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Solution: if you type in ' ' w/o the quotes and caps in the html code of the post just before the line you want spaced it will add one!

Fitness week in review

Number of workouts: 4

Weight: 147 (-2)

Biggest success: Running a mile straight. Small victories.

Challenge: Lack of time

Goal for next week: Continue workouts despite traveling for the holiday weekend

I spent a lot of time behind the sewing machine this weekend and have many projects to share with you! I looked like a scrub all weekend and didn't want myself in photos, thus the delay in posts. Check back soon for new pics!

Fitness week in review

Number of workouts: 3 (late start to the week...aiming for 5)

Starting weight: 149

Biggest success: feeling sore, so I must be doing something right

Challenges: MIL's delicious oatmeal cookies in my kitchen, hurt toe

Goals for next week: 5 workouts, figure out how to work Nike+

Quick personalized dog bowls

Through puppy school we learned the importance of feeding dogs on a schedule. The first dog food bowl I purchased was a water/food combo, which doesn't work because you have the take up the food throughout the day, but leave the water. I purchased some cheap-o bowls at Target, but wanted to personalize them a bit, so here's the end result:

All I did was find some masculine-ish scrapbook paper I had, printed, traced, and cut out the shapes. Then I mod-podged them onto the front of the bowls. If you had a cricut this would go so quick!

Fun pillowcase dress

While browsing fabric at Hobby Lobby the other day I found this super cute and fun fabric. I couldn't think of anything to use it for at first, but I knew it would be cute for a little girl.

I searched the internet for inspiration and decided to try my hand the ever popular pillowcase dress. I can see why they are so popular -- they are quick and easy! I made my own bias tape, but if you used pre-made it would go even faster. Here's the tutorial I followed: click here.

You can make them in all sizes...from teensy little babies to big girls. The great thing is that they're so versatile. When they become too short for a dress, it can be worn as a shirt. Also, you can layer a long sleeve t-shirt underneath for cooler weather.
Here's miss Raelee modeling the dress while holding Wyatt. She loved the puppy and he was apprehensive the whole night.
I'm linking this project to:
Between Naps on the Porch , Making the World Cuter, The DIY Show Off, The Persimmon Perch, Skip to My Lou, Keeping it Simple, A Soft Place to Land, Today's Creative Blog, Blue Cricket Design, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Beyond the Picket Fence, Remodelaholic, Tatertots and Jello

No better time than now...

I'm going to be a little vulnerable for a bit. I need accountability. I need it something fierce. I don't feel healthy and I'm not particularly happy with my lifestyle {re: limited exercise and tons of junk food} My solution: a weekly blog update on my progression to fitness.

Here's my game plan:

1. Sean and I are going to start training for races...small races at first but hopefully it will grow into something bigger. So I'm hoping the buddy system is encouraging.

2. I got some new kicks that have Nike+ technology to help me track my running better.

3. My sweet dad signed me up for 3 months to get me kickstarted at a swanky gym right by my office

4. I'll post my weekly running distances and other important numbers. I'm a big believer in transparency and hope that the added accountability from blogland will be just what I need to motivate me towards a healthier lifestyle.

  I will be realistic and honest as I share with you both my successes and challenges on this new journey -- everything from running breakthroughs to tripping on the treadmill.

Wyatt update

We had a great weekend in Branson visiting family and took little Wyatt along. This morning we took a family nap.

Then Wyatt slept the entire 2 hour ride home. Here's proof.

I actually had some time at the sewing machine while in Branson -- check back this week for some pictures of those projects! I'm sure the suspense is killing you, right. Sorry to leave you hanging, but a weekend away = piles of laundry.

My closet was OUT OF CONTROL!

A trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond for some sweet hangers, a little re-organization and ten 90's songs helped to make it a little more manageable --

Now my dog knows my pile of clothes wasn't actually his bed. The puppy is doing great, BTW -- we love him a lot and he's a really good dog.

Super quick dress refashion

I picked up this little lovely at a thrift shop for $2. With about 30 minutes of time I made it into something much cuter!

We had a BBQ with Sean's classmates at our house on Sat and I wanted something

'new' to wear, so with just a few cuts of the scissors I made this cute little dress.

I just cute a scoop neck, cut off the sleeves and bottom, sewed elastic in the waist and made a quick little belt. The belt is just braided strips of the jersey knit and a little ruffle flower {hard to see in the unfortunately}
I'm linking this project to:
Between Naps on the Porch , Making the World Cuter, The DIY Show Off, The Persimmon Perch, Skip to My Lou, Keeping it Simple, A Soft Place to Land, Today's Creative Blog, Blue Cricket Design, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Beyond the Picket Fence, Remodelaholic, Tatertots and Jello

Help me win!

I've been in a crafting rut and desperately need to get out of it. To help, I entered a craft competition on the Made By Heidi blog. Please head over there and vote for my project so I can end up in the top 5 and compete each week!

Thanks a ton!

Turn a rental into a home: DIY art

Art is expensive. I am cheap. You can see what the problem is. There are a couple of bare walls around the house that have been nagging at me, so I finally did something about it without spending much money at all.

My first inspiration was this rug that I purchased on clearance at TJ Maxx for our 1/2 bath. I free handed some of the shapes on to a blank canvas I had laying around, then started filling in the shapes with colors and details.

My mom is going to laugh at this one b/c it's probably one of the cheapest things I've done. For my birthday, my parents gave me a patio set complete with a fire pit {pictures of that to come soon}. Well, when we were unpacking the firepit, there was a nice sized piece of styrofoam packing, so I kept it just for this project.

I purchased a sheet on clearance from Walmart {b/c the walmart here doesn't have a fabric dept...whats up with that?} for $2. I selected a phrase from one of my favorite hymns and printed it out on iron-on paper.

I ironed then stapled the fabric to the styrofoam.

Then, I cussed out loud b/c I forgot to mirror the image prior to printing.

Plan B ensued, which included cutting out the letters and attaching them to the sheet covered styrofoam with spray glue.

I finished it off with a coat of Mod Podge. I think they both fill the space nicely and didn't cost me hardly any cash, which makes me and the hubs very happy. :)
I'm linking this project to:
Between Naps on the Porch , Making the World Cuter, The DIY Show Off, The Persimmon Perch, Skip to My Lou, Keeping it Simple, A Soft Place to Land, Today's Creative Blog, Blue Cricket Design, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Beyond the Picket Fence, Remodelaholic, Tatertots and Jello