Guest Blogger -- Lea-Ann from Deployment Kitchen 365

Okay so I am really excited about today's guest post! Lea-Ann (my almost name twin) has quite a bit in common with me. We have mutual friends, both live in Alaska (well...not at the moment), and both of our husband are deployed (no bueno for that..). Lea-Ann is always posting the most amazing recipes, so I finally asked if she would like to guest post! She is awesome, and beautiful as you can see in the below picture, so I highly suggest you all go check out her blog Deployment Kitchen 365. I'll let her do the rest of the blogging and share a delicious recipe with you all! 

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Hi I am Lea-Ann and I am so excited to be guest posting on "Hart to Heart" this week!  Not only do Leigh Anne and I share versions of the same name, but we also share our love for blogging and being wives of deployed soldiers (well we don't love the "deployed" part, just the soldier part).

 

My blog, Deployment Kitchen 365 began just before my husband deployed back in November, 2011 for his third combat tour.  Actually it was my husband, Steve, who encouraged me to start a blog for recipes, and it has become this really amazing adventure where I share about food, friends and deployment. 

I grew up in one of the most amazing areas for cuisine, produce and wine in the United States; Sonoma County, California.  My husband and I shared many dates enjoying some of the best restaurants all over Sonoma County, Napa Valley, and San Francisco.  We consider ourselves "foodies" to the core.  I believe in butter, oil, cheese, chocolate, bacon, and carbs, but that being said; I also believe in balance, moderation and exercise. 

My blog isn't just about food, and recipes; it is certainly not your typical foodie blog.  I also share the stories of the wives of deployed soldiers that I share "Deployment Dinners" with in my home, and I also give you a glimpse into the very often humorous life I lead as the wife of a deployed soldier.  I have two kids; 7 and 4, one super fat Beagle (who more resembles a pot belly pig than a dog), and a yard full of snow; of course a record breaking snow fall year will inevitably take place on my first Alaskan Winter while my husband is deployed.  Right?  Yep, pretty much. 

My blog is still growing, and being shaped, but so far it has proven to be quite rewarding.  I know if you come join me we can have a lot of fun together, the best is yet to come.

Here is one of our simple, family favorite, comfort food recipes for you...

 {Roast Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary} The Sunday Chicken

by: DK365 

• One whole chicken anywhere from 3-5 pounds, take out the yucky stuff from inside, rinse it and pat it dry with a paper towel.

• Melt 1/4 to 1/2 cup of butter in the microwave (use 1/2 cup if you have a bigger bird, and adjust seasonings accordingly) 

• 2 cloves of crushed garlic

• 1 Tbsp. Poultry seasoning (it is a mixture of herbs, labeled "poultry seasoning", super redundant for me to add that but just in case you were wondering.)

• Paprika

• Fresh Rosemary

• Salt and Pepper

To your melted butter, add in the crushed garlic, the poultry seasoning, a good dose of ground pepper, and a bunch of ground sea salt or table salt, whichever you prefer.  Mix that up.  Put your bird into a roasting pan.  Preheat to 375 degrees.  Take your hand and from the back side of the chicken loosen the skin away from the breast meat without ripping it or removing it.  Pour half of your mixture under the skin and spread it around, smooth the skin and then pour the other half all over the chicken, rubbing it around, don't forget the legs.  Stick a couple sprigs of rosemary in the cavity of the chicken, aka the back side.  Just let them hang out there and release some flavor.  Sprinkle some paprika over the chicken; this will help it get that lovely golden color.  I like to salt and pepper the bird one more time before it goes into the oven...chicken needs a lot of salt. 

Place your bird in the oven, and baste it throughout the cooking time.  I cannot tell you enough how important basting is.  It just allows your chicken to keep a lot of moisture. 

You can use a poultry thermometer to ensure your chicken is done. The USDA guidelines for cooking meat to temperature have been changing, but I like to use the rule of thumb; check for clear liquids coming from the chicken, and give the leg a wiggle...if it is loose and separating from bone it is probably done.  For those of you with less experience, 20 minutes per pound should do it and a thermometer for good measure.  I use and instant read, poultry thermometer.  Nothing fancy. 

This is one of those chickens that is good, comforting, yummy Sunday dinner food.  Use the leftover chicken for soup, chicken enchiladas, chicken salad, or add it to some fried rice.  I love to re purpose leftovers, which is a great way to save money.  Also, if you are cooking for only one or two people try this recipe on Cornish game hens (who doesn't love miniature versions of food right?).

Enjoy!! I hope to see you at Deployment Kitchen 365 very soon.

*Lea-Ann*

up in the gym, workin' on my fitness...

So as of last week I have been getting tons of e-mails asking me about what my specific workout 'plan' is! 

Seriously, I love all these e-mails and love that you all are so interested in changing your lives for the better! Keep them coming (: 

Today I'll take you all through what my March workout plan, but you must know that I like change and I will do a variation of this. I like to make a pan for the month, and write it down on a calendar to keep myself on track and motivated. 

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--March-- 

Monday:  30 Minutes of Cardio -- 45 Minute Spin Class-- Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred

Tuesday: 30 Minutes of Cardio-- 1 hour Zumba Class-- Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred

Wednesday: Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred 

Thursday: 30 Minutes of Cardio-- Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred 

Friday: 30 Minutes of Cardio-- 45 Minute Zumba Class-- Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred 

Saturday: 2 hours of dance -- Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred 

Sunday : 30 Minutes of Cardio-- Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred 

Curious of what Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred is ? 

It's a workout DVD that consists of 3 levels. Each level is done in circuits: 3 Minutes of Strength, 2 Minutes of Cardio, 1 Minute of Abs (repeated several times). The goal is to do this DVD for 30 days and start each new level whenever you feel ready. I must tell you all that I thought I was in shape UNTIL I started this, holy moly it is a fantastic workout! I started a few days before March but plan on doing it until April 1st. Potentially posting result photos once it's all said and done? Maybe...

Don't want to go out and buy the DVD? Do what I did and get on iTunes and buy it on your computer! Super easy and you can do it right now!  If anyone is interested in doing 30 Day Shred for the month of March, let me know! 

*Now, I must say that I do NOT agree with relying solely on one workout plan, weather it be P90x... Jillian Michael's... Insanity...etc. etc. I think these are all fantastic programs, but should be incorporated into a larger plan; as you can see above. 

There's only TWO days left in February, start working on your plan for the month of March and start setting goals. The first of the month is always a great time to start fresh! (: 

small business monday -- Lesley from Scentsy//GIVEAWAY

Have any of you heard of Scentsy ? I fell in love with Scentsy when I moved to Alaska and was invite to my very first Scentsy. Seriously, I don't know if I will ever use a normal candle again! I'll spare you the details of how in love with these products I am and let Lesley tell you alllll about it (: 

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I fell in love with Scentsy the first time I saw it.  I had never heard of this product before, but as soon as I saw this wickless candle, I knew it was perfect for me.  I love candles but have always been tired of the flame, the smoke, and the possibility of forgetting to blow it out when I left the house.

How Scentsy works is simple.

 

You place a section or two of your bar into the dish, plug the warmer in, and turn it on. In about 10 minutes your house starts to fill with the scent of your choice.

The wax is melted by a light bulb so gone are the days of flames and smoke

There are different sizes of warmers, over 80 scents to choose from, and the prices are affordable. 

The bars last a long time (about 60-80 hours) and you can even reuse the scent by simply pouring it back into the original container when you want to switch out, then wipe with a paper towel.  You only throw it out when the scent is gone! 

To see the variety of warmers and scents, just click here. 

Scentsy is such a fast-growing company that there are many other products to choose from as well including: room sprays, car fresheners, buddies, hand sanitizer, and travel tins.

I just want to thank Leigh Anne for the opportunity to showcase Scentsy!  My sister and I began selling it about 2 years ago and love it.  It’s fun and an easy way to make extra income and earn free trips!

I love Scentsy because not only does it make your entire house smell amazing, it’s super stylish.  All of the warmers are high quality with beautiful designs.  There are even warmers for men, children, and babies.  You will find that once you get a warmer, you will want one for every room in your house!

----Giveaway---- 

Scentsy Scent Circles 

I am offering one lucky winner to receive 3 car fragrances of their choice.  These things make your car smell fantastic and because they come in any scent, I change mine pretty frequently.  Since they are so versatile, you can stick them any place you want to smell good, not just a car!

How to win : 

You get one entry for doing each of the following:

1. Follow Leslie's Scentsy Facebook Page 

2. Follow Leslie's Blog !

3. Go to the Scentsy website and tell us which warmer is your favorite! 

4. Follow Hart to Heart on Facebook

5. Follow Hart to Heart on Twitter

Leave your email address with each of your entries to be sure it is counted!

Winner will be announced this Friday, March 2nd at 12PM EST

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If you have any questions, want to know more about Scentsy, would like to become a consultant, have an online party or just want to say how much you love yours, visit my blog and I will give you more info. 

Thanks again, Leigh Anne!

Lesley @ my lively mind

http://mylivelymind.blogspot.com

Countdown to the 5k

So the reoccurring theme this week has been all about fitness. 

Totally not planned, but it has been on the brain a bit (: 

I started getting into running when my husband deployed for several reasons: 

1. To get in shape for our honeymoon cruise

2. To get in shape for myself

3. So I could be better than him at something (yeah that will never happen, he's a freak of nature!). 

4. To pass the time 

Anyways, running a couple days a week has turned into a full on health and fitness lifestyle. So much so that I'm t-minus 2 months a way from becoming an ACE Certified Personal trainer. I start and end each day with a good workout and focus on eating well balanced meals. 

The point of this post isn't to tell you how my life has changed (you can read about that here), but it is to tell you about my latest challenge! Back in December I was feeling extra motivated, so I hopped on my computer and registered for one 5k per month, staring in March-- ending in August (yep, the last one is in Alaska). Holy moly-- it's almost March folks! 

Yep, my very first 5k is next Sunday, March the 3rd. My best friend and I will be running together in the Arnold Classic 5k. Know anything about the Arnold? Well it's a full on 4 day sports festival, brought to you by the man -- Arnold Schwarzenegger. This thing takes over the city of Columbus. Just a few of the sports involved are: Power lifting, Dance, Cheerleading, Gymnastics, Tennis, Fencing, Ballroom Dancing, Strongman, Karate, Judo, Boxing, MMA... and a ton more. 

Oh and did I mention, that there is a chance you will see Mr. Schwarzenegger there? True story-- I've seen him there 2 years in a row when I went for a cheer competition. 

All and all, its a pretty big deal -- and they end the weekend with a 5k which I am over the moon excited about running in. Thanks to the Couch to 5k program, I am actually running a 5k with ease. And to clarify, I'll tell you all  that as of this December.. I was NOT a runner.. no way jose. I steered clear of treadmills, tracks, and pavement. But now I love it! 

So here's the deal. The goal is to run the 5k in 26-25 minutes.... Yep. I'm goin' for it. My first 5k and I'm not going to mess around. So now that I have publicly announced my goal time I feel like that will just fuel my fire even more! Oh and I even decided that if I make/beat my time I'm rewarding myself with these: 

I'm running for the shoes... not the time (; 

Stay tuned for next week when I plan to bombard you all with countless amounts of photos of the experience as well as let you know if I earned my shoes or not (: 

Flashback: January 21st, 2011-- getting to be in the Oprah Winfrey Show Audience

As I was flipping through photos the other day, I stumbled upon a photo from January 21st, 2011. 

On January 27th 2011 I was sitting in the 2nd row of Harpo Studios, in the audience of the Oprah Winfrey show. 

Now, this wasn't just 'any' show-- it was a show about something near and dear to my heart. Most of my military wife friends that I have made, do not know about this experience solely for the fact that I met them nearly 6 months after I attended this taping. So for all you military spouses, or any of my faithful readers I decided to recap my experience! 

 I had made it my new years resolution last year to make it to an episode of Oprah Winfery's final season. This was NEARLY impossible... i mean come on, its Oprah.  It was January 10th, 2011 when I was sitting in the office of the doctors waiting on my appointment and my handy iPhone notified me that there were tickets available for a show on military families. I quickly did everything I could and e-mailed the producers asking for tickets. Within 2 minutes I had an email back in my inbox, asking me to send them a reply explaining how I am a part of a military family.  I replied with the details about how my fiance (at the time we weren't married) was preparing to leave for Basic Training in 2 weeks, and how our lives would forever be changed...etc. etc.  2 minutes later--another email back in my inbox CONFIRMING that  myself and a guest would be attending the show... shut the front door. 

WOW-- I couldn't believe it. Seriously I was thrilled. I asked my best friend if she wanted to join me (she of course said yes) and we began planning our trip/outfits. 

So I'll give you a little 411 on how it went down: We drove on January 20th, from Ohio to Chicago... January 21st we arrived at Harpo Studios and were hustled to a waiting room with all of the other people attending the show. But I must mention, these weren't just normal people-- these were military families, and so many men and women in uniform I was just humbled by how honored everyone seemed to be there. 

Outside Harpo Studios! The inside is top secrete -- no purses, camera's or phones allowed inside (: 

So we waited... for a good 3 hours, and then the unthinkable happened. It sounds a little vain, but the way the select where you sit in the audience is based on appearance. So the producers give you a good head to toe look when you walk in the studio and decide where you will be seated. So naturally the first row was all of the service members in their uniforms. Then they started calling for row two -- WE MADE IT... .seriously? A couple of college girls, sitting around these high ranking service members-- wow words cannot describe how I felt 

Now the reason I am posting this is to tell you about the content of the show and how amazing it was. This wasn't a show where you win a free car, nor a show where you got a trip to Australia... but this show was one 100x more humbling. 

The show title was: The Bravest Families in America; with First Lady Michelle Obama, Tom Brokaw and Bob Woodward 

Now, going into this we had no idea who was going to be on the show. None at all... so once it started, it was as surprising to us as it is to the viewers at home. First of all, Oprah looks just like she does in person as she does on TV-- perfection. And she is so sweet... at each commercial break, she talked to the audience members and allowed as many questions as we could ask. Second of all, regardless of your political views-- Michelle Obama is stunning... seriously, so pretty, so skinny, and so passionate about creating awareness of military families. 

Thats ME! This is a screen shot of my 3 seconds of fame haha ... excuse the face, I was probably crying. 

I cannot go into every detail of the show, because this would become a novel-- not a blog post; but I am going to share with you the link to one of the stories from the show-- PLEASE take 3 minutes and 30 seconds to watch this. * Get your tissues ready. Many of you may not know anyone personally in the military-- and you may not realize all of the sacrifices that military families make.

I can truly say this show changed my life. At the time of the show, I was not an "Army Wife" nor did I have any idea about how much my life would change within the next year and a half; but in my heart of hearts I believe that there is a reason I was at this taping and it was to totally give me an amazing appreciation for the men and women that serve our country, and the family that stands behind them. 

Oprah ended the taping session by asking the audience members " What are you doing to support our service members and their families... because a handshake and a thank-you shouldn't be considered 'doing your part'" -- so... what are you doing? 

Here is a quote from Tom Brokaw which sums up a big focus of the show-- Brokaw: "In this war, less than 1 percent of the American population is bearing 100 percent of the burden of battle. And even those who are not wounded come home as different men and women than when they left. They leave behind their families for extended tours, two and three tours at a time, who have to live with anxiety and depression and kids who are uncertain about their parents."

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Interested in what I do to support our service members? I donate to the Wounded Warrior Project, as well as send letters/packages to service members via. Operation Gratitude. 

Need ideas in how you can do something to help... ask ME (: 

High 5 for Friday and J.bella Giveaway winner!

Congratulations to Jacque for being the winner of the striped crochet sweater, from the J.Bella Giveaway!

If anyone is interested in buying J. Bella products or placing an order; email Bethany!

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Pretty excited that today is Friday. Friday means no work (this week)-- no class-- and lots of homework (err.. boo for that).
Now, here are my top 5 things from this week. Linking up with Lauren, From My Grey Desk.


1.  Found out that Dave Matthews is going to be in Cincinnati at the end of May.. AND there is potential that my husband might be home then. Seriously burst into tears of joy (DMB was our first concert together a few years ago).

2. Worked hard on a custom order for a friend-- so happy with the results.

3. Registered to go to the Vera Bradley Outlet sale -- YAY YAY YAY

4. Got backed into by a negligent driver... fail. I suppose this should be like a negative item on my list.

5. Tried Cliff Shot Blocks for the first time, to keep my endurance up during triathlon training.
(small gummy squares that come in packages of 6. suggested that you eat 3-6 every hour of exercise to keep energy up-- taste is pretty good too!)

Hope you all enjoy your Friday!!!

Going bold

I have been on a mission -- 

to find the perfect spring handbag. 

Yes-- I buy one new bag per season. Is that weird to you ? Well let me tell you, treating myself to a new bag-per season, is one of my motivational tactics and also keeps me from buying a billion cute bags! 

I will confess I have an addiction to two things: 

1. Coach

2. Neutral colors

There are problems with both of these addictions, first and foremost being the price of buying a new Coach Bag 4-5x a year and second of all-- neutrals are safe, and often times boring. 

Last week when shopping around I made an executive decision to keep my eye out for 'the' bag. I stepped into Charming Charlie and there she blew... 

(If you don't know what Charming Charlie's is or don't have one in your area.. then I am deeply saddened for you. It is an amazing affordable accessories story that arranges all of their items into color schemes. You walk in and want a teal bag-- you go to the "teal" section. Looking for the perfect red earrings? -- go to the "red" section. Genius.) 

Yep-- that's the one! Seriously, it is exactly what I wanted for my spring bag. I wanted something that was outside of my box, a bright color, and I wanted a long cross body strap. LOVE LOVE LOVE this bag. Now the hard part will be waiting until April to start using it. (Yeah I set timeframes on my bags... is that weird? I think yes.) 

You're in luck. This time last year, Charming Charlie didn't have a online shopping feature... but now they do! You can buy it here (: 

And for those of you who are interested in what I'm currently carrying: 

Coach Madison Leather Lindsey in Brown. 

This thing is huge. It is one of my favorites and the quality is exceptional! 

Is it too soon to start shopping for a summer bag ? (; 

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Last day to enter for the J.Bella Giveaway! Winner announced tomorrow at 12:00 PM EST. 

Jessica from Lovely Little Things

Don't forget to enter the J.Bella giveaway. It's open until Friday the 24th! 

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So today I'm excited to have Jessica from Lovely Little Things, guest posting! Jessica was one of the first, if not the first blogger I contacted when I began this journey and she is seriously awesome! We have so much in common, from our passion for fitness, to our PR degrees. It makes me feel great that there is someone out there who loves the same things as I do, and couldn't imagine just doing one job their whole life! Anyways, I could go on and on but I asked her to share with you all a little about herself, her blog, and her health and fitness journey!
Enjoy!

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Hi! My name is Jessica and I blog over at Lovely Little Things :)

There is no limit to what you'll find on my blog. 
The purpose of it is for me to stay creative and appreciate things 
no matter how busy I am with work, school, living on my own, or life in general. 
I want to inspire others and discover new things about myself along the way. 

I'm so excited to be blogging at Hart to Heart today :)

Leigh Anne is so, so sweet and plus her blog is a daily read of mine.

When she asked me to do a post about my fitness journey I couldn't have been more stoked. I am really passionate about health &; fitness so sharing my journey is something that I love to do!

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Before I get into the details of my journey there is something I want to share:

via

This is so true for me. The only time that I step on a scale these days is when I go to the doctor's office. When I first started losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle, I stepped on a scale once a week to track my progress and make sure that I was meeting my goals. Now that I have met my goals and I am maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I can gauge where I'm at by how my body feels.

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My journey...well in high school I was overweight. I'm 5' tall and weighed 143 pounds at my heaviest. You may think to yourself, "143...really that's not THAT big." Okay - wrong. When you are 5' tall, 143 pounds meant that I looked like a little roll polly ball. It was not good. I had no self confidence and I wasn't comfortable in my own body. I knew I had to do something.

The summer between my sophomore and junior year I made the decision to revamp my lifestyle. I was ready to live healthy and love myself. And feel good by doing it the right way. I'd seen close friends and family crash and burn on fad diets, so I knew those were a no-go if I wanted lasting results.

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I didn't really know where to start so I just jumped right in. I joined a local gym and committed to going 5 days a week - doing an hour of cardio each of those days. 30 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the bike. Nothing crazy. And for my diet, I started out by cutting out all drinks except water, cutting out sweets (which let me just tell you was the hardest part for me because I don't have just one sweet tooth, but probably more like 4 sweet teeth..), changing from white bread to wheat bread, and changing from 2% milk to skim milk. I also axed all fast food from my diet. 

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That summer (about 2 months) I lost 30 pounds. 

I'm not a naturally skinny person. 

I worked hard.

I didn't give up.

I ate right.

And exercised.

There's no hidden secret.

Just drive & ambition!

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Since then I have lost 10-11 more pounds and have maintained that weight for over 2 years. It started out difficult, but now I couldn't live any other way. Here is what I do now to maintain a healthy lifestyle:

(and please note that even though I am "skinny" I am strong. I'm not a little beanpole and I take pride in that :))

I work out at least 6 days a week for 60 minutes each day. And I've come to love it.

My work outs consist of 5 minutes of stretching, 30 minutes of cardio, 20 minutes of strength training, and 5 minutes of cool down stretching. 

I eat breakfast every day to get my metabolism going (I'm a big advocate in breakfast being super important). I also eat lunch and dinner every day (I'm not a meal skipper) and one healthy snack in between lunch & dinner. I drink lots of water. And I do treat myself on the weekend - if I want a slice of pizza or a mojito (or both!) I have them. I just make sure to be on my A-game Monday-Friday and keep my "treat" portions reasonable. There's no reason to make yourself miserable!

My tips:

Load up on protein.

Don't skip meals.

Pay attention to portion sizes.

Work out as early in the day as possible.

Change up your work outs so you don't get burnt out/bored.

Go bike riding, play a game of tennis with a friend, go for a swim, just MOVE.

Work out with a friend if you feel like that will motivate you.

Don't ever give up! Results won't happen over night! Make it your lifestyle :)

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You can find the recipe for my favorite green monster smoothie here

and if you prefer something that's not fruity you might like my peanut butter banana smoothie which you can find here :)

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I'm currently in school with hopes of becoming an elementary school teacher, but I plan on getting certified to be a  fitness instructor as well, so that I can do that during the summer months. So needless to say, I have grown very passionate about health & fitness because of this journey :)

If you have any questions or need some encouragement, make your way over to my blog and feel free to contact me :) I'd love to hear from you! And thank you so much for having me, Leigh Anne!

Workout Must Haves

Don't forget to enter the J.Bella giveaway. It's open until Friday the 24th! 

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So today I am sharing with you my top 5 items that make working out enjoyable for me. 

These are my nonnegotiables-- I must have these items before, during, or after my workout! 

1. Camelbak 25oz water bottle. 

What makes this awesome: the awesome thing about these babies, is that they have the no-spill bite valve. Aka; you can be running away on the treadmill and all you have to do is bite down on the top and take a sip. No worries about spilling! Only $13.99 at Target. I take this thing with me everywhere.

2. iPhone sports armband 

What makes this awesome: pretty sure this one is an obvious-- you don't have to hold your iphone/ipod while your running; making listing to music hands free. Not 100% sure what brand mine is, but in my eyes they all do the same thing. I cannot run without music. Seriously, I don't think my legs would function. 

3. Skull Candy Chops Buds

What makes these awesome: don't get me wrong-- I love the signature white headphones that come with the iPod/iPhone.. but they are the most least functional thing for running or working out ever! The last thing I want to do is keep messing with my headphones. SO... I tried a few types of sports headphones and I found these to be the best for me. At a reasonable price of $19.99 and cute colors too... I'd say these are a win. 

4. Nike Tempo Running Shorts 

What makes these awesome: I do wear other shorts than these, but as of right now these are my favorites. I have at least 5 pairs in different colors. If you don't have a pair of these -- go get some. Seriously, comfort is a big deal in my book and finding a short that doesn't ride up or feel weird is important. So when I'm not wearing yoga pants -- this is my go to short for running/working out! 

5. A good pair of shoes! 

What makes these awesome: First of all, it is important to understand you NEED to invest in a good pair of shoes. Running/working out in improper shoes will hurt you in the long run. So go into your preferred store and get fitted in the proper size as well as the proper shoe for whatever activity you'll be doing. These are my 'gym' shoes. Nike Dual Fusion. I use these for when I am working out indoors. I prefer to have another pair for races/outdoor running but I have yet to invest in those yet. I'm thinking the Nike Free Run 2.0+ . I am all about lightweight shoes! Love these. 

Do you have any workout/running must haves? Please share! I'd love to hear!

J. Bella Giveaway <--- YAY!

I am so excited to be hosting another giveaway today!

Two weeks ago, Bethany from Goldylocks and the Barrows was featured in my sponsor spotlight, and today for small business Monday we are featuring her business J.bella. 

They have some seriously cute stuff people, and this giveaway item is TO DIE FOR. I wish you all the best of luck in winning! (: 

So here's the details: 

What can you win? 

This striped crochet sweater in either navy or olive! It retails for $29.50

How to enter: 

You can get an entry by doing the following...

1. Liking the J. Bella Facebook Page
2. Following the J.Bella Blog
3. Following Bethany's personal blog Goldylocks and the Barrows

AND if that wasn't enough... you can get 3 more entries by doing the following:

1. Liking my facebook page Hart to Heart Design and Blog
2. Following me on Twitter
3. Leaving a comment on this post, telling us what your favorite J. Bella piece is, off of their website.  

To be sure your entries count you must, must, must, include your email address with each entry! 

Winners will be announced on Friday February 24th at 12:00 PM EST! 

DIY Photos on Canvas

Today I am sharing one of my most favorite DIY's that I am absolutely in love with. 

Photos on canvas are such a fun addition to wall art... but paying to have them printed is a pain in the butt! So today I will show you how to get your photos on canvas for under $10... yeah I thought you'd like that part! 

DIY Photo Canvas For Under $10 

Materials:

1. Canvas (any desired size, I used 8x10)
2. White tissue paper (YEP!... like the kind you use for birthday presents)
3. Printer -- with ink of course 
4. White computer paper
5. Clear tape
6. Modge Podge 

Instructions:

1. Start by choosing your image you'd like to print and resizing it to the size of the canvas. 
2. Cut the tissue paper around the computer paper, with edges extending about 1 inch outside the paper. 
3. Tape the edges of the tissue paper down to the computer paper, as neatly as possible. 
4. Determine which way you need to insert your paper into the printer, so the image prints on the tissue paper side (:  I suggest doing a test print so you don't waste your tissue paper 
5. Insert your tissue paper that has been taped to the computer paper, into the printer! 
6. Print away!! 
7. Voila... image .. on tissue paper! 
8. Remove the tissue paper from the computer paper carefully, after ink has dried. 
9. Trim the edges of the tissue paper to fit your canvas
10. Apply a layer of modge podge to the canvas, then lay the tissue paper down onto the canvas. 

Get your tissue paper! 

Attempting to help... thanks.

Cut the tissue paper so there is about an inch of hang-over around all four sides. 

Tape down edges 

Determine which way to put the paper in the printer, so the image prints on the tissue paper side. 

Print! 

Voila! Image on tissue paper/taped to computer paper. 

Remove computer paper from the tissue paper so you are left with just the image on the tissue paper. 

Apply a layer of Modge Podge to the canvas and lay the tissue paper on top of it. 

Don't worry about the wrinkles... they will work themselves out, especially if you use a sealer on the final product. 

Another finished canvas. 

Potential start to a wall of wedding photos! 

Let it dry and BAM... photo on canvas... 10 simple steps... under 10 dollars. What more could you ask for? 

I've been obsessed with making these, and have done so many and I am excited to decorate the house with them. 

* I purchased the Modge Podge sealer as well, and give the canvases a spray of this once they are dry-- just to ad a glossy finish!