Aqua Zumba at La Fitness

I am super excited about Aqua Zumba at LA Fitness. The aqua aerobics instructor is getting certified to teach Aqua Zumba to the masses. Whoops! Let me pump the brakes for a minute. Do you know about Zumba Fitness? The simplest explanation: I would say it is losing calories and having fun through latin- inspired music that includes salsa, merengue, punta, tribal, banda, flamenco, samba, bachata and reggaeton. Here is a snippet of this giant Zumba party:

  

This is a general overview of Zumba Fitness and how it can get you in shape through dance. 

Now, Aqua Zumba is basically the same thing except its in the water. Check this out: 

Can you understand the magnitude of these news? My first time doing Aqua Zumba was in Barbados at this hotel- All Seasons Resort Europa. This will be the first Aqua Zumba class for LA Fitness near my zip code. 

Hoooray!!

Free Beach Festival

My husband and I were debating about what to do on this hot Summer say in August. He suggested Fan Access to Summer Slam hosted by WWE Wrestling at Staples. Check it out:

 

The tickets were about $25.00, not including parking fee in a parking structure ($10.00). Then I suggested what someone at the gym (Sylvia) mentioned after aqua aerobics class- a FREE Hawaiian Festival at Naples with music, dancing, and Hawaiian food . Take a peep at this flyer:

  

We decided to have Hawaiian food at the beach while enjoying the beautiful, rhythmic sounds of Polynesian Music. The Tahitian Dance moves are so sensual, soft and alluring and we captured it on video four times. However, I am having technological difficulties with uploading video to email. I apologize for that. I really didn't want to leave because I didn't want the day to end. This is us:

  

A beautiful day at the beach sprinkled with some Polynesian culture- Ohana!!    

 

Accessories Update

Just to let you know, I decided to enroll in the Sewing 103-Make Your Own Tote Bag. The class had a 50% discount, so that really convinced me to go for it. In addition, I was offered the option of reserving  one of their sewing machines or to bring my own. This will be my first time taking a sewing class through Joann's, so I'm looking forward to this experience. Currently, I am waiting for the upcoming Simplicity sale starting on  August 17 - August 19 where you can buy 5 Simplicity patterns for 5 dollars. These are the patterns that I'm planning on getting:

 
I'm in love with the 1940's era. This dress looks like it can work with my curves. The next pattern is a vest. I want to add some flare to my work clothes. Here it is:

I have not thought about what type of fabric or color, but for sure it will be a solid color. This next pattern is trending at the malls- the mullet dress. Here it goes, take a peek:

I really liked the gold dress that were seen at the Olympic closing ceremony. Check out your reminder:

These dresses are elegant, classy and evoke sophistication. The dress that intrigues my fashion sense is the one on the far left. Take a closer look:

This is my inspiration for a night out-simply breathtaking. I feel like the fitted bodice is very eye-catching with its unique design. I'm really digging this dress. I need to figure out my last two patterns, so this is it for now.

Gracias!!

Accessories Anyone?

Summer days are dwindling down to a distant memory. Fall will be here before we know it. It will be time to update some seasonal clothing and accessories. I'm really liking the idea of making my own tote bag. This will be a new undertaking for me.

So how can I use the resources available to me?

First of all, Joann Fabric recently added a new sewing class to their September schedule. It is called "Sew Your Own Tote Bag". I am looking closely at this option, though it will cost $55 dollars. Here is the flyer:
    http://joann.shoplocal.com/joannsalesflyer/Default.aspx?action=browsepageflash&storeid=2622304&rapid=1717354&pagenumber=1&prvid=JoAnnStores-120801ED&promotioncode=JoAnnStores-120801ED
If I decide to sign up for the class, I like the idea of people guiding me through the process of making this tote bag from Simplicity 1905:
 
I have peeked at this pattern and envision myself with my own tote bag, one that I will actually use. This pattern is on my WANTED list.
Yet another resource can be Youtube. I came across this excellent video that clearly demonstrates the steps to take in order to make your own purse from DIY Dish:

 The video is very structured, well-organized and easy to understand. When I saw this video, I felt inspired to make this purse. I am sure that there are many other resources out there, but for now these will be enough.

Using a FREE App for Sewing

I have been trying to figure out a way of getting all of my sewing patterns organized using technology. I was wishing for a way to keep a virtual catalog of all my patterns and up comes this smartphone app called Evernote. This is a  FREE smartphone app that allows you to snap a picture to put in a notebook, along with notes to self about other hobbies, interests, or social activities.

I am still learning to work this wonderful app, but here is what I have managed to figure out:
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s221//sh/69907d20-93b4-46af-9bdc-8360c3665956/6eba61f38230e5664601428c02b783ab

Just be a little patient as it begins to load my Vogue patterns. This app is so convenient because you can see what patterns you have anytime, anywhere. Here is my other notebook of Butterick patterns:
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s221//sh/399d6590-9afe-4d45-a747-df28943deb78/285b1531241b0950396b1d82b74eb73d

In the near future, I think I should go back and take pictures of the back of the envelopes, instead of using a sticky note to figure out how much fabric to purchase and other notions needed.