Monday, January 30, 2012

My personalized 'sentiment' blocks!

So my mom has gotten me addicted to the cute 'crafty mommy' blogs. You know the kind. And it makes me want to be, you know, crafty! hehe. Well, as I've been decorating my 'mantel' (a shadow box) and around my apartment I've started decorating in 5 ways.
  1. My 'mantel' shadowbox.
  2. My door
  3. My table centerpiece
  4. Hanging something on the back of my cupboards
  5. Window clings
Well, for the shadowbox, I saw some cute blocks at my aunt Dana's once, and then mom's cute 'title' blocks on her mantel, and talking to mom about sentiment blocks, I decided to make my own! Here's what I did!

First I purchased five cute little 2" blocks at hobby lobby. Then Chris painted them black for me. (Chris is artsy and was pretty excited when I asked him to paint to help me with a craft.)

Then I found different scrapbooking paper for each theme. I decided to do 5 different sheets (1 per block) that fit the theme. My themes are: Snow, XO<3XO, Lucky, Spring, Sun, and B-Day. Then I cut the paper into small squares, slightly smaller than the blocks.

Then I lined them up by theme and which block I wanted them on. (The order mattered to me.)

Next I mod-podged the paper squares onto the blocks.

Following this, I borrowed my mom's cricut and cut out the themes onto colored paper.

Then I mod-podged the letters/symbols of the theme onto the block, and covered with a layer of mod-podge. Because I used cut out scrapbooking cardstock for the letters, I had to double and sometimes triple layer the outside mod-podge to seal the letters on.

AREN'T THEY CUTE!?! I'm going to have to make some more sets!
Y6j_Uf on Make A Gif, Animated Gifs
make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif

Friday, January 27, 2012

Quest for Fries


While eating ice cream with Jordan and Karli (who both came to visit, epic no?) we started talking about fries somehow. And I wanted to compare different fries! However, since it was 10 PM we could only try fries from places that were still open. We ended up going to Arby's, Carl's Jr, McDonalds, and Wendy's. It was a lot of fun. (sure, there are still tons of fry places to try: five guys, chick-fil-a, in-n-out, etc) I think we need to define a rating system still, because everyone likes something different in their fries. I like firm and thick, and not too spicy. Some like their a little more spicy or a little more squishy. Some even like 'em crunchy (curly fries). So yeah! What's your favorite kind of fries?

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

still posting!

guess what! my catch up is over and I'm POSTING AGAIN! (aren't you proud of me?!)
now we just have to wait until next month. (heads up. posting lazy. don't expect anything from me.)

I have three quick bits of news.

1- I've been called as our ward's girls' camp specialist! AH! (since this year our stake isn't calling any directors. crazy i know. so essentially- i'm ward director... woot!) Teaching the Sunday School class with Chris has been amazing. We love all these kids to death and have a blast with it! We're all great friends (even on facebook where they get their reading assignments for the week)! So to get to be involved with girls' camp again (besides the fact that I love girls' camp with a passion and it's always felt like... i dunno... my place to really shine and feel the spirit more than anywhere else) with these girls I already love to death is super exciting! It sounds like the stake girls' camp is only going to be a weekend in February, but I'm gonna see if I can convince the yw pres to let our ward do a little more later in the summer.

2- I bought my first blow dryer. that's right. For all this hair, I've never had my own blow dryer. When I was little I used the one mom put in the downstairs bathroom for guests- but only for the warm air to heat my bed....then mom found out when I singed my blankets... and I wasn't allowed to take it out of the bathroom. But I've just always been an air-dry kinda girl. put it up in a towel, then let it down to brush and dry straight and natural. I'd blow dry in specific situations where I ran out of time but I typically don't worry about it. But when my hair froze (still air drying) once this month, and having thought about it for a while, I picked one up. I didn't even have it on the list (which is surprising, because I'm usually a follow the list in the store kinda girl. Unless I go to 'go shopping' which is not a 'run to the store' which I usually do) and was at Macey's (grocery store) of all places and walked down the 'beauty' isle really quickly to get to the eggs and saw this cute little pink travel size blow dryer. I bought it. Chris just laughed when he saw it. Though I bet he was surprised considering I run a lot of random stuff past him before purchasing. Now I just have to make sure he makes me hold up to the rule of no blow dryers in bed. hehehe.

3- I was reading friend's blogs today (cuz it's what I do. and why i'm posting) and Chris' friend Carl (who I will most likely link to many times- his blog is really thought-provoking, nerdy, fun, and well written) posted this and I just had to link it up for all of you! I commented there, but I got to thinking and now I have to say: it really makes me think how many people's talents go into things that we love. How many writers', directors', composers', choreographers', costumers', illustrators', programmers', crafters', chefs', etc work I totally love and never even think to find out who did all the work for my enjoyment, amazement, etc! I love so many things in tv, music, movies, online, books, food, etc that I can't even begin to thank all these people! So I thought to myself- I want to look up a composer today. Who composed my favorite movie soundtrack? I don't know. Well now I do. My favorite score is to the movie Stardust.
I'm typically a gal who enjoys music with lyrics. I'm a singer, what can I say. But the first time I saw this movie (which I totally adore!) I actively took note of the score! (this was more unusual before knowing Christopher who notes score more often than remembering some character's names! -a trait he learned at the Space Center, he says.) So, when I thought about the talent behind this beautiful music, I looked up the composer. His name is Ilan Eshkeri and he's done several things I've also enjoyed and never known! Crazy, right? It made me happy. I officially know his name, even if I can't pronounce it.

Suddenly I wanted to look up all these talented people. But... well that would take me forever. So I'll just say really quickly.
Bob Fosse (who did a lot of amazing work) choreographed White Christmas uncredited.

Oscar Brodney and Cid Ricketts Sumner wrote the Tammy movies.

Robin Preiss Glasser illustrated the Fancy Nancy books (and a few other awesome children's books, I'd noticed her art and been excited, but now I know her name). And there I have to make myself stop so I can do my stuff for today!

Lots of Loves from the newest Call household!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Friends

I've just been thinking about friends a lot lately. How grateful I am for friends, how much I miss some old friends, and how great it is when you get to spend time with those old friends you hold so dear.

This last weekend was actually pretty good as far as friends go.
Thursday, my dear friend Christel did my eyebrows. Granted I'm still getting used to them... but it was fun at the very least to see her! We talked about old friends that I haven't seen and decided we need to hang out more. That made me happy.
Friday night my oldest friend (I've known him since I was born. literally.) came to hang out, and it was so fun to see him and my hubby playing games and getting to be great friends. It made my heart happy! It was fun to just have him in our home!
Then on Saturday my angel (Megan. She's amazing! you should check out her blog here: http://meganbethadventures.blogspot.com/) came over! She's going on her mission in February and I'm so proud of her! But getting to have a special hang out to spend time with her before she's gone to Ukraine was exciting. We got Juice Press wraps (tradition!) and hung out. We ended up talking, showing her our apartment, and watching a documentary about Pixar (instead of going out to a movie. not like me, but when Chris turned it on, it turned out to be really good!) It was so much fun to see her. Anytime she's around it makes me happy!

So! Friends: if I haven't seen you recently, it's not because I don't love and miss you, I do. Sometimes I just don't make enough effort to see people! SO! Bug me, or just come by! I'm gonna make a renewed effort to add some joy in my life by seeing more friends more often!
I love you all! Have a great day!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

New Year!

2012!
It's here! For me, this year was great! Granted, there were hard points, and sad days, etc, but with the bad came joy. And for me, a lot of happiness!

To say farewell to 2011 we spent New Year's Eve with family. Bopping back and forth across the street - usual for holidays for this Call-Atkinson merger. hehehe. At the Calls we played games and talked with family, and watched the ball drop on tv. At mom's, we danced and had chocolate fondue -the traditions I love! :D So much fun! You can check out pics on my mom's blog.

But now that we're in the new year, we have to think about resolutions. I struggle with resolutions, and fear of failure. Goals I can handle, but for some reason resolutions I forget about or quit or just overwhelm myself with all the things I want for the next year. Then I read an email from kimandjason.com suggested picking a word of the year instead. That, I can do!

For this year, 2012, the word is
Chris and I spoke about my choice to pick a word and incorporate it into our lives instead, and while he was hesitant, when we threw around some ideas and joked and laughed the way we do, he liked when I said, "I think I'd like to use the word Joy." I explained that joy has always been my favorite Christmas word (while people put up peace, love, hope, etc, I like Joy best) and been on my mind because of all the joy he brings to my life. And how I feel like Heavenly Father wants us to surround ourselves with joy. I decided looking for joy daily, helping each other find joy, doing what brings joy (in jobs, church, making good Heavenly Father approved choices) is definitely something we want to strive incorporate into our hearts, actions, and lives this year. He agreed. So Joy it is. You may get sick of hearing it from me this year! :D

Monday, January 9, 2012

The Awesome Book of Awesome: Quests

Ok, I have had this saved forever and now I'm officially posting it as Chris has been asking me about this for a while. So I'll do what I can, and when Tyler gets back from his mission, he may make me edit and repost to make sure it's all completely valid. hehehe.

Quests:
We all love adventures. But few take the time to complete quests -- correctly. We have assigned the following parameters to help you establish if your adventure was truly a quest!

1-Did you have an actual goal of any sort?
Some great adventures occur when just driving with friends. But did you say 'We need to stop to get Albertson's cookies(as they are epic?)" or "we need to find conversation hearts and the perfect place to test if they will work as chalk"? The best quests are truly a single evening that forms quest-line! ie: "We have to grab our friend, then find some caffeine for said friend, then we need hot glue, then we'll go back to jump on the trampoline, but we have to be inside by midnight to sing happy birthday!"

2-Did some problem come up as you went along that you have to overcome?
As with the heroes in the past, and in the movies, etc, there's always some obstacle that must be overcome. With albertsons' cookies, now a days you may have to settle for Ridley's, or it may become a search for the best chocolate chip cookies that might compare, or driving hours away to find an actual Albertsons. It may be the summer when stores don't really carry conversation sweet-hearts and you use the year-old box in your friend's van. Your quest line may be interrupted by the birthday girl throwing up in the bathroom at Wal-mart. But do you continue on in your quest and have a fabulous time? The overcoming makes your adventure with goals a quest.

3-Do you have proof or a record?
The best form of proof is of course video! With normal cameras having video capture, little videos make the best way to relive and of course prove your quest was successful. Pictures make a fabulous proof. But there is also the memories of your friends. A quest by yourself REQUIRES pictures or video, but with a group of friends, they are not always necessary as you can mention to your friend 'remember that quest when...' and it has been immortalized by memory and by retelling made legendary!

If you have all three of these things, you may call your adventure a quest. And you should, because what is the fun of going on a quest and not actually calling it a quest? That's madness.

So! Now I challenge you to a quest-line! 1-Pick a friend, or two. 2-Write them a nice note. 3-Find a stealthy place to hide their notes. 4-Remember to record, or have several friends hiding the notes. 5-If possible, write notes that can be mailed instead of hidden! Make silly videos while waiting in the post office line (which, come on, we all know will be super-long!)

Have an awesome time on your quests!

Awesome Book of Awesome: Adventures

Adventure : defined by m-w.com as 1 an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks 2 an exciting or remarkable experience.

My favorite fun thing is having adventures. It's really easy to do!
How to have an adventure:
  • Decide you're having an adventure! Once the decision is made, you'll change your behaviors in a fun, exciting, unusual way - sometimes without even noticing.
  • Do something out of the ordinary. If you usually take a certain route home, go another way. If you usually have the same thing at a restaurant, try something else. If you usually stay home, go out. Etc.
  • Add another person. Everything is more fun with more people. Say you're going to pick up ice cream, take someone with you! Talk, laugh, be silly. Talk to strangers
  • Take a camera. People are more exuberant in front of a camera, and you can look back and laugh at your adventure later.
  • Give your adventure a soundtrack. Play music that fits the feel of your adventure. Soundtracks from movies can really add suspense or specific feelings to your adventure. Loud music that is fun and bouncy can add loud and bouncy to your adventure. And so on. While Party in the USA isn't typical listening music, it can be a great addition to an adventure with a car full of girls going...anywhere.
  • Plan no more than 2 steps ahead. Too much planning and goals and your adventure becomes a quest.
  • Just keep going! Once in the car, go until you can't anymore. Spend all the time available to you. It isn't a waste later when you look back at your experience.
These are some quick pics of some adventures I've been on before:

Monday, January 2, 2012

cheating catch up

so... I was looking today at how few posts I had in 2011...when almost all my posts in 2012 are catch up for 2011. and it made me sad. So! plan! I'm going to make the label 'catch up' and fix the dates so that they are in 2011. hehe. so here we go! (then come posts about what we're up to and my thoughts.)

Sunday, January 1, 2012

oh dear heavens

So while on facebook today I saw that a dear friend of my husband had posted to his blog a review of his year. I thoroughly enjoy his blog, and then I realized GOODNESS GRACIOUS I HAVEN'T POSTED SINCE BEFORE MY WEDDING!?! So, while I may do a year in review, more likely I will catch us up in the wonderful shared life I now lead and then...well...be done. And then (as you all know me well enough to guess) I won't post again for quite some time. Haha... of course... and my terrible not-posting then super-posting cycle will continue.

(after editing my page to make it beautiful and hand computer-scrapbooking headers for the next blog pages until March. I may have to post more if I'm going to re-design so often.)


SO! WITHOUT FURTHER ADO! THE CATCH-UP POSTS!