Video Friday: Fail.

Look, sometimes I take the easy way out. I'll use duct tape when something sturdier is called for. I'll use canned evaporated milk to keep from going to the store. But y'all - when you need a trailer, you can't fake that. Especially with a van.



Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Miss and Don't Miss, Update, Miscellany

Well folks, I'm settling into my new job in Auburn quite nicely, even though it's taking a little bit of adjusting moving back home. But there are definitely some things about Birmingham that I'm missing already. Among them are Olexa's warm wedding cake by the slice, Forever 21, Oasis Bar, The Greystone YMCA, the James Brown Soul Roll at 26 and, mostly, being in the same city as Trusty Fiance.

However, there is one thing that I'm most certainly NOT missing:

Highway 280 traffic.

I went from a 45 minute drive to work and an hour drive home to 10 minutes both ways. I feel like I've been given the gift of time.

And as far as wedding planning, Trusty Fiance have gone full force into planning mode. I'm not going to reveal much here just yet, but I'll give you one clue word: ORANGE. Niiiiiiiice.

I'm still struggling a little bit with entertaning bits for the blog while I'm in limbo mode, so bear (bare? I don't feel like looking that up right now) with me. Toodles, friends!

Cool Idea

We all know those monogrammed mugs from Anthropologie, right? Well, they used them for something much cooler than coffee in my local store recently.

Just drill a little hole in the bottom, pop in a cute plant or flower and you're done! Notice how they spelled GROW with their mugs. This would be a great gift for someone with a short name (like KATY)!

Sneaky Sneakers

In the latest issue of Lucky, we're told that we should be buying high top sneakers:

Thanks, but no thanks.

But I do love a good pair of casual sneakers. Unlike my trusty running shoes, these sneakers are more at home in the mall than on the treadmill. Dress 'em up or dress 'em down - they're always cute. Here are a few pair I've got my eye on:

Top:
Saucony Bullet Sneaker, $49.95
Asics Gel-Fieri, $49.95

Middle:
Converse Nylon Trainer, $45
Converse Chuck Taylor, $39.95
Puma Lanai SS, $42

Bottom:
Puma Cabana Racer, $49.95
Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, $39.90

Bound to Happen Sometime...

OK I'm sitting here in front of my computer screen, trying and failing to write a post that is either entertaining, helpful or interesting. I have...

writer's block.

It may be the unusually large number of things going on in my life right now. Tomorrow (well, today if you're reading this on Monday) is my first day at my new job in my new (old) town, so I'm pretty excited about that.

So while I collect my thoughts and adjust to the newness, does anyone have anything they'd like me to write about? Anything you're interested in that I haven't covered? Anything you'd like to hear more about? I'm happy to oblige!

Buffer the Vampire Slayer

I don't do the whole nail polish thing, because it ends up getting chipped and looking less than desirable. But I do like having shiny nails, which is why I LOVE this 4-way nail buffer.

You just rub all four sides over your nails, and they turn out super shiny - they actually look like you're wearing clear polish, but you don't have to wait for them to dry. And for 99 cents, it's about the cheapest beauty tool you can find. There are lots of versions of these buffers out there, so check your favorite grocery store or pharmacy!

Big Day!

Welp blog readers, big news in my world - Trusty Boyfriend became Trusty Fiance on Monday! We're really excited, and I'm looking forward to planning a wedding. I'll keep you posted on what's going on along the way, but I promise - this isn't going to turn into a wedding blog!

Now's when I'd like to hear from YOU! For those of you who've tied the knot already and walked in these shoes, what advice do you have for someone just starting the journey? What was the best decision you made when it came to wedding planning, and what would you do differently know that you know better? I'd love any advice, tips or tricks you've got!

Book Review: Pretty in Plaid

Well folks, I have a lot of book reviews for ya in the coming weeks, because I've been a reading fool. One of the latest books I finished was Jen Lancaster's Pretty in Plaid: A Life, A Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase.

From Publishers Weekly:
Funny girl Lancaster has crafted a successful career by honing the breezy, bloggy style she first exhibited in Bitter is the New Black; her latest, in part a backhand to the resurgent 80s fashion trends, is sure hit resonant, hysterical notes for anyone who came of age in the era of the Preppy Handbook. Authorial voice is at the heart of Lancaster's charm, and she chronicles her early 20s-blunders from fashion and finances to academics and retail jobs-with a candor that few will be able to resist. Lancaster confesses to a fascination with plastic (the material, not the credit card), gloating over her impressive new Liz Claiborne bags, and difficulty finding faithful friends, even (especially) in her Greek affiliations ("Even though I read Seventeen and Glamour every month, I'm already thought of as the Jean Jacket Jackass in my rush group"). Falling somewhere between David Sedaris and Laurie Notaro, Lancaster's goofy charm will no doubt continue to win fans, as well as influence the next generation of sardonic, winning, self-effacing memoirists.

If you've never read anything by Jen Lancaster, PLEASE - I beg of you - do yourself a favor and start with Bitter is the New Black and go from there. Pretty in Plaid was the fourth book I've read by her, and it was everything I'd hoped it would be. From reading Jen's blog, Jennsylvania, I knew that she was a slave to Lacoste and All Things Preppy, but this book gave a wonderful glimpse into her years growing up and was sort of a prequel to Bitter.

Jen is such a talented writer that you feel like you're having a conversation with a friend (a very funny friend) when you read her work. Plus, I got to meet her when she came to Birmingham to read from her new book, My Fair Lazy, and she was so nice and really seemed to enjoy meeting her fans. Proof:

I was 97th in line to meet her, and she was just as friendly to me as she was to Number One.

Bottom line: Pretty in Plaid is an enjoyable, funny read that would make a great addition to your queue of poolside books.

Easy Recipe: Stuffed Peppers

I picked the first two bell peppers from my garden! And because I didn't want to just cut them up and put them on a salad, I decided to make something special with them: stuffed peppers. Y'all know my affinity for Mexican food, and this is Mexican with a spin. You don't have to follow this recipe exactly - I just used what was in the house.

Ingredients:
Bell peppers
Ground Turkey
Chopped onions
Black beans or corn
Salsa
Breadcrumbs
Cumin and any other Mexican spices you like
Cheese
Sour Cream

Step 1: Cut the tops off your peppers and remove the insides. Cut the stems out of the top so you have a little hole there.

Step 2: Brown your turkey with the onions, drain off the little bit of fat, and add your cumin, salsa, beans or corn and about half a cup of breadcrumbs (these give the stuffing a nice consistency) and mix everything well. I was making two peppers, so I had way more meat than I needed, so I saved some for tacos the next night.

Step 3: Fill your peppers halfway full with the turkey mixture, add some cheese, then add more mixture.

Step 4: Place the tops of the peppers back on, and add a little sour cream and cheese on top where the stem was. Place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for around 15 minutes, or until the peppers are soft.

These were pretty good. I served them with some Spanish rice and a salad.

What do you think? Would you make this? Do y'all like these recipes?

DIY: Rose Lavender Salt Scrub

Howdy friends! I'm back after a week in Nashville and at the lake, and I've missed you! I promise to get back to daily posts as usual. Starting right now...

I tend to be a shampoo/conditioner/bar soap kinda gal, but every now and then I like some spa-like treats in my shower. This salt scrub is really easy to make – you only need to run to the grocery store and your local craft store. And because it’s made with Epsom salt instead of sugar or sea salt, you get the added benefit of pain relief with sprains and bruises (one of Epsom salt’s many MANY uses).

Ingredients:
(all measurements are approximate – you can make as much or as little as you like)
1 cup Epsom salt
1/2 -3/4 cup olive oil (you can go with store brand on this, since you’re not eating it)
Several drops (I used 10-12) Rose scent (can be found in craft stores with the candle or soap making items)
Tablespoon Dried lavender flowers (also found with the soap making items)
One good squirt of Lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and you’ve got a fab scrub. I keep mine in a mason jar in the shower and just stir it a little before each use. The Epsom salt helps with aches, the olive oil softens skin and the other ingredients give it a great scent. Yes, it takes a little while to get the olive oil completely off your skin, but it’s worth it.

Also, make sure you don’t bust your butt in the shower if there’s olive oil residue. That’s my little non-liability disclaimer.

Video Friday: I love Kristen Wiig

Kristen Wiig is my favorite SNL cast member since the days of Chris Farley and David Spade. So for Video Friday, I've included two of my favorite characters she plays. I like the real Suze Orman, but I love Kristen Wiig's SNL version even more! Check it out:


And the Target Lady costarring Justin Timberlake as Peg? Hilarious.

Happy Friday everyone!

DIY: Beaded Scarf Necklace

Always on the hunt for cool accessories, my friend Adrienne and I saw these SAAKO scarf necklaces in a recent Daily Candy email. I liked them, but they had two problems: they were HUUUUUGE, and they ranged in price from $50-$100. That is NOT OK for some cut up jersey fabric. So I decided to use them as an inspiration for something new, and the result is really cool.

Note on the order of things in this DIY: This was my first time trying this, so there may be an easier way to tackle all the steps, but I’m going to tell you how I did it and then you can try it your way. Also, it's hard to take pictures when you're elbow-deep in blue dye, so that's why these pictures aren't as detailed as usual.

You’ll need:
A new white t-shirt, size XL
Rit dye in the color of your choice
Uncoated wooden beads
Bleach
Spray bottle
Cookie sheet
Paper towels
Needle and thread or sewing machine
Scissors
Large plastic bowl
Tongs
Large spoon

1. Cut your t-shirt into strips of varying thickness, beginning at the bottom and working your way up to the arm pits. Laugh because I just wrote “arm pits” in a blog post.

2. Take a few of the pieces and cut a little off so that they all won’t be the same length. Sew the end pieces back together.

3. Prepare your dye using the instructions in the box. I did this in a Dutch oven on the stove, and it worked pretty well. Be sure you have a large bowl close to your dye so you can put the fabric into this as it comes out of the dye. This stuff is HARD to get out of laminate countertops. You folks with granite won’t have to worry about this. *ALSO, put on some clothes that you don’t mind if they get splattered.

4. Submerge your fabric into the dye for about 5-7 seconds (or until you get a color you’re happy with). It’s OK if the strips are a little tangled – that gives them a cool tie-dyed effect. Lift the fabric out of the dye with the tongs, put it in the bowl and take to the sink. Repeat with the wooden beads.

5. Put several layers of paper towels on a cookie sheet so you can put the strips there when they’ve been rinsed out. This will help protect your countertops.

6. Rinse, rinse, rinse each strip individually and put them on the cookie sheet. Pat dry with another paper towel.

7. You’ll probably still have some dye in the fabric, but that’s OK. Add a little bleach to a spray bottle (tip – don’t leave bleach in the spray bottle after you’re done with it, because sometimes bleach can eat through cheap plastic and drip all over the clothes you’re air drying on top of your washing machine. I have experience with this, guys) and put a few strips back in the sink and spray a little bleach here and there, just to give it a cool effect. A little goes a long way.

8. Let the bleach sit for a few minutes, then rinse each strip again.

9. My fabric still had a little dye in it, and since I didn’t want that to rub off on anything light I wore under this, I decided to run it through the washing machine. I put the strips in a lingerie bag so they wouldn’t get completely tangled up. Then I dried them in the dryer in the lingerie bag.

10. Once everything is dry, it’s time to add the beads. Cut a few strips, tie a knot and add the bead.

11. Use one smaller piece of fabric to tie everything together in the back, and voila! A new fabulous accessory to make all your friends insanely jealous.

How to Pose in Photos

Some people seem to always look great in photos, while others conjure up visions of mug shots. Are certain people just photogenic, or do they know some secrets? I think it's the latter. And in a world of Facebook tagging, looking your best is more important than ever.

There are two pretty good videos below about how to pose in a photo - one from a photographer and one from a (very skinny) model. The key is to never stand square to the camera - turn your hips sideways a little bit to slenderize yourself. A hand on your hip as opposed to hanging by your side makes your upper arms appear leaner, and leaning toward the camera just a bit can get rid of a double chin. I always try to lean my head to the side just a bit to look a little more natural (apparently in real life, my head weighs a TON).




What about you? Do you have any great tips for how to look fab in photos?

Easy Healthy Recipe: Berry Trifle

I realize my timing is a little off on this since the Fourth of July has passed, but a red, white and blue berry trifle is a great dessert for any summer get-together. I made this for a lake outting over the holiday weekend, and it was a nice, cool dessert for a hot day. And best of all, it's light, low in calories and easy to put together.

Ingredients:
Store-bought angel food cake (the no-sugar-added kind tastes just as good for fewer calories)
One box instant sugar free Jell-O vanilla pudding
3 cups skim milk
One tub sugar-free Cool Whip
One package strawberries
One package blueberries

Mix the pudding and milk thoroughly and place in the refrigerator to set.

Cut the angel food cake in small bite-size pieces and layer half into a trifle dish. If you don't have a trifle dish, a regular bowl will work, but you can find one at Wal-mart for around $6. It just makes this dessert look so pretty.

Cut the strawberries into slices and layer half over angel food cake.

Layer half of the pudding and half of the blueberries over the strawberries. Top with half of the Cool Whip. Then repeat with the remaining ingredients.

I spelled out "USA" on the top in blueberries because I love America.

There you have it! A low cal, easy recipe that can be a hit at your next summer party!

Video Friday: The Dad App

OK so I'm thinking that funny videos are going to be a regular thing for Fridays, because hey - we all like funny videos and I'm usually out of post ideas by Fridays. Anyway, tears are streaming down my face after watching this one, from Best Week Ever.



Happy weekend everyone!

The Last Day

Yesterday was my last day of work at the job I've had for the past year and a half. It was also sort of the end of an era, because it was my last day of work in Birmingham, the city where I've lived for the past seven years. I'm moving to and starting a job in Auburn in a couple of weeks, so there have been some big changes in the past month. More on the move later.

The last year and a half has been interesting. I'm certainly no newbie when it comes to working for large organizations with bureaucracy, but this one has been... different. I've had some high highs and very low lows, made some friends and met some people I'd rather not see again, and have ultimately had an experience that will go into the Big Bucket of Me. I wrote a whole diatribe here about it, using lots of quotes from Office Space and The Office and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but I decided to delete it in the interest of moving on. I'm worn out, I'm grumpy and I'm tired of making spreadsheets. But I'm looking forward to a significantly increased quality of life, and that is truly exciting.

I'm about to start an entirely new chapter in my life. I feel like exciting things are on the horizon, including a great new job full of fun people, a move closer to my family and oldest friends (read as: friends I've had the longest. I'm not friends with a bunch of 80-year-olds.), a 5-minute drive to work instead of a 45-minute drive, and eventually a new house to decorate (which we all know I love). Things are looking up for ol' Katy.

One thing that I will most definitely take away from this job though are the friends I've made. You all know who you are. So when I've been eating too well and need some sugar in my diet, I'll scoot on up the road and meet you at Olexa's.

And now, onward and upward! I've got a couple weeks off to pack some of my things, go on a little trip with Trusty Boyfriend and get acclimated to my new life. I'm going to try to post every day, but if not, stick with me - I'll be back daily really, really soon.