{ Product of Rachel Ray }

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No super cool adventures involving pictures lately, but I did have a charming conversation with my dad (pictured above) last Sunday that I wanted to share.

I called him around 6pm to wish my dad a Happy 73rd Birthday, and after briefly conversing about the affects aging is having on his body, my dad and I discussed his birthday dinner my mom had cooked him.

"We're having prime rib," he said. "And baked asparagus."

"Ummm...delicious, Dad! Nice choice." I responded. Then, since I had never baked asparagus, I asked him how my mom had made it.

"Oh well...you heat up the oven to about 350, then you put some asparagus in a dish and sprinkle it with a little bitt of EVOO and then...(something something something)"

EVOO. Oh. My. Rachel Ray. I love it. Adorable dad.

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In other news, the elderly woman I visit with on Sundays (Rita) has recently been requesting that I paint her fingernails yellow. Not an easy order to fill. But! Awesomely, I found some yellow nail polish at Urban Outfitters on Saturday while shopping with Nate. So great. I decided to try it out yesterday for a test run, and it turned out to be the same color as corn. Which, surprisingly, is kind of awesome. (see below)

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{ Nicki Smith }

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The other day this e-mail arrived in my inbox. It was written by my boss to a new client coming in to meet with me, and I was copied on the e-mail so I was reminded of the meeting. The e-mail read as follows:

"Josh,

When you get to the office tomorrow morning ask for Nicki Smith. Nicki is the designer that will be working on the new presentation..."


What the?! Nicki Smith?!?

I wrote my boss of three years back with the reply:

"Remember when I changed my last name to Smith? That was fun..."

Awesome.

{ Fun-core }

As opposed to the term "hardcore," the term I like to use to describe my life is fun-core. If it's fun, I'm in. And this, my friends, is definitely fun.

{ Terrarium 101 }

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Terrariums are pretty, so I decided to gift one to my friends Ali and Dylan for their wedding (NOTE: Present still pending delivery, so, if you see this Ali, please call me so I can come drop it off :) ). I chose more of an open container because of it's attractiveness, but you can use bell-jar and small-opening containers too. Here's a step-by-step of the simple process.

Step 1 place rocks in the bottom of the container for drainage. I am sure there is a certain height you should clear with the rocks, but mine are about an inch and a half in depth.
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Step 2 place a covering over the rocks before you put in the dirt so the dirt doesn't infiltrate the rocks. I chose moss cause it's pretty and multifunctional, but you can use a cut piece of screen (like the screen you use in windows) too.
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Step 3 cover with at least a few inches of dirt. I think I used about 2.5 inches; just enough to pot the plant. You could probably do with using more, but I didn't have a ton of space. Make a hole for your plant.
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Step 4 plant the foliage. I chose and ivy cause they like a moist environment and they are low lying. I added some moss to the top of the soil (as pictured above) to add some more color. I think I may add a couple rocks or a piece of nice bark before delivery. So lovely.
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Here are some other pretty ones from other people:
Bell Jar example
A Collection example
Water Jug example
Cactus example

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UPDATE

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After a few days in its new home, the terrarium has earned a new name and a special, set-apart place in my friend's home.

The terrarium is now affectionately referred to as the "taranchelarium" and it rests on a wood end table in a sitting nook in the kitchen. It resides next to a reading chair and a painting of a scantily clad woman, which is now affectionately renamed after me in honor of the plant it keeps company with. Thank you Ali :)

{ Oh...Hello Beautiful Longboard }

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OK...I know it's just an object, but isn't this longboard beautiful?! It came up today on whiskeymilitia.com and I fell in love. I already own a long board, and I don't really have a lot/a little/any cash to spare, so I just admired it from view of my computer screen. So classy. So lovely. So awesome. Nice work Gold Coast. Someday, when I'm rich, I may ride your longboard along the coast and take pictures, cause really, how could I help myself.

{ We Can Do Halloween }

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Who says randomly purchasing a pair of coveralls at a thrift store doesn't pay off? I got these blue bad boys at DI a little less than a year ago with no particular use in mind, but they came in very handy this weekend; and, bonus, I didn't need to buy any extras for my costume! Check it:

coveralls = sweet DI purchase
hair scarf = previous belonging of my lovely grandma
eye lashes = who doesn't already own false eyelashes? (I bought them for high school prom, and they're still going strong)
yellow "we can do it" pin = paper cut out I created in 1 minute or less

I spent Halloween this year with Mike at a Neon Trees concert. He's buddies with the guys in the band, so we went to support and enjoy. The show didn't disappoint -- rockin fun with dancing and a 6'5 man dressed as Captain Crunch (man -- I wish I had gotten a picture of him). After the show, friends convened at my place to play speed scrabble and guitar. I knitted. All in all an awesome night.

Strangely enough, I boycotted dressing up for Halloween from the ages of 12 to 25. I think I thought it was stupid. But let me tell you...I was wrong. Dead wrong. Ever since I have come back, I just can't get enough. Next year, I may even have to get some false ears involved (see picture example below).

Pictures from the night:

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Katy the Penguin, Beth the Ladybug and Fletcher the Convict before we parted ways temporarily for the evening (they went to the stake dance in a barn down south)

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Neon Trees show, complete with audience member dressed as Animal from the Muppets on the stage.

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Me with Chris, the guitarist from the Neon Trees, in his black and gold bird-ish costume. Sicky sick.

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Awesome girl who let me take her picture cause I loved her costume so much. I thought she was Mother Nature, but she said she was a woodland creature. I can handle that. Next Halloween, here I come.

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Close up of her eyes.

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Julia serenading us at the end of the night.

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Beth and Fletcher holding it down at speed Scrabble (Katy not pictured)

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Nicki-Rosie-Nicki knitting

Great end to a great night.