gigiCreations ~ ggC » Blog

Gussied Up :: Final release Friday, April 13th

Stephanie — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:35:00 +0000

Here are the details of Gussied Up’s final release.. it will go down on Friday, April 13th at 10am est in the big cartel shop. All stock will be updated once the sale is live:)

The dresses will be live at 10am est, with limited inventory in each size. Dresses are available in sizes 2t thru 8yrs; please do not “size up”. They’re sewn pretty much true-to-size and your little one should be able to wear them for a good year- through all seasons. All product will be shipped via Priority by Friday, April 20th.

Please, please, please email me for any questions before 10am est!
Here are all the dresses with fabric swatches for each one. If you click each one, it will take you directly to it’s page in the shop:)

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See you at 10am Friday!

xoxo,

stephanie

Gussied Up :: 2nd upload

Stephanie — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 15:21:01 +0000

So, I’ve decided to release what’s left of Gussied Up and we’ll do it on Friday, April 13th.. that’s a certain pop culture day of remembrance for most of us, eh? I’ll turn on the shopping carts at 10am EST and you’ll have your chance to snag what you weren’t able to get the first time around. After this release, it’s kaput for the collection and onto something as equally exciting.. maybe even more so :) You can see all the details about each of Gussied Up’s dresses here. Simply scroll down to view each dress:)

Jack and Jill, aka the.most.adorable.shorts ever are coming up next and you’ll love ‘em because your little boys and girls can wear them. I love that! Yep, they’re unisex but for some reason I don’t care for that word so we’ll call them them “Boy Girl Tree Huggers”. Tree Huggers is what their pattern designer calls them so that’s what I’m gonna call them. That pattern designer being Amy over Brownie Goose. If you’re a seamster, you will die for her patterns. Super-easy to understand with adorable little features. But back to Jack and Jill.. this collection of shorts for boys and girls is super-eclectic and colorful. Your little ones will not wanna take them off to wash:) I’ll be posting about the release date for Jack and Jill so stay tuned.

I’ll be spending most of the summer building up stock for our next collection. Oh me. It’s all a whir in my little brain and I cannot stand it. I’m actually working on some knot dresses with ruffled pants and lots of layers and details you’re gonna love. Gasp! Did I say knot dresses?! You guys know I have not been much of a “knot dress person” in the past but I’m seriously thinking this collection will be the one to change my mind about them. Sneak peeks will start popping up in July and we’ll have it ready for release in August. I am starved for a name right now, what to call this grouping? Be on the lookout for a contest where you can both choose the name and win a free outfit from the Fall ’12 collection.

Alrighty, ladies, going to lace up for this most gorgeous spring day:) We have a 5k here in town next weekend so I need to get some miles in. Our kids are headed home from their annual Spring Break trip with my brother- and sister-in-law today and I’m itching to throw my arms around them. I know they’ve had a fabulous trip but are ready for some home-cooked meals and getting back to their chores.. yeah, right!!

xoxo,
Steph

Rewarding Wednesdays :: Part III :: Food

Stephanie — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:27:10 +0000

I giggle at the silly thought of running stores being empty, with no tennis shoes in stock.. haha! I have so enjoyed reading your emails and talking with you guys about your experience with new running shoes, as I suggested in my last Rewarding Wednesdays post. So many of you have written, gushing over how excited you are that those new tennies are actually improving your workouts. I hope you’ll continue to seek information that will aid you in your fitness goals. Chat with others at the gym, your workout buddies, search the internet, etc. I joined a pilates FB page where the instructor will post, “Give me 25 crunches NOW!” and there we go, hundreds of us across the US, all simultaneously dropping what we’re doing at the moment to give her 25 crunches. Kinda funny but I love it.

So, this week we’re talking about food. Yum! This is the second-biggest change for me in my weight loss goal (right behind exercise). I’ll be using the word “diet” throughout this post so I wanna clarify it’s definition. Think of your diet as your overall food consumption, not a period of time when you’re restricting or going without certain foods. This is huge, ladies. This is part of the mindset in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I realized several months ago that I haven’t felt “deprived” in my journey thus far; it’s because I’ve found healthy foods that I truly enjoy. My perspective on food has changed from viewing it as a reward to viewing it as fuel for my body.

Here are some key points I’ll make. You may not like many of these, and that’s ok. Again, this is what’s working for me; what works for you may be a little different. I’m still in weight loss mode: fewer calories in = more calories burned!

#1: Eat fresh foods. Yes, pineapple’s great for you, but eating canned pineapple isn’t as beneficial. Fresh is best. Wilt some baby spinach on the stove, over a tsp of olive oil and add a little sea salt. It takes a lot of spinach.. sometimes I’ll wilt an entire bag for a couple of us:) Something else I’ve discovered- and this is kinda funny- but kids seem to trust fresh foods more than processed. Take your kids to the local produce stand, grocery store, etc and let them pick out their own foods to try. Let them surf the ‘net for recipes, and then take a fun trip out to get all your “goodies” for those recipes. Encourage and praise them for eating so healthy. Let them pack their own lunches.. with a little guidance from you, they’ll develop healthier eating habits. There are times when I will buy my kids pizza rolls just because I know they like them. With kids it’s all about moderation. It’s okay to occasionally lose the battle- you’re trying to win the war:)

#2: Eat often. I eat a roughly 100-calorie snack about every 90minuntes. Because I don’t get that “starving” feeling, I don’t crash with junk food. Period. It’s really been that simple for me. And don’t wait to eat until you’re hungry.. even if you’re not hungry, eat something at least every hour or so. I snack on raw almonds, carrots and hummus, rice crackers, apples, greek yogurt, etc.

#3: Protein should be at the top of your food pyramid. At least while you’re exercising and/or losing weight. If you’re exercising, this will help keep those muscles strong, help burn the stored fat in your body, and more important for success, keep you feeling satiated after you eat. This can come from fish, meats, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein bars, protein supplements (I add to my smoothies for an extra boost), legumes, and grains/seeds like quinoa, barley, wheatberries, etc. Quinoa has become my new best friend. It’s so incredibly versatile and my kids love it, too. See my ‘clean eating‘ board on Pinterest for ideas on how to prepare quinoa. We mix it with cilantro, black beans, and corn for a protein-rich meal. You can eat that alone or roll it inside burritos and top with enchilada sauce. Yum!

#4: Limit red meat, go for fish. I can’t believe I said that. I have only recently begun eating fish- I just never liked it before. I seriously think my tastes have changed in this department, because there are other foods I now like, and others I no longer care for. I eat at least two small tilapia filets a day now. Pure protein with about 2g of fat! If you’re not a fish eater but are willing to give it another try, email me for a special rub I created. I sprinkle it on the front/back of each filet and broil them until really well done.

#5: Limit carbs. A LOT. Okay, if you need an ocassional “whatever”, then have it. And be okay with that. Don’t beat yourself up over it, but DON’T make it a habitual-occasional. Make sense? If you have bread with dinner every night because you think you can’t live without it, then you’re cheating yourself out of being stronger. Have faith! The hubs was given one of those huge 5# bags of peanut M&M’s for Christmas. If I want one, I have one. One. If you have a handful, be okay with that and get your mind back on track. This takes focus, people! One of the reasons I don’t want ice cream is because – and this is huge- it doesn’t help me get where I’m going. I have come SO far not to screw it up with a bowl of ice cream! Back to no carbs: that includes breads, white rice, refined sugars, crackers, white potatoes, etc. Also, I get that some foods need to be sweet. I like sweet oatmeal, so I add a tsp of agave nectar to it. You could use stevia or evaporated cane juice, too. Anything that’s plant-based will be better for you than those artificial sweeteners. And what’s so great about them is, they’re a lot sweeter than sugar so it doesn’t take much for very low calories. I absolutely cannot tell the difference in taste between white refined sugar and agave nectar. Our bodies were not designed to take in the amount of carbohydrates the average American eats in a day. Think about it: 100+yrs ago, people lived off the land. We farmed for everything we ate and the food was so much healthier. Our bodies were not intended for 1500 calorie Big Mac meals, fries cooked in processed oil, and all the sugar we eat. The more you can limit, the better. That being said, our bodies do need a small amount of carbs for energy. I can recommend a nutritionist who can tell you what you’re eating too much of, what you need more of, etc. Shoot me an email and I’ll get you her contact info. Focus on making good choices and if you make a bad one, a chance to make a better one is right around the corner. And that applies to more than eating:) A dear friend actually spoke those words to me this morning!

#6: Plant-based fats are GOOD for you. Heck, they’re even great for you! Our bodies need fat to function so go for tree nuts, coconut oil, avocados, olive oil, etc. Use butter only minimally but opt for olive oil if you have the choice. Just remember: animal fat=bad, plant fat=great. This talk about fats reminds me of the Snackwells bandwagon everybody joined back in the ’90′s. That stuff is LOADED with empty calories but it sold -and sells- because it’s low or no-fat. That is great marketing on Nabisco’s part because they sell it as if it’s healthy, but it’s still 100% carbs, refined white flour and sugar. All I can think is how much time on the treadmill it’s gonna take for me to work off the calories from something that didn’t even taste good to begin with.

#7: Avoid eating out. This is controversial.. many of you will care more about your restaurant schedule than what that meal means to your body in the long-term. Oops! Did I say that?! I CAN say that because it was me! If you’re trying to lose weight, restaurants are not your friend. Don’t buy into the “I don’t have time to cook, so we have to eat out” lie. Baloney! We make time for what’s important in our lives. Besides, those nutrition guides the restaurants publish are merely a conservative estimate of how they prepare their food. The only way to know for sure what’s in your food is to prepare it yourself. Our bodies are a direct reflection of what we eat. This was the most difficult realization for me to accept. I got where I was by my own doing. This brings me to something else about eating out. Seriously, I have been reading restaurant nutrition guides and one of my very favorite menu items used to be Mimi’s Cafe’s parmesan-crusted zucchini. Well, I no longer dine at Mimi’s. There is absolutely nothing on their menu that I will eat. That’s the “ME” part of this.. your process/values/changes will be much different from mine. I refuse to eat a meal that contains 125g of saturated fat while I’m still losing. That will change once I hit maintenance mode but really, not by much. Not endorsing ChicFilA, but their grilled chicken sandwich on a whole grain bun is 300 calories and I think 4.5g of fat. Not too bad for a restaurant. Subway has a 280 calorie turkey sub but their meat is sometimes suspect and that’s a whole lotta bread. I get way more protein from the CFA real grilled chicken breast. Outback seems to be better than other restaurants about catering to their customers’ dietary needs. I can get a 6oz filet there with only 218 calories, 9g fat, and a whopping 36g protein. I’ll have a double order of grilled asparagus and that brings my entire meal count to 322cal, 17g fat, and 40g protein. If I tell them no butter or salt (and season the food myself), it’s even better. Ask them to prepare it how you like- you’re the one who’s eating it.

Moms, this is my high horse. This is the more “editorial” portion of this post! Don’t tell little Suzie that she’ll be rewarded with a candy “treat” if she behaves, finishes her homework, etc, and then buy her a candy bar or take her out for ice cream. Seriously.. junk food is not a “treat”! That’s putting more value on crappy food than it deserves- and can lead to emotional eating. Your kids will equate junk food with goodness/obedience. The two are NOT interchangeable. I prefer activity or involvement-based “treats”. Take her to the park for a picnic with a friend, go to the craft store, add items to her hobby, and then do that craft together. Kids much prefer having our undivided attention, doing something together -as opposed to food- any day:) The purpose is simply to take the focus away from food.

What are you most addicted to, food-wise? My “I will never go without _____ ” was a Starbucks iced-triple-grande-white-mocha-with-skim-milk-and-no-whip. Still, even that pared-down fat-free version of my favorite drink contains a whopping 52g of sugar. WHOA!! Once I got vested in my lifestyle change I was no longer willing to give up all the energy I had put into it, throwing it down the drain with an overpriced coffee drink. Some of you may be willing to do their “skinny” versions with the sugar-free syrups, but that’s not me. If I can’t have the real thing, forget it. I despise the way artificial sweeteners taste. But I love me some Starbucks.. so what do I drink now? A simple cup of their dark roast (5 calories), a tsp of sugar/agave/stevia (15 calories), and half and half (2tbs, 40 cal, 2g fat). The half and half adds huge richness but it doesn’t really hurt me, calorie-wise. We use fat free half and half at home, same calories but fat free. I love the creaminess and it does the trick without me feeling “deprived” or like I have to sacrifice. I use this as an example. Obviously, your biggest food challenge is different from mine; I would love to hear about yours!! If I hear from enough of you, I’ll do a post with suggestions from you guys.. we can all help each other:)

I thought it might be helpful to share with some of you what a typical day’s worth of eating looks like for me. Remember, I eat a snack every 90 minutes or so. I’ll give you several items and my reasoning..

**Breakfast: typically, steel-cut oats. Whole grains are a must. They improve your cholesterol, are just better for you in general, and keep you feeling full. I usually add blackberries, a tsp of lemon curd, or agave nectar and unsweetened coconut shavings. It’s so good! I really like the chewiness. I’ve never really been a “meat” person, so I guess grains are sorta my “meat”, eh? **NOTE: This has actually changed since I wrote this post. Several weeks ago, I submitted 3 days of food journaling to that nutrionist I mentioned above. She suggested I switch the carb-full oats for a protein-rich breakfast instead. I should tell you, the only “problem” I have now is that I’m not hungry really until several hours later.. a good thing, eh? Still, I get a snack somewhere before lunch so the munchies don’t take over and I’m not famished when lunch rolls around.

**Snacks: Greek yogurt (I do the fat free, which is ridiculously creamy), clementines, apples, bananas, granola (be careful with store-bought versions, which are notoriously high in calories and fat. You can make your own, which tastes 10x better), handful of raw almonds, half an avocado, banana smoothie (I add PB2 and a scoop of protein), protein bars (I eat Zone bars- choose these carefully- some are high in sugar and calories. You want the most protein you can get with as few calories/fat grams as possible), baby carrots with hummus, babybel light cheese, fresh spinach salad with strawberries, Asian rice crackers (no refined white flour), or homemade protein bars.

**Lunch: omelet with roasted/sauteed veggies, broiled tilapia with steamed broccoli, or a salad topped with roasted chicken. I try to eat my largest “meal” at lunch, and it’s usually about 300 calories.

**Dinner: Black bean burgers with roasted sweet potatoes, broiled/cajun tilapia, smashed cauliflower, salad, roasted chicken, chicken tacos (we use steamed or broiled corn tortillas), quinoa with black beans.

I have tons of these recipes posted on Pinterest on my clean eating and healthier living boards in case you need some ideas on how to season these foods. We love Latin American food, so I use lots of cilantro, cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, and garlic. One of our favorite lunches after church has become black beans (seasoned with garlic, cumin, seasoned salt, chili powder), shredded rotisserie chicken (skins removed), a smashed avocado, and steamed corn tortillas. I have also created a blackening mix of herbs and spices that we love with tilapia. Google ‘clean eating’ and you’ll find thousands of sites devoted to this very topic.

Since I’m still losing, I am eating very few calories a day, but the ones I do consume are purposeful: proteins, healthy fresh fruits and veggies, etc. They’re doing something for my body. My eating has changed from emotional eating to purposeful eating, which has given me total control.

So where do I stand with my “diet” today? I’m down 50 pounds with another 25 pounds to go- I think. I say “I think” because I’m guessing what weight I want to be at. I’ll know better what feels right for me when I get there. I feel so much better about myself today.. it’s been worth all the effort 100-fold. Never having led an active lifestyle, even in my childhood, has made this a challenge. However, I truly feel better after a great cardio workout. Feels so good! I’ve already worked out today and yet, I’m itching right now to go do something. Love that! This is not about being skinny. This process is about getting fit and living a healthy lifestyle. I’m beginning to move from all-out weight loss to maintenance mode. For me, that’s learning to maintain habits that I’ll have for the rest of my life. My goal is to ultimately be healthier and “ok” with my weight, regardless of what the scale says.

Reality. I feel I need to throw this out there for the naysayers. Weight will be a struggle for me for the rest of my life. I pray it’s not, but I’m just being real here. I’ve watched family members and dear friends in constant battle and as much as I want it to be different for me, I suspect it will remain a struggle. Things that will help me (or anyone) stay on course:

* Be accountable to someone who will be brutally honest with you
* Limit eating out
* Keep a journal of daily intake (this will help you see patterns in your eating)
* Move every day (even it’s a quick walk during lunch)
* Be okay with your physical “imperfections”
* Surround yourself with like-minded people
* Guard against sudden hunger and always have a snack nearby
* Pack a lunch and/or snacks if you’re planning to be out for several hours during the day
* Plan meals ahead of time
* Keep your fridge stocked with plenty of fresh produce

I hope this has given you some helpful info and that you can appreciate what has worked for me. I fully expect to hear from some of you; not everyone is open to change and and I’m okay with that:) I would love any suggestions or constructive criticism you might have and welcome your input. I appreciate the love and support you guys have sent my way over the past few months.. it means a bunch!

xoxo,
steph

Gussied Up! Last-minute details

Stephanie — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:47:58 +0000

I’m so excited.. our first release since all the changes. Change can be good, right? Heck, yeah! I appreciate everyone’s emails and encouragement a bunch. It means so much to me that you take the time to write and that I’ve been “cheered on” along the way. It’s crazy how I’ve grown to love you guys, even though we only chat via email:) So, just know that I appreciate you oodles.

The dresses will be live at 10am est, with limited inventory in each size. Dresses are available in sizes 2t thru 8yrs; please do not “size up”. They’re sewn pretty much true-to-size and your little one should be able to wear them for a good year- through all seasons. All product will be shipped via Priority by Friday, March 30th.

Please, please, please email me for any questions before 10am est!

Here are all the dresses with fabric swatches for each one. If you click each one, it will take you directly to it’s page in the shop:)

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See you at 10am!

xoxo,

stephanie

old wine in new bottles

Stephanie — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:45:53 +0000

And like that, the new face of ggC is here:) Many months in the works, researching, communicating, praying, trial and error. I know there’s so much to websites that you guys don’t care to know about, but the experience of the past several months has been both frustrating and rewarding for me. The website was last updated back in the summer of 2006.. so it was high time we get a facelift. My goal this time around was to create a dynamic site that would always be current and, dare I say, ahead of the “boutique” curve. I’m so pleased with the look and feel- I hope you love it as well.

It’s not just the logo and branding that have changed here at ggC. Everything is sewn ahead of schedule so that when I announce a collection release date, that’s when those items are up for grabs. In most cases, there will be another round of uploads so that if you missed out on the first release date, you have a second chance at catching a specific item. This will help me gauge what to create more of when something is really popular:) Now, if the fabric companies will oblige..

Gussied Up is our first collection this year and will be available on Monday, March 26th. I do not have a second upload date as yet (let me catch my breath, y’all:). All items from Monday’s Gussied Up release will be shipped by Friday, March 30th. All the items created so far are pictured on our Facebook page. It’s so cool to know how much you guys are enjoying this new line, makes me beam! So, Monday’s the day to get whatever you’ve had your eye on.

I have some truly adorable Tree Hugger shorts that I’m sewing out at the moment; you’re gonna love ‘em. They’re vintage, preppy, colorful, and eclectic all wrapped up in some little boy cuteness. I’m talkin’ slap-your-mama-cute. The pattern for these shorts was created by Amy Norris of Brownie-Goose fame and she has an Etsy shop where you can find even more patterns. We have this crazy connection between Amy and I.. her sister in law used to date my youngest brother in law back about 20yrs ago in this little tiny town in middle Georgia. And Amy and I have only met online since becoming sewing compadres:) Crazier things have not happened, I kid you not.

Okay, so there you have it. The new and improved ggC! Remember, the Gussied Up release is Monday, March 26th at 10est. For those of you on Facebook, I’ll keep you updated there as well. Also, instead of pushing our next installment of Rewarding Wednesdays out another week, I’m going to publish it here on the blog on Thursday. So only a day behind:)

xoxo,

steph