Red Fermata

Retiring

2010-03-29T10:09:00.001-07:00

I'm retiring this blog because I started a new one! I'll be posting much more frequently and mostly about home stuff and tutorials: www.asimplenest/typepad.com Please add me on my google friend connect button! I have no friends yet, sad. See around. Leave a comment on my new blog so I can follow your blog too!

Patchwork

2010-01-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

Since I got a sewing machine, I've been planning to learn some quilting, so my radar has been on for awesome projects related to patchwork. I am loving the simplicity of this quilt made by Joelle Hoverson.
What a clever idea for old sweaters at Ready Made. I wish I could get back the last few boxes I just donated. I had some GREAT sweaters that would have worked well. I'll have to buy them back from the thrifts store now. haha.
This is a rug! I so want to make a patchwork rug now. I'm not sure if these are felted materials or what. Found here.
Another sweater felted blanket. Also found here.

Resolutions

2010-01-08T18:37:00.001-08:00

New Year!
This year my main resolution is to make small sized goals weekly, and medium sized goals monthly. To follow a routine, and make daily to-do lists. In essence I'm resolving to resolve more often.

JANUARY

Financial goal: Make $100 through crafts (starting the year out modestly)
Home: Organize my kitchen cupboards and find a way to make it all fit
Spiritual: Keeping Sabbath day more holy
Physical: Loose 5 lbs (overall goal, to decrease body fat from 26% to 17% or 15 lbs)

Bedroom Makeover

2009-12-25T15:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I cleaned my bedroom. Yup, I finally did it. And I'm not talkin about threw my junk into a box and stuffed it into the overflowing closet, no.... I organized the closet, the crafts, the desks, the everything! Now our walls feel so white its blinding. I need to put up som pictures. I also got a super special Christmas presant. A SEWING MACHINE! Clean room + new sewing machine + new headboard = me making new bedding. I love the cottage + neutrals look. I think I"ll make a duvet cover that's whitish, and then a more colorful quilt to layer on top, + we desperately need a bedskirt.....I'm seeing ruffels in the future.... *big guilty pleasure smile* Here's some inspiration:

first 2 via country living

via Brooke Giannettii blog

via design wonderland

Vanity

2009-12-16T19:47:00.001-08:00

I am planning to rip the hanging rod/shelves in my closet and convert it into a vanity. What to put my perfumes and makeup in though? Here's some of my inspiration from online:
via apartment therapy

use vinigar bottles and labels, via country living

found via
alkemie.blogspot.com

back cupboards with steel and use magnets, from martha

antique treasures from Vintage Pleasures,

vanity with tea cup holders from a friend to knit with,

Birth of Zoe Sophia Haws

2009-09-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

Wow! I have a baby! I can hardly believe it still. It's weird not being pregnant.... Absolutely nothing went as I originally planned it would, but I don't feel bad about a thing. It was a wonderful birth!

On August 18th we went to the hospital to be induced. I planned on having a natural labor. Took the Lamaze classes and everything. We watched "9 months" until the pain was so bad it drove me nuts, so I listened to soft music on Pandora to calm me down while meditating and breathing slowly. Moving around after getting my water broken was absolutely the most disgusting thing ever. But I could not find a good position, and the monitors were always loosing the heart beat/contractions.

Around 2 pm the Dr. checked me and I found out I was only 4cm (I came in at almost a 3) and got so discouraged. By now I was breathing so hard I felt like I was running for my life or something. Couldn't handle the pain anymore, so I got an epidural. It only worked on half my body at first, and still, I was in heaven! My parents showed up not too long after. Good timing! Any earlier and I would not have wanted to see anyone. Now I could chat, sleep, whatever! Labor went from the most intense pain ever to feeling like it tickled, hahaha.

Unfortunately it didn't feel like that through the pushing. I felt like there was pain relief at all for that. But then again, I have not pushed naturally to compare it, but if it hurt that bad on the epidural, I never want to. I so scared, they said "puuuush," and I said....."I don't want to do it anymore.... " It was so wonderful to have my mother and Jake there to help me. Jake was an amazing coach.

When the baby started showing up Jake was actually off getting dinner. Well, apparently it takes a long time to have a baby, so it didn't matter. The nurse said she didn't think the baby would be over 7 lbs. after seeing the top of the head. She also pulled on the hair and said it was "so much hair...strawberry blond."

Well, she arrived in this world at 9:42 pm. She was over 7 lbs, at 9 lbs 2 oz. And she did not have a ton of hair, but it is strawberry blond! I had never felt more tired in my life. But I just wanted to hold my baby. She opened her little goop covered eyes and looked at me and my heart melted.

Welcome to the world Baby Zoe. We love you so much.

shelves!

2009-08-08T21:53:00.001-07:00

These shelves are cuuuute. I love open shelving. I need something to put baby changing stuff on anyhow, then later it can be cuter like this. I think these are IKEA? Picture from Lovely Design

Wonderful kitchen!

2009-08-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

Kitchen from Country Living, found via Shabby Vintage Mom

Nursery Inspiration

2009-06-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

My head is swimming with ideas for the nursery. Absolutely nothing has materialized yet. It's still an office/place to stash my underwear and large ugly recliner that I hate. No sign of baby whatsoever. Here is some inspiration though. I'm loving the colors of these rooms/quilt. Exactly what I want is in the quilt. I'm also thinking a collage of letters (the full alphabet), a long white dresser to put stuff in/changing table on top of, and a handmade paper mobile of some sorts. I like the idea of maps and globes, but that can wait a year or two...one step at a time.

What I'm up to

2009-06-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing internet much at all lately. I have a ton to blog about if I can get the internet time to do it. (We have it at home, but not a decent computer. Only the i-pod touch, which is no fun to blog on)
Here is what I have been up to:

finishing the school year with Head Start Preschool
finally getting my living room in order and presentable (thanks to the IKEA memorial day sale)
crafting like a madwoman
being incredibly pregnant (so tired and hungry)

Spice Jars

2009-01-24T12:53:00.001-08:00

I hate the mismatched look of a ton of spices, but can't afford a bunch of jars to transplant them to right now. Plus, some would be too big, or too small for some spices. THis is a great way to get a uniform look for free thanks to Craft Leftovers, who made these templates, you can go to her blog and print 'em off. I think I will take a slightly simpler rout and just tape white paper around mine with the info (no illustrations for me). Yay for cheap practical design solutions!
(found via The Kitchn)

Non-working fireplace

2009-01-23T12:40:00.000-08:00

We just signed the contract for our new rental. The most disappointing part of the meeting was finding out that the fireplace isn't working (or if it is we aren't allowed to use it because of insurance). I was utterly gutted to hear that. No weenie and marshmallow roasts in the living room. So I've been looking for ideas for the fireplace.

There's always the candle idea. Couldn't find a good picture of one. Seems kinda boring to me.

I love art objects being displayed inside. Especially coral. Look at that 3rd picture! The red coral looks just like fire!

Picture 4 shows crystal. I don't like this one, but it could be done better and work out very nicely.

Picture 5 is a log rapped up in lights. I love this one, but it seems a little Christmasy.

Picture 6 is my absolute favorite. I love the neatly stacked up logs. I have wanted a fireplace just to have the stacked up logs next to it in my dream home. I could just do so in my non-working fireplace now. This is a cool modern/rustic solution I've been ripping out of magazines for a few years now.

Images from: 1- mabelle, 2- gogoabigail, 3-4 domino mag, 5-6 Apartment Therapy,

Runners Itch

2009-01-23T12:14:00.000-08:00

I get itchy in my fatty areas when I run once in a while, and it's always perplexed me. My dad told me once that it was my body creating new veins/arteries. I felt it today again, so I thought I would google it and I am SHOCKED at the amount of responses that have no clue. Most blame it on sweat, work out clothes, detergent, or even allergies. Allergic to exercise? Luckily there is some valid information out there and I think everyone should know that my dad was right. It basically just means you've been too dang lazy for too dang long, so keep working out regularly and it will go away. This jogger had a good description:

It usually occurs during exercise performed after a long period of inactivity. The itching is not on the skin, it’s inside the actual limbs. There are millions of tiny capillaries and arteries inside our muscles which expand rapidly due to the demand for more blood that is brought on by exercise. When fit, these capillaries remain open allowing maximum blood passage, but when unfit and inactive they tend to collapse, allowing only minimal blood passage (which is sufficient for a sedentary person however). The rapid expansion of these vessels causes adjacent nerves to send impulses back to the brain which are interpreted as an itch. That’s why after a few sessions the sensation tends to go away. Just another indication of increasing fitness levels.

Small Kitchen

2009-01-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

We are moving into an old house in Provo soon, and I'm sooooo excited. It's really a house made into 5 apartments, very old, very small, but we have lots of storage for how small it is. The room I know I'm going to struggle with storage the most in is the KITCHEN though. I found these cute open storage ideas for small kitchens on apartment therapy today. Check it.

Nursery's

2009-01-13T13:33:00.000-08:00

These are some of my favorite nursery pictures I've found online recently. I'm so excited to move into our new apartment so I can decorate!

Update

2009-01-13T12:57:00.000-08:00

WOW, it's been a while (Halloween? That feels like a century ago.)

Blogs are for fun, (at least this one) so I'm not feeling guilty. Plus I've been writing in my journal often. And man, have I had a lot to write about!

Here's what I've been up to:

My first craft show! The Beehive Bazaar is one of the best craft fairs in Utah, and I'm happy I got to be a part of it this year. I did very well for myself too! I made planners, notebooks, and vinyl record bowls. Next time I hope to add my magnets and magnet boards. I'm slacking on the Etsy store though (see side bar) Pictures coming soon.
Thanksgiving. I made the sweet potatoes using a recipe from Williams-Sonoma, (which I cannot find on their website to link to), that is absolutely divine. I liked it better than the pumpkin pie! I'll add it to Our Family's Favorites, along with others, soon!
Christmas in Idaho. We to to go to Idaho to see my family for Christmas. It was the best Christmas I've had since I was a kid because we were ALL there. I felt like I got to know my family better (especially my sister-in-laws) and we just had a great time. We went sledding at the sand dunes for Christmas Eve, then had dinner at Kevin and Mandie's. (She makes the best egg drop soup....silky ribbons of eggs, HOW!?!) And then Kevin narrated the nativity as we all played parts (including his kids) just like when we were kids. Then Christmas was at Mom and Dad's. I miss them all already.
I'm pregnant! Starting my 10th week now. This is probably the biggest reason I've stopped blogging. Too busy sleeping, reading, journal writing and looking at cute nurseries online (in future posts to come) I'm probably due August 10th-12th. No Visit to the Dr. yet though. More news after January 29th.
ABS Diet. Jake started the abs diet, and I thought it would be good and healthy for me as well. We've been exercising regularly and cooking more often. I like my food better ON this diet than I did OFF. Probably has to do with making a conscious effort to prepare a meal. I recently had the best chicken I've ever had in my life (again, I'll add this to Our Family's Favorites very soon)
Looking for an apartment. And the good new is we may have found the one! It's only a block from Muse Music Cafe too! Cheaper than our last 1 bedroom apartment, and larger with 2 bedrooms. Hopefully it works out.

Scary, Creepy, Spooky Halloween Books

2008-10-31T14:06:00.000-07:00

I saw these clever halloween books over at the Best Books blog and it got me excited to make my own halloween book. I especially love the coffin book, go vote for the best halloween book here. And if you really have to have this coffin book go here.

I love the Monster Book of Monsters from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I am planning on making a monster book ASAP for my halloween photos (with pictures of lots of "monsterous things" inside)

I love these skull books. The first one is from here

The cut out book is from the skull a day project you may have seen I think on the Martha Stewart show. See it here

This skull opens! Maybe a book could be made from cutting a resin skull, or lining the cover with teeth similar to the monster book. The Second book here is The Book of the Dead from the movie The Evil Dead, which I haven't seen, but love the creepy books they've made.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN BOOK LOVERS!

Halloween Party!

2008-10-31T12:15:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun dressing up for the halloween party. Janet, my mother-in-law, goes all out. She does an amazing job at entertaining, especially at halloween time. Don't you love her huge spider web and spooky houses? I helped with meal plan and making some of the food. Menu: Rotting Bones (breadsticks), Spiders and their eggs (deviled eggs with olive spiders), Bloody Eyeballs and Veins (spaghetti and meatballs), Gruesome greens (salad), and not shown were witches fingers (cookies) and the cups rims were dripping with red hard candy to look like blood.

SPOOKY!!!!!

Cheap, Easy, No-Sew, No-Glue Halloween Costumes

2008-10-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

Tutorials for both Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf below.

Need a last minute costume, but don't want to spend $50 on a cheapo from the costume store? I searched on the internet for ideas on how to do this costume and didn't get any tutorials. I found out it was super easy and thought I might be able to help at least one person who stumbles upon this post and needs a costume some day. These costumes were a big hit, cheap, and easy too.

Red Riding Hood: $1.50, 20 minutes.

Wolf: $8, 1.5 hours. (only $2 if you have a nightgown already)

How to:
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

I bought a $1 yard of red fabric from Wal-mart and thought I could just drape it over my head. It looked all wrong so I searched the internet for how to make a cloak. I found cute ideas like this one from Martha Stewart and these too, but I didn't want to sew! I didn't want to spend any time at all. Fortunately, I learned at least one thing from these...It needs to be a semi-circle, not a square. Don't even worry about cutting a hood pattern and sewing!!

Materials:

1 yard red fabric
1.5 yards red ribbon
Stapler
Black paper
Basket
Old belt
Tea towel
T-shirt
Any color skirt

Step 1: Cut a semi-circle

Step 2:
Hang straight edge over head, tie 1 yard of ribbon around your neck, then pull out volume from the top for a hood. (Your done with the cloak in only 5 mins!)

Step 3: Put on a t-shirt and skirt and tuck a t-towel into the skirt to look like an apron (see first photo)

Step 4: Take a piece of black cardstock and cut in the shape shown below, then poke 8 holes (4 on each side) down the center for lacing.

Step 5: Lace the red ribbon like tying a shoe, then put on an old black belt and staple the paper corsette on the front! (No one could even tell it was paper!)

Your done! Just put on some tights and shoes and do your hair however. I used a basket as my purse. You could just wrap all your belongings in another tea-towel so they aren't all visible. Have fun!

How to:
THE BIG BAD WOLF

Materials:

6 inch wide fur material
X-acto knife
White paper cup
Scissors
Stapler
Black electrical tape (or masking + marker)
1 stretchy rubber band
Nightgown
Curlers and bobby pins (or a night cap)
I knew he needed a snout and I was at work when making it (our cafe) so the cup-snout was born.

Step 1: (Snout)
Get a paper cup (ask for an extra at the coffee shop in the morning) Cut out the bottom and cut up the sides so that one half is about 1/3 (the lower snout) of the cup and the other is about 2/3 (the upper snout) of the cup. Cut a little more of an angle pointing to the bottom so its more triangular. (see second photo below)

Step 2:
Cut jagged edges on the sides of both the upper and lower snout. Then on the larger (upper) snout tape a ball of black tape around the end for the nose

Step 3:
Tape the inside of the mouth black, then tape the two pieces together at the top (jaw). (Now they are connected, but flexy so that you can bite on the lower jaw with your teeth to make it open and shut. Bend the teeth toward the inside of the mouth

Step 4: Using the cup parts, trace a pattern on the back of the fur and cut the fur out using an exacto knife (if you use scissors the fur will look funny and you'll have fur everywhere.) The just staple the fur on top and bottom of the snout. Strap a rubber band around the jaw so you can put it around the head, and your done!

Step 5: (Ears)

Cut 2 triangles (with x-acto knife) with the fur direction going toard the top of the triangle. Then just fold them in half at the bottom and bobby pin them in the hair (secured with curlers on either side) or pin to a night cap.

Step 6: Arms (or legs)

My wolfs granny nightgown had really short arms for him, so we put fur on the arms. You could also do the legs and then put on granny slippers. Measure around the arm and mark. Then cut out the pice in a slightly belled shape (more room to move hands around), staple the ends together and slip over arm stuffing ends into the sleeve.

Step 7: (Tail)

Just clip the short end of your fabric and rip a long piece of fur (ripping won't cut any hairs so it wont get all over, so it's much better than cutting and easier than exacto knife). Then fold the piece and staple, then pin to your wolf's nightgown by the bum.

You're all done! Just put the pieces on, and maybe a little grey make-up if you want.

Bon anniversaire bebe V!

2008-10-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

Baby V turned 2! I was the party planner, and had a lot of fun with the Parisian theme (her mom and dad are going to Paris on thursday).I made this Eiffel Tower cake topper out of wafer cookies and royal icing. It made me want to make some gingerbread houses.
Grandpa Casey and Rick (Jake's Dad)
crepe toppings on poke-a-dot plates
V: "uh-oh, uh-oh, see see..."
Her balloons floated to the 2 story ceiling
and she thought she could reach them if she just could jump high enough. Cute.
This dog came with Barbie. He eat......
...and poops. Hahahahahaha!!!!

NEW LOOK!

2008-10-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

I am not so xml, html, photo editing savy. But I got this great template from this site and actually figured out how to apply it! (quite a feat for me) Cute quote right? But I think it's mistyped, and doesn't really apply. If anyone knows how to edit a template so you can have your actual blog title on, let me know.

7 Random Things Tag

2008-10-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by my cousin Amanda

So, I'm supposed to share 7 random/weird facts about myself, here we go.

1. I read too many magazines and rip out the pages to save. I have so many loose magazine pages in drawrs and folders. Then I forget which magazines I can throw away, so I have piles and piles.

2. I can wiggle my nose up and down like a bunny (not the nostril flair, up and down)

3. I love learning a new skill. I get very excited about picking up new hobbies that I think will become my life passion, but usually only last until I find another new hobbie to dabble in.

4. When I was a kid I secretly wished I was Asian, or had brown eyes

5. My feet and hands are usually cold

6. I generally don't read novels and stories much

7. Although I admit it is often tacky, I'm drawn to anything and everything that sparkles.

If you read this and have a blog, consider yourself tagged

All about Jake (a Tag)

2008-10-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

1. How old is your husband? 25 like me
2. How long have you been married? over 2 years
3. Who eats more? Jake
4. Who said I love you first? Him.
5. Who is taller? Him
6. Who sings better? We both sing well I think
7. Who is smarter? What a strange question. He's smarter with a lot of things, like math but there are some things I'm smarter at, like nutrition
8. Who controls the T.V. remote? I think we have it equally. We want to watch the same things anyway.
9. If he is sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? HGTV
10. Who does the laundry? Him
11. Who does the dishes? both
12. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? him
13. Who cooks dinner? I cook the bigger meals (like sunday) but he usually does the everyday meals, so he cooks a lot more
14. Who is more stubborn? I dont think either of us is stubborn
15. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? maybe him
16. Whose parents do you see more often? His! We live with them.
17. Who has more friends? my friends are his and his are mine, so we are equal
18. Who has more siblings? Same again
19. You're out to eat, what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Balsamic or thousand island I think
20. What is one food he doesn't like? he's grossed out on burgers generally since he got food poisoning after going to In and Out
21. Where did he go to high school? somwhere in University Place Washington
22. What shoe size does he wear? 13, big foot
23. If he were to collect anything, it would be? smashed pennies (you should see him light up every time he gets one. Its adorable! And he likes to just look at his collection in awe. cute.
24. What is his favorite type of sandwich? Turkey Pesto from out Muse Music Cafe
25. He could eat this everyday…? Ice cream. or chips and queso.
26. Favorite cereal? Honey Bunches of oats, or maybe cocoa pebbles
27. He wouldn't be caught dead wearing…? he's not embarased easily. Probly Pink would do it though.
28. Favorite sports team? Sea Hawks
29. Who will he vote for? McCain/Palin
30. What is his sign? Cancer
31. What is something you do that he wishes you didn't do? ask him to tickle my back too much (I used to leave my clothes on the floor, but I don't anymore)
32. How many states has this person lived in? 3: Washington, Utah, New York
33. What is his heritage? English??? I'm not sure! I know we are related to William Clayton who came across the plains. Don't know his ancetory very well.
34. You bake him a cake for his birthday, what kind is it? I think he would like a German Chocolate?
35. Did he play sports in high school? Football a bit. He loves Racketball, but didn't start doing that until college I think
36. He could spend hours doing what? Playing Music, writing songs
37. What is your favorite thing about him, both physically and emotionally? Physically he's large and manly which makes me feel more womanly. Emotionally he is the most optomistic person ever. He's really patient and tries to understand. He's not stuburn and wouldn't get into an argument very easily. He's also one of the most giving of his efforts and time. Just really nice, and always gives anyone the benefit of a doubt. He sees the good in people. He is a good man himself. And just darn fun.

Tag anyone who reads this (that actually has a husband)

Piggy Bank

2008-10-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

To save money for our trip (see last post) I was going to buy a piggy bank. But then I thought I'll save even more by making my own. Here's my piggy bank made from an Almond Rocca tin.
And the money's already adding up! I think I have at least 35 bucks in there!

England

2008-10-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

Clockwise starting top left: Me, Amy, Sunny

My two closest friends now BOTH live in England together, and I'm left alone in Utah. I find myself wishing I was there, not for a vacation, but to be with them. When I got talking to Jake about it we started scheming a possible trip come this spring!

At first I thought it would be selfish of me to spend money on a trip abroad when we have so little. But that thought is starting to sound more and more ridiculous. Relationships are the most important thing to me and priority, and a relationship will die if you only see each other once a decade.

So I'm saving. Saving like it was a depression. I mentioned my plan to spend only what I earn through excersise on basically EVERYthing except bare essentials. That's still my plan, but I'm cutting back even more. Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without.

A workout at least 1 hour every day ($6), 6 days a week would earn over $1000 by April. Plus I put all my tips in the piggy bank. It's a bit of a sacrifice, but completely worth it. And with gas going down, flights will go down, and we will even be able to spend a little on sight seeing if the tickets are low.

I miss my girls!

Magnet boards

2008-10-02T00:24:00.000-07:00

I've been working on some crafts to put up on my new online etsy store (redfermata) Today has mostly been spent creating magnet boards made with sheet metal, fabric, and framed for hanging up pictures, notes, invitations, etc. This first one makes me so excited. It's so huge! I would probly use it for displaying postcards or invitations. Maybe Christmas cards come a few months from now!
This is why I love this one so much. Matching magnets! I love that when I line them up, they just look like buttons. I also love this simple wood frame that I got from Ikea.
This one is a little girlier. I'm thinking of selling them without frames as well but haven't determined the best way to attach a hanging device to the non-framed sheet metal.

The Half

2008-10-02T00:19:00.000-07:00

Pictures! So, here we are, around mile 10ish. Exhausted!!! Yes, the glasses are humungo, but I never have to adjust them depending on my angel since the cover my whole face! Haha. Isn't the scenery amazing??? Wow.

MOTIVATION with MONEY to workout

2008-09-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

I came up with a brilliant way to save money and motivate myself to exercise!!! Okay, well I didn't completely come up with the idea. It was briefly mentioned by Connie E Sokol during a lecture (Fit and Fabulous) at education week: "I know a woman who pays herself to excercise 10 dollars for every half hour."

This spark sat inside my head for a while. The race is what was really motivating me at that point. But that is over, and I really need some more motivation. I modified this idea a lot so it would really work for me and not against me. The fact that I worked out well one week shouldn't give me right to go out and spend money frivolously. Here's the brilliant plan rules:

I workout for 10 minutes (any exercise), I get $1.

Must stop time for breaks (only credit for moving time)

Run 3 miles, get $5 (to my advantage to run faster and harder)

May not spend any money on non-essentials unless it has already been earned (no tabs)

Now, the non-essentials part may be interpreted broadly when I really want something, so I have been specific with myself. Unless it is a business expense, food, gas, or basic toiletries (special shampoo/makeup do not count) then I must buy it with my workout fund. That means for more than a basic $8 trim from dollar cuts, I need to earn the $30 haircut by working out for 300 minutes or run 18 miles. I recently bought hangers with the money I accrued running the race. Now I'm completely broke. But my closet looks amazing and I'm really motivated to workout tonight so I can get more organizin materials. This really makes me think about what I'm spending and what my priorities are. Plus, no fee for the gym! Some people pay for the gym to motivate themselves because if they don't go, they are loosing money. What a waste!

Go money-saving, fat-ditching ME!

Little Grand Canyon Half Marathon

2008-09-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

We did it! We ran a half marathon, that's 13.1 miles. The longest we have ever run at one time! It makes me feel so good to cross off one of my "do before I die" items on my list! And to do it with Jake was so fun. When we first started training back in New York, I was pushing him a bit, but once we got home he had to drag me out of be and push me to go the full distance, he had so much drive and energy. And during the race it was the same thing. I would slow down almost start walking and then coach Jake would chime in, "We can do it, come on." We held hands across the finish (how romantic) at a satisfying 2:28:06.

It felt so much shorter though. The view, I'm sure, had something to do with that. It was the most exhilarating view I have ever seen. Especially when experiencing it in person, outside the car at a jogging pace, where you can really soak it all in. The red rocks are so majestic. The different era's of the Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous Era’s are evident in it's horizontal layers.
We ran right by this huge ancient Native American pictograph panel (The BuckHorn Panel see below) and saw many petroglyphs along the rock walls along the way.

It was one of those awesome life experiences that was worth the pain and one days waking at 3:45. Maybe a full marathon next time?

Book Bindings

2008-09-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

I am inspired by these gorgeously bound books. The first two are from AnnReneeLighter and the third and fourth pictures are from an amazing book artisit Deniss Yuen. I learned the coptic stitch the other day, although it is very sloppy, and have been working on some planners (boringly yet practically spiral bound) that I can't wait to show the world. I will post them soon, but until then, If you love book arts check out Deniss's lovely blog

1) Secret Belgian Binding 2)Exposed Harlequin Stitch on Leather 3) Long Stitch 4) Tacket Binding

This is the place

2008-08-27T23:56:00.000-07:00

I'm home! It's good to be back. Things are different here in Utah.

My hair isn't curly
I've got hang nails
I am not on the Internet constantly out of boredom
Always busy with something
Doing horribly on my running and healthy eating
Actually using a blanket when sleeping now
I drive places (and it feels wierd)
With friends and family I love (besides just Becca and Jake, whom I also love)

Love Songs

2008-08-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

I need your ideas for love songs! Brent, my brother, is getting married. Jake and I are performing at the reception, so I've been looking for love songs that I won't feel too cheesy singing. A friend from Jake's mission, Connie, showed us Ingrid Michealson's The Way I Am that you may have seen in this Old Navy Commercial. I love her music. I'm excited to sing this one.

Others we plan on singing: Friday I'm In Love by The Cure, Better Than Ice Cream by Sarah McLaughlin, In My Life by the Beatles, and This Years Love by David Gray (the one we danced to at our own wedding). That's only 5 songs! Ideas?

Olymics 2008 Opening Ceremony

2008-08-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

Friday's opening ceremony was fantastic, wasn't it? I have never seen such an amazing show. What I would have given to be there..... It also made me want to learn more about the Chinese culture and travel to there! My favorite part (besides all the bang wam pow of fireworks) was the Tai Chi performers. They do free Tai Chi in the park here in NYC, but it's at 7:30 AM! Maybe I'll sacrifice my sleep for just one class tomorrow. Skip to the middle of the video to see over two thousand masters performing in unison. Amazing. What was your favorite part?

ta i ji @ Yahoo! Video

Myles of Style

2008-08-05T16:52:00.001-07:00

So, Design Star is over and I'm so happy Jen won, but I wish Matt could win too somehow! Jake and I have been internet watching the Myles of Style episodes and I have to say, I love her style. Perfect name for the show. Great creative ideas. She's my new favorite TV designer. David, from season one is a great artist and designer, but his show kind of disappoints me in that it's not very applicable. Here's some of my favorites from Kim Myles show:
This room would be so great translated to my parents family room/theater room in the making.

I love the colors, style, but especially the ceiling. I'd do mine even a bit more subtle, possibly in a master bed or bathroom.
And this office is so elegant/simple It almost looks pink, it's not, but I like it!

Riverside Park

2008-08-04T06:54:00.001-07:00

Jake and I went running in Riverside Park last night. It was the perfect length for us last night, about 3.5 miles. Great since we were running 7. Yes, 7, our longest yet! Lance Armstrong even congratulated us himself! (Albeit, in a recording on my Nike +, but it still felt good).

It was the most beautiful run I've ever taken. Unfortunately I don't run with a camera, so I have no pictures. Running along the Hudson by all the boats felt like we were in Seatle. Then when we came upon an outdoor restaurant after the sun went down atop a stone terace it felt like Paris. Near the south end a Jazz band playing on the peir made it feel like New Orleans, and all the flowers and wide paths just made it so pleasant. I haven't felt so good in a long time!

run haiku

2008-08-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

Turtles in the pond

Are eating crunchy cheese puffs.

Don't ask-- it's New York.

http://www.runhaiku.blogpot.com/

I was searching for some pictures of Riverside Park and found this fun haiku blog. Hahahaha.

New York: Loves and Hates

2008-07-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

LOVE Free Concerts. Whether it's symphonies in Central, or rock at Battery.

St. Vincent at Battery Park

HATE The Heat. The muggy, moist heat that makes the garbage on the streets smolder and stink and our 5th floor apartment with no AC a miserable sauna where I sweat a gallon a day, gross.
LOVE Museums. I could've gone to a museum everyday all day and still not see half of everything I want to see here. (I'm not even counting galleries.) Historic stuff catches my fancy more than I thought it would. Favorites: Tenement, Cloisters, Frick, and Ellis Island.

Becca and Jake, Me at the Met

HATE Walking, Riding. Walking all day until my feet hurt and are filthy (all I have is flip flops) and that it takes about an hour to get just about anywhere.
LOVE Central Park. At first I thought "What's the big deal, it's a park." But it's so peaceful and fresh and has so much variety. A good escape from all the traffic and noise. Row boats, strolls, bikes, carriage rides, animals, families, lovers, remote control sailing, musicians, castles, painting, concerts.... so much to do and see. I love the running track around the reservoir.

Me, Strawberry Fields; Josh and Becca, he caught a turtle

HATE Carrying Heavy Groceries. On the packed subway and up hill.
LOVE Fire Flies. They make the park sparkle! It turns real life into a fairy tale!!!
HATE Cost of Living. It is so expensive. All the food is twice or three times as much. It makes me sick, really.
LOVE Shopping. You can really find anything you want here, in a real store. Which is great if you don't like shopping online.
HATE Customer Service. Not everywhere, but most employees are fed up by everything and shocked and angry that you may need help or have a question.
LOVE Free Yoga. I hated yoga on video, but love it in a class setting. Lululemon, a great little athletic store, puts it on three times a week, once in store and twice in Bryant Park.

Bryant Park Yoga

Visiting History

2008-07-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

Jake's family came out and we had a great time hanging out and seeing awesome stuff. In Philadelphia I felt humbled to walk the same grounds as our founding fathers and run my hands down the same banister as George Washington, the father of our country while at Valley Forge

Liberty Bell, Philly; Jake and Vienna, Valley Forge; Jake in a soldiers bunk, Valley Forge

Then, in Palmyra, to walk the grounds of Joseph Smith and Moroni! Actually seeing where the plates were hidden and the Book of Mormon published was surreal. Then, to walk in The Sacred Grove, where God The Father and Jesus Christ had actually been, with trees who had witnessed it. I can't express how humbled and grateful I feel to all of these great men.

Print Shop of The Book of Mormon; The Sacred Grove

Sailing

2008-07-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

Picture: Remote control sail boats in Central Park, July 22

"I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but we must sail and not drift, nor lie at anchor."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

Why I'm blogging.

2008-07-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking of starting a blog for some time. I am a believer in journaling. I believe it can be a great thing for personal growth and blogging is a superb form of journaling. But, I have a journal, a fantastic red snappy thing, that I recently bought to start fresh a new chapter in life. Who needs two journals? Yet my traditional journal has already succumb to the status of diary at times. Negative ranting. (Not so great for personal growth). With a blog there is less temptation to focus on the negative, because after all, someone might read it. Add to that the ability to add any photos I want without having to develop and paste them (quite messy) and sound capabilities!!! Holy Cow! Starting a new brand and Etsy store were the last few motivators. Red Fermata is a blog!