Super hero mask and crown tutorial with free template

 From the creators of the Disney Buddies movie series, Disney has done it again with a fantastic new tail called Super Buddies!

One of our favorite things to do as a family is snuggle in tight and have family movie night.

Watching Disney Super Buddies made for a perfect evening with the little ones {and our Golden Retriever pup Sophie}.  After watching the movie, the kids were inspired to make their own superhero masks

and a crown for Sophie that matches Rosebud {their favorite}!

I did a quick freehand drawing of the crown and mask that you can 

right click on, copy, paste, save and print.

You can use these templates to make your very own Disney Super Buddies superhero masks and dog {or people} crown.

I started with the crown.

I used a few pieces of felt that I had in my stash.

I love felt because it's easy to cut and doesn't need finished edges.

Cut your pattern pieces out.

I used white pearl fabric glue to embellish the crown pieces.

While you wait for that to dry, you can cut out your mask pattern and pieces.

I liked the look of a layered mask, so I used my mask cut out as a template,

pinned it down to my coordinating felt,

and cut around the mask leaving a small edge.

I have two different mask patterns on the template,

and cut out both with coordinating fabric.

I measured the 3/8" elastic around my kids heads and cut a length that was tight but not uncomfortable.

Once the elastic was cut, I pinned it in place between the felt layers.

I top stitched around the masks

{including the eye holes-you don't want them to be gaping}

making sure I stitched the elastic down as I went around.

Just to show you that you don't have to be able to sew to make these masks,

I used fabric glue to attach the pieces on the crown.

Sophie joined us for the second viewing of Disney Super Buddies, this time, with her new crown!

The kids loved the movie!

Disney Super Buddies is fun for the whole family!

If you are ready for an epic tail, Disney Super Buddies is available to own NOW on Blu-Ray combo pack {August 27}. 

Don't miss all the excitement!

 You can connect with Disney Buddies on facebook and pinterest.

disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Blueprint Social, however all opinions are 100% mine

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Garage Sale Finds Friday Edition 52

Welcome back to another week of garage sale finds Friday. Where I share with you some of my favorite garage sale finds from the week. I haven't had a ton of time this summer to garage sale. It's actually been one of my worst summers for treasure hunting. We are just getting so busy! But alas, I did find some fun things I wanted to share with you. First up, this milk carrier and milk bottles. Is this thing not the coolest thing you have seen???!

The milk bottles are from local dairies, but the coolest part is that the bottles were rescued by divers on the bottom of the Puget Sound.  They used to be covered in barnacles.

Before anyone knew any better, people would throw their garbage in their boat, row out far enough from shore and dump their trash.  

Sad but true.

I paid $8 for the whole shebang.

I've had a fair amount of Coke crates in my day, but this Pepsi crate is more rare.

You don't see these every day.

I picked it up for $1.

This ottoman is super 70's but it is so cool!

I paid $5 for it and am using it as a sewing stool.

The best part is the storage on the inside.

How cool is that?!

They seriously don't make things the way they used to.

So, those are a few of my favorite garage sale finds.

What have you been picking up?

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Running week-running for a cause

This week, I have been focusing on running. Mostly because running is what seems to be consuming my every thought since I am knee deep in training for my fourth half marathon in September.

I've had a new focus with running the past few weeks though.

A few weeks ago, my friend Paula

{as in the Paula from the Pillowcase Project}

posted on her facebook page something about running to the White House.

It took me a second to realize that it was a virtual run, because, heck, Paula is like that.

She would totally lace up her sneakers and Forest Gump herself across the United States all in the name of raising awareness.  Especially for something like raising awareness for childhood cancer.

She invited me to join her in logging my running miles,

miles I was already logging because of training,

and running for a child who has cancer.

Unfortunately, it didn't take her long to pair me with not just one child with cancer, but two.

Over the course of the past few weeks, I have gotten to know a little bit more about Rylee and Kyler's stories, and have spent hours in prayer for them {and their families} as I run.

I want to take a second to introduce you to one of those kiddos that I am running for.

His name is Kyler.

Kyler is 3.

He is fighting leukemia for the second time in his short life.

He loves Pizza Hut, he misses his dog Max and when he grows up he wants to be Captain America. 

AND Thor.

Kyler has a big sister who is 9 and is still in their home state of Montana with her Dad and his baby sister is just 3 months old and is with Kyler and his mom Misty at the Seattle Children's Hospital.

It's been a tough road for this family the least I can do is pray for them and dedicate my runs to this brave little guy who is WAY stronger than I could ever imagine to be.

I hear the defeat in Misty's posts as she writes about another set back. I feel the anger at cancer as she deals with the effects of what it has done to her family. I can sense the anxiety as she waits for another treatment or another test. And I run. It's all I can do. It gives me a purpose and some mornings it's the only thing getting me out the door. If you are interested in learning more about this virtual run, you can visit their page on facebook. I love that I have had the opportunity to get a glimpse into these families. Do you run for a cause? Do you have a purpose for getting out there and logging miles? I would love to hear about it.

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Back to School Family Goal Setting

Every year our family has a tradition of setting goals for the upcoming school year.

You see, I hate New Year's Resolutions.

They are easily broken and quickly forgotten.

Every year though, our family starts a new school routine.

The kids get new teachers and new schedules, which makes the new school year a perfect time to start setting new school year goals.

Just before school starts but after all of the kids open houses, we head out for a special family dinner.

We chat at dinner about what the new school year will look like and we talk about our goals individually and as a family.

I keep the goals together in a spiral notebook.

It's fun to look back at the past years goals.

We can reflect on the things that worked, see how we have overcome struggles and fears and improve on the things that are working for our family.

How do you prepare to head back to school?

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Running week-training programs

This week, I have been focusing on a week of running with Holy Craft.

I'm a few weeks out from running my fourth half marathon and am now entering double digit long runs.

Running is usually more fun {for me at least}

if you have a goal like a race in mind.

So today, we will focus on training programs.

I started running when I turned 30.

I've never liked it, but I do it because I like being outside and walking is too slow.

Through the years, I've also had lots of friends who enjoy running and have encouraged me to enter races or to run with them.  Running socially is fun for me.  It makes me forget that I am doing something that I don't really like!

I didn't really train for my first 5k, but I did do a few training runs in preparation for my first running event.

Those seemed to help because I ended up taking third in my age division in the first 5k event I ever signed up for!

For those of you who aren't runners but want to be,

I have heard nothing but good things about the couch to 5K program.

If you are literally not doing any activity and want to start getting up and moving, this 9 week program seems to help a lot of people.

The training program that I loosely use for half marathon training is the Hal Higdon intermediate schedule.

Essentially the rules that I follow are that I count back the weeks before the race starting with the week prior to the race and have my long run be one mile less than the race day run.

So, if my race is on the 14th, I will run 12 miles on the 7th, 11 miles on the 1st, etc...

I continue to count back weeks and miles subtracting a mile on my long run each week.

I really start training when I am doing more than 5 miles on my long runs.

When I start my training, I try to run 3 days a week.

One of those days is a long run, the other two days are 5k's.

I'm hitting the gym two other days a week {usually doing the elliptical and weights} 

and taking two rest days.

Once I start adding distance, my long run becomes my short run and I do that until I start to hit around 7 miles.  Once I hit 7 miles on my long run, my two other days of running usually jump to around 5-6.5 miles each day.  

About a month before my race, I am usually running around 20-25 miles a week, and cross training two days a week with two rest days.

There are a lot of training programs that focus a lot on tempo runs and speedwork.

I find that to be too difficult for me when I just see the goal being to run.

But I've heard plenty of people tell me that if they are looking to increase their pace, focusing on those tempo runs is a great place to start.

I've also seen a lot of training plans that increase distance early on in the program.

I'm prone to knee injuries {plus also I hate running}, so I like to keep it simple and stick to my add a mile mentality.  It seems to work for me.

I've never trained for a full marathon, but I will add that from what I have read, most people find their lives consumed by the training for a full marathon.  

It requires hours of running several days a week.

Because of this, the half marathon entries are on the rise.

It's not a race that is easy to run without some training, but the training isn't all consuming.

The best race sign I have ever seen!

The final thing that I want to mention is that I don't enter a lot of races.

I know of a lot of people who enter races nearly every weekend.

I get quite turned off by the fee that it costs to run.

I do enjoy the spirit of the race, the comradery on race day and the support of those spectators, however, 

that comes at a cost.  Depending on when you sign up some races can cost upwards of $100 or more!

Those runs can add up!

So that's how I train.

How do you prepare for a race?

Do you sign up for a race every week?

Every month?

Every year?

I'm interested to hear!

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The Best Gear for Running

Yesterday, I started my series called Running with Holy Craft.

I'm knee deep in training for my 4th half marathon in September to celebrate turning 35.

I'm starting to think the only thing I'm going to be celebrating is that fact that I won't have to run anymore!

But that is neither here nor there.

Today, I'm going to be focusing on gear.

Everyone always says that running is an activity that doesn't require special equipment.

That's a lie.

Sure, you can get by with a pair of running shoes, but if you are serious about training for anything, or for running for a hobby, then there is a laundry list of things that you will need.

Shoes

Almost everyone I know owns a pair of sneakers.

But are your sneakers the best fit for your foot?

Are your shoes old and breaking down?

Running in old worn-out shoes or ill-fitting running shoes is the leading cause of injuries in runners.

Over time, your shoes lose shock absorption, cushioning and stability, which increases the stress and impact on your legs and joints.  Most often leading to overuse injuries.

A good rule of thumb is to replace your running shoes every 300-400 miles.

Depending on how often you are running, this could mean that you are replacing your shoes every 2-3 months!  

This is hard because your shoes probably won't look worn out.

But believe me, after having foot problems, it's worth taking care of your feet and getting the right shoe.

Socks

Running in the Pacific Northwest usually means runs in the rain.

And if you are running long distances, your feet get sweaty.

Combine the two and you have the perfect storm for getting blisters and losing toenails!

I lost a toenail after my first half marathon because during the run it sprinkled the whole time.

Sloshing in puddles got water in my shoes and my socks were cheap Target brand socks.

I invest in good socks. They make a difference. This is my favorite and they last for years!

And since switching, I haven't lost a toenail yet!

Garmin Forerunner

I've talked before about how much I love my Garmin Forerunner.

I'm not very good at pacing myself so having something that can tell me my pace at a glance and something that keeps my distance and time close at hand is a winner in my book.

I've also been using it recently to tell the % grade of hills that I run.

Mostly gee wiz information, but information all the same.

ID

I shared with you last month my latest running accessory, but it's worth sharing again in case you missed it.

The Road ID slim band is a band that I run with that has all of my pertinent information on it.

I run a lot of roads now, and if something happened to me, no one would know what to do with me or how to contact someone that I loved.

I have my name, our house phone number, my husband's name and cell phone number, our insurance number and a little scripture verse that keeps me motivated {Isaiah 40:31}

Body Glide Once I started running more than 6 miles at a time, I brake out my tube of body glide. I usually chafe right under my armpits and I rub this stuff on like deodorant. It costs around $7 and is worth every penny. Especially since it lasts forever. People use it on their feet, their thighs, pretty much anywhere there will be rubbing while you exercise. Clothing
There really isn't anything special about my workout clothing. I like Capri length workout pants. The Lucy brand is one of my favorites, but the ones pictured by eco yoga is my other favorite. I bought them at TJ Maxx and haven't been able to replace them. I've tried compression pants {by Lucy} but haven't noticed a difference in my running other than the fact that they are tighter and make it hard to breathe! Some people swear by them. After a week of being down on running, I decided to take one of my plain T's and spruce it up a bit. I cut out "Running Sucks" on my Silhouette with heat transfer paper and ironed it on. Sort of sums up how I feel about running right now.

Another one of my favorite workout outfits is this tank from Reebok 

{purchased at a garage sale for $2}

and these Gap body yoga shorts.

And apparently, you have to stand with your hands on 

your hips when wearing said workout attire.

And also, my legs are darn white!

I like a tank top because my pits sweat, and I get hot.

TMI? Whatevs.

This tank has vents down the sides and a pocket in the back.

Perfect for putting my keys in when I have to drive somewhere to run.

The difference in the shirts is that the top one is cotton {wouldn't wear it on a long run because of chafing}

and the bottom one is something magical that is made for running.

I don't know the term.  Poly something I'm sure.

Not hard to find, and makes for a comfy run.

If you notice, I also have my hair in a ponytail.

I use the Goody Stay Tight hair elastics.

They are the best for keeping your hair pulled back and they never break!

And I always work out with a hot mess headband. My version of the sweaty bands, but WAY cheaper! These headbands stay in place, don't slip or need to be readjusted and catch sweat. They are awesome! You can find my tutorial for them here. So that's my gear. So much for just lacing up an old pair of sneakers and running! Do you have any gear that you swear by for running?
I would love to hear about it.

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NFL Game Day with Tide

The kids are heading back to school, the sun is going down earlier in the evening, and the apples are getting ripe on the trees. That can only mean one thing. Football season is starting! My husband and oldest son have an annual Sunday tradition of watching football in the afternoon.
I try to keep the younger two kids busy with an art activity or cooking in the kitchen. We all get excited for half time though.
For years, our families half time tradition has been to run outside in the cul de sac and play a game of football. We are a pretty active family and just sitting around makes all of us a little antsy. The break in the game gives everyone a chance to let off some steam.
When the air is crisp, we all come in smelling like grass stains and fall air. And boys. We all smell like boys and stink.
Which is why I rely on my favorite {no joke} laundry detergent Tide. Tide makes an amazing Tide Plus Febreeze Sports wash that is perfect for getting the stink out when we have been playing hard.

This Tide is specially formulated for sports apparel and fights tough sports stains, like grass, dirt, clay and blood.  There is always blood. It also helps eliminate odors and gets our clothes clean and smelling fresh.
What are some of the activities that your family does on game day? I would love to hear them!
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Tide through their partnership with Circle of Moms. While I was compensated to write a post about Tide Plus Febreze Freshness Sport, all opinions are my own.

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Running Week at Holy Craft with Half Marathon Training Playlist

I've been running again.

A lot.

Like so much so that it consumes nearly everything I think about.

Which is why this week is dedicated to running here at Holy Craft.

I've talked about running on my blog before.

I've even made mention that I was going to hang up my running shoes.

And I did.

It's been over a year since I have entered any official race.

But this year I turn 35.

I'm hitting my mid 30's and feel like I am in better shape now then I was in my 20's.

I signed up for my fourth half marathon to celebrate my milestone birthday.

On September 15, I will be running the You Go Girl half marathon in Tacoma, WA.

A race I have run two other times before.

I know what to expect.

I know the course.

And I have plenty of people that I know running the race as well.

All good things.

So feeling mentally prepared to tackle 13.1 in a few weeks, I thought I would share some of the things that I use to get me through a run.

First up is music.

I LOVE music!

Call me old fashioned, but I don't run with my smart phone.

I've tried using an arm band and they are uncomfortable to me 

so I go back to the old fashioned ipod shuffle.

It clips on to my clothing and I can quickly and easily skip or replay a song with the touch of a button.

source

I've tried other headphones.

Like the skull candy noise canceling ear buds.

I don't like them.

Mostly because if I run with people I can't use them and still talk.

Also, I run a lot of roads and want to make sure that I can hear a car behind me before I see it.

source

So I stick with the good old handy dandy ipod ear buds that come with your purchase.

They allow enough background noise to provide music but aren't loud enough that I can't hear around me.

source

And finally, the play list.

The most important part of training for me is a good play list.

I keep the songs that motivated me

{and that I am not sick of}

for the actual race,

but I have a different play list for training and for race day.

Play lists for me take hours to create.

Here are my carefully selected songs for training:

Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes

Red Nation by The Game

I Miss the Misery by Halestorm

Here Comes the Bloom by Nelly

Paralyzer by Finger Eleven

I Need a Dr. by Dr. Dre

Love The Way You Lie by Eminem

Lose Yourself by Eminem

Bawitdaba by Kid Rock

Rock Superstar by Cyprus Hill

Ridin' by Chamillionare

Disco Inferno by 50 cent

Kryptonite by Three Doors Down

Family Affair by Mary J. Blidge

Enter Sandman by Metallica

All Over You by Live

Fat Bottomed Girl by Queen

Rock Star by Nickleback

Pon De Replay by Rhianna

Crank That by Soldja boy

Gold Digger by Kanye West

For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica

Rolling in the Deep by Adele

Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground

Wake Up Call by Maroon 5

Livin' On a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Sing for the Moment by Eminem

Battlefield by Jordin Sparks

Like a Prayer by Madonna

Free Fallin' by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Love Somebody by Maroon 5

I'm a Believer by Tedashii

Wake Up Call by Maroon 5

Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson

I will Wait by Mumford and Sons

Please Don't Leave Me by Pink

We Are Young by FUN

Babel by Mumford and Sons

Whispers in the Dark by Mumford and Sons

Holland Road by Mumford and Sons

Not Ready to Make Nice by the Dixie Chicks

Lover of the Light by Mumford and Sons

Lovers' Eyes by Mumford and Sons

Jesus Walks by Kanye West

Stay Away by Nirvana

Love Is in the House by TobyMac

The Joker by Tom Petty

Savin' Me by Nickleback

Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford and Sons

Kashmir by Led Zeppelin

Push by Matchbox Twenty

Below my Feet by Mumford and Sons

Come Together by Michael Jackson

Mean by Taylor Swift

Enchanted by Taylor Swift

Under the Bridge by The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Love Drunk by Boys Like Girls

Caress me Down by Sublime

The Man Who Never Lied by Maroon 5

Four and a half hours of music for you to listen to while you train.

I hate listening to the same songs over and over again so this list gives me some variety.

The songs that were picked are consistent with the beat that I need to run an 8:30 mile.

Any songs you think I should add to my list?

Come back tomorrow as we talk about running gear.

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Garage Sale Finds Friday-Garden Edition 51

Welcome back to another edition of Garage Sale Finds Friday.

Where I share with you my favorite garage sale finds.

Earlier this week, I was watering a few plants in my yard when I got to thinking that there are an awful lot of plants that I have gotten at garage sales.

In fact, one of my favorite places to get plants is at garage sales.

You can usually find some great deals on plants at garage sales and they are usually some of the healthiest plants I have seen.

Landscaping adds up, so it's nice to save when you can.

Today, I am going to share with you some of the plants that I have picked up at garage sales over the past few years.  I may not know their names, but I know what I like.

When the builder built our house they used spider plants in the landscaping.

Spider plants are the kind of plants that I like {spikey looking and green all year long}

but they are meant for a pot because they shoot out all of these starts and then those starts start taking over the whole garden.

It was a mess!

So after hours of back breaking labor

{by my husband not by me}

we

  {I would like to take some ownership for my fine delegation of the removal of said plants}

removed the spider plants and put these grasses {$6 total} from a garage sale

in their place.

We

{again I'm taking credit for the foresight to remove the plants and the quick replacement of something more awesome}

planted these spiky guys {no idea what they are called}

with the petunias in their place.

Originally the plants were potted and used as decor for either side of a doorway, however, I unplanted them

and used them as individual plants in the front garden.

Cost for both plants with their petunias?

$10

I sort of have a love obsession with Hostas.

I don't know what it is, I just love how green and full they are.

{I hate their flowers though and will chop them off as soon as they bloom!}

Maybe it's because they are so low maintenance?

I rarely pass a Hosta up at a garage sale.

This guy cost me $5

 I also bought this group of three Hostas for $10

Continuing the trend of spiky grassy green plants, 

I love lilies!

Especially day lilies.

I'm sure these aren't all lilies, but let me remind you, I never claimed to be a master gardener!

I think there is a lemon lily or two in there.

I love that they bloom and stay green most of the spring and summer.

The fact that they have a flower that is gorgeous is a bonus!

I don't know what kind of plant this is.

It has cool pods on it though.

It may be a grass.

I like grasses too.

And also trash day.

What's that you say?

You have more lilies?

Yes, yes I do.

I typically pay around $2 for each plant and this whole side of my side yard is filled with garage sale plants.

If you put a gun to my head and I had to estimate how much I spent on this whole side yard landscaping I would tell you around $20 for everything you see.

The thing I love about buying garage sale plants is that not only can you find them cheap, you can also find mature sized plants without paying mature size prices.

 It's been a few years, but I showed you this little wooden planter that I bought as part of one of my first garage sale finds Friday's.

Well, it's got hens and chicks planted inside and is part of my backyard landscaping.

The hens and chicks were free from a friend at our old house and yes, I did dig them up and move them to our new house so sue me.

Earlier this year I decided I was finally ready to plant a vegetable garden.

However, mentioning that in May didn't seem to be enough time for my husband to whip together a raised vegetable garden bed for me.

{man, if only I knew how to work power tools...I could take over the world!}

I decided I wasn't going to have a veggie garden, but my 7 year old son wasn't so convinced.

Owen got very excited at Boy Scouts about growing seeds, so he decided on his very own to plant a garden.

It hasn't had the best drainage, or the best soil.

Lots of things have died {or been eaten by the dog}

but he's stuck with watering it nearly every day.

The $5 we spent on tomato plants seems to be paying off.

We will hopefully have some tomatoes from our garden soon!

And finally, my latest purchase was this deep purple Lilac bush.

I love Lilac's in the spring and this hearty guy {he's nearly four feet tall}

set me back $15 but I think he's worth it!

I can't wait to see it grow every year and make a beautiful bouquet in the spring from it's flowers.

And of course, the hosta that's photo bombing?

Yep, that's from a garage sale too.

That's a lot of garage sale plants! Do you ever buy plants from somewhere other than a nursery? Do share. I love a good deal!

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