Since I’m feeling sassy, I’m having a February $5 off sale on all my wallets on etsy! Also — if you follow me on twitter or if you found this sale through my blog, convo me and I’ll give you free shipping on your wallet.
Wonderland Patchwork Wallet — $15
Large Park Slope Patchwork Wallet — $20
Large Park Slope Frog Closure Wallet — $20
Enjoy!!
Okay, so a friend of mine is going to try this in February, so I thought, hey, why not?
I’m going to attempt to only eat out at local establishments — no chain restaurants — in February. Can I do this? I think I can. I pretty much avoid chains for the most part anyway. Sooo … here I go!
I should maybe attempt to blog about the different places I try, but we’ll see how that goes.
Read about my friend swearing off chain restaurants for a month.
Once again I’m attending the fabulous charity prom put on by Sigler Companies in Ames. This year’s theme is Night of the Living Prom. So, you can go as a zombie or as whatever you want. So really, the only difference from last year is the zombie part. Last year’s theme was Revenge of the Prom.
Anyway, Mark is going with me and I kind of fed his ideas for what he was going to wear and let them snowball into something really cool. So originally he was wanting to wear an old-school tuxedo t-shirt with weight-lifting gloves and a jacket, but I suggested we go to the Atomic Garage in Valley Junction to see if they had any cool vintage attire. There, we found an epic PBR t-shirt, which is perfect because him and all my guy friends are notorious for drinking PBR since it’s the cheapest pitcher you can get. 
But it was too small. I bought it anyway assuming I could craft it into something.
Today I tried on my black dress that I’d bought last year that has never quite fit (it tapers to the top — which makes no sense, but whatever). I decided that it was too cute with the electric blue and black lace tights I had on and that I HAD to make it work. Coincidentally, at the same time I tried the dress on, I got a text from Mark saying that he was going to tuck his jeans into his boots, old-school punk style.
*idea!*
So we’re going punk.
I’m going to add a hook and eye closure where the zipper stops zipping on the dress, and add loops so I can lace the rest of it up like a corset so it will fit. There’s only about 6 inches where it won’t zip, but I figured it’d be an easy fix and I won’t have to take the zipper out to do it, so if by some miracle of God or if I lose some ribs then MAYBE it will fit someday and I can un-frankenstein it up.
The PBR shirt is getting cut up and patched onto a charcoal grey t-shirt along with some electric blue accent fabric. Also — safety pins. He’s wearing the gloves and jacket along with the tucked in jeans. It’s going to be awesome.
I already made the corsage and boutonniere for the event, including some awesome houndstooth fabric, sequins and of course, safety pins, with a little bit of electric blue ribbon. AWESOME. I hope it’s not too girly for him to wear.
I’ve been hoarding fabric for far too long, so before I’m allowed to buy any more, I must start going through and using it.
I’ve had these two pre-cut rolls of 2.5″ strips for about a year now and I’ve been waiting for the perfect project to use these on. These fabrics are dear to me because they’re reproductions of fabrics my great grandmother used when she made this beautiful wedding ring quilt that my mother has (and refuses to give me).
Anyway, I found a tutorial for a fun and easy block on QuiltDad.com. It’s a Wonky Log Cabin Block. My friend Adria follows QuiltDad and I’m pretty sure he’s on craftster.org as well and they’ve done lap quilt swaps together (actually, I’m pretty sure my Amy Butler sampler quilt that Adria gave me has one of his blocks). Anyway, he has some reallllly cool stuff.
I thought I’d try this block with some fabric that was pre-cut so I didn’t spend a ton of time cutting my fabric and then having a block that didn’t work out (just in case the blocks didn’t work out … ). But I love making this block and I’m definitely going to be making a couple of quilts out of this block. I’ll be cutting some fabric for this very soon.
I’m planning on using 3-4 inches of white (or oatmeal) sashing between the blocks and possibly a polka-dotted backing. If I can find a white/cream fabric with brown or black mini polka dots, I’d love to use that. Definitely a red binding strip.
Well, not really, but we did go to the townie bar. Well, they’re all townie bars I guess.
I took Mark home last week to meet my family and my friends. My family loved him (I mean, what’s not to love?) and my friends did as well. We went to the Eagles Club where my friend Lindsay bartends and did karaoke and danced the night away. Here are some lovely photographs from the evening …
I went to the Bell Center today to run on a treadmill. I set out to run 45 minutes or 5 miles — whichever came first.
Welll … I ended up running for an hour. Which was somewhere between 7 and 8 miles (I need to recalibrate my nike+ hardcore).
Anyway, here’s my run:
Notice my playlist is titled \m/ \m/ … that’s for metal. 
I spent a good 20 minutes stretching out and LO! I can touch my left toe!!! I haven’t done that in years. Especially since I’ve been injured.
I’m currently enjoying my new favorite post-run treat. A faux-chocolate malt. I haven’t quite gotten an official recipe down, but this is kinda what I’ve got going …
1-2 frozen bananas (peel/slice before you freeze)
1-2 bananas
5-7 ice cubes
1/4 c milk (you might have to add more towards the end
chocolate milk mix to taste
Toss it in a blender … ice and frozen naners first, add regular bananas and milk. Blend until desired consistency … add chocolate milk mix. Tastes like a chocolate malt!
I’m doing it. I’m running that damn half marathon this year. I’m going to leave my old record in the dust: 2:08:01
Today I created my training program on nikeplus.com. For starters, I decided to do the beginner level, which pained me greatly. I’m not a frickin’ beginner runner by any means; however, it’s been so long since I ran distances over 5 miles that I figured it would be best to just bite the bullet and do the beginner program. I mean, I am somewhat still injured (and will probably ALWAYS have problems with my left leg), so I shouldn’t push my luck.
Anyway, starting February 1, I will be training for the Drake Relays on the Roads Half Marathon. But first, I need to purchase some new running shoes!
So in honor of my favorite celeb, this year’s prom theme is Night of the Living Prom. Well, not sure if it’s in honor of him, but either way, we’re learning the Thriller dance so most people can do it and it will be awesome.
In case you forgot, Prom is a charity event in Ames that is held every year. It’s a throwback prom with a cool theme. Last year’s was Revenge of the Prom.
Anyway, last weekend they held a group practice to learn the dance, but I went home for the weekend to introduce Mark to my family (which went really well, BTW). So, needless to say, this uncoordinated chica must learn this thing on her own.
So, I began.
And, I’m going to be videoing my progress and blogging about it that way I actually get this thing learned so I don’t look like a tool and so I can pay homage to the King like I always wanted to. Plus, life isn’t complete until you know how to dance like a zombie.
This morning I discovered Craft Hope — a project designed to share handmade gifts and donations with the less fortunate. In light of the recent quake in Haiti, I decided to participate in the Craft Hope Etsy store by donating something for them to sell.
I donated the men’s winter set. This is the one that I’d knitted for Kasey a few years ago but he didn’t like it, so when we broke up, he returned it to me. What better way to get rid of an ex-boyfriend gift than by donating for a sale where 100% of the proceeds go to a good cause.
Anyway, if you’re a fellow craftster or artist, you should check out Craft Hope and donate something to the etsy store.
I’m super excited about this, but it’s probably pretty boring to most of you.
So I finally decided to decorate my apartment, you know, after I’ve lived here for a year-and-a-half and right before I move out in May. I guess better late than never.
I rearranged my bedroom last weekend (finally) at the suggestion of my friend Shelly several months back. I ordered a few cute accessories from UrbanOutfitters. I don’t have any before pictures, but here are some after pictures. 
Bedroom — with my Amy Butler sampler quilt courtesy of my friend Adria hanging on the wall and with my new chandelier light hanging above — which, by the way, I totally installed all by myself thanks to the HerTools(tm) set I received for Christmas from my mom *cough cough* I mean, Santa. No mechanical engineering expertise from Mr. Awesome needed. (I feel so empowered! I can use a screwdriver!)
Closeup of the chandelier.
My dresser with jewelry and some cute fabric swatches on the wall
a more “artsy” shot …
I hung all my scarves and hats up on my shelves with hooks … and I realized that I had a piece from my friend Kim that she’d painted for my friend Flip’s band, The Half Hearts, for their first album After the Flood. I dunno if this goes to Flip or not, but for now, I’m going to keep it since apparently he hasn’t missed it …
And my living room with my daybed and the new tapestry hanging behind it. I’ve had the same daybed since 8th grade along with the ugly floral sham, but it works well with the pieces I’ve made and acquired over the years. The white and purple quilt is from my great grandma, and I love how it matches everything so perfectly. I keep designing around it even though it’s almost completely fallen apart.
