right now!

In Atlanta, every 4th of July for the past 41 years people from all over have come to participate in the world's largest road race, The Peachtree Road Race. Tomorrow morning I am one of them. This will be my fourth year in the past five years participating. The first year my family did it together - it was my dad's goal to be able to do it one year after his triple bypass surgery, and he did it. My brother ran it with him. I walked it with my mom. Every time since I have run/walked it "with" my brother and sister-in-law. I use the term with loosely because more often than not I watch them go on ahead and at some point they look around to see where they lost me. Our eyes meet, I say, "Catch ya at the finish line!" and I see them a couple hours later when we have all completed the 6.2 miles. 

Today when my brother brought me my packet with my number I was looking though all the papers and there is often different things from the various sponsors. The one above was from Home Depot. It brought a smile to my face in so many ways - the three of us had just been talking about how fun hardware stores are and all the projects you can do, I love getting my supplies from hardware stores, and this little saying can be applied in EVERY DAY life and in our businesses, not just in the race tomorrow - but I will definitely be thinking of it as I plug my earphones and listen to some tunes, including Van Halen's 'RIGHT NOW!' and anticipate crossing that finish line!

Happy 4th!

made in the USA

Being an artist I have a love for all things hand and homemade. Being an Aunt I have a love for all things family. The two often meet when it comes to my niece. I may have mentioned her a time or two before as the most adorable thing ever. I say that without prejudiced ;) But she is. She may be the only niece I have at the moment. So what do I know? I do know that I truly never knew it was possible to love someone else's child this much. But again, it is!

I can't say I'm one to be gung ho holidays. Well, maybe that is not entirely true. I get into the spirit. I like Valentine's. I like to bake and make decor. I LOVE gift giving. I always make a kid friendly Thanksgiving treat when our family gets together. And Chanukah - well the decorating is endless, and the Christmas fun of gift-giving and assembling is the same. Much can be said about the 4th of July, it's another opportunity to be a little creative.

Then I reversed (mirror imaged) the image, this will depend on the type of iron on transfer paper you wind up using, so that I could print it on my transfer paper. I then ironed it on a white t-shirt. I got some Aleene's glitter and gem fabric glue and went over the red letters of USA with the glue and then sprinkled over the glue with red glitter.  It's got just the right sparkle for my cutie on Sunday morning. I can't wait to see her in it. 

The t-shirt is drying as I type. But I will post a picture of the complete finished project as an update tomorrow morning, but what you see above is what I designed. I am most proud. I am linking up to my, CSI Challenge, with one of my other favorite's Lindsey from The Pleated Poppy judging AND sponsoring this week! Plus some other fun link parties that I love and admire at These Creative Juices and Craftaholics Anonymous, plus be sure to check out this page of my blog to see what parties I like to link up to!

***UPDATE*** - TADA! Hope you love it as much as I do. I even got a daytime shot for you in front of the pool, how festive?! Plus two pics as I was ironing and gluing the glitter. Enjoy and Happy 4th!