Confessions of a Secret Eater

Good news was certainly not expected as I stepped onto the scales in Boots on Monday morning. As discussed in Can I do the other five? I had started to think fighting the flab was a losing battle. But it just goes to show how negative thoughts can become utterly convincing truths, despite that not being the case, as it turns out I have managed to lose 4 pounds on the previous week! Of course my first thought was 'the scales can't be right, I won't believe it until next week when I weigh myself again'. Typical negative thinking - must stop that! In reality though, using 'My Fitness Pal' (calorie-counting app) is such an eye opener, I honestly didn't know there were so many calories in bread! Apart from chocolate of course, bread is my biggest sacrifice now. It is such a help to know exactly what I am consuming and to keep track, it really has motivated me to reduce my intake. I would hazard a guess at 1000-1500 calories-worth of a reduction (I probably wouldn't have said that much before watching 'Secret Eaters' but that was another eye-opener!) Not only that, but obviously improving the nutritional quality of my diet goes alongside with calorie counting so I have dropped the butter from my potatoes, reduced my portions, dragged myself away from the oh so lovely chocolate hobnobs and cut out the stress-relieving/end-of-the-day/serotonin-inducing chocolate binge boo hoo (apart from last Friday of course ha, I'm no angel). Despite what some people think (Big Food and the Calorie Trap), I'm pretty sure the vast majority of consumers understand the importance of 'healthy' calories versus calorie counting four Mars bars and calling it a day. Thankfully the scales sang me a happy song because it has given me another kick and I've been full of renewed enthusiasm this week. I WILL lose the flab!

Anyway another benefit of card therapy is keeping my hands busy of an evening! So I have been working hard on my latest creation, very hard indeed! I have seen a couple of inspiring craft magazine articles about pinwheels and finally gave it a go myself.

I made the pinwheel first, using paper from Dreamcatcher by First Edition and curled it gently as I folded the corners over. I covered a straw with similar washi tape and attached the pin wheel by pushing the tiny brad into the straw and folding the brad arms inside the straw so it can actually turn round. I inked up a doily with Brilliance pearlescent purple and my card blank with VersaMagic Pink Petunia - the finished surface with these chalk inks is so lovely. I die cut the paper for the sentiment with Spellbinders labels 16, used Kanban clear stamps from a set, and embossed with pastel pink Wow! embossing powder. The ribbon was just a short piece from my stash but the colours matched perfectly. I struggled a bit with the bow, I originally wanted a real bow around the pinwheel 'stick' but had to settle with a false one stuck on with double-sided tape. The flowers I made from a sheet of white die cuts from +Craftwork Cards which I again inked with VersaMagic Pink Petunia, Perfect Plumeria, and Purple Hydrangea (love those names!) and finished with Card Candi centres. My husband doesn't like it. I do though!

Over the hump now, 2 days to the weekend!

Emma x