Weekly Photo Challenge: Something You Made

Whew! I finally get to sit down and take a deep breath and relax! It's been a busy few days.

On Saturday night I went to Deadwood, South Dakota with some friends to help my "soulmate", who is one of my best friends, celebrate her birthday, which is actually today. I got entirely way too drunk, which I slightly regretted the next day, but I had a blast! It was high time I went out and tied one on and danced my ass off with friends. (I tried on Halloween weekend, but I only accomplished the dancing my ass off part.)

Now I'm in St. Louis. The whole week. On a business trip. Those are two things I rarely get to say. 1.) I'm in St. Louis and 2.) I'm on a business trip. If I get the Manager's position at the NEA (I had my interview last Tuesday) then I'll get to say that second thing a lot more. :) That was another reason I needed to go on the Deadwood trip. The interview. I freaked out for days before the interview. I cried. A lot. Pathetic. I was a nervous wreck, but I went into that interview with my head high and they had no idea was a mess on the inside. I kept myself together. Whew!

Okay, I suppose I better get on with the reason for this post. Last week's photo challenge over at A Step in the Journey! The theme was "Something you made". I decided to photograph the bracelet I made last weekend. It was my first jewelry attempt. It is a wrap bracelet. I have been seeing them all over the place and I am in love! I have worn mine a lot this past week.

I got the tutorial here, at I Am Momma Hear Me Roar.

Here it is up close.  It was actually pretty easy to make once I got started and figured out how to control the length of the thread.

If you have a chance head on over to last week's photo challenge and check out all the awesome things people have made (and their cool photos)! 

"Art can't deny craft, but refuses to acknowledge it.  In the end they are still brothers." ~ Christian Barr

"Art vs. craft - eye candy vs. hand and eye candy with purpose." ~ Marlene Fitzgerald-Moore

Wednesday Wishes!

It's that time of the week again!  Wednesday Wishes time!  If you're new to my blog, Wednesday Wishes is the day I share some of the pins I've pinned on Pinterest.  They are things I love, things I wish I owned, things I want to try to make/sew/bake, places I'd love to travel to, etc.

By sharing my wishes you kind of get an idea of the type of person I am.  I'm a dreamer.  I'm a fun lover.  I enjoy baking.  I really enjoy eating!  I like to create with my hands.  I love to travel.  I strive to be a better person.  I am extremely determined.  I am who I am and there is nobody else out there quite like me.  I love that! 

Let's start this week with a most amazing picture!

                                                 Source: google.com via Brooke on Pinterest

I am in love with Sea Turtles.  Dolphins have always been my favorite animal, but there is just something about a Sea Turtle that lifts my spirits.  They are so majestic.  I actually got the chance to dive with one a few years ago.  It was amazing!  She was the talk of the dive and many of  us figured she was at least 150 years old.  Imagine everything she has lived through.  I only wish the pictures I took of her had turned out like the one above.

                                        Source: misispy.tumblr.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Ahhhhh, Prague!  I've always wanted to visit Prague!  I imagine it to be a beautiful, mysterious city.  I have a couple of friends live here.  They were my very first couch surfers.  One of them just got engaged a couple months ago and I'm hoping I'll be able to attend the wedding!  Of course, while I'm there I will have to travel the surrounding countries, particularly Romania! (Credit for the photo goes to Anthony Dell'Ario at www.oftheairphoto.com.  Great job Anthony!)

                              Source: kraftykat76.blogspot.com via Brooke on Pinterest

DIY beach glass jars!!  I am definitely going to have to try and make some of these. 

                                   Source: phlebotomytechnicianschools.com via Brooke on Pinterest

There are 52 experiments for kids to do or watch!  I want to try some of them with Pacen! 

                                       Source: midwestliving.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Triple Chocolate Mocha Truffles?!  Yes, please!  I love truffles!  Last year I found a great truffle recipe and made some for the holidays.  This year I'd like to try more!  I think these would be perfect!

The following quote is the end of this post.  It is a quote that fits me perfectly!  My biggest dream is to buy a big sail boat and sail around the world.  If not the world then I'd love to sail around the Caribbean!  Just stay on my boat, feel the ocean breeze in my hair, and breathe in the fresh saltwater smell!  *SIGH*

Source: Uploaded by user via Brooke on Pinterest

Weekly Photo Challenge: Shoes

Last week the theme for the weekly photo challenge at A Step in the Journey was "shoes".  Since I'm a girl there is always the assumption that I am obsessed with shoes.  Well, fine.  It may be partially true, but I'm not crazily obsessed.  I do love me a cute pair of heels or some super comfy flats and I definitely love flip-flops, but I don't have an insane number of shoes piled in my closet or under my bed.

My littlest sister, on the other hand, owns way too many shoes.  Way too many sneakers, to be more precise.  She doesn't even run or play basketball.  She just loves sneakers.  One time when we were shopping she saw a pair of expensive white sneakers and was instantly in love with them.  I just looked at her and said, "Raine!  You already own four pairs of white sneakers!"  That didn't sway her.  Like always she came up with some reason why these were different.  To me they looked the same. 

Even though I don't own tons of shoes I still had a hard time trying to decide which shoes to photograph for the challenge.  I have a couple of favorite pairs of heels and a favorite pair of pretty wore out flats.  I finally decided to photograph the pair of shoes that have carried me many miles.  Literally.  They are my running shoes that I purchased last spring.  They got me through a summer of training, a few small races, and my first half-marathon. 

Here they are in action!  :)  When I was taking this picture Pacen walked in, looked at the camera, looked at me on the treadmill, and asked what I was doing.  The whole time he had the "you-are-crazy-mom" look on his face.  :)

Head on over to A Step in the Journey and check out all the shoe photography!!

"I don't know who invented the high heel, but all men owe him a lot." ~ Marilyn Monroe

Wednesday Wishes!

Hello all!  I hope you're enjoying November so far.  I was, but it snowed about 4-6 inches yesterday.  It is melting as we speak, but things are rather slick.  I'm just not ready for the cold white stuff yet.  I really only enjoy snow during one day of the year and that is Christmas.  That's the only time I want to see white covering everything!  Well, and maybe on the one day a year we go skiing.  :)

It's rather late in the day, but here are this week's wishes/likes/loves/inspiration that I pinned on Pinterest!

                                        Source: icanfindthetime.blogspot.com via Brooke on Pinterest

I am in love with this bracelet!  I have always liked baseball.  I started very young with T-ball.  I'm surprised I didn't quit after the first game.  I ran the wrong way around the bases.  I remember the laughter.  Embarrassing.  When I got too old for T-ball we didn't have a softball team, so I was on the boy's baseball team.  I got hurt.  A fast pitch hit me in the elbow when I was up to bat.  It left stitch marks.  Embarrassing.  Eventually we had enough girls interested in softball that we got to practice, but we never played a real game. For the past 8 years I have been on the adult co-ed softball league.  I love it!!  When I saw this homemade bracelet I fell in love!  I HAVE to try to make one!  I want to put a St. Louis Cardinals charm on it.  :)  I have been a Cardinals fan for years and I was so excited when they won the World Series this year!!  Yay!!!

                                                         Source: lookslikespiltmilk.blogspot.com via Brooke on Pinterest

This dress is so adorable!  It doesn't look too difficult to sew and it would be perfect for weddings, graduations, semi-casual dinners, etc.  It could be dressed up with some nice heels or dressed down with some ballerina flats or sandals.  You could probably even switch out the ribbon for different looks.

                                                   Source: etsy.com via Brooke on Pinterest

I saw these coasters quite a while back and finally pinned them.  I really think I could re-create them.  I would love to preserve some of my running/triathlon bibs and this would be a great way!

                                                        Source: google.com via Brooke on Pinterest

I am in love with these concrete countertops!  I WANT!  :)  I happened to stumble upon a tutorial for making your own!  Go on over to Kelly Moore Bags and check it out!  It doesn't have the fancy edges like the one above, but they are still cool!

                                           Source: asmallsnippet.blogspot.com via Brooke on Pinterest

One thing I love about FWB is the fact that he is very willing to try "exotic" foods with me.  He loves Sushi!  Major plus on his side!  Haha!  Well, a couple weeks ago he took me to a Thai restaurant in Casper.  I had no idea it was even there!  I have always wanted to try Thai food.  We had fried Calamari for an appetizer (Mmmmm, so good) and I had a curry chicken dish for the main course.  I must say I wasn't too impressed with curry.  Neither was FWB (he was in charge of finishing my food cause I don't like to waste).  When I stumbled upon this recipe I was way excited!  I can now make a Thai dish at home...and there is no curry involved!  :)

                                           Source: bing.com via Brooke on Pinterest

I immediately fell in love when I saw this ring!  I have had an odd obsession with skeleton keys since I was very little.  It might be because in stories and such skeleton keys are mysterious and almost always leads to awesome!  Sometimes they also lead to something spooky, but still mysterious!  Okay, so I have a major thing for mysteriousness!  :)  I was shocked to find out the origins of this ring.  It is AVON!  Yes, AVON!  Unfortunately, it is a vintage 1970's era AVON ring.  :(  I wonder if I could make my own?

Well, thanks for stopping by and I'll leave you all with this week's quote!  Enjoy!

Source: pinterest.com via Brooke on Pinterest

(I want to re-create this for my "quote wall"!)

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sunset

Last Thursday marked a new photo challenge over at A Step in the Journey.  Sunset!  Well, I haven't been able to capture a sunset this week due the fact that the sun is setting so much earlier this time of year  and I've been busy in the evenings.  I'm not done with things until after it has already set.  :(  I would try tonight, but there won't be a visible sunset here because we are having a snow storm.  Ugh!  I did capture a very lovely sunrise this morning though...right before the storm rolled in!  :)

Okay, so I'm going to use a picture I took a few weeks ago when I was driving home from an appointment.  Unfortunately I didn't have time to pull over and take a decent picture so it's a reflection of the sunset in my driver side mirror.  Yes, yes, I know - I should not be driving and taking photos at the same time.  Very dangerous.  *blushing and avoiding eye contact*  :) But the sunset was gorgeous! 

I'd also like to share a picture I took a few years ago in The Bahamas.  I'm not wanting to use it as my challenge photo, but it's one of my favorite sunset pictures.  There's nothing like the sun setting on the Ocean!

And just for the fun of it here is a picture of the sunrise I took this morning.

There are some really great sunset pictures over at A Step in the Journey!  Go check them out!

"If I had a horse, I'd ride off in the sunset, where dreams, and shadows lie. To a life, where pain and sorrow dont exist, and to where hopes, and dreams become reality." ~ Unknown

Happy Halloween!

Well today is the day! The day of my favorite Holiday!! I'm so glad it's finally here because now I can finally get back into my daily routine. Costumes are done and have been worn to parties. Now I can clean up my material and paint mess. I have successfully made a pie (HAD to be homemade) and a decorated cake (Pacen's 4-H group asked all the parents to make these) and will deliver them to the Fairgrounds during my lunch break for tonight's Halloween Carnival. Hopefully I am able to deliver them in tact. I have nightmares of dropping them.

I am planning on going to the carnival even though Pacen won't be with me. The kids didn't have school today due to an in-service/work day so he is in Harrison with my parents. He's planning on going trick-or-treating with his H-town friends. It will feel so weird not going with him.

Would you like to see our costumes and such? Oh come now, of course you do! :)

Quinn and I.  We won 2nd place!!!  Our parents beat us!  What the hell?!  :)

My little Harry Potter!  I think Pace looks so much like him!  He also looks a little frazzled...maybe he just got done fighting Lord Voldemort ... Umm, I mean "he-who-must-not-be-named".

Pacen's class.  I just now noticed Pedro!  Haha!  I knew there was a Napolean Dynamite, but somehow I missed Pedro!  Wow, I'm so observant.  :)

Now do you want to see the pie and cake I made?  No?  Well, tough.  If you don't want to see them then just close this window right now.  :)

I got the idea for the crust here.  There are a couple other crust tutorials there too so go check it out!

Do you like my little Jack-o-lantern?  :)

Before I show you my cake you must know this:  this cake is going to be in a contest.  Whether I like it or not.  Since it's going to be in a contest and since I'm freakishly competitive I had to make something that I knew would be different from everyone else's cakes.  Something that had a small chance of winning a prize.  I turned to Cake Central for some inspiration.  Oh boy was I inspired!!!  By many cakes.  Too bad I didn't have time to attempt them all.  I finally decided to make the Ouija board cake based on this cake.  I bow down to your awesomeness AmberStar1066!  Your Ouija board kicks my Ouija board's ass!  I don't know why I didn't attempt bottom corners like those! Well, here she is:

My cake.  My off-centered Ouija board cake.  My off-centered, not-very-detailed-bottom-corners Ouija board cake.  :)  Do you think I have any chance of winning?  Even a small prize?  *sigh*  I need to quit being so damn competitive.  :)  Psssshhhhht.  Yeah right. 

Well, if you want to know how I made this cake here are a bit of instruction: I  printed off a picture of a Ouija board and taped it under some wax paper.  I then piped melted chocolate on the letters and numbers and transferred them to the cake, which is two 9x9 square cakes covered in Cream Cheese Frosting (tinted light brown).  I dusted some cocoa powder over the cake like AmberStar1066 did to give it the "aged" look.   I free-hand piped the corners.  The bottom corners of real Ouija boards are very...ummmmm...cluttered?  Is that the word I'm looking for?  Detailed?  Anyway, I knew I couldn't recreate them very well so I just did some lines.  I guess tonight I'll get to see my "competition".  :) 

Well, I hope you all have a spooktacular Halloween!!!  Be safe and have fun!!

"Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen,
Voices whisper in the trees, 'Tonight is Halloween!'" ~ Dexter Kozen

Wednesday Wishes!

Well folks, today is the final Wednesday Wishes Halloween Edition of this year.  Sad.  It's so hard to believe that All Hallow's Eve, Samhain, All Soul's Day, Hop-Tu-Naa, or whatever you prefer to call this awesome Holiday is almost upon us and will soon be behind us yet again.  Time has got to slow down!  This is ridiculous!  It just seems like yesterday I was getting ready for last Halloween!  Eeeeesh.

Okay, I'm done bitching now.  Here are some final Halloween loves/wishes/inspirations that I pinned onto my Pinterest (I'm so in love with that site!)!  Enjoy!

                                                      Source: burtonavenue.blogspot.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Can you believe this Witch's hat is made out of paper?!  Seriously.  Check out the tutorial.  So amazing that it really does look like hammered copper.  I think I am going to have to try to make a few next year.

                                                     Source: alabamaslackermama.blogspot.com via Brooke on Pinterest

I love what Alabama Slacker Mama did with these mannequin legs!  Genius!  Now I have to find some.  Haha!  I also saw another project similar to this except the tops of the legs were sticking out from under a welcome mat on the front porch.  Also a cute idea! 

                                                  Source: dahlhartlane.blogspot.com via Brooke on Pinterest

I love vintage things...or even vintage inspired new things!  :)  These are paper mache and I love the vintage look to them!  I think this would be a fun project for Pacen and I to do together.  I haven't worked with paper mache since grade school and I don't know that Pacen has ever even heard of it.  He would love the mess it makes!  Haha!  I would love the awesome vintage-ish pumpkins to put out next year! 

                                                                 Source: None via Brooke on Pinterest

How adorable is this costume?!  I love it!  I imagine this would even be a good last minute costume idea.  It looks like most of the stuff could be found at home, with exception of the balloon, but I imagine that can be found at almost any store that sells toys and such.  You could maybe use one of those punch balloons.  Remember those?  They blew up big and came with a large rubberband  that you tied to one end.  Aaahhhh, memories.  Haha!

                                                              Source: None via Brooke on Pinterest

Here is another sugar skulls idea.  This would be good to use for a Mother Nature costume.  Paint your face like this and wear a big puffy tulle green dress.  Wrap some vines around an arm and a leg and maybe put a bird's nest in your hair.  Hmmmmm, idea for next year?  :)

                                           Source: sweetcheekstastytreats.blogspot.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Ogre toes!  I imagine if Ogres were real this is exactly what their toes would look like.  Well, maybe there would be hair, but these are darn close to what I picture an Ogre's toe to look like.  :)  These are made out of those orange peanut shaped candy things, green candy melt, and fruity tootsie roll candies.  These would be fun to take to a Halloween party for kids. 

Well, I hope you all have a very spooky and fun Halloween!  Be safe!

Source: None via Brooke on Pinterest