Ridiculous

I'm making a rather elaborate costume for Halloween this year. It's got piping, fringe, snaps, and, for lack of a better word, Va-voom, since it's a Saloon Girl dress. The ridiculous part about it is that I'm making it fit loosely because I plan to RUN A 5K in it.

That's right, ladies and gents, I'm making the most elaborate costume I've ever attempted, and have already sunk about 12 hours into it, just so I can run in it and ruin it in about 26 minutes.

Would you sweat in this?

I finished the bottom half just now (while Prudence watched her soaps), and the top just needs the arm holes and neckline finished with binding- about 2 more hours of work, since I'm being careful, despite the knowledge that I plan on wrecking this costume.

Now, I ask you: Does this make me crazy?

Even if I plan on getting some awesome pictures of the silliness?

We finished!!

Look at us, smiling after last Saturday's half marathon at Wright Patterson AFB. Can I just say it is the coolest thing I have ever accomplished? I am not thoroughly addicted to running. My reward to myself for smashing my goals (I finished in 2:13:06 and beat the captain) was to order some new cold-weather running gear.
Now, I need to stitch up a new quilt to snuggle under during recovery days this fall and winter.
We're contemplating running the Indianapolis Monumental Half this November, too, if Tim can get off work. We're already committed to the Cole Porter 15K a week from Saturday here in town, and a costume 5K in Indy at the end of October.
I guess my running addiction is a pretty good match to my quilting obsession- one keeps me fit, the other keeps me warm and rested, and they both make me happy!!!!

Remembering.

10 years and 2 months ago, I stood high up in one of the World Trade Center towers with my entire summer U.S. history class. It was just one stop of many for us during our 2 week adventure on the east coast. Somewhere, I have a scrap book with the photo of our entire class smiling, completely unaware that the world would be changing so drastically.

If you haven't already, take a moment to appreciate this day. We will never forget those whose lives were lost, nor the lives of the servicemen and women who have since lost their lives in the ensuing battles.

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I've had my many moments of silence this morning watching the memorial service. I cried more than I care to admit. So, I think I earned all the raucous noise I've been making this afternoon to celebrate the start of football season. If you're a Bears fan, too, you know what I mean. :D

Well, if Autumn has to arrive...

We've been going through a cool spell. Frankly, that makes me sad. I don't like cold, and cool means cold is on the way. So, to cheer myself back up, I started decorating!

I pulled out this banner that I made last year (and never got to hang) and hung it by the back door.

 And then I pulled out the pumpkin placemats, and hanging a sign I got at Target that says, "The Witch is In/Out" (it's one you can turn to say either).

And then, since cool weather tends to bring back my sewing mojo, I stitched up the main part of an advent calendar thanks to a Moda Bake Shop recipe.

 This is one of the 4 charm packs I recently purchased- Santa's Little Helpers. I love sock monkeys. I need to figure out what color for the border so I can make my modification to the pattern- it only has 24 pockets! We always had 25, so that there would be a surprise on Christmas day, too!
It's strange, in real life, the reds match better and the black doesn't look quite so garish, but the photo makes it look like I have no color sense whatsoever.

It's been raining lately, which means Matt doesn't get to play outside as much as he'd like... so he's taken to surfing the web!
Hope you have a fun weekend!

Still wondering where August went!

 Between training for the half marathon (It's two weeks from tomorrow!!!) and work, I'm still losing track of time, running out of energy, and not getting much done. But, i did manage to squeeze in some stitching with the patterns I got from Sublime Stitching, and I finished piecing the DWR.... but now I'm debating between pillow and tote. It's kind of large. And I love it.

And it matches out couch, so it might find its new home there...

I'll try to be back sooner this time with more fun photos!