She's Back! Can you Guess Why?

Big surprise, but I am back and will be posting here on W.E. once a week.  I wanted to start with that so I am accountable all my readers... read my lips, Once. A. Week!

So now that we have gotten that out of the way, you may be wondering.  What inspired you to come back after 2 years on silence? Well, I recently got engaged!! Yay!

Where Have I Been?

Well readers I have been a lot of places since my last post.  Finals, presentations, graduation, the highways and freeways between San Diego and Seattle, Lower Yosemite Falls! Yep, quite a few thing, but not too much crafting sadly. 

But I am pleased to announce that I have graduated, and I have to brag a little bit, I got straight A's this semester. I defiantly was working hard down to the end and was able to pull off good grades! Finish strong right?  But I was able to sneak a little craft project in between the end of finals and walking across the stage.  I don't have the time tonight to write up the tutorial, but it will be up soon.  Here is a sneak peak...

My roommate and friend Amanda had her commissioning ceremony to become an officer in the navy so three of us made shirts!  Since she will be reporting to Pensacola in the fall for flight school, we channeled a classic, Top Gun! I really loved how they turned out and can't want to show you how easy they were to make, and how great they looked!

In other news this is what I have been working on remotely, for the last few months.

More information to come! 

Night!

...And Thursday

As a knitter I have always loved scarfs.  You really have to, when you first start knitting you don't have the guts to make more than a simple rectangle.  In addition to putting yourself in the scarf box, most beginning knitters think of knitting as a purely winter sport.  But over the last few years the spring/summer scarf has become a staple in many a wardrobe. Well, I am ready to take the plunge with this awesome project from Martha!  She calls it the Ombre Scarf, but its just a cotton scarf that you dye yourself. The directions look kind of complected, but a video accompanies so you can watch it before to make it easier.  Pretty much you are taking some dye and putting it in a squirt bottle.  You go from the ends to the middle and dilute the dye as you go to get the gradient effect.  I think that set up is what really takes the most time and that maybe it would be more time efficient to make a few, maybe to give as gifts? Mother's Day perhaps?

What you will end up with is something really fun and ready for all your summer escapades. 

Here is some inspiration!

 You can even make up a few bottle diffent bottles of dye, make a couple solid color scarfs 

then some multi-colored ones like these

Dip-Dyed Scarf (One Size Coast) 

 

Happy DIYing!

...and remember to wear gloves!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

 I know I haven't posted much lately, I have been busy applying for jobs and doing school work.  But I only have a week of school left and then finals and then I graduate! But even the busy student takes time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.  Just in case you want to break out the tequila here are a couple of non-margarita drinks I thought I would share.

The Mitchel
-Tequila
-Fresca
-Grandine
-Lime
-Ice

Fill a tall glass with ice, add a shot of tequila.  Add a splash of grenadine and fill glass with fresca. Garnish with lime.

Fizzy Tequila Lime
-Diet 7up
-Tequila
-Lime
-Ice
-Margarita mix- Optional

Same as above, fill glass with ice, add a shot of tequila, add a splash of margarita mix, and fill glass with the 7up. Garnish with a couple lime slices.

Both of these drinks are pretty awesome and not too calorie heavy, both diet 7up and Fresca are 0 calories.  But of you are craving a more authentic margarita drink try these sugar free dry mix ins.  They are like crystal lite but for cocktails.  They are great to have on hand for when you want to unwind guilt free on a warm summer evening! Delish!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

...And Thursday

With my last round of tests over until finals, life in San Diego is easy and fun once again.  It's spring time and while the sun is out the wind is keeping me in coats and jeans, instead of the V-necks and skirts I prefer this time of year.  Sitting inside looking outside at the pretty blue sky has me itching for all the things about summer I love.  I am daydreaming about events that are sure to be mentioned in detail while they are happening.  One of my favorite summer events is my annual 4th of July party. Everything about the party is a surprise until people arrive.  I plan the menu and decorations way in advance.  As in- I already have the main and side dishes planed, still working on desert and drinks! I have been working away on different ideas for a few weeks now and when I stumbled upon this dress, I knew that I would be wearing a version of it on the 4th!

 Isn't it amazing?  It is the perfect mix for nautical and patriotic, something I can wear all summer long!  But there is no way I am paying over fifty dollars plus shipping for this dress. So here is my plan.  Find a suitable tank top replacement and add it to a skirt in a similar cherry red.  I will probably make the skirt myself.  It is a fairly simple A-Line number with a little extra volume in the form of pleats/ruffles at the top. Sounds pretty easy and fun, I hope to keep the entire look under 20 dollars.  I am currently debating between two different tanks, one about five dollars and the other ten. I might actually go into forever 21 and see what I can try on in person as well.  But here is where the fun feature come in! I am defiantly not going to rock a huge bow on my waist, like some pretty package waiting to opened...UM ICKK!  Bows are one trend I cannot get with!  Instead I am going to make this...

Totally Awesome Rose Belt!

I think this belt would be the perfect topper for my tank dress. A fun detail at the waist, but not a huge bow like a bride's maids dress! The belt is simple to make, all you need is some fabric, interfacing and 2 D rings.  Another positive about this over the bow, is that I can wear it with more than just my dress.  Hop on over to Emily Spark's blog and browse the fun other fun tutorials she had.  But don't forget the awesome rose belt! 

In other news, I graduate in less than 30 days! 23 days and 19ish hours according to the senior tab on my school's website!  Once I return home this blog is going to be SO MUCH MORE AWESOME!!  I will actually be able to sew some projects!  I will have all my craft items in one single place, instead of split between California and Washington.  Needless to say I am very excited!  But I will keep crafting and sharing and writing in the meantime.  A big thanks to all the readers who have supported my baby blog, which is growing up everyday!

The Sunday Five

This week is going to suck.  I realize that by making this statement, I
A. sound like a grade schooler via my use of the word suck, &
B am guaranteeing that the week will indeed suck. 
Here is my week, and let me mention that I have literally have only 12 days of class left this semester.  I have two tests tomorrow, one in operations management, and one in real estate finance.  I have a paper due Tuesday, in my interpersonal relations class, I also have a business law test either on Wednesday or Friday, and I have an event about BEER I have to go to for my strategic management class on Thursday night, as well as the second to last round of the business simulation competition due on Thursday night. But I digress, even with the insane amount of work I have I still have pleanty to be happy about.  Getting past all the complaining/venting here is my Sunday Five!

1. John Mayer- it seems that this amazing singer/songwriter/guitarist has had some bad press recently. I pretty much just ignore it and think what I want, the phrase I do what I want comes to mind...  But I hadn't listened to my extensive collection of John in a while. I was in my roommate's car yesterday and Heartbreak Warfare came on the radio when she turned on the car.  If you follow me on Twitter, you will know exactly how this made me feel.  But since I have more the 140 characters to express it here let me tell you again.  Hearing that song come on the radio was like running into someone you LOVE but haven't seen in a really long time at the grocery store.  You didn't expect to see them but your heart just fills with joy and you want to run up to them in the middle of the store and hug them super hard.  I have know idea why I reacted this way but it was the image that went along with my feelings right at that moment.  I wish I could have hugged, John in the flesh, his music makes me so happy, reminds me of great times and some of my favorite people! Ok I will stop sounding like a crazy fan now. But In case you were wondering this is what I am listening to now...

Half Of My Heart (with Taylor ...

2.The sunny weather seems to be making a reappearance, although weather.com says it's only temporary.  Knowing my days in California are numbered, literally 28 until I graduate, seems to make every sunny day that much more precious.  Seattle summers are gorgeous, but usually include more than enough rain.  Every second I can be outside in the warm sun the happier I am.

3. Glee!  Have you seen the most recent episode?  Well it was totally Madonna themed, and super amazing! Sue says that Madonna is empowering and well, the episode was just that.  I mean its a musical TV show, so the stories are going to be exteme, but the message was clear!  I love love love Glee, and adding Madonna to the mix just made it that much better!

4. I had a comment this morning on my blog on my dollar store post, the Zipped Cuff

   "Michelle L. said... This is beautiful! Extra thank you for the no-sew part. Also (first time reader here)  you are an amazing writer. If I'd been drinking milk it would have come out my nose."

 What an amazing complement! I try SO HARD to be funny and most of the time I fail, so when people actually laugh it makes me feel incredible.  In addition she said I am a great writer, which I always love to hear.  Now if my teachers all saw it that way... But the comment really made my morning!

5. I had a wonderful relaxing walk this morning with my friend Denise, in Coronado.  I love walking the boardwalk, and the beach.  It was a great way to get the morning started, and since I have been so busy lately it was nice to catch up on the goings on here at USD.  It was just what I needed to start this week off strong and kick butt on my tests (3) and paper (1). 

Bonus #6. The Vampire Diaries was AMAZING this week.  Only two episodes left!!  I just watched it this morning and it totally rocked my TV world.  I am always in such shock during the episodes.  I even did the Home Alone Face...

**Image Via Google 

Seriously, I do that, just ask my roommates! I know I say this all the time but I love the show so much, I am addicted.  I spend so much time reacting to all the craziness, I am constantly caught off guard by what happens next.  I never see anything coming.  My only prediction is that Elena is going to become a vampire.  But my guess is that won't happen this season.  I can't wait for the next episode!

Okay party people, I have shared what is making me happy this week, its your turn! 

What is making you happy this Sunday??

Coupon Clipping?

I love saving money, it's no secret.  Although I currently feed myself using gift cards from Trader Joe's, when I would shop for my whole family, I was always trying to break my max savings record of sixtyish percent.  You know at the bottom of the receipt where the checker circles, you saved.... Well I love seeing how big I can get that number to be on a grocery trip.  So when a new coupon website invited me to peruse their vast supply of coupons last week, I happily said yes! 

     Although I had never heard of http://www.couponchief.com before, it is a large site with A LOT of coupons. It is the perfect place to go when you are buying something online and want to check around for a free shipping code, or a 10% off offer.  The site itself is more efficient that just typing discount codes for The Gap into your search bar, which is what I had been doing previously.  For example, I do a TON of shopping on Amazon.  All you have to do is type the store into their search bar and up pop's forty four coupons!

     Adding to my excitement, is the ability to rate the coupons.  I love sites that let you rate the coupons, because then you can look at other people's ratings, to see if the codes even worked!  They even have a page of coupons for Ebay, I didn't even know Ebay coupons existed! As if I need another reason to feed that addiction...  Members add new codes all the time, and by becoming a member you can get alerts for stores that you shop at most!  So if you are looking for coupon codes to keep that online shopping budget in check check out Coupon Chief!