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This weekend, I drove up to San Antonio. My mom came to town for a conference for her work, so I stayed with her for the past couple of days. And it was a good couple of days, but also super super busy! {Obviously since I didn't post hardly at all!}

Anyway, some posts to come:

1. An apple photo shoot {with my brand, spankin' new lens!}

2. Shopping trip finds! {Adore craft stores :)}

3. Thrifting goodies + DIY projects!

4. Send Something Good surprises :)

Hope you all had a fantastic past week and weekend!!

The 26.2-Mile Project {Week 2}

Well, in accordance with my post a couple weeks ago, here is an update of my 26.2-mile project.

Monday 4/16:  2-3 miles {We ran 6 because my running buddy wanted to}
Tuesday 4/17: 3-4 miles {We ran 0...oops again!}
Wednesday 4/18: 2-3 miles {We ran 4}
Thursday 4/19: 3-4 miles {We ran 3}
Friday: 6-7 miles {I ran 7}

Total mileage: 20 miles. Not too shabby, though my goal was 21. This week's goal: 25 miles

Let me tell you a couple things about running:

I'm at the point where I don't enjoy it yet

Running in the morning is much better idea 

than running in the evening 

{I ran my 7 miles at 6pm on Friday night and it was still 88 degrees outside
...bad idea}

Be prepared to take cold showers

{you will actually want to}

Sometimes, it is so hard to keep going...

...but you just have to

Run with someone {if you can}

it makes running a million times more enjoyable

You will never regret doing it when you've finished

Right when you want to give up, is right at the point where you shouldn't

It doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as you keep going.

A Confession: Hot Dog Fingers

I have to admit, there are very few things I really dislike about myself. Sure, there are some things I were I were better at {running, sewing, designing a blog}, but those are things I can work on. Change.

But physically, I like most of me. There is however one thing {okay maybe like 3, but I'm only talking about one here} that I don't like about myself. But I have come to terms with it, and can totally make fun of myself.

I have hot dog fingers. I actually think it's mostly my fault. I have this really bad habit of biting my fingernails, which makes them really long. {I think the purpose of fingernails is to elongate your fingers...}

Anyway, it makes wearing nail polish, rings, henna, or anything that attracts the eye to the hand slightly awkward.

{Twinners. I know you're thinking it. You don't have to lie. And it's okay to laugh. I did}

Maybe someday, I will stop biting my fingernails {for legit, not just for a few months, which is currently my record}, and my fingers won't look so much like hot dogs. Either that or finger liposuction. {jk...ish}

Lovely Linky: Send Something Good

I am doing something called the "Send Something Good" project. I've kind of been a slacker {both on the blog and for the project} because this week has been crazy busy. But I am back! And excited for this next week of blogging. :)

These are a few of my favorite things....

my husband

stalking professional photographers/wanting to be like {many of} them

reading

pretending I know how to sew

gorgeous fabric!! {I seriously stock up without having projects}

vintage anything
Bones {the show, not the real thing...}

rustic

chevron strips

good graphic design

tv shows

our kitty {her name is Dorian}

all things pretty

lace

all colors {seriously, I don't have a favorite color}

anything blush/rose pink colored

New York {I'm from Upstate...not the city}
dancing

learning Spanish

memories
afternoon naps

anything creative
mountains

pinterest

color blocking
music

people with style
House

thrifting

DIY projects
Utah
foxes
beautiful cursive/handwriting {I wish I had this}

vintage books

long wavy hair {something I cannot for the life of my accomplish}

my iPhone

movies
children

warm laundry
mail

running in the morning

sleeping in

{it's hard to have both sometimes}

These are a few of my not-so-favorite things

Runny noses

cottage cheese

olives

mushrooms

people that whine

being lazy {even though I sometimes am}
my lack of creativity
 the dark {I am so afraid of walking in the dark by myself}
music that gradually gets louder {I don't know why, but it freaks me out}
ignorance
people who are judgmental of others' weaknesses
ticking clocks
trying to sleep when you're not tired
sour milk {soo many bad experiences...}
 being late {ironically, I am late all the time}
feeling overwhelmed {although I do like being very busy}

DIY: Mint Jeans

Remember how colored jeans are in style?? Well, I found this awesome tutorial on how to make them yourself! Check it out here!

Round Up: Girls' Camp Crafts

For the past couple of weeks, I have had camp crafts, long hikes, summer breezes, canoeing and swimming, and planning craziness on the brain.

Somehow, I managed to become Camp Director for our Girls' Camp this year {it's a LDS aka Mormon church thing}. Now, I loved Girls' Camp, but I had no idea how much work went into it every year {including time, money, talents, creativity, ideas, planning, etc, etc, etc}.

Anyway, one of my duties is to plan the crafts. I love crafting, but these crafts have to be on the more simple side. That is, we won't have a sewing machine; we can't really spend hours and hours working on them {well....I guess they actually could; the girls have quite a bit of free time}; they can't cost too much; and most of all, they have to be fun!

So after much searching, I've compiled a round up of 20 great Girls' Camp crafts. Or just simple and fun crafts you can do with your kids or yourself.

No Sew Braided Headband

Washer Necklaces

Decorated Journals

Wire Jewelry Holder

Fabric Flower Headbands and Barrettes

Resin Pendant Necklaces

Rolled Fabric Flowers {for headbands, hair clips, etc}



Button Bracelet



Button Rings



Lantern
{and the wire handle tutorial link as well}




 Fabric-wrapped Pens
{blogger said to make these pens, follow the same tutorial listed above,
but to wrap the fabric around the pens instead of a hair band}

Soda Pop Bracelets

Charm Bracelets

 Paper Bag Journals

Heart Pattern Friendship Bracelet

 {or you can check out these tutorials or this one or even this one
{the last one is a bit of a different take on it}


Duct Tape Wallets

 Ribbon Bracelets

Super Cute Pinwheels

Lace Crowns
 


Tile Coaster

Whew! That was a lot more work than I thought! But I think there are a lot of great ideas here {thanks to other crafty and creative bloggers}. Hope you find something you enjoy!

UPDATE: I found a couple more good ones, 

so I'm throwing them in here too

Cereal Box Notepads

 

Duct Tape Bags

(image source)


Canvas "Deer" Diary
{Find the canvas journals here}

Jersey Knit Bracelets

Popsicle Cuff Bracelet

 

And there you have it! If I find more good ones, I'll be sure to post them. And if you have any good ideas, be sure to let me know! 

The 26.2 Mile Project

Some of you may have heard this story, but for those of you who haven't, I will share it once more.

When I was in high school, my senior year, we had to run the mile. You know, the Presidential Fitness Challenge thing? And I was many things in high school, but a runner I was not.

But I still ran. I pushed myself. Hard. I pushed myself so hard that I literally got sick after from running. Oh, and my time? Yeah, close to 11 minutes. What?! I wasn't overweight, I didn't consider myself that slow of a runner, but I was out of shape.

I had never felt like I needed a goal to be healthy because I didn't really have to worry about my weight.

Anyway, a few years later, I started to get fit. I ran. I biked. I swam. And I felt great. But then I stopped.

Now fast forward a couple more years. After I got married, I decided that I, again, wanted to get back into shape. I started running again last September (2011), 8 months ago. Since then, I have run a couple 5Ks and 3 half marathons. My goal this year is to run full marathon. For those of you who don't know, that is 26.2 miles.

So here is my journey, taken one step {literally} at a time.

This past week has been difficult. I've run a little bit in the past few months, but I suffered an injury at my last half marathon in January and was put out of running for about a month and a half. I lost motivation to run. It was even harder when a good running partner of mine moved away.

Monday: 2-3 miles {I ran 3}
Tuesday: 3-4 miles {I ran 0...oops}
Wednesday: 2-3 miles {I ran 4...trying to make up}
Thursday: 3-4 miles {I ran 4}
Friday: 5-6 miles {I ran 6.4}

Today I ran 6.4 miles all by my lonesome in the hot, humid, 75 degree Texas weather.


This week's mileage: 17 miles {approx}

Next week's goal: 21 miles