Sew Half Crazy

5/31/2016

The Monday Report - A Day Late and a Little Short

Heather 5/31/2016 0 Comments

I hate when I find a groove, and start to get into the new routine and then BAM!

No more routine. That happened last Sunday when I decided that I would stall on running my long run, and put a coat of stain on a project before heading out into the rain.

I should've just run.

I ended up putting one of those 7-1 tools into my index finger. 2 stitches later, I was not running, and planning on how my workouts would go.

I couldn't put any weight on my left hand, because then the stitches would be pulled on, not mention that it hurt.

So I didn't do a lick of PiYo last week.

5/23/2016

The Monday Report - PiYo Week 2

Heather 5/23/2016 0 Comments

The 2nd week of PiYo started off terrifically and then ended with a bang, and not the good kind of bang.

I got in every workout until Friday, but even though I didn't get in an official workout, I still did a buttload of cleaning. Cleaning is a good workout. Oh and I did walk a nice brisk mile with Baby Girl.

I imploded a little Friday night, because the girls came over and I cut loose. No biggie. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Saturday was a full day of school events, and now we come to Sunday.

I didn't want to get up early for my run, so I decided to sleep in and go running after church. It was raining, again. I'm so tired of rain, so after church my motivation to run was waning. I was stalling, and decided to get a coat of stain on the window cornice. Simple, right? Nope.

I ended up stabbing my finger with the paint can opener and needing a couple of stitches. Good times!

Well, my bandaged hand just means I'll be modifying this week, but unfortunately no PiYo will be getting done. My hand is a little tender, and I would rather not risk popping a stitch.

Enough about my stupidity, on to the recap!

5/17/2016

Pattern Review - McCall's 6966

Heather 5/17/2016 0 Comments

I guess Mother Nature decided we hadn't had enough rain, because it's raining here again. Sigh. At least I was able to take advantage of the two days of sun that we did have. It was gloriously warm and bright. So I decided to take advantage of the break in the weather by donning the skirt I'd just finished.

5/16/2016

The Monday Report - PiYo Week 1

Heather 5/16/2016 0 Comments

Happy Monday!!

This first week of training went great! I ended up sore, and feeling muscles I'd forgotten I had. I do not enjoy being sore, but at least I know that I put in some work. Work that I don't usually do.

I may or may not have avoided coughing one day, because my abs were so sore. Oh, and not to be left out of the party, my hips have decided to throw a tantrum. I need to find an in-network chiropractor to get them adjusted. The pain that they decided to grace me with yesterday was less than welcome. I still made them work though.

So enough of my rambling, let's get on with the show.

5/13/2016

Pattern Review - Lion Brand Key West Circle Top

Heather 5/13/2016 0 Comments

Hello all! I'm back again today with another pattern review, and it's for a lovely crocheted piece.

What's better about this pattern, is it's free. Who doesn't love free? So the pattern is offered on Lion Brand's website for free as long as you register with them. I've given you guys a direct link to the pattern just to make it that much easier on you.

Key West Circle Top by Lion Brand Yarns

This was almost a completely free project for me, but I decided that I hated the cotton yarn I was using and decided that I needed a softer cotton yarn. I found the perfect yarn at Hobby Lobby, on the way home from Nashville. Yes, Mom and I stopped at a Hobby Lobby on the drive home, because that's what we do.

So the yarn I picked up was I Love This Cotton Yarn! in ivory, and it is pretty magical.

The pattern goes together super fast, and it only took me a couple of evenings while watching TV with the hubs to get it done.

I did have to move up a hook size, because I crochet on the tight side, but you could easily adjust the size of the finished top by adjusting your hook size and moving up or down a size in yarn.

I've been toying with the idea of making a girl size version of this top, by using up some #2 weight yarn I have, and then playing with the hook size.

So there it is! A super simple, yet elegant top that a beginner crocheter could easily complete.

5/10/2016

Pattern Review - Butterick 6285

Heather 5/10/2016 0 Comments

If you follow me on instagram (@sewhalfcrazy) then you'll have seen this picture, and know I never pass up an opportunity to dress up. I haven't really ever grown up in that respect. I love a reason to get dolled up, and Mother's Day is the perfect excuse.

Sunday was no different. Granted, it was Mother's Day and I'd have been perfectly within my rights to not get dressed at all, but who can pass up a super cute outfit?

I got this outfit done Thursday or Friday. I forget. It's a pattern by Gertie, who I love, and I'm glad that Butterick has picked up.

So the pattern wasn't overly difficult. The skirt was super simple and elegant. It's a basic full skirt, with some fun double pleats to add interest. It also has pockets, which makes it that much better.

I should've made the size 14 skirt, rather than the 16. The skirt sits pretty high up on your waist, and I'm a triangle. I get smaller the closer to my bust you get. No worries. This is not a huge deal.

The top to this outfit is a wrap, and I wish there were a way to lengthen it. There is no provision to lengthen the top because of the way it's constructed. It's fully lined, and the body of the top is comprised of 4 pieces. There are no shoulder seams. You fold the top over your shoulders and sew the underarm/side seam as one continuous line, except on the right side where you leave an opening for the tie to come through and wrap around your waist.

5/09/2016

The Monday Report - Taking a week off

Heather 5/09/2016 0 Comments

So last week absolutely no exercise occurred. I took the week off.

I may pay for that decision this week.

I apparently also took the week off from making good food decisions.

Today is a new day, and a new week, and I've been scouring the Internet for hybrid plans between PiYo and running. There are tons out there.

I found a program on Weigh to Maintain that I like. I altered it to match my schedule, but I'm excited about it. You can see her original plan {HERE}.

I do hope to lose the 10 pounds or so I seem to have found, and never lost from Christmas, but that's not a goal for me. I want better flexibility and core strength. I desperately need to focus on my flexibility and my core.

Here is what the next 2 months look like for me.

So there's the report and recap. I am excited about this interim program. I'll go into more detail on my summer training plan when we get closer to it, but it's a T25/running mash-up.

Oh! You can find the blank calendar templates I'm using {HERE}. You can also access them via the featured post widget on the side bar.

Have a happy week!

5/06/2016

A Curio Named Elizabeth

Heather 5/06/2016 0 Comments

Don't you love free things?

I do.

My husband does not always like free things.

Especially when those free things sit in the garage for an undetermined amount of time and take up room, while he's trying to clean and set the garage up for his brewing.

Luckily, the curio we're talking about today did not sit in our garage very long, and I have known what it's fate was going to be since December. I just needed April to get here, because that's when the Nashville trip was planned.

You see, Dana moved over the winter and her booze had no home after they moved. Now I can't remember if it had a home in the old house, but in the new house it lived on the floor, and that's just terrible.

Enter the curio that transformed into a bar.

5/05/2016

The Long & Short of Rock & Roll Nashville Half Marathon

Heather 5/05/2016 0 Comments

I am cursed when it comes to race day weather.

If you read Tuesday's post, then you know Dana and I were rained on a bit during the Rock 'N Roll Nashville races.

Luckily for me, the rain had mostly passed by the time I started the half marathon. I didn't, however, dry at all during either race. When I finished running the half, I was still a sopping wet mess. Being a sopping wet mess created some problems. Chaffing problems. Fun times.

I will say that Nashville really upped their spectator and on-course cheering squad game this year. I would daresay that it's in the same ballpark as DC's spectators, and if you've read this blog for any length of time then you know how much I adore DC's spectators. Way to go Nashville, your efforts on the course really paid off and made the course more enjoyable.

I didn't have a time goal for this race. Having just run the 5k, faster than I planned to, I knew that I'd be tired, and the last 5k of the half would be my choking point. I've never run more than 14 miles before, so running 16.2 was going to be a PR in itself. So let's get on with the recap.

5/04/2016

What to Eat Wednesday - Apple Pie Tartine

Heather 5/04/2016 0 Comments

I'm back today with another Trumped up Toast or Tartine recipe. I do really like the trumped up toast moniker that Dana came up with in this What to 2 Eat Wednesday post.

As she mentioned in her post, we spent a good 30 minutes throwing ideas around for new variations of tartines. This apple pie recipe was one of those.

This variation took some time to perfect. I tried using applesauce at first, and it just wasn't chunky enough. The flavors were there, but it lacked a good mouth-feel.

So after several attempts, and a few conversations with the hubs and Dana, I decided to throw all of our ideas out the window when I passed a can of apple pie filling in Target one day.

I had been meandering the aisles with Smally Fry when out of my eye I see the pie fillings. Lightbulbs and sirens went off in my head. Apple pie filling would be perfect for the tartine. It'd have the chunky apples I was looking for and the appropriate spices. So I swiped up a can. I was giddy over the thought of the deliciousness I was going to make.

The next morning couldn't come fast enough, and I was not disappointed by my creation!

5/03/2016

The Long & Short of Rock & Roll Nashville - 5k

Dana 5/03/2016 0 Comments

It's really easy to become complacent in your city, to not notice all the little things and people and goings-on in the world around you. You're comfortable, it's familiar...and then something shakes you up and makes you smile. The Nashville Rock & Roll run was this weekend, and it did that for me. Every minute was so exciting and wonderful, even the minutes that weren't part of the race.