monday makeoveR>>>photo back-drop board

Happy Monday! 

We had a fantastic weekend...lots of family time, relaxing time & just enjoying each other...

Have I said lately how much i LOVE Summer? 

I LOVE having my kids home & just playing with them...We've been having so much fun....

So....this week's Monday Makeover is super simple, but I've been wanting to do it for quite a while...

I've had this random wooden board that I painted one side blue & when I take pictures for styling, I've used it as a backdrop...I've loved it, but on the other side, I wanted something with texture & character....

I have this large print vintage dictionary I got at a thrift store & I just ripped out a bunch of the pages & mod podged them onto the board..easy peasy...

 

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Not much...but enough that when I style things...I'm excited for just a hint of 'vintage coolness' in the backdrop of photos....

(frame from my fRame woRks digital kit found HERE.)

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See? Just a little makeover with a lot of *ka*pow*

....took me about 30 minutes...

It's funny how this has been in my mind to do for months...yet, it wasn't getting done.

It was time to stop procrastinating...take that 30 minutes...& get it done. 

I'm so glad I did.

So, what have you put off for a while...that you can just carve out 30 minutes & get it accomplished?

Time to get inspiRed...

ready? Set? GO!

Happy Monday!

...and...tomorrow I'll announce the 3 winners of the Go Bands! LOVED hearing your stories!

...just keep going...

time to move foRwaRd...

Yesterday I started Soul Restoration Part 2! I'm soo excited. I LOVED Soul Restoration Part 1...it really helped me see things clearly in my life & make some major changes.

And, now..I'm building on what I learned in SR1 & joining Melody & all of the other Brave Girls around the world in this Part 2: a 6 week online class that will help me move forward on my goals & the life I want to live.

Today, I'm prepping my aRt jouRnal & I'm soo  excited with the way it's turning out...I'll take a quick snap shot & post really soon! eeeee!

excited...it's not too late to sign up & join in...who wants to join me?

(you do NOT have to have taken SR1 in order to take SR2)

One of the things Melody talks about in Lesson One is about choosing 

THE LIFE I WANT TO LIVE.  

Committing to really 'being' in the present...making the choices that will really cReate the life I want to live.  

And...it occurred to me: that I'm on the right track with this marathon training. 

I'm right on target.

And that felt good to realize that. 

It also felt good to know that the major changes I've made in my life that past few months have been just what I needed to cReate the life I want to live...they weren't easy, 

but deep down, 

I KNEW 

that I needed to change things so that I could live the life I wanted. 

It's scary. 

It's going to be challenging, 

but I'm soo excited to move foRward these next 6 weeks. 

It's going to be life changing. 

It's time....time to move forward.

inspiRation: fitness AND a giveaway: dailyologie

today's inspiRation: fitness

Saturday, our whole family ran our annual fave: Art City Days Family Fun Run 5K! For those of you following me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram...you saw my photos! 

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It was such a great day! And one of my FAVE things was my running bracelet GO BAND from Donna Bruett, of dailyologie!  She sent me this motivation: Just Keep Going. I looked down at it right in the middle of the hill & remembered: I can do this if I just keep going. 

loved that.thanks for the inspiRation, Donna!

It was a great day for all of us! Just running as a family is so fun...but, the sense of accomplishment I saw in my kids' faces was the best!  

Jeff is a runner. He always has been. (he's rubbed off on me in our 17 years of marriage.)

And he has had an injury for the past 2+ years (toothpick in his foot) that has made it so he can't run very fast(yet, still faster than I could ever dream! LOL!)

....this year he's all better (toothpick miraculously made its way out of his foot)

& wanted to fly like the wind...he did! He got a great time (20:30)  & was sooo close to placing in his age group. (he has done that many years in the past) But, 1 other guy was a bit speedier than him!

I had a personal goal of getting 30 min. (about a 10 min. mile) and...I came in at 27:28.  I know, I know...not as speedy as my husband, but...I was totally happy!  I'm not a competitive runner, so race times don't really mean that much to me...but, my 'personal best' does. And, I did it!

The kids each ran their little hearts out & all came in great times & enjoyed themselves! The girls were stretching out on the grass after it was over...love them!

So, after the race, I had so many people asking me where I got it!  Aaaaandddd...today, Donna of Dailyologie,  is giving away THREE of them to 3 of my lucky blog readers!

Listen to what Donna says about her GO BAND:
<<"Hooray for outdoor activities!  I love this time of year and it's a great time to set those fitness goals.

WHAT'S YOUR GOAL?  
Do you want to run a crazy amount of miles, walk like a mad woman, 
or cycle your heart out?  

I created the GO BAND to be a comfy, light weight band to motivate and help you reach your goals.  Sometimes the path looks endless, but step by step, day by day, if you keep moving forward you can accomplish great things.  JUST KEEP GOING!  You can get there.">>

Love this concept of the Go Bands!

Just leave a comment here & tell me what YOU are doing that the mantra: Just Keep Going will help motivate & inspire YOU!

monday makeoveR>>>DIY Fabric Flower/Ruffle Pillows

For today's Monday Makeover, I'm hoping these ideas uplift & inspire you!!!!

I wanted to show you how my pillow makeover turned out....I love them! A few weeks ago, I got this summer quilt for our bed....LOVE the color combo! grey, tan, white, cream, mustard....so FAB!

As I showed you HERE, I started doing some no-sew ruffles with the cool fabric glue gun technique! Sew Easy! *giggle*

So, I added those ruffles to the edge of the plain pillow shams I got that went with the quilt...Loved the effect.

I took the covers off of some square throw pillows I had & hot glued pins on the back of all of these fabric flowers I made using THIS tutorial.  So, I could just pin them into the pillow form...easy. cheap. & I LOVE how it turned out!

Pin ItThen, I grabbed some of my fave grey flowers from the Pink Paislee collection: Parisian Anthology that we did with House of 3....Pinned them on the pillow...& voila! A floral decorative pillow....agian...Easy peasy makeover!

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The middle pillow is a plain cream pillow I had & I just did the same technique to make the ruffles....& hot glued them on. It's simple & versatile enough, I have a feeling I'll be using this pillow for a long time to come...love it!

 

** all NO-SEW!** I just used the fabric hot glue gun...my best friend! *grin*

I am in the process of designing & YUDUing a burlap lumbar pillow to top off the whole look..but, I ran out of emulsion & have to burn still burn & yudu the design on the burlap.  So excited how the design turned out...I'll have to show you as soon as I'm done!

So...happy Monday!  It was so fun to makeover the pillows...what are YOU up to today?

 

NEW KIT: Uplifiting Kites

 

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Sooo excited about this uplifting kit! I am in love with kites...the freedom they represent.

They make me happy. 

So, this kit is perfect for anyone who wants to use cute,happy little digital kites in their digital scrapbooking pages, journals, blogs, photos, cards...you know...basically everything.

Remember, you can also print them out & use them in your hybrid crafting;

print out on cardstock for cute cards.

print out on sticker paper for instant sticker fun!

print out on transparencies & use clear pop dots to hover over your cards...so cute!

This HUGE kit includes:

32 exclusive 'build-your-own-kites' digital brushes:
kite pieces:

3 bows

3 strings

3 basic kite top shapes

3 full kites

13 patterned kite tops

It's a full set of the perfect build-your-own-kit digital stamps.

 

--------   +PLUS+   --------

 10 colorful PNG files.

 unique designed kites to add flair to any of your projects.

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5 textured color Kite TOPS...to build your own kites, too!

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The whole 32 brush file in black PNG files.

(perfect for creating your own brushes OR using clipping masks to create/build your own.)

Seriously, this 'build-your-own' kite kit IS uplifting. 

And the pre-designed full kites are to-die-for! Sooo many uses for this kit...you will use it over & over again!

So, all of this for:

$10

Ok, so....3 things:

1. The .abr brush format requires Adobe PSCS or higher. So, if you don't have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, these will not work for you. But, if you DO & you know HOW to use them...these are for you! *grin*
**ETA: IF you have PSE 5 or higher, & you've never had a problem with my brush sets, then, YES...you can certainly purchase & use these little lovelies!** 

The colored & black PNG files are simply drag & drop OR use as clip art in any word doc program. 

2. Click the BUY NOW button below, it will take you to PayPal & you can use your own PayPal OR a credit card to pay for it.  As soon as I receive payment, I'll send you the zipped file that includes all of the .ABR brushes, colored and black PNG files.

3. These are for Personal Use ONLY. If you are interested in purchasing a Commercial License, just email me!

***this kit is no longer for sale on the blog: Please go to Rhonna Designs store HERE to purchase the kit.

enjoy!

inspiRation: fitness

Source: ceejayc.tumblr.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

Yea...this is my 

No. 1 reason 

WHY I'm training for a marathon.  I've had so many questions about it...I thought I'd address it here on my blog.

Source: facebook.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

Q: WHEN are you doing your marathon?

A: J & I registered for the Sept. 17th Top Of Utah Marathon...so, I'm on an 18 week training program.

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Q: HOW are you training?

A: I found this training program that worked with my levels of running & looked do-able....Hal Higdon is trusted & I was comfortable with this training...BUT>..I had to switch around the days & how I cross trained, rested & had my long runs on the days that work with my schedule.  I'm on week 3 & so far it's working great for me. I do strength each day except rest days...because I'm trying to get my strength back up after being sick for so long...I was sooo out of shape. But...this is SO true for me right now.

Source: thefitway.tumblr.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

I'm getting stronger & feeling sooo much better.

Source: dirtyprettything.tumblr.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

Q: How do you have time? Doesn't it eat up a lot of your schedule?

A: Well...I'm having to MAKE time.  Yes, it is & will take up time in my schedule...but, with the way things are in my life right now...NOW was better than later, I"m sure. It will NEVER be easy. convenient. But, I want to do it.

Source: theweightofperfection.tumblr.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

Q: Do you feel any different?

A: I had to giggle at this one. Even into week 3, the answer is YES!  I'm feeling more FIT. more VIGOROUS. & I'm starting to SHINE like the old Rhonna. I am getting STRONGer! It feels great.

...doesn't mean it's easy. or going to be easy....but, I"m committed. I'm determined. I'm doing it.

Source: google.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

Q: or 'comment'...You must be a twig exercising so much & not being able to eat sugar, wheat, bread, pasta...all the good stuff.

A: Again...I giggled at this one...

NO. I LOL at this one!  

My answer is: 

NO. 

I"m not a twig. 

With my sickness & my whole body being out of whack...my metabolism is sooooo wonky.  I haven't lost many pounds.  Can you believe it? oy! At first I was getting frustrated. (I put on a good 12-15 lbs. & on normal sized people that looks like 20-30 lbs.)  But, then, I realized....I'm not doing this to get skinny. I"m doing it to get strong. I know my body can be strong again....but, it will take time.  I have to be patient!

Source: ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

Q: So, how are you doing it?

A: I have to stay motivated & find my strong! So, these things are helping:

1. Logging my miles & workouts on Daily Mile.  I love that I can log in & share w/ others.

2. A helpful FREE app called: RunKeeper. It is a keeper, that's for sure! It works with your phone's GPS & allows you to be coached, or on your own. It tracks & tells you how far you are going, how fast you are going & how many calories you are burning. You can also listen to your playlist or other music. (see below) It's fab!

3. Motivating Music: I HAVE to run with music...it's not fun for me to hear me breathing hard & my feet hitting the trail. (albeit, some runners love that!) So, I've got a playlist that is MY kind of MOTIVATING music. It gets me pumped up! And..I have also found that I LOVE listening to my Pandora Radio while I'm running, too!

4. Stay visually & mentally focused. My Running Inspiration Pinterest board helps me with that! I love the quotes & pictures that get me focused....I'm always looking for inspiration to pin on my board, so if you come across any....send them my way! You can never have too much inspiration.

Source: photosfoodfaith.tumblr.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

Q: What are you eating?

A: I'm following the Eat Clean way of living....it follows what my dr. has told me to do...AND there are lots of yummy recipes & motivation on the site. I love Tosca Reno's 'Recharged' book & have found a lot of inspiration in it..but, again...haven't lost many lbs...*a*hem...I keep saying it doesn't matter..I'm getting healthy & strong! LOL! 

So...there ya have it...

I. 

am. 

in. 

training. 

mode.

& lovin' it! ...totally inspiRing to get strong & see how amazing our human bodies are! I love it & feel so thankful...I know I say it a lot lately...but, Never EVER take your health for granted.

UPlifting....

Obviously, from my new logo you can see I'm uplifted by hot air balloons...

ch*checkity *check out some of these fun things I have pinned on my style files over on my Pinterest.

Source: feefeern.wordpress.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

really? how stinkin' clever is that? a lightbulb?

Source: doobybrain.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

ooh la la!  vintage Paris! divine, dahling.

Source: papermoss.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

& adore these balloons as 'hot air' balloons. The pink ones are by my Spark Sister, April...she's brill.

Source: suaviloquy.blogspot.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

Source: thesweetestoccasion.com via Jennifer Reilly on Pinterest

and this tablescape made my jaw DROP the first time I saw it...still love it.

I'm surrounding myself with 'uplifting' things...crafting, etc. maybe I'll take a pic & show you?

What are YOU surrounding yourself with that is *uplifting*?