I was determined to learn how to make a Chan Luu wrap bracelet today, so I searched online for instructions and found a good set. I'd bought the materials at BSNJ's Vendor Night with the help of the owner (I presume) of The Birds and the Beads in Morganville, NJ. I've never been to the store, as it is in the general area where we hold the BSNJ meetings, about an hour south of me. However, the woman I spoke with was very nice and told me exactly what materials and how much of each I needed for one bracelet. It took me a few hours, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. I'm really happy with how it turned out, although it is a little small for me to wrap around my wrist four times and too big to only wrap it around three times. That's not because she told me the wrong amounts of materials, but because I didn't cut the beading thread long enough and was running late for the party, so I just ended it. :p I had to be a little creative to wear it today, but it looks really nice! ;) Next time, I will probably make it as a single bracelet instead of a wrap. I was thinking the look would make a nice decorative belt, but I think I'd go nuts if I had to make one that long! LOL Maybe one of these days...
Last night, I attempted to make a Shamballa bracelet, but I started it incorrectly and had to close it with a loop and dangling beads instead of the adjustable string closure. I realized my mistake when I got to the end of it, so I wasn't about to take it apart and start all over again. :o Needless to say, I looked up that pattern this morning, too, and will probably try again tonight. :p
Just in time for April, the new Focal Piece of the Month is up! :)
BTW, Happy April Fools' Day if it exists wherever you are. ;) Today would have been my parents' 45th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, Dad's been gone for the last decade of it. :( I miss him every day, but I still get help from him when I need it. Today, he saved a parking spot for me within walking distance of the party location. ;) My nieces think I'm nuts when I say stuff like that, but he was really into driving and if anyone would save me a spot, it would be Dad. :)
Did I mention I'm in second place (AGAIN!) for our office's Biggest Loser contest? This round ends near the end of May, so we have a number of weeks left to go. I tried an experiment earlier in the week, and it seems to have gone well. Time will tell if it was truly a success, but I'm getting positive indications so far. Basically, I used self-hypnosis to change my automatic thoughts about food. It seems that if you want to reprogram your brain, the best way is to plant suggestions when you are in the in-between stages of being asleep and awake -- right before you fall asleep or right before you fully wake up. I've suggested things like, "I eat to live, not live to eat," "I do not crave sugar and other junk foods," "I make healthy choices to nourish my body," and "I tune in to my body to determine if I am really hungry," among other thoughts. I've really noticed a difference in my eating habits and attitude toward food since I started doing this! I think I really nailed it once about a week ago, and I have tried to reinforce it a few more times since then. I don't think I'm always in the right state when I try it -- sometimes I'm already too awake when I think about it, and other times I'm too asleep to remember to do it -- so it isn't always as effective as it could be. Trial and error, ya know? I also planted the suggestion that I no longer have to chew the inside of my cheeks when I am stressed...something I have been trying to quit for years. I've noticed I'm doing it less, although I have not stopped completely. I'll keep working on that one. LOL
As always, thanks for being here and have a great week! :)
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