A Call to Sewers and Crafters - What Can We Do To Help? - Make Face Masks

A Call to Sewers and Crafters

What Can We Do To Help During this Pandemic?

Make Medical Face Masks for Our Local Hospitals and First Responders

For a few weeks as I prepared for the possibility of self-quarantine, now a reality, I wandered what I could do to help.  Two days ago my mother call me to ask what she could use in place of a medical face mask.  I sent her instructions with materials that included cotton handkerchiefs, cotton t-shirt and bandanas.  At the same time I'm watching videos of medical personnel and their support staffs asking for help with personal safety gear.  It took me longer than I'd like to admit but I figured it out ... make medical face masks to donate.  I'm set for myself, so this weekend I'm going to my stash to find tightly woven cotton and some nice cotton prints.  Then, I'm getting to work.

The one hiccup?  I don't have my sewing machine so the ones I make will truly be hand made.  I hope I can still make to small even backstitches my grandmother tried so hard to teach me how to do.  

Commercial Medical Isolation Mask

I'm reaching out to the blog community to ask anyone who can to make some masks for your local hospital.  Even if you only make two or three and pass the word along, it will be a help.  Call your local hospital to find out if they're set up to receive them and how they would like to receive them.  Or, if they're not ready yet, give them to a doctor, nurse, health worker, or first responder that you know.   They won't go to waste.  We Can Help!  

Here is the  link to Deaconess Hospital with instructions on How to Make a Face Mask.  There's a .pdf to download and a video to watch.  The instructions were created by the Turban Project.  They are a great organization and have other patterns for use by patients as well as these masks.  Make a few for you and your family as well. They even have a pattern for children -- scroll down.  

How to Sew a Medical Face Mask Video

The Turban Project Video

There are many other links and tutorials, though I would use the one listed by the hospital for medical donations.  (They will sterilize them before use.)  Whatever instructions you use, make sure the masks you are making are rated for disease control.  I wasn't sure of some of the other links, so I didn't list them.  If anyone else knows of some proper links to websites and/or videos, please post in comments and I'll add them to this post.

I wish you all well.  Take care of yourselves and your loved ones.

Happy Sewing!


PS - This could also be a great project for families with younger crafters.  Helping can be empowering ... and relieve boredom.

PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ALONG .... THANK YOU!

100 Days Challenge - Finished ... Yeah!

My personal 100 Days Challenge ended on Wednesday, September 1st. I practiced my challenge 83 days out of the 100, which feels pretty good. I had an 8-10 minutes morning ritual, which included strength and balance exercises. Those of you who've followed this challenge know that, as easy as it seemed to be, I struggled with it. However, I've learned a lot and I've gotten a lot out of it.

1) I'm sure I've said this before but it is important. I found out that it takes me a lot longer than 21 days to change a habit when it is replacing a old bad habit of long standing. I say this is important because I'm sure a lot of you have been frustrated when you work on a new habit and, after a few weeks or even a few months, all your work seems forgotten. Life gets in the way, it just seems too hard, etc. Well, it takes as long as it takes. I know that's little comfort but I encourage you not to give up. Find out for yourself what your personal timeline is when you are making changes in your life. Don't be discouraged by others who seem to be able to adopt new habits, drop bad habits or change their lives more quickly or easily than you do. We're all different and they may have struggles with other things in life that come easily to you.

2) I've learned that I play mind games with myself. Weeks into this challenge I was still trying to find ways to avoid doing it. Most days, 83 to be exact, I didn't let myself get away with it but it was almost always a problem. Some days it took me 30 minutes to get through because of my delaying tactics. I even made myself late a few times. Wouldn't it just have been easier to do it and get one with my day? There's no good reason for it. I guess it's just the way the mind works, my mind at least. Now that I know this about myself, my goal and intention is to keep pushing through it.

3) Good habits really can inspire more good habits. As much of a struggle as this small task seemed to be, during the last half of it I realized I was following healthier habits in other areas. I got back on track with working on healthy recipes, started eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and started walking more, even through the knee pain. I think as I began to feel the benefits of having more strength and better balance, I wanted to do more to get healthier. I didn't want to sabotage my own progress. What I find interesting is that I purposely did not make a list of habits to work on during this challenge. I committed to one thing as I've seen suggested in books and articles I've read and I found these things easier to do on a regular basis. Even so, I began making healthier changes. Oh, and I almost cut out fast food from my diet; I averaged about once a week during the challenge, as opposed to five or six times a week (my pre-challenge norm). This surprising change was good for my health and my wallet.

So what now? Well, I still need to work on this habit so I think I will add a bigger challenge to this one. I will build on it. I'm not sure what it will be but I will let you know. I'm going to take this week off, enjoy the long weekend and come up with my next 100 Days Challenge. I'll still do my excercises but I won't be keeping count. I hope you are challenging yourselves as well. You can do it!

Have a great weekend!

100 Days Challenge - Belief and Trust

Please Note: I started my 100 Days Challenge on May 25, 2010 but you can start any time. I hope you'll join me in working towards positive change. My original post on my 100 Days Challenge will explain what I am doing and how I chose my challenge.

Today is the 56th day, the end of the 8th week, of my challenge. I'm a little more than halfway through and I have practiced my new habit 47 days out of 56, a little less than six days out of seven. Not bad.

Well, I can say that I recommend this kind of challenge to anyone working to make changes in their life and struggling with it. Though this is still a challenge for me, -- no, because this is still challenge for me -- I am learning things about myself that I need to know.

I have learned about belief, my belief - or lack of - in myself and my ability to change. I have found that I do not believe I can make all of these changes for good in my life. Even though the proof is around me that change is possible; even though I know, intellectually, that I have not set my sights too high.

This was surprising to me. It came to me while working on my challenge. I had the thought that I would not improve my health, lose weight, etc. I can see improvement in my health and my strength since I started this challenge, even though it takes less than ten minutes out of my day. I've also been making other changes that will help me to achieve my goals. Yet, I still don't believe. What is this about?

It is about the past. I've worked to make change in the past. I've succeeded in making some changes and most people consider me successful but I have let myself down in many ways. So I have stopped believing. I no longer trust myself. there is a part of me that believes I will let myself down yet again.

Instead of feeling bad about this, I actually feel pretty good because I now understand something about myself that I didn't before. This is a problem I can work to solve. Trust has to be earned, even trust in self. I need to work to prove to myself that I can be trusted again, trusted to change my habits for the better and to actively and successfully pursue my goals. As I rebuild this trust in myself, I know I will rebuild the belief in myself as well. I'm feeling very grateful that I made this challenge 100 days; it really gives me time to prove to myself that I can stay committed and keep my word to myself.

To those who say, "the past is past, just leave it there", I envy you but I can't agree with you. Would you let someone into your home who had a habit of stealing something each time they visited you? Would you continue to patronize a gas station after you found out they had purposely mis-calibrated the gas meters in order to charge more? No, you probably wouldn't. You would use past behavior as your guide until the behavior changed and then you would use the new past behavior as a guide. That's what I do at least. Now I'm doing it to myself.

Sometimes the work comes before the inspiration.

Have you experienced anything like this? How did you or are you handling it?

I can do it! You can do it! We can do it!

Cauliflower, Zucchini, Carrots and Tomatoes with a Tex-Mex Flair

I came up with recipe last week when I realized that if I didn't use them my vegetables would spoil. I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty this combo was.

The cooking goes a lot faster than it seems from the directions and this dish is good the next day as well. It can be served as a side dish or over 1/2 cup brown rice as a main dish. The second day I took the leftovers, added low-fat grated cheese and salsa, rolled it is a whole wheat tortilla for a lunch burrito -- tasty. You can check out the complete recipe here. (Sorry, no photo.)

I hope you like it.

100 Days Challenge - Creating New Habits

Please Note: I started my 100 Days Challenge on May 25, 2010 but you can start any time. I hope you'll join me in working towards positive change. My original post on my 100 Days Challenge will explain what I am doing and how I chose my challenge.

Today is day 14 of my personal challenge ... two weeks completed and I am still struggling to make this small change a habit in my life. Who knew that changing the first 10 to 15 minutes of my day could be so tough? Each morning I find myself struggling to get through my stretches and exercises even though I can feel the benefits already. My knee, which was troubling me almost daily, is beginning to feel better and stronger from the stabilizing exercises I do as part of my morning "habit."

Why is this small change such a challenge? I really looked at this for myself since what I have chosen would seem to be a much easier change than someone trying to quit smoking, follow a restrictive diet, sew every day, exercise one hour every day, etc. Am I really this weak willed? The answer I came up with is "NO!"

I am working to change a habit I've had since childhood. What? Yes, you read that correctly. Almost every morning of my life, I have gotten up at the last possible moment, whether the alarm goes off at 4:00 am or 9:00 am. No matter what time I have had to get up, I get up at the last possible moment to get ready for the day. As I have always been a night owl, even as a little girl, waking up has often been irksome to me and I do not consider myself a morning person.

In other words, I am trying to change behavior that I have practiced and reenforced for more than 25 years. When I look at it that way I realize that this IS a real challenge and that I should not condemn myself for how I am struggling with it.

It is amazing to me how I resist this challenge some mornings. I mean, this is only 10 to 15 minutes out of my day. Yet, I have found myself delaying and trying to find excuses for not doing it. I don't think this is about will power. I think this is an example of how the brain works and how it seeks to continue the activities and behaviors that have become habitual.

Stop being so hard on yourself! Be persistent! Be Positive!

(BTW - I'm talking to myself as well.)

The good news: I have only missed two days out of the fourteen, which I consider a good beginning.

I found a few articles on breaking bad habits that, I believe, offer good advice and insights:

"Breaking Bad Habits - The Habit of Negative Thinking" and "Breaking Bad Habits - 5 Simple Steps for Changing a Habit"

"Tips for Breaking Bad Habits and Developing Good Habits"

The bottom line is I just have to keep doing what I'm doing and not get frustrated. There are many habits I would like to break or change but I need to continue with this one and really make sure it is established as a habit before trying to work on the next one.

I can do it! You can do it! We can do it!

New Month, Same Goals ... Health and Fitness

My Health and Fitness Goals for June

I did pretty well in May, but not as well as I would have liked. However, I realize, in keeping with my 100 Day Challenge, that it is important for me to continue with these goal in order to develop them into habits.

So here are my goals for June plus my notes on how I did with them in May.

1) Stay Hydrated - (8 - 12 glasses of water per day) - I did really well on this. I've been working on it for a while and I'm now at the point where I don't really need to think about getting enough water ... unless I'm really stressed.

2) Get sufficient Fiber - (25gm - 30gm per day)- I did pretty well but I could have done better.

3) Eat in Moderation - (1800 calories or less per day)- Honestly, I did not very well on this. I averaged about 2,100-2,150 calories per day. This is still about 350-400 calories per day less than my usual but I need to work on this.

4) Get Moving - (Walk at least 10 miles per week)- My knee was bothering all month, which was very discouraging. I found it hard to walk more than a mile at a time. However, I did begin working on stabilizing exercises for the muscles around my knees and it has been feeling much better.

5) CIY - Cook It Yourself - (Learn at least two healthy recipes.) - I did learn one fast, healthy and easy soup recipe.

6) Take off the Weight - (Lose 2.5 lbs per week - 10 lbs in May)- I did lose a total of 5lbs this month. Though half of my goal, it is still a loss.

It this has been a graded test, I probably would have received a C- for the month. Thank goodness there are not grades, just personal accountability.

In the past, I would have gotten down on myself for not completing the goals I set for myself 100%. Of course, this has never helped me in the past so I need to change the behavior. In looking at how I did last month, I am choosing to concentrate on the positive things I did and what I did accomplish. It is the only way to move forward.

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.
George Bernard Shaw

I am choosing to change my mind and my life ... one step at a time.

I wish you all the best with you goals for the month ... the year ... your life.

Have a great May!

P.S. I would love to hear from you on how your are doing in your journeys to change your habits, your life ... your wardrobe. :)

New Month, New Goals ... Health and Fitness

My Health and Fitness Goals for May

Before I list my goals for the month, I just want to explain that I decided to keep it very real. I want to set myself up for success. So, this month is about setting goals that are challenging but that are manageable with my life and my schedule. Also, I have limited myself to five goals plus my weight loss goal.

1) Stay Hydrated - (8 - 12 glasses of water per day)
2) Get sufficient Fiber - (25gm - 30gm per day)
3) Eat in Moderation - (1800 calories or less per day)
4) Get Moving - (Walk at least 10 miles per week)
5) CIY - Cook It Yourself - (Learn at least two healthy recipes.)
6) Take off the Weight - (Lose 2.5 lbs per week - 10 lbs in May)

Of course, there are many other things I should be doing to get healthy and fit: eat more fruits and vegetables, weights training, plan healthy meals, stretch, clean out the kitchen, deep breathing, cut the fat, etc. I would love to work on all of these things and more but I believe that if I take on too much, I may get overwhelmed and discouraged. So, I will try to do as much as I can but my focus will be on the above six goals.

Calorie Counting - Food Diary - You may notice that my daily calorie intake maximum is a bit high. Well, I have quite a bit of weight to lose so my calorie needs are a bit higher than someone who is closer to their ideal weight. Also, I kept a food diary for almost four weeks when I was eating in my usual fashion and not trying to count calories, fat or carbohydrates. I consistently ate around 2,600 calories per day -- so much more than I thought I was eating. I did not gain weight during this period and wasn't exercising much due to a problem with my knee. At 1800 calories per day I will be eating approximately 800 calories per day less than I usually do. We'll see what happens.

More on keeping a Food Diary - I hate it. I really do. However, I do believe it is an important tool in successful weight loss. Weather you are counting calories, units, fat, carbohydrates or protein, the Food Diary is a reality check. I honestly did not think I was eating as much as I was. I felt sorry for myself and my slow metabolism. While I still believe I have a slow metabolism, I also know that I overeat and the Food Diary is proof. Though I haven't put it down as a goal for the month, it is an important tool in tracking and achieving my calorie intake goal.

I use Spark People to keep my Food Diary. It is a free site that offers many of the same options the paid websites offer. I've also noticed that they have improved the site over the last year that I've been a member. For those on a tight budget, this may be a great alternative to paid websites. If you have internet access, you have no excuse. Check it out and let me know what you think.

I wish you all the best with you goals for the month ... the year ... your life.

Have a great May!