Fun new Race Bib Placard

My poor neglected blog!!!! I must do better at posting.

There has just been so much going on already this year. 

It will be a BIG, HUGE Year for my family....one with 

many many new adventures and changes. Gradually I hope to be

able to elaborate on all of it. But for now...most of it is under wraps! 

However, yesterday I hit a milestone in life...

I turned 40! But I must say 40 is going to be fabulous

for me for so many reasons. I am finding that by 40 

you really have a better understanding of who you are

and truely no longer worry about how others deal with who you are.

This is so very freeing and fabulous! So as for me, well I love 40 already.

 My most incredible and wonderful sister made me a placard

to hold my running race bibs. It is going to be a big race year for me, and

I will definitely get a lot of use out of this.

 Last year I ran the Color Run in Birmingham, AL and loved it....even though it was

pouring rain the whole, entire time!

My plan is to every year pick a new place to run the Color Run...

This year it will be either Boise, Idaho or Salt Lake City, Utah.

Just an upclose without any race bibs displayed.

I love the detail, and the decorative hooks!

 Last week I receive my packet for my next race.....

This is quite possible my most favorite race packet to receive! 

And I love the colorful race bib...with my name on it.

My husband will also be running this race with me, and we are looking 

forward to this one a lot. He has gradually started becoming more of a runner

with me, and it is wonderful.

I have been doing a little sewing ...

And this is the BEST armband ever! I love it.

The pattern is from Sew Spoiled, and it is really a great pattern.

I have an Iphone with a lifeproof case on it and was able to adjust the pattern 

so it fits perfectly. I had started looking at purchasing an arm band and the lifeproof band that

goes with my case wasn't getting good longterm use reviews.

This is so perfect, and so far I love it. 

Phone fits perfectly, and I can easily get it out while running if I need to. 

The front pocket is great for some ID or cash if I need.

When not in use I just store my earbuds in it...so they are always ready

for a run. 

It is great to run hands free now and keep Pandora playing and the 

GPS running app going. 

And when I am not running or sewing we find fun places outdoors

to go explore! And now I have a fun photo theme.....to plank everywhere I go.

Why you ask??? Because I can and it is fun and will make a great photo album. 

Goliath Run 2013

My Husband is busy planning an event for spring of 2013.....

yes it will be here before we know it!

We are doing this as a fundraiser event for our Beyond the Door youth ministry from

Honeycomb Baptist Church

and also the Baptist Children's home in North Alabama.

We have great hopes of this event growing and becoming an annual event.

It is a 5K high endurance trail run

1 mile gentle walk/run

craft vendors

BBQ cook-off

Car Show

Taking place April 20, 2013 

At Cathedral Caverns State Park

For more info please follow TheGoliathRun on FB

To register  Goliath Run 2013 with active.com

Happy Running!

For the Love of Sock Knitting

You may call me crazy, but I absolutely have fallen in love with 

knitting socks! I know, tedious, time consuming socks. 

And even more than that, I love wearing them.

A basic rib sock in the most yummy wool and bamboo blend yarn.

Abby wanted a sock in reds.....these are beautiful even though they

ended up having more pink than we thought.

Now we just need the weather to turn cold so she can wear her 

new socks.

My next pair is a 100% wool sock for my husband.

He wants a thin wool sock and hasn't been able to find what

he is looking for. Hopefully he will like these. 

Regia, snowflake yarn makes a beautiful sock

And so many more pairs of socks I plan to knit!

Christmas....Time to Decorate!

At my house we love decorating for Christmas!

 My teenagers are a great help in all of the decorating. I am
so lucky that they enjoy it. I am not able to go out and buy
new decorations to add to our collection every year like I
would love to do. So this year Abby and I got a little creative
in trying to add something new. We decided to use a roll of tulle
I had left over from making tutus, and all the lace remnants I could find
in my sewing room.

We love the look!

The tree is still waiting for the ruffled tree skirt I have in my head, but

haven't had anytime in my sewing room to make.  oohhh some day....

maybe, I hope!

The stocking project Abby and I worked on last year are

still a favorite hanging on the hearth.

We turn on the Christmas tee lights anytime we are in the living room! 

I could live with Christmas lights year around :)

Ruffled Goodness

I recently bought a new Sew Serendipity

bag pattern.....Lola Gypsy Bag 

And it is now my FAVORITE bag of all time!!!!

I have one of Kay's books and many of her patterns

and I have to say they are the best. I get the best fit 

when I use her patterns. Sometimes I use them completely

as written....and other times they are the inspiration and the 

basic foundation of my project. 

This one is a fun pattern for sure.

I did ad trim to the top of my upper ruffle because

I sewed them on differently the how it is done in the pattern.

I am trying to use up my fabric stash and didn't want to buy anything

for this bag.....therefore my fabric weight is a little heavier than is ideal.

I also used a lightweight houdstooth canvas for the bag body and didn't use any additional

interfacing for the bag itself. For inside pockets....I line both sides of the lining with an 8" deep pocket

across the entire width of the front and back, that is then sectioned into three pockets each side, for a total of

6 wonderful, deep pockets for keeping pens, cell phone, lipstick,calender, and such organized. 

I will be carrying this one for a long time....I think I need a few more perhaps :)

Creative Crochet

My kids....well one in particular loves his

fun, crazy, crochet hats. Every year I make him

at least one, but usually more. This week he asked

for aTurkey...with a face

I went to my favorite go to place for inspiration and patterns
ravelry of course.

Where I found three hats that I loved
each for different reasons. Two of them I had
to purchase and one was a free download.
And this was my end result!
Which I absolutely love and adore.

It is a most fun hat for the month of November.

And best of all, he loves it and does in fact wear it

out and to school....high school of all places!

I am one lucky mom that he loves my crazy creations.

My pattern collections came from:

536 Turkey Hat....Sandy Powers

Wild Turkey Hat....RAKJ patterns

B's Oh You Turkey....Crafting ForChrist Designs

Here is the breakdown of my hat.....536 turkey is the overall hat pattern...I made the adult size but did

add about 11 additional rows to the hat body. On my next one I will add one more row of increase and the 11 additional rows for it will fit just a little looser. I also use an I crochet hook...because I crochet tight.

Perhaps my absolute favorite favorite....the legs and feet! Also used this beak.

Next the feathers came from the wild turkey hat. They are just perfect! 

I loved the 536 feather...but these look a little more for a teen boy...and these

were his favorite. Yes, he actually picked everything out.

When I saw the super fun eyes and waddle of the B's oh you turkey hat, I knew I had found

the perfect inspiration for the face!

All these patterns are fantastic!

hhhmmmm what will I make next?

Happy Creating :)

Becoming A Warrior Dash Runner

Warrior Dash 5K Run

A few weeks ago some of my family and friends joined me in 

running the Warrior Dash...In of all places Warrior, Alabama!

We were so excited, and nice and clean at the start.....but that didn't last long,

since it is an obstacle course run. Literally mud crawling, fire jumping!

I am always excited when my husband joins me in a race!

With a blast of fire...

we were off

we hurdled over half walls, crawled up muddy banks, climbed up

a mountain, crossed a pond, traveled muddy trenches, crawled under barbed wire

to name a few......

Climbed this structure

Leaped over fire

My sons photo is amazing!

and crawled through more mud and barbed wire

It was so much fun!!!

And perhaps best of all.....

was crossing the finish line with my husband!

We are now fearless warriors and can't wait to run it again!