Because...

Some days you just wake up with the shortest, darkest hair you've ever had.

I guess, I'll stop cutting it now...

 seeing as there is nothing left to cut.

(and if you didn't catch General Conference today you can watch it here)

Thrifty Thursdays: Mall Shopping

Yes, I know that shopping at the mall won't generally get you the best deals.

But, lemme tell ya, that's when you are shopping alone. 

First off, get familiar with the sales and scout out stores you might not normally go into if they are having special sells. 

Examples: Wet Seal's buy one get one for a penny sale, Claire's 10 for $5 sale

yadda yadda yadda

But here is the secret...well hopefully it's not so much a secret but you can always get better deals at buy one get one sales (Payless) if you bring a friend along and split the cost of similar priced items.

For instance, I got a pair of shoes for $5 because they sale was buy one, get one for $.01. 

The shoes were on sale for $10 but, my sister-in-law also wanted a pair, so instead of buying two pairs of shoes (there was nothing else in my size) she got a pair and so we each paid $5. Score!

I recently chopped off all my hair (even further, yea, IIII know) and so I picked up some spunky sunglasses to help me still feel girly:

AND I got a striped shirt all for a grand total of

babaBAHHH

$14.00

Wednesday: What the?!

Do you ever see something and think to yourself, "What THE?!?".

You know, the moment you realize that several, if not dozens, of people had to pass off on an idea before it came to fruition. 

(like the whole state-pride knickknack section by the check out of every Walmart: shot glasses, wolf statues, you know the stuff)

Russ and I have both been sick kiddos this week, so we've been getting real friendly-like with some (generic) Nyquil.  

In my half awake, snotty, coughing, groggy, stupor I looked at the front of the bottle and read this:

The MAKE it taste like that??? AGHCK!

I mean I'm a fan of the occasional black licorice but c'mon, what group taste tested this and said, yes ma'am that's Good?

....

Alcoholics, that's who. Alcoholics who just wanted some free alcohol in any way they could get it.

----

Does anyone actually like the taste of this stuff?

Tutorial Tuesdays: Setting Pleats

I absolutely love feminine touches on clothes! One of my favorite girly touches are pleats and tucks, but if you've ever tried hand pleating something (even with a pleater board-ick) you know that it takes forever!

And, here's the big bummer, when you don't do anything to set the pleats; all the hours of measuring and ironing and pressing and pinning and basting are for not.

They will just come out in the first wash. :{ So here's a quick way to chemically (don't worry, you already have everything you'll need) set those pleats to end up with great looks like these:

 

(ohhh Pinterest...before I get sidetracked...) 

You will need: 

A spray bottle 

A Press Cloth (muslin will generally work)

1/2 c. white vinegar

1 c. Water

an Iron

Mix the vinegar and water together in a spray bottle (be sure your bottle has a fine mist setting...) As you pleat (however you decide to do this; basting, pleater board, measure and pin...) spray the fabric with the mixture until it is lightly damp, also spray the press cloth (if you are using a fabric with a high heat tolerance, you may not need the press cloth) until it is damp, place over pleats and iron. 

Repeat until all of your pleats are set. Now all your hard work won't come undone in the first wash!

Thrifty Thursdays: Hunger Games For Free!!

Okay, so I've been dreaming about the Hunger Games.

lame, right?

Anyway, movie tickets are far too expensive for cheap-o-maniacs like us, so when we stumbled across this offer from Fandango, it was  deal we couldn't resist!

When you sign up for Netflix (just do the month free trial and cancel it before your free month ends) you get not one, but TWO free movie tickets through
Fandango worth up to $12 a piece. 

That's free Hunger Games!!!!!!

(You have to be brand spankin new to Netflix to qualify though)

Cruxing

I got spanked at the wall today.

S-P-A-N-K-E-D

And the hardest thing I climbed was a 5.9-

And as I was getting repeatedly shut-down by a gaston on a corner (a gaston, on the corner of my own route; to add insult to injury.) my frustration kind of owned me.

Not only was I getting beat up by the wall, but I was beating myself up mentally as well. 

Instead of taking a deep breath and saying "Self, you can do this. Your arms are tired and your fingers sting, but you have this. Chalk up and get some!"

I said...

"Self, you suck. Bad."

And then I began to talk myself out of things that I really wanted to do. Like go to Zion for spring break, and fill my Etsy store, and finish my bachelor's. 

I began talking myself out of things that were important, things that were good, things that-- all of a sudden-- I didn't feel good enough for.

--- 

After venting to Russ and seeing the hurt that beating up on his wife caused him, I took a deep breath, stepped back and, well...I pouted for a while.

But!

As the night went on, I remembered a time in my Canyoneering class (this all makes me sound super outdoorsy, don't get side-tract with that). 

(I'm the dot in the middle)

Around the middle of last year, was one of the hardest times of my life. I had just gone through a divorce, and was dealing with the backlash of insecurities that came with it. So, I ran to the wilderness...literally.

I was sitting on the top of Corona Arch just outside of Moab, Utah and as I looked out over the canyon and the swells of the sandstone desert, I was consumed with how non-monumental I was in comparison...and, suddenly, how high up I was. For the first time in my life, I had a panic attack. It was hard to breath, and I couldn't convince myself that I was going to be safe. In complete fear, I looked over to two of my classmates sitting several yards away.

"Tell me I can do this"

 I begged.

"Tell me I am going to be okay"

At the time, I didn't realize I was asking for so much more than the strength to rappel from a great height.

These poor guys, "You're going to be just fine! It's completely safe! You know exactly what you are doing, you're in control and it'll be okay."

I believed them just enough to inch my way over to the anchors (the dot farthest to the right) hook into the bolts and set up my rappel device.

Before I could think anymore about how scared I was, how badly my hands were shaking, how hard it was to breath, and how little I believed in myself, I lowered off the edge of the arch.

As soon as my feet left the rock and I looked above to see the vast, red arch, contrasted against the most vivid, clear-blue sky; I was okay (dangling 100 feet in the air) but totally okay. 

The feeling of conquering my fear and being in complete control over how fast or slow my descent was, lifted a heavy weight off of me (or maybe it was the adrenaline, regardless...). I could do this.   

The rest of the week felt like a blur of personal accomplishment. It was the happiest I had been in a long time...it was the happiest I had let myself be in a long time.

----

Even though it took the words of someone else to help get me to let go of my fears and self doubts, I believed them. I made the choice to have enough faith in myself, no matter how brief it was, to do what needed to be done.

All too often I get down on myself for not being 'strong enough'--physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually or otherwise-- and I let my insecurities get the best of me. But what I'm realizing is that there are enough hardships that come my way, without me lending them my own will to use against me.

I am stronger than my self-doubt. I deserve good things. I can do hard things. And, I am so very loved.

(And I'm totally one of those nuts who believes in affirmations- Whatever works, right?)

Tutorial Tuesdays: Sponsor Style

I'm pretty excited to introduce a new sponsor this week!

LDC Designs!

If you are looking for a new blog look, or some great information on HTML, LDC Designs is a great place to start!

For today's tutorial, check out her easy-peasy guide on how to make your pictures the same width as your text. (Just follow the link above)

She also has pages full of DIY and Free things!

So, if you aren't already following her, you're going to want to do so quick!

stinking adorable, right!?

Connecting...

I've been in a bit of a creative shlump lately. I went through all of my fabric and rid myself of the tiny scraps I convinced myself I could make something with, folded and sorted remnants and yardage, and became re-aquainted with this little plaid gal.

I met this fabric in my Grandmother's stash that she has long since given up busting. I had no plans for it at the time, but as I encountered it again, I was reminded of one of my favorite moments with my Grandmother.

She had come to visit my family in Maine and found that I had been trying my hand at sewing (I was 15 at the time) she patiently, but effectively --as is her way-- sat me down and helped me make the black and white plaid pencil skirt I had been attempting. We finished it, working into the late hours of the evening, only to find out that it was about 2 sizes too small. 

Defeated, we said goodnight and I drudged off to my room only to wake the next morning to find an identical (although 2 sizes bigger) plaid skirt, skillfully cut from the remaining fabric. She had stayed up by herself into the morning and finished a second skirt so that I could wear it to the dance that night.

---

This memory of my Grandmother is not one of my favorite simply because she made me a skirt, but I was taught in that moment a lesson on service and perseverance. 

As I find myself sewing, measuring and pleating this plaid beauty from her personal stash, I can't help but feel a little connected to her and hope that in some small way, I am like her.

It's been the perfect motivation.

Wanderlust

As Russ and I were talking, we (I) decided that we should go be climbing bums and just get a motor home of some sort and go camp and climb and run amuck for a summer.

When suddenly...

Be still my fluttering heart! Right? I found this beaut on Craigslist  down in Pocatello. 

Yea buddy, that's a bed, and $3000? A steal! 

As I pose this idea to him, he is going back and forth between accounting homework and practicing tying a double bowline on a bite through his belt loops.

I just need to catch the climber in him at the right moment instead of the accountant/business major and present the idea then.

Until then Fozzy (oh yea, I've already named it)

Wish me luck.

Greek Yogurt "Aoili"

In the middle of nowhere, (you know the one located in the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington side?) There is a little town called Bingen and in that little town there is the most amazing pizza (ahem, all local ingredient, brick oven, sustainable pizza) place I have ever been to, The Solstice Wood Fire Cafe.

Aside from the amazing, and unique pizza offerings, they have wonderful bread and side dishes--seasonally offered. One summer when I found myself in the cafe's cozy grasps, I ordered the seasonal veggies with aioli. 

I had never heard of aioli, so I asked my waitress who all but made it in front of me to give me the details of what is in it. In short, it's a fancy mayonnaise. But, oh buddy, does it taste goood.

(Un)fortunately, Russ and I are on our whole better-eating-as-a-lifestyle-not-a-diet...life...and so huge globs of mayonnaise (fancy as they may be) aren't really friendly for a veggie topper.

So! Tonight, I whipped up a little healthier version to accompany dinner (slow roasted cherry tomatoes and basil, with lemon chicken and couscous--much easier than it sounds!)

The trick is to use greek yogurt instead of mayo.

Greek Yogurt Aioli

(These measurements are pretty rough, play with it and the herbs to suit your taste)

2 tbs Plain Greek Yogurt

1/2 tbs Lemon Juice

2 Tbs Olive Oil

1 1/2 tsp smashed garlic

1 giant leaf minced basil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything into a little bowl, whisk, whisk, whisk, end up with a slightly runny concoction and pour over any assortment of veggies or vegetable thick dishes. Also makes a great salad dressing

....and let's be honest, anything fancy sounding that is super easy and delicious? 

For the win. 

If you are curious about a traditional Aioli Recipe, you can find the one pictured below, here.