Halloween

So this was my Halloween costume this year! Hopefully I'll come across a full-length shot that includes my black and white checked pants, striped socks, and boots, but for now this will have to suffice.

I made the hat from a cereal box, covered in upside-down pleather from from last year's costume and decorated with, among other things, feathers from 2008's flapper costume. The shirt was also from the Prince costume, and worked perfectly.

David told me he'd overheard someone who didn't know me well ask, "Who's the Hatter?" I was indignant that someone wouldn't recognize my character--until David pointed out that the person recognized the character easily, but didn't know me. After the past few years' somewhat obscure costumes, it was fun to be such an easily recognized character.

David was Captain Awesome. His costume was primarily the result of all the flattened packing boxes currently littering our new place (another story for another time) and was a master of cardboard engineering.

Cheers.

Things That Are Awesome VIII

Things That Are Awesome VIII (the winter edition):

• Fleece sheets. Before David's parents bought us these for Christmas, I didn't even know they existed. I've had flannel sheets for years, but these blow those out of the water on the warmth front. They're basically very soft, thin fleece blankets, sewn into a standard sheet set configuration, and they are amazing. When they're pre-heated with the electric blanket, climbing between them is like curling up in a teddy bear's warm innards. Delightful.
• Smartwool muffler. This was another Christmas present, this one from my sister. It is the heaviest, nicest scarf I've ever owned--made of soft merino wool, and thick and "tall" enough that it sits structurally on my shoulders and covers my face (as you can see in the picture to the left; for the photo from this earlier post, I had pulled it down only for as long as it took to take the photo [promptly numbing everything below my eyes]). It is wonderful!
• Flannel neck-warmer. David's sister Becca made this for me for Christmas, and I've never gotten so many compliments on an accessory! I'm hoping she adds them to her Esty shop so that I can direct interested parties there. This picture doesn't actually show it all that well--but does show one of the Brand New People I met over Christmas (Brian and Liesl's!), and the lovely arm warmers David bought me. Since I wear the neck-warmer all the time, you'll probably see it soon in another picture, anyway.
• Winter pedicure! I've mentioned the hour-long, $15 pedicures at my local beauty school. The lovely warm soak and scrubbing felt extra-special yesterday, even though I had to put my Smartwool socks and big boots on and trudge back to the car through the snow. Those toes are coming out in two weeks, though, when we head to Orlando for Mandy's wedding! Saint Paul College is also where I get the sunscreen I mentioned last time, and this stuff:
• Pevonia Botanica Problematic Skin Care Cream. Oh, yes, my skin is problematic--or was, until I found this moisturizer (paired with CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser alternating with Pevonia's Phyto-Gel Cleanser). These products (except for the CeraVe, which I found myself) were all recommended by the aestheicians at SPC--where I can get them at approximately 25% or more off retail. Even so, they cost more than I've been used to paying for skin care products, but are so worth it for the results: namely, my skin looking and feeling the best it has in many, many years. Combined with periodic facials, they seem to actively calm and improve my skin (versus the treatments I've tried over the years, many of them dermatologist-prescribed, that aggressively dry or otherwise aggravate it in the name of controlling break-outs). I moisturize twice daily with the cream (over a drop or two of SkinCeuticals' Hydrating B-5 gel if I'm flaky [which can happen here in the winter!]; keeping my skin hydrated and calmed seems to work better for me than any other "treatments." Or maybe, after two decades of it, I've finally just (mostly) outgrown my acne; who knows.
• J Crew's winter sale. 40% off of all sale items with code MUSTHAVE. For real! The web store wasn't applying my discount, so I called customer service--and was given free shipping for my "trouble"! I got $265 worth of (originally-priced merchandise) for a fraction of that. Deal ends tomorrow, though, so hurry!
  

What are your Awesome Things this winter?

String Lamp 2.0

This weekend, David helped me make another string lamp, this one for the living room. Here, in what is becoming classic Disaster Kitchen style, is a sped-up video of its creation:

Woo-hoo!

The awesome apron was a gift from Ellen. That shiny thing in the background is David's new TV/HTPC.

Earrings

Remember these earrings? I loved the stones, but from early on had trouble with them, as the hole in the center of one round bead (pink jasper, I think) was too large for the headpin and tended to slip off.

They've been unwearable for at least a year or two, but I still had all the pieces so I snipped them apart and put them back together with wire left over from my Christmas ornament hooks and extra earwires purchased for the the Japanese maple earrings I bought last fall.*
I'm pretty happy with how they turned out--and extra inspired to buy real tools (especially small, round-nose pliers) for future crafting.












*I really thought I had blogged about these. I LOVE them, though, as mentioned, I did change out the earwires for the more graceful ones pictured above. She also has other jewelery made from real leaves!

Accessories

I finally bought a belt for that half marathon medal that was actually a belt buckle! I opened the package and wrapped it around my waist while still wearing four layers of clothing, one of them my thick wool jacket, and was disappointed at how small it was. Thankfully, it fits fine when I wear it under my coat. If you're in the market for a buckle-less belt, I suggest this Etsy seller.

Also on display in this picture is the ring made me for me by the lovely and talented Becca. I call it my Big Rock.

Necklace

Today we hit the student art sale at MCAD, and I got this fabulous "cellular pattern" necklace.

The artist has an Etsy shop here. I suggest checking it out!

Hats, Pad Thai, Iced Tea

Awww, peeps, I'm a NaBloPoMo failure, already! I missed posting yesterday--'completely spaced it with the slumber party. I guess it takes a bit of pressure off for the rest of the month, although I will still try to get in a daily post (or two; I think it was Mandy who once said that NaBloPoMo is 30 posts in 30 days, and a post a day was really more of a secondary thing).

Anyway, here are those hats that I made. I think I'm going to crochet a flower and stick it onto the front of mine for sort of a flapper thing. My hat has a lot of holes, but the four-ply yarn makes it really heavy, so it's actually pretty warm (although I haven't tried it yet in serious winter weather; we're in the sixties this weekend!).

And as long as I'm uploading photos, let's talk about Friday's adventures in Thai food!

I first discovered that relatively easy and delicious pad thai could be made at home when we threw a surprise birthday party for Hathor this summer, with the theme of Thai Food Extravaganza. Green curry, spring rolls with peanut sauce, and meng khum were also on the menu, but the pad thai was really to be the highlight (I hoped). David had a wok, so we decided to give it a go!

This recipe from Chez Pim was the awesome. It's a little long, but very entertainingly written as well as highly informative. I hadn't actually reread it since we did the party, and reading it again just now I realized the things I'd done wrong or forgotten. Still, I thought it turned out beautifully on Friday, and will probably be different for tonight's mini-party, but hopefully equally delicious.

Here's my take on the recipe (but, seriously, read hers first if you are thinking about making it. You won't be disappointed).

Sauce:
1/4 cup tamarind concentrate
1/4 cup Bragg liquid aminos (I used Bragg's for Heather's, and then soy sauce later, and have decided I much prefer Bragg's!)
~1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
~1/3 cup brown sugar (I'd forgotten this the past couple of times I'd made this, and completely hadn't noticed! I'd suggest starting low and working up)

Simmer it all for a while and adjust to taste (Pim has a great discussion on the flavor balance)

Noodles:
I have no idea whether or not this is proper, but I bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, throw my noodles in, give them a stir, and let them soak until they're quite al dente. Then I drain them and return them to the pot, although they did kind of stick together last time.

Prep:
-Tofu (I cut a block into thin, bite-sized pieces and sauteed them in a hot skillet with Pam and little curry powder and seasoned salt. She suggests doing this in the wok, but I liked the ease of having them ready to go)
-Garlic (several cloves, roughly minced. Pim says this is optional; I can't really imagine doing without)
-Carrots (shredded in the food processor, although they'd probably be a little nicer julienned)
-Green onions (sliced diagonally into ~1" pieces)
-Bean sprouts ('totally forgot these last time)
-Red cabbage (optional)
-Lime wedges
-Dry roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
-Cilantro, roughly chopped

Wok!
Get the wok "smoking hot" and add a splash of oil. I would definitely suggest having an accomplice for the wokking; I generally run the stirring and David throws ingredients in (which is why we lack photos--sorry!). Last time, we did the vegetables first, then the noodles with the sauce, then the garlic, and then two eggs, cracked and scrambled right in the wok (which sounds so much easier than it actually is--sigh). Keep everything moving around as you're cooking, and remember, as I did not last time, to keep the amounts small and well-timed, so that the wok stays smokin'. When hot, fragrant, and delicious-looking, transfer onto a plate and garnish with peanuts, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Guys, this is so delicious. We just had it on Friday, and already I'm salivating in anticipation of eating it again tonight.

Oh, and hey, since I'm on a roll, here is how I do Thai iced tea:
Place ~8 tablespoons of Thai iced tea into French press; add approximately two cups boiling water and let steep for a minute or two before pressing. You could chill the tea at this point, which would be a great idea. In the past, I've just poured it into two glasses filled with ice (ice which quickly melts down to nearly nothing!). Stir in maybe three tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk. I've read that you can use sugar and half and half; I haven't tried that. I have tried thinning the sweetened condensed milk in an attempt to achieve that beautiful layered effect, but haven't been successful. Maybe if I chilled the tea first? Let me know if you have a special trick.

Crafty

Tonight, I made hats! I haven't taken pictures of them, yet, but I think they're pretty cool. One I had already started, and the second went really fast because I was using four-ply yarn and my new giant (size Q) crochet hook.

I also made bang-up pad thai, which is quite a lot easier than you might expect. I did take some pictures of that (though I haven't uploaded them), so you may be treated to a step-by-step later.

Last week I finally (after three years of thinking about it) spray-painted the feet of my clawfoot tub silver. I do have a picture of that, so here it is:

In the process I managed to point the can the wrong direction and spray my finger, of which I also, naturally, have a picture:

The silver spray paint was from another DIY project I never posted, a jewelry holder I made several weeks ago and which is currently hanging in my bathroom. It occurs to me that I should probably post about that.

David also used the silver spray paint to modify his Halloween pitchfork, which started out red and was thus even more ridiculous than it is in the picture. He was disappointed that I didn't post his carefully cropped version of our American Gothic picture, so here it is:

Tomorrow I'm going to a slumber party at a friend's house! I'm really excited about that. I hosted a slumber party at my parents' house a couple of summers ago (did I really not post about that--?), but I haven't been to one at someone else's place in ages. Drew Barrymore, apparently, said, "The older you get, the fewer slumber parties there are, and I hate that. I liked slumber parties. What happened to them?" Well, we're bringing them back.

Halloween

So this year, I joined a friend to run the Monster Dash Half Marathon bright and early Halloween morning. I had considered various costume options (for a while, 80s cheerleader was the forerunner), but ultimately decided that I was too cheap and the weather too cold for anything fancy. I did at least go for colorful, thanks to last-minute striped legwarmers, an orange scarf a friend crocheted for me in college, and a bright green beanie.

Lots of other people had gotten crazy and creative with their costumes, including team ones--a pack of running bananas, several crayons, and a ketchup and mustard duo (the former of whom I ran close to for a mile or so, and who, when passersby shouted, "Mustard's up ahead!" would reply, "I'm trying to catch up!").

I'd considered running this race for several years, and had even driven my neighbor and friends to the start line year before last, but had always been somewhat daunted by its proximity to the TCM and had wondered whether I'd be able to run again so soon. As it turns out, I think it probably was a bit soon; I didn't feel quite the energy reserves on the course that I wanted to, and I've been moaning so much over my sore muscles that David has declared that I am not to run any more marathons or half marathons, ever. However, it was definitely a fun time, and although I could only keep up with my fast friend for about three miles (she ended up finishing with a 7:55 pace, while mine was 9:24), I did enjoy myself.

...So much that I just registered to run the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on December 5 with my sister and brother-in-law. Woo-hoo!

Here are photos David took during the morning (as always, click to view the album and larger pictures):


In the last picture, after the race, I'm wearing my medal. It's on this weird yellow lace-thing, but the best part is that it is a belt buckle! I think this is pretty much the greatest idea ever. Now I just need to find a belt I can put it on.

I was going to write about our adventures after the race, but find myself too tired. So, see you here tomorrow!

Spectacles

I ordered checks early last week, and since they were promised to have shipped Tuesday morning, by Friday evening I was anxious for them to arrive. David was here, and I asked if he'd check the mail for me while I was working in the kitchen. As he came back from the mailbox, he called, "There's a box for you, and it looks like a check box, but it doesn't look like the sort of thing a bank would send..."

I assured him that since they'd had to redo my check order and were sending them to a temporary address not printed on the checks, it might look a little sketchy. When he came in with the box, it was sketchy, the addresses printed on a torn-off piece of paper and packing tape sloppily holding it in place and sealing the box. Opening it, I still expected my checks, despite the chunk of Styrofoam and wad of cotton holding the smaller box in place. I was knocking the larger box on the counter to dislodge the smaller one when David pointed out, "I think those are your glasses."

Indeed they were, and despite their dodgy outer packaging, inside they were in a solid case with an enclosed polishing cloth. The glasses themselves were pristine: shiny, clean, solidly-constructed, and appropriately weighty, despite their $12.99 price tag.

Given my ridiculously strong prescription, I'd paid $45 for the highest index, thinnest lenses (though all of their lenses come with antiglare, scratch-free, and UV coating), so the total (including taxes, but not shipping, which was free) was $55.09.

I was so excited to receive them that I immediately put them on and then attempted, squinting fiercely through the over-correction, to see my reflection in the mirror. My head hurt for the next 15 minutes, so the next time I modeled them while wearing my contacts, I kept my eyes closed!

Here they are on (sans contacts):

...and from the side, with crazy-face:

My one complaint, and it can't be fixed, is that because my prescription is so strong, the lenses distort my face, shrinking my eyes and making the sides of my head behind the lenses appear caved in:

The thinner lenses do help, and if I were really concerned about it (i.e., planned to wear these for more than a few minutes in the morning/evening and in the event of a contact lens emergency), I'd probably try a narrower frame or maybe one with a half rim. The black are also a bit harsh; those red ones so many of you voted for were my very close second choice!

Overall, however, I am delighted, and love being able to see clearly (my prescription had changed rather dramatically in the past decade, including the correction balance for each eye), being scratch-free, and having appropriately fashionable and current specs.

I would completely recommend online buying to anyone who wears glasses. I'd suggest doing some research first--trying on frames in real life (and taking pictures!), measuring a current pair that fits well, and comparing different sites (goggles4u is consistently cheapest, but difficult to navigate)--but, really, for $55 (or $40, if you need only slight correction) , it's hard to go too wrong.

Go forth and experiment, I say--and then share your stories!

Glasses

Well, Internet, I survived jumping out of a plane, and it was mind-blowingly fantastic.

I'll tell you more about it, but first I have something more pressing: I need you to help me decide which glasses frames look best. Here are the results of goggles4u.com's "V-try" feature, using a webam shot from this evening:
These are my current favorite frames (all $12.99!)--based on this weird simulation, anyway--and I'd love your input (quickly, as I'm hoping to get this order placed asap).

Because doesn't this seem like the perfect opportunity for community involvement?

Things That Are Awesome V

Things That Are Awesome (Spring Edition):

• Warm weather! Monday it was 67° and I ran in shorts. It was especially awesome because it was a full 70 degrees warmer than it had been the previous Wednesday (on which I refused to bike to school, because subzero biking is one thing in January or February, and another thing altogether in March).
• Warm weather biking. It is so much easier to bike when you're not fighting snow, ice, a bitter wind, and/or your appendages freezing off. In the past week I've been early to two events because I had underestimated how long it would take me to bike there. It just feels so easy.
  
• New earrings. Does anybody recognize these? I'm just curious. Although they're huge, they're so light and delicate that I can hardly feel them.
  
• Spring break. I only have to be on campus for class one day a week, so having the week off school wasn't a huge change (though the break in University e-mails and related random events was awfully nice). The best part has been socializing with people from the department: two happy hours, one Soup Night, and a brunch, so far. One of the happy hours was even outside! Having a spring break that actually feels like spring rules.
• Being spoiled. Because I was so stressed about the applications, papers, and grading I have to get done, David surprised me by booking and treating me to an aromatherapy massage at this fabulous converted mansion in my neighborhood. It was 90 minutes of wonderful, and left me feeling amazing. Oh, and as if that weren't enough, just after I got back home, UPS delivered this from him, which made me laugh out loud (note the card):

Yep. So far, spring has me feeling so good that I kind of don't even care about the mice anymore ('caught the third one a couple days ago). Even billing my landlord seems like too much trouble, when the sun is shining (and your comments to that post were awesome, by the way!). Life is good.

Things That Are Awesome IV

Things That Are Awesome (IQD Edition):

• For IQD, David gave me not one, but TWO secret compartment books!


• The first one was actually the second of the two he'd made, because he hadn't been happy with the first one. It was beautiful. Note the endpapers, which are a map of Mpls and its suburbs. I live in the left crook of the Y. Both books have magnetic closures that make the covers snap satisfyingly shut.


• The second one was the earlier one he'd made, and although it wasn't quite as pretty, I still loved it. The endpapers on this one are a bigger vintage map of the Midwest, with some cities circled (Lincoln, Wausau, Marshfield, Stevens Point, Prairie Du Chien). Plus, this one came filled with two little boxes!


• In the first box was a pair of handmade earrings from Etsy--little black beads making a cute fan at the base of a delicate gold hoop. I put them on immediately.
  


• In the second box was another pair of handmade Etsy earrings, this time an elegant gold pair with long graceful lines. I wore them out that night.


• There were all sorts of runners out Saturday morning during our frozen adventuring, both at Minnehaha Falls and at Lake Calhoun! I have a witness that I do not just make this stuff up!
  

More of David's IQD pictures are here, if you're feeling brave.

Things That Are Awesome III

If you're tired of the awesome, you should check out Seth's new blog, The Daily Who Be Trippin' Countdown

Things That Are Awesome (the slightly accessory-heavy edition):

The necklace I bought today at the open house held by the professor for whom I TA. Her main home business is selling ridiculously expensive (though beautiful) designer handbags, but she also does some cute jewelery pieces and paper products. I love the little bird on this one (and it was... cheep!). You can't tell in my pictures (the flash seems to have gone out on my camera, which is making things more challenging), but the bird charm is resting on a delicate, metal-edged enameled disc (that totally looks like a tasty lozenge).

The J. Crew shopping trip (accompanying my neighbor) that yielded a hand-painted enamel bracelet for $6.99 (originally $35 and ridiculously difficult to photograph) and heavy, fully-lined, charcoal wool slacks for $48.99 (originally $118, and not pictured... maybe later).

The fact that Minnesota doesn't have sales tax on clothing (or, for that matter, shoes). Isn't that brilliant?

Yesterday's black beans and rice with asiago, today with avocado and salsa. People. There are few words to describe the wonder. I almost swooned. (Though that could, admittedly, have also been related to how hungry I was).

Winter running (still). Today was viciously cold (when I got home, the radio said it was "six above"), but we still had a pretty awesome run. We both got icy eyelashes, which I didn't quite manage to photograph before they started to melt. My neighbor said of our frosty mascara, "We're disco queens!" In this photo, you can also see ice not only on my balaclava, but around my eyebrows.