Ways To Save With The Good Stuff

Christmas is not really my favorite time of the year just more to do and money to spend but in an effort not to be a total scrooge this year I bought Gretchen a Christmas tree.  She was really excited about it.  I let her start the decorating but then helped even things out.

A fun way to save on decorations is to make them yourself.  Here are some that I made in past years at Christmas.

A pinecone wreath made by painting pinecones and glueing them onto a plain wreath.

Ornaments made wrapping strips of pretty elastics around strofoam balls and knotting the ends.

Ornaments made by cutting the shape out of stiffened felt then decorated with glitter and ric rac.

Ornaments made by cutting hearts out of cardboard and glueing craft feathers to cover.

Coupons.com web magazine The Good Stuff is featuring gift guides to help you find gifts for everyone on your list.  They have budget friendly gifts, gifts for enthusiasts and hostess gifts.  Along with the gift guides Coupons.com is throwing The Good Stuff 2014 Holiday Sweepstakes where they are picking one $100 winner a week till Christmas and one $500 grand prize winner.

Wall Art

I've been working on adding to my bedroom wall art a piece at a time since Wake up & be awesome went up in January.  It's really coming together now.  Probably belongs in a museum but instead it's in my bedroom where it will be seen by no one.  The picture above just demonstrates my poor iPhone photography skills, looks so much better in person.  If you would like to schedule a viewing let me know.

I'm using different techniques for each of the pieces.  Wake up I did in glitter.  

This one is all Gretchen.  She cut up the cow postcard, taped the fabric scrap to the bottom and added the aladdin sticker.  Then hung it up on the wall herself.  I'm not sure what it represents.

Best things I went old school and broke out the cross stitch.  Felt like I was in 4-H again.  I picked the quote because I think it's funny and true.

Only a fool is just sharpie markers, a little quicker than cross stitch.  I got the quote from Ray Lewis in an Xbox commercial.  I'm not a Lewis fan but I do like the quote.  I mean if anyone knows how to not trip on what's behind him.

Run the mile I stitched on the sewing machine.  It is bright orange thread on gray wool.  I really like how it turned out.  I looked up where it was from,  David Willey, a Runner's World Editor.  I found the quote on pintrest where I find most everything.  Seems like good running/life advice.

I may redo this one.  It is just printed on the computer kinda needs a little more.  Another quote about working hard, I like it.  The quote comes from Vince Lombardi a coach full of great quotes.

Your shorts I may redo as well.  I wrote it out with a Sharpie then stitched over it on the sewing machine.  I went to iron out the fabric and the steam from the iron caused the marker to bleed.  Like, don't like, I don't know.  The quote comes from a Nike ad.  I don't know if this one sounds silly but it's for me and so true.  When I started running I was wearing down to the knee basketball shorts.  Now I wear short shorts, can't have all that excess fabric getting in the way.

Reminder To Run

For most of the time that I have lived in my house there has been a big blank space above the fireplace then last year I bought a large canvas with plans to paint some sort of design on it.  I stuck it up on the wall waiting for inspiration to strike.  Then back in March I decided on a running quotes board.  I already had a list of favorite running quotes collected on a pintrest board.  I painted some background colors on my canvas then used different sized sharpies to write out the quotes.  I planned out the design of the quotes beforehand on a scrap of paper so they would all fit.  I've had it finished and up for months and have slowly been redecorating the rest of the place around it after I realized the entire place was beige.  I painted the fireplace wall white and I am in the process of painting the other walls a minty green.

Monday:  Ran 3 miles on the basement treadmill somehow I got Gretchen to let me run long enough for 3 miles since she doesn't nap anymore.  I have to give her a turn first though, luckily that doesn't last very long.

Tuesday:  Ran 5 miles on gym treadmill in morning after Resistance Training Class then 3 miles at night before Suspension class

Wednesday:  Went to the gym just to run, planned it around Totsersize which Gretchen loves.  I ran 5 miles on the treadmill, super boring, I wanted off the treadmill as soon as I got on but was able to run 5 before I said to forget it.

Thursday:  Ran 5 miles on the treadmill after Resistance Training Class.  Did a little speed work after the first 2 miles following the 30sec, 20sec, 10sec X 5.  Done 3 times with 2 minute slow run break in between each.  

It is Friday morning now and I still have 17 miles in the next 2 days and all signs point to treadmill.  It's not looking good.    

Running Inspiration

I know what you're thinking "geez Kristen you really know how to decorate."  Not so much?   Oh ok.  Yes I use my mantel to stack magazines, papers and random stuff I want to keep out of the reach of Gretchen.  I have also have had this canvas hanging above the mantel for something over a year.  I bought it thinking I was going to paint some cool artwork or what not on it.  That isn't happening.  The idea I have recently been loving is to put a bunch of running quotes on it.  Maybe in a somewhat arty fashion.  Good mototavation to run or workout everyday I figure.

I have a whole board of running related quotes I like on pintrest.  I'm also very fond of quotes from this book. Yes last year a read a book, 3 in fact.  Don't worry this year unless Gretchen's books count I've read 0.   Thoughts?  One quote?  Lots of quotes?  My favorites are:

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.” 
― Christopher McDougall, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

“Make friends with pain, and you will never be alone.~Ken Chlouber, Colorado miner and creator of the Leadville Trail 100 mile race” 
― Christopher McDougall, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

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