I Made This: Christmas Cards 2012

Three very different collections of Christmas Cards this year. Crafted up a storm!

I Made This: Vanilla Extract

Every year I try to do a DIY Christmas Gift for friends and family. It's a good excuse to do a craft and I *hope* they find the unique gifts interesting and thoughtful. This year, I've been crazy busy so needed something that wouldn't be too involved. Luckily, I already had the idea to make Vanilla Extract, so come October I took an hour to do all the prep work.

I ordered some vanilla beans from Amazon and stopped by the liquor store to pick up some booze. All the instructions I found had varying concentrations of how many vanilla beans to parts liquid so I read a bunch and came up with the range 3-8 beans per Cup. Since the amount of time to let the mixture sit also differed wildly (2 months to a year) and it was already October, I decided to err on the stronger side. I also read varying accounts of using vodka and rum, so I decided to do a batch of each. I picked up one 750ml of rum and one 750ml of Absolut vodka and returned home for the next steps.

Again, there was a lot of variety in terms of next steps, but since I knew I only had 2 months, I decided to take the extra time to ensure stronger flavor.

• Empty booze into pot.
• Sliced open the vanilla pods lengthwise, scraped out the seeds, and added it to my empty booze bottles. 
• Warmed up booze in pot on the stove.
• Added warmed up booze back into bottles.
• Recapped and gave it a hearty shake, then put in closet where I shook daily for the next couple of weeks.

Finally, the time came to prepare my gifts for giving. I ordered mini bottles and Avery round labels off of Amazon (my fave). I strained the liquid through a coffee filter and strainer to remove the seed debris, then funneled my liquid into the bottles. For an extra step of fancy, I cut some of the remaining pods into small pieces and placed those in the bottle too. I thought it would look cool, but in reality, you can't see them since the bottles were so dark, so hopefully it will just make the vanilla that much stronger.

You may recall that I used both Vodka & Rum. They were definitely different, but I honestly didn't think one was "better" than the other, probably just a matter of preference. I was hoping to keep a bottle each for myself so I could bake with them as the final test, but I didn't mark the bottles and wound up losing track of which was which. Oh well.

Back to the labels, thanks to Avery's software, it was pretty easy to design and set up the printer to make super cute labels, so I slapped those on and finished it off with a little bow of baker's twine. Overall, I was incredibly happy with the way these turned out!

Theatre Review: One Man, Two Guvnors

Took my Mom and Grandmother to see One Man, Two Guvnors tonight. We got there early, which is very unusual for me, but I was super glad we did because the band performs pre-show. They set the 60s mood with their boyish charm and matching suits- very early era Beatles-esque.

Not too long into the performance, James Cordon pulls a couple of blokes (see, I'm in the British mood now) from the audience on stage to help him with something. This is where things got weird for me. One of the guys was dressed so ludicrously that I simply could not believe he wasn't a plant. This continued to color my perception of the show as more audience interaction occurred.

Then, I watched the first gentleman talking with his girlfriend and going to the mini-bar during the intermission and I realized that he was 100% genuine. This is also when I realized that James Cordon is in fact such a ridiculously good improviser that my mind just could not accept it. Tony well deserved, Sir.

I was able to relax and enjoy the second act a bit more once I wasn't carefully observing all the audience "plants". It was a classic, slapstick farce- silly and delightful and just a good old fashioned good time. All three generations of my family got a huge kick out of it and it turned out to be the perfect evening out.

I Made This: Cards

Had a very productive card-making session this weekend using a couple of kits my Aunt Debbie gave me. Added to my greeting card stockpile so that I'm always ready to go!

I Made This: Toilet Paper Roll Wall Decor Part 1

I was inspired by the toilet paper/paper towel roll crafts I saw on Pinterest and decided to give it a try for myself. 

First I cut up the toilet paper rolls in to 4 pieces and then cut the paper towel ones into corresponding sizes. Next I layed out the pieces in a variety of patterns until I found the ones I liked best. Finally, I hot glued them together to get the above.

As much as I liked them, the unfinished brown paper made them unmistakably look like toilet paper roll crafts, so I wanted to finish/paint them. I also read on Pinterest that you can mix some acrylic paint and water in a spray bottle to make DIY spray paint.

The problem with this approach was that to get it enough paint coverage I wound up saturating the  wreath and it basically disintegrated leading to the mess pictured below. FAIL. Luckily, I was a bit wary of this approach so only tested on one of my creations. Next time I will try actual spray paint to see if they hold up. Stay tuned for the results!

Update: Finally posted Part 2 here!

Theatre Review: Jesus Christ Superstar

Having never been a fan of this show I wasn't super interested in it, but I read a couple interviews with Sir Andrew Lloyd-Weber claiming that this production "got it right" and heard good things from a coworker, so decided to grab a discount TKTS and check it out.

This show wound up being absolutely worth seeing, but ironically, Jesus (Paul Nolan) was NOT the Superstar of the show. That honor went soundly to Josh Young who blew everyone else out of the water as Judas. Check him out in his fancy blue suit. He stole the show and my heart (for a couple of hours, until I got home to my fantastic husband of course)....

Theatre Review: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever

Oh Harry Connick Jr.- you make me swoon when I listen to your CDs or see you on TV, but seeing you perform in the theatre is a whole new delight. The phrase "like butter" came immediately to mind when he started singing his first song. Hearing the difference between him live vs recording made me wish I could go back in time and hear Dean Martin or Bing Crosby croon in person.

But this wasn't just about HCJ- the entire cast easily held their own with him on stage. In particular I loved Sarah Stiles who I recognized immediately as Kate Monster from Avenue Q! That girl is an adorable powerhouse.

And as for the play itself, well, it's a pretty interesting premise. It's about a psychologist who hypnotizes his patient and uncovers a past life persona and winds up falling in love with her. To make it even more complicated, this production changed the patient to a man while keeping the past life persona a woman. As weird as it sounds, I really enjoyed it, I liked the juxtaposition of a classic romance with modern morality.

Theatre Review: Priscilla

This was less of a play and more of a big ol' gay party. It was pure fun from beginning to end, with big flashy numbers with fabulous sets and costumes. Nick Adams stole the show as the young, Madonna loving and little-clad drag queen. 

I Made This: States We've Lived Wall Decor

The "states we've lived in" craft is pretty popular on Pinterest and I thought it was a pretty cute decorative touch that is a bit of a conversation starter. I ordered a Rand McNally road map off of Amazon, but when I got it the states were WAY too big. So I Googled some state outlines and printed out to trace over the road maps for cutting out. 

I easily could've just used those printed out shapes, but I just really liked the idea of using actual maps so forged ahead. I tried to make it so that the city printed on the map was in the right place. As a marker of where we lived, I used a heart punch on red paper.

Even though it took a little longer than I hoped, it was still a fairly low effort craft and I was happy with how it turned out. For the corresponding frames I dug up one of the Save The Dates from our wedding and made a super quick print out of "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose" from Friday Night Lights which we are obsessed with. Eventually, I'd like to do a nicer version of that, but for the time being, it works. Altogether, this is now above our TV in our living room:

Theatre Review: Nice Work If You Can Get It

Kelli O'Hara was brilliant, but Matthew Broderick was so stiff and awkward that it brought down this incredibly charming production. 

I Made This: Canvas Wall Decor

I bought a few blank square 12"x12" canvases from Michael's to help fill the wall space above my couch. For the center one, I simply affixed a abstract print of the University of Texas campus map from City Prints that I purchased at Fab.com. For the other two, I used some white fabric paint to draw simple designs.

The whole project cost less than $10 (not including cost of print that I had and didn't know what to do with) and took all of 10 minutes- including slapping on the wall with some 3M Command Strips. Perfect for a rental where I don't want to spend too much time or energy for a temporary solution!

Theatre Review: Newsies

OK, so in case you are wondering, yes, I am in the generation of kids who grew up LOVING Newsies. This is why I was beyond excited to hear that it was finally being brought to the Broadway Stage. Let me just cut to the chase: for the numbers I love from the movie it was everything I had ever dreamed of and more. "King of New York" is one of my favorite numbers, so I was THRILLED that it was turned into a tap number. And not just showy tap-dancing, tap moves that made me go WOW.

Ok, so then there are the parts that are not in the original movie. Yes, Alan Menken turned to his bag of  C-rate fillers to use up the rest of the time. Meh. Also, they changed up the original storyline. Now look, I'm not so much of a purest that I was resistent to any deviation from my beloved original. In fact, my biggest problem with the Disney film adaptations is that I already know the plot so they tend to be a bit boring for me. However, the plot changes where just not that good. No offense to Kara Lindsay who is as pretty and sweet as any Disney Princess.

But no fooling around, Jeremy Jordan MADE this musical. I *shudder* to imagine the alternate universe where Bonnie & Clyde was a success and I didn't get to see his performance as Jack Kelly. And honaorable mention goes to Andrew Keenan-Bolger who is the splitting image of his sister (who we saw last night in Peter and the Starcatcher). Seriously, if it was possible for a guy and a gal to be identical twins, this would be it.

Bottom line: If you like the movie absolutely go (tickets starting at $67), but unfortunately, I'm not sure non-believers will have quite the same take-away.

Theatre Reviews: Peter and the Starcatcher

My theatre pal from Texas was in town this weekend and we had two shows planned, but just kept getting barraged with great things about Peter and the Starcatcher. On our way out of seeing the matinee for "Once", we ran into yet another theatre friend on the street who told us about some people who went to three performances in a row. We took one look at each other and silently agreed that our next stop would be the Brooks Atkinson Theatre to find out about lottery tickets. 

We put our names in the old style lottery contraption and left it up to the Broadway Gods. Of course, we got tickets. Somehow, I knew without a shadow of a doubt we would. $27 a piece later we were in our seats waiting for the show to begin, but still not sure what at all to expect. 

What happened next is hard to describe without using the words 'clever' and 'whimsical'. They sound cliche, but are really well suited for the job. As fitting for a Peter Pan story, it was a play filled with silliness and clever stagings which helped unlock that imaginative part of your brain which may need a bit of dusting off.

Adam Chanler-Berat is able to pull of playing the part of a pre-adolescent boy which captures the innocence and wonder that you completely forget that he is a grown man and that this should be weird or creepy. I had a hard time putting my thumb on what it reminded me of, until I realized that he played the daughter's boyfriend in Next to Normal. Another role so full of wide-eyed optimism and hope for the future.

Indeed, the entire cast is spectacular and their ability to work together as one cohesive organism is what gives this play its special sauce, but one star did shine brightest in Christian Boyle. His performance brought me to the point of laughing so hard that I no longer am sure what to do with myself because I physically can NOT laugh harder. Seriously, I found myself half wondering about the possibility of cardiac arrest from laughing. This performance made me want to watch everything he has ever been in and look forward to his future career. I just hope that he continues to be cast in roles where he gets to showcase his incredible talent as he could be the next Tim Curry (but hopefully even bigger).

Bottom line: GO. Tickets start at $59.

Theatre Reviews: Once

My dear friend Scott was in town and he was eager to see Once after hearing a lot of great things about it. I never watched the movie, which worked well for me as I prefer to see things 'cold'. We got to the Bernard B. Jacobs theatre a bit early for the matinee and considered stalling, but just decided to go ahead and have a seat. This couldn't have worked out any better, since before the show they let you hang out on stage for a while, the case even comes out and has a jam session right next to you. I was pretty excited to be on the Broadway Stage and thought it was my debut, but was corrected by my grandmother who informed me that I went on stage with Old Deuteronomy of Cats way back in the day.

This show was beautiful. Literally, "beautiful" is the best way to describe it from beginning to end. The music, the sets, the story. The only critique I have is that I wish I had seen it in a smaller theatre. It is just so intimate of a story, and so quietly and sweetly told, that I longed for the closeness of a small black box theatre. However, that said, it is amazing how they were able to translate this to the bigger stage.

There is one set and the entire cast is on stage for the entire show as they also double as the entire orchestra. This reminds me of a staging of Sweeney Todd I saw a few months ago, which I absolutely loved. It just furthers your awe as an audience member to realize these people are a quadruple threat- singing, dancing, acting AND they play an instrument. Go, go and be amazed. My only suggestion is not to see it as a matinee on a beautiful sunny day, because you will want to cuddle up with a glass of wine afterwards...

Oh and if you go before May 20th, use code ONTCX327 at BroadwayBox.com for 30%+ off.

I Made This: Floral Arrangements

I took a floral arranging class recently and decided to try out my new skills to make my home cozy for my friend's visit. I took a quick trip to the bodega and for about twenty five bucks picked up enough flowers to distribute amongst four vases throughout my apartment. Such an easy and relatively cheap way to brighten up the place!

POTD: Potato Basket

Yes, this is 1-800-Flowers idea of a St. Patrick's Day Flower Basket. Yes, those are potatoes. On one hand, I feel like I should be offended. But on the other hand, I would eat the crap out of those potatoes. Hey, stereotypes exist for a reason.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everybody!

POTD: Merman, MerMAN!

I don't have much to say, because the Product Title literally says it ALL:

"December Diamonds "Tattoo" Shirtless Hot Merman Drinking as Beer with Beard, & Mustache Ornament. Tattoo has Short Black Hair,Detailed Chest & Arm Tattoo, Silver Glittered Tail with Black Tattoo, Rhinestone Belt,Biceps & Wrist "Leather" Rhinestone Bands & Sexy Hard Muscular Body.... 6 pack Abs,,Huge Pecs & Biceps.....7 inches long-Tattoo is a Handpainted & Gift Boxed Limited Edition. Lots of Super Hot Bling!!!!!Tattoo is a Hot Man who wants You!!!"

Don't go for the Tattooed Beer Drinking Type? Don't worry, there's a whole collection: golfers, hair stylists, lumberjacks, and more! I'm sure there is a December Diamaonds merman for you!

Theatre Review: Death of a Salesman

Philip Seymour Hoffman is incredible in the latest staging of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman". My initial reaction to hearing he was going to be playing the lead in this classic play is that I didn't think he was old enough. Sure enough, one of the first things I did when I got back home was double check his age, because he embodies Willy Loman so much that I completely bought him as a beat-down old man.

The entire cast was incredible, with honorable mention going to Andrew Garfield as Biff. It wasn't until a few weeks afterwards that I found out he is going to be Peter Parker in the Spiderman Reboot (yes, yes, I am behind), but I was really excited to hear it. He's a young star whose acting chops measure up to his good-looks for sure.

But of course, Andrew Garfield wasn't the one I was super exited to be within yards of...it was my boy Fran Kanz (Bernard) aka the geeky scientist from Dollhouse. He definitely proved that he has more than just the dorky scientist ace up his sleeve (although I'd be OK with just that).

Watching this play made me angry that they make you read this as part of the high-school curriculum. At that stage in life, there is just no way you have the perspective to be able to appreciate this masterpiece (and this is from me as a young adult, I have no doubt that the years will just continue to expound on this). I don't care what you thought of this play in the past, this is definitely a must-see before it closes on June 2nd.

I Made This: Necklace

Took a jewelry making class at Modnista Atelier tonight and learned some beading and wire wrapping techniques.

POTD: Guess who?

You gotta hand it to Jeremy Scott- these sunglasses are unique. But the ridiculousness doesn't end there friends- check out the whole collection. Featuring, but not limited to these patriotic bad boys.

Why I Love Awkward Family Photos

If you are not familiar with  AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com, this slideshow captures the kind of glorious awkwardness you could be experiencing every single day. Heart.

I Made This: Valentine's Cards & Wrapping

I've been loving the recent trend of gifts wrapped in brown paper with twine and Valentine's Day was a perfect time for me to try it out for myself. I used regular old brown paper bags, some bakers twine bought for $4 on Amazon, and some silver heart ribbon I had on hand to whip up some cards and wrapping paper for my sweetheart on Valentine's Day and came up with these!

I Made This: Toiletry Bag

Before

As a crafty person, I feel like I should have some basic sewing skills. I have a lot of big plans for future sewing projects, and I actually own a sewing machine even if it's at my parent's house since I don't have room for it in our NYC apartment. So when I saw a Groupon deal for a 2 hour Beginner's Sewing Class at The Sewing Studio, I pounced.

Tonight, I attended the workshop and was more than pleased. It made me feel a lot more at ease with a sewing machine and was overall just a great experience. They let us pick from a few different fabrics for our project, they were all cute, but the polka dot was just a no brainer for me. I came home with a new handmade toiletry bag! 

It was cute, but I just felt like it was dying for a bow. Of course, I just happen to have some pink, polka dotted ribbon lying around. So when I got home I heated up the glue gun and got to work. Ideally, I would've purchased a thicker ribbon, but in this case, the best ribbon for the job was the one I already owned.

After

I also took copious notes so that I will remember all the valuable stuff I learned, since it will be at least a few more years until I have a place big enough for my sewing machine. If anyone is interested in step-by-step instructions, leave a comment and I'll take the time to type them up!

I Made This: Seashell Shadow Box

Seashell Shadow Box

We have 3 Shadow Boxes above our bed in our bedroom commemorating special occasions in our life. One of them has the leis from our Honeymoon in Hawaii, another has the medals and race bibs from Mike's 2 Half Ironman and Full Ironman races last year. The third had Mardi Gras beads from my Great Aunt Eda's 75th Birthday Party in New Orleans. I was never very happy with the way that turned out though, I was just never able to get the beads to fall in a good way.

I had a bunch of shells from our First Anniversary trip to St. Martin that I wasn't sure what to do with, so I thought this might be an opportunity to redo this box. What happened next was totally organic, I just started lining up the shells in rows and was really happy with the result. I also made a little sign signifying which beach vacation these shells were from on some scrapbook paper. I rearranged a couple of times to get the right mix of textures and colors, but it was actually pretty quick and easy. After I got the layout set, I pulled out the old hot glue gun and went to work.

For anyone interested, here is the link to the shadow box I used available from Target.

I Made This: Beach Vacation Jar

Beach Vacation Jar

I've had a bag of shells sitting around from our Puerto Rico Vacation last year that I wanted to do something special with. After seeing some inspirational ideas on my newest obsession Pinterest, I finally knew what I wanted to do. I got really lucky, when a coworker left behind a short glass vase with a very slight bluish tint. I claimed it, especially for this project and knew it was perfect. Unfortunately, I didn't bring home any sand, so I ordered some craft sand from Amazon.

From there, it was a super quick and easy assembly. I filled up the vase with sand, then chose my favorite shells to place on top. I decided to throw in a tea light candle, although I don't really intend to light it, I just liked the way it looks. I also made little flags out of toothpicks and sandy colored scrap-booking paper to commemorate which trip they were from. I had a bunch of really neat sea urchin shells left over that seemed a shame not to use, so I hot glued them to a silver, wire-edged ribbon to go around the vase.