It's Been Rumored That I Died.....

Nope, I'm still here! The week got busy, the crocheting went slowly, blah, blah, blah....

But I have lots to share!!! First, my plan of "eat better, eat less, move more" is in fact , WORKING! I haven't dared to get on the scale, but the inches continue to move down. I took my measurements on Sunday morning and so far

I have lost (since January):

Waist: 3 1/2 inches

Hips: 1 1/2 inches

Under bra: 1 1/2 inches

Arms: 1/3 inch

Thighs are freakish: 1 inch off of right and little to nothing on left...What?????But that's what the records say!

A great deal of that progress has occurred in the last 2 weeks. I'm not going to write about what I'm doing specifically until I see more progress, but I'm not doing anything like cutting out complete food groups. I meant to post a pic of me, but didn't get to it. I'll make sure to get a pic of me next weekend.

I am posting pics of my two latest projects. The first is the long awaited Upsy Daisy Poncho. I have pictured it on top of a white tank top, which is probably how I'll wear it at the beach. Love, Love, Love it!!

The second project is kind of a surprise. I made an extra large version of http://www.crochetkitten.com/ 's Quahog Beach Bag, which is a free pattern. I am horrible at putting in liners into purses, as I have discovered! I'm kind of pressed for time (exercise calls), so I'll post the pic of the bag and details about yarn used, etc. later on tonight after the children are in bed.

I'll also reveal my next project which is already in the works. I'll give you a hint, it's from Amy Swenson's Sensual Crochet.

******Update: As you can see, I finally got the pictures of the beach bag loaded onto the blog. The yarn used for the bag come from Lily Sugar and Cream. I'm missing the yarn wrappers, but the colors are from their new Confectioners line. I lucked out and found this wonderful fabric for the liner. They look perfect together!

The Poncho was done in Paton's Grace yarn, blush and a brown (I think labeled tan but it's a very rich brown). If you decide to give this pattern a try, I highly recommend the Grace yarn for both beauty and price. They have some great colors!

So my next project....I actually started it on Friday. I am doing (insert drum roll here): the Trellis Boatneck Shell from Amy Swenson's Sensual Crochet. I love every design in this book and if you're looking to find hip, wonderful patterns, she's your gal. Here's the link to her book on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Sensual-Crochet-Luxurious-Alluring-Designs/dp/1402749198/ref=cm_cmu_pg_t

There, you will be able to look at 11 images from the book. The Trellis Boatneck Shell is image #5 (purple). Obviously, a tank top will be worn underneath! I'd love to post a pic from the book on my blog, but without having spoken to the designer first, I don't feel comfortable doing it. The yarn I am using is Bernat Satin in the Forest Mist Heather (deep loden green). It is going to look fantastic with a white or brown tank and cacky shorts! I hope to have it done by the end of the week so I can get to my next project.