Thursday, January 31, 2013

Teach Me Something Thursday, Volume Twenty-Two.


According to the cheesy 80s flick, The Allnighter, "A babe in the kitchen is worth two on the beach." While some might disagree [especially if said babe in the kitchen burns water], you can't deny that a significant other who can cook is a plus. My mom whipped up a quick sweet treat that anyone can toss together!

Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter [I love Wilton cookie cutters]
Marble Pound Cake [or whichever type of loaf cake you prefer]
Whipped Cream [fresh, canned, or Cool Whip - your call]
Heart-Shaped Marshmallows [if you can't find them, order them]

1. Cut cake into three slices, about one inch thick;
2. Use cookie cutter to cut into heart shape; place cake on plate;
3. Put whipped cream on cake + spread to form a nice layer;
4. Put another piece of cake on top of whipped cream;
5. Repeat steps 3 + 4;
6. Put a dollop of whipped cream on top + place heart-shaped marshmallow on top;
7. Stuff your face like there is no tomorrow!


Super simple + delicious. Now you don't have an excuse to toss together dessert on Valentine's Day! If you have a fun Valentine's Day recipe or craft you'd like to share, contact me - I'd love to feature you.


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Iron Craft '13 Challenge #2: Orange.

Orange you glad I didn't say banana? Although that would be a fun creation, I'm glad I wasn't given anything too difficult to create just yet. Sarina + I both chose orange paint for this project, but went in two entirely different directions. Sarina went the route of spray paint on shoes, while I stared at the insane amount of paint chips I snagged at Home Depot, trying to figure out what the hell I should make.


Once we were in Sarina's craft room/dungeon/lair, I was trying to associate the colors to something. I had picked up a frame earlier at Wal-Mart + knew I'd be making some sort of wall art, but was still undecided. Then, it hit me. These reminded me of Harry Potter for some reason. So, we looked up HP quotes + decided on one that would be perfect for any mischievous person - HP lover or not!


Behold, a work of art. Total project cost under $5 + is insanely awesome. :)




Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Let's Be Friends, Week 3.

To say that I've been behind on blogging is an understatement. I've been trying to get back into it [I told you that giveaway a day madness broke my blog bone]. I missed the second week of the Let's Be Friends link-up, but I'm back for week 3.

1. What is your favorite season?
I'm a fan of Autumn. The air is crisp, I can unpack my sweaters + take a walk with hot tea. Sounds weird, but its so soothing.



2. Favorite holiday?
Its a tie between Halloween + Christmas Eve. The build-up to both holidays is amazing. The decorations, the excitement in the air - not to mention the holiday treats.


3. Favorite type of weather?
Sun shining, with just a hint of a breeze. Cool enough to toss on a sweater, dress + a fun pair of leggings. Perfect for afternoon adventures!

If you decide to participate in Let's Be Friends, send me a link + don't forget to link-up over at Forward from the Heart!

Monday, January 28, 2013

January Cara Box Reveal.

Last month, I posted about how I finally jumped on the Cara Box bandwagon. I loved it so much, I decided to participate in January as well! This month I was paired with Jody + Jennifer. While I did a bit of research to decide what to send Jody, Jennifer did her own digging to figure out what to get the girl who doesn't make resolutions for the new year.

I was super stoked to get my package in the mail + couldn't wait to see what Jennifer chose for me. The card was perfect, as I adore animals. As soon as I saw a Star Wars reference, I knew she had done her homework.


Erich was next to me when I was opening it + even HE got into it, which is surprising. Probably because he wanted some of the goodies she included. I had mentioned to Jennifer that although I wasn't making resolutions, I wanted to make a conscious effort to eat healthier. She sent me yummy snack mix + chocolate tea [a girl after my own heart]. She also sent me one of my favorite Burt's Bee's tinted lip balm, which is perfect, as my last one was in a hoodie + made friends with the washer + dryer [whoops]. She also snagged some awesome Star Wars goodies for me, too!


There was a small comic-themed Vader notebook [perfect to stash in my bag], a fun puzzle + my favorite piece of all - a LEGO Star Wars Yoda light key chain! She went above + beyond to pack my Cara Box full of goodies, which was the highlight of my week.

Make sure you swing by + say hi to all of these lovely ladies + don't forget to swing by Wifessionals to sign up for the February Cara Box!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Teach Me Something Thursday, Volume Twenty One.


Since Valentine's Day is only weeks away, I reached out to some of my blogger buds to see if they had anything up their sleeve for Cupid's celebration. Sally had an awesome idea + even gives you alternate creations for the rosettes you make. Enjoy!


When Michele asked if I would do a TMST for Valentines Day I was super excited and knew exactly what I wanted to do.  I have the heart of a crafter but the skills of, well...not a crafter.  I can't sew, crochet or knit, so I am pretty much limited to cutting and gluing.  My FAVORITE craft to make are felt rosettes.  I love the way felt looks and the rosette looks difficult to make but is so easy!  Today I will show you how to make a felt rosette garland that combines my two favorite materials:  felt and jute!

You will need:
2 sheets (at least) of felt
Jute
Crafters glue
Hot glue
Felt hearts (pictured but not used in the end product.  I was going to add them with the rosettes but ended up liking the organic look of just the jute and flowers.)


How to make a rosette:
1)  Cut your felt in half and then in 6 squares.  To make smaller rosettes take one of those squares and  cut in to 4 more squares.

 

2)  Cut a circle from the square.  SAVE the scrap(s), you will need them for the banner.

3)  Cut a spiral into the center of the circle, about a half-inch wide.  Leave a nickel-sized circle in the center.  Snip the pointed tip that will be the inside of your rosette.


4)  Starting with the outside of the circle begin to wind/roll the felt.  When you reach the end the nickel-sized circle will magically fold over the back of the rosette.  Use a generous amount of crafters glue to secure the circle in place. Make sure the glue has dried completely. 




Boom!  You have a felt rosette for a banner, wreath, hair clip or any where else you like!

Time to use your scraps!  Cut circles (they don't have to be perfect) that are about the size of the back of your rosette.  You will want this extra back for the banner project.


How to make the banner:
1) Measure the space that you would like to fill and cut  a string of jute to size.

2)  Lay the jute out and place your rosettes along the line where you would like them.


3)  Squeeze a generous amount of hot glue on the back of your rosette.  Carefully place the jute in the center of the hot glue and then top it with the circle piece of felt.  Make sure it is fully attached.

 

4)  Continue down the line until all of the rosettes are glued in place.  Make sure the hot glue is cool and dry.


Hang your garland!

For more creative projects, recipes + fantastic fitness tips, head over to Sally's blog, Forward From The Heart.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Teach Me Something Thursday, Volume Twenty.


Fellow blogger + sponsor, Melissa, brought to my attention that in Canada, January is Alzheimer Awareness Month. She asked if she could put together a TMST about the disease + I thought it was a fantastic idea!


As an advocate of Alzheimer’s Disease, I thought Teach Me Something Thursday would be a great opportunity to share some Alzheimer’s knowledge.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is essentially a brain disease where brain cells progressively degenerate. This irreversible disease results in the deterioration of thinking ability and memory.

Some important info:
  • There is currently no known cause or cure for Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging
  • Alzheimer’s disease is not an ‘old persons’ disease - people in their 40’s and 50’s have been diagnosed
  • Memory loss is not the only sign of Alzheimer’s disease
10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease
  1. Memory loss that affects day-to-day abilities
  2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks
  3. Problems with language
  4. Disorientation in time and space
  5. Impaired judgement
  6. Problems with abstract thinking
  7. Misplacing things
  8. Changes in mood and behavior
  9. Changes in personality
  10. Loss of initiative
More information and explanation on the warning signs can be found at The Alzheimer Society.


What can you do?
There is nothing you can do to prevent Alzheimer’s disease but you can do things to lower your risk, such as:
  • Challenge your brain. This would include playing games (ex. word puzzles, cards), learning a new language or instrument and even things like brushing your teeth with your left hand instead of right hand.
  • Be socially active. Engage with coworkers, volunteer or join a social group/club (ex. Rotary International, book club).
  • Healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy, exercising, reducing stress (ex. meditation, yoga) and regular visits to your doctor will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
For more information, check out Brain Health and BrainBooster.


To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease, please visit www.alzheimer.ca or your local Alzheimer Society/Association. Thanks to Michele for letting me guest post and teach you all a little bit more about Alzheimer's Disease.

Don't forget to swing by Melissa's blog, Dreams + Colour!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Iron Craft '13 Challenge #1: Cotton.

I mentioned on one of the various social networks I utilize that I was taking part in Iron Craft '13 with Sarina. Since the first of the twenty-six challenges was cotton, I realized this one would be easier than I had anticipated. I had a slew of cotton bags lying around, so I brought some to Sarina's craft lair [she has a craft room - so jealous] + we decided to use the freezer paper stencil technique on the bags.

I was trying to figure out what to make + decided to make something seasonal + musical. Ummmm, what? It makes sense, I promise!


These bags = best craft store find of 2012. They're great for creating gifts for friends + family.


Sarina's assortment of paints. I bought a few to include in the box, as I'm always using her supplies.


So, I decided since Valentine's Day is soon approaching, I would make something that would be useful + cute! I used metallic red paint + iridescent paint, to keep it cute + simple. This is a natural cotton bag + I wanted to keep it simple, seeing as the other side had a bit more color.


My inner Beatlemaniac decided that using a simple line from "All You Need Is Love" would be perfect. Even those who aren't Beatles fans can enjoy this simple, yet beautiful message. I made the O's into hearts + added an extra one off to the side. I drew all of my stencils for this freehand, including all of the hearts.

The next week, we thought that we had start the next challenge, but realized that challenges are every two weeks. So, we decided to just have fun with the extra bags! I Didn't finish this bag, as I only did one side + still don't know what I'd like to add to it. Next time I'm in the craft lair, I'll figure something out!


Are any of you participating in Iron Craft? If you are, let me know - I'd love to see your creations! 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Fashionable Frames for Free = Firmoo!

Last month, I was contacted by Firmoo to see if I'd like to give their product a test run. At first, I had no clue what they were all about, but upon clicking the link to Firmoo.com, I realized that this was a site that sells glasses for reasonable prices, cutting out the middleman [eye doctor's office showroom with fancypants frames that cost more than you'd like to admit]. Since I've been wearing glasses since I'm three [which is 90% of my life], I'm used to the dog + pony show. I am also that girl who tries on twenty different frames + gets that look from the tech.

With Firmoo, I could try on as many frames as I wished with their Virtual Try-On System, without having to deal with a pushy salesperson. PLUS I had my glasses on while looking at the frames, which helps loads since I have a tricky prescription. So, for about an hour, I virtually tried on frames. Here are the four I narrowed it down to.

1   2   3   4
Note: I tried to keep a straight face while taking the picture without my glasses for the Virtual Try-On, to see how the shape would fare with my face. Sorry if I look weird, ha!


I decided to get the dark woodgrain frames [bottom right]. Seeing as the glasses were free, thanks to the first pair free program, I wasn't sure how long it would take to ship them, due to my pesky prescription. A few days later, I got an email stating that my frames were ready to ship. Ten days later, a padded envelope arrived with my frames!

As I opened the package, I noticed that there were two cases included - one hard + one soft. An eyeglass screwdriver + extra screws were also included, which is always great to have on hand. A fun, green soft cloth with the Firmoo logo was also in the hard case. 


Before I tried them on, I was nervous that the prescription would be off. I don't know how many times I've had to go back to the optometrist to have them fix my lenses or the frames. Its super frustrating + its the reason why I only go there when necessary. Granted, Firmoo offers free exchanges + returns, so I had nothing to lose. When I put my new glasses on, I was amazed - prescription was perfect + they look fantastic! I've been wearing them non-stop since Thursday + have even shelved my beloved red Fendi frames [yes, I love them that much] I didn't even get that pesky headache I always get with new glasses - it was a miracle. I don't think I'll ever buy frames in-store again. The frames Firmoo offers are reasonably priced + fashionable, plus they also have sunglasses [yes, I already have my eye on a few].


If you have more questions regarding Firmoo's policies, the company itself or frequently asked questions, make sure to swing by the Help Center page - it has lots of useful links which answered many of my questions. Or, shoot me an email + ask away! 

As I mentioned above, I received the frames free via the first pair free program, but this did not sway my opinion in any way, shape or form. 

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Lets Be Friends!

My friend, Sally, decided to start a really cool link-up, called Lets Be Friends. I think its a great way to learn more about other bloggers + make some new friends along the way. This is the first week, so its an introduction of sorts, which is great, seeing as I have a bunch of new followers who probably want to know a bit about the girl behind the blog.

Age
I just turned thirty at the end of last year. So far, so good. I don't look my age + I'm often mistaken for a teenager, which is fine by me - it means that I'm aging well! ;)


Location
Long Island, New York. I was born here, but moved to Florida once I was in elementary school. After high school, I moved back for good. There is so much rich history here + so much to do. Plus, there's nothing like a summer drive on the island.


Fun Fact
During Summer 2007, I spent a month studying abroad in Italy! When I wasn't in class or relying on gelato as sustenance [rice gelato = best dessert ever], I was busy exploring + having a blast! We stayed in Rome for most of the trip, but adventured to Assissi, Capri, Florence, Tivoli + Venice.