It's a Labor of Love

Due to tradition and desire, I made these six stockings. They are the same style as Travis's mom made for all of her kids, and many if not all of the daughter and daughter-in-laws have carried it on. They are gorgeous, really they are. And they aren't hard really - numbered felt, sequins, beads and some basic stitching/sewing technique. But these things do take a ton of time. And since I never work on them until after Halloween, I finally finished them all just before Christmas this past year. Just two years after I bought them. Don't you love them? I do.  And the finished product our fireplace mantel.  Each of the kids picked their design and even that is telling as to my children's personalities. 

Below the Knees

So ran a new personal best mile today.

 7 minutes and 21 seconds.

Feeling pretty proud.

 Hoping to get below 7 minutes by February.

Someone told me today that I have the most defined calves in bootcamp class.

They are getting quite toned.

Especially when I am running/jumping.

But still I can't find a pair of knee boots that fit around these calves.

There is way too much muscle.

Let alone fitting the jeans I want to wear tucked into them.

And let's be honest, it wouldn't be a great look on me anyway.

Big thighs too.  Mostly muscle.

But I still want to wear it.

And speaking of limbs I have fingers.

They have been used for the past month to create beaded masterpieces.

Christmas stockings from Mary Maxim.

So many inappropriate jokes have been made in our house recently.

About my beadwork being Native American.

About Asian sewing sweatshops.

And occasionally a bit about more sequins than a wedding dress.

But I swear these babies will be done by Christmas.

Even if it kills me.  Which it won't because

"I'm a survivor, I'm not gonna give up, I'm not gonna stop, I'm gonna work hard".

Yeah sorry about the Destiny's Child lyric quoting.

This is what happens if you work out at the gym to much.

Crazy tough girl music gets stuck in your brain.