Trying Out a New Look!

I got bored of the standard blogger template and thought I'd try something new! I was looking for something happy and bright! Hope you like it!

Magic is All Around!

Wow, it's been awhile since I've blogged! It's back to school for me, so I haven't had as much time to craft and blog. I had today off (for MLK day) and decided to try a project from the SplitCoast Stampers Resource page. I decided to try their "Magic Card". It's really cool because it has this card that you slide out and when you pull it, the stamped image goes from boring black and white to color! I'm still trying to make my card slide better, but here is one of my first attempts.

What do you think? Pretty cute?! Like I said, I'm still working on making it better. Have you ever done a card like this? Ideas/tips on how to make it slide easier. Hmmmm.

And here is another one I made with a little owl stamp. He's a Studio G $1 stamp. I haven't stamped on a sentiment yet. I'll do that whenever I decide to use it.

I mainly wanted to learn how to make these cards because I thought they were super cute. I also wanted to make them though because I thought they would be cool to sell. You don't see cards like "magic cards" a lot -- at least I don't! (Do you think people would buy a card like this? How much would you be willing to pay, if anything?)

So as you may remember, I have a goal this year to start selling my crafts, so I stopped at this local store that rents space to crafters. YIKES -- It costs way more than I thought! Just to rent a space is $38-200 per month based on the size and location of the booth. Then they get a 12% commission. EEEK! I could never sell enough cards or paper crafted items to even cover my rent cost! Looks like I'll be looking into Etsy more. Anyone have tips?!

A New Goal -- Is It Within My Reach?

I am pretty excited about my time from yesterday's race. When I look at my 5 mile time, I ended up with 43:03 and even then, that includes that first mile where I had to walk/jog the first half mile or so just fighting through the crowd. Why is that significant for me? Well, my first 5K race was on March 15th. I entered in my finish time using the McMillan Calculator and it said that my 5 mile race equivalent time should be 43:55. My time from yesterday beat that! Yea -- that means that I am surely improving!

So when I went to enter my time and splits onto my training calendar and I noticed that I have another race coming up in just three weeks! I have my first 10K, the Jim Klett Memorial 10K. I went back the McMillan Calculator and entered in my 5 mile time to figure out what my equivalent time would be for a 10K and it gave me a 54:02. I then went to check out some of the previous years' results for the race and it turns out, if I run a 54:02, I have a chance at placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in my age group! (That time would've place in every year I found except 2004.) That would be SO cool if I could place! SO, that is my new goal -- I want to work as hard as I can to get under 54:00 in order to have chance at placing! I wonder why the times from previous years seem to be above that though. In my past two races, my times have been blown out of the water! I wonder if the times are little slower because the 10K course is harder, or maybe it's just because there are so few people that come out for this race. (The 2006 race results I found only listed 136 participants. My 10-miler race had more participants than that in just my age group!) Oh well, no matter the reason, my goal is to work my butt off over the next three weeks to do the best I can at my first 10K! I really want to place, but to keep from getting my hopes up too much, I'll just keep my goal time-focused and shoot for a sub 54...with the secret hope of placing! I hope both are within my reach!

Scraps of Snoopy

Here is one of my first scrapbook layouts I've completed in a long time! The subject -- our cat Snoopy! I caught him covering up his eyes trying to snooze and thought it was too cute. PP: DCWV (All Dressed Up Stack), flowers: (pink) Prima and (white) Heidi Swapp, diecut letters: Cricut (Opposites Attract)

Memorabilia From My First Race

Just wanted to share a pic of some memorabilia from my first race of 2008. I'm so excited! My next race scheduled is the Tallmadge Memorial 5K in May, but hopefully I'll find another race to run before that. I haven't registered for it yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll do it. One perk -- free pancake breakfast after the race and a Memorial Day parade soon after -- how fun! In June, I'll have my first 10K race, the Jim Klett Memorial. I've heard the course is supposed to be beautiful, so I'm looking forward to that! I just sent the registration for that race out yesterday. My race season is officially underway!

Some Days I Feel Like This...

So lately I have been CRAZY stressed. All I can say is, all work and no play makes tmac96...well...a little like this!

Actually, this crazy cat just makes me laugh, because it is totally me! On the outside, I am like a demure little cat -- totally mild-mannered, the picture of cool, calm and collected. I look totally innocent, but on the inside, I am far from it. I am unleashing a rage with a white-hot intensity of a thousand suns! Look out -- crazy napalm-blasting kitty on the rampage! Run for cover!

OMG, I need some stress management! :-)