To ignite a fire within me

Almost a year ago, Miata Guy gifted me an e-reader, the Kindle. Yes, the Kindle is great for all the reasons seen on TV commercials, such as being able to store thousands of books, magazines, and newspapers, the lightness of the device, and the glare free screen. However for me, I love my Kindle for the following top three reasons.

3. I can lay in bed reading at night without bothering Miata Guy. The light attached to the hard cover protected sleeve is less bright than a nightstand light but bright enough to illuminate the entire screen. The fact the e-reader slides into the protection cover and uses the battery to power the light is pure engineering brilliance. I can also read comfortably by the campfire. No longer do I have to try to figure out how to hold my book and a flashlight/lantern at the same time. Which leads us directly into the next reason where

2. I no longer have to feel guilty returning library books to the library that smell like campfire.

1. The most important reason I enjoy reading my Kindle vs a book is that I can sit comfortably in my reading chair wearing my fleece pj pants and over sized t-shirt with The Mask lounging happily on my chest. With a book turning the pages while reaching over a 16lb purring beast on your chest proves to be more difficult than one may think. With the Kindle, with the press of my thumb the page is turned.

Peeeaaanutttt Peanut Butter!

"Peanut Butter is like crack for dogs!" Miata Guy

Every Day Better and Better

Today marks Miata Guy and I's 4 year anniversary, dating anniversary that is. Because no, we are not married (yet  ; ) ).  Today, 4 years ago, Miata Guy and I both volunteered to collect tickets for our local town's winter symphony performance. After arriving Miata guy worked outside in the snow directing cars while I was warm and cozy inside. The last song performed that night, George Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 Farandole, is one of my absolute favorite pieces from the Romantic Period. (IF Miata Guy decides he loves me enough to ask to me marry him, and IF I decide I love him enough to say yes...... you might just see some nontraditional things at our big party, like a Farandole wedding march. : ) ) After the performance this piece set Miata Guy and I up for a great conversation over dinner and drinks at a local brewery (He ordered for me a chocolate type porter, which was my first non MBC beer (IF we have a big party next year you just might see a homemade beer replica)). The rest of the story is history. Everyday, we find new ways or am reminded why we love each other. I can't wait to see what this next year will bring us!

I LOVE YOU HONEY BUNNY

Our first dance and dip attempt

Our first brew day

I love you flowers!

Our first Camping Trip

One of many Brewery trips

Our first bike tour

Best Valentine's Day gift ever!

Celebrating the New Year in Style

Lombard Street with Alcatraz in the back

We Love Halloween

Our "family"

Kids at Heart

Love

 

Hark is that a........

Miata Guy- Hey, Lama Lover do you hear that?

Me- Umm no. But am I going to smell it in a few seconds?

Miata Guy- Oh come on, I didn't fart...... yet that is. But seriously, listen.

Me- Sigh....What am I listening for?

Miata Guy takes me outside, down the driveway to the cul de sac. 

Miata Guy- You gotta hear it now.

Me- ummm the birds? Traffic on the highway? I don't know I give up.

Miata Guy- Those two trucks have been growling at each other all day! Grrrrr Grrr Grrrr

How secure?

I stumbled across this LINK the other day. The website lets you know how secure your password is by how long it would take a desktop pc to crack it.

My most used password could be cracked in only 169 days! Ah!

The password I've been switching to over the past few months would take a desktop PC 1 billion years to crack. That's much better.

The password DON put on our wireless Internet modem thingy...... 29 novemvigintillion years! I didn't even know such a number existed. Guess, noone will be stealing our internet anytime soon. Too bad, the passwords is a bear to type into my kindle.

3rd Annual Halloween Party Review

Miata Guy and I throw one big party every year, and it happens to be always be during Halloween (I'm guessing it will always be on/near Halloween : ) ). I'm not sure how we got started with a yearly Halloween party though my guess is we made too much Pumpkin Spice Ale one year and decided to share with all our friends. After the ale being a huge success and favorite among our friends we kept "making too much".  Each year, our house becomes more haunted with scary decorations in which I'm to blame. But really, you can't have a Halloween party unless you go all out! We've added and subtraction different foods and drinks and one particular drink has become as popular as the ale, our Hard Apple Cider. While the cider is easy to make it requires an entire year to do its thing before it is ready to drink!

This year's party was a huge success! We added some homemade decorations, (corpses, tombstones, and witch potion bottles) and debuted some exciting new games.

The guests raved about the food and beverages and the general atomsphere overall.

Thanks to Annie for all her help!!! The three of us (Miata Guy, Annie, and myself) were able to have everything ready to go with time to spare. (Altough to ensure less stress for me, I think I'm going to take a vacation day or two prior to the party in years to come).

Miata Guy and I dressed as a beekeeper and bumblebee. The Star dressed as a flower (Thanks to Annie for making her costume)!

Thanks to everyone who came this year! See you all next year (this means you too My Mermaid Luver)!

Save the date : ) 

Saturday, October 27th, 2012!!!!!!

Our yard

The Living Room

The Hallway

The other side of the Living Room

The Kitchen

The Star and I

Miata Guy and I (heehee! I glued tiny bees all over his costume!!)

Annie and I

Our friends the Dufi dressed as a Mac and PC!

The Winking Game and Tempt Your Fate

This year during our 3rd Annual Halloween Party, we debuted two new games to provide additional entertainment for our guests. Despite a few timid guests, the games were a success. Next year, we feel they will be even more successful. These games helped break the ice and allowed guest to converse and get to know one another!

Tempt Your Fate

We made several kind and cruel fate cards. The kind fates allowed guests to pick a treat (such as Halloween candy, or silly prizes) and a chance to enter in the grand prize drawing (4 pack of a variety of DarkNoon Brewery beers and a DarkNoon Brewery bottle of Mead). Cruel fate cards required guests to do a silly task. We placed each card into a balloon (They will fit if you fold them down enough times). Miata Guy wasn't very good at this because he kept forgetting to put the fate card in the balloon before blowing it up! We placed fate cards inside the balloons so that everyone knew when someone was tempting their fate, ensuring no one got out of a cruel fates!

A guest warding off cruel fate by picking his nose!

Examples of cruel fates

-Get on all fours and howl at the moon
-Take a ride on the broomstick around the house or yard
- Pretend you are a Zombie for the next 2 minutes
- Be a personal slave of the last person who tempted fate until someone else tempts fate
- Say noway to everything said to you for the next 5 minutes
- Imitate one of the hosts for 5 minutes
- Take your photo with 2 people you don't know

If you would like more examples, I can send you a word document with all the ones I came up with!

To prevent explaining the game several times we made a poster.

The Winking Game

Each guest received a card with the following information

 

BEWARE!!!

There is a winking killer amongst us. Yes, you read that correctly, winking! Before the night is over, the murderer will make eye contact with you and wink once at you with one eye. This means you have been killed. Your murderer has decided to end your life by

                              (a random assigned predetermined death)

You will have 2 minutes to choose where you would like to die…. then…die. Yes, we must see you die. Remember, the killer will not perform the action…this is your job! The killer will wink and expect you to complete the death. The more creative, dramatic, and visible the death, the better we will remember you by. Once killed, DO NOT REVEAL THE KILLER, or you will be very lonely on the other side.

Rule One- Do not discuss your role, speculations on the murderer, or any aspect of the game with anyone.  DO NOT TALK ABOUT IT!

Rule Two- If you are winked at/murdered you must die within 2 minutes. If you do not die the murderer will alert Lama Lover, and there will be dire consequences.

Rule Three- Haven’t been murdered yet and think you know who the murderer is? Write down your name, your guess, and the time then place your guess in the Pumpkin in the garage. The murderer is not allowed to attack within 5 feet of the pumpkin. However do not think of this as a safe zone! No loitering! First correct guess wins! 

Each card contained a different way the person was to die after being winked at. Some deaths were

- bored to death

-shot to death

- kicked by a horse

- burned alive

-frighten to death

- being run over by a train

I have a list of about 40 different ways which people could die which I can send as a word document.....just let me know :)

One guest received the following card

 Congratulations!!!

You are tonight’s wink murderer!!!

Your job is to “kill” everyone at the party before the night is over. To kill a guest, wink at them once with one eye. Be sly, cautious and subtle for everyone knows there is a winking killer on the loose, so they may try to avoid eye contact with you. Your victims will have 2 minutes, after being winked at/murdered, to die. Therefore, you have time to flee the crime scene, get a good seat, and enjoy watching them die.

Let the killing begin! But be careful, your goal is to not get caught.

Rule One- Do not discuss your role, speculations of the murderer, or any aspect of the game with anyone! DO NOT TALK ABOUT IT!

Rule Two- Make sure the victim you wink at knows you winked at them. Your wink must be discernible as an actual wink. If your victim does not die within two minutes, alert Lydia privately and your victim will meet dire consequences.

Rule Three- You are not allowed to kill within 5 feet of the Pumpkin where other guest will be casting their guess. 

The wink killer was able to kill several people before being discovered. Those already killed did a great job not revealing the killer! 

Next year, I hope Miata Guy will be the mediator so I can have a chance to play.

Awesomeness goes out to the huntsman for dying first and putting on a great show! Awesomeness also goes out to the 80's tourist, and the bee keeper for great performances as well! Oh! And of course Father Time for killing everyone!

80's tourist die from being bored to death!

Double Trouble Toil and Bubble

As you all know, I hate how the awesome Halloween decorations in the stores cost a fortune for mediocre quality. This year we made several of our own decorations in hopes they will last for several years. I wanted to add something different to the kitchen, but didn't know what to do since I already had lots of blood, body parts, and spider webs. After browsing through some Halloween forums, I discovered a witch potion bottle cabinet would be an inexpensive way to add something new. For now, I built a section on the counter....but in years to come I hope to have a full (at least 4 foot high) wooden cabinet.  I was very pleased to discover this project was super cheap in comparison to the appearance achieved!

First I visited Goodwill once every other week or so and searched the glass section for odd shaped bottles.  Most bottles were $0.50- $2.00. I tried to only purchase bottles that were whatever colored tag was 50% off. I cleaned the bottles, and a couple of days before the party I filled them with a variety of different things.

Such as......

- Q tips = spider eggs
- dried cranberries = frog livers
- my own hair
- oatmeal = flaked dried human skin
- bread crumbs = ground human bone


Miata Guy attached a black light under the cabinet for me giving some bottles an eerie glow!

Stuff that glows under a black light includes

- tonic water
- Tide laundry soap
- some shampoos and conditioners
- the felt inside a highlighter

All the items I used were found around the house and by trial and error I discovered what would glow.

I visited JoAnns a couple of days prior to Halloween and lucky for me they already had their Halloween fabric 75% off! I purchased a yard of a black fabric with a faint glitter outline of bats and a yard of a shear blood red.

I covered baking drying racks and some boxes with the fabric. This provide a tier layer appearance, and allowed me to place the "glowing" potions right under the black light.

For the labels, I printed several different potion names (check out some websites like Harry Potter to get some great ideas). I crinkled the paper and set them in used coffee grounds and water. I'm unsure exactly how long they require to soak because I set them in the coffee water before bed and removed them 8 hours later.

After letting the labels dry I taped them onto the bottles.

I used corks and burlap with twine to cover the bottles!

That's it! Easy huh?

Real spider inside!

From skeletons to corpses

As mentioned earlier in a post, Miata Guy and I purchased 2 skeletons to turn into corpses. Oh goodness, do they ever look creepy and realistic! To buy something similar in the store would cost you a fortune! Our homemade corpus can be made for around $33 ish (not including paint, and equipment). Miata Guy and I thoroughly enjoyed turning these friendly skeletons into something which we hope will give some guests nightmares. In addition, Miata Guy and I got the chance to work on a project together, to which I loved (hooray for being on third shift vs second). Miata Guy and I shared many conversations and laughs, something you just can't achieve sitting on the couch watching the boobtube, as Gooberface calls it.  So as promised, here's how we made our corpses.

The idea was taken from a post on halloweenforum.com. We suggest watching the following video (HERE) before making your corpse. And as always we will answer any questions you may have!

1) Purchase a 5 foot skeleton from Walgreens. These skeletons (aka wallies) are the cheapest, lightest, and most realistic looking skeletons on the market. There is another "cheap" skeleton out there, however its pelvis is tucked pretty much right under its rib cage. According to forum reviews, the slightly more expensive skeleton is pretty heavy, and this should be kept in mind if your corpse will be hanging. Also start stalking Walgreens in the beginning of October! They only get a limited supply of these skeletons!

2) Gather all supplies and equipment.

Supplies- Besides the skeletons you will need 7mil painters plastic trap (one roll will cover one skeleton), plastic gloves, dark wood stain, paint for the highlight color (your choice (we used red but the guy in the video used banana yellow WTF)), acetone, and Q-tips

 This one had a broken next in which Miata Giy fixed with a screw

Equipment- heat gun, and paint brushes (medium and small)

3) Lay your skeleton on a flat surface outside or in a well ventilated room since you will be melting plastic. We didn't notice any fumes from shrink wrapping, but you can never be too cautious when it comes to your health! Take the 7 mil painters plastic and measure from under the chin to just pass the pelvis and cut. Un-warp the cut piece and cut it into half lengthwise. Wrap one half around the body of the skeleton.

4) Take the heat gun and shrink the plastic to its self and to the skeleton. Failure to constantly move your heat gun back and forth will result in the actual skeleton melting. Repeat with the second piece of plastic.

5) Once the body is wrapped you can move on to arms and legs. We added a lump of plastic over the thigh/bicep areas for a more realistic appearance. Don't over do it! A few layers for a muscle-ly appearance is more than enough. Wrap the arm/leg in the same fashion as the body. We wrapped up and over the hip bone/shoulder joint to prevent the plastic from sliding down the arm/leg.  Cut off any excess plastic at the end of the hand/foot. Only slightly melt the plastic at the hand/foot and wearing gloves fold/pinch the plastic around the fingers/toes.

We ended up redo-ing the arm closest to you

6) Don't forget to the head!

7) Once the whole body is covered create some "blow holes". I like to think of these areas where animals or bugs devoured the skin to get to the good stuff! 










8) Don't be afraid to go over any areas with the heat gun to create webbing effects with the plastic. This creates a more realistic appearance!

9) Paint your skeleton with a dark wood stain. The video suggest using a wood stain gel, which we missed so we used the liquid stain instead. The liquid was a little messier, dripped, took longer to dry, and flakes off when you touch it. Next year, we're definitely going to try a wood stain gel instead!

10) Add a second coat of stain if you are not happy with the first layer.




 11) Dry brush a highlight color, we were very pleased with the results of the deep red. Dry brushing means to barely drip your paint brush in the paint jar then remove as much paint as you can onto your tray. In quick rapid stokes brush over the skeleton.

 <----- In this photo the skeleton facing forward has two coats of stain and one coat of red dry brushing. The skeleton facing away has one coat of stain.














12) Since we used a liquid stain instead of a gel some of the stain dripped onto the bones. With a little acetone on a Q-tip it came right off.

13) Place your skeleton somewhere to catch your guests off guard :) We don't suggest leaving these guys out in the rain. Ours did great on the patio in sun though.

Happy Thanksgiving Folks!

 May you thoroughly enjoy whatever ends up on your plate!

Should I be scared?

According to this website HERE , my cats are trying to kill me. After taking the quiz, apparently there is an 83% chance The Mask and T.O.C. are plotting my death as we speak.  The below images provide proof behind this terrifying theory.

Preparing for combat

Studying my habits

Being more affectionate than usual

Waiting to ambush

trying to destroy my communication with the outside world

Staring contest....Do Not Look AWAY!