When I'm not stamping, scrapbooking, running or doing those other things like working and taking care of my family & home….LOL…. I sing with a choir. In honour of Remembrance Day, here's some songs that we performed at a concert a few years ago – www.kokorosingers.com – click on MUSIC to hear the tracks. Lest we forget.
New downloads for My Digital Studio are now available – including the Designer Label punch and Tags 'Til Christmas and a huge Christmas Cheer digital kit – just in time for your holiday crafting! Downloads are available for My Digital Studio as well as files compatible with other digital photo editing programs. No backorders for digital downloads, and no shipping fees, either! Click here to see these newest downloads and shop instantly. Contact me if you have any questions.
OK, if you read my post about running a few days ago….I'll let you know now (so this makes me accountable LOL) – I've signed up for the 30km Around the Bay race in March. I am reserving judgment on my sanity at this point…but I figured that I might as well sign up and set a goal. Better to try than to not try at all and always wonder, right? (and hey, I figure if I sign up and don't complete it this time…there's always next time…).
So…with that being official, I'm off to do a little exercise shortly!!!!
I have been a life-long non-runner. Aside from running the bases in 3 pitch (not pretty) and enforced runs back in middle school (also not pretty), I have essentially avoided this activity. Until now.
A few months ago, I decided that I needed to up my activity level in order to boost my weight loss/weight maintenance efforts. I ended up trying the "Couch to 5K" program which essentially starts off interval training – run for a short period, then walk for a period. Eventually, the running periods become longer, and the walking periods become shorter or non-existent, until at the end of the program I was running for 30 minutes straight.
I realized that I needed another program or goal to work towards, and mentioned this to a friend of mine. Before I knew it, we were signed up for the 10km running clinic at a local running store, plus we've registered for a 10km and a 5km race. The 10km race is before the 5km race. Not sure where the logic is there…anyway. My friend Amber has also already signed up for the Around the Bay Race – which is 30km long!! I am still dragging my feet (literally and figuratively) on that one…but it is definitely a goal to shoot for, I suppose!!
So here's Amber and I in the glamorous pre-run shot…
no, we did not coordinate our outfits, it just happened that way, really.
now – for the really scary part….be warned…
BOO! SCARY!!! this is me stretching post-run (a few weeks later). Note how I kept the photo small so you can't see quite as much sweaty detail LOL!!
Photo was taken by Amber who finished waaaay ahead of me so had plenty of time to hang out and take a photo afterwards.
This has definitely been a fun, challenging experience, though!! I'm planning on making a scrapbook layout of my adventures in running – will share them here when they're done (think I'll wait until after the races so I can include stories about them…).
If you have photos or stories you would like to scrapbook, consider joining my next Stampers and Scrappers club – starting in January – contact me for details! It's a great way to get some "me" time in, plus get some scrapbooking (or cardmaking, depending on which group you choose) done, and budget out your crafting purchases (along with earning hostess benefits easily!).
Happy Hallowe'en! Hope all the trick-or-treaters have a safe and fun time tonight.
(A technical aside – even scarier, this is a re-write of this entry…I completed one and thought I'd saved and scheduled it…but it's nowhere to be found on the site…)
This is my son's costume this year. I love how easy it was….he wanted to be a ninja. He already had the black "gi" from karate camp – yay! I have started running & am preparing for running outside as long as possible so purchased a black running hat and a bandana / lower face scarf, and running gloves, all of which were worn by my son first! LOL. We googled throwing stars, and created some from a cereal box (We used a Stampin' Up! punch for the centre of the stars!), covered in tin foil. We were both thrilled with how well the costume turned out!
Happy to say the costume is done and I think he'll be warm enough on Hallowe'en night here in Ontario… where we make sure the kids can wear layers under their costumes!!
This was also a reminder to me about photo tips – look at the background – I would have preferred a more plain backdrop…I think the door handle/lock is a bit distracting (and now I'm drawing all of your attention to it LOL)… I also cropped off the bottom of the photo because our ratty door mat was NOT a good addition to the photo either! While it's not a technically perfect photo, at the same time, it's preserving a memory, so it's still a good photo in my book!!! Oh, and plus I get a "re-do"!! This photo is from the other evening when my son was headed to a Hallowe'en party. I can re-take this photo on the actual day and make sure I take into account the background and foreground of the photo!!
Next step – scrapbook this!! If you're looking for a way to get started in scrapbooking, consider joining the next edition of my Stampers & Scrappers Club – starting in January. Start off the year creatively!! More details on my events page – or contact me if you're ready to reserve your spot!
This is a level 2 hostess set that you can earn with sales over $395 (Canadian) at your Stampin' Up! workshop. This is another swap from the Hamilton regional demonstrator training event last month…although this demo didn't identify herself on her swap, so I can't give her credit!!! I love the effective use of colour on this one – you don't necessarily need a lot of layers to create a great card! I can see creating a whole bunch of these in one shot and tying them with a pretty ribbon as a gift for a friend…or even to keep on hand to send off in the mail. Nothing like a handmade card in the mail to make someone's day a little brighter!!
If you're interested in making a bunch of cards…..don't forget that I have monthly card classes here in Burlington ON, or gather a group of friends together and I can come to you!! I am working on finalizing a few more card designs for the Christmas Card Clinics – I'll start revealing some of the designs tomorrow! You can select a design and I will precut all the cardstock & have the supplies prepped and waiting for you. Minimum of 10 cards, $25 includes all supplies plus envelopes, and if you need more than 10 cards, each additional card is only $2. Contact me for more information – and check my events page for the dates.
Today's reflection – I am thankful for my family…and I'm looking forward to having turkey dinner with some of them this evening!!
