[Sponsored Post] What Propels You?

(Image Courtsey: jaqian via a Creative Commons License approved for commercial use)

A few months ago, I saw a picture of myself as taken by one of the kids. It showed me spinning my little girl around. It was a joyous moment. My little girl’s face was full of ecstatic delight. My face, on the other hand, showed strain and effort. I was not enjoying myself. I was struggling to keep up with the moment. Because I was in general poor health.

That made me realize a couple of things. First, I need to start exercising. Second, I need to do it for the kids.

It is hard to get out and moving when you are set into a routine. It is hard to break out of it. Human beings are generally very resistant to change and so it was with me. But I kept that photo in mind.

I started with a few jogs around the local park. The first day, I felt good. It was easy. I thought, why couldn’t I do this everyday? I realized the answer the third, the fourth and the fifth day. If the first day was easy, the next few days were like trying to move with bricks around my ankles. The body had realized what I was trying to do and it didn’t like it. But I kept that photo in mind.

Finally, after a whole month of daily punishing jogs, I felt that the body was ready to respond. It rewarded me by giving me more energy during the day and making the stomach line a little less noticeable. I was still tempted to relapse. There were days when it was raining and when the timing didn’t seem right. But I kept that photo in mind.

My goal is to take a similar photo in a few months time and see if I am enjoying the moment as much as my daughter is.

Propel Zero – in bottles and convenient powder packs – gives you vitamins C & E, B vitamins, and antioxidants. So you can replenish, energize, and protect with zero calories and no added color.

It’s what keeps you going – so you can do what moves you. Join the conversation about What Propels You on Facebook now.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Propel Zero via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Propel Zero.

If you love old needlework books with that charming “found in a dusty drawer” sort of feel, Early American Embroidery Designs has a lot going for it. This is not a trendy modern pattern book, and honestly, that is exactly why it stands out. It is based on an 1815 manuscript album and is packed with over 190 historical motifs, which gives it a lovely reference-book quality for stitchers who enjoy heritage designs.

What makes this one interesting is the sense of history behind it. Rather than feeling overly polished or modernised, it comes across as a genuine slice of early American needlework style, with floral, vine, basket, repeat, and spot motifs that would suit all sorts of decorative embroidery projects. That makes it especially appealing if you enjoy traditional embroidery, antique-inspired sewing, or adding old-fashioned detail to household linens and keepsake pieces.

It is also the sort of book that feels more like a design resource than a step-by-step project manual. So if you are the kind of stitcher who likes browsing motifs, adapting ideas, and pulling little elements into your own work, this could be a really fun one to have on the shelf. Sometimes those older reference-style books end up being the ones you reach for most, especially when you want inspiration that does not look like everything else on Pinterest.

For CraftGossip readers, this would suit anyone looking for vintage embroidery pattern books, historical embroidery motifs, or early American needlework inspiration. It has that quiet, useful, slightly scholarly feel, but still in a way that is very approachable for modern stitchers.

This is one for the crafter who loves history, traditional motifs, and embroidery books that feel like little archives of inspiration. Not flashy, but definitely the sort of book that could quietly become a favourite.

Have you read?