My 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge - Day 1

I did it!! I can't believe it!

Wait, let me back up and give you a bit of history. I am overweight. I have struggled with my weight since I was about 14 years old. I am currently at my highest ever weight of 195 LB!! I am only 5'7" tall. This does not make for a nice figure! I wear a size 18 and tire going up even a single flight of stairs! I hate looking in the mirror and I don't like having pictures taken of me. I am not happy with myself.....

Well, I have decided it is time for a change! Life is too short to live this way and I am wasting time!! I have decided to participate in a 90 day challenge. I will eat right and exercise and monitor my results for the next 90 days. I hope you will share in my adventure!

My Goals for the next 90 days:

♦Exercise 6 days a weeks

♦Combine cardio and weight training in my program

♦Eat 5 small healthy, clean meals a day (eating foods in their natural state!)

♦Remove processed foods from my daily diet

♦Stopping eating out

Results I am Aiming for:

♦ I want to lose 2 lb a week x 12 weeks for a total loss of 24 lb!

♦ I would like to build some muscle

♦ I want to lose 4 clothing sizes

♦ I hope to gain energy

♦ I look forward to being able to bend down to strap on a snowboard this winter!

My Start:

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 195 LB

Measurements: Chest- 43 inches

                        Waist- 39.5 inches

                         Hips - 47.5 inches

So, what did I do that I am so excited about?!?

I walked an hour on a treadmill. That's right a whole hour!!! I am very excited by this because I have not walked a whole hour in a VERY long time. And yes, it was hard! I had to talk myself all the way through it. I told myself I would walk 15 minutes. When I reached that goal, I told myself "only 10 more minutes. You can walk for 10 minutes!". Well, you get the idea! And I did it! I am pouring sweat and huffing like a pack-a-day smoker, but I did it!

I hope to up date you every week through the 90 days of this challenge with how my planned exercise and eating have gone. I will tell you in the coming weeks what I have changed in my diet, how I am feeling, what exercise I am doing and what my weekly weigh in is!!

I hope you will join me for this exciting challenge! I could use all the support I can get!!

Thanks you reading and don't forget to.....

Keep it Natural!

Pursuing Natural Options with and for My Head!

A few years back I decided that I was tired of using products with so many chemical and ingredients I couldn't pronounce. I wanted to try more "natural" ingredients in my body and skin care routines. 

I use "natural" in quotations because it is defined so many different ways by different people. To me, natural meant using something without chemicals, with ingredients I recognized and that I could make myself.

I was saddened, and a little frightened, when I read all of the ingredients in our shampoos, soaps, body washes and the like. Worried about sulfates and other chemicals my skin was absorbing when I washed my hair, I started with Shampoo and Conditioner as my first experiments. 

I then continued the experiment with lip balms, sugar scrubs, makeup removers and skin moisturizers and toners. I found natural ingredients at my local stores and markets that I could use. I researched the various additives and preservatives available. I looked at scents and how my body reacted to them. 

I started with simple recipes that have evolved over the last several years. Some of these experiments were the start of products that I sell at Craft Fairs. This includes the Lip Balms I sell online at www.ritzysallnaturals.etsy.com. These lip balms are available in 5 flavors and include only natural ingredients.

The recipe I want to share with you today is a simple one that you can make at home with ingredients you probably already have on hand. This is one of the first recipes I used for myself and I still use it today, although the scents I use now have become a little more complex. So here's the recipe. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Revitalizing Orange-mint Comditioner


You will need the following:

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Egg Yolk

1 cup Distilled Water

4-7 drops of Essential Oils (I use 4 drops Sweet Orange & 2 Drops Peppermint) 

2 Capsules Vitamin E Oil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Mix the Olive Oil, Egg and Water in the blender until smooth.

2. Carefully add your Essential Oils. It does not take much to change the scent of the conditioner. Unless you REALLY like peppermint, use it sparingly, as it is quite strong!

3. Using a sterilized sewing needle, poke a hole in the Vitamin E Oil Capsule and squeeze the oil into the blender. The Vitamin E is a natural moisturizer and preservative.

4. Blend all ingredients completely.

5. Pour into convenient bottle.

For longest usage, store the container in the fridge. This recipe adds no chemical preservative so only make what you can use in a week or two.

That's It! There you have a very simple way to incorporate a natural alternative into your daily routine. Customize this recipe by substituting your favorite Essential oils. Have fun with it! And let me know how it turns out!!

That's all for now - until next time...Keep it Natural!

Interested in more information on the Lip Balms mentioned above? Check out www.ritzysallnaturals.etsy.com!

A few of my favorite things.....

Accessories, a girls best friend! I don't think you can ever have enough bits and bobs to brighten your day!

I love little pieces of unique jewelry that make a statement. Why wear something ordinary when you can wear something so extra-ordinary as to be unforgettable.

This posting is about a few of the amazing statement pieces I have found in my Etsy travels. Each of the following 5 items is a truly unique piece of wearable art.


With the Christmas season right around the corner, why not add some of these delicious finds to your wish list?



1. Strawberry for Kaylee Ring
This first item is inspired by the brief television show "Firefly". While the show only saw one season of play, it has garnered a cult following. This item is based on the character "Kaylee", the ships mechanic.

Strawberry for Kaylee Ring was created by Classic Keepsakes from Greenville, SC. The ring is feminine, playful and other-worldly. Find this and other goodies at http://www.etsy.com/listing/43765505/steampunk-firefly-strawberry-for-kaylee


2. Watching You - Wonderfully Weird Eye Ring
Like to make a statement? Want to stand out in a crowd? Excited to be the only one in the crowd who would wear ir? This ring is for you!! 

Watching You Ring was created by Amazing Owl from Sarasota, Florida. This ring looks so real, your friends will double take, then they will all want one! This special piece is located at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/53750311/watching-you-wonderfully-weird-eye-ring


3. Tchaikovsky Ring
This ring is BEYOND amazing. Organic and textured, it needs a home on the boldest of hands! Not for the faint of heart, this ring will knock over the competion!

Tchaikovsky Ring was created by Ian Henderson Art in Boston. Love plants, nature, sea flora? This is the perfect ring! Looking to wear recycled accessories? This item is made from repurposed materials! Take a look at this and the artists other unique creations at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/58718444/custom-tchaikovsky-ring-with-soft-white


4. Violet Star Felted Pin
This hand-felted brooch goes so far above the ordinary! It is elegance personified! Be the Bell of the ball with this little pinable blossom!

 
Violet Star Felted Pin was created by MaijaFeja from Riga, Latvia. Her stunning collection of hand made brooches make the perfect gift for every woman in the family. Find them here at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/49589690/violet-star-felted-pin


5. Soft Lime and Brooch Fascinator
Looking for the perfect Hair Accessory this Holiday season? This jazzy little number will dress up even the simplest Little Black Dress!

Soft Lime and Brooch Fascinator is the creation of Chuletindesigns out of Palm Coast, Florida. This piece is evocative of days past. It speaks of romance. It whispers of secret places. It carries an air of mystery. See more of this shop at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/53081202/soft-lime-and-brooch-fascinator




These are the items on my wish list this Christmas. Hubby, I hope you are reading and taking notes!


For you out there reading this, I hope you take the opportunity to check out these talented and amazing artists as you shop this Christmas. Nothing is quite as special as something made by hand! 


I hope you enjoyed the list.


Till next time, keep it Natural!

Too Moisturize or not too moisturize, that is the question!

So I mentioned in an earlier posting that I have a shop on Etsy.com. The shop focuses on Natural products. One of the main products I make and sell at www.ritzysallnaturals.etsy.com is lip balm.

I started making my own lip balm several years ago when I began to have difficulty finding a commercial balm I could use. I get Eczema on, of all places, my lips. That's right, just on my lips. Anyway, it seems the ingredients in commercial lip balm aggravate the problem. Like any creative, semi-intelligent creature with opposable thumbs, I "googled" how to make my own lip balm. I continued to experiment with different ingredients, flavors and recipes until I had a product I liked.

To make a long story longer, I started selling them at craft fairs and, eventually, on Etsy. I currently make and sell 5 flavors:

Mint Tastic - pepermint

Tea Tree Entitled - Tea Tree

Orange Dreams - Sweet Orange

Chocolate Fantasy - a girls fav!

Bee Natural - unflavored

Orange Dreams is my favorite!!

So now I am trying to come up with some new flavors. I am considering adding a berry flavor of some kind. I was also looking at adding either a coconut and/or amaretto flavor.

I would love to get some input into what flavors others are interested in.... Your thoughts?

 

Mmmmmm....peppermint!! Maybe I should try Mint Chocolate?

I am getting ready to make a new run in early November and want to do some experimenting with flavor combinations.

If you are interested in these lip balms, check them out at www.ritzysallnaturals.etsy.com.

Feel free to tell me what you favorite flavor would be in the comments section.

Thanks!

Til later, keep it Natural!!

The Kitchen!!

Okay, so my kitchen was last updated in the 1960's, I think. Check out the flooring in the pictures...and the gold stove!

So we are attempting to update the kitchen and put our own stamp on it. I started by painting the wall red. I love red! Then we painted the ceiling and put in new lighting. The previous owner had decided to put the fridge where the cupboards had been ...and cut them out with a saw! That left the corner all jagged and mad!

So now we tear apart to rebuild. My husband, Craig, and our friend Bill took out the mess left behind and have prepped the area to build a new floor to ceiling pantry unit. I am so excited!! I came home to the following...

 
See the flooring *shudders*. So the corner is cleaned out. My kitchen has stacks of dishes and food all over....

They even cleaned up after themselves....very proud!

So now we start new. Bill and Craig have come up with a design for an 8 foot pantry with a pull out bottom drawer for heavy items (like flour!) so I don't have to bend down and drag them out. The center console will have a plugin for the toaster and a "breakfast center" and the top will have extra storage!

Then we get to put in new Flooring!! WOW!

Tune in next time for project updates!

Til then, keep it Natural!

New Beginnings!

Most people consider the start of the new year a time for reflection and new beginnings. Not me! I have always felt the year starts in September. That is when the seasons change, seasonal work (which I did for years) changes and when the school year starts. Even though I have no children, I still mark my callendar by the fall of each year, rather than "The First" of January.

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the changing colors, the start of community activities, and of course, all the cool holidays are in the Fall. We have Thanksgiving (I'm Canadian), followed by Halloween and then Christmas! Who can resist that line up!!

So in keeping with new beginnings, I am starting this blog to chronicle my life, my crafts, my business and my friends and family (no one is safe!!).

*Rubs hands together* Where do we start!?!

Good question. Where to begin......

Lets start with my kitchen! Yes, my kitchen. It is getting a new start as we speak. Right now, my husband and our friend Bill are tearing out the cupboards and preparing to build me a custom pantry! This is exciting as my house was built 64 years ago and I think the cupboards are still original to the house!! There are a lot of updates needed, starting with the kitchen. I will update with pictures later!!

I am also going to mention that I am preparing for my fall crafting schedule. I have been selling handmade items in my etsy shop: http://www.ritzysallnaturals.etsy.com  for over a year and traveling to craft shows & fairs  for much longer. I am preparing for 4 Christmas craft shows this season, starting in November. I will post more about those later!

And that is my beginning!!

Hope you will join me for the next step of the journey....

Till then,

Keep it Natural!!

Visit me at: www.ritzysallnaturals.etsy.com