New Vintage

Tuesday!
Been working on Statistics lately -  homework... This is the last week of class and I have a paper due. I have come to the conclusion - and am totally cool with it - that I was not ment to be a stastitician. UGH! I can say that I have expaned my brain power to the nth degree and know that it will all fall away come Sunday, midnight. LOL
On with the fashion! This little cream dress is from Fireweed and was essentially free due to store credit for my consignments... at least this is a great thing to say when showing hubby my latest find! LOL
It is by Flora Paris. I am so in love with the shabby chic look of hte distressed roses adn suprise details like sequins and stitching on the top. So girly!

I have been waiting to wear this dress though - I needed a white sleep or cream slip and cream stockings and wasn't sure as to what shoes to wear. Then I had a thought - vintage! Years ago I had my victorian cowboy boots that I wore in our wedding - that once were white - dyed black. If you have ever tried to dye a light colored pair of leather shoes darker - you know that it is a feat itself. The black cracked and white would show through - kinda cool - looked distressed! One day I took a black sharpie to them and then shined them up. Turned out awesome. Still a weathered look but not yucky looking anymore. So, started with the boots - added black tights and a black vintage slip. The necklace/broach is from Lia Sophia a few years back and the chunky long necklace is from Fireweed too - made out of a t-shirt. Cool! I like adding the black much better than trying to go with all cream.

Now that spring is here - it is really nice to be outside. Minus allergies...



Hello Spring in Alaska!!!

Sorry it has been a few since I have posted! The end of March and beginning of April was full of fun and more fun! I had my 37th birthday the end of March and my dearest hubby turned 40 on Easter Sunday. We spent a few days in Hawaii to get away and CELEBRATE!!! What a marvelous vacation! This 40 Below Girl enjoyed the sun and breeze- even though my skin went into shock! LOL Thank goodness for 50 SPF!
So, I mentioned maybe last post that I had started a new project that I thought was going to take me awhile - well, awhile it did take! Finally finished it on our way home from Hawaii and took advantage of a lovely Alaska spring day to wear it! Now - my photographer this morning chose a very becoming backdrop - a scrap yard of sorts - and thought that his shadow should be part of the photo. LOL What can I say, volunteer photographers... LOL

For this vest - I used a free pattern from Caron. I also used Caron yarns. The black is the recycled soft yarn and the mauve pink is Caron soft yarn. It took I skein of the pink and about 1 1/2 of the back. The repeating pattern was very monotonous, but once I got it figured out and took the first pattern portion out about 5 times - I was happy. The back was the most fun - it is rather challenging to see - but it is a lace motif. The reason I first of all chose the pattern. It is made of 6 triangular motifs. I found the little wooden closure for the front at JoAnns. I think that I am going to make a frog type closure though.

Yesterday I had an "Alias" day. I LOVE the TV show Alias. I am on season 4. So, I started a new crochet pattern and watched Alias. Nice day to veg...

Happy Monday!!!!!!

Monday, Monday... la-la, la-la-la la

Happy Monday! I can't believe that tomorrow is the first day of spring! I kind of forget about spring living in Interior Alaska because we only get Winter and Construction season. (ba-dum, tink! that is only kinda a joke...)  Great weekend though! Got to celebrate wearing of the green, spent time doing homework, time crafting cards and scrapbook pages, crocheting, and spending time with the girls that were in our care earlier this year. (We are a resource family for children in state care)  Great weekend!!! Although - hmmm... here is one for you! Out shopping and 2 y/o says she needs to go potty. So we make our way to the potty - and we just went potty - so we go slowly and having fun being silly... and we get to the potty - she looks are me with this shocked look on her face and PEES!!! Her face was priceless. Could only shake my head and smile... but then had a lovely mess to clean up! LOL Gotta love potty training!!! Next time... pull-ups for sure!!! LOL
Made cabbage rolls this weekend as well. Not sure how entirely healthy that they are, but we tried our darnedest to make them as healthy as possible. These are not Irish, but German. My grandma Kay made the BEST cabbage rolls! Here is what you need - frozen bread rolls, head of cabbage, pound of burger (we used moose), celery and onion - spices to liking. I spray the cabbage with fat free butter flavored Pam spray stuff and cook up the celery, cabbage and onions. Also cook up the moose burger with more onions to help kill the game taste. Mix them all together and then put heaping spoonfuls onto a 4" square (rolled out and thawed) bread dough.  Then pinch all the sides into the middle, covering the cabbage/burger mix. Bake at 350 for about 18 minutes - whatever the bread package suggests is about right on the money. SOOOO yummy! Really only thing that hits high on the unhealthy side for me is the bread...
I am working on a new crochet vest project. Thinking it will take me awhile - a long while. It is row after row of crochet in the back loop. It will be good for when I am on the stair-stepper - but kinda boring otherwise. So, going to find another project to start as well. More on that later this week - we hope... LOL

I do have a dandy "Monday" outfit for you today! PINK!!! Love pink! I got the layered look, that is for sure! It was like -20 below this morning, so I wanted to be warm! Fleece tights, Under Armor, tank and top. And Rebel MAC lipstick! Pink! Pink! Pink! :) I wanted to wear my pink Uggs too, but DH said that it was a bit too much. Too much pink! NEVER... LOL

Also had coffee brought to me while I was getting ready this morning - Butter Toffee {sigh}. That DH, he is a keeper!!! And he found this really cute coffee cup that my sorority sister, Shannon A. gave me for my birthday one year. It has traveled from California to Montana to England and four houses in Alaska - surviving the moving crews, packing and all! I love {heart} Precious Moments. Thinking of my sweet Phi Sig sisters today!
Toodles!

It Was a Long Week... And This is a Long Post...

 Wow! Why don't I get a Spring Break? Well, I guess we did get today off! Thank you UAF! :) Sorry for the lack of posts this week. It really has been a long week with work. Lots of programs going on during spring break - but lots of fun too!!! Wednesday I spent the day in Anchorage. Did a workshop on GoogleEarth with some military teens. We had a blast! GoogleEarth is sooo cool. I love it when the globe zooms out and moves and zooms in. LOL We visited all over the world. Really cool how you can go to Vatican City and see the Vatican!
And so here goes my "rant" about Anchorage... first of all, I can not get around there without my map app on my phone. The streets are one way and then two way and then stop and change names - ugh!!! And people on the road - now not ALL... but just so happened a few that I got the opportunity to drive in traffic with - (insert explicative here) DRIVERS!!! No courtesy what-so-ever. Drivers in Los Angeles are more courteous (total compliment... ) than what I experienced in Anchorage! Including an Anchorage PD car!!! Pa-lease!!! Ok.. done! I did get some yummy yogurt at the airport though - kind of made up for it - but then had to eat it fast and got brain freeze... can't take yogurt through security Really?!? Whatever... if the yogurt place and Cinnabon place were smart, they would make another order window so you could enjoy yogurt after going through security. Sorry, I thought I was done "ranting" - now I am done. LOL
Fashionista tip for this week... LIPSTICK. Ever since high school I was often asked "how do you get your lipstick to stay on?" I don't remember who taught me the whole "lipstick" thing in  high school (I am going to guess during a 4-H Fashion Revue or Hennessy's Fashion Board workshop), but it works! So here is the secret --- step-by-step instructions to lovely lipstick that lasts until lunch!

1. Outline lips with a lip liner color that is a bit darker than lipstick color - or a totally different color! You can create personalized lip stick colors by changing  up the lip liner color. Now here is a little tip for you! Feel like you have thin lips and want to give them a little plumping boost? (Thinking fondly of you, mom. {heart}) When lining your lips, draw outside of the natural lip line. Then when applying lipstick make sure to fill in well, just barely covering the new lip line.
 I love {heart} MAC cosmetics. This liner is called Nightmoth. It is a dark plum/purple color. My #1 favorite lip liner color from MAC is Plum.
2. Apply lipstick to top and bottom lip, being sure to cover the lip line.
I am also really picky about how lipstick tastes - I remember the Vamp lipstick from Chanel that had rose petals in it... YUCK!!!! - MAC is my favorite (I think I already mentioned that. LOL).  My #1 favorite MAC lipstick color is Odyssey. It is a lovely plum color and goes well with a "cool" skin tone. My other "go to" color is Fluid. It is a bit of a brownish/plum color. It changes up great with different tones of lip liners as well. I used to only wear Plum Pizazz by Mary Kay - but they quit carrying it long ago. It was an awesome color! :( And was thus the beginning of my "not liking" Mary Kay - but I don't hold a grudge! LOL
3. OK... READY!!!! Here is my SECRET! Apply loose powder with a fluffy make-up brush. Any type of loose powder will probably work - I use Bare Minerals. What this does is it "sets" the lipstick to help prolong the wear.
4. Add a gloss or lip plumper for shine! There are a few brands that I really like - #1 fave is the colored gloss lip plumpers from Bare Minerals. Lovely... Clear gloss works great too for extra shine. I try to use a gloss color that is a pretty close match to the lip stick tone. It just gives a little more oomph. MAC glosses are awesome too - and easy to match. UPDATE!!! OK, only dab lipgloss on in three dots on the lower lip. One - right side, one - left side, one-  middle. Then to go step 5. If you put lip gloss on in the same fashion you do your lipstick (covering your entire lip), the lipstick color will become diluted and/or come off. Now, if you like this look, then skip over this update! :) See, tips for all! LOL
5. Lightly tap lips together to set lip color.
And a few other tips to make the lip color last at least until lunch... drink your coffee through a straw. I get two stir-stick straws and drink my coffee through those. Then your lipstick isn't all over the rim of the cup. :) Voila! Lipstick until lunch.
AND one more thing... living in the dry cold equals dry skin! I am sure that chapstick is a #1 seller at most grocery stores here! LOL The more chapstick I would use, the more chapped and dry my lips would get. How in the world?!?! I remember someone telling me something once about Carmex being addicting - your lips had to continually have a layer... I think almost everyone in high school carried the little tin of Carmex around... Well, it doesn't work... know what helps keep your lips from not becoming chapped? A lovely layer of lipstick! Seriously!!! That layer of mud or whatever the lipstick is made of creates a protective shield for your lips. Now dudes... not sure what to tell you - but MAC does have some really great nude colors! And -YES  - it is OK for guys to wear make-up - especially if it will leave your lips nice and kissable! Disclaimer - Fritz does not wear lipstick - and pretty much refuses to wear chapstick! LOL Back to the "no more chapstick" chat... don't believe me? Try it! Just ask sweet Aleisa M. - who is by-the-way, the most awesome military spouse/volunteer/super woman to the rescue - EVER!!!
Ok.. onto more good things about this week!!! Fireweed Consignment Boutique (my favorite place to shop in Fairbanks) received a shipment in this week of some new tag tops! LOVE this line!!!! It is a perfect shabby/chic combination for me. Lots of detail, easy to care for, very different and FUN!!!! I will have to post a picture later - but trust me, CUTE stuff!!! These longer style tunic tops also lend themselves very nicely to wearing tights/leggings. My new favorite comfy winter style... Long top, fleece lined tights and tall UGG boots. {heart} And the best part of my Fireweed shopping this week was I had credit from my recycled fashions!!! Who doesn't love a GREAT deal!!! Oh! And thank you Fireweed for posting a FB link to my blog!!! ;)
Didn't get much crochet time in this week due to the work schedule - but plan to over the weekend! But first... homework. UGH... Not as bad as I thought it would be though. There is a bright side to everything - just call me "Polyanna Sunshine!" LOL Jackie D - if you by chance read this - I MISS YOU!!!!
Toodles!
UPDATE!!! I forgot something about healthy food!!! Although maybe my mention of the frozen yogurt counts?!? Not according to that one Seinfeld episode! Remember that one??!?! Life is an Seinfeld episode, I swear! LOL Anyway... I chose fruity yogurt flavors and used the MyFitnessPal app on my phone to check out the sugar and fat content. I have pretty much cut out all sugar and fat in my diet - except what comes naturally in wild game, fish, chicken, etc. and low sugar fruits -  like strawberries, apples, oranges and grapefruit. Having too much sugar makes me feel icky now. And I surely didn't want to get on a plane feeling like I was going to regurgitate my yummy yogurt! LOL (Sorry... TMI...) All in small portions is a great thing to remember when indulging. I had a little tangerine and a little grapefruit yogurt, topped with fresh strawberries and a sprinkle of crushed graham crackers. Very yummy!
I posted this on FB last night - but must share here too! Last night DH and I made carne asada. I was longing for Spector's market in Burbank - they had the BEST carne asada that we would grill up. Anyway... made our own last night and it turned out FANTASTIC!!! Wow! Not too much of a fajita taste, no taco meat taste - but lovely carne asada. The secret ingredient - malt vinegar! Who ever came up with that is just brilliant! I found the recipe online... Of course my favorite part is the extra squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro on top. I have also learned to love of lettuce wraps. Instead of eating bread or tortillas (although I had a small tortilla last night because we were out of romaine), wrap whatever needs a bun or a tortilla in a large leaf of romaine lettuce. Bit messy, but it works... :) Lettuce wraps are a favorite for Becky B and I at work. We put peanut or almond butter, chicken, coconut, craisins, carrots, celery, you name it - in a lettuce wrap. You would be surprised at how much the kiddos will like it too!
Toodles again!

Angry Birds!!!

 Well, what this has to do with living in the arctic - let me show you! It has to do with this cutie-pa-tootie- little guy! His momma was telling me how upset little man was that daddy had gotten a pair of angry bird print pajama pants. So, the proto-type angry bird hat was created!!!

Little man loves it. :) Crocheted using Caron worsted weight yarn. The beak is stuffed a bit to make it more fun! Yep! He is saying, "Mrs. Candi is #1! And I am a cool dude!"  Thanks Katrina for sharing the photos! OOPS! I mean letting me steal them from your FB!

Back to the grindstone for school! This term is Statistics. Hmmmm... so far so good! I hate doing linear equations. Also working on an ATC (artist's trading card) swap for my Paper Crafter's Cafe group and for sure some more crochet hats! Just ordered a pattern for a baby cowboy hat! How stinkin' cute is that gonna be! :)

Today is kind of chilly and snowy. There is a bit of a breeze which doesn't help matters. I am so glad that there is harldy ever a breeze here.

Oh! Have to share this really cool project that Becky B.'s son is doing for his Eagle Scout project! There is this very beautiful memorial park on Fort Wainwright for the fallen soldiers. "C" is working on the needed additions to the memorial park. 21 soldiers have lost their life in the last deployment and "C" is working on a community effort to trim trees and put in new foot stone markers in memoriam of each fallen solider. If you are local and would like to volunteer time or not local and think this is an awesome project to support - "C" needs donations to buy cement and rent equipment. He himself is from an Air Force family - which makes it an even more meaningful project. Proud of him! :) He did an awesome job telling some members of the Fairbanks Chamber about his project this morning too. Yeah "C"!

Another evening hanging out with the teens at Fort Wainwright and talking about getting ready for their mom or dad to get home from deployment.

Alright - fashion fun for today. Sticker nail dress. These things rock. They are stickers - like a press on nail, but not a plastic nail - for your nails! I know makes sense, right!? No drying time, no nail polish remover, no smudges (pisses me off!), instant fun nails! Kiss is the brand that I can find here... WalMart - $2.08. Can't beat that. The higher priced ones (like $8) are a bit better quality though. I used to get my nails done - silk wraps. But living here, it is too dry and those puppies just snap right off - and time - no time... And you know when you bust a nail off, it has to be covered with a bandaid because can't go around with a busted fake nail! LOL You know you have done it before!!!! LOL

Not sure if I will get to post this weekend, depends on how the homework gos... Have a great weekend! Toodles!

Topsy Turvy

Happy Thursday! So glad that tomorrow is Friday!!!! It has been a long week with all of the snow and all that.

For today's 40 Below Fashionista post, I have a topsy turvy vest for you. Thank you Becky B. for suggesting a photo in the lovely snow!!! :) This vest was crocheted using three skeins teal worsted weight Red Heart yarn. It is one of my favorite colors. Becky calls this my Judy Jetson vest because when it isn't wrapped all snug around me, it looks a bit like a space age/Star Trek dress. LOL The belt I ordered online from Newport News - I think. The cool thing about this vest is it can be worn any which way - there is no top or bottom or inside or outside. Each way is a bit different. It is also very cozy. Great for a chilly day, feels like your wrapped up inside a blankie. Black boots are Uggs. My favorite boots - and I love boots. I don't think that I have ever mentioned my fondness of boots. LOL I have always loved boots! I remember in 2nd grade getting my first pair of brown fashion boots. They were sooo cool. I also remember having these cute red cowboy boots. Dad would take me school shopping to Correl West Ranch Wear and I would get a couple pairs of Wrangler jeans and a pair of cowboy boots - and a shirt with snaps. Yep! Western Barbie! LOL I totally wanted to be a western wear designer - for Double D Ranch Wear. Well, that didn't quite happen... ANYWAY...  Found those awesome UGGS on Zappos. Zappos is a great friend with free shipping to and from (in case of returns) here in Alaska. Usually it is EXTRA shipping or they don't ship here at all - cause we are international... dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb...

Are you into the Pinterest craze? I try not to go there too often during the day. It is a nice little break from reality though. Not good when you are hungry though. OMGosh! Don't know where these people find all these pictures for all that amazing looking food!!! One day I saw cake batter rice crispy treats - OK... they are AMAZING!!!! DH and I made those right away. We have a common love for rice crispy treats. When we lived in England, we would go on chartered bus trips around Europe and we would make a huge quadruple batch of rice crispy treats and wrap it in tin foil - and eat off of it on the long bus ride to whereever we were headed. It was a lovely treat... the biggest rice crispy treat in the world and here we are each nawing on an end of it. I bet that was pretty. LOL Cake batter rice crispy treats are super easy to make - just add 1/4 cup of cake mix to the melted marshmellow/butter mix and go on from there. YUMMMMMY!

Healthy eating tip for today... The Six O'Clock Scramble. (http://www.thescramble.com/) Awesome website - it is a subscription though - for easy, quick and nutritious meals. All under 500 calories with a side dish. Good stuff!

Well, gotta run - off to do another teen reintegration workshop.

Toodles!

Making the Best - BETTER!

You know that old saying, "making the best of the situation..." Well, I like to make the best situation BETTER! Yes, I stole that from the 4-H motto. :) Yep, I bleed green!!! LOL Well, living in Interior Alaska can have "its moments." But a little bright purple hair can make any day better! Hmmm... the hair hat has seen better days... needs a bit of refreshing... :) DH and I picked up fake hair hats like 4 years ago at Big Rays downtown Fairbanks. His is a black curly afro - promise pictures... We called them our incognito hats when we lived on base. This purple hair hat is pretty warm too. Love it!!! I have my Skhoop skirt on too. It is hard to see the flowers - but it has cute little embroidered flowers on the side near the bottom. Nice touch for a 40 below fashionista. The zippers on both sides at the bottom for slits and zippers on the side at the waistband make moving around in the pencil skirt doable. Onto the coat by Loki. LOVE it! It is my latest purchase - and even DH said he couldn't be mad because it is sooo cool! Cause I needed a new coat like I need another pair of boots! Side bar... I write grants... a lot of grants... in fact grants fund my job 100%... and if you have ever written a grant - they pretty much SUCK! I totally love it though - yep, she is deranged - they have order and use numbering order and have checklists - it is an "orderly" dream!!! End of side bar... So, I motivate myself to get a grant finished by bribing myself with a rewarding purchase. Usually it is shoes - in particular Danscos or boots (I LOVE BOOTS!!!). This coat was a reward. :) And we received the grant funding - double reward! This coat is so full of coolness. An awesome investment too. It has built in mittens and a built in face dickie. The mittens are built into the sleeve - just fold back the cuff and expose the mittens. No more lost mittens! And then for the face shield, it's built into the hood. No more lost scarves! Lotsa cool pockets and a spot for headphones and an iPod too. I layer under and over this Loki because it is just a shell - great for 20 above. Next time I "need"  a heavier coat, I'll shop for the down filled Loki. There are Loki hats and mittens too. These designers are genius! And appropriately named - Loki, a god and shape shifter. And there is your mythology lesson for the day!
So, you might be wondering exactly what I am doing in the photo. Well, shorty me, can't see over the snow pile when I am leaving the driveway. So, I am knocking the top off the snow pile. The snow pile was taller than me, now we see eye level. Ba ha ha ha! Then I shoveled the first front door steps and path a bit. No use... too much snow. I LOVE it!
Looking forward to dinner tonight. Another shake in the vitamix! I have been craving spinach all day. I know, sick, huh! Who in the world craves spinach! At least it isn't carbs!
One more favorite for the day. The HopeFull company. Saw these sisters on Nate Berkus Show while on holiday break. Loved the idea and knew that our foster kiddos would love them. Meal solutions made from fresh whole foods. And with these crazy food allergies I have, I knew that they would be perfect. Well, got the kit and recipes sound yummy - but haven't actually frozen the smoothie yet - I drink it first. LOL