Another New Day!

Last night was my last night working at Barnes & Noble.  I won't go into why I'm not longer there but I will say, that my future is bright but it is a changin'!  This weekend starts the process of becoming a swim instructor!  I have signed up for the Red Cross course. Maybe when the money starts rolling in from that, I could apply that to a local college and get started on a Kinesiology degree. I know I don't need that to become a coach but if I'm going to do it, I'd like to do it right!

But for now, I'm going to learn to perfect being a housewife!  For those who know the life of a Merchant mariner, household things are done for you. You have a staff that cleans your quarters and changes your sheets once a week. Similar members of that previous staff make all your meals! Depending on the ship, those items are done for you (Some ships give the Deckies Sundays or Wednesdays to do this themselves) but others don't. My last ship (a steam vessel) all was done for me!  It is hard to not want my magic cleaning elves back!

Another issue I have is, my family was big on fun and not so much on cleaning. Our home was sanitary!  Clean kitchen, bathroom, but our home was more cluttered than others.  My home now is cluttered just like my parents and this bothers me.  For one, we are in a bigger location and the other, there are only 2 of us!  

The hope for this... to continue documenting my crafting, as well as my new adventures of getting my home as well as my skittish dog ready for a baby (we are going for starting in April 2014) but in my alternative baby room ways. (I would like a baby room inspired by Brian Lies Bats at the Library) Finally my new adventures in trying to keep my house clean and uncluttered enough for a new baby so that it is old hat by the time new baby arrives!

Wish me luck!

Starting something ... mixing with something old!

I know I NEVER write on this blog and here's hoping I'm going to change that. I'm not big on weight loss blogs. I don't want my world (cyber world or otherwise) to just be about how much weight I lost doing some program. So this will continue to have my life's adventures as well as maybe motivation to keep my weight loss going so I can do what I REALLY want to do.

I want to be a Zumba ® Instructor. Now I'm already licensed but I feel (and this is in my opinion) that being any kind of fitness instructor requires looking somewhat like someone who cares about their body. That is not me! I know there are fuller instructors out there as nobody has the same body shape or size and I'm not saying that they aren't good instructors but I want to be more than that. I want to be someone who my class goes... I'm doing this to look like that?  I want to look like this from Sagette Photography

I want to look like her!

But this is me...

I've had a world wind year thus far. My dad was Diagnosed with Stage 3a lung cancer and if that doesn't throw you through a loop, add 30 new pounds to the mix. I've been struggling with my weight AGAIN for some time now but as an emotional eater that's all I seem to want to do... EAT!  I have however been reinvigorated by Bob Harper's Skinny Rules. I'm not sure how it'll work with Weight Watchers but we'll see.  From what I can tell, all his foods are low in points so it shouldn't be too much of difference.

Why not JUST WEIGHT WATCHERS?  I've been doing weight watcher's since I've graduated college. I got to goal the first time through but in doing the points along the way you learn to how to cheat the system. Especially with their new program with a lot of the GHG's (Good Health Guidelines) are now zero points easier used for something not so healthy! My hope is by incorporating the Bob Harper's Rules (i.e. Rule # 7 No carbs after Lunch) into the WW program, I'll be able to do it, work it the way it should be worked.

So that is part of this Hitch we call life. Working to be the best me I can be!  Here we go... Again!

U Dub Crochet Hat!

My Friend Jarla asked me to make her brother a University of Washington hat. Her mom tried but couldn't seem to get it "right" so she asked me to take a stab at it, and this is what I came up with. She loved it!

U-dub beanie!

My Model... Tanner

Lettuce Vine Cowl

I was finishing the baby blanket as quickly as possible because I wanted to get started on my cowl. I love scarves and am loving the idea of cowls this season.  It took me about a day to get it done!!! I was so psyched it was so short and a fast knit!!!

I did it! My Cowl!

It was made with Malabrigo Chunky in Rhodesian

Nala in the Cowl... not impressed!

Tanner isn't too Impressed either!

Loved doing this pattern!

~Christina

Baby Blanket for Heidi!

I have ADD when it comes to crafting! But some how a few minutes before Baby Felicity came, I finished this darling Blanket.

Baby Blanket Completed 10/16 at 10pm!

I quickly made a matching hat (which took me no time at all) and washed both for the new parents. I hope they like it!

~Christina

Stitch N' Pitch Project 1

This year I went the Seattle Mariner's Stitch n' Pitch. I picked up a few projects for myself and friends which I'm excited about.  I finished the Rozetti Marina scarf which is pictured here. It is a quick easy knit but I would review the video below to learn how to cast-on and bind-off!

This is the completed scarf

Completed on me!

Getting Planty

We have this older-ish Lilac shrub (though it looks like a tree) in our backyard so I thought I'd try to root it with some root hormone and maybe we'll get one in the front yard as well! In my adventures at the "Do It" Center (that's like an Ace Hardware for east coasters) I found out that Lilac usually grows its own shoots. That is actually what I cut. It turns out, we've been mowing them, but we actually have several shoots to try to root if this doesn't go well! (Though online research suggests they are easy to root)



I also figured I'd show you the progress of Bruce my Blue Colorado Spruce which I've grown from seed. Yes there are 6 and I don't have clever names for all... maybe that'll be contest someday!?!



As well as Larry the European Larch I got as a sapling on Earth Day from Lowe's! On Earth Day next year, he'll go in the ground somewhere. I haven't decided where yet!?!

A woman with a plan!

So I revamped my blog and then I didn't blog. That's me! I raised $150 for the Race for the Cure! I was impressed with myself considering I have such great friends who supported me! Seeing how easy it was for me to raise money, next year I will be walking the 3-day! I'll start early (as in later this year) making crafts i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, etc. to boost my fund raising! My sister got a double mastectomy which is awesome because they found Cancer in BOTH breasts. (The MRI only showed it in one!) And even better... because the cancer was so early (stage 0-1) she doesn't need chemo and is going straight to tamoxifen. A big relief for the family!

What's Next?

Getting myself healthy! I've only been giving half my heart to my weight loss journey and that needs to change. Though my sister was thin and my mom was heavy, both got breast cancer. Being healthy might reduce my chances or at least make it easier for me to recover if/when it happens. My sister is practically done with her reconstruction. She's back at work already and feeling good! If I can prevent it by being healthy, I will! If I can speed up my recovery because I'm healthy, I will! Waiting to find out I have it isn't the best course of action to prevent or survive it!

I'm also setting new goals. My friends have convinced me to take the zumba instruction basic class to be certified. Now, I'm picky about my class instructors... I want them to be tight and fit. They are people I look to for inspiration, guidance and support. If they look like they are struggling... I'm less likely to go to them with questions. I know not all people look at instructors for that, and that's awesome but for me the combination of training, and getting healthy would probably end up looking how I want to look.

But I have goals outside of looks! I want to be a certified zumba instructor but I really want to be an aqua zumba instructor. It's a lot of work! I have to get certified in zumba, then get my aquatic certs to teach aqua classes (as well as lifeguard, CPR and AED training to save lives in case of an emergency) and then the certification to teach aqua aerobics. It'll be a bit of money (I'm guessing $1,500 when all is said and done) That's a lot of pressure! That's not only being thin in front of a class, its being NAKED in front of a class. A bathing suit is practically naked! If that's not motivation, I don't know what is! My hope is to have my own pool (OK a pool where people just love my class), my own zumba following by this time in 2012. Maybe even going to Convention in 2013!!! And who knows, maybe even teaching at convention or teaching others how to be an aqua zumba instructor!!!

A New Direction

So I'm changing the direction of this blog. Yes it will have my crafts on here, because that's part of my life. But it'll be going into other deeper things too! I'm a Christian, a merchant marine engineer and have a new purpose to prevent Breast cancer not just in myself but all women!

Last week, my sister was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She's 36! My mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at 48 and here I am 29! I am scared, I cried, I slept a lot, and ate... A LOT! I went to my OB/GYN yesterday and I have a mammogram planned for next week. The day I found out about my sister's cancer, my daily Bible reading had Moses telling Joshua that he'll be leading the Israelites into the promised land. He said to him;

Deut. 31:6
⁶ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

It helped. What helped the most was today! At Women's Bible Study (WBS), we were going over God's plan. We're doing Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God. She said, "Bushes don't burn in a palace, they burn in the desert." God uses these hard times to equip us. He used Moses' time in the desert shepherding sheep to prepare him for the exodus of the Israelites. So I'm going to try to be positive. God is using this time to equip me for something. Maybe to get my body in shape and my health on track? (Which I will be doing) Maybe to help raise money for breast cancer awareness? Maybe to support someone in the future who will need my "expertise" in this subject? I don't know... but I know that God will reveal it in His time and until then, I will try to put my fears and concerns on Him instead of feeling like I'm carrying this alone!

1st Sweater EVER!

So for Whitney's Baby shower present, I decided I would crochet a sweater because I thought that would be something fun to try. Because I'm procrastinator, I stayed up half the night completing this project. My only hope is that she will seriously like it! Or I went without sleep or getting stuff off her registry for nothing!!!

Baby Shower Favors

So I'm in charge of Baby Shower favors for a party this Saturday! I was quite nervous not really knowing what the Soon-to-be Mom would think was creative vs. crappy!?! Here's what I did, what do you think?

The blue bag is the favors for winning the Baby shower games. They are filled with a set of heart shaped measuring spoons, a honey holder with honey comb and a tea pot timer.




The Brown bag is what everyone is getting for coming. It has a baby powder scent candle (some white as shown, some blue) and some candy with 2 kisses saying "It's a Boy!"

I embossed the Baby sign as well as the Thank-You. I used self adhesive ribbon that says "baby," to tie the blue mesh baggies. I cheated on the sail boat and bought those already made.

Salty Sweet Pea

Crochet Earrings

So I'm trying something new... crocheted earrings!

Matching hats!!!

My Darling Husband wanted to have a hat that is similar to mine made with Spud & Chloe "Outer" So I put it together and this is what we got! Here we are in our matching hats!

First Baby Sweater

So I have another friend having a baby. She's only 14 weeks tomorrow but it means I have to start making the baby stuff now because we'll probably do her baby shower during the early spring and that doesn't give me time later. Right now we're sticking with gender neutral colors because we won't know till the end of this month what it'll be... I'm going to attempt to make this:



But right now I'm only this far!

Baby Hats... just wingin' it!

So I made these hats before I left for Disney due to excitement! I didn't have a pattern I just made this by myself! I'm excited by it but nervous too because I'm just winging it!

On a Mission (Introduction)

Hello, I'm Salty Sweet Pea! I knit, crochet, and pretend to craft other things. Right now, I'm on a mission to start up a shop on Etsy to make a little extra money to pay for my obsession. (The idea was my husband's)

I've been looking at Etsy a lot lately and I'm not sure which route I want to take. I love things that are short and quick to make but I'm nervous about how to make myself stand out with so many talented artists out there.

I'm a fur-parent of two rambunctious puppies. I love Disney's Sleeping Beauty (I even think its villain is the best!) I'm quite talkative which seems to get me in trouble... A LOT! I'm a sailor's wife and with that comes a lot of alone time which gives me lots of time to figure out what I would like to craft as well as time to obsess over my puppies.

So Welcome to Salty Sweet Pea's Craft Space... it'll be a bumpy ride!