Tie One On Tuesday: Movie Night

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to have a "drive in" movie night. We attach a sheet to the garage door, thrown down some pillows and blankets and watch movies outside. It is so much fun to invite friends and neighbors over to watch your favorite movie with you, under the stars. 

The good folks at Craftster feel the same way. In this crafty video I whipped up some yummy popcorn and refreshing flavored water for my movie night. Sweet and savory popcorn, movie sized candy is washed down with blueberry and raspberry water. What a perfect combination for a warm starry night. 

You can have your own movie night with an outdoor movie projector, a sheet, yummy snacks and beverages. You could even add a little bit of alcoholic flavoring to the water...not that I encourage that kind of thing. 

Check out the video below for recipes and directions to this movie night snack table. 

Getting My History On

via Here is Where website

I recently had the chance to read and review Here is Where by Andrew Carroll. I am a huge history buff so this book was right up my alley. Here is Where is a delightful, most of the time, quick read about lost history. You follow Andrew as his crisscrosses across America to find the locations of our lost American history. 

I really enjoyed this book, like I said above, the majority of it was pretty easy quick read. Each chapter is a different location and story. I will admit that some of the stories didn't interest me so I passed a couple of chapters. I did love that the places he went, the locals knew the forgotten history and he was able to share it with the rest of the world. When he told stories of places close to my hometown, I squealed with delight, because I KNEW that story! I KNEW that history! 

I do think, however, that if you are not a history buff, you might not enjoy it as much. You will find some of the stories entertaining, but I think you really have to have a passion for history to get a lot of enjoyment out of the book. That being said, I stayed up for hours one night and powered through the book because I could not put it down. 

I felt as if Mr. Carroll was on my level. He didn't get too involved or over the top, trying to analyze the information. He was just there to tell the story. He didn't put any spin on it or make a political statement. He just wants to get the information to you and allow you to process it to meet your needs. The story of the Orphan Trains is a wonderful example of this. 

Here is Where is an excellent history book that is not too heavy or too opinionated. I like that. It allows me to form my own opinions. Although the book is a great source of information, it is not too technical to be boring, it is the absolute opposite. Definitely a great read! You should check it out! If you want more information about the author and what inspired the book, check out Andrew Carroll's website. 

Scrappy Dog Sunday: The Iggy Edition

A few things about Iggy. He loves surfing the internet, watching funny dog videos. 

He also loves telling ghost stories..."and on the door handle was a CAT CLAW!"

He is excellent at doing the cha cha. 

He is a huge movie buff

He loves hanging out with big brother. 

Getting his picture taken with mom....not so much. 

Feel Good Friday!

via Zsa Zsa Bellagio

Look at you! Making it to Friday, all on your own! Give yourself a big smooch in the mirror, cause you deserve it! Let's see what I have in my bag of tricks to make this Friday extra special. 

Do you need some life lessons? Why not take the advice from a 90 year old woman? Hey! She has been around the block and back a couple of times, I'm pretty sure she knows what she is talking about. Popsugar has this amazing lifestyle article entitled, 45 Life Lessons Written by a "90 Year old Woman." Here's the first secret, the woman isn't 90, she's in her 50's. After being diangosed with breast cancer, Regina Brett penned these lessons. The lessons took a life of their own. She's not mad about it, just glad that she touched so many lives. 

I know summer is now on the downside but we can still celebrate the Summer of No Pants. First, get your minds out of the gutter. Second, this has nothing to do with the naked bike ride that zoomed by my house earlier this year. The Summer of No Pants is all about creating skirts, dresses and shorts to wear during the summer. Marigold at Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky has various patterns, inspiration and a newsletter to help you celebrate no pants this summer. Maybe I will finish the summer with no pants. It would be a bit cooler than jeans, that's for sure! 

And because it has been WAY WAY WAY too long, here's a puppy for you. This is Linus, he was a ball boy for the U.S. Open. You can read about his adventures on the Fluffington Post. I can barely get my dogs to stop barking at the doorbells on TV. 

Well, there ya go! Some good advice, a chance to sew and not wear pants and a cute (and smart!) puppy dog. Nice to see that my Fridays are back to normal. I hope you have a fabu weekend! Get out there an enjoy the weather or if that's not your thing, sit in your room and write poetry...both are entertaining! 

Tute Thursday: Mounted Jar Vases

Have you succumbed to the mason jar craze that has been going around for a few years? I can't help myself, I love them. They are so easy to dress up and give even the hardcore city girl a bit of country without getting hayseed in her hairdo. 

Thanks to Craftster.org I was able to feed my mason jar obsession by creating a tutorial for Mounted Jar Vases. I can not believe how easy these vases are to make. You can add just about anything to them, from herbs to flowers. I have these on our shed outside wall to add a little country to Playa de Pedersen. I think in the winter, I will fill them with herbs and have an indoor herb garden.

Check out this video, as well as other Craftster videos on their Youtube channel. 

I Like Stuff: An Honest Review of Jamberry Nails

I may have a little bit of an obsession with beauty products. I love bubble bath, fingernail polish, eyeshadows...anything that makes me feel sassy and dolled up. I can't help it, I like trying new things. Lucky for you, I can try them out and give you my honest opinion. Today's honest review is for Jamberry Nails. 

If you haven't heard of Jamberry Nails then let me explain them to you. Jamberry nails are basically wraps (stickers)for your nails. They come in a sheet and you get 2 manicures and 2 pedicures for 15.00 a sheet. In order to put them on you heat the wrap up and then place it on your nail. Each wrap will do two nails. After you place the sticker on, you smooth it out and then, with a nail file, file off the excess. They last anywhere from one to two weeks. 

Now that you know what they are, here's the skinny on them from yours truly. 

The Good:

• The nails come in a variety of styles from conservative to funky. I really love all of the designs and options they have.
• No mess. There is no risk of spilling your polish. 
• They last for a decent amount of time. I hand wash dishes every day, garden without gloves and the nails held up. They lasted until I took them off. 
• The rewards from a party: For the party I had I was able to get 1 free sheet, 3 months free shipping, 60.00 in credit and 5 1/2 off items. 
• You can create customized wraps. 
• There are a ton of websites and videos to help you troubleshoot applying the wraps. 

The Bad:

• This isn't really a bad but it did take a few attempts to get my wraps on just right. This could be a problem for certain designs. 
• You must heat the wraps up before applying. The first two times I did it with a hair dryer and it got a little hot. I bought the heater on their site and I strongly recommend it for anyone thinking of using Jamberry Nails. The heater made it so much easier to apply the wraps to my nails. 
• They are only available online or through a party. If you want instant gratification, this isn't it. They do ship fast, but again, be prepared for a wait, so plan ahead if you want to use them for a special event. 
• 15.00 for one sheet can get expensive
• Some of the designs are smaller on the nail then pictured on the website. 

The Bottom Line:

Do I think Jamberry Nails are worth it? Yes, I do. They are fun and quirky and the good outweighs the bad. I love that they are not messy and the rewards make it worth having a party. I had my party online so it was pretty easy. I have had many compliments on them and I do like that they last a decent amount of time and in good shape with all of my abuse to my nails. For the price, I might save them for a more special occasion. They are definitely fun. When I look at my nails and toes, I smile. 

Tie One On Tuesday

Oh yeah baby....Mama needs a cocktail! It's hot, the pool is blown up and my pink float is just waiting for my butt to lay on it and catch some rays. The only thing missing a little drinky drink in my hand. 

Lately I have been on a margarita fix. I think it's the extra hot temps that bring out the need for salt, lime and tequila. I could be sophisticated and say "on the rocks," but please, I am in a blow up pool that is 3 feet deep, listening to 80's pop music and singing "Walking on Sunshine". Does any of that say sophisticated to you? 

Basic Margarita 

1 1/2 ounces tequila 

1 ounce fresh lime juice 

1/2 Triple Sec

Ice

Salt

Mix everything together in a blender and blend until ice is fine. Add salt to the rim of your glass, pour and enjoy.

Some recipes out there call for simple syrup into the mix, and not as much Triple Sec. It makes it a bit sweeter, which is fine if you want something with less of a bite.

If you are a bit on the fancy side, a Cadillac Margarita is just what you need.

Cadillac Margarita 

1 1/2 ounce top shelf tequila 

1 ounce Grand Mariner 

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

Ice 

Salt

You will prepare the glass the same way as the basic margarita, but will not mix this in the blender. Blend in a shaker with ice and pour into your salted glass. 

I was going to add a few fruit recipes here but really, you can add any fruit or veggies to the basic margarita recipe and thus add more flavor. I have had margaritas with watermelon, pineapple, strawberries and have even seen recipes that include lavender and hot chili peppers. Experiment with flavors to make up your own concoction.

Well cats and kittens, mama's heading off to dip her toes into the deep end and the pups are on blender patrol. Ahhh...summertime!