Scaredy Cat Challenge – 31 January 2010 (Twinkle Toes)

How are you all doing on your own Scaredy Cat Challenges? ๐Ÿ™‚ Remember they should just be small things that you would like to do (as opposed to a year-long 2010 Resolution) and maybe you just need a little gentle push to do them. If you want an explanation of why I’ve set up these Challenges for myself (and perhaps you’d like to join in…) then go back and read my first post I’m in Stitches!

Last week I announced that I was finally going to have my feet ‘done’. I don’t like showing off my toes in public and I really don’t like people touching my feet! ๐Ÿ˜‰ So the word ‘pedicure’ gives me goosebumps. Well, I wrote it on the blog last week, so there was no going back – was there? ๐Ÿ˜‰

First of all, I have to say I was unsure where to make the appointment… Should I call the beauty salon or should I see a chiropodist? I chose the beauty salon – because it sounded more of a pamper and I could even make the booking online. Now here’s a funny thing – as soon as I made the appointment, I immediately started worrying about what the beautician would think of my legs, fingernails etc… So the night before, I had a long pamper session…shaved my legs, slapped on some self-tan and gave myself a mini-manicure. Was already beginning to feel more glamorous! ๐Ÿ™‚ Removed the old, dark purple (covers up unsightly nails) polish and (I don’t believe I’m showing you this, but in the interests of science…) here we have specimen A.

The Big Day arrived and I was actually quite excited. Though a bit disappointed when I entered the beauty salon because, although the surroundings were quite nice, there was no cabin to speak of… I sat up on a platform with just a blind between me and the reception area! Anyway, I was given a warm glass of (very good, it must be said) chai and a stack of glossy magazines, so I tried to relax as best I could while the beautician got to work.

Can’t remember all the things she did (tried not to look at some points, tried not to squirm at lots of others) but they certainly included: pushing back the cuticles, filing, shaping and buffing the toenails, removal of some very hard skin (due to all that running I’m doing, methinks?), sugar peel, footmask, herbal footbath, foot massage, lots of moisturising cream and, finally, a basecoat. No coloured polish because I wanted to show you lot! ๐Ÿ™‚

And here you have it, Specimen B. Not bad at all! ๐Ÿ™‚

And the final outcome? I’ve even decided to give it a go again in a couple of months. Though I’ll definitely try a different salon (will ask my real life friends for recommendations). And I’m seriously thinking of trying some French gel toenails for the summer holidays…I’ll keep you posted! Until then, it’s time to pack my tootsies away from public scrutiny – and wait until the big thaw. (This is Friday night’s snow.)

Happy snowy Sunday! ๐Ÿ™‚

PS – What’s my next Scaredy Cat Challenge? I’m joining my twisters in their current crochet craze. Shall we hook up? ๐Ÿ˜‰ Just add your own blog to the McKLinky if you’d like to join me on the Scaredy Cat Challenge!

Scaredy Cat Challenge – 24 January 2010

I’ve started a ‘Scaredy Cat Challenge’ for myself – following the advice of Jonathan Roche (see my previous post I’m in Stitches!). He talked about it in connection with exercising, but it can be applied to anything really. So for the duration of 2010, I’m going to do things I’ve been putting off. I’m not procrastinating about tasks in the Flylady sense of “I haven’t got the time to do that right now”. It’s more things I would like to do but “I’m too scared, I don’t know how” sense. If you get my drift… ๐Ÿ˜‰

Last Saturday I started sewing an apron from a pattern. You can see how I got on here.

And what can I report today – one week on? The apron is finished – yippee! ๐Ÿ™‚ And trรจs nice it is too…here’s DD7 modelling it. Though it’s all mine! ๐Ÿ˜‰

And here’s the other side. You’ll remember it’s reversible ๐Ÿ˜‰

The pesky bias strips which I had – of course – been putting off, turned out to be very easy to do. I set my Flylady timer and whaddayouknow…it took less than the magic 15 minutes! The only tricky thing turned out to be sewing on the neck straps (I chose in the end to do them by machine, life is too short for handstitching). The problem was that the front and back of the apron (it’s reversible, you’ll remember…) didn’t quite match up. Well, nobody’s perfect – right? And it’s only me who knows. And you lot.

Anyway, it’s finished, it’s blinking lovely, and now I’m ready to tackle other patterns and sewing techniques. Gathers?? Go home!

So what is my next ‘Scaredy Cat Challenge’ for myself? Well, I had a twitter conversation with Missus Smarty Pants the other night and I was pampering my feet and painting my toenails. She always paints hers in light colours, I always do mine dark (today they are purple, Gosh #99 Isabel). Because I like to cover them up. I really should have my feet done by a chiropodist (various imperfections, not just my toenails) but…I hate people touching my feet, I’m so ticklish! ๐Ÿ™‚

Oh yes, I’ve been for manicures and pedicures before. But the pedicure part was half-heaven and half-nightmare. So I’ve decided to get these tooties looking lovely for the onslaught of spring and summer. 2010 will be the year! So that’s my next Scaredy Cat Challenge. To take the plunge, make an appointment (or two) and get it over and done with (and definitely grumble about the expense). Who knows, maybe I’ll even enjoy it? [simpers]

Have a simply super Sunday! ๐Ÿ™‚

Scaredy Cat Challenge

If you read last Sunday’s post (I’m in stitches!), you’ll know that I’m trying to follow Jonathan Roche’s wise words and jumping in with both feet whenever I feel scared about doing something.

My first challenge of the year is to make an apron using a sewing pattern that came with two pages of instructions. I know, I know, hardly life-threatening stuff, but it certainly stopped me in my tracks! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Needless to say, this week has flown past with lightening speed and late yesterday afternoon (Saturday) I still hadn’t started… With today’s blogpost looming (oh the shame!) I decided to go for it. Set my Flylady timer for 15 minutes and started cutting out the paper pattern pieces. Then read the instructions from start to finish. Go me! ๐Ÿ™‚ Another 15 minutes on the timer and I had cut out all the pieces of material. Okay, so maybe I skipped the part of cutting out the bias strips – but, honestly, by this time I had blood on my teeth and was itching to get sewing!

The first ‘deer in headlights’ moment came when I had to do gathers in the bodice. Yes, you read that right. Bodice. This is a very swanky apron. Never done gathers before….aarrrgh! But I just followed the instructions, (checked the instructions 50 times) and voilร  – who’s a clever girl then? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Then (lucky me) I got extra practice in doing gathers because this pinny is reversible. That means two sides. Which is, of course, extremely practical when you’re cooking but makes this whole sewing project take double the time…

Sunday morning arrives and I’m now feeling rather cocky about this whole sewing thing. Hey, maybe I can make some nice summer tops? I’ve got some simple patterns that I bought 3 years ago…where did I put them? Reality check: I need to finish this blinking apron first! ๐Ÿ˜‰ So time to stop daydreaming and get back to some serious one-on-one time with my Janome machine. Thank you DH for going to work today and special thanks to the Wii and Nintendo DS for babysitting ๐Ÿ™‚

The pinny is now beginning to look like one. And a very nice one too, even if I say it myself. I’m already at instruction number 5 out of 7 – hooray! But I’m beginning to get that ‘pit in bottom of stomach’ feeling again about those pesky bias strips… Oh well, time to put the kettle on, listen to Jonathan’s voice and jump in again.

Another update next Sunday. Have a good one! ๐Ÿ™‚

PS: If you’d like to join me in the Scaredy Cat Challenge, leave me a comment. As I said last week, we can hold hands and be scared together ๐Ÿ˜‰

I’m in stitches! – 10 January 2010

Right. I had to come up with a new blog idea for my Sunday posts as Christmas is o.v.e.r! ๐Ÿ˜‰

I sat down at my sewing machine today to do a couple of minor jobs. And immediately felt ‘guilty’ because I saw a sewing pattern sitting there…unused. It’s a pattern for an apron – and a very jaunty one at that. I can’t physically prepare any food in the kitchen without putting on my pinny (honest truth), so I thought I deserved at least to have a chic one. This one fits the bill perfectly. But I have to make it myself! ๐Ÿ™‚

I’ve been putting it off for weeks. I clearly remember getting the pattern in the post all the way from the U S of A at the beginning of December and mentioning in the BlogTalk chat for Missus Smarty Pants show that I was hoping to make one for a Christmas present… Oopsie! Too scared to start it. What if I cut it out wrong? It’s going to take so long. Maybe I should buy some new material because there’s nothing in the two boxes of stuff that I already have that is ‘right’ ๐Ÿ™‚ The measurements are in ‘American’ – yards and inches – eek! I don’t have the time. I don’t actually know how to sew ‘properly’. Etc, etc, etc. And then Jonathan (NEWO) Roche’s voice popped into my head. Like it does on many occasions. That is, when it can get a word in edgeways from the Flylady‘s voice! ๐Ÿ˜‰

“When have you ever accomplished something great without being scared?” [or words to that effect] Wise words. The words that got me started with running. So I’m going to jump in with both feet and get sewing. Using a pattern. And the blog will be my Witness (one of the many reasons I love writing it). Bet you can’t wait til next Sunday?!

If you’d like to jump in with me and start something you’ve been putting off – whether it be sewing, learning a language, starting to exercise – leave a comment and let me know. Because can hold hands and be scared together! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Have a fantastically fearless Sunday! ๐Ÿ™‚