The Prom Dress that Got Away.

Tina Turner Sparkle

Let's talk for a minute about Prom Dress Shopping. I knew whenever Amy suggested we get a bunch of people together and go to adult prom, that I wanted to have a SUPER SPARKLEY dress. 

The kind that you look at and get blinded. You know what I'm talking about right? 

Think Tina Turner Gold for someone who is almost six feet tall. (see photo). 

Every girl wants a sparkley dress - right? 

When I think of all the dresses I've owned and worn - there's not a single one that is UBER SPARKLE. 

I'm in my thirties now and if I haven't owned one yet when is the time? So I looked and I looked for it. 

I went to thrift stores. 

I went to bridal dress stores. 

I went to department stores. 

I went shopping with friends. 

I went shopping with almost strangers who probably have never been dress shopping. 

I went with co-workers. 

I went shopping on the internet. 

I tried on dress after dress.

I tried on short ones. 

I tried on long ones. 

I tried on inappropriately cut ones. 

I tried on the ugliest ones.

I tried on sequin.

I tried on beaded.

I'm telling you I looked.

I looked high. 

I looked low. 

I looked everywhere - but that Tina Turner UBER Sparkle dress alluded me unless I wanted it to be costumey rather than formal wear - it will be forever that one that got away. 

So I abandoned that idea and just wore sparkley accessories, which was probably good because almost 5 hours of dancing in sequins might have caused me to break into hives. 

And a little throwback to Proms gone by here are photos from my proms in the 1990's. 

Junior Prom Circa 1997 - Laura, JennyG, Me and Jordana.  Goodness was my mouth overly big in this picture.

Prom 1998 - See me in that stripped tie-dye dress and stupid sunglasses that was like $10 and it matched that blue leisure tux so well.

Ingredient of the Week - Chick Peas

I think I'm going to start a new "semi-regular" segment on my blog called "Ingredient of the Week".  It's no secret around here but I'm not really a traditional lunch liker - who really likes lunchmeat sandwiches or even PBJ???  

When I'm working from home I struggle with what to fix for lunch and often times I skip it.  This is bad practice especially when you probably only had hot tea for breakfast. So this week I opened a can of chickpeas and thus the ingredient of the week was born.  4 times this week I had my ingredient of the week for lunch - it was fun to try and make each meal different.  So here are four super simple recipes for fixing yourself chickpeas for lunch (sorry I only took one photo).   And sorry but this only probably works if you work from home or pre-make these.  

Recipe #1 - Broccoli & ChickPeas

1/2 cup cooked broccoli

1/4 cup chickpeas

pinch garlic salt

directions:  tossed this into a bowl and just ate it like that.  (Did I mention these were simple?)

Recipe #2 - ChickPea Avocado Salad

1/4 cup chickpeas

handful lettuce

leftover guacamole

few sliced carrots

salsa

directions: mix in bowl and eat.  this was probably my favorite you don't need even need dressing the guac has you covered.

Recipe #3 - ChickPea Grilled Cheese

leftover hamburger Bun

provolone cheese

1/8 cup chick peas

pickles

butter

directions:  butter inside of bun and grill.  add in cheese pickles and chickpeas let the cheese melt around pickles and chickpeas. Slice. Eat.

Recipe #4 - Wild ChickPea

1/4 cup chickpeas

1/4 cup wild rice

1/4 cup water

handful sliced carrots

pinch galic salt

directions - cook rice as mentioned in rice cooker when rice is almost done toss in carrots/chickpeas. This one needed a little something I wish I had put in some broccoli or something to jazz it up.

4 lunches all made using things we have in the house, and mind you NONE of these even had meat. mmmmm

PS. I would like to thank my former roommate Jordan for leaving me these chickpeas and for the rice cooker that I should probably send him back.

Favs on Friday - IMQG

I didn't have to think long before I came up with this week's favorite.  It's my quilt guild - Indy Modern Quilt Guild.  And before you go off thinking that this is some old lady quilt club - this is NOT that type of quilt guild.  I'm pretty sure we don't really resemble the other guilds in the area as some of their members have told us we don't.  Without getting to sentimental on a Friday - do want to say I just love the guild and the ladies in it.  They rev me up and get me excited to sew.  They don't mind that I don't like patterns.   The guild has encouraged me to branch away from "squares and rectangles".  I get more things finished now.  And best of all several of the women have become some of my very best friends (holla Tisha and Rachael).  2012 is going to be an awesome year for the guild and I look forward to seeing us grow and change and quilt like crazy. Today some of us are off to Cincy and we will get to meet up with some of their guild members.

If you live in the Indy Area and like quilting check us out. 

Oh and to see other favorites click here.
 

April Goals

In March I set these really ambitious goals in the planner in my phone, I accomplished exactly ONE of them - that was really smooth.  And I was going to move them all to April's list and add a few and blog about it and then I had this conversation with myself about being realistic and making goals be obtainable things.  It sounded exactly like the Project Manager Katie was at work.  But PM Katie was right if I'm going to achieve things I need to be realistic with my work load and keep time in there for other things like cleaning, friends, family and running. 

So with that said my April Goal list is two things:

1. Soak Up April (thanks JCPenny for having that slogan on your door). 
2. Get busy kitchen remodeling.

As a result my planner app is probably dying of boredom however my to do list app is exploding from the seams as I moved many of those goals to it.  Oh well onward and upward into April.

Tuesday 10 - April Awesomeness

Did you know it's April? I feel like I breezed past march and there haven't been many rain showers so April feels like it's not really April. Anyhow I thought we needed a Tuesday 10 for the day although it's been uber hard for me to come up with 10 things of awesome for some reason.

1. Getting at least 2 weeks at home.

2. Neon Nail Polish.

3. Project Life (this will have a separate post soon).

4. Spring.
5. Hot Tea.  Isn't this cartoon cute (from here).

6. Mad Men - Season 5 is just heating up. I find myself loving Peggy and Roger more.

7. Typewriter fabric that is in my house. I cannot decide what to make with it.

8. Being like a month away from my spring break in Montreal!  

9. Talking about my kitchen remodel which is going to be finished in 2012. 

10. Easter Parties (my photos were ridiculously horrible I need to steal from someone else).

Best of Life Videos - Walk Alone

I'm still into this project 14 months later even though I'm a month behind on making them.  It's not just that in 10 years these will be fantastic for house parties either.  I love the idea that I'm documenting my life in just one more way.  anyhow it's mostly photos although i did have a few snippets of video in there too.   The songs are Walk Alone by the Roots, and Run Right Back by the Black Keys - instead of agonizing over which was the best song for the month I just picked two songs that were in frequent rotation in February 2012 and I think I like that idea much better.  Happy viewing.

Good weekend for Thrifting

Last weekend was a good weekend for thrifting it was overcast in the morning I made plans with Jono and Kathleen.  We were way late picking her up but we bought her breakfast and lunch.   We hit up some favorite hot spots like Salvation Army and some new ones like SuperValu and Gilley's and some random Flea Market - and I think we made a purchase at each stop.

I found many treasures including some I had been looking for like "Go For It" board game circa 1985 that JJ and I used to LOVE to play, and canisters for my flour, and sugar, and new end tables for the living room.  I also picked up some other treasures - like the Trump Board Game and Scruples and a handful of vintage sheets and fabrics.   Even Jono and Kathleen found some goodies.   My canisters are even vintage Pyrex (SCORE) thanks to Mandy of Something Monumental for the tip on Gilley's it took us on a nice tour of all things thrifty on the west side of town, which is an area we rarely visit.

FYI - My coffee tables deserve a post of their own so you can see the awesomesauceness happening in the bungalow living room.

Check out these Pyrex Canisters aren't they lovely?

Trump the game was BRAND new I had to remove the pieces from the plastic to open.  And hey Donald Trump still had hair.

Go For It also is brand new.  Which makes me feel a little better because it's the MOST expensive board game in my collection at $8.

Get Your Quilt On

Early on in March IMQG had a sleep over quilt retreat.  It was hosted at Lindsay's house and we had about 12 people turn out.  It was a very good time.  Lindsay is a most excellent hostess and I was able to get the front of the cross quilt done there as well as work a little bit on my bee quilt.  I also want to give a shout out to my roommate Jen who stayed up with me until late in the night chatting it would not have been as much fun without her.  Find more details on IMQGs blog coming soon.

A Quilt for Mr & Mrs S. - Quilt #4

My friends Erica and Artie got married this weekend.  I really wanted to make them something special because I treasure their friendship.  So of course I made them a quilt.  I decided to make them a "cross" quilt - something similar to a red cross quilt but less plus sign and more cross, because of their faith which is ultimately what brought them together.  Their bridesmaids picked the colors which are colors from their wedding and actually as it turns out their favorite colors.  All the prints were from my stash and/or were scrap except for the gray polka dot so that's cool.  I improv pieced all the cross blocks with help from my friend Rachael who got my weird logic straightened out.  My friend Lindsay gave me the extra gray I needed to finish and Jenny helped by ironing blocks - thank goodness I have such great friends.  And then my friend Tisha quilted it for me since I was out of town the last 5 weeks.  You all are awesome thank you much!  I actually love the result and think I might make another one similar at some point after I finish off my other half finished projects. 
Oh and the bride and groom loved it.  Right before their left on their honeymoon I got a text from Erica saying it made her cry and they loved it.  This is my 4th finish of 2012 and I feel like I'm on a roll. 

Tuesday 10 - March

I thought I needed a little Tuesday 10 this week.  So many things I'm loving and enjoying right now - life is good.

1.Audio Books - I just discovered this and I'm so excited.  You can get them at the library too.

2. Enjoying my last few days in Boston despite the cold.

3. I absolutely love this photo of Lita and I from St. Patrick's - thanks to that Hooiser Lotto guy who snapped it.

4. Finishing another quilt (post coming soon). 

5. Movies!  Went to see Hunger Games yesterday it was actually pretty good - despite the theme which I am not a fan of

6. Photobooths - this "free photobooth" was in the lobby at the movies so of course we jumped in.  I wish the others would have joined us too.

7. The wedding of these to folks.  It was a good time and I am so happy for them both.  Congrats Erica and Artie.

8. Making Summer Plans

9. Mad Men is back!

10. Looking forward to being home for a WHOLE week after 6 weeks on the road.  That long stint in the beginning of the year spoiled me.