tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62895666857854612442024-03-13T12:44:28.571-05:00Aggravated OptimismWe're reviving the blog with stories and reviews of adventures in and around Salt Lake City, Utah. Join me, Dutch, Sandor, and our friends as we traverse the overly-family friendly stops that pepper the SLC area (and beyond!)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-80108900140404810692017-12-11T10:45:00.000-06:002017-12-11T10:45:02.589-06:00Dungeons and Donuts<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dutch and I keep a regular game of DnD going with 4 of our good friends. We meet almost every weekend, and when we get together on Sundays we like to share a brunch as we get into the mix of things.<br /><br />This week everyone was a little tight on cash due to the seasonal costs of knowing too many people, so we decided to keep it small and just do breakfast at the host's place. We all happened to also be together the evening before and I have no idea how I thought of donuts (though why I don't always think of donuts I'm not certain either), but the subject was broached and I mentioned a new donut shop that opened in Draper not far from us. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DonutstarUtah/" target="_blank">Star Donuts</a>. It's a small shop near Smith's and Petco and it is</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">24/7</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not to mention that the donuts aren't the crud you get at grocery stores or the Lehi Main Street bakery. THESE ARE GLORIOUS GREASY SONS OF GUNS. Not overly greasy either. They don't keep a giant front display, so the donuts are constantly coming in and out of the kitchen fresh. We got 5 dozen donuts, picked by the owner himself (I didn't get his name but bless that young man for being there 6 days a week), and I let him know it's my favorite donut place in the state.<br /><br />Let me explain. I'm not from this area, nor is Dutch. Where I am from, donut shops are family owned stores that will bribe you into coming back as often as possible. You ordered two donuts and a croissant? Here's an extra half dozen donut holes. Remember us the next time you want breakfast. You need a pick me up between early morning seminary and marching band practice? We're your place. Grocery store donuts, the semi-stale cakey butterless pieces of pumice stone that grate your stomach lining and chip away at your life expectancy... Those are for the lazy. You couldn't get a long well without finding your niche shop in even the smallest of towns. AND THOSE PEOPLE HAD TO COMPETE WITH KOLACHE SHOPS. It's not an easy market. I didn't realized till I moved to Utah that I had "unreasonably" high expectations from my breakfast pastries.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nonetheless, I've found my new niche. Star Donuts is reasonably priced, and the staff is always delightful. They carry all my regular orders, from basic glazed to old fashioned blueberry cake, devils food, chocolate eclair, apple fritters, raspberry jam filled, even bagels and croissant sandwiches. I'm a happy breakfast eater once again, thank goodness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As always, let me know what your experience is with donut vendors in the area. Share with us if you've tried Star Donuts for yourself, or if you are a true-blue fan of another shop around town.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-16064755922260562802017-12-06T11:43:00.002-06:002017-12-06T11:43:58.476-06:00Christmas Markets<h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friendly reminder: We are not a traditional "family" and do not go places for "family activities". This blog is written to review our experiences from our own unique perspective, that of a couple in their late 20's and their small dog.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christmas-Christmas Time is Here</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Last weekend we went to the <a href="https://www.christkindlmarkt-slc.com/" target="_blank">Christkindlmarkt SLC</a> at Heritage Park. I can't talk Dutch into doing holiday stuff for the life of me. Last year his friends were BOWLED OVER by the fact he let me put up a tree and decorations. So being able to do this was kind of a big deal. I'd been gaming with some friends from Bristol earlier in the week and they were talking about the Christmas Markets they went to around London the weekend prior and all the good food and drinks and music, I got so excited, but I honestly shouldn't have expected a place so far from Bavarian Homeland to resemble what they described. We decided to go on Thursday night, since there would be a lantern parade and it being a school night, we assumed less people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The market wasn't close by, a 30 minute drive w/out traffic. It took us an hour to get to the park, and about another 30 minutes to find parking. We brought Sandor, thinking it would be delightful for him to come have treats and see the lights and music, but immediately realized our mistake when he could barely stop shivering enough to walk. We carried him up the hill from where we parked and entered the market.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">There must have been at least 800 people at Heritage Park that night. It was 28F, dark, and the "heaters" scattered about were fires dying out quickly in containers not meant for distributing heat well. Children screamed and cried as their parents attempted to take photos of them in front of significant sites like the 14 foot Christmas tree in the courtyard, teenagers pushed violently through the crowds and lines, I think my foot was run-over by at least 20 strollers as entire families decided to pass right through the line for Hot Chocolate to get to their destination on the other side. That line, by the way, was about 40 people deep, as was every other warm treat vendor's stall. It took 20 minutes to get hot chocolate, and then they charged $5 a cup and wouldn't take debit for less than $20.<br /><br />It was only 7pm and most of the vendors were out of their more popular wares. I was interested in buying a large construction from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CandyEverything/" target="_blank">Candy Everything</a> as a centerpiece for a Christmas party we plan on hosting for friends, but the largest pieces were all sold, including a 15" tall pirate ship that would have looked PERFECT next to our sidebar at the hot chocolate service table.<br /><br />Dutch and Sandor towed behind me in absolute misery, so I finished my hot chocolate and we got the heck out of there. The night was a supreme failure. The market goers were rude, selfish people. The weather was too unexpectedly cold to be enjoyable. The vendor booths were too small to see at a glance and figure out the treasures inside without fighting the crowds to get in and too crowded together, so that one booth crowded the two beside it as well.<br /><br />None of the vendors we encountered were doing anything "authentic", or being particularly cheerful. I was hoping to encounter people sharing century old hot chocolate with their customers, telling stories about how their Great Great Opa and Oma discovered the secret, and teasing the children about how they'd never figure it out in a hundred more years. No storytellers. Dancers, yes, but even they looked miserable. All this added to the blaring PA soundtrack of an OomPaPa Christmas made our trip a nightmare.<br /><br />All in all, if you ARE a parent, uncle, aunt, grandparent, or older cousin and you plan on bringing children to a Christmas Market in the area, please send someone ahead to do research. Go during the daylight, dress for colder weather than predicted, and FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY DONT BRING A STROLLER. Get a baby backpack if you have to.<br /><br />If you're like Dutch and myself, either make it to the earliest hours or don't go at all. Bring cash if you plan on buying ANYTHING and maybe take a Xanex before entering the grounds if that's your thing.<br /><br />I know there have been/are other Christmas Markets around SLC, and I know not everyone's experience at them are as awful as I've described it. Tell me about your own trips to the Off-Bavarian Wonderlands, what did you like? What did you learn? What will get you back there next year or what will keep you away? I'd love to hear your stories!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-86553921156056316972017-12-01T12:15:00.001-06:002017-12-01T13:22:39.729-06:00Katchup<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the first post re-formatting/re-imagining the blog. For those of you new to the community, please, call me Malus. I rent from a lovely couple in the South of Salt Lake County, as does my wonderful long-time boyfriend Dutch, who looks after our pup Sandor. Sandor will get his own blog post soon, and his addition to our little family means you'll also get anecdotes and reviews from our escapades at the local dog park(s).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little about us as a couple. Dutch doesn't really like people. Well, <i>most</i> people. He likes me. And Sandor (who is his own person, though dog-person). We have a handful of good friends. We love video games and browsing Reddit. Neither of us are too fond of vegetables but I really love fruit. We're hard judges of food and harder judges of environment when it comes to going out to restaurants and festivals. We like to do things on a reasonable budget, as well, so these will not be Michelin Star places you'll see reviewed. At least unless Dutch surprises me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>--------PLACES WE LOVE ALREADY--------</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We will still give stories and re-reviews of places we revisit, as sometimes quality changes depending on service, chef, and management. If you don't want to wait around for new reviews, here are some recommendations to go off of today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our Favorite ______________:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BURGERS:</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.brugeswaffles.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bruges Waffles and Frites</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">541 East 12300 South #A, Draper, UT 84020</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Bruges is known for it's Belgian waffles and delightful fries. There are locations elsewhere, but we're pretty fond of the Draper location because it's not far from us and it's never been busy when we visit. Dutch introduced me to their Ricky Burger, steakhouse beef on with onion crisps and signature sauces on a kaiser roll. If you plan on eating this burger on a date, bring some gum, and grab some napkins. It's messy and greasy and delightful. Your onion breath will be overpowered by how happy you area after eating one of these. If you don't eat a lot in one sitting (like me) plan on sharing, but this burger is enough to fill the stomach of Dutch and other very hungry men like him.</span></div>
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<a href="http://saltcityburgerco.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt City Burger</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9176 Village Shop Dr, Sandy, UT 84094</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Salt City KNOWS burgers. The kitchen produces burgers made with 100% USDA choice beef. They cater to picky people. The staff is friendly and the environment is full of rich wood tones, soft lighting, and if you go the right night (Tuesday) it's usually not crowded. Our favorites here are the Sunrise Burger, Dutch likes to get the egg poached. I switch between the Smokehouse Bacon Burger and the Hawaiian Special. The Sweet Potato Fries HAVE to be mentioned as well. I have, on more than one occasion, opted just for a big plate of SP Fries when we went here, as the burgers are very large and I don't always have that much of an appetite.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b>BURRITOS:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.sweetoburrito.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sweeto Burrito</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); color: #4a4a4a; text-align: center;">487 E 12300 S Unit B, </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); color: #4a4a4a; text-align: center;">Draper, UT 84020</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First and Foremost: This isn't Mexican or TexMex food here. Sweeto Burrito is a purely AMERICANA food provider. The tacos are similar to texmex street tacos, but if you have doubts, just look at their menu and how many items are made with Sweeto (Seasoned Fry) Sauce. Fry Sauce is about as Utahan as BYU itself. On to the food: I'm a breakfast burrito kind of girl. I could eat breakfast every meal if that option is on the table. I get the Break Neck burrito almost every time I visit, opting rarely to exchange it with the Buff Chick (pretty much Tater Tots and Boneless Chicken) or the All American (essentially a cheeseburger in burrito form). Dutch opts for the Carnivore, which is essentially a meet medley with white rice and siracha (there's other stuff but it's less important). The combos come with sides, but the burritos typically have sides INSIDE already. Tater tots, fries, white rice... Like how many sides does a person need? If you opt for a Chango (a strawberry and creamcheese chimichanga) try and get it on a real substantial plate and use a sharp knife, they're delicious, but messy, and hard to cut apart. You can <i>try </i>to pick it up with your hands, but it's covered in strawberry syrup, so that's a brave choice. Sweeto is a great go-to place for when you're really hungry and want to sit down afterward for a few hours.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://tusharexpress.com/" target="_blank">Tushar Brazilian Express</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">1078 W South Jordan Pkwy (10400 So) </span><span class="locality" itemprop="addressLocality" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">South Jordan</span><span style="text-align: center;">, </span><span class="region" itemprop="addressRegion" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">UT</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span class="postal-code" itemprop="postalCode" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">84095</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Bacon Wrapped Chicken. Need I say more? Really??? Okay. Teriyaki Beef. ON STICKS. Grilled fresh made to order, served with black beans and rice. Maybe Fried Bananas for dessert. This place is fantastic, fast, authentic, and super affordable. Most people in these parts go on and on about Tucanos but it's not really a restaurant for two people, so what are you gonna do? TUSHAR. TUSHAR SHOULD BE THE ANSWER. I was surprised by the quality when they catered my last job and fell in love. Not only are the entrees delicious, but they make a passion fruit mousse I'd commit murder for. Seriously, the stuff is tangy and bright and perfect. Even if you don't want food, just go order a mousse cup. Do it. You will thank me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">We'll do more updates catching y'all up as we go, but for now I need to get to work-work. Have a wonderful day and remember, you don't have to put up with the bull crap of strangers in public. YOU HAVE POWER as a consumer. Choose places with both quality and environment. Say something to that guest about not ignoring their wildly screaming children who are running a muck about the place. If you leave a place, tell a manager on your way out why you left and that you're not likely to be back. And try and go during slow hours for the business (you can find these on google, they're useful as heck).</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-25100028303675432182014-11-24T19:11:00.000-06:002014-11-24T19:23:38.785-06:00T-DAY COUNTDOWN - THE MONDAY BEFORE<div style="text-align: center;">
Idk if you know how student housing works, but I live with 5 other women in their late teens/twenties. And I love/hate it. In recent developments:</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We're hosting Thanksgiving Dinner. @_@</span></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">None of us have ever roasted a turkey before.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">None of us have ever done thanksgiving without our mom.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">I'm the only one with any dinner party experience.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">The only ones staying in the apartment this week are me and 2 freshmen.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">We're providing dinner for 12.</li>
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I have this problem with over-committing.</div>
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BUT I AM A PLANNER AND I CAN DO THIS. Thank goodness for Pinterest. Here's a <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/smalltownmelody/hosting-thanksgiving/" target="_blank">link to my board</a>. There are some great nuggets of wisdom to be found there.</div>
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We're doing 2 turkeys, because our ovens are small. We're using a couple of different apartment's ovens to do all this. R's brother lives in our building and will be dining with us, so he's agreed to help, and their mother was sweet enough to offer to help buy the turkey(s).</div>
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Due to shared fridge/freezer space being super crowded, to save room we're <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2014/11/my-foolproof-turkey-gravy-tips.html" target="_blank">COOLER BRINING</a> thanks to abeautifulmess.com's Emma Chapman. She's walking us through that and possibly a couple of other things. I've taken the recipe and made a 1 page word document complete with ingredients in shopping list format, tools necessary listed, and easy to read and follow instructions, happy to share if there's any interest.</div>
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In Excel I've worked out a time table of what dishes we're making, how much time they'll each take, and when they need to be started in order for oven use efficiency. Practically an oven schedule. I highly recommend this, as cooking around a turkey in a small oven is not an easy task to do.</div>
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AND MAN OH MAN</div>
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While composing this little pre-post, our Bishop just sanctioned it the ysa ward thanksgiving dinner. Bad news - more people. Good news - budget.</div>
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HOW WE'RE FITTING (so far)</div>
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Our kitchen barely fits 4. Our living room fits 5 comfortably. They're open all the way across, so my idea as it stands is to by a folding long table and use it (smashed against our small dining table) and borrow some chairs to add to the arrangement to seat everyone. If more people show than we can fit, we'll do it asian style in the hallway. We'll take the foods and serving utensils and line the center of the hall, throw some pillows on the ground on the edges, and have everyone guard their cups in their laps. If we use the table, we'll use brown craft paper as a cover and put little mad-libs, games, and "thankful for" lists at everyone's seats. So far the menu goes as below:</div>
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Melody's Secret Holiday Hooch</div>
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-this isn't actual "hooch" but it's a fun mocktail. No recipe being shared. This stays a secret.</div>
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Tinsman Green Bean Casserole</div>
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Hodgson Turkeys</div>
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All Knight Stuffing</div>
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Corn bread</div>
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Cranberry sauce</div>
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<a href="http://completerecipes.com/Creamy-Crock-Pot-Mashed-Potatoes.html?back_url=./" target="_blank">Creamy Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes</a></div>
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Pumpkin Pie</div>
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<a href="http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2014/09/fall-salads/" target="_blank">Salad</a> (which I would like to point out, I wont eat - but I will serve, as I know it's a dinner party necessity)</div>
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Bacon Wrapped Asparagus</div>
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<a href="http://kidsumers.ca/2011/10/thanksgiving-recipe-candied-yams/" target="_blank">Candied Sweet Potatoes</a></div>
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Dinner Rolls</div>
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Giblet Gravy</div>
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Some sort of cookies</div>
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Some sort of cupcakes</div>
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Egg nog</div>
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Sparkling Cider</div>
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All in all, we'll get through it somehow, and I'm sure it will be a whirlwind.<br />
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<li>Important things to remember - play music during prep to keep the mood up. Some subtle jazz intrigues the ears and keeps things positive and calm.</li>
<li>Probably turn on A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and set out the appetizers 20 minutes before you expect the guests to arrive.</li>
<li>Keep the dishwasher empty so the clean-up moves faster and DONT LEAVE OUT INGREDIENTS when you're done. Whatever you can prep the night before, prep the night before. </li>
<li>Make sure you have all necessary bowls, pans, pots, tongs, and tools necessary to prepare and serve each dish. Maybe even make sure you have one of each required tool per dish that requires it.</li>
<li>Delegate.</li>
<li>Keep smiling - it'll keep everyone else slightly happier.</li>
<li>Delegate.</li>
<li>Light fall scented candles or use potpourri to set the atmosphere.</li>
<li>Delegate.</li>
<li>If space won't allow anything else, use a buffet style service. I think we'll do this for the non-finger foods anyway.</li>
<li>Have plenty of ice on hand.</li>
<li>Nothing is impossible. If dinner is late, it's late.</li>
<li>Timers were invented for a reason.</li>
<li>Keep your schedule close at hand and have all recipes printed so that wifi/phone service doesn't delay anything.</li>
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I guess we'll see how this is going tomorrow night. I'll be heading to the store after work, and I'm positive I'll forget stuff. Tell me about your thanksgiving plans in the comments! Any cool recipes or tips or traditions! I love this stuff.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-46176221193090046282014-06-03T16:57:00.000-05:002014-06-03T16:57:29.282-05:00Brovo, UtahSo this year, I've been learning to survive in the <strike>Wild Wild West,</strike><br />
<strike>Mountains</strike><br />
Brovosphere.<br />
Utah is so full of adventurers and outdoorsy people. Every social media profile has a photo of the person either snowboarding or rock climbing or there's some majestic arch in the background. Cyclists and Joggers litter the trails and sidewalks at all hours of the day and night. Hot tub hopping is considered a widely acceptable social activity, and joining strangers in games of soccer, football, softball, and frisbee is not considered strange at all. Longboarding is a group activity. Hiking is a daily occurrence for many.<br />
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My phone is constantly being blown up by Gold's Gym on University inviting me to use my free guest day that my friends with memberships there keep signing me up for. My office has a volleyball court, indoor gym, horseshoe pit, ping pong tables, and pool table. Across the street, a <a href="http://www.provobeach.com/" target="_blank">local entertainment center</a> (similar to Dave and Busters or Main Event) includes a ropes course and indoor surfing, but instead of a bar, they have an ice cream shop. The dance halls serve bottled water and powerade, as do the concert venues (where talking is discouraged during a performance, and wild movements can get you escorted outside).<br />
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Men here... We'll save that bit for later. Let's just say I won't be settling down with anyone from the Valley anytime <strike>soon</strike> ever.<br />
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Now this does not go for all of Utah. Nor for every native. I even believe that the majority of people who live in Utah Valley are transplants from other states or countries. The Provo/Orem area is constantly offering something fun to do, like new restaurant openings or <a href="http://www.rooftopconcertseries.com/" target="_blank">the rooftop concert series</a>. Bands that start up here have a tendency to be above average, like <a href="http://thenewelectricsound.com/" target="_blank">The New Electric Sound</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WestwardTheTide" target="_blank">Westward the Tide</a>, and I'm sure you've heard of <a href="http://www.fameisdead.com/" target="_blank">Neon Trees</a> and <a href="http://www.imaginedragonsmusic.com/" target="_blank">Imagine Dragons</a>. And there are food trucks EVERYWHERE. I'm eating Fiore pizza right now and it was worth the one hour line outside my office.<br />
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But a large percentile of the population do things a very different way from the outside world. Almost everything is closed by 11pm, and most places are open late only Friday nights, as Sunday mornings most everyone is at church. <a href="http://saltlakecomiccon.com/2014-salt-lake-comic-con-tickets/" target="_blank">ComiCon SLC</a> was vastly less scandalous than my own home state's. If you don't think <a href="http://dining.byu.edu/creamery/" target="_blank">BYU Creamery</a> Ice Cream is the best, you're not American (as a southerner, I can't lie and say it's better than Blue Bell). All carbonated beverages are "pop." If you don't drive at least 20 over the speed limit, you drive like an old person. You have to drive out of state to see a decent baseball game. People CLAP at the end of movies - this drives me up a wall. Applause. In a cinema. Not just on premiere night. The prettiest plant life here is beautiful to look at, but get close enough to smell it and you're going to be sick. There are these trees with tiny little white blossoms that get everywhere and in the spring they smell like fish and ravioli. YUCK.<br />
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Where I'm from, confident men and women are considered a rarity and are usually well received and respected for their character. If someone walked up to me and made it clear with some degree of charm that they were attracted to me, they'd win some brownie points. Extra if I reciprocated said attraction. Here, if you approach someone and tell them how you feel, you're red flagged. Only players do that. Regular, good people beat around the bush and aren't bold in any way. YAWN.<br />
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The majority of the ladies I've encountered are very picky and have somewhat ridiculous standards for their eventual soulmate. I've heard everything from "He has to have all of his adult teeth and no cavities," to "He must know how to give a warm stone massage." To make things worse, many of the men who don't have equally strange and high standards ("She must weigh less than 120 lbs." or "She can't have ever kissed anyone else.") fall into the category of "Brovo." These young men are often summer salesmen (but not all salesmen fall under this category), have gym memberships they use daily, collect flat-brimmed hats and v-neck shirts, and a false sense of manhood they feel they've earned from the number of girl's they've had fall for them. They often are difficult to talk to about anything aside from work or working out. Deep conversations are unheard of with these types, and wit is wasted on them.<br />
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All in all, for young newly weds or families, Utah Valley is a WONDERFUL place to live. Your children will be safe and well educated, and there is plenty to do as a family. As a single student who wasn't raised in the suburbs and likes to live life a little closer to the edge, I can't wait to be done with school so I can get out of here. I work for a wonderful company and I've made a lot of great friends. Brovo is a wonderful place to visit in my opinion, but when I eventually settle down, I want my children to know what the rest of the world is like. I want them to be roudy teens, adventurers and travelers, well cultured and well educated and widely accepting of the way other people live. I want them to be proud of who they are, to know confidence and self-respect. Mostly, I want them raised in an environment that doesn't just nurture them, it tests them and strengthens them. My opinion - Provo is not the place for that.<br />
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These are my opinions, the bad seem to outweigh the good but I promise it's really equal, most of the good stuff is just generalized and the bad stuff I get specific about because I feel the need to. I know many friends who moved here and feel the same way I do, and I know many friends that may move here that would do well to be informed.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-43261683473963181052014-03-09T03:09:00.001-05:002014-03-09T03:09:35.831-05:00So You're A Stake Dance DJ! [Part 1]<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For almost everyone in the LDS community, the idea of having to attend a Stake Dance for the YM/YW is often one of nightmarish proportions. I'm not saying every stake in the world has these issues, but from what I've witnessed in at least 30 different US stakes, it's a general problem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For the youth - less than 5% are the outgoing type that thrive on social interactions and are good at getting the party started. The percentage of those who are willing to risk embarrassment to try and have a little fun is barely any higher. You either go because you WANT to have fun (which is the case for most) or because your parents/callings make you. Often, aside from large special functions like conferences, youth leave these events disappointed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For adults - You're there for your calling or your kids. You watch the undead-like atmosphere jump to life during the line dances and occasional slow/swing song, then resume zombie business as usual when the song changes. You attempt to talk to the youth you know to encourage they interact a little with new people. If you're really dedicated, you even dance yourself or ask the DJ to (or as the DJ) start a snowball or other game to get things moving. Usually, this meets a lot of sour looks and disappearing teenagers. Man, you sure know how to clear a room, don't ya?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fret no longer, friends. This Part the First of a series of posts to appear over time is chock-full of ways to pump life back into the heart of your Stake Youth's dance activities. Before I left my home ward to go back to school this year, I had the opportunity to "spin" for the youth of the Weatherford, Texas Stake for the last few dances of the year, and both youth and adult have been coaxing me to return for the summer dances to step up to the stage again. What set the dances I turned for apart from the others? I'll tell you, and I will tell you more every few weeks.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-juBf5Sa9qzU/UxwgmGC-DAI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/bD140tQ_EDs/s1600/IMG_0729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-juBf5Sa9qzU/UxwgmGC-DAI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/bD140tQ_EDs/s1600/IMG_0729.JPG" height="320" width="297" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">STEP ONE: DO YOUR RESEARCH.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I cannot stress enough how much a difference it makes when you stay up-to-date on Top40 music trends and the response the youth have to certain tracks. Different regions will have different trends, as well, so you have to go to the best source to figure out what drives the beat. The best thing you can do is talk to your youth. Make a suggestion box, facebook page or blog, or hand out your contact information to the youth and ask them what they like and dislike about the way dances are now. Granted, there are bound to be some contradicting results. If there is no majority one way or the other, my advice is to do what you yourself like, as you have to listen to the music you're playing, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Use bilboard.com to stay current. A week before each dance go through the Top40 general list along with the top few of any genre that's particularly popular in your area or that fits the theme of the dance (ie: Top10 country songs for a Barn Dance) and review 2 things before adding them to the playlist. FIRST - Lyrics. They have to meet For The Strength Of Youth standards. SECOND - Rhythm. Don't bother with songs that have a mild beat. If it's too slow to be a fast song and too fast to be a slow dance, no one will know how to dance to it, so they wont. Remember to incorporate the new tracks with the tried-and-true tracks you already play that the youth still like to dance to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">USE I-TUNES. You can use iTunes to transition from track to track without a gap in between songs. Silence is not golden at these things. It's awkward in a bad way. Also, iTunes lets you keep track of songs by amount of plays, rating (I'll tell you more about that in a moment), decade, playlist, recently added/played, genre, and by using GENIUS you can create playlists based on a single track. Keep your songs rated yourself by paying attention to how many people dance to them. 5 stars is the best rating, and 0/1 is the worst. If not even a few kids dance for a little while to a track - it's safe to say that's a 1-star song. If more than 80% of the youth dance to it, go ahead and rate it 5 stars. This way you can clear out the poorly rated songs every few months to make room for new music. You can add comments to a song's information, too, so labeling them as a fast/slow/group/step song makes it easier to keep track of what you're playing. Time to slow things down? Find a 5 star song you labeled SLOW. Ready to raise the roof? 4-5 star FAST should do the trick. Need to encourage more people out onto the floor? A well-rated GROUP or STEP song (these are the ones people linedance to) will turn up the funk. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A tip about researching lyrics and rhythm: Sometimes, a really really popular song will have just one cussword in it. If you don't find it against your better judgement, you could try finding an edited version of the song with that lyric changed or deleted. If the rhythm isn't dance worthy to your teens, but you know they love to listen to it, usually you can find a faster/slower (Always try slower first) cover version or remix of it somewhere on the internet. The youth will really appreciate you taking this extra step.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Any LDS DJs (actual career DJs or just called to serve) feel free to comment any input you like! It's a forever-learning process, I know. We'll progressively get more in-depth as we go along, but for now the above advice should make a very sizable difference. I know it takes time and effort, but you WILL see results from this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Keep Spinning!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-24165401191653181062013-10-06T01:13:00.000-05:002013-10-06T01:13:10.529-05:00"Please, Captain, not in front of the Klingons."<div style="text-align: center;">
Guys. Idk if you've realized this yet, but I'm super nerdy. I love really nerdy stuff. I can't help it. Today I get to share with you my tips on a costume I did a few months ago for a themed party that was almost as fun to put together as it was to wear.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tho5W0Fdo38/UlD2fIRZfdI/AAAAAAAAAVg/HtTh9oq99TM/s1600/d651db86dc00cec070b5ad34dffc2160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tho5W0Fdo38/UlD2fIRZfdI/AAAAAAAAAVg/HtTh9oq99TM/s1600/d651db86dc00cec070b5ad34dffc2160.jpg" /></a></div>
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Okay but really. It's a super easy costume. It's a super fun character. You don't have to worry about fussing over it all through your event, and EVERYONE wants to take a picture with you.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEo8hUSkKzM/UlD2fiDwGfI/AAAAAAAAAVw/UCNDTBUM6yk/s1600/dbe41d8bbca03707eca5c334b8e7b08e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEo8hUSkKzM/UlD2fiDwGfI/AAAAAAAAAVw/UCNDTBUM6yk/s320/dbe41d8bbca03707eca5c334b8e7b08e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Okay. Not everyone... But all the cool people</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-965NbFyLcYo/UlD2dZomBiI/AAAAAAAAAVM/9vRXgk8Qe7o/s1600/721dc54b817aa215b645d7986ef50dae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-965NbFyLcYo/UlD2dZomBiI/AAAAAAAAAVM/9vRXgk8Qe7o/s320/721dc54b817aa215b645d7986ef50dae.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Alright. Alright. Enough with the pictures, you all know what he looks like. Here's my version below!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lQmdJymqkhM/UlD2dUE2OJI/AAAAAAAAAVU/KzZ2-5GgBeU/s1600/935936_10151669615914633_1175264201_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lQmdJymqkhM/UlD2dUE2OJI/AAAAAAAAAVU/KzZ2-5GgBeU/s320/935936_10151669615914633_1175264201_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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That's my dad, the original Trekkie in my family. I have a lot of fond memories staying up late on school nights to watch Star Trek with him. I'd pretend to go to sleep, then when he'd start popping some popcorn, I'd grab my blanket and sneak out of my room, fix myself a glass of milk, and snuggle up next to my old man for an hour of sci-fi filled awesomeness. I was a Trekkie before I knew what it was, before I knew what a nerd was, and probably before I knew what Star Wars was. Enough backstory, I can hear you all yelling like a herd of Monty Python extras already.</div>
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"GET ON WITH IT." Okay, geez.</div>
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I made due with what I already had, and being a huge nerd I had a captain's tee, not the blue uniform Spock himself wears. You can purchase the same shirt here <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/STAR-TREK-2009-KELLOGGS-ADULT-GOLD-T-SHIRT-sz-M-NEW-NR-/290988668933" target="_blank">on ebay</a> for roughly the same price I got mine for, off the back of a cereal box no less! If you search, they have the blue shirt, too. And the red shirt, but really... You don't want to wear that one, unless you're doing a Star Trek/Expendables mashup cosplay. You might notice mine is a tad more form-fitting, I did take it in with my serger, around 3 inches each side from the bottom to the sleeve. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RYKis4fTWag/UlD2dACkoWI/AAAAAAAAAVI/2ez0p1iAqAU/s1600/1380823_584965411541009_1363626724_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RYKis4fTWag/UlD2dACkoWI/AAAAAAAAAVI/2ez0p1iAqAU/s320/1380823_584965411541009_1363626724_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwd_GKQRiWc" target="_blank">make-up tutorial</a> I followed for the eyebrows. This girl KNOWS her stuff. I didn't use those ears, though. I didn't have any and I was in a rush. The make-up starts at 3:45 on said video.</div>
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For my ears, I followed <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/how-to-making-cheap-elf-ears-tutorial-for-the-hobbit-date-night" target="_blank">another video tutorial here</a> that just uses cello tape and make-up. It took quite a few tries to get right, but if you have someone help you it's a lot easier.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ElDu_EaZnIc/UlD2fOPkFwI/AAAAAAAAAVk/hXwnIN0tSdQ/s1600/cbae46f7441a6aa0c9e732bf0faa0033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ElDu_EaZnIc/UlD2fOPkFwI/AAAAAAAAAVk/hXwnIN0tSdQ/s320/cbae46f7441a6aa0c9e732bf0faa0033.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Okay, sorry, I know I said no more. (C'mon, though, it's Zachary Quinto, you know you liked it).</div>
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Back to the costume. That shirt, that make-up, and those ears, you just need black slacks and black shoes and you're golden. It held up really well, this last photo is after hours of dancing up a good sweat.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1F_OJ7k_8dQ/UlD9Ab8EvAI/AAAAAAAAAWM/3WuWgcPauSk/s1600/067.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1F_OJ7k_8dQ/UlD9Ab8EvAI/AAAAAAAAAWM/3WuWgcPauSk/s320/067.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Don't forget to share your own costumes! I'd love to see what your version of any of these posts are, or even your original costume ideas!!! One can never have too many options when considering the age old question, "What should I wear?"</div>
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Live Long and Prosper ;)</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-58001705805256294882013-09-29T22:45:00.000-05:002013-09-29T22:45:23.027-05:00DIY Onesie Wolf Costume<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MHcM_5AYoZU/UkUV9Tk1L_I/AAAAAAAAARo/87GaexMHuFU/s1600/Sat8.22.2012+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MHcM_5AYoZU/UkUV9Tk1L_I/AAAAAAAAARo/87GaexMHuFU/s320/Sat8.22.2012+020.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Howl cute would any kiddo look as the Big Bad Wolf? I can't begin to tell you how adorable the man cubs were last year as Baddie and Little Red together. They had a terrific time at their pack's costume party, and I'm sure a good deal of that candy had them up with the moon all night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Okay, I'm done with the puns. I think.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First, I went to Hobby Lobby. That's usually how I start most projects. I bought a brown onesie in the right size, a 1/2 yard of furry brown/pepper material, and a half yard of a brown knit fabric that was soft and close to the color of the onesie. This tutorial involves sewing, but very minimal. I'm no expert, and I survived in and completed this in one attempt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Figuring out the layout of a hood was the hardest part. I mostly eyeballed this part, and it worked out well. The important part is making sure the hood is deep enough and tall enough to actually hood the wearer with the desired effect. For Halloween, you usually don't mind a deep, loose hood, so if you're guessing, the longer the measurement, the safer. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JR0xRFqaa3A/UkUVWJIWURI/AAAAAAAAAQE/8-SagfRQtiU/s1600/Sat8.22.2012+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JR0xRFqaa3A/UkUVWJIWURI/AAAAAAAAAQE/8-SagfRQtiU/s320/Sat8.22.2012+007.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I cut the knit fabric a bit wider than the onesie it'self, since I'd be attaching it at the shoulders and back, the finished project will be about half the width of the armspan of the onesie. The length of the fabric I left as the length of the spool of fabric. This seemed to fit well on the 18 month old who wore it.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tk0GTsMbCs0/UkUVWhuiZ4I/AAAAAAAAAQI/oKG6inBygCg/s1600/Sat8.22.2012+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tk0GTsMbCs0/UkUVWhuiZ4I/AAAAAAAAAQI/oKG6inBygCg/s320/Sat8.22.2012+008.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fold the fabric top to bottom, face side should be inside the fold. Sew seems along the sides first, then turn right side out, and sew the bottom closed. I folded the bottom in a bit so there wouldn't be a rough edge, and used a zig-zag seem so it would be more durable.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9_Eaa8UX3oE/UkUVXxGn6bI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/qL3jVgGqIfY/s1600/Sat8.22.2012+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9_Eaa8UX3oE/UkUVXxGn6bI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/qL3jVgGqIfY/s320/Sat8.22.2012+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fold the same fabric down again, then in half.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sew a seem along the TOP where the fabric meets, then turn right side out.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sgz8MWnkVmM/UkUVjco4P2I/AAAAAAAAAQk/NbNquMBkv6A/s1600/Sat8.22.2012+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sgz8MWnkVmM/UkUVjco4P2I/AAAAAAAAAQk/NbNquMBkv6A/s320/Sat8.22.2012+011.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you bring the top seem to the middle and let the fabric open in the front, you'll see your hood is finished and now needs attaching. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ypqfATwR2o8/UkUVgZ4AazI/AAAAAAAAAQY/I14NfhZm9vM/s1600/Sat8.22.2012+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ypqfATwR2o8/UkUVgZ4AazI/AAAAAAAAAQY/I14NfhZm9vM/s320/Sat8.22.2012+012.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Like I said, it's better to guess big. This hood pretty much fits my head. I'm not 18 months old.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For this I just hand-stitched the hood onto the onesie. I found the center of the bottom of the hood, then the center of the onesie between the shoulders on the back, and stitched.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then take the corners of the hod, and attach to the front of the shoulders with hand stitches. The overlapping shoulders on the onesie made this really easy.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9VvzMOIDPEI/UkUVpnQYDTI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/YuE4n7QnCPk/s1600/Sat8.22.2012+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9VvzMOIDPEI/UkUVpnQYDTI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/YuE4n7QnCPk/s320/Sat8.22.2012+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next, cut tail from the furry fabric. This part is messy, I suggest you do it outside if possible, or over a wide mouthed trash bin. The fur got everywhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For the tail, I just folded the fur fabric in half and cut long mirrored acute triangles. I sewed a single seem down the center to hold it together. I didn't take photos of this part, I apologize.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To place the tail, center it about waist-level on the back of the onesie. I pointed the tail upward and sewed a seem along the bottom, so the tail would fall with some curve.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-isxWuWUvF_I/UkUVwYZlY-I/AAAAAAAAARQ/nH52fMxG6yk/s1600/Sat8.22.2012+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-isxWuWUvF_I/UkUVwYZlY-I/AAAAAAAAARQ/nH52fMxG6yk/s320/Sat8.22.2012+017.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At the moment I do not have a photo of the entirely finished product, which featured EARS, too. Those were just cut triangles from the fur as well, same as the tail only small, and attached equidistant from the center seem on the top of the hood. I also used excess fur to make leg warmers and wristbands for our little wolf, those were just strips sewn onto his black leggings and tied onto his wrists. Little Red will be posted soon!</span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-9324732686418562622013-09-27T00:05:00.000-05:002013-09-27T00:05:20.544-05:00Refashion an Old Mask<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know I'm not the only one that goes into that kitschy import store in the mall and falls in love with a lot of things I ended up using a maximum of ONE TIME. Friends, I fall victim to the wall of masks at <a href="http://www.earthboundtrading.com/" target="_blank">Earthbound Trading Co.</a> every single time I walk into any of their locations. Even at the local party store, those papier-mache faces just steal my gaze. But if you plan on reusing them year to year, you're going to either have to be extra careful, or very prepared to retouch those beauties. The latter isn't very hard, as I'll show you today!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I recently received an invitation to a HUGE masquerade party. If you don't know me personally, you may not be aware that I have fantasized about going to one since I was a little girl. You may think of some recent <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cad=rja&ved=0CD0QtwIwBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D64K31VmArkc&ei=PQVFUo-sC4fl2AXjvIFQ&usg=AFQjCNHhdJ1ij_QH2ljOMYZku2W35kURZA&sig2=CnlAmPVdiAkV5gdyfkapsA&bvm=bv.53217764,d.b2I" target="_blank">television episode of a popular show</a> featuring elegant ballgowns and tailored tuxedos. Personally, my first thought was the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwoLNtUuCVk" target="_blank">Masquerade scene in Phantom of the Opera</a>. I'm actually planning a big road trip with friends to the event, as it's out of state, and asking someone particularly special to be my arm candy for the evening. I want the weekend to live up to my expectations, and since I'll be asking someone as my date, I realized it's only fair I provide them with a mask as he may not be prepared.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, I need TWO masks. One for me, one for him. I happen to never throw anything away, so I'll be using one from a previous Halloween costume, and another from a past Mardi Gras celebration. This tutorial is great for a mask that just needs some retouches or even if you just dislike the color. You can also use this on an undecorated mask to give it the look you'd like.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What you'll need:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">[Mask]ing tape (Couldn't resist)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hot Glue Gun</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Exacto Cutting Tool (OPTIONAL)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Spray Paint (Try and think of what you'll be wearing with it when choosing a color)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Start by looking at your mask and decide what needs to be done, then follow what steps you find necessary out of this tutorial.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This mask had pieces chipped with the paint that were necessary to the textured swirling pattern.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vF6Z2YfAVkU/UkUKJvRAEYI/AAAAAAAAANg/MOpLq75dYHA/s1600/sdcardmask+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vF6Z2YfAVkU/UkUKJvRAEYI/AAAAAAAAANg/MOpLq75dYHA/s320/sdcardmask+026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I guessed at the finished look of the pattern and filled in the missing parts with the glue gun. My gun is a little old and my hands are a bit shaky, so my lines aren't perfect, but I don't consider them noticeable to those who don't read my blog. You'll see them better on the painted mask nearer the end of the post.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9iMwnUUunTM/UkUKSOTCToI/AAAAAAAAANw/VoYQAeDeoVY/s1600/sdcardmask+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9iMwnUUunTM/UkUKSOTCToI/AAAAAAAAANw/VoYQAeDeoVY/s320/sdcardmask+027.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp0GTIhNP1E/UkUKTfWPbUI/AAAAAAAAAN8/ztQuQ8P8Yvk/s1600/sdcardmask+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp0GTIhNP1E/UkUKTfWPbUI/AAAAAAAAAN8/ztQuQ8P8Yvk/s320/sdcardmask+028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next I wanted to conserve the sheet music artwork on the mask already. To do this, I took small bits of masking tape and pressed them over the parts I wanted untouched. I used the Exacto Cutting Tool to get better definition and tear away the excess tape so I wouldn't have to worry about the old colors showing through after the painting process. I had the thought that I could take either more music or pages from an old book and Mod Podge them onto the mask after painting, but the masking tape was just as efficient.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GQDVARe2itM/UkUKS3ZyMII/AAAAAAAAAN4/P8mv1MXdCnU/s1600/sdcardmask+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GQDVARe2itM/UkUKS3ZyMII/AAAAAAAAAN4/P8mv1MXdCnU/s320/sdcardmask+029.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Alright, a final look before going outside to paint...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">OH RIGHT I don't want those ribbons all crunchy with dry paint! Cover those with some tape, too. I just went about halfway down each ribbon, making sure the tape didn't stick to the actual mask.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JC5k3xSE3DA/UkUKdED4c-I/AAAAAAAAAOM/HTjS3CrGO44/s1600/sdcardmask+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JC5k3xSE3DA/UkUKdED4c-I/AAAAAAAAAOM/HTjS3CrGO44/s320/sdcardmask+031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Time to paint! I love painting. Even spray painting. I used a Metallic Silver on this mask, and a Satin Red on the other that you'll see near the end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PLEASE make sure you paint on a surface you don't mind getting permanently altered, and in a well ventilated area. Outside in a remote part of my backyard near my shop is where I set up my little pedestal (empty peach cans work great).</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8Gu3ZtHbpY/UkUKfS9GSeI/AAAAAAAAAOU/QSDWmabjlQs/s1600/sdcardmask+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8Gu3ZtHbpY/UkUKfS9GSeI/AAAAAAAAAOU/QSDWmabjlQs/s320/sdcardmask+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Follow the safety guidelines and instructions on the can's label. Also, don't forget to check under the ribbon and along the edges of the mask for old color to cover. I also painted the back of this one, as it had some writing on it I wanted to cover.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fL0OIzQnDF8/UkUKsFiT2tI/AAAAAAAAAOw/KCmFpk7wXFI/s1600/sdcardmask+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fL0OIzQnDF8/UkUKsFiT2tI/AAAAAAAAAOw/KCmFpk7wXFI/s320/sdcardmask+036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Make sure you didn't miss any spots and allow to dry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next, remove your tape, and you're done!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My other mask, the one I'll be wearing myself, I had to repair where the ribbons attach to the inside of the mask. The end were glued and tipped with felt circles to prevent the ribbon from coming loose, but the base white paint on the inside of the mask came off where it was glued, detaching the entire ribbon. This happened on both sides, and I repaired it twice. The first time I used glue dots, found in the scrapbooking section of your local hobby store or WalMart. The second time I used Gorilla Glue. The second repair seems much more permanent than the first.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This mask was originally a darker red with gold glitter accents, but the paint had chipped, and I had Red Satin spray paint from a previous project lying about. Voila.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If we happen to be at the same Masquerade this fall, be on the lookout for the supermegafoxyawesomehot couple wearing these, and feel free to say hi!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-51184294978212856902013-02-25T23:24:00.001-06:002013-02-25T23:24:15.599-06:00UnMASKing the SecretHave you ever used masking tape? Also referred to (somewhat misguidedly) as painter's tape? Usually found in beige or blue, and commonly used like duct tape in a 2" wide variety... This stuff is fantastic, but so frustrating. You start to peal it, and no matter how painstakingly slowly and carefully you go, it separates too early from the sides and leaves you with an angled edge on a piece usually much shorter than you'd planned. HOW ON EARTH DO I FIX THIS PROBLEM???... I thought to myself as I attempted to use it to patch a crack missing trim beneath a windowsill in our little home. So of course, after many a failed attempt at discovering the secret to a good clean tear, I did what I should have done in the first place. I turned to the internet for answers.<br />
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AND I FOUND THE SECRET. Right <a href="http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?t=80656&sid=fe79fa5e94a252ee80c23102a88223f8" target="_blank">here.</a> All you have to do is just what it says. Grip the roll with a few fingers on the inside of the ring and your thumb across the tape below the start of the tear, applying firm pressure. Unroll the tape at a shallow angle, maintaining that pressure (I would stop and move my thumb along with the separating edge of the tape every 2-3 inches). Get the measure of length desired, and tear! Presto! It's easier with a new roll of tape, or a roll with clean, even sides, no dents. If you store it properly, it should stay in like-new shape for a long time and last you quite a few smaller projects. :) Now you know!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-770197544267948702013-02-19T02:03:00.001-06:002013-02-19T02:03:46.594-06:00Éirinn go BráchOkay. So I'm super proud of my Irish heritage. If I could travel anywhere in the world, I'd go to the Emerald Isle and never leave ever again. So I try and do something each year to observe St. Patrick's Day in at least some small way or another. Last year I was working at a TGI Friday's when it came about, and I forced my cheer and blarney down all of my coworkers throats, haha. This year I'll probably have to work the night in the bar/grill to make some extra money, but that won't stop me from celebrating, at least during the day.<br />
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Here are a few bands/songs, movies, and recipes to make your St. Patty's a little bit greener. I'll probably include all of them in my own festivities, invite a few friends over for the movies, and post the drink recipes in the bar to share with all of the regulars celebrating there while I work. I know some of these aren't <i>really </i>Irish, but if one of the characters prevalent throughout the majority of the story is, than I'll take it.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MUSIC</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/artist/dropkick-murphys" target="_blank">Dropkick Murphys (Youtube Channel)</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89NjEeHku8o" target="_blank">Flogging Molly (Drunken Lullabies - Youtube)</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/artist/the-young-dubliners" target="_blank">The Young Dubliners (Youtube Channel)</a></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtABzqLM2Ps" target="_blank">Ireland - Legally Blonde (The Musical)</a></b></span><br />
<b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7wprk-yYNY" target="_blank">Celtic Woman - Concert (Youtube)</a></b><br />
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<b>MOVIES</b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144117/" target="_blank">Boondock Saints - IMDb</a></b><br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1216492/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Leap Year - IMDb</a><br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426931/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">August Rush - IMDb</a><br />
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Recipes<br />
<a href="http://www.girlichef.com/2013/01/IrishCheddarWhiskeyFondue.html" target="_blank">Irish Cheddar-Whiskey Fondue</a><br />
<a href="http://www.partycity.com/content/st+patricks+day+drinks.do" target="_blank">20 Festive St Patty's Cocktails</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-83546650925078589752012-09-24T19:58:00.001-05:002012-09-24T19:58:58.024-05:00I was at Hobby Lobby the other day to buy the necessities for the kids Halloween costumes. I stopped by the jewelry section because Lil' Bit has found her way to my jewelry organizer a time or two and clearly loves it. Since she's Little Red Riding Hood this year, I took advantage of the Fairy Tales pendant collection and found some cute ones that went along with the story, 3 silver pendants, and a deep red chain to match her outfit-to-be. I rigged it up today with some chain maille rings and pliers she loves it already. While I was on the isle, however, I overheard some women browsing through the section. <div>
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"This stuff is so cute! I wish I knew how to make jewelry!!!" said one of them, at which the others immediately agreed it was a talent they pined after a little bit. Having just posted my first ever attempt at jewelry <a href="http://freshjuniper.blogspot.com/2012/07/diy-keepsakevial-necklace.html">here at Fresh Juniper</a> only this summer, I laughed to myself a little. I've never taken any classes on jewelry. I made a few bracelets in youth group and Campfire Girls, but it was more camp-craft style stuff. Button bracelets and friendship braids, etc. I just saw those cute little vial necklaces everywhere, and being and AVID Hobby Lobby browser (I make a round through the whole store every time I visit during a new season) I'd seen the materials already to make them. It was just a matter of putting it together. Charm necklaces are just as easy. You can teach yourself to do just about any simple craft. The hardest part is usually knowing what it's made of and where to get that.</div>
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I honestly just don't understand how you can spend more than 2 minutes in the jewelry section of a craft store and not realize that you could make a necklace by purchasing a chain/cord and a pendant. Yes, you can sign up for classes or read every Pinterest tutorial you can find, but DIY is finding something you want to make, finding out what it's made of, and putting it together. If you get it wrong, fix it, or just call it an artistic choice. It doesn't matter. I will post tutorials here and at <a href="http://freshjuniper.blogspot.com/">Fresh Juniper</a> in the near future. I won't do a lot of recipes, but I will show you how to do a few of my kitchen tricks. Costume tutorials with pictures to come very very VERY soon. If there's anything you'd like to see, please comment or contact me via Twitter (I really don't ever check my email, it's a lost cause).</div>
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Also, #NERDNOTE of the day, because it's Monday and I HAVE been acting like Garfield. This is for all you StarKid fans out there.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-61981257945296666082012-07-16T14:28:00.000-05:002012-07-16T14:28:20.331-05:00<h4>
Apologies and an Announcement:</h4>
Okay. I'm the worlds WORST blogger. My apologies. But occasionally, I will post gems. I've been busy since moving in early 2012, new job, school, BILLS (bleh!), and the feeling I've been missing the point. Now I'm back in the small town of which I am so fond. I feel like it's the same, but as in life, the friends I've had have mostly grown out of our relationships. It's not impossible to reconnect, but it takes a lot of effort in some cases. In others, it's as easy as a lunch date, or running in to them while out and about. But I miss the few a lot that are so hard to find time together with.<br />
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Anywho, it's almost time for the next chapter in my life. Melody in the Big City, Act II. I've accepted a job down in San Antonio, which is so different from living on my own in<br />
Arlington before, where I was less than an hour from home. Now it takes the better part of a day to drive back for a visit. But I'm very excited to head deeper South. I love Southern living. My Spanish is a bit rusty, but I like classic Texas a lot. I know almost no one there, and I'm very anxious to see how this all plays out. "It's all happening," as 'Penny Lane' always says. The feeling is familiar, but somehow very fey in the same instance. Life. It's happening. All one can do is happen with it or watch it through the windows.<br />
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People and the Old, Familiar Places:</h4>
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I haven't seen my friends from Arlington in almost a month, and I've all but severed my strongest tie to the city. I feel I moved for the wrong reasons, and I realized that my original decision to stay as close to there as possible was made for the same general reason. So, I've reset the board, and now the only person calling the shots is me.</div>
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In the meantime, it's great to see the people who've missed me. Even the ones I'm not entirely sure are friends. Some seem like less, and some seem like even more. All confusions aside, I'm glad they still smile when they see me. I'm glad I still smile when I see them. My parents seem happy enough to have me around, even though I seem to help out as little as humanly possible. I'm a terrible kid, I know. But somehow they still love me.</div>
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Returns and Reunions:</h3>
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In 9 days, one of my best friends returns from his mission in Mexico. (If you haven't noticed by now, I'm LDS - I'm not the most straight-lased saint, but I usually have good intentions.) I've missed him something terrible, and every time a song by Weezer plays on my iTunes or the radio, I sing out loud extra-hard as a symbol of how much I miss his humor, his face, and his terrible driving. I'll probably only get to see him once or twice before I move, as his family will be hogging most of his time. Then after I move, he'll leave to return to school in Idaho. Sad, but true. We'll still be great friends though.</div>
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I just heard from a friend that my dear friend Alex is home finally from South America. I hope I can see him at least once before I leave! His twin brother, Spencer, I've seen once since his return, but we didn't get any real chance to catch up yet. These two boys were Godsends in my young life. I would have never survived all those years of teenage drama without them.</div>
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Then there's another who will be home in November. I don't want to say too much about him, but he's a very dear friend and I will definitely be making a special trip home to see him, if only for a little bit, before he returns to school in the Spring. My thoughts are with this particularly dear friend every single day. I just hope little has changed between us in the last 2 years.</div>
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I've been so excited about the return of so many friends I used to spend all of my time with, but so disappointed out how much they've changed in so many instances. Don't get me wrong, the fact that they've served for 2 entire years is amazing, and I don't wish they hadn't at all. I just wish that the bonds of friendship had been a bit stronger when they left, so that we could weather time a bit better. I'm going to serve a mission myself sometime very soon. I'm scared and excited about it. I know it'll be an experience I will never forget or regret at all. But I also don't want to come home to find all of my friends have grown apart and no one likes me anymore. I know, that won't likely happen, and if it does, I'll just make new friends. But it's not a pleasant option to be on the table.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-37534245491639047862011-11-17T00:23:00.005-06:002011-11-17T00:50:16.929-06:00Lego Night<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; font-size: large; ">I know it's been a while...</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >I could catch yall up on every single important event since my last post (I don't even remember when I last posted, and I'm too lazy to check right now). That's not going to happen though. Tonight, I showed my friend Rian my favorite place to hang out. He drove all the way down here so we could play with Legos together, but my sister is sick so I had to go to</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" > my other home (Mill Street) with him. We had hot chocolate and built 4 sets, 2 larger models and 2 matching small star destroyers. I haven't played with Legos in years, and I'm definitely not the best at it, as Rian was quite judgey about my</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" > Lego etiquette and my own style of figuring out things. I built the 2nd star destroyer mostly by myself, without looking at the instructions, and trying only to look at Rian's finished destroyer to know what to do. After about 5 or 6 minutes of agitated grunts and sighs of relief, and 2 or 3 assisted deconstructions from him, I finished mine. Now he has a whole fleet. I'm glad to know there are other huge nerds out there who find joy in simple things like this.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UP6GtB7Rqso/TsSs6VWPLVI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/9Rx_1yk89Ps/s1600/IMG_4857.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsQh7vJxqlM/TsSs678I_3I/AAAAAAAAAGc/YtoZy1KaHOA/s320/IMG_4859.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675851558915997554" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 228px; " /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BEge6YFdBkk/TsSuNjzUGqI/AAAAAAAAAHM/eynPMNrFLJk/s1600/IMG_4863.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BEge6YFdBkk/TsSuNjzUGqI/AAAAAAAAAHM/eynPMNrFLJk/s320/IMG_4863.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675852978365668002" style="display: block; 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margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UP6GtB7Rqso/TsSs6VWPLVI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/9Rx_1yk89Ps/s1600/IMG_4857.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aeVEVnJgu4Q/TsSuMuUHmZI/AAAAAAAAAGo/8_TlbdJ9IzY/s1600/IMG_4860.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aeVEVnJgu4Q/TsSuMuUHmZI/AAAAAAAAAGo/8_TlbdJ9IzY/s320/IMG_4860.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675852964007745938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><u><br /></u></span></div><div></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UP6GtB7Rqso/TsSs6VWPLVI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/9Rx_1yk89Ps/s1600/IMG_4857.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UP6GtB7Rqso/TsSs6VWPLVI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/9Rx_1yk89Ps/s320/IMG_4857.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675851548556471634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><u><br /></u></span></div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LL-kaaLniJk/TsSs6CGvklI/AAAAAAAAAGE/y1J_lm7IC74/s1600/IMG_4856.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LL-kaaLniJk/TsSs6CGvklI/AAAAAAAAAGE/y1J_lm7IC74/s320/IMG_4856.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675851543391212114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 237px; height: 320px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hqb7QKYqyEQ/TsSs5bTyBzI/AAAAAAAAAF8/hlUuEIo-y4Y/s1600/IMG_4854.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hqb7QKYqyEQ/TsSs5bTyBzI/AAAAAAAAAF8/hlUuEIo-y4Y/s320/IMG_4854.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675851532976916274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-StbxAGYPZXM/TsSs5MAmYlI/AAAAAAAAAFs/O3_vMUdK4p4/s1600/IMG_4855.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-StbxAGYPZXM/TsSs5MAmYlI/AAAAAAAAAFs/O3_vMUdK4p4/s320/IMG_4855.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675851528869929554" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Infinite 'X's and 'O's,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >MJ</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289566685785461244.post-73905944490233363222011-02-16T20:35:00.002-06:002011-02-16T21:02:41.465-06:00Nerd Night :)Okay, so I continue the search for a new job. In the mean time, taking my niece to dance class every Wednesday is one of the highlights of my week. I made her a super adorable two-tone pink tutu with sparkles a few weeks ago, and when classes finally resumed today, she was NOT going to class without taking it with her. Now her teacher, a good friend of mine, wants one. :) I'm looking forward to making it, and this time, my niece is going to help. This weekend I'm going out of town to visit a very good friend in San Angelo. In the mean time, I'll be finishing some embroidery projects and doing some scrapbooking! YAY! Classes are slow, mid-term slow, which is almost as dull as finals. I guess I'm lucky, I never stress about these tests. I just pay attention (sort of) in class and read my books, and they're just like every other test I have, only more time consuming and therefore more dreadfully boring. Just one more semester before I take my long awaited 18 month break to serve a mission. Then I get to do what I love 24/7, not worry about dating, or school, or work. Just serving the lord. Cannot. Wait.<div><br /></div><div>TONIGHT: Is nerd night! I just finished watching a cheesy action movie (Bulletproof Monk) that I bought used for $4! I love when that happens! AND I also purchased a game while at the movie/game store, Gauntlet: Dark Legacy for ps2. SOOOO I'm having skating rink arcade flashbacks and playing it for hours until I either get sick from too much mint chocolate chip ice cream or I fall asleep from exhaustion. Kicking monster butt takes a lot out of a girl...</div><div><br /></div><div>Infinite Xs and Os, yall!</div><div>STM</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0