Monthly Archives: January 2012

Etsy Tuesday

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The Superbowl is coming up this weekend.  I know about as much about football as a 4 year old knows about taxes.  Actually, I don’t know that much about taxes either…

I’ve been told that I don’t care which team wins.  Equal Opportunity Blog Post!  :)

 

1. Superbowl Cupcake Kit by That’s A Wrap (Cincinnati, OH)

2. Custom Crystal Rhinestone T-Shirt by My Rhinestone Apparel (Detroit, MI)

3. Printable Giants Banner by Party Styling & Design (Brighton, United States)

4. Football Onesie by Mudpies & Dragonflies (Spring, TX)

5. Personalized Football Toy for Dogs by Such A Stitch (United States)

6. Football Player Vinyl Art by Words of Distinction (Cumberland, WI)

7. New England Patriots License Plate Art by Tomboy Art (Red Rock Canyon)

8. New England Patriots Headband by Graceful by Anna (Long Beach, CA)

9. Football & Helmet Superbowl Party Cookies by Angel Food (Providence, RI)

Getting Whipped Into Shape

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A part of my quest to lose weight and get healthier overall is being able to increase my fitness level.  My gym routine used to be a simple speed walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes, 3 days a week.  Nothing high intensity, just enough to keep me moving.

Well, I want to do better.  I want to be able to get through a kickboxing class without stopping (except to drink water).  This class is INTENSE!  My sister Becca and I both go, and the other night we gave each other several looks like “What is this trainer DOING to us?!”  I love the class, and I feel like I am getting better at being able to make it through the whole 60 minutes.

I like to not only FEEL results, but to SEE results as well.  So last week I decided that I would do a mini-fitness test.  Then in the future I can do these same things again to see how far I have progressed.  The fitness test that I did included: 1 mile (run/walk), holding plank as long as possible, and doing as many pushups as possible in 1 minute.  I’m not super proud of these numbers, but they are what they are.  You can see there is definitely room for improvement.  Here we go…

As of Jan 21, 2012

  • 1 mile – 13:01
  • Plank – 27 seconds
  • Pushups – 24

Now, that time for the mile is at least 1 minute shorter than I did in junior high, can I count that as improvement?  With the pushups, I did 10 of those in the first 15 seconds.  I totally thought more time had passed, so I slowed down.  Like I said, definitely room for improvement.  Not sure when I’ll check these again, but I’ll tell you about it when I do.

Etsy Tuesday

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Do you want to make your own things, just like the sellers on Etsy?  Well, these sellers are selling their secrets!  Everything you see below are sewing patterns.  If you are just beginning to learn to sew or are an expert (like my mama!), you’ll be able to find something that you can take on.

 

1. Schoolhouse Tunic Sewing Pattern by Sew Liberated Patterns

2. Everyday Loafers Sewing Pattern by Shoeology (Arizona)

3. Missy Apron Pattern by Twirlybird Patterns (Ann Arbor, MI)

4. Sew Spoiled Versatile Bag by Sew Spoiled (Clayton, NC)

5. Frame Clutch PDF Sewing Pattern by Jenna Lou Designs (Mankato, MN)

6. PDF Pattern Laptop Case Cover by Gaila Designs (Fresno, CA)

7. Retro Baby Sneakers Sewing Pattern PDF by Sweet Pea Patterns (Arizona)

8. Easy Girl Doll Sewing PDF Pattern by Dolls And Daydreams (Gilbert, AZ)

9. Chic Hooded Kimono Coat by Mani-Mina (New York, NY)

Wedding Centerpiece – Part 2

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When we left off yesterday, I explained my vision for my future wedding centerpieces.  Hopefully you weren’t too confused, you’ll still need a little more of that imagination for today.

I had three ideas in mind of how to decorate the cones for this trial run.  The plan was to start with the most complicated and work my way down.  The most time consuming design of the three I got from ReMade Simple (she used the tutorial from Craftaholics Anonymous for the rosettes).

After reading the tutorial for making the rosettes, all that was left to do was go for it!  Let me tell you, this took a long time.  Folding all of those rosettes (different sizes) and then arranging them on the cone, I spent approximately a combined 6 hours on ONE cone.  I had JUST enough fabric to cover the smallest of the three cones.  In fact, I could have used just a touch more.  Like my inspiration image, I used beads to cover holes that you could see the foam.  My biggest concern with this one is I’m just not sure if people will look at it and know they are meant to be rosettes, or if they look more like balled up fabric scraps.

My second plan came from Teresa Down Under.  I honestly expected this one to be quicker than it turned out to be.  The concept itself is a lot easier than the rosettes.  I would work on pinning squares for a while then step back and did not make as much headway up the cone as I thought I had.  I don’t remember how much time this one took me, but I believe it was longer than that rosette cone.

I needed over 300 squares to cover a 10 inch tall cone!

Finally was the easiest of all.  I was going to cover the tallest cone in fabric.  Just straight out, cut fabric and glue to cone.  I didn’t use a tutorial or any specific inspiration for this one since I had seen the process done many places before.  I forgot to take progress pictures (and apparently any pictures of this cone alone), but if I do this again I will make sure to do that for you.

It was now time to bring it all together.  I brought the cones to work and we set up one of our tables with the supplies.  Keep in mind that there will also be dinnerware on these tables, so the centerpieces really shouldn’t take up too much room.  I will also have that yellow runner made, and not this silly stand in.  What you see here are my fancy yellow pajama pants, which obviously don’t work well as a table runner.

Now, here is where we need the imagination.  Keep these things in mind:

  • The runner will be longer (hanging off the table about a foot on each side)
  • The cones will sit level (they’re tilted a little right now because of the pajama pants)
  • Votive candles will be lit, and actual votives instead of tea lights
  • The table will also be set with place settings

It really is a good thing that I am doing this early.  The first two cones took many hours (worked on over multiple days) to complete.  I’m going to need somewhere around 54 cones.  My coworker suggested I have a centerpiece party and enlist the help of crafty friends and family.

After looking at the mock set up we decided that the patterned fabrics were competing with each other.  A quick vote determined that it should be a patterned runner with solid colors on the cones.  I was also trying to imagine an entire ballroom filled with these.  After doing that in my head I thought that I was missing a little POP!  So of course, I have ANOTHER idea to do with half of the tables (half of the tables will have cones, the other half this new idea)

I still have a few more options as other designs for these cones and will be working those into the plan as well.  Each table will truly be unique.  Well, that’s if this is the official decision.  I’m not fully ready to say THIS IS IT!

So what do you think?  Are cones crazy fun, or are they just plain crazy?

 

Linking to: Addicted to Decorating

Wedding Centerpiece – Part 1

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So I’m planning this wedding, and it just so happens that I am the bride.  It’s strange for me because a part of my full time job is working with weddings.  I am used to experiencing all of this from the side of a vendor, NOT a bride.  Ok, most brides are experiencing wedding planning for the first time as a bride too, I’m not alone here I realize that.

I really have had to remind myself that this is my wedding.  (yeah, the PC thing to do here would be to say that it is our wedding, but Tony is mainly just along for the ride as far as planning goes)  It still hasn’t fully sunk in that we are getting married.  Since it is so far away at this point (16 more months), and we haven’t “officially” planned anything (no paperwork is signed, nothing is set in stone), it’s just not completely real yet.

One of the details that I’ve been thinking over lately is centerpieces.  There have been several different versions in my head.  I’ve realized that I have a lot of requirements for my future centerpieces.

  • I’m not a big flower person (though I do enjoy them every once in a while), and so I want something without flowers
  • That also has to do with being frugal and wanting to cut down on flower costs
  • On the same note, they should save me money compared to what I would have spent on floral centerpieces
  • I want something unique
  • If it is able to be DIY-ed, I’m 99% more interested
  • It has to be easy set-up and clean-up (no water involved)
  • They should go with the overall feel of the wedding (the word I keep using is FUN!)
  • Should be kept short so that guests can see across the table

I started looking at TONS of inspiration pictures on Pinterest and The Knot.  I had plans that ranged from air plants (don’t go with our colors) to silver trays to blueberries (bringing in the navy).  My coworker (former wedding planner) has become the person that I bounce ideas off of.  I’m not exactly sure how I landed on this idea, but it’s the first one that both of us have decided could really work well.  It also accomplishes everything on the above checklist!

Now, to explain the vision, please stick with me, things might look strange before they look better.  If you read a lot of DIY or crafting blogs (like I do), you’ve likely seen some of these styrofoam cones floating around decorated in all sorts of ways.

(This image from Bower Power.  LOVE that blog!)

(This image from Thrifty Decor Chick, another great blog.)

The idea for the centerpiece gets put together like this.  Imagine a round table covered with a white tablecloth, this is our starting point.  (PS – anyone else start saying “imagine” with a French accent a la the ending of French Kiss?  I totally do!)  Over the white tablecloth will be a yellow runner (that I’ll make with a patterned fabric).  On the runner will be three styrofoam cones (each a different height and decorated in a different fashion) and five votive candles.  The cones will be decorated using grey and navy fabrics.  My coworker and I were pretty excited about this idea, and so I decided I would have to do a trial run.  Because I know that my mind can change 100 times, and this plan may even evolve over time, but to do a trial run would allow me to see exactly what I was getting myself into.

This is where we stop for today.  After writing this post out, it was extremely long, and begging to be broken up into two parts (with a potential third on the way).  I want you to give your input after the next part, and so I will require your full attention!  I promise you won’t have to wait long (but don’t sit by your computer waiting).