mattyroblife

Breaking Bad Habits

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 11:07:17 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

List of bad habits to break from:

Smoking/Vaping
Drinking Soda
Not Exercising
Not Socializing
Unhealthy Eating

Why Your Business Needs a Website

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 23:22:48 GMT

In today's digital age, having a website is essential for any business that wants to remain competitive and reach its target audience effectively. However, creating and maintaining a website can be a daunting task, especially if you don't have technical expertise. That's where Web Solutions by maWebCenter comes in – an all-in-one website builder that makes it easy to create, manage, and grow your online presence.

Challenge

In today's digital age, businesses that do not have a website may face a number of challenges that can impact their success and ability to compete. One of the main challenges is limited visibility. Without a website, businesses are missing out on the opportunity to be found online by potential customers who are searching for products or services that they offer. This can severely limit their visibility and reduce their chances of reaching their target audience. As a result, businesses that do not have a website may struggle to attract new customers and grow their customer base over time.

Another challenge that businesses may face without a website is difficulty in building brand awareness. A website is a powerful tool for building brand awareness and establishing credibility with customers. Without one, businesses may struggle to create a strong online presence and promote their brand effectively. This can make it more difficult for businesses to differentiate themselves from their competitors and establish themselves as a trustworthy and reliable option for potential customers.

Without a website, businesses may also face limited customer engagement. A website can provide customers with an easy way to engage with a business, such as by submitting a contact form or making a purchase. Without one, businesses may struggle to engage with their customers effectively, potentially reducing customer loyalty and repeat business. This can make it more difficult for businesses to establish long-term relationships with their customers and compete effectively in their industry.

Overall, businesses that do not have a website may face a range of challenges when it comes to visibility, brand awareness, customer engagement, and competitiveness. Investing in a website can be a crucial step for businesses that want to remain competitive and succeed in the digital age.

Value

Having a website is essential for any business that wants to remain competitive in today's digital age. For businesses that don't have a website, or have one that is poorly designed, the value of investing in a new website cannot be overstated. A website can provide a range of benefits that can help businesses attract and retain customers, increase their visibility and credibility, and ultimately boost their bottom line.

First and foremost, a website can help businesses reach a wider audience of potential customers. Without a website, businesses are missing out on the opportunity to be found online by people who are searching for products or services that they offer. A well-designed website can be optimized for search engines, making it easier for potential customers to find the business when they conduct online searches. This can help businesses attract new customers and increase their sales over time.

In addition to increasing visibility, a website can help businesses establish credibility with potential customers. A professional-looking website can create a positive first impression, making it more likely that visitors will trust the business and consider making a purchase. By providing clear and comprehensive information about its products or services, pricing, location, hours of operation, and other relevant details, a website can help businesses build trust and credibility with their audience. This can help to increase customer loyalty and retention over time, leading to long-term business success.

Solution

If you're ready to take your business to the next level with a professional and effective website, then fill out our contact form today! At Web Solutions by maWebCenters, we specialize in providing customized web design and digital solutions to help businesses like yours succeed online.

By filling out our contact form, you'll be taking the first step towards creating a website that truly represents your business and helps you achieve your goals. Our team will work with you to understand your unique needs and develop a customized solution that meets your specific requirements. With years of experience in the industry and a commitment to delivering exceptional results, you can trust Web Solutions by maWebCenters to help you take your business to the next level.

So don't wait - fill out our contact form today and let us help you achieve your online goals!

Launching your Website Checklist

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 01:30:33 GMT

Web Solutions

Building a website is a project. Let me help you get organized.

Building a website is a project. One that I am here to guid you through.

Template

The work on your site starts with selecting a template. A lot of creative design work has already been done by our specialists. The template comes with consistent styling for images and layouts to spacing and line-heights. There are still some extra steps you can take to make sure the template functions efficiently.

Layouts

Your template includes the matching header, footer, and navigation, but you have a multitude of options to change it. Depending on why you created a site, you can pick a social media-focused header, a call-to-action buttons-based header, and so on. You can have different layouts between desktop, tablet, and mobile views.

To change the layout of your site, in the left panel, click Design , and then click Site Layout .

IMAGES AND COLORS

All of our templates have a vibrant color palette and a rich array of images, so all that is left to do is re-color the site in your branding colors and pick the images that reflect your niche. When doing so, do not forget to make sure you have adapted all elements of the template to your style.

Make sure to visit every page and double-check that the color of the text elements and backgrounds are correct. Switch to desktop, tablet, and mobile view as you go.

To change images, in the left panel, click Design , and then click Global Images .

PAGE BACKGROUNDS

Replace the default page backgrounds that come with the template. You can set up individual background images per page, so make sure to change not only the main background image but also individual page backgrounds.

To change the site background, in the left panel, click Design , and then click Site Background .

CONSISTENT BRANDING

If your site accompanies your business or organization and you already have a branding package, make sure the site reflects that.

FONTS

If your company also has printed materials, such as brochures, leaflets, or business cards for promotion, use the same fonts and colors of your site. When it comes to fonts, our rich built-in library will cover you for the majority of widely-used fonts. If the font is not available, you can use Google fonts or even embed your custom font on the site using @font-face technology.

To change the global font, in the left panel, click Design , and then click Global Text .

Logo

Make sure your logo is in the header of your site. For most templates, you will just need to update the default logo of the template with your own one. Check both the header and the footer of your site.

For some templates, you have the option to upload a larger image on desktop and a crispier, smaller version of it on mobile. This means that you need to update the logo separately for each device layout.

Favicon

Favicons are a great way to make your site stand out on your users’ browsers. It is always a great idea to upload a smaller version of your logo as a favicon. If your logo is too big, just upload a small icon that matches the general design of your site in colors.

To upload a favicon, in the left panel, click Settings , and then click Site Icons . Click +Image next to Favicon.

SEO Optimization

For every site that you build, Website Builder makes our best effort to have your pages load quickly. We automatically resize the images for your site and optimize the code. When publishing a site, the sitemap is submitted to Google and Bing to make sure it is indexed. Complete the following to continue optimizing your site. To see all SEO settings, in the left panel, click Settings , and then click SEO .

Image Optimization

We automatically resize and compress images and show device-suited versions of the image. However, not every image can be optimized to the full potential by modern optimization tools. For instance, no compression tool will optimize the image that comes in 4000×7000 pixels. Since the majority of your users will not have such wide displays, simply upload smaller images.

Meta Tags for Search Engines and Social Media

To ensure the preview of your page on social media and search engine snippets look good, remember to set the following:

Site Title and Description
Social Media Image
Page Titles and Descriptions
Blog Post Descriptions

Alt text

Search Engines cannot see the images on your site, but they do crawl the alt text you put on them. This is a great place to use some of the keywords for your site.

To add alt text to an image, click the image in the editor, and on the Content tab, type the Alt text in the field provided.

Alt-text is especially relevant for pages with a lot of images, but not a lot of content. Text is the main way to communicate with search engines, so make sure not to miss such an opportunity.

Note

Make sure that the alt text matches the image. Otherwise, you will hurt your SEO instead of helping it.

Build Links

Before you publish your site, when your sitemap is not yet generated and Google did not yet crawl your site, is the best time to check that there are no broken links or missing pages.

URL Redirects

If you had a site before and are now are switching to the Website Builder, check make sure your new site has a corresponding page for each of the pages on the old site to preserve the SEO ranking of the pages. If you want to get rid of certain pages, create a URL redirect from a missing page to an actual page on your site.

To configure URL redirects, in the left panel, click Settings , and then click URL Redirect . Click Add new redirect .

404 Errors

To create a custom 404 page, in the left panel, click Settings , and then click 404 Page .

SSL Certificate

Since July 2018, Google started to penalized sites without SSL certificates. SSL certificates are free and are installed after initial Publish. Contact Tech Support at 866-WEB-HELP or email at help@mawebcenters.com with any questions about SSL certificates.

Promote Your Message

If you set out building a site with the goal of bringing more attention to your business or cause, put it in the spotlight with the help of our tools.

Call-to-Action Buttons

If you have a business or promo site, make sure to place call-to-action buttons in the header, footer, or homepage of your site for maximal exposure.

Personalization Rules

Place relevant links on the popups or notification bars through personalization rules. This way, you can make sure the hottest leads will definitely see your promo materials. For more information, see Personalization Rules .

Contact Forms

It takes a lot of effort to deliver your message online, so make sure you hear the feedback! Do a quick test on your contact forms to make sure you receive the emails. For more information about contact forms, see Contact Forms .

Legal Aspects

Forgetting to add a legal page could potentially have far-reaching consequences. Ensure you have the following:

Cookie notification
Privacy page
Opt-in fields on contact forms

Check the legal requirements of the country your target audience is from in order to customize the cookie notifications and privacy page.

For more information about cookie notifications and privacy pages, see Privacy Settings . For information about contact forms, see Contact Forms .

My Savings Plan to Buy a House

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 19:58:15 GMT

I want to buy a house soon and this is the plan to do it

It’s been a few months since I moved into the basement and in that time many things have changed. I moved here with the primary intention of saving for a down payment and improving my financial position. I’ve made a lot of progress to that end and now I’m focusing on the second phase. You see, up until a few months ago I thought I had a good paying job, nothing extravagant, but something that would allow me to live a comfortable life. With the changes to the market and the economy that idea has quickly vanished. I started trying to save as much money as possible and now that my savings is where I needed it to be, it’s time to tackle some other areas of my financial situation.

I’m going to break this down into 3 components. These are the three areas of my financial plan to buy a house.

1. Save as Much as Possible

This part of the plan is pretty simple. Spend less on things I don’t need and put as much money into my savings account as possible. The first and biggest step to accomplish this was to move back home with my parents. Is this where I want to be, no. Is this the best place to avoid paying astronomical rents, absolutely. Even if I spend up to a year here, the savings outweigh any inconvenience that come with living with your parents.

2. Pay off Debt

This is the part that I thought I’d take care of once I moved into a house. But now that I’ve got my savings high enough and the market isn’t quite where I want it to be as a first-time home buyer, I figured now is the best time to pay off any debt I have. I’m doing a combination of approaches. Any small credit cards I’m snowballing to just get rid of them, one less monthly payment I have to worry about. Any larger debts I’m making large payments to get them down as much as possible. I don’t want to stop saving so I’m only redirecting a few paychecks to this. Once I get larger balances down, I can continue to snowball them while I move back to my original savings plan.

Another important reason to eliminate or pay off as much debt as possible before buying a home is the list of unexpected items you’ll need to buy when you move in. Now I’m not saying you have to go out and buy all kids of stuff all at once. But if you’ve never needed to own things like a lawn mower you will need to purchase one. I started making a list of potential items I’d need, but after I listed a few items, I couldn’t think of anything else. So this won’t necessarily be a long list, but better to have the ability to buy these items than not. There might also be some small projects that you need to take care of when you move in.

3. Earn More Money

Now this is easier said than done, but there are a few things to do here. First, see if you can earn more with your current job, assuming you have one. I am going for a promotion to earn more money. I calculated what I need to earn to get up to a yearly salary I’d be comfortable with, and it’s not too far from what I’m making now. Any increase would be a welcome change.

The second option here is to earn a supplemental income. I’ve been kicking around a few ideas in my head for this and it’s time to sit down and formulate a plan. There are unlimited opportunities online and I intend to take advantage of them. I’m not looking to become a millionaire but earning a few extra hundred to thousand dollars a month wouldn’t hurt. Actually, it would help a lot!

So, I think I’m in a good place financially. Much better than if I continued to rent and throw money away. Next, I need to start focusing on my health and body, this has always been an area I’ve neglected, and it needs to happen.

4 Patch Windmill

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 20:11:22 GMT

This seems like a very simple block but can create a complicated looking secondary patter when assembled. By matching 2 patches on 2 separate blocks you get a special pattern on the quilt.

To cut this pattern, start with a 10 inch square. There are two cuts per square. Each cut starts 3 inches from the top left corner and the bottom right corner. Repeat this from top to bottom, and left to right. You should end up with the 4 pieces to the right.

Wonky 4 Point Star

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 19:06:25 GMT

Finished Size: 10 inches square

Piece A: 3½ in x 4½ in

Piece B: Half Square Triangle 3½ in x 3½ in

Piece C: Center Block 4½ in x 4½ in

Meet my Sister's New Puppy: Sally

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 00:38:09 GMT

Meet my sister's puppy, Sally. She spent the day with us running around the yard and cleaning up the scraps dropped on the patio.

You can follow my sister's Instagram she created for Sally. Click the button below.

Moving Out of My Apartment

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:20:05 GMT

Say Goodbye South Portland and Hello Cape Elizabeth

It’s the last day of the month and the last day of renting an apartment. As I get ready to finish the last bit of cleaning before I had over the keys, I can’t help but reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m going. It’s been 8 years in this Apartment and tomorrow starts a new chapter in my life.

Earlier this year my landlord requested to do a walk through of the building, because they hadn’t been in the building since they purchased it. So that meant I had to do some serious cleaning. And I was proud of the amount of junk I cleared out of the apartment. It was the best feeling tossing old unwanted items in the dumpster. I let out a huge sigh of relief on the way back from the dump. Just getting rid of items that have been in my way for years sparked a fire in me and it was time to continue to get rid of anything I no longer needed.

When the walkthrough finally came, I could see the landlords eyes widening as I was showing them all the issues I had in the apartment. Nobody had done any maintenance since I moved into the apartment, and there were some major things that needed to be done. When they finished, I peaked out the window and saw them talking to the property manager in the driveway. They looked overwhelmed, and I wouldn’t blame them.

After a couple weeks I got an email from the property manager saying the owners made the decision to sell the building. This was the second time living in that apartment where the building was listed on the market. The first time was nerve-racking because I didn’t know what to expect. I just remember all the people walking in and out of my apartment. Let’s just say I wasn’t looking forward to going through that again.

The same afternoon I got that email I went over to my parents house and told my Dad about it. His first reaction was, you don’t want to buy the building do you? That was a hard no. But we started talking about connecting with one of his realtor friends to see what my options would be for buying a home. That night I got in touch with a realtor and she put me in touch with a mortgage broker.

The following week I got approved for a loan, started looking at listings, went to a viewing and put in an offer on a house. After years of not thinking I’d ever get approved for a loan or be able to afford a house I had done it. Went through the entire process. The seller accepted another offer but I was glad to get the experience of that part of the process.

After looking at some other listings and realizing how competitive the market is right I decided to move back in with my parents. Just long enough to save a down payment and open some additional options for listings I qualify for. Thankfully after the next few months I’ll have a good downpayment and will be able to look at additional listings to find something.

I’m excited for the future and where I will end up. For now I just n eed to concentrate on saving money and getting ready for the house hunt this fall.

Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 14:41:02 GMT

Online Coaching: Phase II

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 tsp Bragg’s Amino Acids (or low-sodium soy sauce)
1 pound shrimp
1 TBSP olive oil
4 cups vegetables of your choice

DIRECTIONS:

Drizzle 1 TBSP oil in a skillet
Cook shrimp, seasoning shrimp with salt and pepper, if desired.
Add vegetables. Lower heat and cover pan until vegetables are heated through.
Add Amino acids (or soy sauce) and enjoy!

Making a List of Staple Recipes

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 00:19:24 GMT

What do you do when you don’t know what to make for dinner? You make something that you eat all the time, always hits the spot and is easy to make. I need a list of staple recipes for these exact moments!

(2020) Results: Week 1

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 22:33:04 GMT

I don’t know about you but over the last 8 months I’ve been living on takeout, boxed and prepared food. Needless to say it’s lead to packing on a few extra pounds and making me feel like crap. I decided to put an end to that and do a cleanse.

Day 1: Away We Go!

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:10:00 GMT

Day 1 on the 21 Day Challenge. Today I begin the 21 Day Challenge where I will be creating a daily update of my progress.

The Plan

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 06 May 2019 21:40:31 GMT

MattyRob Lifestyle: The Plan

How to Quit Drinking Soda

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 16:17:02 GMT

Lifestyle

How to Quit Drinking Soda

Quitting soda can be hard, but it's not impossible. And we all know the amount of sugar in soda is really bad for your health. Back when I was drinking it every day I never though I'd be able to give it up, but I did it. Here are some things I've used to make the commitment and quit drinking soda.

1. MAKE THE COMMITMENT

Pick a date and stick to it. The hardest part about anything is starting. I usually pick a Monday to start any new habit, but you can choose any day that works for you and your schedule. It's also import to be clear with yourself and define what your goal is. Do you want to completely eliminate soda or cut down to one a day? Identify what your goal is and then make the commitment to achieving that goal.

2. CLEAR ALL SODA OUT OF YOUR HOME

Get rid of it! That's right, down the drain. No matter what you spent on it, you are no longer going to drink it, so it's gone. Remember why you made this commitment and what you want to acheive. Removing soda from your home will prevent you from walking over to the fridge and grabbing one out of habit. If you live with someone else, get them to do it with you. Having someone to keep you accountable makes it twice as likely for you to succeed.

3. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE FACING

The first few days are going to be rough, so prepare yourself. You might get a headache, you might feel tired. But after a few days these symptoms should go away. Take it easy this week and let your body do what it's supposed to do and get the sugar out of your system. After just a few days you will have more energy than you ever thought possible. Eliminating all sugar from your diet will greatly improve how your body functions and how you feel. But if you're not ready for that, just cutting soda alone will make a difference. And if you have a slip up and cave in, don't let that derail you from accomplishing what you set out to do. Just pick yourself up and move on, focus on your goal and what you need to do to acheive it.

4. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE SODA WITH SOMETHING ELSE

A lot of drinks out there are loaded with sugar. So be careful and read the label before you drink it. There is no point in switching to another drink that has the same amount of sugar, or more. Be careful of coffee too! Depending on how you make it, it can have just as much, or even more, sugar than soda. Water really is the best choice, but I know it's not everyone's favorite. If you're going to switch to a different drink, look for something that has no sugar or as little as possible.

5. GIVE YOURSELF A BOOST

Personally, when I've tried to quit drinking soda in the past I kept saying "oh I'll start Monday." Then Monday becomes: I'll do it next Monday, and so on. What I was missing was a plan. A strategy for how I was going to overcome the reasons why I was drinking soda. The biggest reason being that I needed the caffeine! So I looked high and low for a replacement that would allow me to stop needing caffeine in the morning but would also be quick and easy to integrate into my lifestyle. And in case you're wondering, I don't like coffee, so that was not an option. What I use now is a Vitamin B supplement that I can drink every morning. I take two servings in the morning and I'm good for the day. And when I'm feeling that slump in the afternoon I just take another two servings as needed.

Click Here to check out what I'm using.

These are my tips for how I quit drinking soda. If you want to give it a try and need someone to hold you accountable hit me up and I'll help you out. Let me know if you try this and how it goes!

Reflection: March 3, 2019

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 19:43:15 GMT

reflection

March 3, 2019

I’ve accomplished a lot this week! Joined and started going to the gym as well as stuck to my diet. As always there is room for improvement and I have a few things I need to continue to work on. But overall I’m proud of myself and what I’ve been doing.

My biggest hurdle to jump over is cooking. I’m not skilled in the kitchen and sometimes even the basics are a challenge. But I realized today I just need to take it one recipe at a time. Simple recipes that don’t have too many complicated steps and I’ll get the hang of it. Don’t worry, if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you’ll see if what I try this week turns out.

I actually joined the gym and I’m actually going on a schedule. My friend Ami talked to me about joining a gym a couple months ago and I told her after the cruise I’d join and go with her. It’s a quiet little gym hidden in the corner of a shopping plaza. It’s out of the way and kind of hidden so there have only been a few people there every time I’ve gone. Which is nice seeing that I am still learning and don’t have a million people waiting for the machines. It actually feels nice going and I’ve got it into my schedule so I’ll make it there 5 times a week! I found a beginners program online and I’m going to do that for the next month, and depending on how that goes I’ll make adjustments for next month.

Oh yeah, I can’t forget the cruise! Wow was that the most fun vacation I’ve ever been on. Just being able to unplug and have literally nothing to do for 7 days was wonderful. I love the rocking of the ship and just the feeling you get when you’re out on the ocean. I think some of the best moments was when I was just hanging out on the balcony of my cabin and watching the waves. I didn’t fill my schedule with excursions which turned out to be a smart move because it would have made for a hectic time where I didn’t feel relaxed. Just walking around the ports was fun enough for me.

Coming back to Maine after being in the Caribbean was brutal. And I am now asking myself why do I live this far north. One day in the future I’ll make home somewhere that doesn’t have snow the majority of the year.

This week I’m looking forward to solidifying my daily schedule and routine and start to post some YouTube videos. It will be on my Lifestyle channel and I’ll post the videos here as well as my lifestyle site.

(2019) Week 1 – Cleanse Week

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 23:38:02 GMT

Monday Meltdown

Week 1 - Cleanse Week (2019)

Cleanse week is done and the results were great! This week is always a struggle for me but it’s well worth it in the end. We all need to give our bodies a rest and let it heal itself through the power of food from time to time. And after a few months of not eating right and being on vacation I certainly need a cleanse.

RESULTS

Weight: Down 8.2 lbs
Body Fat: Stayed the same
Hydration: Stayed the same
Inches: Down 6.75 with 2 inches specifically from the waist.

NUTRITION

This week I ate only fruits and vegetables and only drank water. Now I know you might think that sounds horrible, and trust me, half way through the week I couldn’t look at another salad and want to shove it in my mouth. But the benefits from fruits and veggies alone do so much for your body, you can make it through just one week. And when I get sick of salad, that’s where I switched it up by eating soup or cooked veggie combinations. If you experiment with different veggies you’ll find what you like and can actually really come enjoy eating only vegetables.

EXERCISE

Because there is no protein this week there is no exercise. This is something I will adjust next time I decide to do a cleanse because my office is on the third floor and it takes a bit of energy to walk up and down those stairs all day long. Making several trips to and from my office got me winded when I sat down at my desk. I need to add just enough protein to maintain my muscle mass on the days I work in the office. The rest of the time (when I’m just hanging around the house) no protein isn’t that difficult.

SLEEP

Over the past few months it’s been a struggle getting good quality sleep. This is mostly because of what I’ve been eating. But this week I had no problem falling asleep. In fact, most nights I was ready for bed and fell right asleep when I laid down. Cleansing my body of the junk that’s been lurking in there has definitely improved my quality of sleep.

HYDRATION

When you increase the amount of water you drink, you increase the number of trips to the bathroom. And boy was that true this week. Sometime I was worried I expelled more than I drank. But in the end, getting enough water in each day was easy when I broke it up into segments. I figured out how much I should be drinking before each meal and just focused on drinking that before it was time to eat again. And if I didn’t finish it all I just drank it between my next meal.

LESSONS FROM THE WEEK

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned this week is I need to plan ahead. The days when I didn’t bring something for a snack, or have a backup if the cafeteria didn’t have the right options available, I was left scrambling to find something. Simply packing a banana and apple along with a bag of cut veggies makes a huge difference between going hungry and being satisfied.

The other big lesson I learned is I need to stop overthinking and keep it simple. This is supposed to be a lifestyle. The purpose it having the knowledge to make the right choice and make this second nature. When I stopped thinking I needed to have my whole day planned out is when I could finally relax and only focus on what I’m about to eat when I was getting hungry.

10 Minute Power Workout

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 21:24:25 GMT

This Workout is available on TLSSlim.com . Click Here for more information .

Equipment

Stopwatch and mat or bath towel

Instructions

Follow exercises in sequence. Each exercise is broken down into time performed (not reps). Each movement is to be repeated for the defined time noted beside the exercise name. You can use a stopwatch or simply count (one one-thousand would be considered one second). To increase fat-burning results, repeat sequence from beginning (all moves, including warm-up).

Warm Up

Jog in Place – 30 Seconds

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and begin jogging in place.
Swing your arms up and down from hip to chest level as you jog.
Land on the balls of your feet; your heels should not touch the floor.

High-Knee March – 30 Seconds

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms bent at 90 degrees.
Bend your knee and step it up to waist level as you swing your left arm forward. Swing your arm back to starting position as you set your foot down.
Switch sides and repeat continuously, marching in place.

Super Squats – 30 Seconds

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Bend your elbows and clasp your hands behind your head as you bend your knees and descend into a squat.
Push through your heels as you return to the starting position and keep your elbows up and back straight throughout the motion.

Tight Back-Arm Circles – 30 Seconds

Stand with feet hip-width apart and your arms hanging down at your sides.
Raise both arms straight out to your sides with your palms facing down.
Rotate your arms in small reverse circles. Keep your abs tight and your eyes focused forward.

Spinal Twist – 30 Seconds

Stand up straight and bend your elbows so that your forearms point forward on each side of your body.
Bend your knees slightly and rotate your torso to the right, come back to center and twist to the left. Repeat from side to side in a continuous motion.

Standing Leg Extension – 30 Seconds

Stand with your arms hanging at your sides. Bend your right knee and raise it to hip level.
Kick your right leg in front of you so that it is fully extended, with your heel forward and toes flexed back toward your body.
Keep your upper body upright throughout the movement. Switch sides and repeat.

Training Session

Switch Squat to Lunge – 30 SECONDS

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
Lean into your heels and bend your knees to perform a shallow squat.
Launch yourself up and out of the lunge, softly landing in another shallow squat. Alternate between left and right foot lunges.

Plank to Push-Up – 30 Seconds

Start on your hands and knees.
Extend your arms and legs into a standard push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your hips elevated.
Lower back down and drop both elbows onto the floor into an elbow plank. Push back up with one arm at a time into a full push-up position.

Front Kicks – 30 Seconds

Begin in a fight stance with knees slightly bent, abs tight and hands at chin level.
Balancing on one leg, lift your right knee up towards your chest and in a single motion extend your foot forward, kicking away from your body.
Bring your kicking knee and foot back towards your body, and lower it to the floor. Alternate left and right kicks.

Oblique Crunches – 30 Seconds (each side)

Begin laying down on your right side with your right leg slightly bent, and your left leg crossed over your right leg with knee bent.
Bend your right elbow on the floor and place your left hand on the side of your head.
Lift your torso upward and back down, using your right elbow to maintain stability. Switch sides and repeat.

Kickbacks – 30 Seconds

Begin in a basic fight stance with your knees slightly bent and your hands at head level.
Shift your body weight onto one leg, bending and lifting the knee of your other leg as you do so.
As you lean forward, kick your lifted leg back as high as you can. Return to starting position and repeat with your other leg.

Single Leg Dip or Squat – 30 Seconds (each leg)

Begin in a standing position and lift your left leg off the floor, bending it at the knee.
Squat halfway down with your right leg, keeping your left leg off the floor, pause at the lowest point in your squat.
Push through the heel of your right leg to return to starting position. Switch sides and repeat.

Plank to Obliques – 30 Seconds

Begin in a modified pushup position with your elbows on the floor.
Without lifting your hips, tuck your left knee up towards your left shoulder, keeping your left foot off the floor as you do so.
Return your left leg to its original position and alternate between legs.

Elbow-to-Knee – 60 Seconds

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lift your arms to shoulder level and bend your elbows at 90 degrees so that your hands are at ear level.
Thrust your left knee up and forward while you engage your abs to twist your upper body, reaching your right elbow to your raised left knee.
Squeeze your abs with each repetition as you alternate from side to side.

Half Moon Lunges – 60 Seconds (each side)

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your left knee and lunge directly to your left side.
Bring your foot back to starting position, and lunge at a 45-degree angle with your left foot.
Return to starting position and perform a standard forward lunge. Switch sides and repeat the sequence.

Fire Hydrant – 30 Seconds (each side)

Begin in a kneeling position with your toes on the floor behind you, heels pointed toward the ceiling and your arms extended beneath your upper body for support.
Raise your right leg up and to the right, keeping your knee bent.
Bring your leg back down to starting position and repeat for 30 seconds before switching legs.

Applying for my Passport

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 21:46:10 GMT

Applying for my Passport

Reflection

Today I went to the post office and applied for my passport. Every step along the way was full of challenges and obstacles making this a tough and difficult task to complete. Below is a video telling you the story of what I went through to get this done.

Next month I’m going to Miami for a Conference and then I’m going on a cruse! One thing I need to go on the cruse if a passport. I’ve never had one so I had to apply for the first time. First there was the search for my Birth Certificate, then there was getting a passport photo taken, as well as completing the Passport Application. And in the middle of all this I couldn’t find the ticket to the conference! But luckily everything turned out fine and I got everything in place. My passport will arrive by the end of the month! I’m so excited this whole adventure is done with.

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Cowboy Soup

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:21:26 GMT

Cowboy Soup

Online Coaching: Phase III

This delicious and easy recipe I absolutely love. Great for days when you’re stuck in the house and want to sneak all day you can make it mild or spice it up!

INGREDIENTS

1 can chili beans (+ 1 can water)
1 can Rotel tomatoes (mild or medium depends on how you like your “kick”)
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 or 2– 1 pound bag frozen mixed veggies
1 can creamed corn
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 sweet onion chopped
Dash or two of Chili powder
(Optional–1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Cook ground turkey and onion in skillet.
Combine all ingredients in crockpot
Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4, stirring occasionally.

Reflection: September 3, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 03 Sep 2017 19:51:52 GMT

Reflection: September 3, 2017

I had all I could do to get this uploaded today. I wasn’t feeling it this morning. I was not focused when recording and that made editing a nightmare. Trying to make this flow and keep peoples attention was difficult. But anyway, here it is! This week was all about the Wonky 9 Patch quilt. Be on the look out for a video showing you how I put that together later this week!

Reflection: August 27, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 19:28:59 GMT

Eclipse – Going out and seeing the eclipse on Monday was really exciting – I felt like a kid again! I can’t wait for totality to happen over my home state, MAINE, in a few years.

Bombfell Package – I got my package in for the month and everything is going back. Maybe I’ll have more luck next month.

Setting up new modem – Returning the old equipment was a lot easier then I expected. Set ting up the new modem to work with my router took me two hours and it turn out all I had to do was hit the reset button on the back. I wish I knew that in the beginning!

Fabric Haul – I uploaded a Fabric Haul video this week and I’m very proud of it! This is going to be the style for videos going forward.

Wonky 9 Patch – This is a lot of fun! I need to finish the quilt for Thursday! I gotta get to work!

Goals from last week

mom’s quilt

Goals for this week

Finish block quilt
Finish wonky quilt

Reflection: August 20, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 19:16:20 GMT

Reflection – August 20, 2017

This week has been a lazy week. I’m on some intense projects at work so when I got home every day this week I was mentally exhausted. So with no energy to do anything means not a lot happened this week.

Sewing Project Updates

My First Quilt – I’m pretty much lost my inspiration on this project and it’s getting put the the side for a more important project this week. I will finish it though. I need to!
Market Bags – This project has been postponed. I don’t have time to work on this one until after these quilting projects are done.
Quilt for Mom’s Birthday – I went to the fabric store and picked up some really great prints! 9 in total. I’m doing a wonky quilt so I’ll need all of them for this project.

Events of the Week

Video Filming – I’ve posted a couple videos this week – the first part of my First Quilt series. You can go check them out on YouTube! I also started playing with a teleprompter app and I realized I suck at that. It’s a lot harder then it looks.
Daily Schedule – I’ve been working to stick to my daily schedule but a lot has come in the way of that. Now I need to remain flexible so I can have fun in life but I also need to get off my ass and do things when I was planning and not procrastinate.
Cable Canceled – I called and canceled my cable! I’m going to be saving close to $100 a month. I just need to return the box and switch out my modem. I’ll do that Monday after work.
Visit from Jessica – She was up in Maine for a family issue so she stopped by and crashed on my couch for the night. It was nice to see her and catch up because we haven’t talked in a while.

Goals from Last Week

Market Bags Project – FAIL
Fabric for Mom’s Quilt – COMPLETE!
Drink tea instead of Pepsi at work – FAIL

Goals for This Week

Mom’s Birthday Quilt – This is my one and only goal this week. It’s going to take the entire week to finish this project so I can’t focus on anything else!

Reflection: August 13, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 18:07:05 GMT

Sunday Reflection – August 13, 2017

Another edition of the Sunday Reflection. This week is all about sewing. I’m finally focusing on what I started this site for. The video update for this week is below with a list of the topics discussed below. Hope you enjoy!

Sewing Project Updates: Continuing to work on My First Quilt. The video series should start getting posted this week! Also hemmed a few pair of pants for my friend’s son, this was the first time I’ve done that and went through many struggles before I got it right.

Upcoming Sewing Projects: Market Bags to use up the oilcloth I purchased by mistake. I’m making my mother a wonky 9 patch quilt for her birthday. I need to go get the fabric this week. I’m going to be making a t-shirt for Izaiah, this will involve making a pattern from a t-shit. I also want to make myself a pair of loungewear shorts. And finally I’ll be making myself some new curtains.

Events of the week: Summer is over. The mornings are getting too cold for me to get out of bed! I hate waking up and being freezing. I’m canceling my cable and going with Hulu TV. It’s just all around better and I’m going to save so much money! I also dyed my hair, no more gray!

GOALS FROM LAST WEEK

Finish first quilt project – HALF DONE
Return bottles – FAIL
Clean out car – FAIL

GOALS FOR THIS WEEK

Finish first quilt project
Start working on the Market Bags project
Get the fabric for Mom’s Birthday quilt
Stop drinking Pepsi at work – Switching over to TEA.

Join me next week for another update!

Reflection: August 6, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 17:59:32 GMT

Sunday Reflection – August 6, 2017

This week I’ve decided to do something a little different with the Sunday Reflection. Instead of doing a written post I’m doing a video post! This video has been uploade d to YouTube and is “unlisted” meaning you can only see it here! This is something that I plan on doing each week from here on out. Tell my what you think by commenting below or by heading over to YouTube and giving me a like. Click the links below the video to head over to YouTube.

Acadia National Park

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 13:15:33 GMT

Acadia National Park

Here are some images I took when we arrived to our motel on our trip to Acadia National Park. We stayed at the Seawall Motel. This was actually a nice place and it wasn’ t too expensive. It had the amenities we needed, a bed, shower, toilet and power to charge our cell phones. There was this nice little beach across the road where we went and explored. Here are a few of the pictures I took.

Reflection: July 23, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 12:57:51 GMT

Sunday Reflection – July 23, 2017

Vacation is over. And man, I’m not ready to go back. While it’s been nice not being on a time schedule, I don’t feel like I got the rest I needed. All vacations I take f rom here on out will last two weeks, this single week vacation is just not long enough.

Usually when I take a vacation I don’t make any plans and I don’t really do much, the way I like it! This vacation however has been filled with all sorts of stuff. While it was fun I kinda wish I took things easy and made more time to relax.

The most notable thing from this vacation was my trip to Acadia National Park. It’s a beautiful place and there is a lot to do there. The main attraction I think is hiking. While we didn’t do too much of this we did enough to make me want to go out and do it more often. It’s a workout, let me tell you! But at least there is the reward of reaching the top of a mountain or coming to a beautiful natural feature. I took plenty of pictures and they will be posted throughout the week.

Before I started this vacation I had a large list of accomplishments I wanted to complete. As you can probably guess I did absolutely none of them. You’d think I’d feel bad about that but I couldn’t be happier. The biggest accomplishment I made was mapping out a daily schedule for me to follow. Anybody who knows me knows I need structure. I think this has been the missing peace for the last few months and why I haven’t gotten my feet off the ground.

My plan going forward has been mapped out and I am feeling good about it. It’s rigid enough to keep me on track yet flexible enough where if I want to take a night off and go do something fun I can. I can just pick up where I left off the next night. I also left the weekends fairly free so I have time to go out and do fun things or sit and watch tv and not feel guilty about it.

For this week coming up I’m going to finally start and finish my first quilting project. While it’s going to be extremely simple it’s somewhere to start. I started watching a few quilting videos and my mind is starting to go wild with ideas on different quilts I can make. Before you know it I am going to be overrun by quilts. At least I’ll have plenty of presents for Birthdays and Holidays.

Real Pirate Exibit

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 21:10:48 GMT

Real Pirate Exhibit

Sunday I went to the Real Pirates exhibit at the Portland Science Center. Here are some of the pictures I took while inside. For more information on this exhibit you can check out the Portland Science Center website.

The Fabric for my First Quilt

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 19:12:04 GMT

The Fabric for my First Quilt

I uploaded a new YouTube video! I recorded this last week before I went to Bangor. I got excited and sat down to practice filming. This isn’t perfect and I didn’t bother replacing the audio from the camera with the lapel microphone. But here it is! Help me out by watching it and going and subscribing to my channel!

Reflection: July 16, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 18:44:51 GMT

Sunday Reflection – July 16, 2017

It’s Sunday again and I’m on vacation! I tell ya, I could not be happier that my vacation is finally here. And for once I actually have a whole bunch of stuff planned! N ormally I take vacation and I end up sitting around my apartment and watching TV. Now I did that yesterday but I pretty much have plans for the rest of the week.

Today I hung out with one of my friends and we went to the old port. Wondering through shops, going to the Pirate exhibit and seeing an awesome movie. I always forget how many different shops there are in Portland. I never go because I think trying to find a place to park is a nightmare, but really if you know where to look there is always a spot and most everything is within walking distance. I need to make it more of a thing to head into Portland and walk around. I used this as an opportunity to use my camera. Now, none of the images came out particularly well but I’m still getting used to this camera. We went to see Baby Driver and let me tell you, this was the most exciting movie I’ve seen in a while. I will definitely be purchasing it once it comes out on video. I also got a bubble tea! I haven’t had one in so long and they have always been my favorite.

Monday is another lazy day. I’ve got some cleaning to do around the apartment and I’ve got my sewing projects to work on! Tomorrow night I should start with my quilt. It’s been waiting for long enough and it’s time to cut that fabric! Sometimes that’s the scariest part of any project. Knowing what you spent on all this fabric and then cutting it to pieces just seems like it’s something you shouldn’t do.

Tuesday is my Father’s Birthday. So I need to find him a gift. I have no idea what I should get him, he doesn’t need anything and he buys himself anything he wants. I’ll have to wonder around some stores tomorrow and find something nice for him. The family will probably get together and go out to dinner. I do like these events when we all come together and have a nice dinner. And (knock on wood) recently these gatherings have been going fairly well.

Wednesday it looks like I’m going to be heading down to Boston. I don’t really have a plan for this yet but I should probably take a look online and at least get an idea of the areas I want to check out. This is also going to be an opportunity for photos. I need to put this camera to good use! I’m sure I will be posting about that later in the week.

Thursday and Friday I’m heading up to Acadia National Park. I’ve lived in Maine all my life and I’ve never been. I have, however, been to Baxter State Park and it’s one of my favorite places. I’d like to plan a trip back there sometime, maybe next summer! I’m excited for Acadia because I’ve seen some photos and it looks like a beautiful place. Plus I got a few recommendations from friends so it should be a fun trip. We are all staying the night in a hotel in the area so we will have plenty of time to explore. The only part of this trip I’m not looking forward to is the drive up there and how early we are probably going to get up to make it there at a decent time.

Then after all that I hope this weekend will give me some down time. I’ll need that time to relax after all these activities and unwind. So here’s to a great week filled with a lot of adventure!

My First Quilting Project – Ordering Fabric Online

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 18:39:54 GMT

My First Quilting Project – Ordering Fabric Online

I’m starting my first quilting project. Ive never done this before and I’m not totally sure what I’m doing. When I first got into sewing I never imagined myself making a quilt. But I broke down and decided to make one.

I started off planning this project using a Quilt As You Go method. I was all excited to get started and placed an order online for 9 yards of fabric. When it arrived I was slightly disappointed that half the fabric I ordered was oilcloth. Now since I’m new to sewing and don’t fully know what all these different types of fabric are I didn’t know what I was ordering. I was expecting all the fabric I ordered to be basic woven cotten. Instead I’m stuck with 5 yards of fabric that is meant to be used for tablecloths or shopping bags.

Once I realized all the fabric I ordered can not be used in this project I got discouraged and wanted to give up on the project. But after a few days of thinking of how I can salvage this project I decided to make a quilt top comforter.

So here are the 4 prints I will be using for this project. This quilt was supposed to be made for Independance Day but obviously I’m a little late for that. I’m still going to rock the patriotic patterns!

My plan for this project is to cut the 4 yards into 12 inch blocks and make a 6 x 6 quilt. This will give me a decent sized quilt and means I don’t need to buy additional fabric. All I need to do it pick up some fabric for the backing and I’m ready to go.

I have the entire project planned out in my head, all but the actual quilting part. I don’t want to do the full stippling, I’m just going to throw in a few stitches in the corner of each block to attach the front and the back of the quilt. Stay tuned for posts over the next few weeks on my progress! Oh and look out for a YouTube video on this!

Sunday Reflection – July 9, 2017

Sun, 09 Jul 2017 18:34:29 GMT

Sunday Reflection – July 9, 2017

Here I am, at the laundry mat again. Another week gone bye. Holiday weeks are always the hardest. Although we get extra time off from work it’s really not what I would consider time off. See when I have a day off I want it to be for myself. On holidays we always have to do all kinds of stuff and it’s never very relaxing. This week has been anything but relaxing.

This week coming up I’ll be in Bangor for work. That means 5 nights in a hotel. I’m not very excited for this because it’s a long drive and my car is giving me anxiety. Between the tires not holding air pressure, all these rattling noises and my traction control light coming on at weird times I’m nervous it won’t make the 180 mile trip up there.

Staying in a hotel for the next 5 nights means I don’t get to eat regular food, I’ll probably be getting a lot of takeout. And I’m not at home on my comfortable couch and with all my stuff. I’m not looking forward to that especially with my digestive system not being happy with me.

Luckily I’ve got a friend up there I can hang out with after work. I’m going to be sitting in training classes all week so I’ll need some chill time after each day.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately. I have no energy. Even after a full nights sleep I wake up and don’t feel like doing anything, not even taking a shower (don’t worry I’ve showered every day). I think I need to go on a diet. I need to purge my system and start fresh. That’s not something I want to start doing this week or next week when I’m on vacation. After my vacation is probably the best time to start. Eliminating sugar, not eating processed foods and doing some exercise will help get me back on track.

Yesterday I went to the mall with Jess. We stopped in the makeup store so I could get something to hide the blemishes on my face when I’m filing videos. I practiced putting it on and realized I’m not that good at it. But I can also see how it would become addicting being able to hide what you really look like and basically photoshop your face in real life.

I think one of the biggest struggles I’ve had this week is not being able to do what I want to do. I’ve had so much to do every night that I haven’t had time for any sewing projects. I think that has something to do with my lack of ambition and non-starter attitude all week. I think things will change once I get on vacation.

I really have stopped caring about so many things that really used to bother me. But then again I’ve become more self-conscious of little things I never gave a second thought. It’s weird how that works because when one thing stops bothering you another thing starts.

So anyway, this week is like a kind of vacation. It’s a week away from home. I’ll get to catch up with some friends I haven’t seen in a while and I don’t need to worry about cleaning. But I will be very happy when I start my ride home. My hope is to work on a few sewing projects while I’m on vacation. I also have a trip up to Acadia planned with Jess, Hannah and her brother. It’s also my fathers Birthday. So my vacation will be jam packed of events!

Sunday Reflection – July 2, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 17:36:54 GMT

Sunday Reflection – July 2, 2017

I had big plans going through my mind for this week’s Reflection but I’m so worn out tonight this is probably going to be short.

I want to start off saying living throug h this apartment building being sold has been one of the most draining and chaotic experiences. Now I’m sure this whole thing would have gone more smoothly if some factors were eliminated.

The first factor being my current landlord doesn’t know or respect the boundaries of being a landlord. Over the entire month he’s been randomly showing up and fixing things that he should have been taking care of over the last three years. By not giving me notice when things are happening I didn’t have stuff prepared or moved out of the way. The people coming in and doing work didn’t clean up after themselves and did shotty work. But at least the list of things I needed fixed are at working for now.

The second factor making this week horrible was the weather. The second half of this week they were conducting Radon testing so none of the windows could be opened and the doors needed to remain closed. When it’s very humid and hot it makes being inside a sealed up apartment an absolute nightmare. I was so happy when that testing was over and I could open up all the windows.

The third and final factor was having a house guest staying on my couch all week. Now if this guest wasn’t here I wouldn’t have been aware of most of the craziness happening here while I was at work. But alas I was getting the play by play from someone who wanted to rest and take it easy all day. So the stress that was being added by all the activity was compounded by his discomfort.

So that was my week. I’m looking forward to having the place back to myself and getting Tuesday off for the forth of July! Plus I hope to get a lot of work done on my quilt as you go project! I also found a WordPress theme that I actually like and spent a lot of time getting it set up the way I want it to look. Got me thinking about developing my own but that wouldn’t happen for a long long time.

Goals for July 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sat, 01 Jul 2017 17:25:32 GMT

Goals for July 2017

Summer is here! I’m so excited about the warm weather and being able to get outside and go on adventures. This is going to be a busy month so there will be plenty of con tent! But here are some goals I want to accomplish this month.

Quilt as You Go Sewing Project – With this I plan to do a series of blog posts and a series of YouTube videos.
Make Master Plan from the Book: Pattern Making for Menswear – This is a long term goal. Something that I will be working on incrementally over the next few months. I will be doing YouTube videos of me constructing the garments and trying them on for sizing. I can’t go into the specific information in the book since it’s not my material.
Weekly Photoshoots Outside – I need to get out of the house and start taking pictures of new places. For now this will probably be local stuff but hopefully as time goes on I will be taking trips and getting a lot of photos and videos.

Stay tuned for posts on my progress throughout the month. And don’t be afraid to call me out if you don’t see progress towards completing these goals! I need some accountability in my life!

Sunday Reflection – June 25, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 17:14:30 GMT

Sunday Reflection – June 25, 2017

One more week left of this month and I could not be happier that it’s coming to an end. So many ups and so many downs. A few of the most exciting things to happen to me this year and a few of the worst. Things could get much better in July or things could take a turn and upend everything. For somebody who needs stability, this month has been a major challenge.

Most of the items that I ordered has finally arrived. Just waiting for a coupe more items to come in but I am very excited about my purchases. It’s been a long time since I’ve spoiled myself and I deserve it!

New Computer

My New Camera

Sony 50mm f1.9 Prime Lens

New Tripod

More About the Blog and my YouTube Channel

I’m excited to start working on my sewing projects and my YouTube channel. I also want to develop my own WordPress theme for this site (that won’t happen for a while though). I’ve got so many projects in mind that I will have no problem with creating content for quite some time. I’ve decided tonight the theme of my YouTube channel is going to be “learn as you go” style. So I’m not doing tutorials, I’m doing more of a watch me fail type thing. There is sure to be plenty of frustrating moments caught on camera.

Go Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 16:30:12 GMT

Go Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

I did it. I uploaded my first video to YouTube. I don’t think it’s anything impressive but I bit the bullet and did it. I’ve included my first video in this post. There is a very high chance that the video will only be available on this post at some point in the very near future. haha!

This video is not exactly what I plan to do on my YouTube channel but it’s a start at doing everything involved with uploading videos. It’s a lot more work then you would think. You have to set up the lights, get the camera set up, import the video, edit the video, upload the video. All this takes time! A lot of time! And the end result is a video less then 5 minute in length. I have a long way to go.

I originally recorded the video in 4K. After importing the video it just wasn’t working in Premier. My MacBook setup couldn’t handle it. I would need a faster hard drive to even begin working in 4K. So I converted the movie to 1080p. Then I was in business.

After that I tried working on the audio quality in Audition and I honestly have no idea what I’m doing in there. There was a background noise on the recording that I tried getting rid of but I got frustrated and just went to editing the video.

After that I hacked the shit out of the video. I started with over 10 minutes of footage and cut it down to 4 and a half minutes. Apparently I ramble a lot. And I said “umm” a lot. And had long pauses where I was thinking of what I was trying to say. Eventually I will get better at making a point and getting to it quickly. Also I didn’t plan on what I wanted to say. I was more excited to set everything up and just record something.

So tell me what you think of the final product. I’d love to get feedback and to hear what you honestly think. The good, the bad, the ugly. You’re not going to hurt my feelings so let it rip!

Goals for June 2017 Revisited

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 16:21:12 GMT

Goals for June 2017 Revisited

We are half way through the month and I’m looking at the goals I made for this month and realizing my life has completely changed direction so none of those goals will b e accomplished. I wasn’t planning on completely cleaning out my apartment and having to go through everything I own. But in the long run this has proven to be a great thing for me. No more keeping junk lying around, taking up space. As the month continues I’ll be closer and closer to getting everything where it belongs and setting myself up to have a comfortable home. So my new goal for this month is to make it through! Finish all the tasks on my list and make my place look and feel amazing. Next month is when all the sewing fun can begin!

Big Stuff Happening

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 16:14:59 GMT

Big Stuff Happening

Sometimes life throws you a curveball and sometimes you slam that curveball right out of the park. These last few days have been quite eventful. I got a lot done and had a few strange things happen.

The Old Port Fest was yesterday and it was 95° out. The heat got to me early in the day and I had to slow down my raging. After a bottle of water and some horrific service at Old Port Tavern the day turned and we got back into party mode. I have to say Glass is a great bar and I’m surprised more people don’t go there. They have excellent bar tenders and it’s a comfortable atmosphere where you can actually have a conversation with the people you’re with.

I got all the trash out of my apartment on Saturday and things are pretty much back to normal. There are a few more little projects I want to do but they aren’t starting you right in the face when you walk in. I’ll work on those over the next week or two.

One strange thing that happened this weekend is three people from my past messaged me out of the blue. And the funny thing is they came to me with exactly what I wanted from each of them. Now I’m not going to go into details about who I’m talking about and what each one wanted, but let’s just say it put a smile on my face.

Something big happened at the tail end of last week, a rather big opportunity came up. Something that I would have jumped on a few years ago, but something I’m looking at with a lot more thought and caution now. I don’t know if anything is going to come of this opportunity and I don’t know if I even want anything to come of it, but if something becomes official then I’ll let the cat out of the bag when the time comes.

Summer is here with a scorching vengeance. It’s a nice and hot few days. A very welcome change after about two months of rain. I think the rain is coming back at the end of the week but that’s ok. I’m enjoying the heat while it lasts.

Jessica’s Birthday

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 16:04:43 GMT

Jessica’s Birthday

On Wednesday Hannah and I drove down to Portsmouth to meet with Jessica for her Birthday. We went to This diner and let me tell you they had the most amazing food. I’m definitely going back there, it’s totally worth the drive.

Sunday Reflection – June 04, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 15:48:04 GMT

Sunday Reflection – June 04, 2017

It’s Sunday night and I’m sitting here to write a reflection of the week and I’m having a hard time getting it started. As you may have noticed I haven’t been sewing lat ely and there are many reasons behind that. Some of those reasons are my own doing and some are me reacting to what’s going on around me.

As you may remember I told you my landlord is selling the building. With that, he is doing some projects that need to be done and it’s resulted in me having to change some things in my apartment. The biggest thing is the loss of my storage area and having to find new places to put the things that were stored away. I’ve worked my way through the majority of everything but still have a little bit remaining. Also he will be showing the building next week so I need to make sure my apartment is in order and things look presentable. So that’s all I have on my agenda in the coming week.

Besides all this upheaval at home my mind has been formulating several different ideas and developing a plan. The one thing that will remain the same is my dedication to sewing. In addition to that I will be exploring photography and film making. I think I’ve alluded to that in previous posts but I’d like to share my new found excitement with it.

Film making is something I’ve always had an interest in, ever since my father got a camcorder when I was young and when we started doing video editing in computer club in middle school (yes I’m that much of a geek). The struggle I’ve always faced is not having the right tools to actually make worthwhile videos. And when I finally bought the right equipment I didn’t have something to say on video. Well now I have the equipment I need to get started and I have something to actually make a video about.

Over the next several months I’ll be saving up and buying some video equipment so I can make some awesome videos. I mean I have the essentials to start now but anyone who knows me knows I have to have the best. Top on my list for purchasing is a set of lights and a camera. I have the one I want picked out and I’ll have it in my hands in a couple months.

On the sewing side, I think my next project is going to be a quilt. I had the intention to start developing patterns and work on clothing for myself, but I think that is going to require more intense focus then I have right now. I was planning out the quilting project in my head for hours last night when I was trying to go to sleep. And my plan is to film my venture while I make this quilt. For better or for worse.

Stay tuned for more exciting posts about all of these things in the future. Have a wonderful week and I will be back soon!

Mercy Honor Night 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 15:43:45 GMT

Mercy Honor Night 2017

Friday night was the annual event to recognize coworkers who have achieved years of service milestones and special awards; Mercy Honor Night. I’ve always enjoyed attending this event because you get to see people who you don’t regularly interact with. It’s always great to say hi to the people you haven’t seen in a while. Each year is different depending on who attends and who you end up sitting with.

This year I decided to invite Jessica B since she no longer works at Mercy and I knew she would have a great time. I’m glad I did because she introduced me to a new group of people I don’t normally get to work with. It always amazes me just how many people work at the hospital and how few of them you actually work directly with.

Next year I will be honored for 10 years of service. Just the thought of that makes me wonder where the time went. That’s a big milestone!

This Week is all About De-Hoarding

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 15:31:30 GMT

This Week is all About De-Hoarding

Hello Everyone! This week is all about de-hoarding. As you may remember from my post last week, my landlord is selling the building. Well on Monday I wake up to a bunch of noise so I go outside to see what’s happening and he’s tearing down the back section of the building.

The back section of the building was this nasty, rotting, about to fall down, two story section that had a small windowless room. The perfect place to store a bunch of stuff you don’t have room for in your apartment. Mind you this is where I’ve been storing a bunch of stuff since I moved in. Obviously I quickly moved all my stuff I wanted to keep into my actual apartment so it wouldn’t get destroyed. Meaning my place is now chalk full of stuff!

Over the last couple nights I’ve been going through and throwing away the crap I don’t need and finding some cool stuff I forgot I had! About half the stuff in these totes went right into the trash. And some of the stuff got ruined from being in an outdoor type of space. I haven’t touched most of this stuff in three years so anything that was lost isn’t actually a loss.

This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while but never got around to doing it. A great example of something you spend so much time planning that you never actually do it. I’m so glad I’m doing it now though. Gives me the ambition to continue on and go through the rest of the apartment.

On a sarcastically positive note: if I end up having to move when the new owner buys the building at least I’ve done all the hard stuff and I’m down to the essentials in my apartment. Meaning less to pack and less to move.

Right now I’m sitting at the laundry mat making sure my clothes are ready for Mercy Honor Night, tomorrow. I’m excited to go but I’m also dreading not having the night to finish cleaning out my apartment. Look forward to a post on that sometime this weekend.

Goals for June 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 15:28:24 GMT

Goals for June 2017

Last month I posted some goals for the month and it helped keep me on track for the projects I wanted to complete. This month I’m going to expand that into areas of my p ersonal life. None of us are one thing so why would it hurt to include all areas here. I find that making a goal that pushes you just a little bit beyond what you think you can do improves your life. It allows you to accomplish things you never thought you’d be able to do. So here are my goals for this month.

Develop a logo for my website
Create an intro in After Effects for YouTube videos
Record and post 1 YouTube video per week
Get myself on a regular sleep cycle where I go to bed at 11:00 pm and wake up at 6:30 am on week days.

Look out for updates on these goals throughout the month! And feel free to comment and give me encouragement!

Where Has Matty Been?

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Wed, 24 May 2017 15:25:01 GMT

Where Has Matty Been?

Yes it’s been a few days since I’ve written a post and I had a bunch of stuff I said I was going to do but life got in the way and little progress has happened. And my focus has laid elsewear since my last post. I did end up meeting with Paula to discuss the home buying process and I did start looking at the shorts pattern. I also found videos on YouTube about Adobe After Effects and can I just tell you I’m very excited about the things you can do with it. I’ve also been looking at a few other things and been doing too much shopping to allow myself the time I needed for my planned blog posts.

Men’s Shorts Project

For the men’s shorts project I got a little overwhelmed by the size of the pattern I have and the style of shorts I want to make. That lead me to drawing my own pattern but I didn’t have something laying around that I liked enough to try and copy or adapt. So I got frustrated with having no inspiration and gave up on the project. I did pull out the book I have for drafting Menswear patters and was going to start drafting a pants sloper but stopped half way through. Sometimes you’re just not feeling a project and you have to put it aside for a while until you’re ready to work on it. I will come back to this project because it’s just about summer time and I will be needing a few pair of shorts. I did find a pair of golf shorts at Khols that I like and want to use as an inspiration for this project. So at least now I have a starting point for the project.

Home Buying Meeting with Paula

So Friday night I went and met with Paula to discuss the process for buying property. We had some really good discussions and I found out a lot of fun things. The next thing I need to do is contact the mortgage broker to find out what I would be approved for. And from there I can start making all the decisions. I will make a full post about my discussions with Paula and some of my thoughts on the decisions on what type of property and where I want to buy.

A Trip out With the Girls

Sunday I went down to Mass to visit Jess. Hannah and I drove down together. I had a wonderful time but I spent way too much money. We ended up going shopping because Jess doesn’t know what else there is to do in her area. I found a starting to my fathers day gift, bought curtains, two pairs of slacks, shorts, a giant mirror and a salt lamp. I’m really excited about the mirror I got because it’s huge and it was only $35! I was looking at the price of mirrors in January and I wasn’t finding anything that I like and everything was around or over $100 so I gave up on that idea. When I saw this mirror I said I don’t care what this does to my budget I’m buying it. Now I just need to get some screws and a drill to hang this thing up. This also got me thinking about what other artwork I can put on my walls because I’m a little bored with how my living room looks at the moment. It’s definitely a random collection of old photos and needs some updating.

Upcoming Projects

For my upcoming projects I still haven’t decided what I’d like to focus on. This is a long weekend so I will have plenty of time to work on something. I know I want to start playing around in Adobe After Effects because it’s just so cool. Maybe along with that I can make a YouTube video of a sewing project I decide to make. I also need to some organizing around here before I can really get going with the YouTube video thing. But it’s something that I’m going to do. Maybe I’ll start by making the pants sloper and then making a pair of simple shorts from them. But this is just an idea. Something will strike me this weekend and I’ll work on it.

Am I Too Ambitious?

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sat, 20 May 2017 15:20:21 GMT

Am I Too Ambitious?

I think I got a little over ambitious with the idea of making a pair of regular shorts. I got out the pattern I used for the test pair of pants and found out that the fi t will be a little too loose. So do I want to go for it and see how they come out or do I want to try making something simpler first and then work my way up to this more difficult project? Part of me is just saying go for it and if it fails then it’s a good learning opportunity. The other part of me is saying don’t waste all that fabric for something that may not work right. One option is to do a muslin test. I can see if I have enough left over from my original project to make a pair of shorts, my guess is I will probably need to buy more. I am also going to need to buy a zipper. I think the muslin route is my best option so that I can get the fit right with the pattern and then use my good fabric to make a more finished product after I’ve had some practice. I also just looked up fabric dying kits. Jo-Anne Fabrics has some kits that I can use to dye the muslin to a different color. Now I should probably do it before I start the project but I’d rather just complete the shorts and then if they come out nicely I can dye them in whatever color I choose, after.

Other than this ambitious sewing project I’ve decided to do I’m feeling a little overwhelmed lately. Tasks are piling up at work and they are things I don’t know how to do, or what needs to be done; things that I can’t just do myself. The biggest struggle for me in this position is not being able to just go and fix what I need when I need something done. I feel like for everything I do I need to go to someone else to do things for me. Not like asking them to do my job but to get them to do something in their part of the system so I can do something in my part of the system. It’s very frustrating.

On the home front Steve showed the building yesterday. I was at work while it was happening so I don’t know how it went or what the guy thought of the building. Thankfully he didn’t open the door to the back room, I can tell because the stuff that was in front of the door hadn’t been moved. That room back there is a disaster and I need to get it cleared out. Not because it’s harming anyone or anything but because it’s driving me nuts.

I feel like this is going to be a busy weekend. Tonight I’m meeting with Paula to discuss what my next steps should be for buying a house. Hannah mentioned that she wants to go out dancing tonight, don’t know if that’s going to happen or I even want to. Then tomorrow I’m working on this crazy sewing project that will frustrate the crap out of me. Then Sunday I’m heading to Mass with Hannah to visit Jessica. Then it’s back to work on Monday. I’m a little upset that I probably won’t be able to finish the shorts on Saturday, because I am excited about them and just want them done. As long as they are done by next weekend I’m good though. I want to be able to show them off!

Mother’s Day Tote Bag

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 14 May 2017 20:06:56 GMT

Mother’s Day Tote Bag

This year for Mother’s Day I decided to stop roaming the mall in search of something special and instead make something. I did a search online for Mother’s Day sewing projects and one of the first things that came up was a tote bag. So I read the page and realized it’s not that difficult and I’d give it a try. The end result came out far better then I expected and I’m very proud of what I made!

If you’d like to read through the directions I found then Click Here

Here is the final result! Something far better then what I had imagined. Now when I first started sewing I said to myself I wasn’t going to make projects like this. But I’m actually very glad I made this. It’s given me such a confidence boost to make something and have it look so good. I’ve made several of the zippered boxes and I was going to make another one for Mother’s Day but then I thought that would be boring. So I decided to make this and I’m glad I did.

I watched a couple YouTube videos in the past and these types of projects seemed pretty similar to the zippered boxes I’ve made, minus the zipper. So I went to Walmart and got the supplies I needed for the project.

Materials Needed

Fabric: I got 4 fat quarters at Walmart. 2 for the outside of the bag and 2 for the lining.
Ribbon: For the straps I wanted to find some nylon webbing but there wasn’t anything so I decided to use some ribbon instead. I found a dark brown that looked like burlap.
Fleece Iron on Interfacing: I used the same iron on fleece interfacing I’ve used for the zippered boxes. I like this because it give a soft feeling to the finished product and it gives the bag a nice shape.

Construction Notes

One of the biggest challenges right off the bat was the ribbon for the straps. Just a single piece of ribbon would not have held up when the bag was loaded with any sort of weight in it. To solve this I made two straps using the lining fabric. I folded over a piece of the lining fabric twice the width of the ribbon plus seam allowence. Then I sewed this together and turned it. Then I topstitched the ribbon to one side. If I remade this bag I would have put ribbon on both sides of the strap. This would have provided a more finished look when the bag is sitting on the table and the straps are folded down exposing the lining fabric backing.

The rest of the construction was as easy as following the directions in the link above.

Final Thoughts

This was a fun and easy project. This may be something you need to have a little bit of practice and confidence in operating your machine. The advantages to this project are you will learn some important techniques for making projects like this that can be applied to most other projects. I highly recomend trying this project for yourself!

A Change In The Wind

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Fri, 12 May 2017 19:59:19 GMT

A Change In The Wind

Tonight I was looking through a few things and I realized something. Over the last year I’ve been working to clean up and improve my credit score. When I checked tonight, I’m finally at a place where I can start seriously looking into buying a home. This is something I’ve always dreamed of and always though was just out of reach. But now it’s something that is starting to look like a real possibility within the next year.

This all started when I got home and my landlord informed me that he is selling the building I live in. Now that doesn’t mean that I really need to change anything or move out but it did get me to thinking… What I really wanted to say was I’d be interested in buying the building. But I didn’t since I though that was way out of reach. After I got inside I looked through my email and found an email thread that I had with a mortgage broker last year about what I would need to do to get approved for a home loan. At one point she sent me a list of the credit scores needed to get approved for the different loans they offer. Once I re-read that email I realized my credit score was above the minimum so I double checked my score. Once I realized this is something that can actually happen I got so excited I texted my realtor friend about what I need to do next.

Being a home owner is a lifelong dream but it’s also something that rocks me to my core. Living in an apartment is one thing, if anything happens you call your landlord and complain about the shitty job he did fixing the issue. Owning a home means that there is no landlord to call and you have to fix the issue on your own. Luckily for me I know enough people where if I had a problem I would have someone to go to for advice. But it still worries me that I’m completely on my own. But that is also the most exciting part of owning a home. Everything is mine. I get to do whatever I want! And the best part is I’d have laundry in my own home. That in and of itself makes all of this worth it.

As news happens on this epic journey I’m about to embark on I will keep you updated. I’ve even created a category specific for this topic! So say a little prayer for me and wish me luck!

Goals for May 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Fri, 12 May 2017 19:55:36 GMT

Goals for May 2017

My mind races will all the items I want to accomplish so I need to make some goals for each month to accomplish. For this month my goal is to complete the following:

CO MPLETED Complete Mothers Day sewing project and subsiquent blog post (has to be kept a secret!)
FAILED Drafting complete male slopers in Adobe Illistrator with subsiquent blog post.
COMPLETED Find the charging cable for my camcorder. This requires cleaning out the back room and going through the totes in the storage room.

As I complete these items I will mark the complete or mark them as a failure as needed.

Sunday Reflection – May 7, 2017

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 07 May 2017 19:48:19 GMT

Sunday Reflection – May 7, 2017

What an interesting week this has been. Having a lingering cold for the whole week has not been fun. Even today my nose is running. Because of this cold I haven’t had the energy to do much this week. Meaning no exciting posts! I again sit at the laundry mat, sniffling, while I write this post.

After I’m done washing these clothes, Jess will be coming over for our trip with Hannah tomorrow. Jess is going to show me how to cook Sambosa. I gotta go to the grocery store to pick up all the ingredients and then tonight we feast in their deliciousness.

Tomorrow I’ll be heading to Vermont with Jess and Hannah. For her birthday, Hannah wants to take a trip to an ice cream factory and take a tour. Apparently there is a bucket challenge where you have to eat an entire bucket of ice cream. I know I couldn’t do it but maybe she can! I’m excited to be taking a day off from work to go out and do something fun.

This week I did get side tracked and decided to list out all the little projects I want to do in each room of my apartment. I made a separate list for each room/area and over the next few weeks I’ll tackle one list at a time until everything is done.

The biggest thing on all of the lists is purging anything I no longer need or use. I hate to admit but I have slight hoarding tendencies. So I’m combating that by filling a bunch of trash bags and reducing the clutter in my home.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned this week is to have faith that all will happen in the right time. When one door closes another soon opens. I’m excited for what the future will bring and can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Monday Monday

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Mon, 01 May 2017 19:42:21 GMT

Monday Monday

What a horrible case of the Monday’s I’m having. I forgot my wallet this morning so that puts a kink in my day. Yesterday while I was doing laundry my car battery died so my Dad had to come and jump it. A random stranger came along to help and good thing he did because his battery was much faster at charging mine up. What’s going to be next? I am hopeful this streak of bad luck ends quickly!

On a positive note I’m drinking Tea this morning and not Pepsi! Maybe because hot water is free in the cafeteria and having no wallet to buy junk is a good thing.

Anyway, I’m already ready for a nap!

Sunday is Laundry Day

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 19:38:07 GMT

Sunday is Laundry Day

Sundays are going to become laundry day. I’m the type of person who needs regularity and a set schedule. So I need to do specific chores on specific days. And to avoid going two weeks without doing laundry I’m going to come sit here at the laundry mat every Sunday.

Boy has life been interesting lately. I’m glad I got to catch up with some old friends yesterday at Isaiah’s birthday party. Hanging with Jess, Michaela and Kass for the day was a pleasent distraction. It’s wonderful to see Isaiah growing up and becoming his own. It’s also great to see some friends who used to be part of my every day life.

I tried to make a t-shirt for Isaiah but I ended up serging the sleeve on the outside. So one side is correct and the other side is showing the seam. Oh well, trial and error is how we learn! After I realized what I did I got frustrated and gave up on the project. I still gave it to Kassandra so she could see how well it fit. If the fit is right then I’ll make Isaiah some additional shirts with a spair fabric.

Also this week I worked on a Men’s Raglan T-Shirt. I have to say I’m happy with how it came out so far. I did all the necessary construction steps except for the bottom hem. I hemmed the sleeves but thought I’d give it a wash to see how well it holds up through the process.

I need to make several more practice shirts over the next few weeks to get better with my serger. I am so happy I bought one because I can do practically everything I want to do on it. I mean yes there are some things I’ll need the sewing machine for but making clothes on the serger is so much more rewarding.

I like the idea of having some down time on a Sunday afternoon to reflect on the week and post it here. This will be a good way to end each week and start the next with a fresh perspective. Plus I can give you a sneak peak of what’s coming up!

Coming Up This Week

For this week’s sewing project I’m going to work on two things. First I’m going to make a t-shirt from the pattern I downloaded. Second I’m going to create a set of slopers to start designing patterns with.

I’m not very sure how far I will get with the slopers since it seems arduous and requires focus. Something I’ve not had much of lately. Plus I’m new to Illustrator so there is a lot of time wasted trying to figure out how to get the computer to do what I want it to do. I’m working from the book I got on Patternmaking for Menswear.

Aside from sewing I’m going to make a few personal changes. I’m eliminating sugar from my diet. I consume too much currently and I need to majorly cut down on it. The first week of it is always the hardest. But switching over to tea in the morning will help me get through. It doesn’t help that summer is coming right around the corner and drinking something hot when it’s warm out could be a challenge. One of my biggest frustrations is finding a really good mint flavored tea with enough caffeine. So far the best one I’ve found is a loose leaf and that is a pain in the ass to steep and filter in the morning, especially when I want to use every moment for sleep that I can.

See you throughout the week!

Why I Decided to Start Sewing

mattyroblifestyle@gmail.com (Matthew Ward) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 19:32:47 GMT

Sewing

Last fall I ordered a Deadpool costume online and after wearing it to a costume wedding I discovered the back seam had come undone. I needed to wear it again for Halloween so I needed to sew it back together. I looked up how to do it on YouTube and went and got myself a sewing kit. After successfully fixing the hole in the butt I said to myself: I’m going to become a regular haberdasherist!

Now let’s jump back to Christmas time. I got a wad of cash from my daddy and wanted to blow it on things I didn’t need. Something was telling me I needed to own a leather jacket. Well I still don’t own one. All the designs I was looking at just wasn’t right for me. So I thought back to the sewing thing and started to look up sewing a leather jacket. So to my astonishment one could purchase themselves a hide of leather and sew a sick jacked at home! And for a lot less then what all these stores online would make me pay.

So after seeing all of this I decided to search YouTube for videos on How To Sew. Well I found a bunch of really good videos with some very detailed information. So from there I decided to purchase a sewing machine on Amazon and now I spend some of my free time devoted to this new passion on mine.For anybody that knows me, sewing is not something you would picture me doing. In fact I’m a little surprised myself that I got interested in this. But I needed something to occupy my time. With most other aspects of my life being virtual I needed something tangible that I could do with my hands. So after some strange occurrences a new passion is born.

So here is how it all got started. I was scrolling through Facebook and there were an abnormally high number of adds for designer Jeans coming up. So I decided to click on them because who doesn’t want a pair of amazing Jeans, right!? One of the sites I clicked on had video of the company making the jeans. So I became interested in how a pair of jeans were made because it looked so complicated only a pre-programmed robot could do it. But once I started watching some videos on YouTube I said to myself, that doesn’t look so difficult!