Oh How I Love to Craft

It's funny to say I love to craft because about 5 years ago, I would always say, "I am only good at art. Not crafts. I do not make crafts." LIE! I should have said I don't make kitschy crafts, you know, those oddly painted porcelain dolls or creepy figurines that chill on my shelves. Some people love those, and good for you if you do. I don't. My particular love of crafts combines my artistic side, I suppose, and since becoming a member of Pinterest my craftiness has exploded into an out of control desire to make something every other day.

My dining room table has been transformed from a nice area to eat lovely meals to craft central, with an intermission of the mail catchall. What can I say? I live in a tiny Manhattan apartment, and I wish I had a "craft room/art studio" where I can live in art supply disarray! For heavens sakes, those very supplies occupy 4 baskets underneath my coffee table, for easy access, but also for lack of space. Oh well...not much I can do about that for the time being.

So, last week, as you know, I went to Disneyland to run in the Tinkerbell Half Marathon with my Aunt Sue. I wanted to make her something that said, good job...way to go...I knew you could do this all the while giving her a good laugh. I decided to make her a pillow out of a T-shirt she had given everyone in my family about 15 years ago that displayed a portrait of my dad's family back in the 70's. It is quite hideous and severely hilarious. I received this shirt during a white elephant exchange during my brother's 30th birthday party, and I knew it would make an excellent gift for Aunt Sue! As they say, what goes around comes around!















I cut out the picture on the T-shirt and sewed strips of fabric to create a frame (sewing the top and bottom first before the sides). Then I used a solid square of green fabric for the back and sewed that onto the front, leaving a small space open so I could stuff it with poly-fill. I closed that very opening with a matching green thread, and voila! A lovely pillow for a lovely aunt.

Another project I began is a paper covered lantern that I will use as decoration at a friend's tea party. This is an adorable Martha Stewart project where she actually uses a paper lantern and decorates it with tissue paper. I did not have a lantern, and those things can be tricky to find here in the city if you do not have the right store in your neighborhood, which I do not. So I was thinking and thinking of what I could use instead of the lantern when all of a sudden it came to me! While at the Tinker Bell Expo, Dannon Yogurt gave me some coupons and a free beach ball! And, in the place of brightly colored tissue paper, I decided to cover the ball with pages from a book, cut into circles. Here is how I made my beach ball transform!

First, you will need some supplies: a sharpened pair of scissors, paper of your choosing, double sided tape, and something that is circle to trace so that all of your circles are the same size...I used painters tape (inside of the roll) as my guide.












I had an old Bobbsey Twins book that I had gotten for $1 at an antiques store. I have used the pages of this book for several other projects, and the discoloring of the pages is so perfect.













Next, find a spherical object such as: paper lantern, ball, globe...that is what you will cover with paper circles.














Cut out your paper circles. Be sure to trace your circle first, and then cut out many pages at once because it makes that step go a lot faster. I would say for the size I used, I had to cut out about 50-75 circles.












Before I had begun taping the circles onto the beach ball, I wanted to tie ribbon on it so I could hang it up. I measured about a yard of white satin ribbon and then tied it around the valve, pressing it down to make it extra secure.












Place strips of the double sided tape at the top of each paper circle. You want the appearance of flower petals, so they cannot be secure on all sides...just one!











Start placing the circles on your sphere, beginning with the bottom and work your way up until the entire ball is covered.














Here is the final product. I added the bow to give it a nice girly touch!

Happy crafting, and I hope you have a great weekend!

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Tinker Bell Half Marathon- the Inaugural Year!

Happy Groundhog's Day readers!!! As you well know by now, we are looking at 6 more weeks of winter according to Punxatawney Phil, and so I thought that a nice little read would be a perfect way to spend a chilly winter's evening (unless of course you live in a warmer climate...in that case, I hope you are reading because you like my blog).

I have tried to sit down and write this post about 4 or 5 times at this point. I do not know what is wrong with me this week. I want to share with you so badly about my awesome trip to Disneyland, and I just couldn't figure out how to get it all in without sounding too boring or droning on and on and on about everything that happened. And trust me, there are so many fantastic things that happened! The idea finally hit me while using the ladies room. Wouldn't you agree that that is the place where our best ideas come from? I have had many an a-ha moment while sitting on the potty...that's right. I said it. Anyway, I will begin my fairytale.

Once upon a time, I signed up for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon last summer, and convinced a very dear aunt, Aunt Sue, to join me on this endeavor. We thought we were going to run in the Disney Princess Half this year, but upon hearing that we would be among the first to run this race, as it was the inaugural year, we could not pass up this golden opportunity!

And so, we trained in two separate states, made plans, booked flights and hotels, planned outfits, and before we knew it, we, along with Patrick, were off to the magical land of Anaheim, California, where dreams really do come true. Upon arriving, we checked into our hotel and then dashed over to the Tinker Bell Expo where my aunt and I picked up our race packets and some souvenir merchandise. Oh for those of you who were wondering about my outfit, I did not wear the Under Armour shirt...I found a better one!























Aunt Sue and I began our enchanted adventure on the Tinker Bell carpet.
























Then I flew, like Tink, into the Expo. Race day packet here I come! I can fly, I can fly, I can FLY!!!!!
























While at the Expo, I just had to get another Sweaty Bands in sparkly green. Mirror, Mirror, on the stand, who is the fastest pixie in Disneyland? (not me...but I think the headband is cute)

Upon leaving the Expo, the trio of us travelers grabbed a bite to eat at Outback Steakhouse, and then we went straight to bed, for we had a long and wonderful day ahead of us...a day at Disneyland! This was my first time EVER, and I couldn't wait to see what the park was like.

The very next morning, I woke up bright and early (5 a.m. what? I was still on East Coast time) to get ready for the day. Our first stop was to get some delicious beignets and coffee at the Jazz Kitchen Express. We chowed down on the melt-in-your-mouth fried dough covered in powdered sugar and strolled over to the theme park. I was feeling quite elated, but I had to keep reminding myself that the castle wasn't that big and I might not like "land" as much as "world." When I finally laid eyes on Sleeping Beauty's Castle, I burst out in laughter at its minuscule size! I could not get over how ridiculous it looked in comparison to Cindarella's massive fortress. However, for those of you who love Disneyland, do not get too upset with me yet! I have to say that Disneyland soon won me over in its charm and character, and I found out that many of the rides are WAY better than the ones found in Orlando. Both Disneyland and California Adventure packed a lot of punch, and I will admit that I love Disneyland as much as I love Disney World!

















Patrick, Aunt Sue, and I posing in front of the castle. It may be small, but it is mighty!

After riding all of the classics at Disneyland, including but not limited to, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Carribean, and the Haunted Mansion, we trekked over to California Adventure. Our first ride was the Grizzly River Run, where we got a little wet, which was a nice respite from the midday sun. We also journeyed to Paradise Pier and rode California Screamin' and Toy story Midway Mania.






















Paradise Pier reminded me a lot of the Jersey Shore. It was like a piece of home!



















Although we waited in line for ever so long, Toy Story Midway Mania was worth every minute once we stepped into our carts. This may be my favorite interactive ride in the whole wide world!





















My handsome prince in front of Mickey's Fun Wheel, which had swinging carts just like the Wonder Wheel in Coney Island!

The three of us were spent of all energy at this point so we headed over to the Grand Californian Resort where we sat in the lobby and awaited Patrick's mom's arrival. Once she found us, our next scheduled event was to eat dinner at the Naples Restaurant in Downtown Disney so that we could carb-load before the big race! We sat outside and enjoyed some live entertainment of a violinist and a guitarist. It was a delightful meal, but I was ready to have a good night's sleep before I had to endure the Tinker Bell Half the very next morning.

I had about 4-5 hours of sleep before I woke up, bright eyed and bushy tailed yet again, and got into my race day outfit!






















Here is my new, and more beautiful, shirt that has sparkle and shine! I was anxious to get the party started!

As I ran along the course, I took in all the amazing sights and characters along the way. I remember running down Main Street USA towards the castle, and I couldn't help but feel so happy and so blessed to have the strength to run this race. A small prayer of thanks to God welled up in my soul, for He is the one who allows me to run every step, breathe every breath, and experience true joy in this life. Yes, running can be a spiritual connection, and it definitely was for me in this particular race.



Around mile marker 4, I found my darling and my mother in law, and the two of them encouraged me to keep doing well. They promised they would see me soon enough at the finish line.

From that point on, I focused on keeping pace and trying to beat my previous records. The characters along the way and all the local high school bands and cheerleading squads kept up my spirits when the miles seemed long and endless. My goal was to finish the race under 2 hours and 30 minutes. I knew it was going to happen for me. In fact, I knew I was going to blow that time out of the water! My finishing time was 2 hours 16 minutes and 6 seconds. I came in 1500th out of about 7000 that finished. Filled with pride and excitement at completing this race, I realized I could not have done it without the amazing support of my friends and family, especially my husband. I thanked God once again for his strength which enabled me to push beyond my limits and capabilities. Needless to say, it was an awesome race!




At the finish line, all the runners were greeted with music, Daisy Duck, and lots of fans! It felt great!




























I received my Tinker Bell finishing medal shortly after I crossed the finish line. Then I was off to gather lots of goodies and hydration and finally I met up with Patrick and his mom. It felt so good to see them waiting with hugs and congratulations.






















When we met up with Aunt Sue, we found out she had hurt her ankle and was unable to continue after completing half of the race. She inspired me immensely because she was not defeated by her injury. In fact, she was excited because it was the most she had ever run at once to date. She even asked me what race we were going to sign up for next! Aunt Sue had a better idea of how she can train more effectively with her ankle (she had surgery on it just a year and a half ago...she is strong!) and also came to the realization that she is able to run a half marathon and will complete one someday! Truly amazing.

So, to celebrate our victories, we ate an amazing breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen! I wanted to congratulate myself with some Mickey waffles, the best waffles in all the land. We were greeted by many characters (9 in total...take that Disney World! I usually only see 3 or 4 during a meal), and chatted with some princesses. It was a lovely way to end the race.


















Mulan joined in a picture with Aunt Sue and I, and she left us with encouragement and some smiles.






















Finally, I got to show of my best curtsey with Princess Aurora. I hope that next race will be as lovely and as adventurous as this one was. Because, when you wish upon a star, your dreams do come true.

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5 Days and Counting!

Until the Tinker Bell Half Marathon that is! I know I must sound like a broken record at this point, but I am just too excited to keep in all inside of me! I have been diligently training for the past 3 months (even through the holidays), and I cannot believe that I am finally in the home stretch. This past week was a big one for me as I ran 26 miles over the course of 4 days. My shins are sore, my knees are aching, but I choose to remain positive as I go into this weekend. And how could I not? I am going to Disneyland!

Other than running, I have been preparing myself for this race in other ways...like my outfit! My color palette is lime green and grey with lots of sparkles. I think it is perfect for this particular Half, as I channel my inner Tink. However, she is a little more mean-spirited of a sprite than I am, but she sure can fly! Anyway, here is what I will be wearing come Sunday morning.
















These are my Adidas "Marathon" shoes that I got last year for the Princess Half. I bedazzled them with glitter glue to make them sparkle and shine...as all good pixies should.


















Here is the close up of my shoes!

















This is my running skirt in lime green that I ordered from www.team-sparkle.com! I love it!






















Running capris by Lucy in grey. These pants are amazing and will be perfect for a 13.1 mile stretch.



















This is my shirt that I might be wearing for the race. It is an Under Armour in lime green. I don't love it as it is a bit too big, but I haven't found anything super awesome in the shirt department yet. I am waiting to see if there is going to be anything good at the Expo prior to the race. We shall see!



















Finally, I am going to wear my game face! Oh yeah...you ladies better bring it! Just kidding...I will be smiling and dancing around all weekend long.

For my friends and family who follow me on Facebook, you can check out my splits (time at each mile) all day. My B-tag is synced up to my Wall, so check it out from time to time and be sure to cheer me on. If you are a reader with whom I am not familiar, I will have a post-race blog with pics and a summary of the weekend for you to read.

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My Little Sister's Baby Shower

My little sister, Tori, is one of my favorite people in the entire world, and so when I found out that she was preggers, I knew I wanted to throw her the best shower I could possibly muster. When I found out she was having a girl, the creativity was BURSTING out of me! For those of you who do not know my sister and I, we adore Disney. We know all the princesses, the songs, and Disney World is really our favorite place on Earth. And that was the beginning of my inspiration for her shower. The more I thought, the more I wanted to incorporate woodland creatures, and the two worlds began to collide when I realized that some of the princesses actually reside in the forest (Aurora, Rapunzel, Snow White). Thus the woodland princess baby shower was born!

The menu for the shower was a creation of my mom's, as she was (and always is) a driving force behind the delicious delectables we were able to enjoy. We had to come up with something hearty and homey, because it was cold outside and men were also coming to the party. This is what we had: pulled pork sandwiches with homemade bbq sauce, meatballs and pasta, mac and cheese, hoagies, chicken salad, chips, sweet potato casserole, and 3 kinds of salad. For dessert we had cupcakes (made by yours truly...decorated by my mom), apple cake and pizzelles made by Dylan's mom, Terry, which were out of this world scrumpdiliumptious! I also had s'mores pops and muddy buddies chex mix as snacks around the room...do you think we had enough food?

Since this was a co-ed baby shower, I really wanted to have a football game going (but due to technical difficulties that didn't happen). However, the boys (a-hem...men) found entertainment thanks to the church where we had the shower, and they began ping pong tourneys in the hallway! I also had a "Create Your Own Onesie" craft and a "Wishes for Baby" activity for anyone who wanted to participate. There was a lot to do for everyone, and by the look of it, they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

An aside: I have a difficult time enjoying any shower kind of game, and so the co-ed shower allowed me to get away with not doing them...and it was more relaxed as well. Good for me, good for everyone.

Here are some photos from the day!



















My gorgeous sister in the nursery before the shower. Noelle is Tori's daughter's name (oooh that makes me so happy to type that!)






















Create Your Own Onesie- I had fabric, buttons, ribbon, fabric paint, embroidery thread, and glue for guests to decorate a onesie























Guests fingerprinted the tree and then wrote their name or initials inside each "leaf" of the tree- much better than a guest book!
























Hot chocolate bar-a yummy warm treat for a cold afternoon. S'mores pops in the background.























Dessert and drinks table

























First half of food table- I made the sign with woodland princess in mind (classic fairy tale style)





















The rest of the food- I created princess pictures that hung over the table and hung them on sticks for a whimsical touch






















Centerpieces for guest tables- I used baby's breath and hypericum berries and placed them inside mason jars wrapped with pink ribbon. I set the flower arrangements on a napkin (they were just so pretty), added a candle, some Muddy Buddies Chex Mix for snacking, and an ultrasound picture of Noelle.
























At each seat, the guests were given a homemade ricotta cookie, iced with pink cream cheese frosting and topped with chocolate sprinkles. Everyone also received a "Wishes for Baby" card to fill out.















Friends and family decorating their onesies!






















Tori and Dylan opening up their gifts- pom poms made by my mom and me. Sign in background says "Coming Soon" and clothes- pinned to pink ribbon











Some handmade gifts-Knitted hat and leg warmers
Princess drawings in sticks frame (3 of 8 illustrations)









Tree with princess and woodland creatures paper ornaments





In a word, the shower was a success. Everyone left happy, full, and with a cookie. To Tori and Dylan we wish you all the best as you begin the adventure that is parenthood. We love you!!!

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Running in the New Year

It was New Year's Eve, and I was on a plane coming home from Tucson, Arizona after spending the week with Patrick's family. The doubt was settling in my mind, only barely, but I was determined. Patrick was experiencing more doubt, and the desire to run a 4 mile race at midnight had dwindled to a mere nothing for him. "Do you we have to run this race?" he asked, looking at me with a most pathetic, although adorable, demeanor. "OF COURSE WE ARE RUNNING THIS! We may never do it if we don't do it tonight!!!!" I quietly said in an emphatic voice on the plane. "Okay," he conceded. And when I looked out my window as we were descending from the sky over Manhattan, I viewed the small block that was Times Square, thankful that that was NOT how I was going to say hello to 2012 and was feeling ready to run.

Fast forward a few hours later- Sarah, my Small Mom, Big City friend, came over to our house and we talked shop for a bit. She handed Patrick and I our race gear for the New York Road Runners Emerald Nuts 4 Mile Midnight Run (numbers, T-shirts, and hats), and we caught up for a bit about our holidays. Then, it was time. We trekked to the park via a very smelly subway, and entered a giant New Year's Eve party. The weather was a balmy 40 degrees, and so the trio of us walked around for a while, taking in the sites, waiting for the beginning of the race. As midnight neared, we headed over to the line of runners, feeling excited for 2012 to come. 10...9...8... here it is! The moment we have been waiting for...3...2..1! Happy New Year! The fireworks shot up high in the sky and for 10 minutes, we got to enjoy the show before we could even begin to run. Once we were off, we had to dodge a few of the thousands of runners that participated in the race, some wearing some crazy looking costumes, lighted up tutus, and a few nuns! It was great. Oh! and they served us champagne at mile 2 (although it was not champagne but really sparkling cider...which was still really fun). As soon as we were finished running the race, Sarah had to leave us to go home to her family, and Patrick and I went back home to drink some real sparkling wine, after which I felt a little sick and very sleepy.

It was a great was way to spend New Year's and there is no better way for New Yorkers to kick off a healthy and happy 2012. So, my next running goal is quickly approaching, which is the Tinker Bell Half Marathon in Disneyland! I am super pumped about this particular race because 1. I have NEVER been to Disneyland and 2. I am running this with my Aunt Susan, who began training for this when I asked her to join me after the Princess Half last year. She has been doing a great job training, and it will be a a really fun time being with her for the weekend. oh and 3. I have an awesome outfit this year...picture to come later.

I encourage you all who have made resolutions to get into shape this year to give yourself small goals to accomplish the big ones. Sign up for local races like a 5k or 4 miler. Then, if you love it (which you just might...I never thought I would but races are so much fun and you can collect lots of fun t-shirts) sign up for a half marathon...I recommend a Disney one for your first. They are completely entertaining for the entire 13.1 miles and the whole weekend is filled with many exciting events for the runners! Check out their website for more details and a list of events happening year round at http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/sports/rundisney. I will also be posting my number and some race details for when I run the half in a few weeks so you can follow my progress if you want!

Happy Running and Happy New Year!















Patrick and I in Central Park getting ready to run!

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Christmas in Vieques

Just as I promised, I will now bring you up to speed with my Christmas vacation in Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. It is a little island off the coast of Puerto Rico consisting of about 9,000 inhabitants, 600 or so roaming horses, and 1 major resort, the W, which is where we spent 5 glorious days. To get to said island, you can either take a ferry boat from San Juan to the little town of Isabel Segundo, or you can fly in the tiniest airplane that only holds 10 people, including the pilot. We opted for the plane, because we were advised that should we attempt the ferry we may not make it to Vieques because the residents have priority.

Tips for Viequen travel:
1. Rent a car- you will need it and want it. The island has many interesting beaches to explore and discover. You will also want to check out the Island's two main towns: Isabel Segundo and Esperanza. They are small, and you can enjoy them within an hour.

2. Go to the Bioluminescent Bay- it is something you will not want to miss. You could kayak or you could, like us, take an electric boat where your tour guides will tell you anything and everything you want to know about the bay. For instance, you will learn that the bay is filled with microscopic dinoflagellates that glow/illuminate when they are disturbed. We got the chance to see the fish swim through the water, at night, because they leave a blue streak caused by the microorganisms. We also got to stick our hands in buckets to see up close the dinoflagellates sparkling on our skin. So cool!

3. Eat the local food- oh how I love lechon and all things Puerto Rican!!!! I had yucca mofongo with churrasco, roasted pork many times, and paella! On Christmas afternoon, the W had a Puerto Rican smorgasbord with lots of amazing foods to feast on...and boy did I feast!

4. Don't be in a hurry- because no one else is. It is a place of slow pace, and it is a good reminder for a New Yorker that it is good to take it easy. There are lots of fun activities in which you can engage (snorkeling, stand up paddle boarding, hiking, horseback riding, boating, fishing), just give yourself as much or as little time so that you can truly enjoy the island's natural beauty.

5. Don't feed the horses- they say they are wild but they really aren't. Still, it is best to let them graze. Every horse we saw belongs to someone, but they are allowed to roam the island as they please. So, give them their distance, and they will give you yours. It is all about mutual respect.

Thus I leave you with a few pics before you book your next vacation there!

















Patrick's family and I hanging out at the fire pit at the W.





















This little piggy roasted for 7 hours and it was muy delicioso! He was the main dish on our Christmas buffet.




















The iguanas had their own tanning deck at the W. Everyday, they come out to enjoy some sun and lettuce snacks around 1 p.m.




















Sunset at Paya Caracas-this is how I spent my Christmas evening. It was serenely perfect.





















I just couldn't get away from the pigeons! Just like in NYC, this guy decided to make himself at home right outside on our deck (except the NYC pigeons hang out on our fire escape...we do not have a deck).




















The main pool at the W.


























Overlooking the water- W property. Shortly after this was taken, Patrick and I climbed down the cliff to check out the tide pools below. One of my favorite memories from the trip.




















Patrick was our "co-pilot" on the way back to San Juan. Adios Vieques! Gracias por los recuerdos.



Before I go, I must say that while staying at the W Vieques, we received exemplary service, lovely rooms, and enjoyed the property very much. I had an amazing spa treatment at the AWAY spa where I had the cafe con coco scrub and a 60 minute massage that was just divine. The staff sticks to their "Whatever, Whenever" motto, so all you need to do is ask, and you will receive!

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whoa it is 2012!

Hello New Year...goodbye bad grammar. For those of you who have been following me over the past couple of years , you might have noticed my lack of capitalization. Yes, it was on purpose...I thought it was whimsical and artistic? No, it was lame and lazy. So here I am changing up my blog by adding capital letters where they belong. I will also give my blog a new makeover, but give me some time for that.

I have two posts up my sleeve that I desperately want to share with my faithful readers. One is about my Christmas vacation in Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, and the other is about the Emerald Nuts 4 mile midnight run in Central Park that I ran to ring in the New Year. So please stay tuned for those exciting couple of posts!

Another change is I will no longer have "missions." I feel restrained by that, and there is so much else going on around me that I would love to share with you. New York City is filled with all kinds of stories, so I hope to pass those along.

Finally, I will write more that 16 posts this year. That was completely uninspired of me to leave you all hanging last year, and for that I apologize. I need to balance my writing, running, craft-making, and working so that I can keep you up on all the happenings with me and Patrick. My goal will be to write at LEAST!!!! one post a week. Modest a goal it may be, but I think I can commit to that without disappointing everyone. My original intention was to write a post everyday...HAHA! Yeah right, maybe if I was a professional blogger.

So here is to a new start of the new year. Hope 2012 brings you new adventures, however big or small, every day!

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