Friday, August 31, 2012

Five Things Friday

Fun fact: Did you know Oregon was the FIRST, yes the FIRST, state to make Labor Day a holiday? Didn't think Oregon was that cool, did ya? Anyway, in honor of Labor Day I decided to make today's Five Things Friday, work themed!


1.  My day job is Electrical & Control Systems Engineer.  I hate being asked this question by people, so I am sorry for asking it if you don't like answering it but it was a must!!  It's not that I'm shy about what I do but it's the questions and comments that follow it that are kind of awkward, I get things like "I've never met a female electrical engineer before", "you must be a really smart girl to have studied that", "what does an electrical engineer do?", "do you design circuits?", "do you work with computers?", etc... the list of random questions goes on and on.  I don't mind answering them but upon describing what I do I get a lot of really blank stares and nods which just makes things awkward.

2.  What I love most about my job is I get to see and be a part of how things are made.  Just this week I got to see how particleboard was made, being around that huge machinery getting to see how everyday things are made is a pretty cool experience.  Earlier this year I was able to see and be a part of how paper and toilet paper was made.  It's things that you would only see on TV and being able to contribute even if it is for something small is really neat.

3.  My dream job would be a full time crafter!! If I could craft all day long I would!

4.  When I was little I always wanted to be an astronaut!  I always thought it would be cool to go up in space.

5.  A career I admire but would never be able to do is be a doctor.  I would be so afraid of misdiagnosing people and I don't know if I could be so patient with people either.

**My favorite thing from around the web this week is this bunny chair.  Yes a BUNNY chair! Wouldn't it be cool for your office??

Have a great long weekend everyone!!
 
-DD

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

DIY J.Crew Heart Sweater

I feel like I can't get enough of this J.Crew heart sweater but I was definitely not into the price so I decided to make my own with a little fabric paint and a $12 sweater from Forever 21.



Things You Will Need:

- Fabric paint, I used this fun glitter one
- Sweater
- Paint Brush
- Cardboard
- Paper
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Tape

Step-By-Step How To:

Gather your supplies and draw out a random heart shape, it's ok if your heart is not symmetrical.

Cut out your heart, now you have a template to paint with.

Place the cardboard inside the sweater, underneath the area you plan to paint.

Tape your template on the sweater.


Start painting the heart, be sure to add a very thin layer of paint, you don't want your heart to be too stiff once it dries.

Smooth out any lumps in the paint.

Carefully remove the paper template

Now smooth out the edges and let it dry overnight.
Now you're ready to wear it!

I'm pretty happy with how this turned out, I can definitely see myself wearing this sweater all winter.  I think the heart would look fun on a t-shirt or on a tote bag! 

Friday, August 24, 2012

Five Things Friday

For some reason, summer seems like a good time to get a lot of reading done. I always imagine spending an afternoon reading at the beach or at the park, but it hasn't happened yet this year. But, I have gotten through quite a few books this year. What about you?

Anyway this week's blanks are all about reading:



1. My favorite type of book to read is novels. I often find ones about dystopia or mythical ones particularly interesting. I also love it when there's a movie made out of a book. Then I like reading the book first and watching the movie afterwards.

2. What I'm currently reading: Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind. I watched the Legend of the Seeker TV series, so I know what everybody in the book "looks" like!

3. An author/book that I like is pretty much anything by John Steinbeck.

4. I usually like to read (when/where): right before bed - sometimes I don't feel sleepy unless I read something before going to sleep!

5. If I could choose a "book world" to live in, I would choose Harry Potter! Who wouldn't want to go to Hogwarts?!

**My favorite thing from around the web this week is: these tips from the old days for being a proper date. The pictures of them acting like they passed out are just so silly!

Have a great weekend everyone!

~EC

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Five Things Friday

I live in a college town and my favorite time of the year is the summer because the town literally becomes a ghost town.  It becomes super quiet and everything seems to slow down and things feel more care free and easy, just what summer is suppose to feel like.  But summer is approaching its end and school is right around the corner so today's FTF is school themed!



1.  A back to school ritual I had growing up was I would organize all my school supplies the night before and lay out my back to school outfit.  I was super OCD about organizing my supplies and making sure I had everything. 

2.  My favorite class in school was math!! I've always been good with number and math class was always my favorite. 

3.  My favorite thing about going back to school were the school supplies!! It seems like school supplies are getting cuter and cuter it makes me wish I was back in school.

4.  I was shy (shy/outgoing/athletic/etc...) in school.  It wasn't until college that I became more outgoing.

5.  The most random or embarrassing thing that happened to me at school was hmm, I've actually had A LOT of random/embarrassing moments, I've always been super clumsy and uncoordinated so random stuff always happens to me.  OK, so I am BAD at sports that involve a ball, football, softball, basketball, soccer, tennis, ping pong, anything with a ball and I am BAD at it!! I'm just too uncoordinated for team sports.  Anyway, during middle school gym class we ALWAYS played softball and I never caught a ball or hit the ball, I was bad like I said, but ONE time the ball fell directly in my hands!!  I was so shocked I had caught the ball that I just stared at it in amazement until my team and the gym teacher started yelling at me to throw it.  Afterwards the gym teacher asked me in front of everyone "Why were you so shocked to catch the ball??".  I was still in shock so I didn't even know what to say, haha. 

**My favorite thing from around the web this week are these strange and funny google street view photos Kate linked on her twitter!

I hope you guys have a great weekend!! 



Wednesday, August 15, 2012

DIY College Athletic Shorts

Being an Oregon State University (OSU) grad I love to wear beaver gear but let's face it college gear can be expensive!  I made these OSU themed shorts the other day to wear when I go on a run or to Zumba.  They were pretty easy to make and I love the faded look of the letters. 


Step-By-Step How To:
  1. Things you will need:
    • Jersey Shorts in the color of your choice
    • Chalk
    • Clorox Bleach Pen
    • Plastic Bag or Plastic Cutting Board
  2. Place a bag or the cutting board underneath the area you plan to apply the bleach
  3. With the chalk draw your university logo on the shorts
  4. Go over the logo with the bleach pen and let dry for 2-3 minutes
  5. Wash off the bleach, next wash the shorts in washing machine and dry
  6. If the design is not dark enough repeat steps 4-5 
We've had such hot weather here in the PNW I'm kinda looking forward to fall >.<

How is the weather where you live?

~DD

Friday, August 10, 2012

Five Things Friday

This week I feel like I've been having especially good things to eat. I went out more than usual and had a lot of delicious food in restaurants, too. So this week's blanks are all about...dinner!



1. My favorite kind of food to eat at a restaurant is: anything that I wouldn't usually be able to make at home, such as fancy Chinese or Italian food. I also like buffets every now and then - it's fun being able to try so many different things at once!

2. When I'm really hungry and want something quick, my go-to restaurant is: La Rocha on 9th street - Brian and I always get a super grande burrito and each eat half. It's such an enormous burrito and so good!

3. A bad restaurant experience I had was at: I've never had a terrible experience, but I didn't really like Terminus, which DD and I tried for Culinary Week this year - it seemed like the dish was full of random ingredients thrown together, and it wasn't even that tasty!

4. A dish that I am great at making is: sauteed chicken breasts with mustard cream sauce (from my Martha Stewart recipe book). It's simple, quick and something I can always make easily!

5. While eating dinner at home, I usually sit on the couch with Brian and watch an episode of whatever TV show we're currently into (right now it's Buffy). It would be nice to sit at a table and eat like a normal person sometimes, but Brian's stuff is usually all over our table being in the way!

My favorite thing from around the web this week is: these cute little stuffed plants! I especially like the succulent ones...I just want to squeeze their stuffed fabric leaves!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

~EC

Thursday, August 9, 2012

DIY Polka-Dot T-Shirt Show & Tell

Just wanted to show you guys how the polka dot shirt looks on, I've literally been wearing it with everything!  I was also happy to see that when I washed it the spots stayed on perfectly!  See the tutorial here.




Hope everyone is having a great week!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Five Things Friday

Since the Olympics are going on this week I thought it would only be appropriate to make this weeks FTF Olympic themed!  I've definitely been Olympic inspired these days wearing lots of red, white and blue.  Anyhow, here is today's FTF, play along and leave a comment below linking your answers to this weeks FTF:


1.  I sometimes (always/never/sometimes) watch the opening ceremonyThis year I was super busy so I wasn't able to watch it, I feel like I've missed out on some big thing!

2.  My favorite Olympic sport to watch is gymnastics!  It's so amazing what they can achieve and all the gymnasts are so young!

3.  If I were an Olympic athlete I would be a swimmer because I love the water! Too bad I'm too short and uncoordinated for that!!

4.  My least favorite sport to watch is mens volleyball.  Something about it that I don't like!

5.  Name the first Olympic athlete that pops into your head Ryan Lochte! Only because I came across this parody earlier this week.

My favorite thing from around the web this week is this Glamour article: 10 Things Girls ALWAYS Do in Movies and NEVER Do in Real Life and MORE Things Girls Always Do in Movies And Never Do in Real Life--As Pointed Out By You Guys!!  They are all so true, my favorite is "Legs and underarms are perfectly smooth" this is beyond true, HOW do they have time to be perfectly smooth ALL the time!??! IMPOSSIBLE!!

Have a great weekend everyone!! 

~DD

Thursday, August 2, 2012

DIY Polka-Dot Shirt

I was totally inspired by the j.crew fall clothing line when making this shirt.  I have been seeing polka-dots everywhere so I decided to make my own with a plain white t-shirt, some gold fabric paint and a round sponge.  The shirt took me less than a hour to make, it's such a fun top I can definitely see myself wearing this now and during fall.


Things You Will Need: 

Fabric Paint - I used gold paint but you can  use any color you wish

Sponge on a stick 3/4"

White t-shirt - I bought this one at wal-mart for $5.58, there is a similar one here.

Hard board

Paper Plate

Paint Brush (optional)


Step-By-Step How To: 

Gather your supplies!

Close-up of paint and sponge.

Place some paint on a little paper plate and dab the sponge in it, make sure the sponge is not drenched in paint.  The layer of paint on the sponge should be thin.

Place the cutting board/hard board underneath the area you will be working.  Next, firmly press down the sponge on the t-shirt.  Another thing I did is that I twisted the sponge around as I was firmly pressing it down on the shirt, this helped my dots came out nice and round.

Now you have a dot!

Continue to add dots until the whole shirt is covered in polka-dots.
If you need to fix the edges of the dots use a paint brush to touch them up, this guarantees much rounder dots.

Let dry for a couple of hours or until the paint is completely dry!  Now you are ready to wear it!