I don't run.

I don't run. Last year, Thanksgiving, I ran in my first 5K (I use the term "run" loosely!) but I finished! and I felt LESS guilty about stuffing my face the rest of the day.

I don't run.  July 1, I did my first obstacle race... the Dirty Girl.. a women-only, mud-filled day of fun to raise money for Breast Cancer. My awesome friend Becca (she DOES run!) was my faithful partner as we made our way over walls, through mud pits, around tires, up a cargo net, and through MORE mud pits...  here we are at the end...

I don't run. This year, I decided it was time to make a change.  I needed to eat better and move MORE. I am lucky to live in an area with LOTS of trails - so what better way to get out and exercise then by hitting the trails?

Then I figured out, I could combine this new "hobby" with my love of being crafty...

I made my own Running Journal :-) A hybrid of sorts - a place to record my training, add pictures from races, and keep memorabilia. Here are pictures of the inside...

...and some more pages for when my Dirty Girl pictures show up...

The back section is divided by months so I can record race times, training, paces etc...

I don't run.  I am just starting out with the Ease to 5K program (free App in App store!) - well I am on week 3. At week 8 I have a 5K - and it is my goal to RUN the ENTIRE thing...even though... I don't run.

Kristen :-)

Thank You Card - with a twist :-)

Happy almost- weekend :-)  Today I am sharing a thank you card I recently made for a friend of mine.  She has been helping me train my dog - all the way from Arizona (I live in Chicago the area)! I am very grateful for all her help - and wanted to make her a special thank you...

Thanks for stopping by :-)
Kristen

Dad card

Wow! Its amazing how things can get so busy - and before you know it, it's been almost a MONTH since I last posted! Summertime has that effect - plus - I ended up with JURY DUTY last week - and YES I got picked for the jury!  It was a criminal case - drugs - and it was very interesting, and very tough all at the same time.

...but that is not why you visit my blog :-) Here is a card I made for my Dad for Father's day -

Thanks for stopping by!
Kristen

Happy Day!

Today I Have a post up at the Crafty Power Blog :-)  Be sure to hop over and check it out.

Kristen

More Team Nicholas!

Hello-

Sharing a few more Team Nicholas cards today! Please see this post for more information on just what Team Nicholas is all about!

 Thank you for stopping by!
-Kristen

Team Nicholas!

Hello-

Sharing a few more Team Nicholas cards today! Please see this post for more information on just what Team Nicholas is all about!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Kristen

Team Nicholas Father's Day Cards

Hello-

Today I am sharing a few cards that I recently made for good cause :-)  First, let me tell you about Team Nicholas...

Team Nicholas is a charity that was started in memory of a very sweet and courageous boy named Nicholas.  You can read his story here.  Nicholas is the son of a good friend of mine from High School.  Many of my blog readers know that my own brother was also diagnosed with Leukemia as a young boy.

Team Nicholas does many things to support the families of children in similar situations.  For instance, for Mother's Day they delivered baskets to the mom's that were at the hospital - just a little something to try to brighten their stay.  So when my friend approached me and asked if I would make some Father's Day Cards to put with the Father's baskets - of course I was willing to help!

If you are interested in learning more about Team Nicholas, or would like to make a donation, please visit their website here:

www.teamnicholas.org

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be sharing more cards from Team Nicholas throughout the weekend :-)

-Kristen

Memorial Day Bloghop - Operation Write Home

Hello!  Happy Memorial Day Weekend! I am so glad to be participating in this year's hop once again!  Here is my card for the hop:

I used sketch #9 from their list of sketches here.

I love making cards for Operation Write Home - It's a fantastic cause and a great way to give back to those who gave ALL to US. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Kristen

Supplies

Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Halfway Cafe"

Dies: Spellbinders "Stars"

Other: Buttons, Twine

Rooster Gift Tags

I have to admit, Country is not usually my style, but this stamp set really spoke to me...

Love these little tags!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend! Stop by tomorrow for the Operation Write Home blog hop!

Kristen

Merci Gift Cards - part 2

Ok as promised... the second half of the gift set I made :-)  Have a great weekend!

-Kristen

Tag Time!

Today I have a post up over on the Crafty Power Blog!  I am sharing a cute and simple gift tag that I made to package the card set I showed you yesterday (with the second half being shown tomorrow!)

Hop on over...

Merci Gift Cards, part 1

This has been a very busy week for me in my "real life" (i.e. the life I have to live when I am NOT stamping or being crafty!)  I work for a global company, and this week we had some very important 'higher ups' visiting.  One such person has become a good friend to me - and I wanted to thank her in a special way.

As it turns out - she is from France and I just HAPPEN to have a "Merci" stamp in my arsenal...funny how that works out right?

So I made a set of thank you cards for her - and these are the first four that I made.  (stay tuned for the second half!)

Thanks for stopping by!

-Kristen

MIM #64 - Using Color Inspiration

Hello-

It's been awhile, but today I am participating in this week's Make it Monday - Using Color Inspiration.

This is the color palette I chose (how could I not? Winter Wisteria was my wedding color!)

...and here is my card... just in time for Mother's Day!

I used Ocean Tides as my card base, and stamped the frame directly onto the patterned paper - using Ocean Tides ink.  The sentiment was stamped using Smokey Shadow and Winter Wisteria ink.  The flowers were also stamped using Winter Wisteria, and the leaves are Simply Chartreuse.  A few white pearls finish it off :-)

Thanks for stopping by!

-Kristen