I have a confession to make, I said I would show photos of my sewing studio today well I'm not. I decided I want to clean and organize it before I share. Instead I'm going to show you a project I completed today. I have a powder-room in my sewing studio and I have enough room in there for a small bookcase. I know this because I had one in there but then when I updated my bedroom it got moved down there. Since doing that I feel like there is a big empty spot so what is a girl to do but...replace it. I headed back to good ole Wally World and purchased a black 3 shelf book case for around $13.00. I knew I wanted to add a little more umph to it.

I found a roll of cheetah print wall-paper for $.99 at my local Goodwill and wanted to use it somewhere. I wasn't thrilled with idea of actually using it on my walls (I get bored w/decor easily and knew wallpaper really messes walls up). So I decided to use the wallpaper to help with the plain bookcase. I love how it turned out.

This is how the bookshelf arrived, all boxed up and ready to assemble.

This is the finished product. I added the wallpaper to the back board prior to nailing it to the bookcase.
It adds just the right touch. My walls in that room are a nice brown (hapsack by Sherwin Williams), with white trim
and black cabinets. I do have a subtle cheetah theme going on w/my accessories.

Bookshelf looks pretty good to have cost less than $15.

I have to say I have a pretty AWESOME husband that "gets me". We added on to the house several years ago and added a studio above our garage for my "scrapbook room". Well since then my suit business has grown so it has taken over. I found that after spending hours up there working on suits I wasn't able to work on the other craft projects I like to do for fun. What is a girl to do...I need somewhere to escape to. That is when I came up with the idea of turning one of our spare bedrooms into an Office/creative space. So now I have 2 studios (hubby never complained one bit...see I told you I am blessed!! He actually encouraged it).

Today I will show my second space. I refer to this room as my office. This is where I keep my main computer...My LOVE...My beautiful piece of art...My Mac. Can you tell I am in love with her? It is also where I keep all my craft supplies (other than sewing items..they remain in the sewing studio). I also run my household from this office. This is where I retreat to for paying bills, couponing and of course visiting Pinterest.

I thought about sprucing the room up a bit but decided I'll show it to you in the raw. I need to clean and organize again but that is an ongoing process.

Some fun things above my expedit. The walls in my office are painted a chocolate brown on the bottom 3/4 then a tan the top 1/4 separated by a white stripe and light pink satin ribbon. It is very calming.

View from my desk. I love living in the country. We never know what we will find in our yard. Sometimes it is a deer, other times rabbits, geese, groundhogs and unfortunately coyotes.
Do you have an Ikea Expedit? If not I can not recommend it enough. I continue to be amazed at just how much this thing will hold. I love having my card stock organized by color (at one time it was organized by ROYGBIV but well lets just say that was a while ago) and within easy reach.

Next to my desk is my Cricut workstation. Hopefully one day it will be changed to my Silhouette Cameo but for now my Cricut will have to do.

This is the what you see when you enter the room from the hall. The space is very small at least for a bedroom but works perfect for my office.

This is my main work area. I love my jetmax cubes. They really help me keep everything within reach and organized (well somewhat organized). The chair I found at Goodwill for $8..I painted it white and it looks great!

I still have things I want to do in here. I plan to organize my closet a little better (hubby filled it with shelves for me last year for Valentine's day.). I also want to get a chandelier. We have a daybed on the opposite wall from my desk. I've got to come up with something to put on the wall above the daybed but nothing has inspired me yet. Watch for more photos as I update the space.

Next post I will share my sewing studio with you.

Well anyone that knows me can confirm I am all over the board with my interests and activities. I'm still making competition suits and LOVING every moment of it. I also am doing posing coaching, stage make-up and working part time in the ER. Needless to say I never have a chance to get board.

Over the last year Tim and I have made some major changes to our lifestyle. We are working hard on living a frugal lifestyle while still enjoying life to the fullest!! Rather than training and diet (which I will still mention from time to time) I and going to shift gears with this blog and start sharing some of my money saving secrets, home decor projects etc etc. Like the title mentions it will be Daily Happenings by Jen. That means today couponing; tomorrow who knows.

Today really is my couponing day. I've already been to Kroger and Publix (they are only 3 miles apart). I managed to stock up on some staple items we were beginning to run low on. No record breaking deals so far today but I definitely saved a great deal on our groceries. Well I'm heading out to finish up my shopping. Who knows maybe when I return I will share photos of my finds for the day :)

Well I know I said I would not be focusing on diet/training but that is the subject of the day. I woke up motivated and ready to start back. I had lunch at Tim's and informed him we are starting the diet tomorrow so we blew it out today. I had a club and banana pudding for lunch then we went to LaParilla for dinner. After dinner we headed to the grocery store to stock up on healthy food. I am ready. It is time to shed my winter poundage!! It is so much easier when we do this together. I think that is key having someone help keep you motivated too I am so competitive I can not let him do a better job w/his diet than me.lol.

Other than that it was a pretty uneventful day around here.

2011 New Year...New Goals!!

I can't believe it has been over a year since I've updated my blog...Wow!! A lot has happened since then. I finally did compete in May 2010 at the Eastern Seaboard and won my class, placed 2nd in Masters. This qualified me for nationals. In July we headed to Vegas where I competed in the USA...a huge national show ( I placed 16th out of 35 in my class). Then I ended the season in Aug. when I competed in the Coastal here in Atlanta (I placed 2nd in my class and 2nd in masters). I've decided I will not compete this year. I have other things I want to focus on...mainly my family! I plan to continue working out and eating "right" just not compete this year. I will also still be very involved in the sport and of course I will be making suits :)!

Moving forward with this blog I will include more of my day to day life and there will be less emphasis on my training/dieting/competing. I do soooo much more than just that.lol. I will show projects I am working on whether it be sewing projects, suits, home dec, scrapbooking, cards, photos, etc. etc. I'm multi-facited and want to share more of that with you.

I am looking forward to what 2011 will bring. I have a feeling there will be a lot of new adventures!! Happy New Year everyone!!

Well I lost my cheat meal. I thought I would be more disappointed but I'm really not. I am so focused on my goal.

I gained another lb of muscle and lost a lb of fat...YEAH!! I don't think I will end up doing a show this year but rather wait and take time to continue adding muscle and tweaking everything. I am feeling great and looking forward to what the future holds.

I need to get better w/this blog thing. I'm just not consistant in posting.

It's been a great day. We had nothing on the agenda except train so I got a lot done around the house and spent time w/Tim and Wade. Last evening I met Tim and the kids after work at Sopporo for my cheat meal. We had a great dinner then I went home and went to bed. Ok after having such a big meal and food I'm not use to you would think I would have a full belly for a while well not so much. I woke up at 3:30 this morning STARVING!!! I could not go back to sleep so that is the time that I started my day. I worked on some suits for several hours then I met up w/Courtney, whom I haven't seen in a while (you look great by the way!!!) and we ran bleachers. My stamina in the cardio department is so much better than when I first started back training.

I had a great back workout a couple hours after running bleachers. My strength has increased drastically and I am lifting more wt than I've ever been able to before. It is very exciting because I can see the gains in my muscle growth.

Now I am going to run down and do an hour on the stepper then hopefully catch some zzzz's. My early rising is starting to drag me down.

I have to meet up w/Daniel tomorrow and hopefully I will have a little more info on if I will do a show in 2 weeks or not. Hopefully he will continue liking the results of me having a weekly cheat meal and I will get another one next week.....one can only dream!

One more week on 4 west and I am ER bound.Woohoo!!

chest 34 1/4

waist 24 1/4

bicep 11

hip 33

thigh 20 1/2

calf 13 3/4

I had another check in w/Daniel today...I am still making good progress. I've lost another 1% bodyfat and gained 1 lb of muscle in 6 days. I've lost 22% bodyfat since Feb.

Daniel said today that I will not be doing the Aug. 15 show. He feels I can be ready but he wants me to come in better than I ever have before. The progress I am making is slow but steady which he said is better. I have to keep in mind the long term goal and that is to go pro. He is talking like maybe I will hit a show in September. I've never been married to a show, I just want to be my best and if that means waiting then I am ok with that! I totally trust his judgement and know that he will stear me in the right direction.

I am pleased with the progress I am seeing and know that I will only continue to improve!!!

perseverance- noun. steady persistance in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc. in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.

This journey has been an adventurous one. There have been many, many bumps in the road and I've almost thrown in the towel on more than one occasion. It has been pure will-power that has sustained me to this point (that along w/ a little stupidity). Now I am at a point in the journey where I am begining to see the fruits of my hard work and determination. I know I still have a long road ahead but at this point I am ready to tackle whatever comes my way and see this through!

I still do not know what show I am doing or what the future plans are. I am leaving all of that up to my coach. This is a little difficult for me since I am a planner but I trust him and his judgement and am confident he will steer me in the right direction. I will continue to follow his advice, train hard, eat right and look forward to whatever my future holds!!

We took some photos today. This isn't the suit I am wearing it is just one I have for practicing my posing in. I always hate looking at my photos!!

Well my plans changed along the way and I decided that to stay focused I would compete again. I've been training and dieting for a LOOOONNNNGGG time now. I am hoping to do a show in Aug. (8 weeks away) so far everything looks on track but we will see. I'm not married to a date or show I just want to come in my personal best. I have a great trainer (my hubby Tim) and a great coach (Daniel S.) and with their help I know I can accomplish this. Training is grueling cardio twice a day and weight training 4 times a week. I am excited because I am finally starting to see the results from my hard work!!!

chest 35"
waiste 25"
hips 34 1/2"
bicep 12"
Quad 21"
calf 14"

wt. 118lbs

chest 34 1/2"
Bicep 12"
Waist 25 1/4"
Hips 36 1/4"
Thigh 22"
calf 14"

Arms 12 1/8"
Chest 36 1/2"
Quads 23"
Calves 13 3/4"
Hips 37"
Waist 25 3/4"

Arm 12 1/4"
Chest 36
Waist 27
Quad 23
Calf 14
Hips 36 1/2

Current measurements:

hips 37"
waist 27 1/4"
calves 14"
quads 23"
bicep 12 1/8"

It's been a great weekend! Yesterday I spent some quality time with Wade. Then last night we went to dinner at Nava's (my 2nd cheat meal for the week) w/our good friends Hanley and Nancy and their daughter Samantha. I also enjoy spending time with them!!

I didn't post my workout from yesterday so I will go ahead and add it today.


Saturday: Arms
Biceps:
Cable curls 3 sets of 12 (35lbs first set, 40lb second set, and 45lbs third set)
Dumbbell curls 3 sets of 12 20lbs
21s x 3 sets 30lbs
Triceps:
Cable Pressdowns 3 sets (30lb first set, 40lb second set, and 45lbs third set)
Seated dips 3 sets of 12 w/90lbs
overhead skull crushers 3 sets of 12 w/20lb dumbbell


Sunday: Legs
Tripple Set:
1st and 2nd set
Leg press (1 45plate each side) x 12
Hack Squats x 12
Leg Extension (45lbs) x 12

3rd set
Leg press (70lbs on each side) x 12
Hack squat x12
Leg Extension (45lb) x 12

Lying leg curls
3 sets 12 w/60lbs
single leg curls
3 sets 12 /w15lbs

Calves:
Leg press machine 3 sets 15 (115lbs)
seat calves 3 sets 15 (45lb plate)

I got the day off from working out today. I had to work at the hospital today so I am just too wiped out. I realized I didn't post my workout yesterday.

Back day
hyperextensions 15 reps x 3 sets
Deadlifts 12 reps (95lbs) x3 sets
Bent over rows
12 reps 1st set (30lbs)
12 reps 2nd set (40lbs)
12 reps 3rd set (50lbs)

Cable upright rows
12 reps (45lbs) x 3 sets


Wt ass't pull ups
12 reps x 3 sets

Rear Delts
12 reps (15lb dumbbells)x 3sets

Abs
25 min bike

Diet is the same as yesterday except I got a cheat meal for dinner...La Parilla. I am allowed 2 cheat meals a week. Since I am working the next 3 days I decided last night to take one of my cheats the other will be Sat. We are going to dinner at Nava's w/some friends. Can't wait!

I had a wonderful time spending the day w/my mom today. She lives in Rome so I don't get to see her as much as I would like. We headed up to Chattanooga for a little shopping. I am really glad we were able to do something but I am beat from all the driving.

I headed to the gym after dropping Wade off at school this morning. The intensity of my workouts has increased soooo much since I've started working out w/Tim again. I'm glad to have my training partner back.

Today was chest and shoulders day. Here is what I did:
incline presses 12reps w/the bar (45lbs)
12reps w/10lbs on each side (65lbs)
12 reps " " "

machine presses 12 reps 45lbs
12 reps 55lbs
12 reps 55lbs

Incline flies 12 reps 10lb dumbbells
12 reps 15lbs
12 reps 15lbs

Cling and press 8 reps (45lbs)
8 reps (45lbs)
10 reps (45lbs)

side laterals leaning on incline bench
12 reps (8lb dumbbells) x 3sets

Cable Upright rows 12 reps (45lbs) x 3 sets

Rear Delts 12 reps (15 lbs) x 3sets

Abs

20 min on eliptical
25 min on bike


Food: (still taking inflamma trim)
meal 1: breakfast steak w/ 1/2 cup oatmeal
protein shake
grilled chicken, sweet pot, asparagus
protein shake
grilled chicken salad w/sweet pot at Outback

1 gallon of h2o

Tomorrow is back day woohoo. I have to say that I am feeling soooo much better. I can't get over how much more energy I have. Why do I ever let myself fall off the wagon?