Yesterday was my daughters’ first day of a new ballet/jazz class. I took photos and read a little bit of “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett while they danced around with about 25 other kids. It’s a big class and the teachers did a great job of keeping all the little girls engaged. I was very [...]

I’d like to wish you all a belated Happy New Year. I’ve been so busy working on some exciting projects that I have not had time to blog. I’ll update you on all the activity here at the CraftSanity headquarters soon. But right now I want to focus on sweatbands and giving away a free [...]

Hi there. I’m on deadline for my next craft column right now, but wanted to write a quick post to let you know that I’m okay and planning to release a new podcast soon. There’s been tons to blog about including my fabric yo-yo craze, but I’ve been very busy with family and work commitments. [...]

I’ve been completely obsessed with hooping lately. So today on Take Five & Company I showed viewers how to make their own hoops. Read my Grand Rapids Press hoop fitness story that was published Tuesday for more hooping resources and see a demonstration video by a local hooping performance artist. Hoop Making 101 The beauty [...]

After a humbling weight training session today, I’ve decided to stop sabotaging myself by tipping back an obscene amount of Coke and Pepsi. I lost weight. I toned up. I felt powerful. And then I went back on the sauce, or “black juice” as Abby calls it. Thankfully, I haven’t gained the weight back, but [...]

In addition to all the crafty stuff I’ve been doing lately, I’ve been quietly spinning yet another plate… Lean in. I’m plotting my big triathlon debut. It’s nuts. I know. Some may argue that I’m too busy to train, too busy to compete and maybe even too old to start dreaming about a miraculous Ironman [...]

This guy’s next. Abby says his name is “Tooby.” Not “Toby.” “Tooby.” I made my mom a little kit so she can stitch this design, too. We gave it to her yesterday when we visited my family in suburban Detroit, and today Abby asked her on the phone: “Did you stitch my monster yet?” I [...]

I did it. Today I successfully completed the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon – 26.2 miles, baby! The first thing I said when my husband, Jeff, met me at the finish line with the video camera rolling is this: “I am a humbled woman.” Boy, am I ever. While I’m happy to have completed the [...]

Today I rode my bike more than 100 miles. I started after breakfast and finished at dinner time. My quads are feeling pretty torn up right now and my rear end is equally agitated. Mentally, I’m quite pleased that a day of pedaling up and down West Michigan hills has allowed me to cross #66 [...]

Hello everyone. I apologize for falling off the weekly podcast schedule. As some of you know, I’ve been busy slimming down for a first person fitness series that I’ve been writing for my newspaper and teaching a journalism class at the local university. Things are going to be pretty crazy for another couple weeks and [...]

Curious about about what I’ve been up to while on my podcast hiatus. Check out the revealing stories I’ve been writing about my fitness mission for the newspaper where I’m a feature writer.