The tape thing-a-ma-jig

Ok, so I know how to use a tape dispenser a tad better than this girl BUT the videos do accurately depict my frustration with the darn device!!  I literally have layers upon layers of tape on our boxes because I CANNOT seem to get a hang of the dang tape thing-a-ma-jig (I know, I know, insert the worlds tiniest violin playing the worlds saddest song for poor little me)!!  Today is a new day, I can only hope yesterday was just practice: may the taping force be with me.  Happy Tuesday, all!

A DIY Bridal Shower

This past Saturday marked the official completion and celebration of my bff's bridal shower!  After a couple months of planning, and crafting, and planning some more I was so excited to finally pull it off. 

Here were my initial inspirations:

Cupcake wrapper garland via Bedifferentactnormal

Doily jar candle holder via Tarasloggett

Banners via Bedifferentactnormal

Brown paper tablecloth via Host-itnotes

Table set-up via Meohmymama

Tin can favors via Somethinggreenevents

Paper flower via Meohmymama

Here is the end product:

The paper flowers!

The couple's framed invitation, doily jar candle holders, and dried lavender
made the food table a little more intimate.

Temporary cupcake holder made from a mug, two plates, and some hot glue...
total cost $1.30!

I couldn't get a good picture of the whole room so here are few detailed shots
of the hand made garlands.

Insert punch bowl in empty space and disregard the
pregame wine goblet.

Strawberry champagne cupcakes, fruit skewers, spicy sausage dip, fresh salsa,
and wraps with herbed cheese spread, roasted red peppers, fresh basil,
and turkey.

Succulent favors in peat pots with speech bubbles! Sorry for the bad glare!
They had cute sayings like "Hello," "Pick me," "Thank you," etc...

I was so proud of how everything turned out!  When putting together a DIY production you always worry about things turning out cheesy or sloppy, but I felt these DIY touches made the event more intimate and personal.  Even with staying up until 2 am the night before and waking up at 7 the next morning, seeing the bride smiling and the guests having a lovely time made every moment worth it! 

Now....on to the bachelorette party!!

You know you are living with a girl when...

She bundles and tags your excess game consoles:

PS. Note our sweet new duvet I scored at westelm for uber cheap!

Anyhoo, I have been in MAJOR organization mode as we prepare to move to another apartment and I have been itching to get my hands on the 7, yes 7, game consoles that reside in our bedroom.  As much as I fully support my guy's video game obsession, I don't think it's too much to ask that one of our rooms remains video game free.  Especially the bedroom...

On an a final note: The bridal shower this past weekend was a complete success!  Pictures and DIY tutorials to come!!

Hand[made with love]

This past weekend my darling boyfriend and I celebrated a year of love.  It was the most perfectly romantical weekend I could have ever concocted in my dreams.  We celebrated with a divine dinner at one of the most highly regarded restaurants in the city and nights out on the town with dear friends.  By the time Sunday night fell, I was feeling so loved and blessed.  As we were curled up on the couch, watching something silly on Netflix, I couldn't help but think it was one year ago that I kissed him goodbye in the Dayton, Ohio airport and he told me he loved me.  My, how so many things can change in a year.  In planning our anniversary celebration there was one thing in which I felt very strong: NO GIFTS!  With my birthday coming up, a move, an IKEA trip, and a wedding in Asheville I convinced the beau that a night out would be a gift in itself (especially since I didn't have to cook!!)!  But, if you know me at all, I can't resist a chance to get my craft on.  Let me start by saying, my boyfriend is a nerd.  A very handsome, romantic, sweet nerd.  He loves all things Star Wars, Star Trek, Apple, and video games (and I wouldn't have him any other way).  So when I saw THIS video on Urban Outfitters there was a certain thing that caught my eye and instantly made me think: NICK!! Pause the video at 2:15.

Yes, I decided to recreate the "Cinco de Mayo Stormtrooper helmet."  This is the end result:

After the initial shock of "what on Earth is this?" and my explanation of "but babe, it looks like something you would show me on Reddit!" he really appreciated my handmade token of love.

Side note: Ladies, if your guy has not discovered Reddit consider yourselves lucky.  It will suck any free time out of your significant other! You have been warned.

I have decided if one year is a Cinco de Mayo Stormtrooper, two years can only mean Chinese New Year Chewbacca!

Happy Hump Day!

A bridal shower in the making

One of my absolute best friends is getting married in October!  It was seventh grade when we met.  I was the new girl, and at the end of an exhausting first day I made my way onto the bus.  Since I didn't know anyone I was forced to sit in the front with the sixth graders, and if you know anything about the social order of the middle school bus, sitting in the front is not the coolest of places to be seen.  So, as I was on the bus, trying to magically blend into the green vinyl seats, I heard someone yelling "Jennifer!"  I thought to myself, "they can't possibly be yelling at me, who on earth would know me by the end of the first day??"  I looked around, and there was Jordan, with her beaded flower choker and a short cropped haircut, looking straight at me.  She then said, "you are in my French class, right?"  I acknowledged that I was indeed in her class.  She then signaled me to come sit by her.  I no longer felt alone at a new school.  To my great surprise, she even lived a few houses away!  From that day on, we grew closer and closer to the point of feeling like we were sisters from another mother.  We finish each others' sentences, blurt out the same things in syncronicity, and know almost everything about each other!  So, when she asked me to be one of two maids of honor, I knew I had to make sure everything from the bridal shower, to the bachelorette party, to the wedding day, would be absolutely perfect!  My first MOH venture was making invitations for the bridal shower.  I am the type of person who can't stand buying something that I know I can make, so when I stumbled upon this website offering free invitation downloads, my creative mind started a runnin'.  I found this cute bunting wedding invitation suite and thought I could easily turn it into a shower invitation.

With a little time spent on the computer, some card stock, and my trusty paper slicer (my new favorite toy, and an investment completely worth it for those who scrapbook, or make cards) they turned out great!

Monkey Monkey Underpants

If I'm ever having a bad day I can always count on Gilmore Girls to cheer me up!  There are so many things that I love about GG...from the countless pop culture references, to the high speed tempo of the dialogue, and most importantly the fact that I grew up with Rory.  We were in high school at the same time, we went through many of the same college experiences together, and we dealt with our fair share of boy drama.  On the occasional days in which I am experiencing ennui (GG enthusiasts should know exactly to what I am referring) leave it to a Gilmoreism to perk my spirits!  Today this (one of my absolute favorite scenes) put a smile on my face....enjoy!

via youtube



Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks

Every weekend I look forward to spending some quality time with my honey.  As much as I adore our dinner dates and meeting up with friends for drinks, it's always exciting to experience something different.  Last Sunday we had the the pleasure of being invited to a Durham Bulls baseball game, party deck style!  As fond as I am of beer, food, and sporing events, the idea of sitting outside in hundred degree weather didn't exactly thrill me (I don't have my southern skin yet).  In the end, I was SO glad I went.  The atmosphere was entertaining, the beer cold, the sunset beautiful, but my favorite part by FAR was the area surrounding the stadium:

Detailed brickwork and the Durham skyline

Beautiful landscaping and the great water feature that runs through the area around the stadium

One of the neat sculptures

I love how they kept so many of the industrial elements.

I couldn't get enough of the water element.  The combination of natural and industrial was amazing!

A train car. Why not?

I love the indoor/outdoor feel

And of course the ballpark!

If you haven't been to a Durham Bulls game, GO!  And definitely leave some time to explore!

BAM! Curry!

I have always admired Thai cuisine.  I'm intrigued by the culture's ability to incorporate a cornucopia of flavors while still maintaining a balance for the palate.  Throughout the past few years I have had the pleasure of trying many different Thai dishes but my staple is definitely chicken in a red curry sauce.  Luckily for me, my lovely boyfriend shares the same affinity so tonight I decided to recreate the dish we both so adore.  After perusing the internet I found a recipe that seemed to resemble what I have previously ordered and didn't look too "Americanized."  Thankfully I was able to find all the necessary ingredients at the grocery store and didn't have to make a separate trip to the Asian market (that adventure will be for another day).  Once I arrived home I eagerly started my trial run with Thai cooking.

First I cored and thinly sliced about 3/4 of a red bell pepper.  I also drained 1-8oz can of pineapple chunks and 1-8oz can of bamboo shoots.

Next I cut a little less than a pound of chicken breast into 1 inch pieces.

Then I brought 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth to a boil, added the chicken, and let them par boil for about 2 minutes.  I then removed them with a slotted spoon, set them aside, and set the broth aside.

For the curry I put 1 1/2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, 1 1/4 teaspoons fish sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 cup coconut milk into a nonstick skillet.

I then brought the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  I reduced the heat to medium and continued stirring for approximately 10 minutes until the sauce became darker and thicker.

Once the sauce reduced I added the remaining 3/4 cups of coconut milk and 1/4 cup of the reserved chicken broth.  I made sure they were incorporated then added the chicken and cooked the mixture for a few more minutes, ensuring the chicken finished cooking all the way through.

I then added the pineapple, bamboo shoots, and red bell pepper.  I cooked it a few more minutes in order to warm the pineapple and shoots, and to soften the peppers.

I then removed the skillet from the heat and added approximately 1 cup of basil.  I stirred the curry until the basil was wilted.

I scooped generous servings of Jasmine rice onto our plates.  I had made the rice earlier and just followed the instructions on the package.

I topped the rice with the curry and voila!  Yummy, yummy, chicken curry!

I was extremely impressed AND got the boyfriend's stamp of approval!  Other than wishing it was a little spicier (which could easily be fixed with more paste next time) it was perfection.  I hope my little adventure in Thai cooking inspires you to try something new!  And if your tummy has been rumbling while reading this post here is the chicken curry recipe:

Serves 2 hungry bellies (with a little left over)

1 lb chicken breast
1 1/4 cups chicken stock/broth
1 1/4 cups coconut milk
1 cup basil (Thai basil is best but I used plain)
1 red bell pepper
1-8oz can pineapple chunks
1-8oz can bamboo shoots
1 1/2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 1/4 teaspoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Follow steps above.

Shake and Bake!

I am officially a North Carolinian again! These past few weeks have been quite the whirlwind but it feels oh SO good to be back in my homeland. And what better way to celebrate being a southerner again than take a trip to a place of mystery, intrigue, and curious creatures?  That's right people, I attended my very first NASCAR race!  Let me begin by saying I definitely had my reservations.  I pictured being hot, uncomfortable, and surrounded by loud, boisterous rednecks.  I did not see the entertainment value in watching cars go round and round and round.  The biggest thing I did not foresee was having one of the best times of my life!  I must say, I have a new found appreciation for the sport.  When I first walked into the speedway I was instantly swept up into the excitement.  When the engines first started up the my blood started to surge a little faster.  And when I saw the speed of the first car go flying by I was instantly converted.  As much fun as I had watching the race, the best part, by far, was people watching.  So in honor of my first NASCAR experience I give to you my dear readers.....a NASCAR fashion show.  That's right!  I present to you the latest and greatest fashions of the NASCAR world.

Our first model is sporting very nice true religion jean enhanced by the camouflage boots in which they are tucked.  She is also confidently rocking the cut off t-shirt.  You go girl.

Our next model is sporting the very popular jorts.  For those of you who are not NASCAR fashionitas, jorts are otherwise known as jean shorts.  He is also wearing the ever so slimming sleeveless t-shirt which I can only assume he took the liberty to "de-sleeve."

These next two models are clearly showing, if you got it, flaunt it. Here again, we see jorts but in a nice alternative of white.  I noticed many NASCAR goers took the less is more approach.  In this case, less is showing a little more than I would like.

I spy jorts AGAIN!  These two models show jorts are the perfect accessory to your favorite NASCAR t-shirt. 

And finally, our last two models show us that bikinis and straw hats aren't just for the beach my friends.  When bikini momma picked out her outfit that morning she said no pesky farmers tan for me today! 

Thank you to all of our wonderful models for showing us there are no limits to NASCAR fashion (even though there should be).  I raise my miller light to you camo boot, bikini top, jort wearing NASCAR fan.  Thank you for making NASCAR about much more than fast cars, and for making me feel just that much better about myself. 

On the rocks with salt por favor!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

(and the end of finals!) 

I am quite the fan of any holiday that involves Mexican food and alcohol!  Give me some enchiladas and a large margarita and I am a happy, happy girl.  Sadly, today I will not be partaking in the Cinco de Mayo festivities as I will be feverously packing for Raleigh.  So sad.  Although, in the spirit of the holiday, I will be consuming sipping Coronas as I pack my life up in boxes.  A six pack of Coronas + packing...this should be interesting.  As I am not celebrating today, I dream about what next year's festivities could include.  I love the idea of entertaining, but since I have been a student the past few years, small apartments and being courteous of roommates have limited my opportunities.  Hopefully this time next year we (my amazing boyfriend/Mexican food enthusiast and I) will be having a Cinco de Mayo fiesta of our own.  I have been dying to try this enchilada recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman. It has been a big hit on several blogs and seriously, how yummo does that look??

{Enchiladas via The Pioneer Woman}

The Crate and Barrel Ria pitcher looks like it was made for batches of margaritas.  I adore the hint of color AND that it's made from recycled glass! Go green!

{Ria pitcher via Crate & Barrel}

To add some chic flare to any table, I think these Crate and Barrel cotton napkins would do the job.  I love that they are bursting with color and could be used for an array of occasions!

{Chloe Multi Napkin via Crate & Barrel}

I hope plenty of you are out there getting your fiesta on!

Ole!

Best friends are like bras...

...close to your heart and there for support!

I was brimming with joy today when I saw my bffbtb (best friend forever bride to be, don't hate, I dubbed her this when I had a whole pot of coffee surging through my veins) posted a shout out on her blog Put A Ring On It.  I felt officially inducted into the blogging world, I had a shout out!  Word.  Anyways, to any of you who may one day stumble upon my tiny slice of the world wide web, you should definitely check out her adorable blog!  And to my bffbtb, thanks for being such a great bra (haha, I just had an image of girls calling each other bra like guys call each other bro, oh how my mind works) you are definitely a dependable, brightly colored, push-up, trimmed in lace!

Oh the places you'll go

Seven days and counting until I am back in my homeland.  Oh, how I can taste the sweet tea already.  I can smell the freshly glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts (that's right, you can thank Winston Salem, NC for the invention of one of the most heavenly, melt in your mouth, confections ever created).  I can almost feel the warm sun on my pale, borderline transparent, Ohio skin.  Oh.  Did I not mention I have been living in Ohio for the past 5 years?  And let me say, it has been 5 years too many!  Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Cincinnati.  In fact, had I not lived here I would never have learned the following:

1. Chili is not something you eat out of a bowl.  It is something you pour on top of a pile of spaghetti then cover with a mountain of cheese.  This, ladies and gentlemen, is known as a 3-way.  To the 99% of you whose mind just went there, get it out of the gutter. 

{Cincinnati chili via whatscookingamerica}

2. If you hear someone yell "Who Dey," do not automatically assume they have turrets.  This is indeed the cheer of a Cincinnati Bengals fan.  "Who Dey" refers to the chant "Who dey! Who dey! Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?"  While I better understand its origin, 5 years later I still think it sounds like it was composed by a 6 year old.  And let's not even get me started on Chad Ochocinco (if you are going to change your last name to something so ridiculous at least figure out the correct Spanish spelling of 85....epic fail).

{Cincinnati Bengals via}

3. If you are dining in a restaurant and ask for a "soft drink" your server will stare at you as if you had just asked them to solve for the square root of an imaginary number (I'm studying for my math education class...math is on  my mind).  Apparently the moment you cross over the Ohio River soft drinks and sodas become pop.

4. Finally, a game in which you attempt to throw bean bags into a hole cut in a board is not as silly as it sounds.  When I first moved to Ohio I saw this game in bars and it amazed me that grown men were so intense about making a bean bag into a hole.  Cornhole had not made its way down to North Carolina so I was dumbfounded as to why people were so into this game.  All it took was one invitation to play and I completely understood.  As players around you are making their bean bags into the hole, and you are not, a sense of desperation overcomes you and you MUST MAKE BEAN BAG GO IN HOLE!!  Since I was first introduced, cornhole has made its way down south and I will be confidently packing up my mad skills (insert sarcasm) and taking them down there with me.

Seriously, how cute are these boards?

{Cornhole boards via topcornholeboards}

So thank you for the life lessons Cincinnati.  It's been great, but my my heart is in another place.

Let's be friends.

It's not you, it's me.