Sugar Fasting.

 My last treat before starting this sugar fast. A Skookie. It was delish!

I've received a lot of questions about my sugar fast. I've been asked why I'm doing it, how I'm doing it, how I handle cravings, do I eat natural sugars, have I lost weight and how strict I am. Since I started another sugar fast last Monday, I thought I'd give your inquiring minds some info on my fast.

WHY?
This is quite simple to answer. Babies. I had them. And they ruined my body. Well...I shouldn't say they did. I did. I am VERY sick when I am pregnant. I throw up every day until 34-36 weeks. And then I feel nauseated until the baby is born. I'm normally very health conscious, but the only thing I can keep down when I am pregnant is carbs. I eat bread like nobody's business. And, I gain 35-45 pounds because of it. I wanted to get my healthy body back. I was sick of not fitting into my favorite clothes. Also, I found out recently that I am allergic to gluten. So, I thought a sugar-fast might help curb my carb addiction. I was right! It has helped a ton with my cravings.

HOW?
I stay away from all sugars except fruits. I check labels. I try not to eat anything with more than 2g sugar during my fast. As soon as the fast it over, I will slowly add these higher-sugar items back into my diet with caution. My first two fasts were 3 months each. I'm only doing 2 months for this current fast.

CRAVINGS?
Oh, man. I still have them. I still want the cookies that my husband munches on after dinner. I still want the creamy, sweet salad dressing. But, the longer I go without sugar, the easier it becomes. The first week is always the hardest.

NATURAL SUGARS?
Yes, I eat fruits.

WEIGHT LOSS?
Yes! Horray, horrah! I still have a bit more I'd like to loose, but I'm hoping to be close to my pre-kid weight by the end of this fast. 

STRICT?
Yes, I am strict. If I cheat, I start craving sugar again. So, I try my hardest to be strict with it.

If you have any other questions, you can contact me or leave it in the comments below. I'm willing to answer any or all questions.

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...answers for you

I have received a few questions as of late about recent posts. Here are the answers in case any of you were wondering the same thing.

Q: where did you get that yellow sweater in the autumn fair post?
A: it isn't a maternity sweater, but it only ties at the top, so it works. i bought that at tulle a few months ago. couldn't find it again, so i think it isn't available anymore. they have darling clothes. (be careful when ordering, though. they run small.)

Q: you can't not share who makes that delicious paper & where is your favorite scrapbook store?
A: first, i do not consider myself a huge scrapbooker, so i don't often go into stores that are solely for scrapbooking. i prefer roberts arts and crafts. i am not sure if it is a utah/idaho only store, but michaels is a close second.

second, the paper from left to right:

01. so tweet collection by pebbles inc.
02. so tweet collection by pebbles inc.
03. moda bella by american crafts
04. sonoma/melody lane by scenic route
05. citrus blooms orange glitter by dcwv
06. citrus floral vine glitter by dcwv
07. citrus ornate floral glitter by dcwv
08. offbeat/atypical by basic grey

Q: where do you buy your felt?
A: elaine's quilt block in sandy, utah. it has wonderful, beautiful selection at reasonable prices.

Q: why did you decide on a rotatrim paper cutter rather than a carls or dahl? how does it compare to the tonic?
A: a good paper cutter is a big expense. i love paper crafting and work in the industry, so my husband and i decided getting a nice one would be a wise investment. i did a ton of research before putting down the $$$. i never read a review that didn't praise rotatrim or rank it as the best. dahls were usually ranked as 2nd and there were mixed reviews about carls. i am sure for lighter use, any of those would work great, though. i actually don't know a lot about the tonic. from what i can tell, the tonic is for lighter use. rotatrims are super-heavy duty. they have self-sharpening blades and are more professional.

Q: have you thought of a baby name yet?
A: no! i am kind of stressing about it. i know i have a while to decide, but with my other kids, i had their name picked out before the ultrasound. we like classic boy names.

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...writing

My husband went to class tonight and so did I. I was a little hesitant about today's subject, though. Creative Writing? I am not a writer. I don't write proficiently. I don't use perfect grammar, and I can't remember the correct structure of a sentance. Although I have a great passion for visual design and arts, I never felt like my writing art was up-to-par. (And consequently was always a little shy about sharing what I wrote.) So, I went to class today with a little trepidation. Nervous about what it would expose. Worried that my classmates would think my writing was silly.

And yet, here I am; sitting in bed with my husband's laptop typing a blog post for the world to see. I probably will post it unedited. It will probably be full of grammatical errors that I will find tomorrow morning, but will already be ingrained in your RSS feed. And the truth is, I am okay with that. This is my safe spot. It is my place. This is what blogging does for me: it gives me freedom. Freedom to not only say what I want, but to share my weaknesses. I don't have to be perfect because I am in my little place. And you still like me. You are still here, reading...even though my posts lack the skill of a seasoned writer. It gives me courage.

Blogging has been an unexpected joy. I started blogging before I had my first child. I didn't know what I was doing and didn't feel like I had anything worthwhile to share with the world. I felt that I was too average. Too boring. I was your average 20-something, married college student. But, something changed. I was inspired by friends to try again...this time without inhibition, without worrying about what other people thought or if other people would read it. I started a new blog with a new name. Sherbet Blossom was born.

I still feel silly sometimes. Exposed. Members of my church congregation or strangers in the grocery store sometimes come up to me, point at my new purse and say, "Cute bag! I saw that on your blog!" or "I loved that sweet post about your husband last week." It always takes me by surprise. People actually read and know about this blog? They actually care what I have to say and want to know my opinion about things. Me?

But that is why I blog. I am the author. The editor. The designer. The idea-comer-uper. I am it. I am important on this blog. I get to write about the things that I care about: from the mundane to the sublime. I can post about those shoes I bought last week and the next day about the handsome love of my life. I can post about my designs and then write about my sweet children. I can post my crafting attempts and my cooking adventures.

And, most importantly, I can remember them. I can look back and read. I can hear my voice and my thoughts in the words. I can smile at the memories of my children's silly antics and salivate at the pictures of favorite recipes.

I blog because I have realized that my life is important. Maybe not to many, but it is to some. I have realized that it is worth documenting. Worth writing about. And so, I will.

14

...starting a dinner group

Every time I post something about my cooking club, I have a few people who email me or comment asking how we do it, how we have kept it going for so long or what we do. I have written them all individually until I finally decided that it would be more time efficient to write a post.

Cooking Clubs/Dinner Groups are so fun! It is a great getaway for women who love to cook and eat. I started mine a little over two years ago with a couple friends, and I think we have learned a few things along the way. Here are my tips for you if you want to start one yourself:

01. Choose a capacity. Initially, we started with 6 people. With a low number like that, it is easy to have a beautiful place setting and use your nice dishes. It is fun to decorate for the night's theme. Because we had a demand for membership in our cooking club, we now have 12 members. Having that many gives it a whole new wonderful atmosphere. It is harder to have a formal sit-down dinner since none of us have a table that large, and most of us don't have dishes for 12. We usually sit on a circle of chairs and use paper plates. Having a large group, however, lends to a lot gabbing and interesting conversation. Both sizes are great. You just need to decide what you want and set the limit or it could get a little out of control.

02. Choose a consistent meeting time. (We do it the 2nd Tuesday of every month.) Without a consistent meeting time, some months will fall through and the group will eventually dwindle. It is too hard to coordinate a date that works for every person every month, so this makes it easier on everyone. Every December, we reevaluate the date in case someone becomes the new PTSA president, or something of the like, and can no longer make it because of conflicting meetings. We also send around a calendar at the end of the year and everyone signs up for a month to host.

03. Decide who and where. Every cooking group does it differently. I have heard of some groups where the host does everything; all the food, decor and location. In our cooking club, we take turns hosting. When it is our turn, we are in charge of choosing the theme, providing the location and making the main course. We are also in charge of assigning everyone else a course to bring. (The host usually tells us what courses are needed and we sign up.)

04. Communication is key. Another reason for dwindling groups is that members don't know what the plan is. You need to make sure you are all in contact and that everyone knows what is happening and where. We do this in 2 ways: we have a google group to email each other and we have a blog to post updates. The Google Group ensures that no one is missing out on the emails between each other and the blog helps us keep track of recipes, past themes and signing up for courses. This works great for us because we are computer savvy and/or bloggers. You will need to choose the best method of correspondence for your members.

05. Choose fun and exciting themes. This is one of my favorite things about cooking club! Being challenged to cook something I haven't before and trying new foods other people make. You can choose a country (e.g. French, Mexican, Thai), an ingredient that has to be in all the dishes (e.g. chocolate, cranberries, anise), a course (e.g. appetizers, cookies, soups) or anything your creative head can think up. We have done all of the above. Here are some of the themes we have used if you need some ideas:
Thai, Ice Cream, Raclette, Wraps/Rolls, Eggs, Brasil, Sultry Foods, Salads, Holiday Finger Foods, Cranberries, Black & Orange, Farm Fresh, Copy Cat, Gourmet Roulette, Food on a Stick, Semi-Homemade, Mediterranean, Dinner in Tuscany, Chocolate, Pupu Platters, Brunch, Kid Friendly, Soup Sampler, Anise/Fennel, 10 Ingredients or Less, Parisian, Cinco de Mayo, Summer Garden, Favorite Dishes

06. Find a good way to share your recipes. We post our recipes on our blog, but other groups bring a copy for all their members. Do whatever your members prefer.

If you have any other questions or more tips to share, leave a comment letting me know. If you start cooking club blogs, please leave the link. I would love to see what your group is doing and compare ideas!

4

...8's tag

I almost accomplished everything on my to do list. (See below...) Except, I did stray from it for a few hours and took my kids to the zoo. And, I actually packed a healthy lunch which we ate sitting 10 feet from the zebras. It was thrilling.

But, in the process of regaining my unproductive day goal, I am going to do a tag post. First, because they are fun and easy. Second, because I liked reading marta's answers and wanted to play along.

It would thrill me to read your responses if you wish to do this on your blog!


8 things i look forward to:
01. owning a 2nd car
02. summer foods: grilled corn & juicy watermelon
03. buying our first home
04. finishing my garden
05. catching up on my design jobs
06. CS4
07. memorial day breakfast in the canyon with my parents
08. summer bike rides and family camp outs

8 things i did yesterday:
01. read aloud 4 chapters of "tale of despereaux"
02. made butternut squash ravioli
03. fed the neighbor's horses some hay
04. designed 3 blogs and 2 logos
05. went on a bug hunt
06. pulled weeds
07. kissed husband goodbye 4 times (stay home! geeze-louise!)
08. played shoots and ladders

8 things i wish i could do:
01. sew clothing
02. understand the science of baking
03. cuddle my kids all day
04. chop my hair and not cry
05. hire a house cleaner
06. go on a cruise
07. add a few hours to the day
08. find time for a nap

8 shows i watch:
01. house
02. lost
03. the office
04.
05.
06.
07.
08. um...thats all. really. and I watch them on hulu. i don't watch tv. not because i don't want to, either. i just work too much and the tv is in another room.

8 posts i've starred recently in google reader:
01. some days it's target
02. modish loves: baboush
03. crea baby shoes diy kit
04. braised chicken
05. lisa rupp
06. fugzer
07. meal planning
08. menu of the week

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...answers to your questions

I realize that I have had my FAQ section in my navigation bar for a good 6 months and have never answered any of your questions. I am sorry! Today is the day, though. I am finally adding the list of questions I have been compiling! I don't have time to answer them all today, so I will add them little by little. Also, feel free to ask away. Anything you want to know about me is free reign.

I am going to start with my most frequently asked questions. A couple of these questions are asked weekly, so I hope this will help some of you who are wondering!

Q: How did you get into graphic design? Did you study it in college?
A: Actually, I didn't study it in college, but I did take some computer marketing classes that introduced me to the programs. I have always been a computer nerd. ALWAYS. I love computers and I understand them, so graphic design came a little naturally to me.

I actually graduated with a in Bachelor's Degree in Social Health Marketing and was a health counselor for 2 years before getting into my current profession. (I love health. It is my second passion...)

My neighbor was a fabulous graphic designer and I always admired her work. She helped me learn the programs and most of my current "style" can be attributed to her. I was very fortunate to have such a wonderful mentor. As soon as I learned enough to be an asset to the company she worked for, she offered me a graphic design job at the magazine she art directs. My career grew from there. I was lucky!

Q: I am interested in becoming a graphic designer. How would you recommend I begin?
A: There is always room for more graphic designers! The world is turning electronic, so there is a high demand for talent! Adobe is an important medium for graphic designers. No matter what kind of design you want to do, you will need to become familiar with Photoshop, Indesign and Illustrator, and then become an expert at at least one of them.

You need to build your portfolio before anyone will hire you on for a good amount of money. I started by doing free/cheap work. I worked for a couple non-profit organizations designing websites, logos, handouts and fliers. I advertised on craigslist.com and got quite a few jobs that way. After you build a good-sized portfolio, you can start charging more money for your freelance work or start working for a larger company.

Q: What kind of camera do you use?
A: I use a Canon Rebel XSi with a 85mm f/1.8lens and a 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II lens. It is a great little camera and I love my lenses. Especially the 85mm!

Q: You look too young to have 2 kids. How old are you and how long have you been married??
A: I think it is funny how often I get this question. (At least once a month...) About 4 months after my oldest was born, I went on vacation with my parents to California. We had at least 4 people ask my mom how old "her" baby was. They thought I was her teenage daughter and that E was HER new baby.

I DO look young, but I actually am fairly young. I married J when I was only 19 (7 years ago), had my first baby at 22 and C was born when I was 24. So...yes, I am young, but I am as happy as can be. No regrets. I married the sweetest guy in the world. Everyday of my life is the happiest day of my life.

You have a question? Please comment or email me.

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