And....She's OFF!

I had this list of Goals that I wanted to get accomplished from the beginning of the year.

Goal 1.  Keep a running list of goals
Goal 2.  Get my office/ studio organised
Goal 3.  Get back into shape
Goal 4.  Keep the household better
Goal 5.  Work on my two at-home businesses more

Now, Goals 1, 2, 4 and 5 have been worked on!  I wouldn't say that I have completed or excelled at these things.  I have just been working on things, as I get the time.

Goal 3, I TOTALLY ignored.  I started the year at 150 pounds and just kind of flabby.  I noticed in the beginning of this month (August) that I am 160 pounds and getting round.  With the addition of the roundness, I have begun to notice my scoliosis.  I am only 5'3".  The BMI indexes say I am overweight.  One even said I was morbidly obesese.  I started watching what I eat 2 weeks ago.  I am using the app "MyFitnessPal" to keep track of exceraing and my food diary.  So far, I have lost 2.5 pounds.  I have not measured myself yet.

This is my "start" photo.  Yes, I know, I look like I am in my second trimester.....

But, it is a start.  I just wish I could get my arse up early enough and on a regular basis to exercise!  I can not get past week one of "Couch-2-5K" before hitting a snag and not being able to work out for a few days.  More to come!!!!

Filigree and Swarovski Button Earrings

This morning I sat down at my design table and just sat there.  Nothing in mind.  I started thinking about filigree and the few components I had on hand.  Then, I knew I had these small Swarovski Sew on Stones that I though would make easy earrings.  The bad thing about the stones was, the back of them was coated gray.  That is not good for a free dangling earring.  Sparkle side -- blah gray side....  But if I attached them to filigree, then you wouldn't notice the gray side as much.  I took out the single pieces of filigree and realized that the stones were too small of scale to go with them.  Then I saw a filigree ring that I had flattened.  I don't know why or when I had flattened it.... it was just there.  I liked the shape of the ends of the "ring". 

I took a picture of earrings I already made and an unflattened ring.

I then took the ring and with a simple pair of scissors, I cut the filigree in the shape was appealing to me.  

 I took apart the original pair of earrings and reused all the components and added one 

                                jump ring to attach

 the Swarovski stone to the filigree. 

I am really happy that the filigree helps cover and hide the icky gray side of the stone.  I am also ecstatic that I was finally able to figure out a different use for the filigree rings.  

I have really wanted to work with and experiment with filigree, but always allowed myself get stumped.  I was afraid.  I don't know why I would be afraid!  In jewelry making (and most things crafty) usually you can always re-use and re-purpose projects that don't come out "just right".