Whole Body Health

Sewing…..again.

wbhsolutions — Sun, 01 May 2011 15:54:50 +0000

I have rediscovered sewing. It is Florida, it is hot and I need skirts. I found a nice Simplicity A-line skirt pattern on an elastic waist. A trip to JoAnns fabrics, and a perusal of my very small stash yielded 3 pieces of fabric I could use. One is a blue hibiscus print, one is a batik that looks like bubbles (to me) and another floral in pinks. A few hours later and I have 3 new skirts. Of course you do have to wear a slip under the lighter color see through fabrics so that started another search…for a cotton slip. No store in Tallahassee carries a cotton slip. They are all nylon or some sort of shaper slip and those are too hot! So I ordered a cotton broadcloth half slip from The Vermont Country Store. I haven’t received it yet, so I don’t know if it is what I am looking for. But at least it is cotton.

I also have a new grandchild, so I have to sew for her. I found a cute jumper pattern and a cute sundress pattern and some wild fabrics that are very colorful. Pattern sizes are traced and fabric washed, just need to pin the patterns to the fabric and sew on.

Of course now my love of sewing has been rekindled so I have bought several more patterns for blouses and dresses. Hopefully I can find fabric I like in this town. If not then I guess I will begin the online search.

What to do with old spools of ribbon

wbhsolutions — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:12:37 +0000

Who needs hundreds of rolls of craft ribbon? Apparently I did at one time…well not hundreds, but a bagful. I was going to give it to Goodwill, but decided against that. Then I was going to donate it to a charity I work with, Bags of Hope, that sells totes and other kinds of bags, donating all proceeds to the Hope Community. So it sat in the bag, waiting to be taken, for someone else to use.

As luck would have it, it was a rainy day in Florida. Imagaine that…..So I kept eyeing the bag of ribbon, and thinking, with knitting needles in hand, that surely it could become something. And I wasn’t doing anything else anyway. So with size 8 needles, I knit a length of I-cord, folded it into loops and ran a length of the same ribbon through the bottom of the loops. Gathered tightly and what do you know…a flower. Of course then I was inspired to see what other flowers I could knit from the ribbon. Using a pattern from Nicky Epstein’s Knitting Flowers, I knit a daisy like flower from white. I haven’t finished either of them, but I plan on putting a big yellow button in the center of the white one, and pin backs on both of them. They may then adorn the tote bags I am making, or maybe become a brooch for an otherwise plain shirt.

Upcycling old jewelry

wbhsolutions — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:54:15 +0000

I belong to a forum on Ravelry, From Trash to Treasures, and our March challenge was to use something second hand and make it into something else. So now I had a mission and a good swift kick in the pants to get busy taking my inherited jewelry and making it into something I can wear, or more specifically something I would wear! The jewelry comes from both my mother and my mother-in-law. My mother had big gaudy jewelry and my mother-in-law had little dainty, almost prissy jewelry. Both a reflection of the person. So I used a coral choker necklace that was strung on black string and had hemp ties, and a big Native American inspired brooch. I raided my bead and findings stash to come up with the other components. After much playing and changing this and redoing that, I came up with a new necklace. Now, not everyone likes big jewelry….but I love it! So here are pictures of the before and after:

Cream….hold the sugar shawl

wbhsolutions — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:09:59 +0000

I finally finished my cream colored shawl! I used the pattern lavalette from Ravelry, added a few changes to give it more interest, and I love it.

Recycling Old Shirts

wbhsolutions — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:14:02 +0000

Finally got my husband to clean out his closet. So we ended up with what seems like hundreds of out of style button front shirts. At first I was just going to take them to the Goodwill, but got to thinking there might be something else I could do with them. Surely they could be made into something else.

I have been sewing bags for a charity, Bags for Hope, that sells handmade totes and wine bags and gives 100% of the proceeds to the Hope Community, part of the Big Bend Homeless Coalition. Well, put together shirts that no longer fit or are in style, with a need for bags and donated material…of course! I could sew some tote bags from the shirts.

I deconstructed all the shirts so that I had pieces of material and then using freezer paper made a pattern to the dimensions of the tote bags and then set about trying to creatively use the material. I came up with a pretty cute idea to use the button placket part as the front, plain back of the same shirt fabric, top with a contrasting piece of fabric or the same shirt fabric cut on the bias and then line the bag with material from other shirts that matched or use some of my stash. Handles were cut from the same fabric as the totes. I also used the shirt pocket on the front. Each bag has an interfacing of either fleece or a stiff interlining.

I am pretty excited that I was able to take something old and unusable and turn it into something that will help a person who is in need.

Fox, Bears, and Panthers, oh my!

wbhsolutions — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 11:48:14 +0000

Finally! A warm day here in the panhandle of Florida. After all those freezing temperatures, the 60′s today seemed downright hot. And that made it a good day for an outing….in the outdoors. One of the best places to go is the Tallahassee Museum, aka, Junior Museum. Most of the time when we go to the museum, seeing the animals is hit or miss ; some are in hiding, either from the heat or sun or just from the people. And of course we expect that and have a great time at the museum anyway since there are others things to do. But today, I guess the temperatures were just right because the animals were all out and moving around. We saw all of the foxes, two out and roaming about in their habitat, and two others curled up in a tree. And the usually elusive skunks were out, sniffing and scratching the ground. And judging from the smell, there was some kind of activity that the skunks didn’t like! As usual the black bears were curled up and asleep, their noses twitching as we stood there looking at them. The panthers were pacing their enclosure, but closer than they have ever been to the front of their area. The alligator was sunning himself.

We started out by taking a brisk walk along the nature trail which goes by the old Murat homestead and sinkholes, and the lakes that border the museum. Florida is really nice at this time of year….no ticks, no mosquitoes, pretty much no bugs at all after the big freeze. Then we strolled through the animal habitats and finished with a walk through the farm area. Our favorite pig was sleeping. The geese were fighting, and the rest of the farm animals wanted petting…but since the might bite, we don’t.

A good day! The Tallahassee Museum is really one of my favorite places to go.

Too cold for shopping, but not for Chili

wbhsolutions — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:35:07 +0000

It’s Florida…we don’t do cold weather for more than a day. And cold weather usually consists of maybe the 40′s outside. But this weather is too cold for me to go outside and go grocery shopping. So no trip to the health food store…I am stuck with whatever is in my freezer, organic or not.

So…I am making Chili. I have dried black beans (I like those better than red beans), I have ground beef (the very low fat kind) and I have all the spices and salt free canned tomatoes.

My Chili:

2 cups dried black beans

water for cooking black beans (whatever is on the package)

1 tsp oil

2 cups chopped onions

1 green pepper, chopped

1 pound ground beef

2 cups chopped or diced tomatoes (usually whatever I have on hand)

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

3/4 cups of water (more can be added later if needed)

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)

2 teaspoons of minced fresh garlic (or more if you want)

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 bay leaf

Cook beans according to package directions. Make sure they are tender.

In a large deep skillet, brown ground beef, drain and set aside. Wipe out skillet and add oil, saute green pepper, garlic, and onion. Cook until onion is transparent. In a big pot, place beans, cooked ground beef, and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving. If you choose, place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-5 hours. Add more water to the degree of thickness that you like. I always like to add a few red pepper flakes for heat. You can also increase the beans and leave out the ground beef. Servings: 8

Change one thing for better health

wbhsolutions — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:42:08 +0000

So today, the first day of 2010, is the beginning of me changing one thing at a time for better health. I have been reading “Never Be Sick Again: Health is a Choice, Learn How to Choose it” by Raymond Francis…some scary stuff in that book (and great info, too). I don’t know that I really buy into all of it, but, as a nurse, enough of it makes sense to make me want to change some of my health habits.

The first change I am going to make is to drink only organic milk. No hormones, no antibiotics, no crappy cow feed. There are really better ways to get calcium, and a body doesn’t really need milk at all. BUT, I like milk in my hot tea….so I have to have milk.

Coming next week my second change……shopping at our local health food store New Leaf Market. I have shopped in there several times, but only for a few things I couldn’t get anywhere else. Most of my food staples were bought at the closest Publix. Now I am going back to New Leaf with a mission…..buy only organic foods and check out the different kinds of meat available. I want free range chicken, and organic beef. Stay tuned for my trip next week to the market!

WOA! Where did all this energy come from?

wbhsolutions — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:01:56 +0000

So I thought I would try the Shaklee “experiment”. I have taken supplements off and on for years and each time I didn’t seem to realize any health benefits. I am on Synthroid, which put my tsh into normal range, but I just felt there could be more, I could feel better. If I didn’t get enough sleep the night before, my brain didn’t want to work. And some days I just didn’t have the energy to do anything (except knit, of course!). I got tired of trying and tossing supplements that promised more energy, less water retention, lower my hunger response while dieting…..you know you have heard them all.

So enter the Shaklee experiment. My daughter began using Shaklee; my husband’s cousin had been using it for years. Both claimed numerous benefits. So I thought what have I got to lose? My first product to try was Vitalizer (without iron). Three weeks into the experiement I have got to say my energy has grown by leaps and bounds. Consider that it was the holidays which are always busy and can sap your energy. Add in a broken toe (really badly broken, needing putting back in place kind of break) and sleepless nights because my toe is not comfortable no matter what I do. And still I have so much energy…I can’t even put into words the amount of difference I feel. And with very little sleep, because of my toe, I still have all my brain power. I am not searching for words, my memory isn’t impaired…..I am impressed and now a believer of Shaklee Vitalizer.

I am now adding in other supplements, but more about them later when I have had time to evaluate my response. (As I mentioned in another post, I am in love with the Cinch Shake and the Cinch meal bars.)

Basil, Anise, and Roses

wbhsolutions — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:19:09 +0000

I walked out to my mailbox yesterday, as I do everyday that mail is delivered. And before I even opened the flap, I knew there was something good in there! I could smell the basil and anise, and a hint of roses. Sure enough there was a box that was just barely containing the beautiful fragrance.

My handmade soap from Getaguru had arrived. I ordered a one pound bar of the olive oil basil and anise, and a one pound bar of the olive oil rose. You want to feel something luxurious against your skin, that leaves it moisturized, try this soap. Everything in it is organic and natural, no chemicals. And in the shower, the frangrance is just perfect, just enough to enjoy but not overload.

Even the packaging is lovely. Each soap is wrapped in a white wrapper, and then another patterned wrapper, then all nestled in pink squiggly confetti paper. You can buy it in person if you live near Tarpon Springs, and visit the store. And if you do, you will get the whole Getaguru experience of all the soaps and scents and other ecclectic products they carry. If you can’t make it to the store, ordering is simple and postage is one flat rate no matter how much you order.