Playlist

I am proud to say that after joining Fitocracy I have faithfully worked out at least 6 days a week and drank at least 1 gallon of water a day. (Go me!)
I love music and often listen to Pandora while I walk/run. Unfortunately as much as I try to "train" my stations, they still play music I don't want sometimes. There is nothing that is more of a buzz kill than in the middle of a sprint and the song switches from upbeat to really slow. Then you have to pull out your phone, skip the song, and wait to see if Pandora picks one that you like. So I finally sat down a made a playlist of motivational songs for my mornings.
Here is my current playlist:

Good Morning - Mandisa
No More - Beckah Shae
You - Britt Nicole
Ghostride the Whip - Family Force 5
Tonight (All of Me) - Flame
Power - Deitrick Haddon
Ohh Ahh - Grits
Movin' - Group 1 Crew
Our God - Israel Houghton
Take Me As I Am - Lecrae
Every Time You Run - Manafest
LIFE - Beckah Shae
Stronger - Mandisa
Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
Transcend - Group 1 Crew
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Bless the Lord (Son of Man) - Tye Tribbett
U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
I am a Conquerer - Joy Enriquez
Yahweh (The Lifter) - Israel Houghton
This is The Stuff - Francesca Battistelli
Keep on Movin - Frontline
Showpiece - Out of Eden
Go - Andy Hunter
Jessy Matador Mash up - DJ Earworm

Make a playlist of what motivates you physically and mentally and GO GET IT DONE!

Marshmallow Brownies

Needing my sweet fix I made these brownies today. A modified recipe that I made with ingredients I had in the house. They were just to thing to satisfy that sweet tooth.

1/2 cup baking Crisco
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons water
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
6-8 marshmallows

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup crisco and water. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar and eggs. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan. Rip marshmallows in half and place in top of batter.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
Cool and serve.

ENJOY!

Jean Skirt Shoulder Tote

I recently received an email asking if I could do a jean purse. I had some left over jean material from my shorts, so I said "of course!". She explained to me that she wanted the purse not to just be made out of jean material, but to be the top of a pair of children's jeans. That way you have the jean's pockets as...well, pockets. I thought the idea was so cool, but I have no where around here to purchase children's jeans. This wonderful lady sent me several pairs of children's jeans and skirts to use for bags. I finished hers yesterday LINK and I made this one out a a skirt today.

The idea is so cute, I had to share.

Here is the skirt that I used:

I measured the width and length of the part that I wanted to line and cut out the two pieces of material.

After sewing them together on 3 sides, I sewed the liner to the inside of the skirt just below the waist band (the material is not as thick here and easier to sew)

BTW: You will want to use a thicker needle with jean material. Make sure your machine is capable of handling thick material before you start this project, broken sewing machines can be expensive to repair.

When sewing the liner onto the skirt I stopped on either side of the front zipper. This section of the skirt has very thick material and a metal zipper. (don't want to snap any needles) I hand stitched this section.

The headband that I made today to keep my hair out of may face while sewing (isn't it cute).

Ok, so after attaching the liner I tacked the bottom of the skirt together in the middle. I did this so that it would not separate and show the underside of the lining. If you want to renforce the bottom of the bag better you can sew all the way across the bottom of the skirt.  

To make the handles I used leftover pant leg material from yesterdays project. I cut the seams out of the leg (leaving me with 2 flat pieces of fabric) then sewed those two pieces together (creating a long piece) and cut it down the middle lengthwise. Then I took each long strip and folded in half lengthwise, folding the edge in and sewing in place.

Once the straps were created I looped the front one through the belt loops and sewed back to itself.

Here is a view of the front handle attached. 

Then I attached the rear handle to the outside of the waistband. 

There ya have it:

I didn't add any bling to this one, but I'm sure it would look good.

When the Going Gets Tough

As those of you who have been reading know, we moved to Texas from Maine on a whim (well, it was more like we had no choice being broke down in Colorado). Since then life has continued to get interesting, and even more financially stressful. Just today I got an overdue notice that made it all sink in even more. Trial and error, even in the big stuff that we pray we never have to make mistakes with. It is like rollar coaster going down and gaining speed. I stopped screaming a while back, but my stomach is still in my throat. I am still aware of the speedy decent. Often I stop for a moment and wonder if it will ever go up again.

That is life, though. It is never what we expect it to be, and never perfect. If we get bitter at the fact that we have to struggle, then life will always be a distasteful course. It is more than making the best of a situation, it is having the mindset that what I have here in front of me is what life is supposed to me right now. I am not saying to settle, but understand that sometimes we are meant to have nothing to our name but a few unflattering outfits and some shampoo. That I need to be content in the fact that there is no privacy or  mall within 200 miles, but still continue to pursue my dreams and goals the best that I can. It is being content with the things that I cannot or should not change, and doing something about the things I can and should change. 


So here's to the things that cannot be changed, are not going my way, and scare me to death. Here's to life! 

Mornings

I have started working out in the mornings. I alternate walking and Pilates, for now. This morning I took my puppy (6 months) and went for a 4 mile walk. Afterwords I was hot and hungry. 

I have been making these smoothies for breakfast that are delicious, easy, and refreshing. 

Behold the bullet:

(It isn't an actually Magic Bullet, any brand works)

Froze fruit. Less expensive, already cut, and easy access.

I fill the cup with frozen fruit, then about 3/4 or more with liquid. I use water most days. 

You can use: milk, juice, sprite etc.

Shake it around and let it sit for a second or two. Then blend.

If it is not blending you will have to add more liquid. Shake the blender around a little to get all the chunks. Then end product will be thick and frosty.

Put in a reusable cup and have a on the go breakfast!

Flip-Flop Makeover II

So I did another pair of Flip-flops. These ones are for Lelaini, and they came out super cute!

I started as I did before 

(buying a pair of $1 flip-flops and cutting off the plastic strap. See Up-Cycled Flip-flops ) 

I used T-shirt material and ribbon for the straps. (Messure the length of ribbon you will need to reach from your toes to about the mid-heel of your foot.) 

Then I sewed a button in the middle of the backside of the ribbon. 

Make sure you melt the ends of the ribbon so it does not fray. (careful not to catch it on fire)

Push the two ends of the ribbon through the top strap hole. 

Pull all the way through until the button is flat against the bottom of the sandle.

Taking the t-shirt material (about 7.5" - 8" long and 1" wide) and twisting it (as we did last time) then threading it through the ankle holes and tying underneath the sandle. (I learned from my first pair you do not want to tie the knot so tight that it can slip through the hole) 

 Next I took the ends of the ribbon and wrapping them around the heel strap I sewed them. Make sure you sew ribbon to ribbon, you want them to be able to slide up and down on the heel strap.

And there you have it! She choose crazy cute colors with this one. 

Cake in a Cup (Brownie too)

So this afternoon me and my friend Deanna discovered stumbleupon.com (amazing time killer and cool stuff). Soon that time of the day where we all like to snack snuck up on us, and at that moment she "stumbled upon" a recipe for cake in a cup. The desire for something chocolate over took me as I recalled having a recipe for brownie in a cup that my (then boyfriend, now husband) had sent me while he was overseas and I was in college.

So here are the two recipes for our easy and delicious afternoon chocolate fix. Perfect for a woman who is stressed and in need of that occasional chocolate fix, or a girl headed off for college and single-serving living.


Brownie in a Mug

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

dash of salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons water

1/3 teaspoon vanilla

small handful of chocolate chips (optional)

Whisk together dry ingredients in a coffee mug, standard size (11 oz.) or larger. Add oil, water, and vanilla and mix thoroughly--making sure to scrape the bottom and sides so that it's all incorporated. If you'd like, mix in chocolate chips.

Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. The finished product will be soft-ish and chewy.

Cool for a minute. Eat right out of the mug :)

Cake in a Cup

And the verdict is in....

DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!

Learning to Embrace the Rain

In New England the rain is usually cold and wet (well, of course rain is wet, but you know what I mean) it is damp and takes a long time to dry. If you don't have the proper rain gear (which is too much work to have with you at all times because you never know when it might rain) most likely a rainy day means running from one place to another and being soggy all day. I know that running doesn't make you get any less wet in the rain, but it means less time you have to spend in that cold sputter. So often I would grab anything important, put it under my shirt and run for the nearest cover. Muttering all the way how I hated the rain and wish it would just go away. It ruined everything.

One day I was sitting in my favorite coffee shop down town Portsmouth, I came to a realization. Rain is good. It washes away what is temporary and leaves what is permanent. It cleanses. It brings life. I still hated the rain. I still ran. I still wished it away.  

Then I moved to West Texas. (oh the humor life hands us). Here it is always sunny and hot. We joke that the weather man says the same three things everyday: hot, sunny, windy. The town where I currently reside in in the middle of mountain ranges. Rain often goes around us, leaving this little town dry. So when it does rain, it is welcomed with open arms. It is celebrated. When it rains you can drink tea and feel comforted, you can take a hot shower and feel relaxed, you can open the window and let cool breezes in, you can see plants drink deep of refreshment.

Here the rain is something to be embraced.

It is amazing how something is viewed because of how often (or how little) it is available. Sometimes it takes something not being normal for one to appreciate it. So in this desert, I am learning to embrace the rain.


     

Up-cycled Flip-Flops

I saw this idea on Pinterest: Click Here

This is my version of it using part of an old T-shirt and Dollar Store flip-flops.

Using the bottom half of an old T-shirt (size M womens)

I cut strips about an inch or so wide. 

I cut 4 of these strips.

Once they are cut I twisted them tightly. 

After cutting the plastic straps out of the flip-flops, fold the first strip in half. 

Push both ends through the toe hole of the flip-flop.

Tie the two ends together and pull tight.

Take the second strip and push one end through one of the ankle holes.

Tie the end in a knot on the bottom. 

Then about 2 inches or so above the base tie the second strip to the first.

Put on the sandle and measure across the top of your foot and tie the strip again to the other side. 

Like this:

Pull the rest of the strip through the other ankle hole and tie. Cut off excess material.

There you have it! The cloth is more comfortable and fancier. (and the t-shirt material is stretchy)

 Another idea would be to use ribbon. 

Where ribbon is not stretchy I would suggest making them tie in the back.

You could also add some sort of decoration to the sandle. Flowers, bows, etc.

As always, use your creativity!

How to Fix a Broken flip-flop

A friend of mine showed me this yesterday and I had to share. Have you ever been running (or walking) in flip-flops and the toe catches on something and the front tab that holds the strap in place pops out. I hate when that happens. Most times it will pop back in, but it tends to keep popping out (and its very annoying). This little tip will help you fix those flip-flops.

Ok, so start with that broken flip-flop :(

Take you thumb and push the tab back through the hole.

Pull it through the back.

Take a bread tab (save these when you buy bread or other items that have them)

Place the bread tab around the flip-flop strap.

Pull tight

Wa-lah! All fixed :)