black to grey. It's actually hard to find a lot of grey clothing but grey fabric pops up on ebay fairly often.

This time around I added 3 cm to the short sleeve and attached a band so I wouldn't have to do a proper hem. I sew this on the Renfrew top. Works so well.

I also added an extra 2cm to the hem so that I could fold the hem up 4cm and do a extra wide hem. This makes sewing easier and added a bit of weight.

Instead of making a dart, I instead eased in the extra fabric to make a little bit of gathering - this is easy, comfortable and makes room for my boobs. I got this tip from Eugenia's Fabulous World of Fashion. Admittedly it looks a little funny, but once it's on my husband says it looks great. For the steel blue top I took a little off the side of the dart area because I felt there was too much.

I also used my pinking shears almost everywhere - normally I would have just left it straight but I thought why not?

 

Whenever I sew t-shirts my husband is so amazed that they look like shop bought ones but fit so much better. 

Next up? I really want to make my yellow skirt or finish up my magenta maxi skirt.

Confession

My week of no excuses turned into a week of having a cold. Everyone at work is sick too. Luckily tomorrow is the last day of the week - yay for weekends, and then Monday is my birthday and Tuesday is a town holiday :)

So all over this!

So I've just had a play around with creating my own Tabata style video :)

Hopefully this upload will work but this makes it pretty easy for me to workout.

Week 30

What's Motivating Me This Week?
My manly muscles - if only I could rid of the flappy arms

What's Bugging Me This Week?
The flappy arms

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Why can't I stick to the routine? I make excuses for myself in the morning like,,, 'I've had a bad night's sleep' or 'I just did Zumba last night so I don't really need to workout this morning.' So I've planned two rest days after Zumba nights and not giving myself excuses otherwise. Last week I only ended up doing the Zumba classes - grrr.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

Tabata? I tried 'The world's fastest workout video' although I didn't do the first exercise properly - I did my it without the push up and the jump. The problem is that you can't really tell when to stop and start with this video if your concentrating on the exercise.

What's the Plan?

Random stuff

Have you seen this?



And just for a laugh!

Leopard Patchwork High-low Sleeveless Pink Blouse

Yesterday I spent sewing and adjusting a pattern so that it fits me perfectly - I think I'm done. But after that my husband and I made a duct tape dressmakers dummy of my body. Bler! It took just under and hour of being wrapped up tightly in plastic - I was so hot and sweaty by the end but the dress form after I was cut out is pretty amazing. I have almost finished stuffing it and boy it is scary.

Anyhoo  check this out...

Leopard Patchwork High-low Sleeveless Pink Blouse. 

This is like a heap of current fads all meshed in together to make one item of clothing. I love it.

We have

• animal print
• salmon pink
• high-low hem
• useless pocket
• colour blocking
• shoulder pads

Did I miss anything?

Oh yeah - it only came in one size apparently - miniscule - way to go there!  I am so making my own.

Although I already own some leopard print chiffon I would want to make the back out of something opaque - Joelle has some fun looking nylon lycra and the pink fabric too.

Week 29

This seems to be becoming the excuse post! Two weeks ago I went on a conference and ended up getting sick while I was away and then last week while I was still getting over my cold I was entertaining an in-law that came to stay. So I was really looking forward to this week - a week of holidays and a week of no excuses exercise!

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Feeling like I kick arse!

What's Bugging Me This Week?
I look totally fat in my photos

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Should I keep sharing my photos? It kind of puts me out there.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

My husband telling me that I have more muscle than him.

What's the Plan?
Trying a variety of 10 minute workouts.

Week 28

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Complements from people, trying on a pair of shorts I bought last year and laughing because they are so huge.


What's Bugging Me This Week?

I pulled a muscle in my right arm about 3 weeks ago when I had all that muscle soreness. It still is sore when I move my arm in certain directions. My knee has also been a little tricky - at Zumba two weeks ago we did a new set that involved a lot of twisting and lunges so I did hurt myself a little.

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Why can't I do a lunge successfully?



What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

I tried on a pair of size 14 jeans last week. They were a little tight (and they were plus size 14) but still I'm excited.

What's the Plan?
Last week wasn't so bad - I went to Zumba and I did workout some during the week but I didn't feel I was doing enough. I'm doing some strength this week and leaving the cardio for Zumba.

Week 26 - Yes I'm back!

What's Motivating Me This Week?
 I took some more time off overcoming some crazy flu like thing that wiped me out. Plus I somehow pulled a muscle in my right arm - in my sleep! So anyhow I'm keen to do some exercise this week.


What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Should I try these tops at Virtu?


What's Bugging Me This Week?

Those stupid pins on pinterest that make you think - oh a new fitness blog I could follow, only it turns out its a link to the man trying to sell you his weight loss stuff with a monotone voice.

Also not working out for the last 2 weeks or so means I've put on weight. Oh well.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

I have a step coming to me, as well as my next lot of dumbbells, and a foam roller! No more sore calves and shin splints for me.

What's the Plan?
 New step means I want to start doing some step videos - obviously. This 'Fit of Duty - Basic Step Workout' is pretty easy - so I'm pumping it up with weights. The step won't be getting here quickly mind you - but I'm keen anyway.

Hey folks,,, folk,,, anyone?

I've been taking a break from blogging my health stuff. Partly because I've been way too busy and also because I was getting to caught up with hating myself if I did miss a workout or if I didn't do as well as I should have. So I cut it back to just Zumba lessons if I could make it.  

This weekend was my chance to get back on the wagon so to say, but I ended up not feeling well on Saturday. I spent most of the day napping on the couch or sleeping in bed.  Today, I woke up feeling sore all over still, but I still needed to spend most of my morning in front of the computer doing school work and most of the afternoon on the floor marking school work.

So this week I will do Zumba again and probably not much else until the weekend.

In the mean time, did I tell you fitted into a pair of size 16 jeans?

Funny!

It was a funny week this week. I was meant to do the previous week's plan again.

I ended up getting all sorts of sickness,,, I won't gross you out. At the moment my voice is threatening to die on me.

So although my weekend was great exercise wise, I missed a Zumba class and did only 2 other workout with weights. Shocking.

But I had a funny moment today. In art class we started on our paper mache masks. I had opened up a new 5 litre bottle of glue to use and was pouring the glue into their bowls.  During the lesson some groups ran out of glue so I told them to help themselves to it.  Not one of them could lift up the bottle to pour it properly. I had one boy ask me how I could be so strong.  They are so sweet!

I'm not looking forward to photo time this weekend.

Off to a start

I've started sewing my magenta maxi skirt today.

I saw a similar skirt as the ASOS aztec one I posted earlier - but it was is the girl section. I could have bought 2 of them and made my own bigger version but oh well. I couldn't fiind any fabric that would match the neon pastel colours.

So I bought the ASOS skirt instead - it was on sale too.

I think I have found the fabric for the ASOS dress and the body

I also saw some similar print on ebay but there wasn't much of it - barley enough for a tube skirt...

Nope - no bike

Hopped on the bike hoping for a little cycle action - got 2 minutes in and decided it wasn't worth the pain. Looks like I wasted $15 on a bike seat then - hopefully the husband will use it still.

So instead I'm using "Low Impact Cardio Workout for Beginners - Beginner Cardio  Toning Workout Routine" but after all the fluffing around I did before hand I don't have enough time to do it all - I'm taking a quick breather while I my peas and carrots are cooking in the microwave.

Week 25

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Great music - I spend a bit of time today finding new music to workout to. 

 

I also found this YouTube channel, FitnessBlender.com. The low impact cardio looks good so I'll try that next week - or this depending on how I find the bicycle with the new cover - all I know is that I tried to ride again and my v-giny hurt!

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
How could my waist have gotten smaller but my hips bigger? Just of shits and giggle I looked up my waist-to-hip ratio - it's 0.83 - so close!

What's Bugging Me This Week?
I was on the phone with an in-law this week and was asked how my diet was going.  Why do people think that you are on a diet when you are getting fit?  I know she meant fad diet, or even simply watching what I eat but it frustrates me how little people actually know about health. I've been day dreaming about studying again - maybe picking up the health side of my degree... but I don't know.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

Getting back on track and feeling please with how strong I still feel after a holiday.

What's the Plan?
 I really want to increase my cardio, but also enjoy strength stuff - I used my new 1.5kg dumbbells today and thought to myself, 'actually should have bought the 2kgs'.

Radio Silence

Sorry - let me catch you up.

I've traveled up and down the state during my holiday. The first hotel I stayed in barely had room to swing a cat so no exercise. Then I was at my parents so I got in a workout a day. Then I stayed in a unit so I did a few more workouts. I finally ended up in a tent and didn't get any conscious exercise done. I did walk buttloads during the holidays, I also ate everything!!!

So in all I put on a few kg - but I had a great time.

Back at work now, thrown back into it, I did manage to go to 1 Zumba class and do 1 Tiffany Roth workout.

However the other things I achieved when I was away:

• new yoga pants (x4) I looked everywhere and only found them in Big W.  I was seriously pissed off that exercise stores don't cater for larger sizes. Do they not think that if they did, and pluz sized girls bought their workout gear, who then worked out and lost wieght and thus need more, but smaller, workout gear that they wouldn't get repeat business??? Fuck it - Big W I love you.
• new dumbbells (x2)
• new exercise bras (x4) at 15% off
• seat cover for the bike (x1)
• I looked for a foam roller - hell they were expensive so I didn't get one (x0).  I'm going to look online.

So my plan today is to set up my exercise bike and go for a ride and think about what the plan is going to be for the rest of the week.

Also, while everyone else is doing it on pinterest I may as well give it a go too - the Weight Loss Simulator

This is me (sort of) at the moment - and this is me (sort of) at 80kg.