How to Make a Kaleidocycle from Jelly Roll Strips

Since knitting my first Kaleidocycle, it crossed my mind that this could also be done using jelly roll strips and a sewing machine.

You will need some fiberfill and a stuffing tool. I used the flat end of a straight knitting needle. You will also need some heavy duty hand sewing thread such as upholstery thread.

First, pick 2 jelly roll strips in contrasting colors and cut them 13 inches long each.

Place right sides together and sew a 1/4 inch seam down one side. Iron this seam open. Repeat for other side. Then turn right side out.

Now you are going to make marks along this tube. Your first mark will be 1/2 inch. The next marks will be at 2 inch intervals. You will have another 1/2 inch remaining at the end.

With your 1/4 inch seams on the sides, sew your first seam at the first 1/2 inch mark.

Stuff this first section lightly. Then match your 1/4 inch seams so that they are in the middle of your tube. Place pins on either side of your marking and sew.

Stuff the next section lightly. Having the 1/4 inch seams on the side, pin and sew along your next marking.

Continue in this manner, alternating the 1/4 inch seams on the sides or in the middle until you have one last section to stuff.

Stuff the last section, but do not sew across the opening. Fold in the end 1/2 inch (on the marking). Insert the other end into this folded area and pin in place.

Hand sew the ends together using a heavy duty sewing thread. I used upholstery thread.

This will make a small Kaleidocycle, just right for a child’s hands

So You’re Walking Your Dog This Summer

There are some things you should take into account when you walk your dog in the summer heat.

l. How hot is the pavement? If it’s too hot for you to stand on barefoot, then it’s too hot for your dog to walk on.
2. Consider going early, really early in the morning before the sun has had a chance to heat up the pavement.
3. Carry some bottled water for you and your dog.
4. Rest if need be on your walk. Observe your dog. If he/she looks tired, stop and rest a few minutes.
5. Try to walk in the shade. Look for a route that is mostly shaded. It will be better for you and your dog.
6. If you jog while out with your dog and the temperature is 80 or above, consider leaving your dog at home in the air conditioned house.

Just remember you are not the only one going on this walk. Take into consideration the comfort, health and safety of your dog.

See you on the good side of healthy.

So My Son Says…..

…”Mom, you should start a jogging program. You could do the Couch to 5K.”

I look at him and think, “There, there, child. You’re just having a senior moment.”

Hell, I’m 62 y/o. MOVEMENT is my goal! I don’t want to be pushed around in a wheelchair. I don’t want to fear stairs and have to do that one foot shuffle thing just to get up or down them. I don’t want younger folks to think, “OMG, there’s an old person, shuffling along this walkway. Quick, let’s get around her.” I don’t want to be that old lady at the beach wearing a bikini and have people nearly break their necks doing a double take. I don’t want to be a contestant on The Biggest Loser.

This is what I want.

I want to be able to control my high cholesterol with diet alone and get off the medication.
I want to be able to walk up or down stairs without fear of tripping and falling.
I want to be able to walk around a museum or zoo or garden without becoming winded and having to rest every few feet.
I want to be healthy and stay out of a hospital.
I want strong bones.
I want a healthy heart.
I want muscles strong enough to pick up a few bags of groceries or a heavy skillet without fear of dropping it on my foot.
I want to be able to walk without shuffling my feet like so many folks do in a nursing home.
I want to be able to sit in a chair at a restaurant without my a$$ hanging over the sides.
I want my internal organs to function as normally as possible.
I want to be able to take a trip and not have to sleep for 2 days just to recouperate.
I want to enjoy my retirement.
I want to be the healthy person younger folks look up to.

These are just a few of the things I want. Healthy is my goal, not running some 5k thing. And I am working on my goal.

I am walking my dog about 2 miles a day. I am drinking more water. I am counting calories and monitoring the kinds of foods I eat. Yes, I do splurge on occasion but that’s ok.

So I will continue with my goals to become that healthy person. The rest will all fall into place in time.

See you on the good side of healthy.

That Scale is a BULLY!!

Yes, that’s right. That weight scale is a bully! It governs your every move. You hop on it secretly wishing to see less numbers and it doesn’t cooperate with you. It is a liar and a cheat. It lies to you about your healthy lifestyle choices. It cheats you out of feeling good about yourself.

So why do you allow that? You wouldn’t tolerate a bully at work or school? You would shut them down ASAP. Get rid of it! At the least, move it to another room that you don’t go in very often.

You are doing everything necessary for a healthy, more fit you. You eat healthy and you exercise. You want numbers? Use a measuring tape. Monitor the losses in inches not pounds.

Don’t let a scale cheat you out of feeling good about your healthy accomplishments.

See you on the good side of healthy.

Water, The Elixir of Life

Everyone knows water is essential to life. On average, a person can survive only 3 to 5 days without water. And, of course, there are other factors to consider. Factors that affect water deprivation are how hydrated you were before you were in a situation with nothing to drink and temperature and humidity. Hopefully, none of us are ever in that life threatening situation.

So how do you get your water? Tap or bottled? According to the Mayo Clinic, both are comparable in terms of safety. It is only a matter of preference. The safety of tap water is governed by the EPA and bottled water is governed by the FDA. Now if you have a well as your only supply of water, you should have that tested at least yearly.

For personal preference, I use tap water. It’s more convenient and less expensive. And I drink a lot of water daily, usually more than the recommended 8 glasses (8 ounces each).

Have you had your daily dose of water?

See you on the good side of healthy.

No Food is Taboo!

I can’t count the number of special “diets” I have been on trying to lose weight. I think I have tried them all at one time or another in an attempt to lose weight. And all of them have restricted or totally eliminated certain foods.

Yes, you should monitor the types of foods you eat. Yes, you should monitor the number of calories you eat. And, yes, you should exercise daily. This is not difficult. There are many websites out there in internet land that can help you. I use “MyFitnessPal”. It’s easy for me to plug in the foods I eat and the exercise I do on a daily basis.

Some folks do well and lose weight just counting calories. Some folks do not, me among those. You have to use what works for you.

I prefer a low carb, high protein diet. BUT, I have high cholesterol and am on medication to keep it under control. So how do I do that?

First of all, I am a label reader. Before I buy any kind of processed food, I check the label. Then I ask myself, “Is there another food that is better?” For example: White bread, high in carbs, low in protein. So I substitute with an all grain, high fiber bread which is healthier for me. But that doesn’t mean I can eat bread all day long. It’s still high in carbs. So should I eliminate it altogether? No. It has its place in the scheme of things.

Second, I monitor the types of protein and carbs I eat. We all know that meat is loaded with protein, but is all protein the same? No. Chicken and fish are high in protein, but lower in calories (and cholesterol) than pork and beef. I love eggs, but hate the egg substitute. So I don’t eat eggs everyday. I limit them, but I don’t exclude them from my diet.

Same goes for the carbs. I stick with the lower carb veggies (green veggies) and lower carb fruits. Does that mean I can’t have the higher carb veggies and fruits? No. I can have them, but only in moderation.

The key to any diet then, is to monitor what and how much you eat. Some foods are “free” foods (you can eat as much as you want). Some can only be eaten in moderation. BUT NO FOOD IS TABOO!

Just monitor what you eat. Keep track of it. And don’t forget to exercise!

See you on the good side of healthy.

Naval Aviation Museum

The other day youngest and I went to the Naval Aviation Museum. It is free to visit, but they do accept donations.

They have 2 buildings now and oodles of volunteers to tell you all about the aircraft. Of course, you can choose to do a self guided tour or join one of the many offered there. Also they have an IMAX theater and lots of hands on exhibits. And lots for the kids to do too.

Hungry? They have a small restaurant. Want a souvenir? There’s a gift shop you can browse.

I also heard that the Forrestal Aircraft carrier is coming here. I will definitely visit it when it does.

UPDATE:

Oldest says the Forrestal is not coming here. But the Kitty Hawk, another aircraft carrier, is. Either way, I’ll visit and take pics.

MICROWAVE FUDGE

A simple fudge recipe. Doesn’t make a huge amount, but is quick, easy and tasty.

MICROWAVE FUDGE
1 stick butter
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup Hersheys Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar or 1 box 10X sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 to 1 cup pecans

Microwave first 4 ingredients on high for 2-3 minutes. Add Vanilla and beat w/mixer for 3-4 minutes. Add pecans, mix well. Pour into buttered pan. Refrigerate

DIY DESK!

Have to tell you all, I got a new desk for under $35.

I had a little corner desk for my computer and there just wasn’t enough room on it. Things kept falling off behind it and it was a pain to retrieve them. So I thought I’d go looking for a desk.

Desks are expensive! OMG! I did not want to spend $300+ for a desk to fit in the corner. Anyway, we went to several places and finally ended up at Office Max. Surprise they were having a going out of business sale! (at least this particular branch).

All the desks they had were way too large. So we got to looking around and found some filing cabinets. They were originally $60 each, but on sale for $25 each. Hubby said he could make a top as we had some unused plywood and he could cut it and then paint it to match the cabinets. So I told the sailes person I wanted two, thinking I would have to spend $50 for the pair. But when we got to the cashier, they were an additional 40% off. Yipeeeeee!! I got them for $15 each + tax.

Went to WalMart and got some spray paint for $0.93 a can (got 2 just in case).

So now I have a new desk that measures 18 inches deep and 48 inches long and fits in that corner nicely.

Here is a pic of the file cabinet:

Dead/Alive Fish MITTENS!! Yeah!

I did it! I finally came up with mittens to match my dead/alive fish hat! And it’s is so SIMPLE!

First choose your favorite BASIC mitten pattern. I chose an after-thought-thumb, round top mitten and knitted the basic mitten in colors to match the fish hat. Then I added eyes and fins.

Eyes can be crocheted or buttons or felt, whatever you want. Sew on about 1 inch from tip of mitten.

For the Dorsal fin, I cast on 10 stitches, knitted one row, then increased in each stitch for a total of 20 stitches. Then Knit 1 Purl l for 5 rows. Bind off. Sew to center of mitten about 1 inch away from eyes. The Pectoral fins are a cast on of 5 stitches. Knit 1 row. Then increase in each stitch for a total of 10 stitches. Knit 1 Purl 1 for 5 rows. Bind off. Make 2. Sew to sides about 1 inch back from beginning of Dorsal fin.

Simple and cute!

Don’t have enough of this particular yarn to finish the second mitten. Will try to find some, but may not be able to as it is discontinued. Anyway working on another hat and I will have enough yarn to make matching mittens and maybe even a scarf.